CHURCH 14 – SATAN & EVIL SPIRITS IN THE BIBLE
In this study we will first look at the occurrences of all words in Hebrew (OT) and Greek (NT) that possibly refer to Satan or evil spirits. Then some conclusions will be drawn from that (like the shockingly little amount of occurrences). In the second half it is outlined what the Old Testament and the New Testament say about Sata in the few verses that do address this topic.
grey color occurrences most likely not referring to Satan or evil spirits
black color occurrences most likely referring to Satan of evil spirits
Word study – Occurrences in the OT
H7854 ‘satan’ opponent (human, good angel), arch enemy of good, satan
Nun 22:22, 32 Angel of God opposing Balaam is called an ‘adversary against him’
1 Sam 29:4 David, feared to turn against the Philistines in a battle against Israel
2 Sam 19:22 David about sons of Zeruiah, being ‘adversaries to me’
1 Kin 5:4 David having rest, no adversary
1 Kin 11:14 God stirred up an adversary to Solomon, Hadad the Edomite
1 Kin 11:23, 25 God stirred up another adversary to Solomon, Rezon
1 Chr 21:1 Satan stood up against Israel and provoked David to number Israel
Job 1:6, 7, 8, 9, 12, 2:1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7 Satan accusing & tempting Job
Psa 109:6 David complains that his opponents say: “appoint an accuser against”
Zec 3:1,2 Vision of Satan resisting / accusing Joshua the High priest
13 verses refer to Satan
0 verses refer to evil spirits / demons
H5175 ‘nachash’ snake, hiss, serpent
Gen 3:1, 2, 4, 13, 14 Satan as serpent in Garden Eden
Num 21:6, 7, 9, 2 Kin 18:4 serpents as punishment on Israel, bronze serpent
Psa 58:4 serpent’s poison
Psa 140:3 tongues sharp like a serpent
Prv 23:32 alcohol in the end bites like serpent, stings like an adder
Isa 14:29 serpent used for political power
Isa 65:25 God’s kingdom > peace, serpent will eat dust
Jer 46:22 voice like a serpent
Mic 7:17 lick the dust like a serpent
Isa 27:1 Leviathan
Job 26:13 Creator’s power over everything ?
5 verses refer to Satan
0 verses refer to evil spirits
H8577 ‘tannyn’ dragon, marine or land monster, sea serpent, jackal, whale
Gen 1:21, Job 7:12, Job 30:29, Psa 91:13; 74:13, 148:7, Isa 27:1; 51:9, Jer 10:22 God’s power over his powerful created beings
Exo 7:9, 10, 12 Moses staff turning into serpent / dragon
Deu 32:33 metaphorical use for alcohol
Psa 44:19, Isa 13:22, Jer 9:11,14:6, 49:33, Jer 51:37 metaphorical for desolate places
Jer 51:34 (Neb), Eze 29:3, 32:2 (Pharaoh) metaphorical for invaders or oppressors
Neh 2:13 name of a well in Jerusalem
0 verses refer to Satan
0 verses refer to evil spirits
H7307 ‘ruach’ spirit, breath, wind, life, “spirit of …”, God’s spirit, human spirit
Lev 20:27 familiar spirit, wizard
Num 5:14, 5:30 spirit of jealousy
Jdg 9:23 God sends evil spirit between Abimelech and men of Sechem
1 Sam 16:14, 16:15, 16:16, 16:23, 18:10, 19:9 evil spirit of God on Saul
1 Sam 28:7 witch / woman with familiar spirit, consulted by Saul
1 Kin 22:21 spirit before God , enticing Ahab
1 Kin 22:22, 23 lying spirit on prophets of Ahab and Jehoshaphat
1 Chr 10:13 Saul consulting familiar spirit
2 Chr 18:20 spirit before God, enticing Ahab
2 Chr 18:21, 22 lying spirit on prophets of Ahab and Jehoshaphat
2 Chr 33:6 King Manasseh … dealt with familiar spirit …
Job 4:15 scary spirit
Job 26:4 Job challenges: whose spirit came from you?
