HE COULD NOT DEFEAT THE SON OF GOD
“There appeared a great wonder in heaven; a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars: and she being with child cried, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered. And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads. And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth: and the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born” (Revelation 12:1-4).
Satan knew an incredible church was about to be born out of the Old Testament remnant. It would be a glorious body, so the devil declared war once again, reasoning that now he could do battle on his territory, the Earth.
This passage suggests that Satan knew he couldn’t get to the child in Mary’s womb so he determined to destroy Christ as soon as He was born. He gathered all his demonic forces around Bethlehem, sending spirits of deception to blind the scribes, priests and Pharisees. Then his own spirit entered King Herod, possessing him. If Satan couldn't kill Christ Himself, he would have a man standing by, ready to do it for him.
But the Lord’s armies of heavenly angels stood guard over the child, so that Satan couldn’t touch Him. The devil would have to wait another thirty years to try to devour Christ. His next chance came at the beginning of Jesus’ ministry, when the Holy Spirit declared Him to be the Messiah. At that point, Satan led Christ into the wilderness to be tempted, yet Jesus defeated him in that battle also. God protected His Son again, sending angels to minister to Him in His time of physical weakness.
The devil would try one last time to devour Christ. This time he moved forces into place to try to kill Jesus by crucifixion and cast Him into the grave. He sent demonic spirits to incite a mob, entering the bodies of priests, soldiers, political leaders and false witnesses. At last, Satan thought, he had his hour of power. Now he would wage an all-out war!
Yet you know the rest of the story: Resurrection day was Satan’s most humbling defeat. When Jesus ascended to heaven, He was out of the devil’s reach forever. “Her child was caught up unto God, and to his throne” (Revelation 12:5). All of hell was shaken because Satan had lost again. Even using all of his power, he still could not defeat the Son of God.
Satan knew an incredible church was about to be born out of the Old Testament remnant. It would be a glorious body, so the devil declared war once again, reasoning that now he could do battle on his territory, the Earth.
This passage suggests that Satan knew he couldn’t get to the child in Mary’s womb so he determined to destroy Christ as soon as He was born. He gathered all his demonic forces around Bethlehem, sending spirits of deception to blind the scribes, priests and Pharisees. Then his own spirit entered King Herod, possessing him. If Satan couldn't kill Christ Himself, he would have a man standing by, ready to do it for him.
But the Lord’s armies of heavenly angels stood guard over the child, so that Satan couldn’t touch Him. The devil would have to wait another thirty years to try to devour Christ. His next chance came at the beginning of Jesus’ ministry, when the Holy Spirit declared Him to be the Messiah. At that point, Satan led Christ into the wilderness to be tempted, yet Jesus defeated him in that battle also. God protected His Son again, sending angels to minister to Him in His time of physical weakness.
The devil would try one last time to devour Christ. This time he moved forces into place to try to kill Jesus by crucifixion and cast Him into the grave. He sent demonic spirits to incite a mob, entering the bodies of priests, soldiers, political leaders and false witnesses. At last, Satan thought, he had his hour of power. Now he would wage an all-out war!
Yet you know the rest of the story: Resurrection day was Satan’s most humbling defeat. When Jesus ascended to heaven, He was out of the devil’s reach forever. “Her child was caught up unto God, and to his throne” (Revelation 12:5). All of hell was shaken because Satan had lost again. Even using all of his power, he still could not defeat the Son of God.