How does Satan treat those who reject Jesus? (Malachi; Psalm 2; Revelation 9)

We know how Jesus treats His people, we were told in the first chapter of Revelation that He loves us and has freed us from our sins by His blood (1:5). How good it is to know you are loved by Jesus, loved so much that He gave His life for you. He is always working for your good and will not let any harm come to you that is not ultimately for your good. But how does Satan treat those who reject Jesus? Perhaps we imagine he’ll look after them, they will all be friends, but friendship is a gift from God, and Satan has no interest in looking after anyone.

How does Satan treat those who have rejected Jesus? He tortures them. We’re used to the idea of Satan being
against God’s people, but in Revelation 9 we see he’s against everyone and that those who have not taken refuge in Jesus have no protection. Satan makes life so miserable for some people that they will long to end their own lives, we see the awful picture in 9:6, they are a kind of living death.

Now that’s not to say that every non-Christian is miserable, nor that a Christian can never suffer from depression, but because the Christian is protected by Jesus, we will ultimately triumph, we have the Holy Spirit helping us through life and have confidence that nothing can separate us from the love of Jesus. Even in the bleakest times, when we’re crying out “how long” – we know there will be an answer. But for those outside of Christ, they will be lured by things that offer much, but have a sting in the tail. Something that looks like it will give pleasure ends up trapping and destroying. Satan the great deceiver only wants to destroy. He is the one commanding this army of stinging locusts, he is the one deceiving and destroying (9:11).

Look at the destruction he causes when the 6th trumpet is blown (9:18). A third of mankind was killed by this awful Satanic army marching on the earth. Now remember this is picture language, we won’t literally see horses with lion heads and tails like serpents. But we need to understand that Satan is busy deceiving and destroying. Did you notice how the horses caused harm? Three times we were told about their mouths. (v17,18, 19). Why is that? Because Satan deceives through words, he leads people away from the living God to spiritual and ultimately physical death. He deceives through false teachers minimising the seriousness of sin, just as Satan has done since the beginning (Genesis 3).

Why does God allow all of this? It’s important that we see that although Satan is causing all this destruction, it is all under God’s control, Satan can only do what is permitted by God. And Satan’s purpose may only be to deceive and destroy, but God’s purpose is to save. The aim of these judgments is to bring people to repentance. To see the devastation that is caused by rejecting God’s rightful rule and to turn to the one who loves us and can set us free.

Imagine if everything only ever went well for those who opposed God, no warning, then suddenly judgment. Instead God graciously shows people this world is not as it should be, and where rejecting Him leads. But the trouble is—it doesn’t seem to work (see 9v20-21). Something more than just the warning is needed is needed, when we get to chapter 11 we’ll see witness of suffering church leads some to turn to God and give Him glory. People need to hear God’s Word to be able to understand what is happening in the world, the question is will we help them?