Satan’s evil plans concerning the baby Messiah.
“Then another sign appeared in heaven: an enormous red dragon with seven heads and ten horns and seven crowns on its heads. Its tail swept a third of the stars out of the sky and flung them to the earth. The dragon stood in front of the woman who was about to give berth so that it might devour her child the moment he was born.” Revelation 12:3 – 4. The “dragon” in the book of Revelation refers to Lucifer, Satan. The seven heads are the seven kingdoms on the earth. Six kingdoms played a role before the birth of the Messiah. The seventh kingdom will play a role in world affairs before Jesus returns as the King of kings. The “ten horns” play a role in giving this earth back to the dragon as his principality. (The seventh kingdom and the ten horns will be explored later in this series of blogs.) The dragon, Satan, stood before the woman who was about to give birth to the Messiah.
Satan, the dragon, was angry because he could not prevent the coming of the Savior of the world. Accordingly, the dragon, Satan, sprang into action, determined to destroy the child, Jesus. To accomplish his plan, he enlisted assistance from Roman King Herod. When King Herod learned from the Magi that the “King of the Jews” was born, he was alarmed. The Magi asked, where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? They did not ask, where is he who is born Christ, or Messiah. King Herod used the noun Christ, or Messiah, indicating that he was familiar with when the Messiah would be born. He then asked the chief priests and teachers of the law where the Messiah was to be born. They replied, in the town of Bethlehem, in Judah as prophesized. Mikah 5:2. The priests and the teachers knew it was time for the Messiah’s birth.
Without hesitation, the chief priests and the law teachers answered Herod that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem. Their answer showed they knew the prophecy by Micah who prophesied 700 years before the birth of the Messiah. However, their knowledge of prophecy did not help them recognize the birth of the Messiah because they had their own teaching about the Messiah. Upon hearing that it was Bethlehem where Christ was born, King Herod began his evil plan. Herod first inquired of the Magi when they first observed the star. King Herod then instructed them to find Christ and come and tell him that he could go and worship the Messiah. However, he did not realize that God was in charge; therefore, his plan was spoiled.
To be continued in the next blog.
