Satan's Finest Hour
“Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the Praetorium and gathered the whole garrison around him. And they stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him.” Matthew 27:27-28 Look closely throughout the story of the trial and crucifixion of Jesus Christ, and you will see the depth of the hatred that Satan has for him. From start to finish it’s humiliation, shame, and mockery. And oh how deep are the depths of mockery coming out of the evil one towards the Son of God. Vs 29: “When they had twisted a crown of thorns, they put it on his head, and a reed in his right hand. And they bowed the knee before him and mocked him, saying, ‘Hail, King of the Jews!’” Through men Satan was controlling to thoroughly humiliate him, Jesus was stripped and a kingly robe was put on him. Then they wove a crown, a kingly crown - except it was made of thorns - and forced those thorns into his scalp, mocking the Kingship of Christ. They put a scepter in his hand, and then they bowed before him, laughing, mocking, jeering, and they crowned him “King of the Jews.” If there is anything like joy that Satan can feel, this was perhaps his most joyous moment. Picture it. Laughing at Christ, humiliating him, making fun of him, scorning him. Before all. I wonder if Satan was aware that Jesus was bearing our shame, our humiliation and our scorn, and that the day would come when because of it, Jesus will make US kings and priests in his Kingdom. That which Satan lost, we will gain - all because of the extent Jesus was willing to suffer shame, to redeem us. They crucified him, and sealed their jubilance by putting a sign at the top of the cross which read, “Jesus of Nazareth The King Of The Jews,” laughing deeply at the sight of this King dying almost naked, in all humiliation before all the people. Jesus died in our place, but it doesn’t end there. He also descended into hell in our place. Jesus walked through the halls of hell and took from Satan the keys of death and hell, and made a public spectacle of him before all his followers in that awful place. “Having disarmed principalities and powers, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it.” Colossians 2:15 And from that act, death and hell are going to bow in victory for all believers. From that day on, believers only change location when they die. “And whoever lives and believes in me SHALL NEVER DIE. Do you believe this?” John 11:26 “Death is swallowed up in victory. O Death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory?” 1 Corinthians 15:55 Where is hell's victory? It doesn’t exist for the believer. Death and hell are overcome because of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ our Redeemer. If a person could fully understand the vastness of what Jesus accomplished in his atonement on our behalf, he would be on his face forever worshiping him. Because of the atonement accomplished in the humiliation of Christ, believers have an eternity of wondrous joy to look forward to, and this time the jubilance will be on US, as we marvel in wonder at this King who gave all to ransom us. We will come to understand love, if indeed such love can ever be understood, the love of the King willing to be sacrificed so that others may know him and spend all eternity engulfed in the vastness of this great love purchased at such a great price. Through humiliation Jesus Christ became King. “Therefore God also has highly exalted him and given him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” Philippians 2:9-11 As we walk in his footsteps with Satan dogging our every step, we too will become kings and priests in the Kingdom of God. As we follow him in death, we will also follow him in resurrection, a resurrection he was tortured and murdered for - that we might be saved. If you have not surrendered your life to Jesus Christ, do so now. Do not wait. Your eternity is at stake, the eternity for which he gave his life ...for YOU.
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