Victorious in the end
The leading priests and teachers of religious law were plotting how to kill Jesus, but they were afraid of the people’s reaction. Then Satan entered into Judas Iscariot, who was one of the twelve disciples, and he went to the leading priests and captains of the Temple guard to discuss the best way to betray Jesus to them. They were delighted, and they promised to give him money. Luke 22:2-5
God already foretold even from the beginning that there would be a battle between the serpent’s progeny and the seed of the woman with the promise that the latter will prevail in the end. “And I will cause hostility between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring. He will strike your head, and you will strike his heel” (Genesis 3:15). From then on, time and again, we read about the war waged by Satan. After the Fall, Adam and Eve gave birth and their son Cain described as child of the devil (see 1 John 3:10-12) killed Abel because of jealousy (see Genesis 4). Though there were those that lived a life of righteousness but the world continued to plunge in darkness and sin (see Genesis 6:1-7). After the call to repent by Noah for one-hundred-twenty years that led to a judgment through the Flood, another generation rebelled against God at Babel (see Genesis 11). This conflict with Satan continued on into the New Testament as described from our text. The religious authorities were already plotting to kill the Lord Jesus Christ. “After that, he taught daily in the Temple, but the leading priests, the teachers of religious law, and the other leaders of the people began planning how to kill him. But they could think of nothing, because all the people hung on every word he said” (Luke 19:47-48). Their resolve to kill him heightened when the Feast of the Passover was to take place where the prospect of several hundred thousands of people will be in Jerusalem. They fear that if they would not act immediately, the Lord Jesus Christ would influence more people to believing Him and His message. So when Satan influenced Judas to help them in their plot to kill him, it was an opportunity they could not ignore. Satan pursued to have Christ died on the cross and it worked. It may appear for a moment that Satan prevailed but not so for Christ’s death meant destruction to Satan. Christ did not stay in the grave for on the third day He rose again from the dead. “Because God’s children are human beings—made of flesh and blood—the Son also became flesh and blood. For only as a human being could he die, and only by dying could he break the power of the devil, who had the power of death” (Hebrews 2:14). It did not only destroy Satan’s dominion but also removed the fear of death to those that placed their trust in Christ. “Only in this way could he set free all who have lived their lives as slaves to the fear of dying” (Hebrews 2:15). “O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” (1 Corinthians 15:55). For those that placed their trust in Christ, though there are troubles and hardships in life, we will prevail because our faith is in Christ. “But thank God! He gives us victory over sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 15:57).
Blessings,
Noel De Guzman
www.my-wbc.com
