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 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. However, when Satan
heard the declaration that enmity
should exist between himself and the
woman, and between his seed and her
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
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 heaven and fill the
earth with woe and desolation. And he
points to all this evil as the result
of God’s work in creating man.
It is the grace that
Christ implants in the soul that
creates in man enmity against Satan.
Without this converting grace and
renewing power, man would continue
the captive of Satan, a servant ever
ready to do his bidding. However, the
new principle in the soul creates
conflict where hitherto had been
peace. The power that Christ imparts
enables man to resist the tyrant and
usurper. Whoever is seen to abhor sin
instead of loving it, whoever resists
and conquers those passions that have
held sway within, displays the
operation of a principle wholly from
above.
The antagonism that
exists between the spirit of Christ
and the spirit of Satan was most
strikingly displayed in the
world’s rejection of Jesus. It
was not so much because He appeared
without worldly wealth, pomp, or
grandeur that the Jews were lead to
reject Him. They saw that He
possessed power that would more than
compensate for the lack of these
outward advantages. However, the
purity and holiness of Christ called
forth against Him the hatred of the
ungodly His life of self-denial and
sinless devotion was a perpetual
enmity against the Son of God. Satan
and evil angels joined with evil men.
All the energies of apostasy
conspired against the Champion of
truth.
The same enmity is
manifested toward Christ’s
followers as was manifested toward
their Master. Whoever sees the
repulsive character of sin, and in
strength from above resists
temptation, will assuredly arouse the
wrath of Satan and his subjects.
Hatred of the pure principles of
truth, and reproach and persecution
of its advocates, will exist as long
as sin and sinners remain. The
followers of Christ and the servants
of Satan cannot harmonize. The
offense of the cross has not ceased.
“All that will live godly in
Christ Jesus shall suffer
persecution.” 2 Timothy 3:12.
Satan’s agents
are constantly working under his
direction to establish his authority
and build up his kingdom in
opposition to the government of God.
To this end, they seek to deceive
Christ’s followers and allure
them from their allegiance. Like
their leader, they misconstrue and
pervert the Scriptures to accomplish
their object. As Satan endeavored to
cast reproach upon God, so do his
agents seek to malign God’s
people. The spirit that put Christ to
death moves the wicked to destroy His
followers. All this is foreshadowed
in that first prophecy: “I will
put enmity between thee and the
woman, and between thy seed and her
seed.” And this will continue to
the close of time.
Satan summons all his
forces and throws his whole power
into the combat. Why is it that he
meets with no greater resistance? Why
are the soldiers of Christ so sleepy
and indifferent? Because they have so
little real connection with Christ;
because they are so destitute of His
Spirit. Sin is not to them repulsive
and abhorrent, as it was to their
Master. They do not meet it, as did
Christ, with decisive and determined
resistance. They do not realize the
exceeding evil and malignity of sin,
and they are blinded both to the
character and the power of the prince
of darkness. There is little enmity
against Satan and his works, because
there is so great ignorance
concerning his power and malice, and
the vast extent of his warfare
against Christ and His church.
Multitudes are deluded here. They do
not know that their enemy is a mighty
general who controls the minds of
evil angels, and that with
well-matured plans and skillful
movements he is warring against
Christ to prevent the salvation of
souls.
Among professed
Christians, and even among ministers
of the gospel, there is heard
scarcely a reference to Satan, except
perhaps an incidental mention in the
pulpit. They overlook the evidences
of his continual activity and
success; they neglect the many
warnings of his subtlety; they seem
to ignore his very existence.
While men are ignorant
of his devices, the vigilant foe is
upon their track every moment. He is
intruding his presence in every
department in the household, in every
street of our cities, in the
churches, in the national councils,
in the courts of justice, perplexing,
deceiving, seducing, everywhere
ruining the souls and bodies of men,
women, and children, breaking up
families, sowing hatred, emulation,
strife, sedition, murder. And the
Christian world seems to regard these
things as thought God had appointed
them and they must exist.
Satan is continually
seeking to overcome the people of God
by breaking down the barriers that
separate them from the world. Ancient
Israel was enticed into sin when they
ventured into forbidden association
with the heathen. In a similar manner
are modern Israel led astray.
