118. Satan's head has been crushed.

"And I will put enmity between you and the woman and between your offspring (seed) and hers; he will crush your head and you will strike his heel."(Genesis 3:15) Hidden in this curse spoken against the serpent was the promise of an offspring, the seed of a woman who would finally crush the serpent's head and redeem mankind. Therefore, the ancient serpent, called the devil or Satan, feared the promised 'seed', the Messiah and wanted to kill him as soon as he was born, because this child would seal his fate! 'The dragon stood in front of the woman who was about to give birth, so that he might devour her child the moment it is born. She gave birth to a son, a male child, who will rule all the nations with an iron sceptre. And her child was snatched upto God and to his throne.' (Revelation 12:4-5) Though the passage is about another upcoming battle in the heavens, it also gives as a look behind the scenes; the day Christ was born, when a battle raged in the heavens. Two parallel events happening simultaneously: one on earth and the other in heaven. Christmas from heaven's perspective differs from that of earth! The Gospels speaks about the shepherds, the Magi and the crazed king Herod, who was bent on killing the child, but Revelation speaks the dragon who launched an attack against the forces of good. The attack would result in an massacre on earth. So 'an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, "Get up, take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him ..." When Herod realised that he was outwitted by the Magi, he was furious and he gave orders to kill all the boys ... who were two years old or under, in accordance with the time he had learned from the Magi.' (Matthew 2:13-17) Unable to kill the child, the devil sought to strike his heel and this he did when he got him nailed to the cross. But the consequences were fatal! His head was crushed and he lost his authority over earth. (Matthew 28:18) - Satan had got it from Adam after deceiving him but when he tried to trick the second Adam, he was rebuked! (Luke 4:5-8) - Soon he will lose his place in the second heavens. 'And there was war in heaven ... But he was not strong enough and they lost their place in heaven. The great dragon was hurled down- that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth and his angels with him.' (Revelation 12:7-9) - Once upon a time, he was cast out of the third heavens and Jesus testified to it, being an eye witness : "I saw Satan fall like lightening from heaven. I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you."( Luke 10:18-19) - When Satan loses his place in the second heaven, he will set up his kingdom on earth but it will be destroyed by God.( Daniel 2:44, Revelation 16:10) Thereafter, the 'God of peace will crush Satan under our feet.' (Romans 16:20) As if it is not enough that Christ our champion has crushed Satan's head, he wants the body of Christ to crush Satan under its feet too. John in his vision saw the armies of heaven riding out together with Christ against the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies gathered together to make war but the ensuing battle seems to have weakened the devil for just an angel could seize him and bind him up for a thousand years. Sure he looks as if his head has been crushed by the victorious army of saints. Amen.