And Death by Dying Slew

The assassination of Benazir Bhutto, popular candidate for the leadership in Pakistan, brings to light once again the futility of martyrdom. Her death ends the hopes of many people for a better country, though it is doubtful she could have improved their lot. Pakistan is in the grip of Satan's power as corruption and violence and poverty and chaos run rampant.

We like to kid ourselves into thinking that a life lost to the assassin is not necessarily a life wasted, but in reality nothing is ever made better in this world by the martyrdom of a hero.

That is why the result of Christ's death is so remarkable - for though many think He died a martyr, in fact our Lord Jesus laid down His life to destroy the Devil and redeem His loved ones.

The writer of Hebrews says that by death, Christ destroyed the Devil who has the power of death.

Understanding why the Devil is said to have the "power of death" is the key to understanding how Christ's death destroyed that power.

The Devil delights in destroying God's creation, especially mankind. He exploits God's divine justice against sin to murder the human race. He does so by tempting and provoking man to sin, and then accusing man before God. The devil exploits Divine Justice to draw men unto death and Hell.

But the same calculus of divine justice that the Devil rejoices in was used by the Redeemer to free His people from the power of death at Calvary. The Lord Jesus took upon Himself our guiltiness and shame and suffered death as our substitute.

Now Satan's power over us is broken. The method he used to draw men to death is destroyed because divine justice has already been satisfied in Jesus.