192. Not hurt nor Destroy
Isaiah 65:25 The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, and the lion shall eat straw like the bullock: and dust shall be the serpent’s meat. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain, saith the Lord.
The wolf, the lion and the serpent are deservedly scary creatures for many human beings on earth. We naturally fear their threatening dangers because they are capable of hurting and destroying defenseless sheep and weak people. All three animals are used in Scripture as metaphors for the Devil, and Satan, the great dragon. The physical image is used to picture spiritual truth. We should rightly be afraid of the destroying power of the devil, like a wolf that snatches and scatters, like a lion that prowls around and devours, and like a serpent that tempts and deceives. The devil’s purpose is to steal, kill, and destroy.
But here we have a prophecy that the wolf and the lion and the serpent shall be overcome and tamed, meaning that the devil is overcome and tamed. The death and resurrection of Jesus Christ overcame and rendered him harmless. Therefore, we may properly fear some wild and fierce animals, but, with Jesus, we will not fear the threats and scares of Satan. He cannot hurt nor destroy.
Jesus overcame the devil first in the wilderness Temptation, and then Mark says, “He was with the wild beasts.” Then He crushed the serpent’s head at the Cross. Then He violently overthrew Satan and all His powers in the Resurrection. Finally, He will at the End of Time Judgment Day hurl the devil into the eternal lake of fire. Meantime, while we wait for that final overthrow we have the sure word and promise of God.
“My holy mountain” refers to the Paradise of God, the dwelling place of God and all believers in heaven, the kingdom of God. Presently the “holy mountain” is the Church on earth. And the holy mountain is the presence of God on the earth and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in our hearts. In that place, in the Church and in the heart, Satan will not hurt nor destroy. If and when you sense the attacks of Satan, then take hold of this promise and pray, “Deliver us from evil.” One little word can fell him, and he can harm us none; he’s judged, the deed is done.