The Devil- Finis Jennings Dake study
Though originally an angel of God, the devil appears as a fallen being in Genesis, where he usurped Adam’s rulership of earth by tempting him to sin. He then opposes God and man as the god of this world throughout the rest of the Bible, not suffering final defeat until nearly the end of the book of Revelation. His significance as a character in _script_ure is thus great enough to require an entire chapter of this book for discussion.
Lucifer Before He Became SatanLucifer was created by Christ along with other principalities and powers in heaven and earth (Col. 1:15-18; Job 38:4-7; Ezek. 28:11-17). In Ezekiel 28:14-16 we read:
Thou art the anointed cherub that covereth; and I have set thee so: thou wast upon the holy mountain of God; thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire. Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee. By the multitude of thy merchandise they have filled the midst of thee with violence, and thou hast sinned: therefore I will cast thee as profane out of the mountain of God: and I will destroy thee, O covering cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire.
Thus he was not always the devil or an adversary of God. He was created perfect and sinless and became the enemy of God and man through the sin of trying to exalt himself above God.
In Ezekiel 28:14-16 we read that Lucifer was at one time in the mountain of God. This was not when an earthly king of Tyre ruled, so the reference is to the eternal past when the cherub himself had a literal throne on earth on the mountain of God. Here we have an insight into the position of Lucifer before his fall, and a revelation regarding the cause of his fall (vv. 13-17).
Ezekiel 28:13 tells us that Lucifer was also in a pre-Adamite garden of Eden:
Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God; every precious stone was thy covering, the sardius, topaz, and the diamond, the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the emerald, and the carbuncle, and gold: the workmanship of thy tabrets and of thy pipes was prepared in thee in the day that thou wast created.
No earthly king of Tyre was ever in Eden, as was this angel, nor does this Eden refer to Adam’s Eden, although Lucifer was in it also (Gen. 3; 2 Cor. 11:3). The Eden here was a garden in the earth when he ruled in perfection and sinlessness before he fell.
Lucifer Was the First Ruler of EarthLucifer was one of the archangels who ruled over beings in the original creations of Genesis 1:1. According to Isaiah 14:12-14; Jeremiah 4:23-26; Ezekiel 28:11-17; Luke 10:18; 2 Peter 3:4-8 and other passages, Lucifer had a kingdom on earth long before the six days of Genesis 1:3 - 2:25 and the creation of Adam. These passages reveal that he fell, led an invasion into heaven and was defeated.
At that time the earth was cursed and all life destroyed by the first flood (Gen. 1:2). Satan regained rulership over the earth in Adam’s day, usurping man’s dominion by causing his fall. His relationship to man has always been that of a usurper; as long as man tolerates his dictatorship, he will remain subject to Satan. Each man can now, by the power of the gospel, defeat Satan and rid himself of every demonic relationship. This is what God demands, and He has provided means whereby it can be attained (Mk. 16:17-18; Lk. 10:19; 24:49; Acts 1:8; Eph. 6:10-18; Jas. 4:7; 1 Pet. 5:8-9). Satan’s present position as ruler of this world’s system will be ended forever when Christ comes (Rev. 19-20), and man will again inherit the earth and live in it forever.
He Was Cast Out of Heaven
Isaiah 14:12 says, "How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning!" Jesus told the disciples in Luke 10:18, "I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven." If he fell from heaven, he must have been cast out (the Hebrew for "fallen" in Isa. 14:12 also has the sense of "cast out"). He was thrown out bodily by superior forces.
He Was Cut Down to the Ground
The second phrase in Isaiah 14:12 says, "how art thou cut down to the ground." This was the reason he did not remain in heaven. The Hebrew for "cut down" means to fell a tree; destroy anything; cut down; cut off; cut asunder. He was forcibly intercepted in his invasion of heaven, and was defeated and cast down as a tree being felled by a woodsman (Isa. 9:10; 15:2; 22:25; 45:2). He was cut down to the ground and so found himself back on the earth he ascended from.
He Had Weakened the Nations
The last part of Isaiah 14:12 describes Lucifer as the one "which didst weaken the nations." Before his rebellious invasion of heaven Lucifer had weakened the earthly nations over which he had ruled since the first creation of the earth and its inhabitants. This was before Adam’s time. The following are six proofs that Lucifer ruled men:
They are called nations in Isaiah 14:12. The Hebrew word goy is translated Gentiles, nations, people, and heathen hundreds of times, but never angels. It follows then that the nations Lucifer ruled over must have been made up of men.
God told Adam to replenish the earth (Gen. 1:28). He told Noah to do the same thing 1,656 years later (Gen. 9:1). It is as reasonable to believe the earth was plenished before Adam’s time as it is to accept that it was plenished before Noah’s. Furthermore, the command to replenish indicates the kind of inhabitants the earth had in the first place, for Adam and his race could only reproduce their own kind (Gen. 1:11; 6:20).
