con·spir·a·cy
(from http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/conspiracy)
[kuh n-spir-uh-see] Show IPA
noun, plural con·spir·a·cies.
2. an evil, unlawful, treacherous, or surreptitious plan formulated in secret by two or more persons; plot.
3. a combination of persons for a secret, unlawful, or evil purpose: He joined the conspiracy to overthrow the government.
4. Law. an agreement by two or more persons to commit a crime, fraud, or other wrongful act.
5. any concurrence in action; combination in bringing about a given result.
Last night Casey told me he'd heard about another shooting at a school. The person who'd first told him the news had suggested that maybe all of the recent shootings are part of a government conspiracy to limit the American people's access to guns. You know what? It could be. I really don't know. I'm not gonna even try to figure that one out. My guess is, it's probably not a government conspiracy. But, is it a conspiracy on someone's part? Absolutely.
Look at that definition of conspiracy, particularly #2 and #3: "2. an evil, unlawful, treacherous, or surreptitious plan formulated in secret by two or more persons; plot. 3. a combination of persons for a secret, unlawful, or evil purpose."
Sounds eerily similar to some words in Ephesians 6:11-13 "Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore, put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand."
Do I believe there is a conspiracy afoot? Yes, I do. I believe "the devil and his angels" (Matthew 25:41) have been, are, and will be til the end, conspiring against God, and against those who God has created. Jesus said satan was the father of lies (John 8:44), a murderer from the beginning (John 8:44), coming only to steal, kill, and destroy (John 10:10).
Is there any good news in this?? YES! Although satan has been a murderer from the beginning, God has been a redeemer from the beginning. All the way back in Genesis 3, when sin first entered the world, as humans chose to listen to that conspirator instead of our good and loving and beautiful Creator, God has chosen, in his great mercy and compassion, to save us.
Although this earth, and our bodies, were put under a curse when we chose sin in the garden, even then, God told of the way He would bring us out of this mess. He would send a seed, through the woman - One whose heel satan would bruise. But this One, though bruised, would Crush satan's head.
See the fulfillment of this promise in Colossians 2:13-15 "When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, having cancelled the written code, with is regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed to us; he took it away; nailing it to the cross. And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross (or, "triumphing over them in Him")."
So, all this ugliness - these school shootings; these daily assaults and murders; all of this strife - is this all part of a conspiracy? Yes! And is there any hope for us? Yes! "The LORD is a warrior; YAHWEH is His Name (Exodus 15:3)." Just as Joseph told the brothers who'd once tried to kill him, so now we can say, through Jesus our Messiah, to those enemies of ours, "You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives."
Let's leave with one last encouragement from 1 John, for those who are in Christ: "You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the One who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world (4:4)...for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world? Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God (5:4-5)."
