The Backcloth: Satan’s Rebellion
In eternity past there was one kingdom, that of our God, and one rule—righteousness.
But a second kingdom developed as Lucifer rebelled against God. Taking a third part of the angels with him, he acquired his own kingdom and rule—unrighteousness and disobedience.
When God created Adam and Eve they were part of His kingdom, that of righteousness and obedience. But through the fall they moved all mankind out from under God’s kingdom and into the kingdom of this world. Hence, the word of Isaiah, “All we like sheep have gone astray, we have turned everyone to his own way” (Isaiah 53:6).
The Need for a Stronger One
Jesus said, “When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own palace, his goods are safe; but when one stronger than he attacks him and overcomes him, he takes away his armor in which he trusted and divides his spoil” (Luke 11:21, 22 ESV).
In the big picture the strong man’s goods (Satan’s goods) are the souls of men, who through the fall of Adam were locked in Satan’s “palace;” multitudes being slaves without knowledge of true freedom, many chained in gross sin, and scores shackled by the unassuming sin of morality outside of God’s righteousness.
Satan lived safe with his goods in temporal peace free as those “goods” were jailed from the convicting power of the Spirit of Righteousness.
But after centuries of bondage and as the devil’s goods multiplied with the addition of the oppressed souls of men, a warning voice, clothed in camel’s hair and an eater of locust, was heard from the wilderness: “There cometh one mightier than me after me and he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.” In a few months the words of that One echoed throughout the domain of the strong man’s kingdom, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe the gospel.”
Upon hearing the One’s declaration, Satan, the strong man, would don his trusty armor with the iron plates of temptation, captivation (to lead astray), accusation, and separation (death). He defeated the first Adam with this armor; now it was time to defeat the second. After all, heretofore he had been the strong man.
But thanks be to God, in Christ Jesus a stronger man was here!
The Defeat of Satan’s Armor
Jesus entered Satan’s kingdom making himself of no reputation, taking on the form of a servant, and being made in the likeness of men. As the Son of Man, He took each piece of Satan’s armor, beloved and trusted, from him:
• The iron plates of temptation were removed by the words, “It is written….”
• The iron plates of captivation seen in the misleading cry of the crowd’s “crucify him, crucify him” were lost in the hidden wisdom of God; a wisdom “which none of the princes of this world knew; for had they known it they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.”
• The iron plates of accusation reveled at the foot of the cross as they mocked him. “He saved others; he cannot save himself. He is the King of Israel; let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him. He trusts in God; let God deliver him now, if he desires him. For he said, ‘I am the Son of God’” would be dismantled by His crucifixion.
• The iron plates of separation (death) were swallowed up in victory as Jesus stayed on the cross. In the kingdom of obedience He became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.
“Therefore, God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:9-11).
As He would say decades later, “…Fear not; I am the first and the last: I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death” (Revelation 1:17, 18 KJV).