Jeremiah’s de_script_ion of the chaotic earth confirms the fact that men, not angels, inhabited the earth before Adam:
I beheld the earth, and, lo, it was without form, and void; and the heavens, and they had no light. I beheld the mountains, and, lo, they trembled, and all the hills moved lightly. I beheld, and, lo, there was no man, and all the birds of the heavens were fled. I beheld, and, lo, the fruitful place was a wilderness, and all the cities thereof were broken down at the presence of the LORD, and by his fierce anger. (Jer. 4:23-26)
Before the time of Adam, men lived in cities and fruitful places on earth, so they must have eaten food and been mortal as we are today. (For proof that this text refers to the pre-Adamite world, see the many notes on that subject in the Dake Annotated Reference Bible and God’s Plan for Man, both by this author.)
Ezekiel also confirms the fact that the inhabitants of the pre-Adamite world were people who were ruled by kings. As his fall is described by Ezekiel, Lucifer is told, "I will cast thee to the ground, I will lay thee before kings, that they may behold thee . . . . All they that know thee among the people shall be astonished at thee" (Ezek. 28:17b, 19a).
Peter indicates that the pre-Adamites were mortals, for they drowned. In 2 Peter 3:5 we read "that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water," proving that the earth was not created all wet as described in Genesis 1:2 when "the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters." Rather, it was created dry and was then flooded and later restored to dry ground as recorded in Genesis 1:9-10. Verse 6 of 2 Peter 3 describes this flood, saying that "the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished." The Greek word for world here is kosmos which means social order. Thus "the world that then was" refers to the social order before Adam’s day. It is contrasted with the heavens and earth "which are now" (v. 7)—since the six days’ work of Genesis 1:3 - 2:25.
No _script_ure states that angels or spirit beings of any kind lived on the earth. Satan’s angels are spoken of as stars of heaven, indicating that they were originally created to be God’s subjects in heaven, not Lucifer’s on earth (Rev. 12:1-12).
The only statement in _script_ure that causes some to stumble over the idea of pre-Adamites being men is 1 Corinthians 15:45 which speaks of the first man Adam. This verse can be understood by realizing that Adam was created the first of this present race of men. It should never be taken to mean that he was the first man who ever lived on the earth, for nations of men—mortal beings capable of being drowned in a flood—operated in a social system before Adam and the flood of Lucifer’s time.
I Will Ascend into Heaven
Isaiah 14:13 reveals some things Lucifer said in his heart, the first being "I will ascend into heaven." This was part of Lucifer’s plan to overthrow God. According to Colossians 1:16, thrones, dominions, principalities, and powers—visible and invisible—were created in heaven and in earth. This shows the establishment of kingdoms in many places in the heavens—on other planets besides the earth. Lucifer was given dominion of the earth and worked deceitfully to get other angelic rulers to follow him in his war against God. Not only did Lucifer’s earthly subjects rebel, but a third of God’s angels did too, for that many will be cast down with Satan in the future tribulation (Rev. 12:7-12). The place of mobilization was the earth. How long they rebelled before the actual break with God is not known.
I Will Exalt My Throne Above the Stars of God
Isaiah 14:13 not only reveals Lucifer’s plan to invade heaven, dethrone God, and become the supreme ruler of all creation, but it shows that he already was a ruler. If he had a throne, he must have been a king.
I Will Sit Upon the Mount of the Congregation
The final statement in verse 13 proves Lucifer was not content with his own throne, but wanted to sit on God’s throne to be worshipped as the sovereign of all creation. His intent to sit on "the mount of the congregation" reveals that there is a congregation of saints or holy beings who gather to worship God. The phrase "in the sides of the north" gives the location or direction of heaven—north of the earth. Psalm 75:6-7 speaks of promotion coming, not from the east, west, or south, but from the Lord; so according to this also, the Lord and heaven are in the north.
I Will Ascend Above the Heights of the Clouds
This statement in Isaiah 14:14 reveals the location of Lucifer’s kingdom before Adam’s time. It had to be under the planet heaven, or Lucifer could not have determined in his heart to ascend into heaven (v. 13). It had to be under the stars of God or he could not have determined to exalt his throne above them (v. 13). It had to be under the clouds that surround the earth or he could not have determined to ascend above them (v. 14). Though a kingdom could be located many places under heaven and under the stars, it could not be under the clouds of earth without being on earth. This should convince us that Lucifer had an earthly kingdom with earthly subjects. Furthermore, since angels are not constituted like beings created to live on earth, we must conclude they were not the subjects of Lucifer’s earthly kingdom. The fact that Satan’s angels are now confined to the heavenlies surrounding the earth is proof they are no longer fit to reside in heaven; and the fact that they will be confined eternally in a hell beneath the earth (Mt. 25:41) proves that they sinned in connection with Lucifer’s program of invading heaven from the earth.
I Will Be Like the Most High
This part of Isaiah 14:14 was the central idea for all the rebellious activities of Lucifer. It is a noble trait to desire to be like God or imitate Him in His consecration to the highest good of all; but to transgress the laws of God and the central aim of such consecration, to become selfish and devoted to self-gratification at the expense of the highest good, is the greatest of all crimes. Lucifer wanted to be like God at the expense of all who opposed him; this was extreme sinfulness against God and nature. It was by this appeal to be like God that Eve was deceived (Gen. 3:5). Christ came to imitate God among men, and to set an example of true God-likeness: being like God in consecration to the good of all—not for self-gratification. Thus He repeatedly declared the true nature of consecration and godliness.
