01.08 Satan
VIII. Satan
There are many who deny the existence of Satan. They claim that what we call Satan is only a "principle of evil." That this "evil" is a sort of "malaria," an intangible thing like disease germs that floats about in the atmosphere and attacks people’s hearts under certain conditions. The existence of Satan cannot be determined by the opinions of men. The only source of information is the Bible. That is the reason why Satan tries to discredit the Word of God. He is not a "principle of evil" he is a-Person.
"Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the Devil, as a roaring lion,’ walketh about, seeking whom he may devour." 1 Peter 5:8. He "walketh," he "roareth," he is to be "chained." Revelation 20:1-3. These could not be said of a "principle of evil." He has many names or aliases-"Satan," "Devil," "Beelzebub," "Belial," "Adversary," "Dragon," "Serpent." He is mentioned by one or the other of these names 174 times in the Bible.
He is a great "Celestial Potentate." He is "The Prince of the Powers of the Air."
"The God of this World" (Age).
I. His Origin. This is more or less shrouded in mystery. One thing is certain, he is a "created being," and that of the most exalted type. He was before his fall "The Anointed Cherub That Covereth." That is, he was the guardian or protector of the "Throne of God." He was perfect in all his ways from the day that he was created, until iniquity was found in him. In him was the "fulness of wisdom," and the "perfection of beauty," but it was his "beauty" that caused the pride that was his downfall. He was clothed in a garment that was covered with the most rare and precious gems, the sardius, topaz, diamond, beryl, onyx, jasper, sapphire, emerald, carbuncle, all woven in with gold. He dwelt in Eden, the "Garden of God." This probably refers not to the earthly Eden, but to the "Paradise of God" on high, for Satan dwelt on the "Holy Mount of God."’ All this we learn from Ezekiel 28:11-19, where the Prophet has a "foreview" of the Antichrist under the title of the "King of Tyrus," and as Antichrist is to be an incarnation of Satan, the Prophet here describes Satan’s original glory from which he fell. There never has been as yet such a King of Tyrus as is here described. The cause of Satan’s fall is given in Isaiah 14:12-20. He is there called- Lucifer, Son of the Morning. This was his glorious title when he was created, and this world of ours was made, at which time-
"The ’Morning Stars,’ (probably other glorious created ruling beings like himself), sang together, and all the ’Sons of God,’ (angels), shouted for joy." Job 38:7.
It is well to note that the one here called "Lucifer, Son of the Morning," is in verse four (Isaiah 14:4) also called the "King of Babylon." As there never has been a King of Babylon like the one here described, the description must be that of a "future" King of Babylon. And as "Antichrist is to have for his Capital City Babylon rebuilt," this is probably a "foreview" by the Prophet of Antichrist, as indwelt by "Lucifer," or "Satan," in that day when he shall be "King of Babylon."
Some think that when this world was created and fit for habitation Satan was placed in charge of it, and it was then, as Isaiah declares, that Satan said in his heart- "I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the ’Stars of God’ (other ruling powers) ; I will sit also upon the Mount of the Congregation, in the sides of the North. I will ascend above the clouds; I will be like The MOST HIGH:" and that it was for this presumptuous act that the "Pre-Adamite World" became a chaos, and "without form and void," as described in Genesis 1:2. This would justify the claim of Satan that this world transfer the "kingdoms of the world" to Christ, if He would only acknowledge Satan’s supremacy. (Matthew 4:8-9.) And it accounts for the persistent war Satan is waging against the Almighty to retain his possession of the earth.
II. His Present Location. The common notion is that Satan and his angels are imprisoned in Hell. This is not true. The angels described in 2 Peter 2:4, and Jude 1:6, as having left their "first estate," and being "reserved in everlasting chains under darkness," are not Satan’s angels. They are a special class of angels whose sin caused the Flood. They are the "Spirits in Prison" of whom Peter speaks in 1 Peter 3:18-20. See the chapter on "Rightly Dividing the Word," under the cause of the Flood. Satan and his angels are at liberty. We read in the first and second chapters of Job that it was the custom in Job’s day for the "Sons of God" (angels), to appear at stated times in the presence of God to give an account of their stewardship, and that Satan always appeared with them. When the Lord said to Satan-"Whence comest thou?" he replied, "From going to and fro in the earth and from walking up and down in it." Job 1:7; Job 2:2. Satan then was at liberty "on the earth," and had "access to God," and was "not cast out of Heaven" in Job’s day, B. C. 2000, and as he has not been cast out since, he must still be at liberty in the heavenlies and on the earth. See Chart of "Satan," page 98.
III. His Kingdom.
Satan is a King, and has a Kingdom. "If Satan cast out Satan he is divided against himself; how shall then his ’kingdom’ stand?" Matthew 12:24-30.
"We wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against Principalities, against Powers, against the Rulers of the Darkness of this World (Age), against Spiritual Wickedness in High Places (the Heavenlies)." Ephesians 6:12. From this we see that his Kingdom consists of "Principalities," "Powers," "Age Rulers of Darkness," and belongs to him, and that he had the right and power to "Wicked Spirits in the Heavenlies." These "Principalities" are ruled by "Princes," who control certain nations of our earth, as in the days of Daniel the Prophet, when a heavenly messenger was sent to Daniel, but was hindered "three weeks" from reaching him by the "Prince of the Kingdom of Persia," Satan’s ruling "Prince of Persia," until Michael the Archangel came to his rescue. Daniel 10:10-14.
