by Mike Scott
There is so much speculation about Satan these days, and so much of what is taught is not only assumption, but pure speculation and error. Before we attempt to teach on any Bible subject, we must first search the Scriptures for the answers.
What we do know about Satan is this. He was a created being, an angel, who was judged because of his rebellion, which the New Testament hints was sparked by his pride (1Timothy 3:6). He is the one responsible for introducing evil to this world. Now he desires to devour God's creation by tempting man to reject his Creator (1 Peter 5:8).
Therefore, there is a lesson in all of this. Satan--an angel created by God--was given the free will to choose whether or not he would obey God. He disobeyed, and that disobedience was evil. Guy N. Woods said, "it is a curious fact that sin had it origin not on the earth, but in Heaven, not among men, but among the angels." Perhaps the clearest passage in all of the Bible about Satan is found in Revelation 12:7-9:
Revelation 12:7 - 9(NASB):
7 "And there was war in heaven, Michael and his angels waging war with the dragon. And the dragon and his angels waged war,
8 and they were not strong enough, and there was no longer a place found for them in heaven.
9 And the great dragon was thrown down, the serpent of old who is called the devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him."
We also learn additional information about him in the following passages:
2 Peter 2:4 (NASB)
"For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but cast them into hell and committed them to pits of darkness, reserved for judgment . . ."
1 John 3:8 (NASB)
"the one who practices sin is of the devil; for the devil has sinned from the beginning. The Son of God appeared for this purpose, to destroy the works of the devil."
These are the clearest accounts of Satan's activities before being cast down that I know of in the Scripture. We know it was Satan, in the form of a serpent, that tempted Eve in the garden of Eden. First Chronicles 21:2 says that Satan was responsible for causing David to commit sin. In Job 1:6-12 and Job 2:1-7 we see the activity of Satan in tempting Job, and it is also apparent that Satan continues to use the same method of operation (M.O.) among men today.
Two passages that are often used to teach about Satan are Ezekiel 28:11-19 and Isaiah 14:12-14. Both of these passages should be used with extreme caution.
We should be reminded that one should always be aware of the context of a Biblical passage before trying to teach anything from it. In its context Ezekiel 28:11-19 is a description of the King of Tyre. One might say that the king of Tyre is the very personification of Satan, but to say that the king of Tyre was Satan, or that what is said about the king of Tyre could be said about Satan is to make a statement without Biblical support. There is not a single passage in the Bible that uses Ezekiel 28 or Isaiah 14 to make a reference to Satan.
Similarly, Isaiah 14:12-14 speaks of the king of Babylon. The KJV adds "Lucifer" to verse 12 for unknown reasons. Isaiah chapter 14 is speaking in figurative language of the downfall of the nation of Babylon.
It could be said in both these passages that the King of Tyre and the King of Babylon were the very personification of Satan. In this case we can assume that certain characteristics of these evil kings are characteristics of Satan, but we cannot say, with Scriptural authority that these passages teach us about Satan himself.
In The Bible Satan is given a number of names and titles:
1) Abaddon
Revelation 9:11
"They have as king over them, the angel of the abyss; his name in Hebrew is Abaddon, and in the Greek he has the name Apollyon."
2) Accuser of our brethren
Rev. 12:10
"Then I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, "Now the salvation, and the power, and the kingdom of our God and the authority of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren has been thrown down, he who accuses them before our God day and night."
3) Adversary
1 Peter 5:8
"Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour."
4) Angel of the abyss
Rev. 9:11
"They have as king over them, the angel of the abyss; his name in Hebrew is Abaddon, and in the Greek he has the name Apollyon."
5) Apollyon
Rev. 9:11
"They have as king over them, the angel of the abyss; his name in Hebrew is Abaddon, and in the Greek he has the name Apollyon."
6) Beelzebub
Matt 12:24
"But when the Pharisees heard this, they said, "This man casts out demons only by Beelzebul the ruler of the demons.""
7) Belial
2 Cor. 6:15
"Or what harmony has Christ with Belial, or what has a believer in common with an unbeliever?"
8) Dragon
Rev. 20:2
"And he laid hold of the dragon, the serpent of old, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years..."
9) Enemy
Matt 13:39
"and the enemy who sowed them is the devil, and the harvest is the end of the age; and the reapers are angels."
10) Father of lies
John 8:44
"You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies."
11) Great red dragon
Rev. 12:3
"Then another sign appeared in heaven: and behold, a great red dragon having seven heads and ten horns, and on his heads were seven diadems."
12) Lying (deceiving) spirit
1 Kings 22:22
"The LORD said to him, 'How?' And he said, 'I will go out and be a deceiving spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.' Then He said, 'You are to entice him and also prevail. Go and do so.'"
13) Murderer
John 8:44
"You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies."
14) Old serpent
Rev. 12:9
"And the great dragon was thrown down, the serpent of old who is called the devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him."
Rev. 20:2
"And he laid hold of the dragon, the serpent of old, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years;"
15) Power (domain) of darkness
Col 1:13
"For He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son..."
16) Prince (ruler) of this world
John 14:30
"I will not speak much more with you, for the ruler of the world is coming, and he has nothing in Me..."
17) Prince (ruler) of the devils
Matt.12:24
"But when the Pharisees heard this, they said, "This man casts out demons only by Beelzebul the ruler of the demons.""
18) Prince of the power of the air
Eph. 2:2
"in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience."
19) Ruler of the darkness of this world
Eph 6:12
"For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places."
20) Satan
Job 1:6
"Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came among them."
21) Serpent
Genesis 3:4
"The serpent said to the woman, "You surely will not die!"
2 Cor. 11:3
"But I am afraid that, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds will be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ."
22) Spirit that works in the children (sons) of disobedience
Eph. 2:2
"in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience."
23) Tempter
Matt. 4:3
"And the tempter came and said to Him, "If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.""
24) The god of this world
2 Co 4:4
"in whose case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God."
25) Wicked-one (evil-one)
Matt. 13:19
SATAN&SCRIPTURE II