You Shall Be Brought Down to Hell
Isaiah 14:15 thus declares the final doom for Satan and all who follow him (Mt. 25:21; Rev. 20:10).
The Fall Of Lucifer
We have several _script_ures describing this. He fell through pride over his own beauty (Ezek. 28:11-17; 1 Tim. 3:6), and trying to exalt himself above God (Isa. 14:12-14).
The Time of Lucifer’s Fall
Lucifer fell when he rebelled against God to exalt his throne and kingdom from earth to heaven, as seen in the above discussion of Isaiah 14:12-14. The time of his corruption and sin was surely before the days of Adam, for Lucifer was already a fallen creature at the time he came to Adam’s Eden (Gen. 2; 2 Cor. 11:4).
Lucifer Cast Out of Heaven
He was cast from heaven back to the ground at the time of his invasion (Ezek. 28:17; Isa. 14:12-14; Lk. 10:18), and he will be cast down to the ground again in the middle of Daniel’s seventieth week (Rev. 12:7-12). Then he will be put into the bottomless pit for one thousand years, to be loosed a short season again at the end of that time. After that he will be cast into the lake of fire to be tormented forever (Rev. 20:1-10).
Lucifer Humbled
According to Ezekiel 28:17 he has already been humbled before kings, for he was cast down to the ground before the nations over whom he ruled prior to Adam’s time (Isa. 14:12-14). He will again be brought down in defeat and humiliation before the kings he will lead with Antichrist in the battle of Armageddon (Rev. 12:7-12; 16:13-16; 19:11-21; 20:1-3). Finally, at the end of the Millennium he will be brought down to hell before all kings and others who will spend eternity with him in the lake of fire (Mt. 25:41; Rev. 20:10).
THE TRUTH ABOUT SATANSatan is not an evil principle, an error of the mortal mind, a germ, an abstract power, or a being with hoofs, horns, tail, and a pitchfork, presiding over the lake of fire and the realm of the dead. He is a real person. Jesus dealt with him as such (Mt. 4:1-11; 1 Jn. 3:8; Acts 10:38; Lk. 13:16). Likewise, the apostles waged war with him, telling saints to resist him and take a stand against his wiles (Eph. 4:27; 6:10-18; 1 Th. 2:18; Jas. 4:7; 1 Pet. 5:8-9). Satan is the present usurper of man’s dominion—the "prince" and "god" of this world’s system (Jn. 8:44; 12:31; 14:30; 2 Cor. 4:4; Eph. 2:1-3; 1 Jn. 5:19). The Greek word archon, meaning ruler, is thus applied to Satan (Jn. 12:31; 14:30; 16:11), ruler of demons (Mt. 12:24; Mk. 3:22), and ruler of the air (Eph. 2:2).
What Satan Is CalledThe following list contains only a few of his 175 names and _title_s:
Lucifer (Isa. 14:12-14)
The Devil (Rev. 12:9)
Satan (Rev. 12:9)
Beelzebub (Mt. 10:25; 12:24)
Belial (2 Cor. 6:15)
Adversary (1 Pet. 5:8-9)
The Dragon (Rev. 12:3-12; 13:1-4; 20:1-3)
The Serpent (2 Cor. 11:3; Rev. 12:9)
The God of this World (2 Cor. 4:4)
The Prince of this World (Jn. 12:31)
The Prince of the Power of the Air (Eph. 2:1-3)
The Prince of the devils (Mt. 12:24)
The Accuser of our Brethren (Rev. 12:10)
The Enemy (Mt. 13:39)
The Tempter (Mt. 4:3)
The Wicked One (Mt. 13:19, 38)
That Wicked One (1 Jn. 5:18)
An Angel of Light (2 Cor. 11:14)
The Anointed Cherub (Ezek. 28:11-17)
The Thief (Jn. 10:10)
The King over all the children of pride (Job 41:34)
General Facts About Satan
As seen in the list below, the book of Job contains many facts about Satan:
He has access to heaven (Job 1:1; 2:1; Rev. 12:7-12)
Associates with angels (Job 1:6; 2:1)
Appears before God (Job 1:6; 2:1)
Roams the earth (Job 1:7; 2:2; 1 Pet. 5:8)
Converses with God (Job 1:7-12; 2:2-6)
Singles men out for destruction (Job 1:8-12; 2:3-6)
Hates good men (Job 1:8-12; 2:3-6)
Recognizes and envies the blessing of God upon others (Job 1:10; 2:4-5)
Seeks to destroy fellowship between God and His children (Job 1:10-11; 2:4-5)
Tempts men to curse God and deny Him (Job 1:11; 2:5)
Is limited by God in touching His children (Job 1:12; 2:6)
Can destroy the riches of men (Job 1:12-19)
Destroys to the limit of his ability through the permission of God (Job 1:12-19; 2:6-10)
Has many earthly agents (Job 1:15, 17)
Can send fire from heaven (Job 1:16)
Can control the elements and cause storms when God permits (Job 1:18-19)
Is untiring in his efforts (Job 2:1-7)
Satan Is RealHe is a real angel with a body, soul, and spirit. He is described as a beautiful creature who fell through pride (Ezek. 28:11-17; 1 Tim. 3:6). He has been seen with a body (Job 1:6-12; 2:1-7; Ps. 109:6; Zech. 3:1-2; Mt. 4:1-11), and He will be bound bodily with a chain and cast into a prison (Rev. 20:1-3).
