Tuesday, February 9, 2010

History Of Satan

History of Satan – Where did he come from?
The history of Satan is described in the Bible in Isaiah 14:12-15 and Ezekiel 28:12-19. These two biblical passages also reference the king of Babylon, the King of Tyre, and the spiritual power behind the kings.

What caused Satan to be cast from Heaven? He fell because of pride that originated from his desire to be God instead of a servant of God. Satan was the highest of all the angels, but he wasn’t happy. He desired to be God and rule the universe. God cast Satan out of heaven as a fallen angel.

History of Satan – Who is he?
Satan is often caricatured as a red-horned, trident-raising cartoon villain; no wonder people question the history of Satan. His existence, however, is not based on fantasy. It’s verified in the same book that narrates Jesus’ life and death (Genesis 3:1-16, Isaiah 14:12-15; Ezekiel 28:12-19; Matthew 4:1-11).

Satan acts as leader of the fallen angels. These demons, existing in the invisible spirit realm yet affecting our physical world, rebelled against God, but are ultimately under His control. Satan masquerades as an “angel of light,” deceiving humans just as he deceived Eve in the beginning (Genesis 3).

Jesus Himself testified of Satan’s existence. During His ministry, He personally faced temptation from the devil (Matthew 4:1-11), cast out demons possessing people (Luke 8:27-33), and defeated the evil one and his legion of demon angels at the cross. Christ also helped us understand the ongoing, spiritual war between God and Satan, good and evil (Isaiah 14:12-15; Luke 10:17-20).

With Jesus Christ on our side, we need not fear Satan’s limited power (Hebrew 2:14-15). We ought to be wise, however, in resisting his tactics:

“For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:3-5).

History of Satan - What is his place now?
Throughout the history of Satan, evil has been his identity because he is directly opposite God’s character. God’s holy standard found in the Bible exposes evil. If not relying on its truth, we can easily error:

  • One error is denying Satan’s existence
  • Another mistake is fearfully focusing on Satan rather than on Christ Jesus who overcame him
  • Others outright worship Satan, preferring the darkness of evil rather than light that reveals sin (John 3:19; 2 Corinthians 11:14-15).

Any of these approaches please the devil. He wants us denying, fearing, obeying, or worshipping him. Unless we follow the trustworthy source, the Bible, he’ll deceive us (Ephesians 6:10-11).

History of Satan - Satan’s seduction versus reality
In our scientific, rational age, spiritual beliefs are scorned as myth. Satan, however, doesn’t mind those who rebuff the reality of fallen angels or demons. By masking himself, he can tempt and deceive people without blame. The wise will never forget that Satan and demons, determined to deceive humans, are fighting real battles and wars against heavenly angels.

Satan compels or entices his prey to follow him whether they realize it or not. Maybe they are simply ignorant and confused. Many would rather believe human theory than obey divine revelation and natural law. Whether blind, bound, or brazenly willing, they join Satan for a doomed destiny. They condemn themselves to eternity in hell.

While Satan is more powerful than we humans, God doesn’t leave us defenseless (Ephesians 6:10-11). At the Lord’s rebuke, Satan and his demons shudder and flee (James 2:19; Jude 1:9). When Jesus Christ died, He overcame them (Colossians 2:15). Only in the authority of Jesus does anyone have power to stand against the devil. Those saved from sin by Jesus’ death on the cross are protected; those who are not saved from Satan’s power perish with him (John 3:16; 1 Peter 5:8-10).

Who will you spend eternity with? Have you accepted the fact that you are a sinner and that Jesus died on the cross and rose again?

Can Satan do miracles? What are Satan’s powers?

Can Satan do miracles is an interesting question because we know that some of the miraculous things that happened in the Bible were not inspired by God.

  • Pharaoh’s magicians performed miracles
  • The antichrist and false prophet will perform miracles
  • The Bible speaks of counterfeit signs and wonders.

What are his powers? The only ruling power Satan has is over the human, secular, unsaved global world (1 John 5:19; Jude 9; Revelation 16:13-14)

  • Satan, described in the Bible, can and does win battles for the mind. He takes devilish pleasure every time a human falls into sin and rejects God. Can he get away with his malevolence? While Satan does spread terror, his strategies are destined for defeat (Revelation 20:10).
  • Satan is the author of sin and evil. For a time, God is allowing him to roam the earth like a roaring lion, devouring human prey. The ultimate source of all persecution, he hooks his evil character into the heart of a person’s soul to influence the mind, emotions, and will (John 13:2).
  • Satan is not omnipresent – he cannot be in more than one place at a time. Only God is everywhere, only God knows everything.
  • Satan uses supernatural schemes and tactics to overcome his victim. Satan is a supernatural being with great power to deceive (Job 1:7).
  • Satan and his demon followers can attack both internally and externally yet escape unnoticed as the instigator of strife and suffering. Possession and oppression of people marks their work.
  • Ruling from the unseen spirit realm, Satan commands his demons to possess or oppress his victims. He is responsible for tempting sinners; blinding their eyes with lies; leading them into sin; and then slandering them to God (Genesis 3).
  • Satan, if allowed by God, can influence people’s speech (Matthew 16:22-23).