Isa 19:14 God has poured into them a spirit of confusion
Isa 29:4 voice as of one that has a familiar spirit or ghost
Hos 4:12, 5:4 a spirit of whoredom has caused them to err, is in their midst
Mic 2:11 if a man walks in the spirit and falsehood do lie
Zec 13:2 God will cause the unclean spirit to pass out of the land
0 verses refer to Satan
26 verses refer to evil spirits
H5387 ‘nasiy’, H8323 ‘sar’ prince, king, chief, captain, commander, leaders, head person, governor, keeper, lord, master
many occurrences most always referring to human rulers, also in Daniel
Dan 10:13,20,20 3x about evil force (prince of Persia, Greece)
Dan 10:21, 12:1 2x about heavenly angel Michael (prince of Israel)
Dan 8:25,9:25-26 2x or 3x about messiah
0 verses refer to Satan
max. 4 verses refer to evil spirits
Word study – Occurrences in the NT
G1228 ‘diabolos’ traducer, satan, false accuser, slanderer, devil
Mth 4:1, 5, 8, 11 Jesus by Spirit to wilderness to be tempted by the devil
Mth 13:39 Parable of the weeds, Devil is the enemy sowing weeds
Mth 25:41 Disobedient men, depart to everlasting fire prepared > devil & angels
Luk 4:2,3,5,6,13 Jesus 40 days tempted by the devil
Luk 8:12 Parable of the sower, devil is the one taking away word out hearts
Jhn 6:70 One of the 12 apostles is a devil
Jhn 8:44 Jesus to Jews: you are of your father the devil
Jhn 13:2 Devil puts it into the heart of Judas to betray Jesus
Acts 10:38 Peter preaching to Cornelius: Jesus freeing those oppressed by devil
Acts 13:10 Paul calling sorcerer Bar-Jesus a child of the devil on Cyprus
Eph 4:27 Paul to Ephesians: Do not give a place to the devil.
Eph 6:11 Paul to Ephesians: stand against the wiles of devil
1 Tim 3:6 Bishops … not a novice, lest pride & fall into condemnation of the devil
1 Tim 3:7 Bishops … good report … lest fall into reproach & the snare of the devil
1 Tim 3:11 wives must not be slanderers (devils)
2 Tim 2:26 escape from snare of devil have been held captive by him to do his will.
2 Tim 3:3 people in the last days … truce breakers, false accusers (devils), …
Tit 2:3 aged women … not false accusers (devils)
Heb 2:14 Jesus through death destroyed him that had power of death, the devil
Jms 4:7 Resist the devil and he will flee from you
1 Pet 5:8 Be sober for your adversary the devil = roaring lion seeking to devour
1 Jhn 3:8 2x He that commits sin is of the devil; for the devil sins from the beginning
1 Jhn 3:10 children of God, children of the devil … who does not do righteousness
Jud 1:9 Michael contending with the devil about the body of Moses
Rev 2:10 you shall suffer: the devil shall cast some of you into prison
Rev 12:9 dragon, serpent, devil, satan cast out … which deceives whole world
Rev 12:12 Woe to those on earth … for the devil is come down unto you
Rev 20:2 an angel laid hold on dragon, serpent, Devil, satan … bound 1000 y
Rev 20:10 devil that deceives is cast into the lake of fire … shall be tormented
34 verses refer to Satan
0 verses refer to evil spirits
G1139, 40,42 daimonizomai, daimon demons, devils, evil spirits, unclean spirits
Possessed people, demons cast out by Jesus, Pharisees diagnose possession
Mth 4:24, 7:22, 8:16, 8:28, 8:29, 8:31, 8:33, 9:32, 9:33, 9:34, 10:8, 11:18, 12:22, 12:24, 12:27, 12:28, 15:22, 17:18. Mrk 1:32, 1:34, 1:39, 3:15, 3:22, 5:12, 5:15, 5:16, 5:18, 6:13, 7:26, 7:29, 7:30, 8:36, 9:38, 16:9, 16:17. Luk 4:33, 4:35, 4:41, 7:33, 8:2, 8:27, 8:33, 8:35, 8:38, 9:1, 9:42, 9:49, 10:17, 11:14, 11:15, 11:18, 11:19, 11:20, 13:32. Jhn 7:20, 8:48, 8:49, 8:52, 10:20, 10:21
1 Tim 4:1 in the latter days doctrines of devils, seducing spirits
