13 Dec Hallelujah, Emmanuel, the Destroyer Has Come
Christmas evokes images of trees, pretty lights and a cute baby swaddled up in a manger. However, Scripture reveals something else which I think has been missed. Christmas is violence! The basis for this statement is 1 John 3:8. Consider these words, “The reason the Son of man came was to destroy the works of the devil.” Our blessed Savior, Jesus–our Emmanuel–came as much a destroyer as anything else. Ben Stuart preached on this theme years ago and suggested a funny experiment. At your Christmas party this year drop this line and see what reaction you get. “Well, you know…the reason for the season is destruction.” Let that land on your unsuspecting friends for a few seconds. Then share the powerful truth of 1 John 3:8. Scripture is very explicit here. “the reason he came was to destroy…”
For the Bible reader, this should come as no shock. In Genesis 3:15, God foretold this destruction when he said, “I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.” The ESV use of the word “bruise” here comes across softer in our English vernacular. In Hebrew, its the word shuph. The word carries the meaning of the injury being fatal and catastrophic. This is why many pastors use the word ‘crush.’ It prophesied that the Messiah would one day enter human history to crush the deceiver of souls. That crushing would be violent. He would sustain a blow himself, but ultimately his blow to the enemy would be fatal; one the Enemy would not recover from. It’s no wonder Herod panicked by issuing a decree that all boys under the age of 2 be slaughtered. Satan tried to head off his coming. He must have wondered, even feared, this inevitable date with destiny. He knew it was coming, but he didn’t know exactly what form it would take.
A couple years ago I had the opportunity to visit Normandy. It was a very emotional experience. The scale of the allied invasion on those beaches in 1944 is overwhelming. As I reflected upon those events, I had a recurring thought in my mind that I couldn’t shake. Those brave men landed upon those beaches to liberate France. Like them, but in a different way, Jesus landed to set the captives free, but his purpose was far greater. The landed invasion of Jesus- though humble and seemingly inconsequential in its appearance had consequences far greater than 100 wars.
The destruction of the devil’s work is great news for us. We already know about his schemes, don’t we? “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy.” (John 10:10) Have we not all seen this in our own lives to some degree? His diabolic handprints are everywhere. Our sin nature only amplifies it. We were born into a sin nature conditioned in rebellion toward God. And Satan has poured gasoline on that fire. He kills our joy. He steals our dreams. He has worked great evil in the heart of man. What was needed wasn’t a negotiation for terms, but to burn the whole system down and rebuild it again. And he did this through the cross! Praise God!
“And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him” Colossians 2:13-15
Invasion at Normandy
I often think of that sweet verse in Psalm 121 when I am struggling or discouraged, “I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.” We see his help fully manifest in his coming, and ultimately in his finished work on the cross and subsequent resurrection. He has broken the power of sin in our lives. He has made us new: “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” -2 Corinthians 5:17
So this Christmas I am thankful for the coming of Jesus: the landed invasion of the Son of man; the Destroyer has come. He has destroyed the works of sin and brought us something we could not accomplish for ourselves. A way back to God and abundant joy. He has crushed the head of the accuser. And he will forever reign upon his throne. We are free because of what he did for us on the cross.
Thus, as his children, He has given us the mantle of being emissaries of this victory. “We are his ambassadors, as if Christ were making his appeal through us.” (2 Corinthians 5:20) You and I are called to carry this work forward. I am so honored to work with our partners around the world who are actively manifesting Christ’s victory over sin and his new life to lost villages, communities and cities. Together with them we all gospel bearers, and reflect the light of His great triumph and liberation for mankind
He came to win a war. But something had to be broken first. It was done with violence–setting us free who hope in Him. Hallelujah! Merry Christmas!
Mike Krieg is Executive Director and Founder of Storyline, a Christian mission organization that trains and equips frontier churches and church leaders to reach unreached peoples.
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