The Lord had said to His adversary, “Get thee hence, Satan,” and the devil had left Him. In a later day when Peter, prompted by Satan, would have turned his Master from the cross, the Lord said to him, “Get thee behind Me, Satan.” Satan was the source of that prompting, but Peter needed the rebuke, as we need it at times. Yet no matter how sadly he may have failed, the Lord will never say to one of His own, “Get thee hence.” Nothing can separate us from His love (Rom. 8:38-3938For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, 39Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:38‑39)).
After Satan’s departure, the angels come and minister to Jesus, the victorious Son of Man. It is comforting to know from Hebrews 1:1414Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation? (Hebrews 1:14) that the angels are ministering spirits unto them who shall be heirs of salvation. We are told to resist the devil and he will flee from us, for he is a defeated foe. We cannot command him, as the Lord did, but we can follow the pattern here set by the Lord Jesus. We look to Him for guidance that we may be able to quote from the Scriptures that which is suited to the occasion, which will cause Satan to flee.
Blessing and Deliverance
We read in Luke 11:21-2221When a strong man armed keepeth his palace, his goods are in peace: 22But when a stronger than he shall come upon him, and overcome him, he taketh from him all his armor wherein he trusted, and divideth his spoils. (Luke 11:21‑22), “When a strong man armed keepeth his palace, his goods are in peace: but when a stronger than he shall come upon him, and overcome him, he taketh from him all his armor wherein he trusted, and divideth his spoils.” The Lord Jesus had overcome the strong man — Satan — and now He goes forth to bless and deliver man. But first we are told that John the Baptist had been cast into prison. The Lord Jesus sees in this John’s rejection by the responsible leaders of the nation. They had rejected John’s ministry which told them of the coming of the Messiah, and in so doing they rejected the Messiah personally. Accordingly He leaves Judea, the center of the religious activity of the people, and goes into Galilee, where the poor of the people lived. He first remains for a while at Nazareth where He had been brought up, that despised city in a despised part of the country. He was to be known as Jesus of Nazareth. We are told elsewhere (Luke 4:2222And all bare him witness, and wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth. And they said, Is not this Joseph's son? (Luke 4:22)) that they were offended at His lowly origin and refused His ministry. So He leaves Nazareth and comes and lives in Capernaum.
His coming to Capernaum was the fulfillment of that which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying, “The land of Zabulon, and the land of Nephthalim, by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles; the people which sat in darkness saw great light; and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up.” That part of the land was regarded as the scene of darkness, yet it was just there that God caused light to arise in a most wonderful way. The people living there had been despised and neglected by those who had professed to have the light of God’s Word, but now they were visited by the One who was the Light of the world. Nazareth was in lower Galilee; Capernaum was in upper Galilee, and here was to witness His wonderful ministry of power and grace.
Satan had well nigh succeeded in drawing all men after him, but now the victorious Saviour begins to gather around Himself those who in their sorrows were awaiting the Deliverer. Some He calls to be His disciples, to be witnesses of His ministry and works of power, among them Simon Peter, Andrew his brother, James and John, the sons of Zebedee, all of whom were poor fishermen.
Further Meditation
1. What does it mean when it says that the strong, armed man was overcome?
2. How does the Lord Jesus use His victory?
3. Our resources against Satan’s power are nicely explained in the pamphlet Satan’s Operations on the Lord’s People by B. Anstey.