Jam 2:19 devils trembling at God
Rev 9:20 unrepentant men worshiping devils
Rev 16:14 spirits of devils, working miracles, gather people for battle
Rev 18:2 Babylon becoming infested with devils
Acts 17:18 Athenians: Paul is preaching strange gods
1 Cor 10:20, 21 Gentiles sacrifice to devils / gods
0 verses refer to Satan
65 verses refer to evil spirits
G4151 ‘pneuma’ demons, Holy Spirit, human spirit, angels, ‘spirit of …’, life
demons, unclean spirits, possessing people, cast out by Jesus
Mth 8:16, 10:1, 12:43, 12:45. Mrk 1:23, 1;26, 1:27, 3:11, 3:20, 5:2, 5:8, 5:13, 6:7, 7:25, 9:17,20,25. Luk 4:33, 4:36, 6:18, 7:21, 8:2, 8:29, 9:39, 9:42, 10:20, 11:24, 11:26, 13:11.
Mth 8:16 demons and spirits here equated
Luk 24:37, 39 disciples terrified, think they see a spirit, Jesus proves he’s not a spirit
Acts 5:16, 8:7, 16:16, 16:18, 19:12, 19:13, 19:15, 19:16. 2 Cor 11:4, 1 Jhn 4:1,3, Rev 16:13, 16:14 (spirits of the devils), Rev 18:2.
Eph 2:2 spirit now at work in children of disobedience
0 verses refer to Satan
47 verses refer to evil spirits
G32 ‘aggelos’ angel, messenger, demons
Evil angels
Mth 25:41 fire prepared for the devil and his angels
Rom 8:38 Paul: neither angels, principalities, powers, things present, …
2 Cor 11:14* deceptive apostles,even Satan transformed into an angel of light
2 Cor 12:7 Paul’s thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me
Gal 1:8 but even if we, or an angel from heaven should preach another gospel
2 Pet 2:4 God didn’t spare angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell
Jud 1:6* angels that didn’t keep their 1st state > everlasting chains, darkness
Rev 9:11* angel of the bottomless pit “Abaddon” / “Apollyon”
Rev 12:7 Michael and his angels fights against the Devil and his angels
Rev 12:9 Satan and his angels cast out of heaven unto earth
Unclear or unimportant whether good or bad angels
Acts 23:8 Sadducees deny resurrection, angel, spirit, Pharisees believe in both
1 Tim 3:16 mystery of godliness … seen of angels, preached unto Gentiles
1 Pet 3:22 Jesus … angels, authorities, powers made subject to him
1 Cor 4:9 apostles are made a spectacle to the world, angels, men
1 Cor 6:3 Paul to Corinthians: we shall judge angels
1 Cor 11:10 woman should have power on her head, because of the angels
Col 2:18 Deception of self-abasement, worship of angels
2 Pet 2:11 angels do not bring accusation against them before the Lord
max. 3 verses* refer to Satan
another 7 verses refer to evil spirits
another 8 verses refer to all powers (good or bad)
G746 ‘arche’ principality, magistrate (human), powers (human&other), principa- lities (human & other), beginning (of writing, creation, sorrows, ministry …), principles, Jesus, corner of sheet
Rom 8:38 nothing (principality, power, …) can separate us from the love of God
1 Cor 15:24 Jesus will destroy ever ruler, principalities, powers, then hand all to God
Eph 1:21 Jesus is far above all principality and power
Eph 3:10 principalities & powers will know by church the manifold wisdom of God
Eph 6:12 we wrestle against principalities, powers, rulers of darkness
Col 1:16 in Jesus all things created, thrones, dominions, principalities, powers
Col 2:10 you are complete in him who is the head of all principality and power
Col 2:15 Jesus spoiled principalities and powers, triumphing over them
8 verses refer to or at least including Satan
same 8 verse refer to evil spirits
G1411 ‘dunamis’ powers, mighty works, miracles, power of God / Jesus / Holy Spirit, God, powers of heavens, ability, virtue, authority, strength, might, violence, meaning
