Lord of the World

Monsignor Robert Hugh Benson (1871-1914) was the youngest son of Edward White Benson, Archbishop of Canterbury. In 1907, he published a book called Lord of the World, a science fiction novel depicting a chaotic world where religion had been rejected, the Catholic Church had retreated to Italy and Ireland, and the rest of the world had become humanistic, pantheistic (worship of many gods), or irreligion. That one-world government frequently practiced euthanasia of children, the elderly, the physically and mentally challenged, and what the society considered ‘deviant.’ Pope Francis and Pope Benedict XVI considered that book prophetic and felt our world was heading in that direction.

In 2 Corinthians, Paul called Satan “the God (theos) of this age” (4:4). In Ephesians, he called him “the ruler (archon) of the authority of air” (2:2). And Jesus called him “the ruler (archon) of this cosmos (world)” (John 12:31).*

Somehow and sometime, God had given the world and its rule to the Devil. As such,

“The Devil led Jesus and showed him all the kingdoms which were ruling at that time and said to him, ‘I will give you the authority and glory of all these which has been given to me and for me to give to whoever I wish. If you worship me, all these will be yours.’” (Luke 4:5–7)

Scholars postulate that Satan was deceived into thinking all kingdoms were his, but the Scriptures affirm his assumption as accurate. He was the God and Ruler of this age, world, and air. Further, God had given him the right to hand over his rulership to anyone he wanted to. And he wanted to give them over to Jesus under one condition: Jesus worshipped him as if he were his God. The verb “worship” (proskuneo) is a combination of the preposition pros “before” and the verb kuneo“fall on knees” from gonu “knee.” In many non-western cultures, people fall on one’s knees or face to worship a deity (or show reverence to a leader). Satan wanted Jesus to fall before him in a prostrate gesture of worship to show Satan was his God and Jesus was his worshipper, a subject, a devotee.

That would have been an easier way to gain control of the world than going to the cross. Jesus, however, knew the Torah. He replied,

“It is written: YHWH God alone you will worship (proskuneo). And him alone you serve (latrevo).” (Luke 4:8)

Jesus cited a portion of the Ten Commandments that said, “You shall not worship (proskuneo) other gods or serve (latrevo) them because I am your YHWH God” (Exod 20:5a). Just as worship (proskuneo) was a cultic (worship) term, so was latrevo “serve.” It was the term for the priestly service done before any deity. The Hebrews shouldn’t worship or serve anyone, not any deities, including the God of this world, Satan. That was why Jesus refused to submit to him, even though his offer was significantly great – world dominance – and less painful (it didn’t involve his death on the cross).

Even now, the God of this world, Satan, offers shortcuts to fame, fortune, glory, wealth, etc. All it takes for one to worship him. But we have one God, YHWH, whom alone we worship and serve, as Jesus himself acknowledged.

*Satan and Devil are interchangeable in the NT.