p. 100 | The Birds of Prey by Roderick S. Owen

Pacific Press Publishing Association · Mountain View, California · Feb 16, 1915

The Birds of Prey

By Roderick S. Owen

What Do They Represent?—The Fallen Foe and Our Conflict with Him—The Foes Within

By RODERICK S. OWEN

“AND when the fowls came down upon the carcasses, Abram drove them away.” Gen. 15: 11. After Abraham had prepared his sacrifice, he waited for the manifestation of the presence of God to pass between the separated pieces, thus confirming the covenant with him, and giving him the sign for which he had asked, and for which he had made preparation. All that long day, Abraham was kept busy driving away the birds of prey, which seemed determined to destroy his sacrifice and thus defeat the consummation of the covenant with God.

Birds of Prey and the Evil Agencies

These birds of prey, then, must represent all the agencies that are operating to prevent the establishment of the covenant of liberty among the children of men, and with which we must contend in seeking freedom in Christ Jesus. At the head of the long line of opposers, we must place Satan, who has led us captive at his will, and who is constantly exerting all the powers of his being to prevent the union between the human and the divine. Under the symbol of “the great red dragon,” Satan is represented as seeking to destroy the Christ as soon as He was born. This he did through Herod, who slew all the children in Bethlehem and in the coasts thereof from two years old and under, in his effort to kill the infant Jesus.

And all through the earthly life of Christ, Satan sought to destroy Him as our sacrifice, by leading Him to sin or to become discouraged, so that He would abandon mankind, and leave them to their fate, without a sacrifice. But thanks be to God, the work of Christ was finished—the union between God and man was completed in the person of Christ. The sacrifice was prepared and accepted, and the Man Child who is to rule all nations with a rod of iron was caught up to God and to His throne.

Has Persecuted the Church

Since that time, Satan has persecuted the woman, the church, even going about as a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour; and now in the last days, he has come down having great wrath, because he knows that he has but a short time. But James says: “Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw nigh to God, and He will draw nigh to you.” So we see that this great opposer may be driven away by us. Associated with him are all the hosts of fallen angels, who are lying spirits, and who go forth working miracles to deceive. Hence “we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; and your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.” Eph. 6: 12-17.

In the word of God, one fact is revealed which ought to be very encouraging to us in our efforts to resist this mighty army of opposers, and which will help us to put them to flight; and that is, when this great host was led to become the enemies of God, a host double their number remained loyal and true. And these are all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister to those who are heirs of salvation. Thus they that are for us are more than they that are against us. Our feeble efforts are seconded and made effective by the chariots of God—even thousands of angels. Ps. 68: 17.

The Foes Within

But besides the invisible host of evil, there is an army of wicked men and seducers waxing “worse and worse” as we near the end of time. Their wiles and deceptions, their enticements to sin, we must resist if we hope to find true liberty in Christ.

“But of all the foes that lead to sin, The worst are those that lurk within.”

Those weaknesses and inordinate desires in our flesh, the lusts of the carnal heart,—these are most successful in defeating the consummation of the covenant of liberty. These are the reins of the heart by which Satan leads captives into sin. These, because man is a bond servant of sin, are the chains of slavery which it is impossible for man in his own strength to break. But the soul who will acknowledge that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh,—sinful flesh, just such flesh as we have,—and that He has condemned sin in that flesh by taking all these weaknesses, and overcoming them; who will grasp by faith the thought that what God did in Christ Jesus in sinful flesh, may, by the power of God, be repeated in his own flesh,—such will find deliverance if he freely admits this power into his experience. But first he must recognize his own weakness, for God’s power is only made perfect in weakness. Such a one will glory in his infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon him; and thus when he is weak, he will be strong, and will be able to resist all who oppose the covenant of liberty in Christ Jesus.