Rom 8:38 neither angels, principalities, powers can keep us from the love of God
Eph 1:21 Christ raised, seated far above all principality, power, might, dominion
1 Pet 3:22 all powers are made subject to Jesus
3 verses refer to or at least include Satan
same 3 verses refer to evil spirits
Conclusion about Occurrences
| OT | OT including King of Babylon & Tyre | NT | Total all included | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Satan | 18 | 55 | 48 | 103 |
| Evil spirits | 30 | 30 | 138 | 168 |
| Together | 48 | 85 | 186 | 271 |
- Even when generously including the references where good or evil spirit is not distinguished and the passages about the King of Babylon and the King of Tyre the total is a meager 271 verses, and that includes all miracles of Jesus and the apostles!
- Assuming about 30 verses per page (prose usually 40, poetry usually 20), this means not even 10 pages of the entire Bible is about this, that is: not even 1 %.
- In the Bible Satan and evil spirits are real, present, mentioned, but by no means focused on, thought the main problem or majored on in any way.
- So the urgent question is: what are the remaining 1000 pages of the Bible about?
- I suggest the answer is a topic we are blind to while totally over-focusing on Satan: the importance of human choice.
- The Bible contains 1595 verses that contain the word ‘if’. The Bible is full of ‘if … then’ statements, all focusing on human choice, explaining to us the power, the consequences and the importance of our choices.
“See, I have set before you today life and prosperity, death and adversity. 16 If you obey the commandments of the LORD … then you shall live and become numerous, and the LORD your God will bless you in the land that you are entering to possess. 17 But if your heart turns away and you do not hear, but are lead astray to bow down to other gods and serve them, 18 I declare to you today that you shall perish; you shall not live long in the land … today … I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Choose life so that you and your descendants may live” (Deu 30:15-19).
- How much more clear can it be? Human choice is the decisive factor.
Teaching about Satan in the Old Testament
- So from those meager 18 verses about Satan in the OT, what can we learn?
Genesis
Gen 3:1 “Now the serpent was more crafty than any other wild animal that the LORD God had made”
- In Gen 3:1, we find Satan, called an animal, using the appearance of an animal, yet talking, called “made by God” and already evil.
- Gen 3:1 calls Satan ‘made by God’, and Col 1:15-17 says that all things came into existence by Jesus > Satan is therefore clearly made by God, a simple created being.
- Did God create anything evil? No, for whoever makes evil or does evil is evil. But why then is Satan both created by God and evil in Gen 3?
- Satan turned evil. This must have happened between Gen 1:1 and Gen 3:1, though the Bible doesn’t record the event. This shows that God created not only humans with freedom of choice but also the angels, among them Satan.
- There must have been a ‘rebellion against God’ by Satan (and some angels) before Gen 3 ever happened. The Bible doesn’t major on this, but it is true by implication.
Gen 3:1-2
“He said to the woman, “Did God say, ‘You shall not eat from any tree in the garden’?
- Satan is sowing doubt (did he really say?)
- bringing confusion (from any tree?)
- attacking God’s character or goodness (is He not a bit harsh? does he not want you to have good things?)
- tempting to ungratefulness (Look at what you don’t have!)
