Thursday: A Murderer Revealed
Christ came into the world for the purpose of destroying the works of the devil (Heb. 2:14).
Image © Darrel Tank from GoodSalt.com
This, He has done at the cross. But if Christ has been victorious over the devil and principalities and powers, why are we still wrestling with principalities and powers? Why is the devil still able to roam about like a lion looking for prey to devour?
Study Colossians 2:15 carefully. Look at the three different verbs that Paul uses in order to describe what happened at the cross. How do we understand what this means?
First, Christ spoiled (KJV) or disarmed (NASB, NKJV) the powers. The Greek word is apekduomai, which literally means to strip off one’s clothes. Here it may mean that the powers were stripped of their weapons.
What weapons? Christ’s life of victory, culminating in Calvary, spelled the doom of the devil. Satan’s disguise was torn away. His methods of operation were laid open before the angels and the entire heavenly universe. He had exposed his true colors. . . . By His cross Jesus Christ stripped from the principalities and powers of darkness both their robe of office and authority as princes of this world, and their armor of strength in their warfare against right. − The SDA Bible Commentary,vol. 7, p. 205.
Christ made a shew . . . openly (KJV), made a public display (NASB) of the powers. How were the powers exposed publicly at the cross? What image of them became evident? See John 8:44.
The text also says that Christ triumphed over them. The Greek word is thriambeuo and it implies celebration. There’s a great mystery here: Jesus hung on the cross, suffering what appeared to be a terrible defeat, and yet the Bible calls it a triumph? Whatever else this triumph included, it certainly helped to reveal Satan to be the murderer that Jesus said he was.
Because of the Cross, a day is coming when the dominion of the powers will come to a complete and definite end. That is when Christ puts an end to all rule and all authority and power (1 Cor. 15:24, NKJV), and the last enemy to be destroyed will be death (1 Cor. 15:26). Until then, we have to endure, fighting the fight of faith in the strength of God that is offered to all who will claim it.
After Christ’s death, Satan saw that his disguise was torn away. His administration was laid open before the unfallen angels and before the heavenly universe. He had revealed himself as a murderer. By shedding the blood of the Son of God, he had uprooted himself from the sympathies of the heavenly beings. Henceforth his work was restricted. Whatever attitude he might assume, he could no longer await the angels as they came from the heavenly courts, and before them accuse Christs brethren of being clothed with the garments of blackness and the defilement of sin. The last link of sympathy between Satan and the heavenly world was broken. Yet Satan was not then destroyed. The angels did not even then understand all that was involved in the great controversy. The principles at stake were to be more fully revealed. And for the sake of man, Satan’s existence must be continued. Man as well as angels must see the contrast between the Prince of light and the prince of darkness. He must choose whom he will serve. − Ellen G. White, The Desire of Ages, p. 761.
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Thank you for that assurance. Now I can be rest assured that satan is defeated and yet he has not given up yet. Whatever ammunition he has left will be powerless. Thank for the victory plan, the public display on that day was indeed my freedom from slavery to the sin problem.
Why is it like many of the people Fail to overcome the devil's temptation yet we are victorious through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. It is like it is easier to do evil than to do good, why is it so?
This is in deed the definition of true love. I choose the Prince of Light. I pray He gives me strengh and faith to obey every word He says. AMEN.
Two aspects of the same victory
In Colossians 2:15 Christ makes a public exposure of the defeated enemy, triumphing in His cross and revealing the true character of the forces of evil. The gospel of John reveals this moment as a judgment of this world with the ruler of this world ultimately cast out (John 12:31). At the same time Christ, lifted up from the earth on the cross, is drawing all men to Himself (John 12:32). The accounts of Paul and John are supplementary to each other, describing Christ`s victory on the cross from two different aspects. While Paul is warning the church against the conquered enemy and his sophisticated teachings (Col. 2:8.16-19), John is inviting the church to come to the cross to be drawn nearer and still nearer to the uplifted Christ (John 12:32). Thus warning and invitation are in balance in order for us not to get lost.
Winfried Stolpmann
This is so interesting. Murderer revealed! Satan was revealed to heavenly and earthly universe.