“The god of this world hath
blinded the minds of them which
believe not, lest the light of the
glorious gospel of Christ, who is the
image of God, should shine unto
them.” 2 Corinthians 4:4.
All who are not
decided followers of Christ are
servants of Satan. In the
unregenerate heart, there is love of
sin and a disposition to cherish and
excuse it. In the renewed heart,
there is hatred of sin and determined
resistance against it. When
Christians choose the society of the
ungodly and unbelieving, they expose
themselves to temptation. Satan
conceals himself from view and
stealthily draws his deceptive
covering over their eyes. They cannot
see that such company is calculated
to do them harm; and while all the
time assimilating to the world in
character, words, and actions, they
are becoming more and more blinded.
Conformity to worldly
customs converts the church to the
world; it never converts the world to
Christ. Familiarity with sin will
inevitably cause it to appear less
repulsive. He who chooses to
associate with the servants of Satan
will soon cease to fear their Master.
When in the way of duty we are
brought into trial, as was Daniel in
the king’s court, we may be sure
that God will protect us; but if we
place ourselves under temptation, we
shall fall sooner or later.
The tempter often
works most successfully through those
who are least suspected of being
under his control. The possessors of
talent and education are admired and
honored, as if these qualities could
atone for the absence of the fear of
God or entitle men to His favor.
Talent and culture, considered in
themselves, are gifts from God; but
when these are made to supply the
place of piety, when, instead of
bringing the soul nearer to God, they
lead away from Him, and then they
become a curse and a snare. The
opinion prevails with many that all
that appears like courtesy or
refinement must, in some sense,
pertain to Christ. Never was there a
greater mistake. These qualities
should grace the character of every
Christian, for they would exert a
powerful influence in favor of true
religion; but they must be
consecrated to God, or they also are
a power for evil. Many a man of
cultured intellect and pleasant
manners, who would not stoop to what
is commonly regarded as an immoral
act, is but a polished instrument in
the hands of Satan. The insidious,
deceptive character of his influence
and example renders him a more
dangerous enemy to the cause of
Christ than those who are ignorant
and uncultured.
By earnest prayer and
dependence upon God, Solomon obtained
the wisdom that excited the wonder
and admiration of the world. However,
when he turned from the Source of his
strength, and went forward relying
upon himself, he fell a prey to
temptation. Then the marvelous powers
bestowed on this wisest of kings only
rendered him a more effective agent
of the adversary of souls.
While Satan is
constantly seeking to blind their
minds to the fact, let Christians
never forgot that they “wrestle
not against flesh and blood, but
against principalities, against
powers, against the rulers of the
darkness of this world, against
wicked spirits in high places.”
Ephesians 6:12, margin. The inspired
warning is sounding down the
centuries to our time: “Be
sober, be vigilant; because our
adversary the devil, as a roaring
lion, walketh about, seeking whom he
may devour.” 1 Peter 5:8.
“Put on the whole armor of God,
that ye may be able to stand against
the wiles of the devil. Ephesians
6:11.
From the days of Adam
to our own time, our great enemy has
been exercising his power to oppress
and destroy. He is now preparing for
his last campaign against the church.
He is now preparing for his last
campaign against the church. All who
seek to follow Jesus will be brought
into conflict with this relentless
foe. The more nearly the Christian
imitates the divine Pattern, the more
surely will he make himself a mark
for the attacks of Satan. All who are
actively engaged in the cause of God,
seeking to unveil the deceptions of
the evil one and to present Christ
before the people, will be able to
join in the testimony of Paul, in
which he speaks of serving the Lord
with all humility of mind, with many
tears and temptations.
Satan assailed Christ
with his fiercest and most subtle
temptations, but he was repulsed in
every conflict. Those battles were
fought in our behalf; those victories
make it possible for us to conquer.
Christ will give strength to all who
seek it. Satan can overcome no man
without his own consent. The tempter
has no power to control the will or
to force the soul to sin. He may
distress, but he cannot contaminate.
He can cause agony, but not
defilement. The fact that Christ has
conquered should inspire His
followers with courage to fight
manfully the battle against sin and
Satan.
