RSS
Home
Who in Hell is Satan?
Print
Email
RSS
Subscribe
detail from The Knight, Death and the Devil
C.S. Lewis is quoted as saying the following;
"There are two equal and opposite errors into which our race can fall about the Devils. One is to disbelieve in their existence. The other is to believe, and to feel an excessive and unhealthy interest in them. They themselves are equally pleased by both errors and hail a materialist or a magician with the same delight."
Today I would like to explore the subject of a being named Satan. The name Satan occurs about 50 times in the King James Version. Satan is named in the old and new testament. Devil as a name occurs roughly the same number of times (57) - but is only found in the new testament.
As far as etymology is concerned the name Satan basically means adversary, or one who withstands. It might be helpful to think of a court scene - and opposing you is Satan - whose main object is to make you look bad in the eyes of God. True to Satan's nature is not only the fact that he is involved in tempting - but he then turns around and immediately accuses you and I if we take the bait...nice guy huh?
Devil comes from the word diabolos and means to falsely accuse or slander.
Satan and the Devil are not necessarily one in the same, but they and demons make up a dark side you and I can benefit from understanding the biblical view on, if we are going to have any hope of defending ourselves against this enemy.
Hell is derived from the word Gehenna which was basically a dump, south of Jerusalem, were dead animals, filth, worms and fires resided. It is a picturesque reminder of what was in store for the condemned.
Straight out of the gate I would like to say plainly that I do not profess to hold all of the keys to this topic. In scripture - 2 Thessalonians 7 declares there is a mystery iniquity...and so it is. I hope in simple terms to shed light on a rather elusive and prevalent enemy.
In Genesis 3:1-5, man is shown to be responsible for the introduction of Satan, Satan can be said to be the result of communication between man and the Devil. The Devil is the adversary of God and Satan is his representative.
In the book of Job Satan is mentioned about 11 times, and here we see a fascinating insight into Satan's nature. In the dialogue found in chapter 1 of Job, God commends Job, and Satan basically sneers and begins immediately to smear Jobs motivations. Satan''s angle in this discourse was that Job only loved God because God was blessing and prospering Job. Satan claimed that if God allowed Satan access to Jobs possessions, and then Job himself, Satan could get Job to curse God. The dialogue goes like this in the KJV;
And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that [there is] none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil?
Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, Doth Job fear God for nought?
Hast not thou made an hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side? thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land.
But put forth thine hand now, and touch all that he hath, and he will curse thee to thy face.
And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold, all that he hath [is] in thy power; only upon himself put not forth thine hand. So Satan went forth from the presence of the LORD.
What follows is a series of disasters, new dialogue with God, accusations from friends and Jobs wife and a truly epic story of a man determined to be faithful to God despite his circumstances (Though He slay me yet will I trust Him). Ultimately in this story Job is vindicated and Satan is frustrated, and hope is fulfilled in a deeper and more meaningful walk with God. Job is triumphant in his faith in God.
One of the first thing that we need to keep in mind is that Satan cannot do anything unless he is allowed to by God. Essentially Satan needs permission to interact with us, tempt us, etc. Keep in mind too that you and I give Satan permission to interact with us when we sin. In life we will ultimately serve either God or Satan, there will not be a middle ground. When you or I sin, we allow the Devils hoof in the door, and he will not rest until we are dead...literally.
Oswald Chambers said that one of the most cunning travesties is to represent Satan as the instigator of external sins. The Satanically managed man is moral, upright, proud and individual; he is absolutely self governed and has no need of God.
CS Lewis too mentions that the real essence of evil in the modern world;
...The greatest evil is not now done in those sordid "dens of crime" that Dickens loved to paint. It is not done even in concentration camps and labor camps. In those we see its final result. But it is conceived and ordered (moved, seconded, carried, and minuted) in clean, carpeted, warmed, and well-lighted offices, by quiet men with white collars and cut fingernails and smooth-shaven cheeks who do not need to raise their voice. Hence, naturally enough, my symbol for Hell is something like the bureaucracy of a police state or the offices of a thoroughly nasty business concern.
Ordered, proud, self managed, Godless. Screwtape (in the book Screwtape Letters), for example is not interested in getting the patient to commit anything spectacularly evil, saying that "the safest path to hell is the gradual one." He sees a demon's primary goal to befuddle and confuse, rather than tempt. Because a thing is Satanic does not automatically mean that it is immoral or horrific.
When you and I are at our wits end - staring from a jail cell, desperate or beside ourselves with grief, tormented by horrible decisions of betrayal and lust, compromise, deception...well...we ask hard questions. At that point we tend to start looking up and out for answers, and Satan is more concerned than anyone that you and I would realize Gods love for us and reach out to God for help.
In Matthew 16 there is a fascinating illustration of just how unknowing we are to Satans devices. In Matthew 16:15-20 Peter is applauded by Christ as he saw Christ for who He really was. Immediately after this Peter protested Christ being crucified In Matthew 16:23 Peter is reprimanded for having the mind of Satan - and Christ rebuked Satan as he turned to Peter. Jesus said Satan minded the things of men - and not God. In any case I can just imagine how shocked Peter might have been after having been highly commended - then Satanically rebuked.
Jesus Christ dealt with Satan as representing the attitude of a man organizing his life without any consideration of God. We have, unfortunately, even in the church, so-called men of God, who really could care less what God Himself thinks - and are bent on their own little fiefdoms. Similarly we have neighbors and work associates with well manicured lawns, 2.5 children, accolades,a good work ethic and upstanding rosy cheeked living...Satanically managed.Disconcerting isn't it?
In 2 Corinthians 12:14 Paul states that Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light, and from this we can easily connect the dots to the deception that is so prevalent in our days.
In his book Baffled to Fight Better* Chambers states;
Satan counterfeits the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit represents the working of God in a human life when it is at one with God through the Redemption; in other words, “Holy Spirit” is the heredity brought into human nature at regeneration. When a man is born from above he has granted to him the disposition of Jesus, Holy Spirit, and if he obeys that disposition he will develop into the new manhood in Christ Jesus. If by deliberate refusal a man is not born again he is liable to find himself developing more and more into the satanic, which will ultimately head up into the Devil.
Satan's name means adversary - he is against you and I. He wants us condemned, and separated from God. The only way that can happen is if you or I allow it by a sinful and unrepentant lifestyle. The best way to know the devices of Satan and how he works - is through studying the bible, inspired by the Holy Spirit, and taking Gods instructions to heart in our daily activities.
You and I can benefit from daily reflecting on just who it is we want to serve, and actively pursuing Gods will with enthusiasm and conviction. I would imagine, in most every case, that if a person reflected on Satan'' s true nature (evil), and Satan's ultimate end (hell) one would seek God and His mercy, through Christ without hesitation.
*Chambers, O. 1996, c1931. Baffled to fight better: Talks on the Book of Job. ([5th ed.]). Marshall, Morgan and Scott [for the] Oswald Chambers Publications Association: London
Related Articles:
Comments
