Who Was in Control, Satan or God?

We have been meditating on Luke’s testimony of the last few days beforethe crucifixion of Christ:

 

¹Now the Feast of Unleavened Bread, called the Passover, was approaching, ²and the chief priests and the teachers of the law were looking for some way to get rid of Jesus, for they were afraid of the people. ³Then Satan entered Judas, called Iscariot, one of the Twelve. ⁴And Judas went to the chief priests and the officers of the temple guard and discussed with them how he might betray Jesus. ⁵They were delighted and agreed to give him money. ⁶He consented, and watched for an opportunity to hand Jesus over to them when no crowd was present (Luke 22:1-6).

 

The climax to the drama of crucifixion week was drawing close. The ruling religious elite had murder in their hearts toward Christ. To most people, these men appeared to be righteous men, highly esteemed by others, but in God's eyes, they were held captive by invisible chains. Jesus called them out as servants of Satan when He said to them: "You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father's desires. 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" (John 8:44). 

 

The enemy of our souls might seem to be having his way in the world, but we must remind ourselves that, behind the scenes, God is sovereign over all things and brought His plan to fruition. The enemy could do nothing to the Lord Jesus until Satan's timeline intersected with God's plan. Later, just before His crucifixion, Christ was brought before the Roman governor Pontius Pilate. Pilate said, "‘Where do you come from?' he asked Jesus, but Jesus gave him no answer. ¹⁰‘Do you refuse to speak to me?’ Pilate said. ‘Don’t you realize I have power either to free you or to crucify you?’ ¹¹Jesus answered, ‘You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above’” (John 19:9-11). 

 

The enemy might think he is in control, but only because God has given him enough rope with which to hang himself. God was totally in control of all the drama that was happening. Only at the right time would Christ be crucified, not in Satan's timing but in God's perfect planning, i.e., at the very moment that the sacrificial lambs were being slaughtered at Passover in the temple. 

 

For instance, when Christ’s mother told Him of the embarrassing situation of no wine left at a wedding they were attending, before turning water into wine, He said to His mother, “Woman, why do you involve me? My hour has not yet come” (John 2:4). There was a certain time ahead for Him, and in that hour, not a chronological hour, but an opportune time when He would greatly glorify the Father by paying the sin debt of all who trust Him. Only when the time was near would Jesus say, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified” (John 12:23). When Jesus was arrested in the Garden of Gethsemane, He told His captors, “Every day I was with you in the temple courts, and you did not lay a hand on me. But this is your hour—when darkness reigns” (Luke 22:53). 

 

Only when God's hour intersected with Satan's plans was he given room to move against Jesus. Darkness could close in, but all that happened was under God's sovereignty. For instance, think of the trouble that was also allowed to come to Job. Satan could only do to Job what God allowed him to do. We see an example of the sovereignty of God in that story. (See Job 1:12; 2:6). Even when evil is present, God is still in control, working all things together for His purposes. God's people are to overcome darkness and not be intimidated. In these dark hours just before Jesus was arrested, we see how the Father was allowing His plan to unfold.

 

Taken from the series on the Gospel of Luke. Click on study 58. (Luke 22:1-6). The Betrayal of Jesus. Keith Thomas