George when you think of how crafty Satan is at deceiving and tempting people to sin, he has to know at least as much as man understands about God's plan, after all the church is where he has his seat of power. I'm not saying he has greater knowledge than what is spoken by man, but he certainly knew what Jesus is about and his purpose on earth was. Satan did make a number of attempts to interfere with God's plan for Christ, firstly to kill him as a baby.
Mat 2:13 Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, "Arise, take the young Child and His mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I bring you word; for Herod will seek the young Child to destroy Him."
Any number of times the pharisees tried to lay hands on Jesus wanting to kill Him, but circumstances prevented it. In the temptation why would Satan want to give Jesus the nations then? Maybe he thought he would rule with Christ or something. Maybe Satan thought as the Jews did that Christ came to rule at that time. I think Satan must have thought he had finally accomplished his goal at stopping Jesus when He was crucified... because he didn't seem to know the exacting degree of what that would actually accomplish. Imagine his surprise when he had actually played right into God's plan.
There are a number of Scripture where demons speak to Jesus and seem to know about His purpose and what demons know certainly Satan knows.
Mark 1:23 Now there was a man in their synagogue with an unclean spirit. And he cried out,
v. 24 saying, "Let us alone! What have we to do with You, Jesus of Nazareth? Did You come to destroy us? I know who You are—the Holy One of God!"
Luke 8:28 When he saw Jesus, he cried out, fell down before Him, and with a loud voice said, "What have I to do with You, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg You, do not torment me!"
Matt 8:28 When He had come to the other side, to the country of the Gergesenes, there met Him two demon-possessed men, coming out of the tombs, exceedingly fierce, so that no one could pass that way.
v. 29 And suddenly they cried out, saying, "What have we to do with You, Jesus, You Son of God? Have You come here to torment us before the time?"
Another point is that Jesus said that He had overcome the world even 'before' He was crucified and resurrected, so maybe when Jesus rejected Satan in the temptations that's what He meant He had overcome the world or it's ruler.
John 16:33 These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world."
mercy, peace and love
Kat