From the day the Lord declared to the serpent in Eden, "I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed" (Genesis 3:15), Satan has known that he can never hold absolute sway over the inhabitants of this world. When Adam and his sons began to offer the ceremonial sacrifices ordained by God as a type of the coming Redeemer, Satan discerned in these a symbol of communion between earth and heaven. During the long centuries that have followed, it has been his constant effort to intercept this communion. Untiringly has he sought to misrepresent God and to misinterpret the rites pointing to the Saviour, and with a great majority of the members of the human family he has been successful.

Moses mindede til stadighed Israel om, at det var Guds hensigt at sende sin Søn for at forløse den faldne menneskeslægt. Moses sagde kort før sin død: "Herren din Gud vil lade en profet som mig fremstå af din midte, af dine brødre; ham skal I høre på." Af hensyn til Israel blev Moses sat grundigt ind i den gerning, som den kommende Messias skulle udføre. Herren havde sagt til sin tjener: "Jeg vil lade en profet som dig fremstå for dem af deres brødre og lægge mine ord i hans mund, og han skal sige dem alt, hvad jeg byder ham!" 5Mos. 18,15. 18.