“Know your enemy.” In war, leaders are very careful to intercept messages, decipher codes, and come up with strategies that gain them the upper hand in battle. We make decisions every day based on what we know. In the devil’s war against God, he paid close attention to his enemy. When the time presented itself, he launched his attack.
What They Did About It
When the time came, Jesus was born of a virgin. A miraculous conception spoken of in prophecy, and his name was Emmanuel. The devil knew it was time; the Messiah had come.
“...a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.” - Isaiah 7:14
As Jesus grew, the devil watched, and one day the devil met Jesus in the wilderness and tempted His flesh as He fasted, asking Him to perform miracles, such as turning stone into bread. The devil also offered Him the earth if Jesus would bow to Satan. Jesus knew that He himself could do these miracles, and that He was to be given the earth. But these things were not according to how God had willed them. Utilizing what is written in scripture, Jesus corrected the devil’s twisted thoughts with the truth of God’s word.
The devil still continued to plan his attack, and when it came time, he returned, entering into Judas.
“Then entered Satan into Judas surnamed Iscariot, being of the number of the twelve.” Luke 22:2
This was it, the betrayal, and Satan’s will. The Messiah of Israel would die by their own hands. The devil was sure that this was the right move. So it came to pass as was prophesied.
“He came unto his own, and his own received him not.” - John 1:11
Christ was crucified and buried in a tomb, but three days later rose from the dead. Yet, Satan was not alarmed with this. After all, it was all prophesied. This was expected. Jesus himself had proclaimed that He would rise again on the third day.
"And they shall scourge him, and put him to death: and the third day he shall rise again." - Luke 18:33
If Israel would continue to reject their Messiah, now that could be quite the problem for the world. So it was that Satan continued with his attacks and Israel as a nation fell.
Romans 11:25 makes clear the sad news: “...blindness in part is happened to Israel...” With Israel blinded in unbelief, what would become of the rest of the world? Romans 3 concludes that the entire world is guilty before God, both Jews and Gentiles.
“Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.” Romans 3:19
With Israel having fallen into blindness, what hope could there be?