- tempting to self-pity (poor you! nobody has your best interest in mind)
- tempting to mistrust (if you want good things, you have to get them for yourself!)
- tempting to trust in Satan (I will give you what you need!)
- tempting to doubt God’s word and character
- tempting to disobey God’s command
- Satan’s strategy or ways are: Lies, confusion, temptation, self-focus, mistrust, taking control, breaking God’s command … basically what he did.
- But he does not and cannot force the fruit down your throat. His only power is trying to talk you into it.
Gen 3:4-5
“But the serpent said to the woman, “You will not die; for God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”
- Satan contradicts God’s word directly now.
- Satan accuses God of being self-concerned, fearful, unwilling to grant needed knowledge, stingy, concerned with his power, advantage, knowledge, position, not willing to give all good things to humans, keeping them down
- Satan uses partial truth “your eyes will be opened” to mix it into his lie “you won’t die” to create confusion and doubt of God
- Satan tempts by something humans already have, saying ‘you will be like God’, when they already are in God’s image
- Satan tempts us to a change of trust, allegiance and obedience … from God to him
Gen 3:13-15
‘The serpent tricked me, and I ate.” The LORD God said to the serpent, Because you have done this, cursed are you among all animals and among all wild creatures; upon your belly you shall go, and dust you shall eat all the days of your life. I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he sill strike your head, and you will strike his heel.’
- Satan is cursed for his evil deed in tempting humans. He is already cursed by his choice to go against God and his refusal to obey God.
- Satan will hate humans and battle against humans not because he places real importance on them, but because he knows this is how he can hurt God
- A promise of a Redeemer, Jesus, being born as an offspring of Eve is given; striking Satan’s head (defeating him on the cross) but also being struck by Satan on his heel (suffering death). Contrast of head (important, deadly) and heel (less important) points out that Satan will be ultimately defeated.
- God promises redemption for humans, but destruction for Satan. No repentance option for Satan. He rebelled in full view and knowledge of the goodness and beauty of God. His choice stands.
Chronicles
1 Chr 21:1 “Satan stood up against Israel and provoked David to number Israel”.
- Satan incites David to do a census against God’s will. What is evil about a census?
- It seems to be a military census (males above 20 years old), a show of power, a display of his striking force. What exactly is David’s sin? possibly false security? false dependency? pride? accomplishment? comparison with neighboring states? … already David has won every battle and subjugated all surrounding nations without knowing the number of soldiers, so there is clearly no organizational need for the census.
- The judgment is in three options, 3years of famine on Israel, 3 months of defeat by foreign armies, 3 days of God’s sword, pestilence, an angel ravaging. David chooses the third ‘Let me fall into the hands of the LORD, for his mercy is very great, but do not let me fall into human hands’. David accepts the rightness of the punishment, does not doubt God’s character over the punishment, rather trusts it more than anything else. 70’000 of Israel are killed, not David though, the angel of the Lord is stayed when coming unto Jerusalem.
- Satan has a victory in the sense that David sins and 70’000 get killed.
- He does not have the victory for David repents, the 70’000 die in faith (probably) and the ugly story ends up producing a lot of fear of God. It also produces the location for the temple, the future spiritual center of Israel, the place of atonement, of the presence of God, all foreshadowing Jesus.
Job
Job 1:6, 7, 8, 9, 12
Satan is among the heavenly beings presenting themselves before God. Satan was roaming to and fro on the earth. God addresses Satan and draws his attention to Job. Satan contradicts God’s pride about Job by alleging selfish motives: Job only does this because he gets blessed; if God removes his blessing, he will curse God. God allows him to touch Job’s possessions, though not Job himself.
- How can Satan can come to present himself before God among the heavenly beings? Is Satan in heaven? Yes if ‘heaven’ is taken as meaning ‘spiritual world’ (See SCI 09 – Heaven and earth). Satan is a spiritual being, angels (fallen and un-fallen) are spiritual beings, God is Spirit, so they are all in the spiritual world. In that sense Satan can come before God. He is not in heaven if ‘heaven’ is taken as meaning ‘where God reigns’, for he has emphatically removed himself from under God’s reign.
