Jesus Destroys the Devil's Power

Give Praise to God

Remembering with Joy

Hebrews 2:14-18 The Message

14-15 Since the children are made of flesh and blood, it’s logical that the Savior took on flesh and blood in order to rescue them by his death. By embracing death, taking it into himself, he destroyed the Devil’s hold on death and freed all who cower through life, scared to death of death.
16-18 It’s obvious, of course, that he didn’t go to all this trouble for angels. It was for people like us, children of Abraham. That’s why he had to enter into every detail of human life. Then, when he came before God as high priest to get rid of the people’s sins, he would have already experienced it all himself—all the pain, all the testing—and would be able to help where help was needed.

For Reflection

I suppose that these passages beg for the definition of the Devil, or Satan.  In the earliest of Hebrew writings, neither God nor Satan were personified.  God was the symbol of the Creator and Satan was the symbol for the environmental seductions that appealed to the human egoism. As long as humans respond to the corporeal realities they interpret as truths, they will continue to box themselves into an existence of suffering at the hand of human folly and captives of human rationality.  Jesus has shown us that embracing the style and wisdom of God-centered living, frees humankind to make choices that are more in line with the will of God.

When one becomes frustrated with the consequences of one's life choices and perceives dissatisfaction in spite of the blessings one's choices have generated, that person will be ready for the God whispers that will free him or her. The idolatry of selfishness will die and in its place will be a reconciled soul-satisfying relationship with God.

Pray

Pray so that you will recognize the yearnings for satisfaction for what they are, a burning desire for a God-centered life.  Pray to find the opportunities to become a God collaborator.

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