Many _script_ures indicate Satan is a person. Personal pronouns (Mt. 4:1-11; 12:26), statements (Zech. 3:1-2; Job 1:6-12; 2:1-7), conversations (Mt. 4:3-10; Jude 9), de_script_ions (Ezek. 28:11-17; Isa. 14:12-14), and names, acts, and attributes are all ascribed to him:
He has a heart (Isa. 14:12-14)
Pride (Ezek. 28:17; 1 Tim. 3:6)
Speech (Job 1:6-12; 2:1-7; Mt. 4:1-11)
Knowledge (Job 1:6-12; 2:1-7; Mt. 4:1-11; Rev. 12:12)
Power (Job 1:6-19; 2:1-7; Acts 10:38; 2 Th. 2:8-10; Acts 26:18; Rev. 13:1-4)
A kingdom (Mk. 3:22-26)
Desires (Lk. 22:31)
A dwelling (Rev. 2:13)
Lusts (Jn. 8:44; Eph. 2:1-3)
He is a great celestial and terrestrial ruler, ruling most of man’s business, social, political, and religious activities (Eph. 2:2; 6:10-18; 2 Cor. 4:4; Jn. 12:31). His heavenly realm is organized into principalities and powers (Eph. 6:10-12; Dan. 10:12 - 11:1; Mt. 12:24-30). His subjects are fallen angels, fallen men, and demons of various kinds (Mt. 25:41; Rev. 12:7-12; Jn. 8:44; 1 Jn. 3:8-10; Jas. 2:19). He is the head of man’s religion and a leader in religious affairs (Rev. 2:9; 3:9; 2 Cor. 11:14).
The Character of SatanHe has never been known to be merciful, good, loving, kind, gentle, pitiful, patient, or to have any of the graces of God since his fall. Rather, he is:
The enemy of all good (Mt. 13:28; Rev. 12:9-12)
The accuser of God and man (Rev. 12:9-12; Ezek. 28:11-17)
The father of lies (Jn. 8:44)
A murderer (Jn. 8:44)
A sower of discord (Mt. 13:39)
An adversary (1 Pet. 5:8-9)
The first sinner
The first rebel
The first to consecrate himself to self-gratification
The first to wage war against all society (Isa. 14:12-14; Ezek. 28:11-17; Rev. 12:9; 20:7-10).
Cunning (2 Cor. 2:11; 11:14; Eph. 6:11-12)
Wicked (Jn. 8:44; 1 Jn. 3:8; 5:18; Mt. 13:19, 38)
Malignant (Lk. 8:12; 1 Pet. 5:8-9; 2 Cor. 4:4)
Cowardly (Jas. 4:7)
The tempter (Mt. 4:1-11)
A thief (Jn. 10:10)
Without principle
Presumptuous (Job 1:6-12; 2:1-7)
Proud (Ezek. 28:17; 1 Tim. 3:6)
Deceitful (2 Cor. 11:14; Rev. 12:9; 20:10)
Fierce and cruel (Lk. 8:29; 9:39; 1 Pet. 5:8-9)
Aggressive (Eph. 4:27; 6:10-18; 1 Pet. 5:8-9).
Satan Is Compared To:A fowler (Ps. 91:3)
Fowls (Mt. 13:4, 19)
A wolf (Jn. 10:12)
A destroyer (Jn. 10:10)
A roaring lion (1 Pet. 5:8-9)
A serpent (Rev. 12:9; 20:2)
A dragon (Rev. 12:3-12)
A crocodile (Leviathan, Job 41; Isa. 27:1)
An angel of light (2 Cor. 11:14)
Scorpions (Lk. 10:19)
An adder (Ps. 91:13)
A thief (Jn. 10:10)
Satan Is Good At:
Taking advantage of men in their weak moments (2 Cor. 2:11; 11:3; Mt. 4:1-11; Lk. 22:40)
Tempting men after great successes (Jn. 6:15)
Suggesting the use of right things in a wrong way and at a wrong time (Mt. 4:1-11)
Slandering God to man and man to God (Gen. 3:1-10; Job 1:6-12; 2:1-7)
Appearing as an angel of light to deceive (2 Cor. 11:14)
Deluding his followers as to their end (2 Th. 2:8-12; Rev. 12:9; 20:7-10).
The Work Of SatanIn general, Satan’s work is to oppose God whenever possible. For this reason his work varies in some respects with the purposes of God in different ages and dispensations. In Old Testament times Satan’s great work was to cause the fall of man, usurp his dominion, and try to prevent the coming of the Messiah into the world in order to avert his own defeat. In the New Testament he tries to nullify the work of Christ in the lives of men. In general Satan now works to:
Deceive all men (Rev. 12:9; 20:1-10; 2 Cor. 11:14).
Exercise the power of death (Heb. 2:14; Rev. 1:18)
Dominate all rebels (1 Jn. 3:8-10; 1 Tim. 5:15; Eph. 6:10-18; Mt. 9:34).
