The Cross: Satan’s Perspective
Satan was sure he had God backed into a corner. He knew how fragile the human body was. He knew to what lengths the average human would go in order to protect that fragile external covering of what was inside of them.
Satan made it his focused mission to bring suffering to the human body for one important reason. He knew what many humans did not.
I’m sure satan hated to even think of Paul, once known as Saul, when he was in satan’s army. Saul was to leave him and then actively work against him. Paul was to reveal one of the true secrets of the universe.
But Paul had not yet written his epistles in Jesus’ day. Satan was hoping he would have time before the secret was revealed.
Don’t you know that your body is a temple that belongs to the Holy Spirit?
The Holy Spirit, whom you received from God, lives in you.
You don’t belong to yourselves. You were bought for a price.
So bring glory to God in the way you use your body.
1 Corinthians 6:19-20 (GW)
Satan knew the humans had an outside covering they called the human body. It was fragile and fairly easy to conquer.
Satan had a regular arsenal of things he could do to the external body, but it was not so easy to get past the inner wall these creatures had. Inside them sat The One.
Satan didn’t really care that much about any human. He wanted to get inside and defeat The One. If he could force God out of His Own Temple, satan knew the world would be his to command.
But he could never enter the inner court, unless the human let him in. Satan was convinced if he ramped up the external suffering, and the humans believed God would not save them, he would be home free.
After all, these humans had to know, God could have prevented their suffering, or at the very least stopped it. Satan’s first step was to get these humans to curse God and give up on His Provision.
(satan speaking to God)
“Skin for skin!” Satan replied.
“A man will give all he has for his own life.
But now stretch out your hand and strike his flesh and bones,
and he will surely curse you to your face.”
Job 2:4-5 (NIV2011)
Satan wanted humans to fear death. The fear of death drove them to do unimaginable things for him. He cringed the day he heard Jesus tell His Followers:
Don’t be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul.
Instead, fear the one who can destroy both body and soul in hell.
Matthew 10:28 (GW)
Satan liked the idea of humans being afraid of him. But he wanted them to fear his killing their external body. He really didn’t like them knowing anything else. He would love to see them in hell, but only when he was done with them on earth.
When satan was given the opportunity of a lifetime to attack Jesus’ Body, he thought his day of triumph had come.
If he could bring every torture possible against Jesus’ Body, he knew he could demonstrate how fragile that body was. Satan was sure he could get Jesus to cry out against God and beg for mercy from satan.
Best of all, apparently God planned this fight of the ages to be very public. Satan liked that. He could imagine the cheers of the crowd already, as he would do his victory dance on what would be left of the Body of Jesus.
Satan planned his attack on Jesus. He knew from his experiments with humans how important it was to get them in the right frame of mind. A good dose of rejection was the way to start.
He contemplated getting Jesus’ Followers to argue over petty things, like who would be the greatest in the kingdom. That should cause Jesus to doubt whether He had gotten through to these men at all.
Maybe he could get some of Jesus’ trusted Followers to reject Him by betraying Him, denying Him, doubting Him and completely abandoning Him.
Surely that would get Jesus in the right frame of mind to feel alone and rejected. But satan was just getting started.
What if he could get that crowd, who seemed to love Him, to reject Him less than a week later? Yes, that was it. They could cry for Jesus’ death, while calling for a criminal to be released.
Yes, Jesus was big on justice. Satan was sure he could weaken Jesus with a combined dose of rejection with injustice.
Satan put his most trusted demons on the case and all went as planned. Satan watched as his faithful guard beat Jesus so badly, He was not even recognizable. He listened for Jesus to cry for mercy. He listened for Jesus to curse God. But He said nothing.
Satan slithered along and watched Jesus walk to Golgotha. Jesus carried that cross beam on his shoulders right past those who were supposed to love Him. But no one lifted a finger to save Him. Even His Mother looked upon Him and did nothing. Satan was pleased. It was appropriately humiliating, painful, and unjust.
Then the soldiers hung Jesus on the cross. Satan thought it was kind of ironic that Jesus had spent His younger days working with wood as a carpenter. Then He came to the end of his life, nailed to wood. Again satan laughed. “Guess you’re on the wrong side of the hammer now, Jesus. Watch your hands!”
He was up there between two thieves. Satan had handpicked them. Jesus had called him a thief.
“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; …”
John 10:10 (NIV2011)
So satan thought it only fitting that he assure Jesus understand what it was like to be in the company of thieves. One of them faithfully carried out his mission and flung insults at Jesus. Satan was proud. More rejection would assure that Jesus realize how far He had fallen.
Satan didn’t know how to account for the other thief. He defected at the last minute and wanted to go with Jesus into His Kingdom. Satan didn’t understand him anymore than he understood Jesus. Jesus accepted satan’s defector and took him with Him.
Jesus suffered. It was everything satan hoped for. His favorite part was when it got really dark. He did his best work in the dark.
It stayed dark for a long time. Satan took this as a sign that God recognized that darkness could conquer His Light.
Everyone saw it! It was the highpoint of a really great day, especially when Jesus seemed to give His One and Only Statement that sounded like He was giving up.
“ … My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”
Matthew 27:46 (NIV2011)
He seemed to be asking God if He had forsaken Him. That was great! Satan knew it could not happen, but still … just the fact that He said it was fantastic. He knew people would remember that line forever. However this thing turned out, that was a real victory.
When satan tells the story, he likes to end things at the cross. Long after many others had left, satan was still there. He gazed in admiration at the pathetic body of Jesus.
He took delight in believing that Jesus’ last words had been a clear statement of what he, satan wanted to tell the world. God has forsaken you!
Satan looked in wonder at the world he believed would be his to command shortly. He slithered back and forth in the pools of blood that had not dried yet. And he wondered what that sweet smell was.