What are the names of Satan?

The following are names of Satan and aliases he uses:

What are Fallen Angels?

The Bible teaches that fallen angels are invisible, supernatural, angelic, spirits created by God. Satan employs them as his immoral agents. After one-third of the heavenly angels sided with Satan, they were cast out of heaven to the earth (Revelation 12:4).

The Bible calls fallen angels devils, demons, evil, and unclean spirits. Their lust for power is matched with an evil mind, emotions, and will. In their present, restrained state, demon angels are awaiting God’s final judgment and their ultimate destination: God’s predestined, eternal hell, a place of “reserved everlasting chains.”

While the Bible doesn’t offer the exact number of angels, the hosts could outnumber people. Of all the multitudes of angels God created, fallen angels comprise one-third. Satan keeps demons in bondage to his will: corrupting humans to separate them from God.

Fallen Angels -- What are demons allowed and forbidden to do?
God controls the universe -- including Satan. However, He permits Satan to assign demons to activities and people to test. Demons tempt, accuse, and deceive. Demons dominate and captivate people who practice sin. Demons can inflict disease, ruining bodies and souls (Luke 9:42).

Demons can possess a person who is not under God’s protection (i.e. saved from sin by Jesus Christ), causing them to say and commit evil things (Matthew 8:28-24). The goal of demons is to separate as many people from God as possible forevermore, taking them to eternal hell with them. Their war strategy is influencing the mind to reject the Lord Jesus and live in sin. In God’s churches, they attempt to draw people away from the truth (1 John 4:1).

Satan and demons cannot possess true Christians because the Holy Spirit indwells and protects them (1 John 4:4). Although demons can oppress people and tempt them to sin, they cannot make people choose wrong. Demons fear God’s presence (James 2:19).

Why did the Angels fall?

What caused the angels’ fall? When the fallen angels, led by Lucifer, challenged God’s rule, they failed their created purpose of worshipping and serving God. The Bible reports that Satan was cast from heaven to earth (Luke 10:18)

Speaking of Lucifer (Satan), the Bible says, “All your pomp has been brought down to the grave, along with the noise of your harps; maggots are spread out beneath you and worms cover you. How you have fallen from heaven, O morning star, son of the dawn! You have been cast down to the earth, you who once laid low the nations! You said in your heart, "I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God; I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly, on the utmost heights of the sacred mountain (Isaiah 14:11-13).

The history of Satan and the fallen angels is described in the Bible in Isaiah 14:12-15 and Ezekiel 28:12-19. These two biblical passages also reference the king of Babylon, the King of Tyre, and the spiritual power behind the kings.

Lust for power had infested their soul, strangling faith in God’s wisdom which says love and service for one another is greater than power in rank, status, or authority. God’s natural law of divine morality is defined relationally. Those first in power will be last because God humbles the proud and honors the humble.

The rebellious angels became their Creator’s adversary. What began as a lustful seed of power flourished in spreading evil among the human race. God, however, had a plan of salvation to defeat sin, Satan, and death. His Son, Christ Jesus accomplished the plan when He took our punishment on the cross (Colossians 2:15; Hebrew 2:14)!

Why did the Angels fall – Are they dangerous?
Fallen angels spend their time tempting, taunting, teasing, deceiving, afflicting, and accusing people of wrongdoing. They keep people stirred up in confusion and chaos, alienated from their sole hope: God.

Satan commands his evil legions. Ultimately, however, all are bound to the sovereign control of God (Job 1).

Why did God create Satan?

God created Satan as Lucifer, the highest ranking angel of all. Lucifer, however, wasn’t content to worship and serve his Creator. Full of pride, he rebelled, leading a third of the angels. Unable to match the Almighty God, Lucifer was cast to the earth where he has operated as the devil ever since.

The biblical passages of Job, Isaiah 14:12-15, Matthew 4:3-10, and Revelation 12:7-12 provide a glimpse of Satan’s history and character.

God did not create Lucifer as evil but allowed the potential for sin. While God cannot commit sin, He doesn’t take it away from those who do. When Lucifer chose to rebel, he instantly became the author of sin. Evil is the result of a free-will choice by Lucifer.

Satan and sin don’t foil God’s divine purposes. Evil in stark contrast to good, shows God’s mercy to whom He chooses to provide salvation. God uses evil and demons for His divine purposes (1 Samuel 16:15-16).

Satan fears God’s predestined plan: salvation, new heaven, and new earth for His chosen people who are made holy, perfectly moral, and volitionally loving. He will prove that He is victorious over evil and evil beings who follow Satan’s ways. Personal peace of mind about Satan and evil comes from being God-centered. God rules forever!

Posted by at

No comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)