Cause sickness and disease and physical and mental maladies (Lk. 13:16; Acts 10:38; Jn. 10:10).
Take advantage of all adversities of men to further their rebellion and hold them captive (2 Cor. 2:11; 1 Tim. 1:20; 5:11-15).
Tempt men (Mk. 1:13; 1 Cor. 7:5).
Provoke men to sin (1 Chr. 21:1).
Cause offenses (Mt. 16:23).
Appear as an angel of light (2 Cor. 11:14).
Resist men and other beings (Zech. 3:1-2).
Join with others against God (Lk. 22:3; Jn. 13:2).
Send messengers to defeat saints (2 Cor. 12:7).
Hinder the gospel (1 Th. 2:18; Acts 13:10; 2 Cor. 4:4).
Steal the Word of God from people lest they should believe it (Mt. 13:19; Lk. 8:12).
Perform powerful signs and lying wonders (2 Th. 2:9).
Contend with messengers of God and sometimes hold them captive (Dan. 10:12-21; Jude 9).
Hinder answers to prayer (Dan. 10:12-21).
Snare men in sin (1 Tim. 3:7; 2 Tim. 2:26).
Cause spiritual blindness to the gospel (2 Cor. 4:4).
Cause double mindedness (Jas. 1:5-9)
Cause doubt and unbelief (Rom. 14:23; Gen. 3:4-5)
Cause darkness and oppression (2 Cor. 4:4; 2 Pet. 1:4-9)
Cause deadness and weakness (Heb. 6:1; 9:14)
Cause delay and compromise (Acts 24:25; 26:28)
Cause divisions and strife (1 Pet. 5:8; 1 Cor. 3:1-3).
Cause sin and rebellion (Gen. 3; 2 Cor. 11:3)
Cause works of darkness, including sexual perversion (Eph. 5:11-12; 6:12; Acts 16:18; Rom. 1)
Cause works of wickedness (Col. 1:21)
Cause deceptions and false religions (2 Cor. 11:14; 1 Tim. 4; Rev. 12:9)
Kill and destroy (Jn. 10:10)
Sow tares among saints (Mt. 4:3; 13:25; Lk. 22:31)
Promote counterfeit worship (2 Th. 2:8-12; 1 Cor. 10:20)
Cause storms (Job 1:18-19; Eph. 2:2)
Rule nations (Mt. 4:8-9; Dan. 10)
Accuse the brethren (Rev. 12:10)
Oppose the gospel (Eph. 6:1-18)
Supervise demons (Jn. 12:31)
Supervise fallen angels (Rev. 12:7-12)
Supervise fallen men (Eph. 2:2; 1 Jn. 3:8; Jn. 8:44)
Cause infirmities (Mt. 8:17; Lk. 13:16; Jn. 10:10; Acts 10:38)
Cause lunacy and mania (Mt. 4:23-24; 17:14-21; Mk. 5:1-18)
Urge suicides (Mt. 17:15; Jn. 10:10)
Agitate lusts (Jn. 8:44; Eph. 2:1-3)
Cause lying and false prophecy (1 Ki. 22; Mt. 24:11, 24; 2 Cor. 11:13-15)
Propagate false doctrines (1 Tim. 4; 2 Tim. 4; 2 Th. 2; Rev. 13)
Oppress men (Acts 10:38)
Persecute Christians (1 Pet. 5:8-9)
Wage war on saints (Rev. 13:7; Eph. 6:10-18)
Christ died to destroy and cancel all these works of the devil for believers in this age, and to give complete mastery over them (Col. 2:14-17; 1 Pet. 2:24; Lk. 10:19; Jn. 14:12; Mk. 16:17-18). The only works listed above that will not be put down in this age are: sin and rebellion among men; Satan’s rule of the nations; the reign of death; and Satan’s opposition to saints. These will be done away in the Millennium (Eph. 1:10; 1 Cor. 15:24-28; Rev. 21:1-8; 22:3).
Proofs That Sickness Is Satan’s WorkThe Son of God was manifested that He might destroy the works of the devil (1 Jn. 3:8). The works of Satan come about by devils causing many physical infirmities and sicknesses, as seen below:
Satan smote Job with sore boils (Job 2:7)
A dumb man was possessed with a devil (Mt. 9:32-33)
A blind and dumb man was possessed with a devil (Mt. 12:22)
Jesus said, "If Satan cast out Satan, he is divided against himself . . . I cast out devils by the Spirit of God" (Mt. 12:26-28)
A woman’s daughter was "grievously vexed with a devil" (Mt. 15:22)
Jesus rebuked the devil (Mt. 17:18)
A man had a spirit of an unclean devil (Lk. 4:33)
The devil had thrown him in the midst (Lk. 4:35)
The devil threw a child down and tore him (Lk. 9:42)
Jesus cast a devil out of a dumb man (Lk. 11:14)
Satan bound a woman (Lk. 13:16)
Satan comes to steal, kill, and destroy (Jn. 10:10)
Jesus went about doing good and healing all that were oppressed of the devil, for God was with Him (Acts 10:38)
To deliver such a one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh (1 Cor. 5:5)
They cast out many devils, and anointed with oil many that were sick, and healed them (Mk. 6:7-13)
Jesus commanded the disciples to heal the sick, and they returned with the report that the devils were subject to them in His name (Lk. 10:9, 17)
SATAN AND WORLD GOVERNMENTSIn Daniel 10:12-13 we read:
Fear not, Daniel: for from the first day that thou didst set thine heart to understand, and to chasten thyself before thy God, thy words were heard, and I am come for thy words. But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me one and twenty days: but, lo, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me; and I remained there with the kings of Persia.
