A Game of Chess

Rev. Burke begins the second Lesson by comparing the fight against Satan to the game of chess. When you are a chess master about to go up against an opponent, you study their moves. The same applies to an important football or basketball match. It certainly applies to war itself. With regard to the Devil, Timothy Warner has said that one of the first laws of warfare is to understand your enemy.

In the movie, Napolean, the famous general remarks before the Battle of Austerlitz (1805) that his opponent has been studying his battle strategies. As a result, Napoleon completely changed his normal tactics. The result was an annihilation of the enemy army.

Paul understood his enemy. In 2 Corinthians 2:11, he says, “We are not unaware of his schemes.” The good news is that there is no comparison between our God and the adversary. 1 John 4:4 gives us a bit of an understatement when it says, “the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.” Indeed, there is no contest.

Rev. Burke laid out a quick comparison between our all-powerful, all-knowing, all-present, all-good God and the enemy:

While, from a human perspective, Satan might seem quite powerful, it is clear that he is nothing compared to God. While from our perspective, he may seem to know a great deal, his knowledge is infinitesimal next to God. And while he may be able to move adeptly around the earth, his presence is limited in one place, while our God is infinitely present.

In Job 1-2, Satan can do nothing without God’s permission. He roams the earth, testing the commitment of people to God, but he is not allowed to touch anyone without God’s permission. God remains the one who is in control. Even in his opposition to God and everything good, he has no power except what God allows him to have.

There is no move the Devil can make that our Father did not know before the foundation of the world. There is no power play that Satan might try that the Son of God cannot squash. There is no place that the adversary might try to go where the Holy Spirit is not already there waiting. What therefore should we fear? If God is for us, who can be against us (Rom. 8:31)?