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symbol of communion between earth and heaven. He set himself to
intercept this communion. He misrepresented God, and misinterpreted
the rites that pointed to the Saviour. Men were led to fear God as
one who delighted in their destruction. The sacrifices that should
have revealed His love were offered only to appease His wrath. Satan
excited the evil passions of men, in order to fasten his rule upon them.
When God’s written word was given, Satan studied the prophecies
of the Saviour’s advent. From generation to generation he worked to
blind the people to these prophecies, that they might reject Christ at
His coming.
At the birth of Jesus, Satan knew that One had come with a divine
commission to dispute his dominion. He trembled at the angel’s
message attesting the authority of the newborn King. Satan well knew
the position that Christ had held in heaven as the Beloved of the Father.
That the Son of God should come to this earth as a man filled him with
amazement and with apprehension. He could not fathom the mystery
of this great sacrifice. His selfish soul could not understand such love
for the deceived race. The glory and peace of heaven, and the joy of
communion with God, were but dimly comprehended by men; but they
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were well known to Lucifer, the covering cherub. Since he had lost
heaven, he was determined to find revenge by causing others to share
his fall. This he would do by causing them to undervalue heavenly
things, and to set the heart upon things of earth.
Not without hindrance was the Commander of heaven to win the
souls of men to His kingdom. From the time when He was a babe in
Bethlehem, He was continually assailed by the evil one. The image
of God was manifest in Christ, and in the councils of Satan it was
determined that He should be overcome. No human being had come
into the world and escaped the power of the deceiver. The forces of
the confederacy of evil were set upon His track to engage in warfare
against Him, and if possible to prevail over Him.
At the Saviour’s baptism, Satan was among the witnesses. He
saw the Father’s glory overshadowing His Son. He heard the voice
of Jehovah testifying to the divinity of Jesus. Ever since Adam’s sin,
the human race had been cut off from direct communion with God;
the intercourse between heaven and earth had been through Christ;
but now that Jesus had come “in the likeness of sinful flesh” (
Romans
8:3
), the Father Himself spoke. He had before communicated with