This is the satanic prince ruling the kingdom of Persia for Satan who is recognized in _script_ure as being the god of this world, having usurped man’s dominion (Mt. 4:8-9; 12:24-30; Jn. 8:44; 12:31; 2 Cor. 4:4; Eph. 2:2; 6:10-18; 1 Jn. 3:8; Rev. 12:7-12; 16:13-16; 20:1-10).
Satan has trusted angels over all the governments of this world. They are responsible to him for carrying out his will in those governments. He seeks to hinder God’s plan in the fulfillment of prophecy regarding world kingdoms. God also has trusted angels who carry out His will concerning what He has predicted to take place in the kingdoms of this world (Dan. 10:11-21; 11:1; 12:1). Hence, there are wars between these two groups of angels in the heavenlies (Dan. 10:13,20-21; 11:1; 12:1; Jude 9; Rev. 12:7-12). All wars lost or won on earth are results of wars lost or won by these heavenly armies.
Similar to this conflict over governments, there are good and evil spirit beings seeking carry out the will of their masters in the lives of individuals as well (Mt. 18:10; 2 Cor. 10:4-6; Eph. 2:2; 6:10-18; Heb. 1:14; Jude 9). Satan himself is active in seeking to defeat God’s purpose in the lives of His children (1 Chr. 21:1; Job 1:6; 2:1; Zech. 3:1; Mt. 4:1-11; 2 Cor. 4:4; Eph. 2:2; 6:10-18; 1 Jn. 3:8; Rev. 12:12).
In Daniel 10:20 Gabriel told of the satanic prince over the Grecian Empire that caused Alexander the Great to be so successful as to destroy the Medo-Persian Empire completely in thirteen years. This prince of Grecia is the spirit now confined to the abyss who will come out in the last days and cause the human Antichrist to revive the old Grecian Empire, so they can all oppose Jesus Christ at Armageddon.
In Revelation 17:8 the beast out of the abyss is a satanic angel—not the human spirit of a dead man. He does not incarnate himself in the human Antichrist or beast out of the sea, but merely uses him as a tool to revive the fifth or Grecian kingdom as the eighth and last kingdom in the times of the Gentiles. This spirit ruled the old Grecian Empire, the fifth of the five kingdoms that fell before John’s day (17:10). When his kingdom fell he was confined to the abyss where he remained during the sixth kingdom (the Roman Empire, which was the one in existence in John’s day) and ever since. He will be confined to the abyss until the ten kingdoms are formed inside the Roman Empire to make the seventh kingdom of 17:10. He will then be loosed and use the Antichrist to revive the old Grecian Empire as the eighth kingdom of 17:11. This is what the angel meant when he said the beast was (had existed on earth before John’s day), and is not (on the earth in John’s day), and shall ascend out of the abyss and go to perdition (17:8).
Kingdoms of this world have always been controlled by godly or satanic angels and wars on earth are lost or won as a result of battles in the heavenlies between the good and bad angels. God plans the rise and fall of certain kingdoms and Satan seeks to keep the prophetic Word from coming to pass (Isa. 24:21-23; 25:7; Dan. 10:13-21; 11:1; 12:1; Eph. 6:12; Rev. 12:7-12; 16:13-16).
SATAN’S WAR ON THE SAINTSThe most important work of Satan among men now is to counterfeit the doctrines and experiences of God as revealed in _script_ure, in order to deceive saints (2 Cor. 11:14-15; Eph. 6:10-18; 1 Tim. 4:1-7; Rev. 12:9-12). Men are commanded to prove and test all doctrines and experiences in the supernatural realm to see if they are of God or Satan (1 Cor. 2:12-16; Phil. 1:9-10; 1 Th. 5:21-22; 1 Jn. 4:1-6).
It is certain that not every religion, doctrine, and experience among men is of God. We must, therefore, judge them by the plain written Word of God. The knowledge of truth is the first essential in warfare against demons and error. Great is the danger when believers accept anything and everything in the realm of the supernatural as being from the Lord. The fact that the believer is a child of God does not stop the devil from trying in every conceivable way to imitate God to him. Believers are the ones Satan concentrates on and wars against.
There are definite ways outlined in _script_ure whereby one can detect what kind of spirit is seeking to control him. But if one neglects to study the Word he may fall prey to one of Satan’s demons through ignorance. Ignorance is one of the chief means by which Satan and his forces try to control men. It accounts for their widespread success in getting men to accept their suggestions, doctrines, ideas, leadings, and guidance. Among the guiding principles useful in detecting good and evil spirits, and their operations and doctrines, the outstanding ones are these:
Any doctrine that denies or causes doubt and unbelief concerning anything taught in _script_ure is from Satan and his demons (1 Tim. 4:1-8). Any religion denying the inspiration of the Bible; the reality of God as a person; the virgin birth and divinity of Christ; His miraculous power and supernatural ministry; the death, burial, bodily resurrection, and bodily manifestation of Christ after His resurrection; the bodily ascension to heaven and coming again of Jesus Christ to set up a kingdom in the world forever; the necessity of the new birth, cleansing from sin and living free from sin; and the numerous other experiences of the Bible—any religion denying these fundamental truths is yielding to "the spirit of error" and not "the spirit of truth" (1 Jn. 4:1-6).
