{"id":48933,"date":"2024-12-12T20:28:00","date_gmt":"2024-12-12T17:28:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wingulamashahidi.org\/?p=48933"},"modified":"2025-06-02T20:40:18","modified_gmt":"2025-06-02T17:40:18","slug":"was-satan-bound-when-jesus-was-born","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wingulamashahidi.org\/en\/2024\/12\/12\/was-satan-bound-when-jesus-was-born\/","title":{"rendered":"Was Satan Bound When Jesus Was Born?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Question:<\/strong> According to Matthew 12:29, was Satan bound at the time of Jesus\u2019 birth?<\/p>\n

Answer:<\/strong> Let\u2019s examine this carefully.<\/p>\n

Matthew 12:29 (ESV)<\/strong>
\n\u201cOr how can someone enter a strong man’s house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man? Then indeed he may plunder his house.\u201d<\/p>\n

This verse comes from Jesus\u2019 teaching during a confrontation with the Pharisees, who accused Him of casting out demons by the power of Beelzebul (Satan\u2019s power). Jesus uses a vivid analogy: before someone can \u201cplunder\u201d or take over a strong man\u2019s house, they must first \u201cbind\u201d the strong man.<\/p>\n

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Was Satan Bound at Jesus\u2019 Birth?<\/h3>\n

The short answer is No<\/strong>. Satan was not bound at the time of Jesus\u2019 birth, and in fact, Scripture shows that Satan is still active today. If Satan had been bound at Jesus\u2019 birth, Herod would not have felt threatened or sought to kill the infant Jesus:<\/p>\n

Matthew 2:13 (NIV)<\/strong>
\n\u201cWhen they had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. \u2018Get up,\u2019 he said, \u2018take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.\u2019\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

This shows Satan\u2019s influence remained intact; Herod\u2019s murderous intent was likely inspired by demonic forces opposed to God\u2019s redemptive plan.<\/p>\n

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Satan\u2019s Activity During Jesus\u2019 Ministry<\/h3>\n

Later, Jesus was tempted by Satan in the wilderness, an event that could not happen if Satan were bound:<\/p>\n

Matthew 4:1-3 (NIV)<\/strong>
\n\u201cThen Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. After fasting forty days and nights, he was hungry. The tempter came to him and said, \u2018If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.\u2019\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

This highlights that Satan was free to tempt and oppose Jesus personally.<\/p>\n

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The Present Spiritual Reality<\/h3>\n

Satan\u2019s freedom explains why sin and evil persist today, and why Scripture warns believers not to give the devil a foothold:<\/p>\n

Ephesians 4:27-28 (NIV)<\/strong>
\n\u201cDo not give the devil a foothold. Anyone who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with their own hands, that they may have something to share with those in need.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The \u201cfoothold\u201d (Greek: topos<\/em>) metaphorically means a position of influence or opportunity.<\/p>\n

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The Future Binding of Satan<\/h3>\n

The Bible prophesies that Satan will be bound during Christ\u2019s millennial reign a literal thousand year period of peace on earth after the tribulation:<\/p>\n

Revelation 20:1-3 (KJV)<\/strong>
\n\u201cAnd I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, and cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

This binding prevents Satan from deceiving the nations during the millennial kingdom, fulfilling God\u2019s justice and peace on earth.<\/p>\n

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What Does Matthew 12:29 Mean Then?<\/h3>\n

When Jesus spoke of \u201cbinding the strong man,\u201d He was referring to His authority over the spiritual kingdom of darkness during His ministry. He wasn\u2019t saying Satan was entirely powerless or absent but that Jesus had come to overpower Satan\u2019s works and deliver people from his bondage<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

The context of Matthew 12 shows Jesus casting out demons, which the Pharisees wrongly attributed to demonic power. Jesus corrects them, showing that only God\u2019s power could overcome Satan\u2019s kingdom:<\/p>\n