Adam, Devil, and Jesus: #2 Power of Death

If the Devil is given authority over the earth, what is the tool he is given to govern with? Death.

Hebrews 2:14-15 Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil— and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death.

This makes sense in that the penalty for breaking the law is death. (For when you eat it you shall surely die) The Devil is also very good at it, for he was a murderer from the beginning. (John 8:44) Death includes all sorts of disease and malady. Think of what he does in Job. Job also establishes that the Devil doesn't have free reign but is still restrained by God. (Even if one believes that the beginning of Job is Poetic license it is still consistent with what the rest of Scripture says that he does - especially in the role of accuser. (Zech. 3, Rev. 12)

He often uses deceit to bring about death.

1. In the Garden his deceit brought about the death of humanity.
2. He tempted David to take a census which resulted in death 70,000 died (1 Chron. 21)
3. He sows the weeds and steals the seeds. (Matt. 13:39/Luke 8:12)
4. He is the Father of lies John 8:44 "He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies."
5. He leads the whole world astray/deceives the nations (Rev. 12 and 20)

He is granted permission to judge in his role as accuser. (Zech. 3)

So the three obstacles we have are sin, death, and the devil.

The breaking of the law is sin, which results in death, which is the weapon that the devil rules over us with.

There is hope though: 1 John 3:8 The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil's work.

The only way to undo the Devil's reign and power is to repair the means by which he was given power in the first place, namely sin.

Christ breaks the power of sin through his sacrificial death - thus breaking the hold that the devil has.

Christ overcomes and vanquishes death at the resurrection - for the death had not hold on him - he was vindicated.

Christ having broken the hold and defeated the power that the Devil had - ascended to the right hand of the Father and overthrew the Devil's authority over the earth. More about that later.