We are curious by nature, and we love to hear what goes on behind the scenes in sports, politics, and entertainment. When a tell–all book comes out, we can hardly wait to learn what really happened in the Oval Office, the West Wing, the backlots of Hollywood, or in the mansions of the rich and famous. When a celebrity writes an autobiography, we want the juicy details—what really happened when the cameras were off. We're fascinated to learn what goes on behind closed doors.

To me, that's part of the attraction of biblical prophecy. When we study prophecy, we're pulling back the curtain and looking behind the scenes at the unfolding drama of world history. We find an interesting cast of characters in the unseen realms—principalities, powers, rulers, spiritual hosts, angels good and evil, a diabolical villain, and most of all, a victorious Messiah whose return is imminent.

Without the Bible, we can only observe what we can see—nations in turmoil, wars and rumors of war, natural disasters, global threats, unstable governments, biological threats, and the chilling possibilities of extinction events—global disaster that could destroy all human life. These things are unfolding in full view on the global stage, beamed by millions of cameras onto billions of phones and screens.

But background drama is unfolding out of the reach of our cameras, behind the scenes. Only one book explains it to us—the Bible. As we read the Bible, it all comes down to the final book—Revelation. Only Scripture provides a behind–the–scenes explanation for the tribulations of our planet, and only the book of Revelation culminates the prophecies of the Bible.

Behind the calamities of the world, there is a figure so sinister that the Bible uses many names and titles for him: "Satan" (Job 1:6); "the devil" (Matthew 4:1); "the evil one" (Matthew 5:37); "the ruler of the demons" (Matthew 9:34); "Beelzebub" (Matthew 10:25); "the enemy" (Matthew 13:39); "a liar" (John 8:44); "a murderer from the beginning" (John 8:44); "the god of this age" (2 Corinthians 4:4); "the prince of the power of the air" (Ephesians 2:2); "a roaring lion" (1 Peter 5:8); "your adversary" (1 Peter 5:8); "Lucifer" (Isaiah 14:12); "Abaddon" and "Apollyon" (Revelation 9:11).

The Dragon's Fury

The fullest description of Satan, in terms of his involvement in the Last Days, is found in Revelation 12, where he is portrayed as "a great, fiery red dragon" (verse 3); "that serpent of old" (verse 9); "the Devil" (verse 9); "Satan, who deceives the whole world" (verse 9); and "the accuser of our brethren": (verse 10). We're shocked by the fury and rage he exhibits. Revelation 12:12 describes him as "having great wrath," and verse 17 calls him "enraged."

Here in Revelation 12, he is thrown out of the heavenly realms and falls to earth in blinding fury, knowing his time is short (verse 12). He will pour his wrath onto the earth like molten lava and viciously seek to implement the "final solution"—the annihilation of God's chosen people, the Jews.

According to Isaiah 14 and Ezekiel 28, the roots of Satan's rebellion occurred in the early days of angelic history, when he, Lucifer, rebelled against God and led a third of the angelic hosts away from devotion and obedience to God (see Revelation 12:3–4). From that moment, Satan has raged against God and the created order, attempting time and again to destroy the Jewish people, to extinguish the lineage of the Messiah, and to thwart God's redemptive plan on earth.

From Genesis to Revelation, we're given a backstage tour of this conflict—in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3); in the temptation of David (1 Chronicles 21:1); in the attack on Job (Job 1:6–12); in the demoralization of the exiles rebuilding Jerusalem (Zechariah 3:1); in the attempt to exterminate the Jews in the book of Esther (Esther 3:6); in the effort to slaughter the baby boys in Bethlehem (Matthew 2:16); in the betrayal and murder of Christ (Luke 22:3); in the war Satan currently wages against believers (1 Thessalonians 2:18); and in a final wave of anti–Semitism that will roll over the world in the Great Tribulation (Revelation 12).

Revelation 12 takes us to the heart of the conflict to show us the unseen war in the spiritual realm that will spill over onto our world and lead to the final climactic Battle of Armageddon and the return of Christ. We see the components assembling now, one by one, preparing for the coming cataclysm. We have an enemy who is attacking our world, attacking our Lord's Church, and attacking you and me, trying to render us helpless and hopeless.

The Dragon's Future

He cannot succeed. In truth, Satan was defeated long ago, when Christ died for us and rose from the dead. According to Hebrews 2:14–15, Jesus Himself shared in our humanity, "that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage."

According to Revelation 19, the Great Tribulation will abruptly and dramatically end at the moment Christ returns to earth to tread "the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God" (Revelation 19:15). Satan will be captured, bound, and cast into the bottomless pit (Revelation 20:3); and he will eventually be "cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and false prophet are. And they will be tormented day and night forever and ever" (Revelation 20:10).

One day our enemy will be banished forever, and we'll never again be attacked, troubled, accused, tempted, or oppressed. The book of Revelation takes us behind these astonishing events, shows us the world tomorrow, and assures us that, as Romans 16:20 puts it, "the God of peace will crush Satan under your feet shortly."

The Believer's Stand

Perhaps you feel you're under attack by Satan today. The Bible warns, "Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Resist him, steadfast in the faith" (1 Peter 5:8–9).

Ephesians 6:11 says, "Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil." The Bible warns us Satan is real, alive, and dangerous. He's like a snake that's been decapitated but is still writhing, twisting, and full of venom.

We must remember two things all the time.

First, we fight Satan with the spiritual weapons God provides, including the breastplate of righteousness—a determination to live above reproach (Ephesians 6:14). We must resist him by resisting the temptations he sends. For example, an angry spirit can give the devil an opening to create mischief in our lives. That's why the Bible says, "Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold" (Ephesians 4:26–27, NIV).

Paul told married couples to enjoy intimacy in marriage "so that Satan does not tempt you because of your lack of self–control" (1 Corinthians 7:5). He told the Corinthians to be forgiving of one another and to cast out bitterness, "lest Satan should take advantage of us; for we are not ignorant of his devices" (2 Corinthians 2:10–11).

How important to safeguard ourselves against sinful patterns Satan can exploit!

The second thing to remember is that Christ is Victor, and our Victor is our Protector. The Bible says, "Greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world" (1 John 4:4, KJV).

One day soon, the heavens will open and the trumpet will sound. The Lord Jesus will descend and take those who have put their trust in Him to heaven. In the meantime, while the enemy is thrashing around, we need to be doing our job sharing the Gospel because we've already won the war. We aren't fighting as defeated people but as victorious saints.

Martin Luther frequently felt himself troubled by the devil, but he never wavered in his conviction that Satan was a defeated enemy. He wrote: "And though this world with devils filled, / Should threaten to undo us / we will not fear, for God hath willed / His truth to triumph through us."

Let's live today in light of the world tomorrow, being warned and yet being encouraged, for our enemy is powerless against Him who has redeemed us with His own blood. As Luther said, "God's truth abideth still, / His kingdom is forever."