Does Satan have ownership and dominion over the Earth today?
We know that Satan had been roaming the Earth because Revelation 12:7–9 describes the war in Heaven and how Satan was “cast to the earth.” In the second chapter of Job, we see that a meeting was held in Heaven where Satan appeared among the attendees. When asked by the Lord, “From where do you come?” he responded, “From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking back and forth on it.” Job 2:2.
During Creation Week, God gave Adam dominion over the Earth and all the creatures who were dwelling on it:
“Then God said, ‘Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.’” Genesis 1:26
When Eve took the forbidden fruit, offered it to Adam, and he ate, their disobedience unknowingly acknowledged the authority of Satan and relinquished their dominion to him.
“Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned.” Romans 5:12
Jesus even spoke to his disciples about Satan as the “ruler of this world” in the following verse:
“I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming, and he has nothing in Me.” John 14:30
This is why Satan tempted Jesus by offering to give him the Earth that Adam had previously surrendered (Luke 4:6). We know that Jesus is the Creator, but the rulership was transferred from Adam to Satan:
“And the devil said to Him, ‘All this authority I will give You, and their glory; for this has been delivered to me, and I give it to whomever I wish.’” Luke 4:6
However, there is great news! When Jesus came to this Earth, he took back the dominion that Adam had lost. So even though Adam had it and relinquished it to Satan, God has reclaimed ownership!
“Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you. Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven.” Luke 10:19-20
“Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, ‘Now salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down. And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death. Therefore rejoice, O heavens, and you who dwell in them! Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and the sea! For the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, because he knows that he has a short time.’” Revelation 12:10–12
“There is also an antitype which now saves us—baptism (not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God), through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, angels and authorities and powers having been made subject to Him.” 1 Peter 3:21–22
“Having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it.” Colossians 2:14–15
Jesus become the second Adam, overcoming where the first Adam failed, paying the ransom price for planet Earth, as summarized on the following verses from the book of Hebrews:
“But one testified in a certain place, saying: ‘What is man that You are mindful of him, or the son of man that You take care of him? You have made him [a]a little lower than the angels; You have crowned him with glory and honor, and set him over the works of Your hands. You have put all things in subjection under his feet.’ For in that He put all in subjection under him, He left nothing that is not put under him. But now we do not yet see all things put under him. But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, for the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, that He, by the grace of God, might taste death for everyone.” Hebrews 2:6–9
It was the shed blood of Jesus that bought back this world! Satan and his evil spirits are all subject to the dominion of Christ. Praise God!