The Bible assures us that God is the one who has authority over the land and the sea. But the devil imitates that authority in such a way that many are deceived by him. Here the devil (the dragon) stands and will soon summon two others, the Antichrist (Rev. 13:1-10) and the Beast (Rev. 13:11-18). These three enemies make war on God's people and on God's word.

The devil is the enemy of God. But he is not equal to God. He opposes everything Jesus did for us, but he can't undo what Jesus did. You may be tortured by a sin in your past, and the devil wants you to think that you can't be forgiven, that it's too dark, too big, too bad -- that people won't look at you the same; that you would be better off dead. The devil's knife turns in your flesh, and his sweet-sounding words are salt in your wounds. But your pain, though real, is over a wound that was healed a long time ago. The devil wants you to think you can't be forgiven, but you already are forgiven. He wants you to think you can't make up for it -- but Jesus already did. Better off dead? Better of risen from the dead!

The devil may stand on the shore, but remember that at the beginning of chapter 10, Jesus stood towering above, and "he planted his right foot on the sea and his left foot on the land" (10:2). Jesus is the one who truly has authority. Jesus has rescued you. Jesus has healed you.

Jesus has forgiven your sins. That's God's word for you.

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