Head and Heel:The Battle Between Good and Evil

Genesis 3:15“And I will put enmity between you and the woman,

And between your seed and her seed; He shall bruise you on the head,

And you shall bruise him on the heel.”This passage gives the origin of the conflict.There were many manifestations of it throughout the Old Testament. We’ll highlight but one of them.We will also notice a couple of them in the New Testament, as well as their ultimate climax.

Head and Heel:An Old Testament Manifestation of the Conflict

• 1Samuel 16:14-16; 18:10-12; 19:9>Though this evil spirit is said to be “from the Lord” we

should understand that from the Hebrew perspective, every visitation of a spirit was from God, whether good or evil, cf. Amos 3:6; Isa.45:5-7.

>The point is that when the spirit of God departed, the evil spirit of Satan entered he who was formerly God’s anointed. For what purpose? What did the evil spirit get Saul to do?

>From this point forward, Saul tried repeatedly to kill David- not only his successor, but the one through whom the Messiah would come, 2Sam.7:12-13 > Acts 13:21-24!

Head and Heel:New Testament Manifestations of the Conflict

• Note first Luke 4:>vv.1-2a God allowed, even through the Spirit caused,

Jesus to be in a position to be tempted by Satan.

>vv.2b-12 Satan tried his best to get Jesus to yield to any of three different temptations to obey him. If Jesus had succumbed just once, Satan would have won the battle and prevailed overall for Jesus’ power to redeem man would have been lost. Evil would have triumphed over good!

>v.13 Notice carefully the words of this verse, “he (Satan) departed from Him (Jesus) until an opportune time.” Satan had lost the skirmish, but had not given up on the war! He only retreated until he could muster his next attack!

Head and Heel:New Testament Manifestations of the Conflict

• Another salvo of Satan may be in Mark 8:>vv.31-32a Although Jesus had previously hinted at His

coming death, this time, as the record specifies, “He was stating the matter plainly.”

>v.32b Peter took the Lord aside (from the other disciples) and rebuked Him, cf.Matt.16:22, “God forbid it, Lord! This shall never happen to You.”

Question: Was Satan attempting to use Peter’s impetuosity and zealous fever to prevent Jesus from fulfilling His mission?

Maybe, or perhaps not, but note carefully Jesus’ response.

>v.33, “Get behind Me, Satan; for you are not setting your mind on God’s interests, but man’s.” Whether or not this was a direct act of aggression by Satan, it definitely would have served his interests!

Head and Heel:New Testament Manifestations of the Conflict

• Evidence of a turning tide in the battle, Luke 10:>v.1 The Lord sent out seventy “two and two ahead of

Him to every city and place where He Himself was going to come.”

>vv.2-11a They were given specific instructions on what to say and do.

>v.11b, They were also to know and communicate that sides had to be chosen in the battle of Good and Evil!

>v.17 The seventy returned exuberant that “even the demons are subject to us in Your name.” They had allied themselves with Good and were thus winning.

>vv.18-19 Jesus confirmed the progress made toward ultimate victory in the battle!

Head and Heel:New Testament Manifestations of the Conflict

• Satan’s final, desperate attempt, Luke 22:>v.1 The end was near.

>v.2 Satan had won over the chief priests, scribes, and virtually all of the Jewish hierarchy.

>He had also made preparations with and through Judas, John 13:2.

>v.3 Now, at this “opportune time” (remember Luke 4:13) he sprang his final trap! cf. John 13:27

>vv.31-32 Satan seems to have even had something of a contingency plan involving Peter.

>vv.39-46 Jesus alone recognized the dangers of Satan’s efforts and attempts.

Head and Heel:New Testament Manifestations of the Conflict

• Satan’s final, desperate attempt, Luke 22: (cont.)>vv.47-53 Everything seemed to be going Satan’s way.

>vv.54-62 Even Peter was doing his bidding.

>vv.63 – 23:46 Virtually everyone- the Jewish leaders, Jesus’ own disciples, Pilate, the Jewish people, and the Roman soldiers, seemed to be on Satan’s side; and seemed to be helping him attain the victory.

>Luke 24:1-9 But victory was snatched from apparent defeat. Satan had indeed “bruised Him on the heel” by effecting Jesus’ death, but Jesus had “bruised him on the head” by victoriously resurrecting on the third day thereby achieving redemption for all who would obey Him! Good had triumphed over Evil!

Head and Heel:What does it all mean for you and me?

Jesus’ victory means salvation for those willing to obey Him, John 16:11; John 1:12; Rev.12:7-17!