- It is often thought that Satan has the leading role, but actually it’s God who points out Job to Satan.
- Satan accuses Job of selfishness (as he did God in Gen 3:4-5), he does a ‘Freudian’ on him ‘he only does this for other motives’ (as with God before), he contradicts God, contradicts his omniscience, basically calls him naive and easily fooled.
- God seems to ‘enter the argument’, believes the best about Job and is willing to put it to the test. God is not showing off, nor causal about human suffering, nor ‘willing to sacrifice Job, but – as it turns out He brings greater revelation for all involved.
Job 2:1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7
- God again initiates again by pointing out Job’s continued obedience.
- God seems to admit Satan’s smartness to pull off his will “you incited me against him, to destroy him for no reason.”
- Even though his first accusation has been proven a straight lie, Satan does not humble himself to accept the evidence against him, but accuses further: if Job’s health or life is touched, he will curse God.
- Again God seems to ‘enter the argument’, believes the best about Job, but is willing to put it to the test.
- Again God gives Satan permission with limitation. Again God determines exactly what Satan can do: touch his health, but not his life. Satan has no power outside of that.
- After this, Satan has no other appearance in the book of Job. At the end of the book, it turns out he never was the issue, not the one ‘running the events’, not the instigator, nor victorious, nor even understanding what good God meant to bring out of the story.
- When all is said and done, he had his little pleasure, but he is a non-issue, and defeated. For all involved end up with a much greater revelation and awe of God. And a powerful teaching will go out to help those suffering or doubting to remain in faith and obedience: the book of Job.
Zechariah
Zech 3:1-2
“Then he showed me the high priest Joshua standing before the angel of the LORD, and Satan standing at his right hand to accuse him. And the LORD said to Satan, the LORD rebuke you, O Satan. The LORD who has chosen Jerusalem rebuke you!”
- Again Satan is found accusing humans (here the high priest), he is rebuked by God and again accomplishes nothing.
Isaiah 14 (maybe referring to Satan)
Isa 14:3-25 Prophecy against the King of Babylon
Isa 14:12-23 are interpreted to be about Satan (3-11 are clearly not)
“12 How you are fallen from heaven, O Day Star, son of Dawn! How you are cut down to the ground, you who laid the nations low! 13 You said in your heart, “I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God; I will sit on the mount of assembly on the heights of Zaphon; 14 I will ascend to the tops of the clouds, I will make myself like the Most High.” 15 But you are brought down to Sheol, to the depths of the Pit. 16 Those who see you will stare at you and ponder over you: “Is this the man who made the earth tremble, who shook kingdoms, 17 who made the world like a desert and overthrew its cities, who would not let his prisoners go home?” 18 All the kings of the nations like in glory, each in his own tomb; 19 but you are cast out, away from your grave, like loathsome carrion, clothes with the dead, those pierced by the sword, who go own to the stones of the Pit, like a corpse trampled underfoot. 20 You will not be joined with them in burial, because you have destroyed your land, you have killed your people. May the descendants of evildoers nevermore be named! 21 Prepare a slaughter for his sons because of the guilt of their father. Let them never rise to possess the earth or cover the face of the world with cities. 22 I will rise up against them, says the LORD of hosts, and will cut off from Babylon name and remnant, offspring and posterity, says the LORD, 23 And I will make it a possession of the hedgehog, and pools of water , and I will sweep it with the broom of destruction, days the LORD of hosts.”
- Is this text really referring to Satan? The context clearly calls it a prophecy against the king of Babylon. Some of the dramatic poetic language sounds indeed like this is spoken about a being beyond an earthly king.
- Yet language like this is regularly used about powerful kings, especially ones setting themselves up is pride as gods, and those attacking Israel against the will of God.