Any power, influence, or doctrine that causes one to become passive, inactive, submissive, and unresisting to the workings of supernatural spirits seeking to control his life contrary to the teachings of _script_ure, is not of God. The Bible says, "resist the devil" (Jas. 4:7; 1 Pet. 5:8-9). Any inclination to approve of sin or ignore the necessity of repentance and holy living is promoted by Satan. The same is true for any tendency to lessen the penalty for sin, or doubt that hell is literal and eternal. Just as God requires truth in the mind for the working of the Holy Spirit in a life, so the devil requires the believing of lies to hold men in bondage. See 1 Cor. 6:9-11; 10:12-13; 2 Cor. 11:3-15; Gal. 5:19-21; 6:7-8; Eph. 6:10-18; 1 Tim. 4:1-9; Jas. 1:22; 2:10.
The Holy Spirit can be recognized by His fruit: love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and temperance (Gal. 5:22-23).
Methods of SatanSatan uses every conceivable means to hold men in subjection to himself and keep them from turning to God. If he fails in this, he tries to kill the believer’s testimony and ruin his influence for God.
Lukewarmness
Satan tries to get others in a lukewarm condition and, if he succeeds, urges them to stay in that condition so that God will cut them off in the end.
Unholy Passions
He stirs up unholy passions, causing people to throw away all restraint and live a life of revelry.
Suicide
If a saint falls, Satan tries to make him stay fallen or commit suicide. He tempts men to end their lives by insisting it is the best way out; but he hides the fact that this will only be the beginning of real torment in eternal hell.
Deception About Sin
Satan tries to make people think they are missing everything in life if they do not engage in all kinds of sins which, in the end, will damn their souls. He also emphasizes sin and sinful pleasures as innocent enjoyment.
Deception About Serving God
Satan tries to make people think there is no joy in serving the Lord. This is one of his greatest errors. Serving Christ and winning souls who will be thankful forever pays the greatest dividends and affords the greatest pleasures known.
Deception About Wealth
The devil preaches to the diligent businessman that he needs to spend all his time getting rich before serving the Lord. The truth is, if one will truly serve the Lord, he can be abundantly prosperous with God’s help.
Compromise in Church Leadership
Satan urges churches and their leaders to make religion a paying proposition by appealing to the rich through lowering the standards of holy living, making salvation easy for all, and compromising essentials of the faith; and by feeding the sheep messages on current events and book reviews instead of the infallible Word of God.
God’s Purpose in Allowing Satan to Continue
To develop character and faith in the believer (Jas. 1:12; 1 Pet. 1:7-13; 5:8-9; 2 Pet. 1:4-9; Jude 20-24)
To keep the believer humble (2 Cor. 12:7)
To provide a conflict for saints that they may be rewarded through overcoming (1 Jn. 2:13; 4:1-6; Rev. 2:7, 11, 17, 26-28; 3:5, 12, 21)
To demonstrate the power of God over the power of Satan (Mk. 16:17-20; 1 Cor. 4:9; Eph. 2:7; 3:10)
To use him to afflict people to bring them to repentance (1 Cor. 5:1-6; 2 Cor. 2:5-11; Job 33:14-30)
To purge man of all possibility of falling in the eternal future (Rev. 21)
Duty of Saints Regarding SatanWhen one is born again he enters the realm of the supernatural and spiritual. He must study the Bible to learn how he should walk and conduct himself in spiritual warfare with Satan and demons. Saints are to:
Put on the whole armor of God (Eph. 6:11-18)
Know Satan’s devices (2 Cor. 2:11)
Give him no place (Eph. 4:27)
Resist him (Jas. 4:7; 1 Pet. 5:8-9)
Be sober and vigilant lest he devour them (1 Pet. 5:8-9)
Overcome him by the Word (Mt. 4:1-11; 1 Jn. 2:14)
Overcome him by the blood of Christ and testimony (Rev. 12:11)
Overcome him by Christ and His name (Eph. 1:19-22; 2:6; 2 Cor. 2:15)
Overcome him by birth of the Spirit and faith (1 Jn. 2:29; 3:9; 5:1-4, 18)
Overcome him by the Holy Spirit (Rom. 8:1-13; Gal. 5:15-26)
Evidences of Being Influenced by Satan
Walking in darkness (1 Jn. 1:5-6; 2:11)
Saying one has no sin (1 Jn. 1:8, 10)
Failing to please God and keep His commandments (1 Jn. 2:3-4; 3:22-24; 5:14-15)
Failing to walk as Christ did (1 Jn. 2:6)
Hating anyone (1 Jn. 2:9; 3:10-19; 4:20)
Failing to overcome Satan (1 Jn. 2:13-14)
Loving the world and the things in it (1 Jn. 2:15-17; 3:1, 13; 4:5)
Leaving Christian fellowship (1 Jn. 2:19)
Ignoring truth (1 Jn. 2:20-27)
Denying God and Jesus (1 Jn. 2:22-23)
Doing unrighteousness (1 Jn. 2:29; 3:10)
Making no effort to purify self (1 Jn. 3:3)
Committing sin (1 Jn. 3:8-10; 5:18)
Murdering (1 Jn. 3:12, 15)
Shutting bowels of compassion (1 Jn. 3:17)
Lacking faith (1 Jn. 3:20-22; 5:14-15)
Being destitute of the indwelling Holy Spirit (1 Jn. 3:24; 4:4, 13)
Being of the world and having fellowship with it (1 Jn. 4:5)