IV. His Methods.
1. He Is the Deceiver of the World. By the "World" is meant all those who belong to the "Satanic System," all those who are entangled in Satan’s mesh.
"And we know that we are of God, and the whole World (the Satanic System), lieth in the Wicked One (Satan)." 1 John 5:19, R. V. Satan deceives by "blinding" the eyes of the world. "If our Gospel is hid, it is hid to them that ’are lost’; in whom the ’God of this World’ (Satan), hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them." 2 Corinthians 4:3-4. To this end Satan has his preachers who preach "another gospel." Galatians 1:6-9. That gospel is the "doctrine of devils." 1 Timothy 4:1. He is the instigator of "The Great Apostasy." Peter, speaking of the "latter times" says-
"There shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in ’Damnable Heresies,’ even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. And many shall follow their ’Pernicious Ways,’ by reason of whom the ’WAY OF TRUTH’ shall be evil spoken of." 2 Peter 2:1-2.
These "false teachers" are to be seen on every hand. They are those who deny the "Virgin Birth," "Deity," "Bodily Resurrection" and "Personal Premillennial Return" of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Satan is very subtle in his methods, and if it were possible he would deceive the very elect. He knows all the great Scripture subjects that are of universal interest to humanity, and he is too wise to attack them openly, so he adulterates them with false doctrine. He has tried to rob the Church of her "Blessed Hope" of the Lord’s return by mixing with it a lot of false teaching and "time setting" as seen in "Millerism," "Seventh Day Adventism" and "Millennial Dawnism." To prevent mankind from turning to the Lord for healing, he has invented the systems of "Christian Science" and "New Thought." To satisfy the craving of the human mind to know what is going on in the Spirit World, Satan invented "Spiritism." Satan seeing that he could not stamp out the Church by violence and persecution has changed his tactics and is now trying to seduce her into conformity to the world, and to try to better an "Age" that God has doomed to destruction. His present purpose is to build up a "magnificent civilization," and he has deceived the Church into believing that it can bring in the "Millennium," without Christ, by the Betterment of Society. His hope is that the "Gospel of Social Service" will take the place of the "Gospel of Grace," and by diverting the attention of Christian people to "secondary" things, they will neglect the primary work of soul saving, and thus delay the evangelization of the world, and postpone the Return of the Lord, and his own confinement in the Bottomless Pit.
2. He is the Adversary of God’s People. The warfare between "Good" and "Evil," as recorded in the Bible from Genesis 3:15 to Revelation 20:10, is most intensely interesting reading. Satan tempts Eve. She eats and Adam with her. Result the Fall. Satan to prevent the birth of the "Promised Seed" causes Cain to kill Abel. To bring about the destruction of the human race Satan gets the "Sons of God" to marry the "Daughters of Men." Result the Flood. To destroy the unity of the race Satan suggests the building of the "Tower of Babel." Result the "Confusion of Tongues." But the story is too long. All down through the Old Testament we see Satan at work trying to frustrate the plan of God for the "Redemption of the Race." When the time came that Christ was born it was Satan who prompted Herod to destroy all the male children at Bethlehem under two years of age. It was Satan who tried to overcome Christ when weakened by fasting in the wilderness, and who suggested that He throw Himself down from the Pinnacle of the Temple. The attempt of the people to throw Christ from the hilltop at Nazareth, and the two storms on the sea of Galilee were plans of Satan to destroy Christ; and when foiled in these Satan renewed the fight through Priests and Pharisees, and succeeded at last in getting Judas to sell his Master. Then, amid the shades of Gethsemane, he sought to kill Christ by physical weakness before He could reach the Cross and make atonement for sin. When Christ was crucified Satan thought he had at last conquered, but when Christ rose from the dead Satan’s rage knew no bounds. In all probability Satan and his angels contested the Ascension of Christ, and the history of the Christian Church is but one long story of the "Irrepressible Conflict" between Satan and God’s people.
V. His Doom As we have seen Satan still has his abode in the "Heavenlies" and has access to God. But the time is coming when he shall be cast out of the "Heavenlies" on to the earth (Revelation 12:9-12), and there shall be great "WOE" on the earth because of Satan’s wrath, that he shall exercise through the "Beast," the "ANTICHRIST" (Revelation 13:2-8), for he will then know that his time "IS SHORT," only 3 1/2 years. At the close of the "Tribulation Period," the "Beast" and the "False Prophet" will be cast "alive" into the "Lake of Fire," and an angel from . Heaven will seize Satan and bind him with a great chain, already forged, and cast him into the "Bottomless Pit," where he shall remain for 1000 years. Revelation 20:1-3. At the end of which time he shall be loosed for a season, and then with his angels he shall be cast into the "Lake of Fire" prepared for him in the long ago to spend the Ages of the Ages. Revelation 20:7-10. Matthew 25:41.