What Jehovah’s Witnesses Teach
Jehovah’s Witnesses believe that Satan the Devil is the real ruler of the world. They base this doctrine on a statement in 1 John 5:19, which says that “the whole world is lying in the power of the wicked one.”
As a supporting argument, Jehovah’s Witnesses refer to Luke 4:6, where Satan offers Jesus power over the whole world. Jehovah’s Witnesses argue that if Satan were not the ruler of the earth, he could not offer Jesus power over the world.
Furthermore, Jehovah’s Witnesses interpret 2 Corinthians 4:4 to mean that “the god of this system of things” must refer to Satan.
What the Bible Says
In Matthew 28:18 Jesus said in the year 33 that “All authority has been given me in heaven and on the earth”.
If Satan had power over the earth at the time Jesus was tempted by Satan, then that power could not have been maintained after Jesus received “all authority . . . on the earth.” Jesus’ “all power” excludes that Satan also has power over the earth.
It is people who rule this world in an evil way, not Satan (Ecclesiastes 7:29). Ecclesiastes 8:9 says: “during the time that man has dominated man to his harm.” Psalm 115:16 goes on to say that “As for the heavens, they belong to Jehovah, But the earth he has given to the sons of men.” It is the people themselves who constitute “the power of the wicked one” mentioned in 1 John 5:19 (see also Matthew 20:25). Thus, “the power of the wicked one” is not subject to Satan’s authority. Humans have been given this power by God. This is clearly stated in Romans 13:1, 2 which states:
Let every person be in subjection to the superior authorities, for there is no authority except by God; the existing authorities stand placed in their relative positions by God. Therefore, whoever opposes the authority has taken a stand against the arrangement of God; those who have taken a stand against it will bring judgment against themselves.
If Satan were the ruler of this world today, then humans would receive their authority from Satan and not God. Even though humans have been given power by God, it is humans themselves who decide whether they will be wicked or not.
Why then does it say in 2 Corinthians 4:4 that “the god of this system of things has blinded the minds of the unbelievers…”? Who the “god of this system” is, depends on which god the various societies on earth worship. It is not one specific god, because humans (this system of things) have created many different gods for themselves. There are still humans who have made these into gods, and it is not the gods themselves who have power (Psalm 115:4-7, Jeremiah 10:3-5, and 1 Corinthians 8:4).
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