Having no personal acquaintance with God or knowledge of eternal life (1 Jn. 4:7-10; 5:10-13, 20-21)
Making no confession of Jesus (1 Jn. 4:14-18)
Being overcome by the world (1 Jn. 5:4-5)
The Doom Of SatanRevelation 12:7-12 reveals the defeat of Satan and his angels in the middle of Daniel’s seventieth week, but his doom was predicted much earlier than this. Right after Adam and Eve sinned, when God pronounced upon them the curse of their fall, He also predicted Satan’s doom, saying, "And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel" (Gen. 3:15). Isaiah also prophesied of the defeat of Satan, fallen angels and demons at the battle of Armageddon:
And it shall come to pass in that day, that the LORD shall punish the host of the high ones that are on high, and the kings of the earth upon the earth. And they shall be gathered together, as prisoners are gathered in the pit, and shall be shut up in the prison, and after many days shall they be visited. Then the moon shall be confounded, and the sun ashamed, when the LORD of hosts shall reign in mount Zion, and in Jerusalem, and before his ancients gloriously. (Isa. 24:21-23)
Speaking of the blessings of the Millennium, Isaiah also prophesied that God would destroy "the face of the covering cast over all people, and the veil that is spread over all nations" (25:7). The idea here is the removal of all satanic darkness now covering the nations. The prince of the power of the air that works in all sons of sin will be removed from all hearts and minds. Then men will, for the first time since Adam’s influence, be free from all satanic influences. Satan is the ruler of the darkness of this world, and he and all his agents will be confined to the abyss during the thousand years of Revelation 20:1-6.
Genesis 3:15 was fulfilled on the cross when Jesus uttered the words, "It is finished" (Jn. 19:30). It was at the cross that Jesus "spoiled principalities and powers" (Col. 2:15). When Paul says that Christ "made a shew of them openly" (Col. 2:15), he uses the Greek verb deigmatizo which means to expose to public infamy and shame. The allusion is to the custom of conquerors making a public demonstration of conquered enemies. Satan and his human agents publicly shamed Christ by crucifying Him, but the cross turned out to be their public defeat and shame. The final _expression_ of Satan’s doom will be his thousand-year confinement to the abyss (Rev. 20:1-6), followed by his defeat at the battle of Gog and Magog, after which he will be cast into the lake of fire which was "prepared for the devil and his angels" (vv. 7-10; Mt. 25:41).
In Mark 13:24-26 we read, "But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars of heaven shall fall, and the powers that are in heaven shall be shaken. And then shall they see the Son of man coming in the clouds with great power and glory." The words "powers that are in heaven" refer to the satanic hosts that now rule the air (Eph. 2:1-3; 6:12). They are now above us, but will not be at the coming of Christ, for they will be cast down to earth three and a half years before then (Rev. 12:7-12). Isaiah spoke of them being defeated at the end of this age (Isa. 24:21-22; 34:4). Both Isaiah and Jesus made predictions of them while they were powers in the heavenlies. At Christ’s coming they will not only be completely defeated, but will be cast into prison for one thousand years (Isa. 24:21-22; Rev. 20:1-10).
The word "host" means a mass of persons, an army, a great company, and is so used about 466 times of men and angels. The planets and the hosts of heaven are distinguished in 2 Kings 23:4-5. The hosts of heaven are intelligent beings that have been worshipped by men in past ages (2 Ki. 17:16; 21:3, 5; 2 Chr. 33:3-5; Jer. 8:2; 19:13; Zeph. 1:5; Acts 7:42). That they could not refer to the material heavens is clear from Hebrews 12:26 where God says He will shake heaven only once more. This will be when the heavens and earth are renovated by fire, one thousand years after "the host" and "powers of heaven are shaken" as in the above prophecies (2 Pet. 3:5-13).
The purpose of the thousand-year reign of Christ after the second advent will be to suppress all rebellion (1 Cor. 15:24-28). The final defeat of Satan and his hosts at the end of that period (the Millennium) must be accomplished before the earth is entirely rid of rebels. They must be confined to the lake of fire forever before rebellion is eternally overcome. The earth will be purified by fire and made perfect the third time. The kingdom of God will then be universal, as it was before rebellion was started by Satan and Adam in their respective kingdoms.
Thus we have numerous _script_ures predicting with certainty the eternal doom of Satan and all his followers. Every child of God should thus be encouraged to resist the devil "stedfast in the faith" (1 Pet. 5:9), knowing that Christ will be victorious in the end.
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