- Maybe pride looks very similar wherever found, so a description of an unchallenged human tyrant worshiped as god and a description of Satan would indeed have much in common. Quote of C.S. Lewis: ‘How boringly similar are all the tyrants, how gloriously different are the saints.’
- Is Isaiah indeed stopping in the middle of his far-reaching prophecy about the downfall of a future tyrant to threaten Israel and says: ‘Oh, by the way, I think I’m going to teach you about Satan now’? Context suggests otherwise.
- But let’s say this indeed is referring to Satan, then Isa 14:13-14 are a description of his rebellion, Isa 14:15 is the prophecy of his ultimate destruction as in Revelation. Verse Isa 14:16-23 makes less sense, as it focuses on an un-honored death, with no proper burial and the defeat of not having victorious sons reigning in the father’s stead (which again sounds very human).
If this is about Satan, what are the main points?
- Satan’s sin is pride, self-exaltation, wanting to be like God, rebelling against God
- Satan is brought down to Sheol, to the depth of the Pit. In other words: he will be destroyed.
Ezekiel 28 (maybe referring to Satan)
Ezekiel 28:1-19 Prophecy against the King of Tyre
Ez 28:10b-19 are interpreted to be about Satan (1-10a are clearly not)
“Moreover, the word of the LORD came to me: 12 Mortal, raise a lamentation over the king of Tyre, and say to him, Thus says the Lord GOD: You were the signet of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty. 13 You were in Eden, the garden of God; every precious stone was your covering, carnelian, chrysolite, and moonstone, beryl, onyx, and jasper, sapphire, turquoise, and emerald; and worked in gold were your settings and your engravings. On the day that you were created they were prepared 14 With an anointed cherub as guardian I placed you; you were on the holy mountain of God; you walked among the stones of fire. 15 You were blameless in your ways from the day that you were created, until iniquity was found in you. 16 In the abundance of your trade you were filled with violence, and you sinned; so I cast you as a profane thing from the mountain of God, and the guardian cherub drove you out from among the stones of fire. 17 Your heart was proud because of your beauty; you corrupted your wisdom for the sake of your splendor. I cast you to the ground; I exposed you before kings, to feast their eyes on you. 18 By the multitude of your iniquities, in the unrighteousness of your trade, you profaned your sanctuaries. So I brought out fire from within you; it consumed you, and I turned you to ashes on the earth in the sight of all who saw you. 19 All who know you among the peoples are appalled at you; you have come to a dreadful end and shall be no more forever.”
- The reference to Eden in Eze 28:13 ff: if this is about Satan it would mean Satan’s presence there, tough as a spiritual being he would not be bound to it. If this is about the King of Tyre it would refer to the time when he as a ruler was still good, wealthy, reasonable, just. Or it could refer to the people of Tyre, when it first became a nation.
- Eze 28:13-16 sounds most like Satan
- Eze 28:16 the reason for sin: in the abundance of trade Tyre was filled with violence, pride, corrupted wisdom for splendor. Tyre was an important and protected harbor and its empire was built on shipping and trade.
- Eze 28:17 onward focuses on shame before humans, that are appalled that powerful Tyre has fallen. Tyre shall be no more. This is an accurate prediction. Alexander conquered and destroyed Tyre. The peninsula where it was situated I now only a shallow place in the sea.
If this is about Satan, what are the main points?
- Satan’s sin: comparison with God, thinking having the mind of a god, has wisdom and understanding but used it to trade and increase wealth, leading to pride. He has beauty, but is proud. He corrupted his wisdom for the sake of splendor.
- First he was blameless (created good by God), then iniquity was found in him. He then is expelled from the mountain of God. Satan is cast to the ground, exposed before kings and fire from within consumes him. This would have to refer to his end.
Teaching about Satan in the New Testament
- And from those meager 48 verses about Satan in the New Testament, what can we learn?
Ontology – where from?
