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Chapter 79—How Christ’s Death Defeated Satan
Christ had accomplished the work He came to do, and with
His parting breath He exclaimed, “It is finished.”
John 19:30
. The
battle had been won. All heaven triumphed in the Saviour’s victory.
Satan knew his kingdom was lost. It was for the angels and unfallen
worlds as well as for us that the great work of redemption had
been accomplished. Until the death of Christ, Satan had so clothed
himself with deception that even holy beings had not understood his
principles nor clearly seen the nature of his rebellion.
Lucifer had been the covering cherub, the highest of all created
beings. He had been foremost in revealing God’s purposes to the
universe. After he had sinned, his power to deceive was the more
deceptive, and unveiling his character was more difficult because of
the exalted position he had held with the Father.
God could have destroyed Satan and his sympathizers, but He
did not do this. Force, compelling power, is found only under
Satan’s government. The Lord’s authority rests on goodness, mercy,
and love, and these principles are the means to be used. God’s
government is moral, and truth and love are to be the prevailing
power.
In the councils of heaven it was decided that time must be given
for Satan to develop the principles of his government. He had
claimed that these were superior to God’s. Time was given for
the working of Satan’s principles, that they might be seen by the
heavenly universe. For 4000 years, Christ was working for man’s
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uplifting, and Satan for his ruin. And the heavenly universe beheld
it all.
From the time when Jesus appeared as a babe in Bethlehem,
Satan worked to bring about His destruction. He sought to prevent
Him from developing a perfect childhood, a faultless manhood, a
holy ministry, and an unblemished sacrifice. But he was defeated.
He could not lead Jesus into sin. All the efforts of Satan to overcome
Him only brought out in a purer light His spotless character.
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