And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her Offspring; He will bruise and tread your head underfoot, and you will lie in wait and bruise His heel. Genesis 3:15, AMP
I saw a play once about the life of Christ, but the first character to appear was a very handsome angel who flew in from the back of the theater, over our heads to the stage. When he began to speak and then to sing, his voice was strong and beautiful.
Unfortunately, we soon understood that this angel was in fact, Lucifer. And the play goes on to show how Satan was always watching Jesus, stalking him, if you will. He tried and tried to get to him, to be his undoing. He hid among the shepherds at Jesus' birth; he walked among the crowds during His ministry; and he stood with the Pharisees and Sadducees at His death.
There was a scene where Jesus and Satan come face to face in a pretty powerful confrontation. And I was struck with the realization - and I don't know why it never occurred to me before - that Jesus and Satan had known each other before.
Remember when I talked about the angel Gabriel several days ago? And I said that Gabriel would have known Jesus in heaven?
Well . . . wouldn't Satan have known Him, too?
Satan - Lucifer, as he was known then - was beautiful, the most beautiful of God's creation: "You were the seal of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty. You were in Eden, the garden of God; every precious stone adorned you: carnelian, chrysolite and emerald, topaz, onyx and jasper, lapis lazuli, turquoise and beryl. Your settings and mountings were made of gold; on the day you were created they were prepared." Ezekiel 28:12 - 13
Lucifer was in heaven, with God, with Jesus, with the Spirit, for . . . who knows how long?
Do you think it's a stretch for Lucifer - the seal of perfection - to have considered Jesus like a brother? Do you think they would have been close? Bonded? Perhaps that is too simple of a description. But . . . my goodness. Lucifer KNEW God. He KNEW Jesus.
And yet . . .
"You said in your heart, 'I will ascend to the heavens; I will raise my throne above the stars of God; I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly, on the utmost heights of Mount Zaphon. I will ascend above the tops of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.'” Isaiah 14:13 - 14
Clearly, Lucifer tried to overthrow God, to become God Himself. He didn't want to just be 'like' God - he wanted to be Him.
And then, when God said in Genesis 1:26, "Let us make man in our image . . ." I think Satan was infuriated. He has been in a jealous rage ever since! No wonder he hates us - he is jealous of us!
So when Jesus littled Himself - literally babied Himself - to come to earth - how Satan must have crowed! He surely thought - now! Now is my chance! If He's human, I can defeat Him. How excited he must have been!
But I wonder how these times played with Satan's mind, even his psyche, if he even has such a thing. As Jesus was presented at the temple, as He grew in wisdom and stature, as He resisted temptation in the wilderness, as more and more people came to Him and changed their lives. Did Satan feel his defeat in the air?
Certainly, there were times of victory for Satan. When the rich young ruler turned away, deflated. When Satan convinced the priests to go after Jesus. When he entered Judas. When they arrested Him. When they tried Him. When they killed Him.
I think Satan knew all along what was going to happen. But I think he kept it to himself. I think he hoped against hope that the prophecy was wrong, that Jesus was too human now to still be God, that Jesus could not defeat death. I think he allowed his demonic minions to party and carry on, while he paced and stewed and waited.
I think during those three days, when all earthly signs said Jesus was dead, when Jesus was preaching to those in Hades, when Jesus was still quite active and working! - I think Satan was also working, working feverishly on Jesus' disciples and followers, trying to convince them that it was over, that all hope was gone.
And when those three days were over, and that stone was rolled away, and those angels waited for Mary and Peter and John - I think Satan was cowering in a corner of hell.
But 33 years earlier, I think Satan thought, maybe he had the bases covered. He would use evil men to do evil things, and he would defeat this stupid, ridiculous notion called love.
You see, that's why even Satan is important to the Christmas story. Because of him, we see the true fullness of God's love for us. That God was willing to allow His son to be tormented for 33 years - that Christ was willing to go through Satan's brutal attacks - and why?
Because of love. That's why. It starts with love, and it ends with love.
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