- Col 1:15-17 Satan, and all evil spirits were originally created by God and created good. No ruler, principality, power or anything else exists that was not created by God, that is the Word of God, that is Jesus. Jesus is far above every ruler principality or power
Teleology – where to?
- Jesus will spoil, triumph over, destroy every evil ruler, principality, power.
- Heb 2:14 “Jesus through death destroyed him that had the power of death, that is, the devil”
- 1 Jhn 3:8 “Jesus manifested that he might destroy the works of the devil”
- Rev 20:11 “Devil and angels will be put into the everlasting fire”
- Jesus is and will be the head of all ruler, authority, principality, power.
Axiology – is he evil?
- Jhn 10:10 “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy.”
- Jhn 8:44 “devil … he was a murderer from the beginning … there is no truth in him … he is the father of lies.”
- There is no good motive in Satan whatsoever. His real enmity is with God, his only reason to be busy with humans is because by tempting men to sin, he can gain power (for a time) and he is able to hurt God.
What he can’t do
- Neither Satan nor evil forces can separate us from the love of God.
What can he do?
- Devil lies no truth in him, father of lies
- Devil tempts Jesus
- Devil snares humans to take them captive to his will
- Devil confuses sows weeds in one parable
- Devil deceives Satan as an angel of light, Satan as deceiver
- Devil steals the Word of God out of the hearts of men in the parable
- Devil oppresses Jesus’ ministry: freeing the oppressed by the devil
- Devil torments Paul’s thorn in the flesh
- Devil orchestrates oppression shall cast some of you into prison
- Devil gains power if people sin If we commit sin we are ‘of the devil’ for the devil sins from the beginning
- Basically: the devil can talk, but he has no power until a person believes him. His only goal is to make a person agree with him (= accept his lies). If they do, they then can be used by Satan (to a degree).
What we are told to do
- 1 Pet 5:8 “Keep alert … for the devil is a roaring lion seeking whom to devour … resist him, steadfast in your faith”
- Eph 4:27 “Do not make room for the devil.”
- Jam 4:7 “Resist the devil and he will flee from you.”
- Eph 6:11-17 “Put on the armor: the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, readiness to proclaim gospel, the shield of faith quenching the flaming darts of Satan, the helmet of salvation, the sword, which is the word…”
- Most of these are a way of taking charge of my thinking and attitude.
- The concrete picture we get of Satan is one of confusing us, feeding us lies … his power is in us believing him, in us agreeing with him and not with God
- In one sense the great spiritual battle is fought between spiritual forces in the air
- in another sense the great battle is one for the mind of humans: what I will believe about myself, my life, my surroundings, my future, my responsibility, my power
- That is why these commands here are all about standing, holding fast, standing firm, not giving ground or room, knowing who I am in Christ, knowing God’s salvation, knowing God’s word, believing his promises and agreeing with God. If I do that, Satan is rendered powerless.
- Spiritual warfare is to refuse to agree with Satan, to embrace truth, to agree with God. If you do that, his power over you is essentially broken.
- 2 Cor 10:4-6 Commands to “destroy strongholds, destroy arguments and every proud obstacle raise up against the knowledge of God; to take every though captive to Christ”. It’s a battle for the minds of men.
Satan is not all-knowing and often self-defeating
- Think again about Job: God’s power to redeem any mess Stan can create is such that when He is done, the result is dimensions more glorious than if nothing ever happened.
- But with Jesus it’s even more clear: Satan put it into the heart of Judas to betray Jesus – now how stupid is that? If Satan had actually understood what Jesus was doing, he would have tried to prevent him from dying on the cross.
- We need to agree with God and see our lives like this: Whatever happens, whatever happened, if only we let God redeem it, it will become something so powerful (it will turn to gold, to mercy and character, to authority and witness) – that Satan will be sorry he ever did it.
- How do we get there? Stop blaming circumstances and people, and start agreeing with God about what he can do.