The Devil
Ever thought why it states the reason and purpose for Christ coming “into” the world was to "destroy" the devil and his works?The question a Christian must ask is how could any kind of superhuman being be destroyed by the death or dying of Jesus Christ? Yet it is said that Christ shared human nature for the very purpose that "through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil" (Heb. 2:14). It is also written: "For “this” purpose was the Son of God manifested, that he might “destroy” the works of the devil" (1 John 3:8).
These passages make two facts very clear: (1) That the subject of the devil is vital to any understanding of the work of Christ; (2) that they cannot be reconciled with traditional views held. As we have found in recent discussions it is impossible to reconcile the death of Christ and the permanent death of the Devil.
First, then, how did the devil come into existence? Was it by the rebellion of an archangel who was in consequence expelled from heaven? Where do we read of this account which has for generations filled the minds of Christians.
Ultimately we are told to go back to the beginning where the tempter in the Garden of Eden is presented. Was this creature just an animal or something more insidious? A serpent possessing the power of speech is all that is presented in the Genesis record as we read Gen. 3:1 Gen1: 14; 2 Cor. 11:1-3).
"Lucifer, son of the morning", who, in the language of political metaphor, "fell from heaven", we know was the king of Babylon, a man who ruled the nations (Isa. 14:12,15,4,6,16,22, compare these verses and it is evident the true nature of Lucifer).
The "anointed cherub, corrupted by reason of his brightness", was the Prince of Tyre, a man (Ezek. 28:11-15, compared with verse Ezek 28:2).
The war in heaven, in which Michael prevailed over the great red dragon, and expelled him (Rev. 12:7), was a prophetic forecast in symbol of events to take place in the Roman Empire (Rev. 4:1; 17:9). The seven headed and ten-horned monster, labelled "the Devil and Satan", was the symbol of human antagonism, politically manifested in the earth. These passages in Revelation have long been used to establish the demonic being but the argument must need be established in the beginning for without foundation the supernatural being has no premise in these prophetical writings.
So how is the Devil applied?
In the first place, he is said to put people in prison (Rev 2:10). Judas was said to be one (John 6:70). Peter is addressed as Satan (Matt. 16:23). The women are advised not to be devils--the word is translated "slanderers", but in the original, it is the same as that translated devil (1 Tim. 3:11; Tit. 2:3). He is declared to have been the public persecutor of the saints (1 Pet. 5:8, 9). He is to be bruised under the feet of the saints shortly (Rom. 16:20). He is said to bind people with disease and death (Luke 13:16; Acts 10:38). Christ is declared to have destroyed him by submitting to death (Heb. 2:14).
All these allusions are brought into harmony by the view defined in the next paragraph.
"Satan" which is a Hebrew word, means adversary; "Devil", which is a Greek word, means false accuser, slanderer, or liar. Having these meanings, the words are used to Personify that which has proved man's great adversary and God's great slanderer in the history of the human race, namely, SIN, whether considered abstractly as a principle, or finding expression through a person, an institution, or the evil world as a whole.
These parallels should be carefully examined and not read over lightly:
"Sin bringeth forth death" (Jas.1:15) parallel with "The devil hath the power of death" (Heb. 2:14).
"He put away sin by the sacrifice of himself" (Heb. 9:26) parallel with "That through death he might destroy the devil" (Heb. 2:14).
"Why hast thou conceived this In thine heart" (Acts 5:4) parallel with "Why hath Satan filled thine heart?" (Acts 5:3).
"According to the course of this world" (Eph. 2 : 2) parallel with "According to the prince of the power of the air" (Eph. 2:2).
"The desires of the flesh and of the mind" (Eph. 2:3) parallel with "The spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience" (Eph. 2:2).
"Every man tempted is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed" (James 1:14) parallel with "Taken captive by the devil at his will" (2 Tim. 2:26).
"The children of disobedience" (Eph. 2:2) parallel with "The children of the devil" (1 John 3:10).
"Put off the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts" (Eph. 4:22) parallel with "Stand against the wiles of the devil" (Eph. 6:11).
"Loved this present world" (2 Tim. 4:10) parallel with "The god of this world hath blinded their minds" (2 Cor. 4:4).
"Deliver us from this present evil world" (Gal. 1:4) parallel with "Deliver us from the evil one" (R.V. Matt. 6:13).
"The children of this world" (Luke 20:34) parallel with "The children of the wicked one" (Matt. 13:38).
"Overcome the world" (1 John 5:5) parallel with "Overcome the wicked one" (1 John 2:14).
"Keep himself unspotted from the world" (James 1:27) parallel with "Keep them from the evil one" (R.V. John 17:15).
"The lamb shall overcome them (the ten kings)" (Rev. 17:14) parallel with "He laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil and Satan" (Rev. 20:2).
The fact is that Jesus shared human nature so that he might conquer it. Overcoming its tendencies throughout his life, he completed his triumph by the sacrifice of himself in death, and was raised up to a new and incorruptible life. By sharing this life as he shared theirs, men may share in his victory over sin and death: and in that way Christ destroys both the devil and his works.
Alethos