What I like is that even though Satan was destroyed on the cross we still have to fight, endure and ask for the strength from God to pull through and God can offer to all who will claim it!
Let's claim it now people, time is not on our side!
I've always wondered why Satan wasn't destroyed instantly, but that last paragraph explains it perfectly. If he was then we wouldn't appreciate God's unconditional love and his grace and mercy whenever we are faced with difficulty and He brings us through. What a blessed assurance!
Wow! may the Good Lord open our eyes to see the devil for who he really is. May we work hand in hand with the Holy Spirit so that we are not tricked by the scheming son of darkness. Thank you Jesus for defeating satan on the Cross on our behalf.
To me Ellen White's quotation from the Desire of Ages is backed up by 1 Pet 1:12. In my opinion, that is the reason why the investigative judgment was held off until 1844 and why the events of the middle ages were so important. I also believe it answers why there will be righteous people on earth after probation closes - because there is something that needs to be revealed in order to completely end the controversy.
When the controversy is ended it will be ended permanently, "What do you conspire against the LORD? He will make an utter end of it. Affliction will not rise up a second time" (Nah. 1:9 NKJV). To me that will not be because God will ruthlessly crush any rebellion but because those who have been involved in it will not put up with the problems it causes ever again and because every question that could be raised concerning rebellion against God's government will have been answered.
Amen & Amen..For a thousand years every (??/!,.) in our minds about God's very final Judgement will be answered. the righteous redeemed will never ever (??/,.) God's final Act, in the earth made new (God's government) no trace of Satan/death will ever be found. we shall live for eternity..praising God.
Amen! I totally agree that sin will not raise its ugly head again but I must admit that I had my doubts.
It was when death struck my family and how it had affected ours in an alarming way; I then realized what people are going through. This experience had forced me to see how terrible and wicked sin is and made me see life differently. I personally, the heavenly host and our world truly would not want sin to reoccur to repeat that awful painful experience; this is a big time lesson to learn from.
We all have the sin problem and thank our GOD of love who had not left us to our devices of destruction to perish but planned before the foundation of the world to eradicate sin (Satan, evil angels, principalities and powers). Let go and let GOD, Be blessed.
In the revelation of the true character of Satan is revealed the true character of God. In the revelation of the Divine is revealed the desperate nature of the lost, and the extent of the desperation in the murder of the Son of God. The Glory of the revelation is that it pleased the Father that His Son is victorious that the blessings that God had shared with creation were returned to Him and that those blessings fulfilled the intent of which they were extended. God's character vindicated, the true character of Satan is realized and that mankind had been restored to the presence of His Glory through an intimate relationship with His Son and by His Holy Spirit, by His Grace, I am at His mercy, amen.
Indeed God is good. We are sinners yet he continues to give us the fruits. Salvation is in our hands so let's be prayerful.
With all that has been revealed by Jesus at Calvary, we should not forget that Jesus says that the love of many shall wax cold. I understand that to mean that during this time in which we are instructed to watch and wait, we are still given a command to take this gospel into all the world. Satan will continually attack us by any means necessary. He will cause our family and friends to forsake us. Remember that Jesus says no servant is above his master. Time will become worst before they get better. But we have no need to fear because all of heaven is working with us to help us to show the world who the enemy is and that we have hope in our Saviour Jesus Christ. My prayer is that we do not become discouraged but remain vigilant just like Jesus did. My prayer is that Jesus will find us working for souls when He returns. I pray that with the ammunitions we are armed with we shall go forward conquering in the power of Jesus. AMEN.
i am a young seventh day adventist teacher, working in a public school in the caribbean and yesterday (friday 2nd Nov) the forces of darkness were in full operation at my school. I was actually shocked that after such chaos and anarchy as i would call it, students (non christians some) were able to identify and lay claim that all was not spiritually sound on the school's compound. The war is truly on for the souls on mankind, both young and old. Our young pupils, as naive as they may be or appear, are truly aware of spiritual wickedness in high places and they know that Satan is indeed a murderer. I ask God everyday to grant me his power and I also ask that any reader of my comment do pray that God helps me to be a light where I work and that these young pupils that I interface with can accept Jesus as their only Saviour.