Chapter 30—Enmity Between Man and Satan
“I Will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy
seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his
heel.” [
Genesis 3:15
.] The divine sentence pronounced against Satan
after the fall of man, was also a prophecy, embracing all the ages to
the close of time, and foreshadowing the great conflict to engage all
the races of men who should live upon the earth.
God declares, “I will put enmity.” This enmity is not naturally
entertained. When man transgressed the divine law, his nature became
evil, and he was in harmony, and not at variance, with Satan. There
exists naturally no enmity between sinful man and the originator of
sin. Both became evil through apostasy. The apostate is never at rest,
except as he obtains sympathy and support by inducing others to follow
his example. For this reason, fallen angels and wicked men unite in
desperate companionship. Had not God specially interposed, Satan
and man would have entered into an alliance against Heaven; and
instead of cherishing enmity against Satan, the whole human family
would have been united in opposition to God.
Satan tempted man to sin, as he had caused angels to rebel, that he
might thus secure co-operation in his warfare against Heaven. There
was no dissension between himself and the fallen angels as regards
their hatred of Christ; while on all other points there was discord,
they were firmly united in opposing the authority of the Ruler of the
universe. But when Satan heard the declaration that enmity should
exist between himself and the woman, and between his seed and her
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seed, he knew that his efforts to deprave human nature would be
interrupted; that by some means man was to be enabled to resist his
power.
Satan’s enmity against the human race is kindled, because, through
Christ, they are the objects of God’s love and mercy. He desires to
thwart the divine plan for man’s redemption, to cast dishonor upon
God, by defacing and defiling his handiwork; he would cause grief in
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