Satan. Mortal enemy of the Christ. History-long foe of the church. Liar. Murderer. Father of the lie from a nest of vipers. Deceiver of the whole world. He has his seed. They are of him and bear his image. The ungodly in the church and the world. Oh, especially in the church does he work, and there he sows his tares. Cain. Lamech. Esau. Saul. Doeg. Absalom. Ahithophel. Annas. Caiaphas. Judas. Hymenaeus. Alexander. What other names will be added in the day of the revelation of the righteous judgment of God? Liars were they all and murderers and blasphemers. There is enmity between Satan and his seed and Christ and his seed. Christ too has a seed. Abel. Enoch. Noah. Abraham. Isaac. Jacob. David. Isaiah. Jeremiah. John. Peter. Paul. And an innumerable throng that will be revealed in the day of the revelation of the righteous judgment of God.

The God of peace. Blessed God of peace. Dwelling in perfect bliss and harmony in himself. In him there is no warfare. He forms the light and creates darkness. He makes peace and creates evil. Jehovah does all these things. The mystery of Jehovah, hid from the ages, is to create perfect peace by uniting all creation with itself and consecrating all of creation unto himself in Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is our peace. He is peace between God and man because Christ is redemption, reconciliation, and righteousness. In him the God of peace crushed Satan’s head. Certain victory. In Christ we have peace with God and thus with all things.

To that purpose all warfare and strife are strictly subservient. Under that purpose every enemy shall be subdued. Satan’s head will be bruised and his kingdom destroyed. God’s kingdom of peace shall be established forever.

But the bruising of a serpent’s head always involves a venomous bite to the heel. It is not mortal. It is painful. All history long the Slanderer stands up against God’s people to oppose them. He beguiled Eve. He lied about Job to move God to destroy Job without cause. In Jannes and Jambres Satan withstood Moses with their lying wonders. By Balaam Satan cast a stumbling block before the people and enticed them to fornication and idolatry. He provoked David to number the people, and God brought a terrible plague on the people. Satan opposed them because Christ was in them. Satan bit them painfully with many strikes. He brought war and death and sorrows innumerable.

And when the seed of the woman, Jesus Christ, came, Satan bit Christ terribly with a most painful bite. Satan came for Christ in Herod. Satan opposed Christ in the wilderness, tempting him and seeking to beguile him with fame and fortune and the kingdoms of the world. Against Christ, Satan spoke through his legions of demons. The lesser quaked before Christ, but Satan himself was bold to oppose Christ openly. Satan came to Christ in the scribes and Pharisees and all their lying words and entrapping questions. He whispered in Christ’s ear by one of his closest disciples. Satan tried Christ in the corrupt court of the church and shouted for his crucifixion in Pilate’s judgment hall. Satan hung Christ on a tree and rejoiced that the Son of God was cursed and soon would be buried in the grave. Satan had triumphed over his enemy! He had won!

Then his world fell to pieces. The shout of victory from the cross. The tearing of the temple veil. The earthquake. Satan’s kingdom was shaking and tottering. And Christ arose the third day and ascended far above the heavens that he might fill all things. He crushed the head of the serpent!

Satan’s time is short. He knows this. Now you suffer his painful bites. Patience, beloved. War on. You have peace with God, so you will have war with Satan. Shortly, the God of peace will crush Satan beneath your feet and give you the perfection of victory in the new heaven and new earth.