Some of you might have seen my blog https://reflect-lulu-isle.blogspot.com/2014/07/halloween-about-death-devil.htmlfrom July 28, 2014. Recently some of the thoughts I had there were furthered by an Easter message, “A Resurrection-shaped Life” I heard – by Brian Houston of Hillsong, no less! I don’t particularly support Hillsong, and I only heard the message because we were checking out Hillsong (It’s at the 1 hr. 8 min. mark here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ImXZ5_gsSk if you want to check it out for yourself). But I digress.
Houston made reference here to Hebrews 2:14-15: “Since therefore, the children share flesh and blood, he (Christ, that is) himself likewise shared the same things, so that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by the fear of death.”
In our society today, many fear death and do all they can to prolong life and prevent it. Others have lost their fear of death and welcome it as an escape by choosing suicide or euthanasia. Now, in all fairness, some in these last categories really are suffering and, unfortunately, have not got the help or support to see any other way out. Actually, this is not new. The ancient Greeks who had come to espouse the philosophies of Socrates and others, also looked upon death positively as an escape from this life. This was because they regarded the body as a cursed mortal evil in which their real selves, their soul, was trapped and only in death could they escape this body.
The problem is, in all of this, the devil has won. Again, I would not include all cases of suicide and euthanasia in this. But when the devil has us afraid, he is attacking our sense of security and wellbeing. And when he has us not afraid, well, then are have surrendered entirely to his death wish.
You see, according to most faith traditions, but particularly the three monotheistic traditions, life was created by means of supernatural powers. In Judeo-Christian terms, everything, all life, was created by Jahweh, or God. Indeed, God alone was the Creator of all things. God is the source of life.
However, as we know from the book of Genesis narrative, chapter 3, something happened. Another being interposed itself between God and humanity. This being has become known by a variety of names, including devil and Satan, which is Hebrew for “The Accuser.” Way back in time, the story goes, this being rebelled against God. He wanted to be like God. However, God, being God, is all-powerful and Satan did not succeed. Meanwhile, God had poured his creativity and love into the making of the universe and ultimately humanity, with whom he wanted to be in relationship with. Put simply, Satan was jealous. He could see that humans were vulnerable, so he made his move.
Satan apparently influenced humanity in such a way that they too decided they did not need to regard God and his instructions as necessarily needing to be fully obeyed. In other words, they also began to rebel. What Satan knew, and the humans did not, was that as soon as they took this step, they were doomed, just as Satan was. The Bible teaches that Satan is going to be defeated once and for all at the end of time. This is where he displays his ‘dog-in-the-manger’ nature. He forfeited his position of eternal bliss with God and he is doing his utmost to make sure we, God’s creatures end up with him. It’s his way of getting back at God. It is why God so hates Satan, because Satan is doing his best to thwart the good plans God has for us.
If we reject God, the only alternative is that we are following Satan. As the Hebrews text quoted above says so plainly, this places us in Satan’s grasp, subject to death with him. As I wrote seven years ago, the road with Satan leads to only one place, death. However, what the Hebrews passage is part of, is an explanation of how Jesus, the Christ, through his death and resurrection, defeated Satan. If we believe this, turn our back on Satan and admit (‘confess our sin’, in biblical terms) we were wrong and want to follow God once again (in biblical language this is called ‘repentance’) Jesus can free us from our slavery to Satan and put us back into the loving relationship with God we were created for, and on the road to a glorious eternity.
Beware the cosmic ‘dog-in-the manger’! The consequences of not doing so are terrible.
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