H. Nunnerley
Satan’s Overthrow
The aspect of the death of Christ which we shall consider in our closing paper is found in the earliest prophetic utterance of Scripture, and shows that God had determined the complete setting aside of Satan, through the cross, from the beginning.
“I will put enmity between thee and the woman, between thy seed and her Seed; It shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise His heel” (Gen. 3:15).
The death in which God’s glory was secured, and man’s salvation assured, is that by which Satan’s power is annulled, and his everlasting defeat declared.
Who then is this mysterious being called the old serpent, the devil, and Satan? Is he an actual person or an allegorical or mythical figure by which lust or evil is personified? Matthew 4:1 tells us, “Jesus was led up of the Spirit to be tempted of the devil.” This scripture causes us to shrink with holy horror from the teaching that “Satan is only another name for lust,” for the blessed Son of God had no evil nature, no lust, and yet He was “tempted of the devil.” Such assertions are blasphemous when applied to our Lord, and are a covert attack on His pure and spotless humanity.
Satan is an actual being of great subtlety, who tempted our Savior at the beginning of His ministry, and again in the garden of Gethsemane, but found no vulnerable point in Him.
From Holy Scripture we learn that Satan is not now confined in hell, but walks up and down in the earth (Job 1:17 Peter 5:8). The seat of his power is the heavenlies, but he has a synagogue, a throne, and a dwelling on earth (Rev. 2:9-13).
He is the “god” of this world, and as such will pander to its religious tastes. He is the “Prince” of this world, and is actively engaged in keeping men in subjection to his dominion. He is working with unflagging purpose towards the culmination of all his opposition to God, which will be manifested when he brings forth the man of sin — the ripe fruit of Satan’s ascendancy over man, who will exalt himself above all that is called God, and to whom men will give homage (2 Thess. 2:4).
He is neither omniscient, omnipotent nor omnipresent, but he is among the greatest of created beings, whose dignity Michael the archangel acknowledged when he would not bring a railing accusation but called upon the Lord to “rebuke” him (Jude 9.).
Ezekiel graphically describes him under the figure of the King of Tyre (see chap. 28.), as a being full of wisdom, perfect in beauty, with every precious stone for his covering, as having been in Eden, the garden of God, and having walked up and down on the mountain of God, the anointed cherub.
How long he kept his first estate we know not, but we are told he was perfect in his ways until he became occupied with his beauty, then, lifted up with pride, he fell, his wisdom was corrupted, iniquity was found in him.
1 Timothy 3:6 leaves no room for doubt that pride was the cause of his condemnation. He sought to be God; and he ensnared our first parents by promising them they should be as gods. All the sin and misery with which this world is filled may be traced to him. He is not only the prince of the power of the air, ruler of the darkness of this world (Eph. 6:12), but he is the evil spirit who works in the children of disobedience (Eph. 2:2).
At Calvary human and infernal beings combined against Christ. It was man’s hour and the power of darkness. The horror of a far greater darkness than that which shrouded the mid-day sun, enveloped the Savior on the cross.
Satan marshaled men and demons. Pilate and Herod among royal circles, Pharisees and scribes among religious circles, and the rabble of the lowest social circles were summoned to his aid; and added to these were those unseen, subtle, spiritual forces, the principalities and powers of the invisible world.
Picture this dread array, and then think of a lowly Man shrouded in blackness and darkness, passing through inexpressible sorrow and suffering, forsaken by His disciples, deserted by His followers, crucified in weakness.
There He fought the fight alone. What a battle! It was a contest for supremacy over man on the part of Satan. Had Satan gained the victory he would have remained master of the field. “Jesus bowed His head and gave up the ghost... But one of the soldiers pierced His side, and forthwith came there out blood and water” (John 19:30-34). By that death Satan’s power was annulled forever, though in the eyes of men it seemed as though the Son of God had met with defeat.
The Sabbath dawned; He was still among the dead. That Sabbath was a high day, the psalms were duly chanted, the temple services went on; the prophetic utterance seemed true: that Jesus was “forgotten as a dead man out of mind.”
One more thing they must do. Jesus must not only be put in the grave, but kept there. Death must hold its prey, the grave retain Him: hence the great stone rolled over the mouth of His rock-hewn tomb; the Roman seal, which it was death to break; and a band of soldiers to keep Him in a tomb!
Even the friends of Jesus appeared to help on Satan’s plans, for they encased His body in linen wrappings, with a hundred pound weight of spices. How then could He leave the grave? Added to this there were unseen, but none the less real, powers and principalities, wholly intent on keeping Jesus there.
It is because of the varied elements combined to hold Christ in death, that Ephesians 1:19, 20 refers to it as the culminating act of God’s power, demonstrating how God is greater than man and Satan, principalities and powers. Creation had witnessed His eternal power, resurrection declared the exceeding greatness of that power.
Despite soldiers, seal, stone, and Satan, Jesus burst the bond of death, took His life again, and proceeded forthwith to demonstrate His victory, not only by His own resurrection, but by those other graves which gave up their dead, for “Many bodies of the saints which slept arose, and came out of their graves after His resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many” (Matt. 27:52, 53), plain, tangible proof that captivity was led captive, principalities and powers spoiled, the strong man bound and robbed of his goods.
Rejoice ye heavenly hosts, cast away your fears ye troubled saints, fear death no more, it is yours, its sting is removed.
Through death — through going into it Himself — He has destroyed him that had the power of death — that is the devil. What for? to deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage (Heb. 2:14, 15).
The serpent’s head is bruised, the tyrant conquered, the grave spoiled, death annulled, yet, for some wise reason known to God alone, Satan is still allowed to roam at large; though defeated he is not bound, though doomed he is not imprisoned.
He will be bound in the pit during Christ’s millennial reign; he will eventually be consigned to the lake of fire (Rev. 20:3-10). Meanwhile, knowing his time is short, he is acting with great energy. Witness how many seats of theological learning are corrupted by evil doctrine; how many infidel writers and gifted novelists scatter broadcast blinding and delusive teachings concerning Christ and the Scriptures, hell and its torments, man and his world.
We Christians are not to be ignorant of his devices. We are not to give him a place, we are to resist him and he will flee from us, we are to keep ourselves, we are to beware of the world, for the whole world lies in the arms of the wicked one. We are to be strong in the Lord and the power of His might, to take to ourselves the whole armor of God.
We are to know our deliverance from Satan, the power of darkness, and to read in Christ’s death our complete emancipation from the bondage of the fear of death. Satan was put under Christ’s feet at the cross; he will shortly be bruised under the feet of the redeemed (Rom. 16:20).
Christian Communion
Christians need one another; are dependent on one another — not as fountains, but as channels of blessing.
The communion of the members of Christ with each other is of the Holy Spirit by whose indwelling fellowship with the Father and the Son is known. The oneness of mind between Father, Son, and Holy Spirit is the spring and pattern of the one new mind that should be found in, and mark out, the members of Christ.
Unless we have a spiritual understanding of this divine unity, we cannot rightly grieve for the divisions of God’s people. By looking into this glass, we discover the nature and the guilt of schism and divisions.