Spiritual Strength For Each Day
“Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people” (Hebrews 2:17).
This verse shows a second effect of the death of Jesus. It refers to Satan, the great enemy. Satan is the mortal enemy of man, for he tempted man to sin. Because death is the wages of sin, however, Satan was the prince of death and had the power of death until the Lamb died. I say expressly “until” Jesus died, for through His death He redeemed us from a threefold death:
• From a cruel eternal death. For without Jesus’ sacrificial death, we would fall into Satan’s hands after our death.
• From the terrible fear of death. A person dies several times during his life through fear of death, but we read in Hebrews 2:15, “And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.”
• From the terrible death of eternal separation with God. When the Lamb of God died, everything came into place: children of Satan, children of death, became children of God, children of life. Let us thank the Lord who reconciled us with God, redeemed us from Satan’s power, and liberated us from the hold which he had on us through sin.
