Who is Satan?
Some may wonder, “Why would anyone want to know things about Satan?” If one desires to be effective against an enemy, it is good to know as much about him as possible. But the important thing is to get your information from the scriptures. If Jehovah had this information recorded, there must have been a reason. He would not have had something dangerous written in the scriptures. By researching this information, it also gives us an opportunity to understand many passages in the bible more clearly – Especially prophesy for our time period.
Genesis 3:15 “And I shall put enmity between you and the woman and between your seed and her seed. He will bruise you in the head and you will bruise him in the heal.”
This is Jehovah talking about Satan and Jesus. Jesus has already been bruised in the “heal” by being put to death in the first century. Satan has yet to be destroyed. This prophesy can also be viewed on a larger scale. That is, all those who side with Jehovah and all those who do not.
Luke 4:5-8 “So he brought him up and showed him all the kingdoms of the inhabited earth in an instant of time; (6) and the Devil said to him: ‘I will give you all this authority and the glory of them, because it has been delivered to me, and to whomever I wish I give it. (7) You, therefore, if you do an act of worship before me, it will all be yours.’ (8) In reply Jesus said to him: ‘It is written, “It is Jehovah your God you must worship, and it is to him alone you must render sacred service.” ‘ “ (Compare Matthew 4:1-11)
Satan tries to tempt Jesus. All Jesus has to do is just perform one act of worship and then Satan will give all these kingdoms of the earth to Jesus! Satan has this authority and it was delivered to him. It could have been only delivered to him by Jehovah. No one else could have delivered it to him.
2 Corinthians 4:3-4 “If, now, the good news we declare is in fact veiled, it is veiled among those who are perishing, (4) among whom the god of this system of things has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, that the illumination of the glorious good news about the Christ, who is the image of God, might not shine through.”
The “god of this system of things” is Satan. He certainly does not want mankind to turn to God.
Additional scriptures that show that Satan is real and has had authority given to him:
31 Now is the judgment of this world. Now the prince of this world will be cast out.
30 I will no more speak much with you, for the prince of the world comes, and he has nothing in me.
11 about judgment, because the prince of this world has been judged.
The “kingdom of this world” becomes the “kingdom of our Lord and his Christ” at Revelation 11:15 (WEB);
15 The seventh angel sounded, and great voices in heaven followed, saying, “The kingdom of the world has become the Kingdom of our Lord, and of his Christ. He will reign forever and ever!”
Ezekiel 28:12b-15 “You are sealing up a pattern, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty. (13) In Eden, the garden of God, you proved to be. Every precious stone was your covering, ruby, topaz and jasper; chrysolite, onyx and jade; sapphire, turquoise and emerald; and of gold was the workmanship of your settings and your sockets in you. In the day of your being created they were made ready. (14) You are the anointed cherub that is covering, and I have set On the holy mountain of God you proved to be. In the midst of fiery stones you walked about. (15) You were faultless in your ways from the day of your being created until unrighteousness was found in you.”
Although this was a dirge concerning the king of Tyre, (vs.12a) it is referring to Satan having a similar attitude. The king of Tyre did not exist in the Garden of Eden nor was he ever perfect.
Notice how this anointed cherub was “covering” and in the garden of Eden. Translations render this many ways but the principle thought from the word “covering” is protection. Satan was given authority and was charged to protect Adam and Eve – Perhaps the entire garden or earth and their offspring. Similarly, the word “tent” is used to describe protection for man by God’s kingdom arrangement in Revelation 21:3(ISV). This would help in understanding why Satan received his authority of the kingdoms of man as mentioned in Luke 4:5-7. Satan received his commission from Jehovah before he sinned. (Ezekiel 28:14) So it could not have been received from Adam and Eve by their sinning as some incorrectly believe.
Job chapters 1 & 2 show Satan charging that humans only serve God for what he gives them. So, Jehovah allows Satan to test his servant Job but Satan is not allowed to kill Job. So what does Satan do? He strips Job of everything that he has – his children, servants, wealth, and health. And even his wife puts pressure on him to curse God and die! But Job maintains his integrity to Jehovah and Jehovah rewards him. But this account shows how Satan does not seem to care for mankind’s well being. There is no indication that he felt regret in killing Job’s children or servants. The results of this test of Job’s faith in God is in stark contrast to Adam’s testing. Adam was perfect and Job was not. Adam also listened to his wife in being disloyal to God. (Genesis 3:17) But Job did not listen to his wife to “curse” God and die. (Job 2:9-10) Job was also not an Israelite but an “oriental” from the East. (Job 1:1-3; 30:30)
2 Corinthians 11:13-15 “For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ. (14) And no wonder, for Satan himself keeps transforming himself into an angel of light. (15) It is therefore nothing great if his ministers also keep transforming themselves into ministers of righteousness. But their end shall be according to their works.”
This shows us that Satan has ones that minister to him and they pretend to be righteous but they are false and deceitful. Anyone who spreads falsehood would be ministering (a.k.a. worshipping) to Satan whether they knew it or not. (Compare Luke 12:42-48)
1 John 5:19 “The whole world is lying in the power of the wicked one.”
1 John 3:10 “The children of God and the children of the Devil are evident by this fact: Everyone who does not carry on righteousness does not originate with God, neither does he who does not love his brother.”
Although ones may do bad things does not mean that they can’t turn around. In fact Jehovah does not desire the wicked to be destroyed but to turn from doing bad to doing good. (Ezekiel 18:21-22)
Zechariah 3:1-3: Satan still has access to the heavens at this referred-to time. This is just before he is “hurled to the earth.” (Revelation 12:7-12)
Revelation 12:7-12 “And war broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels battled with the dragon, and the dragon and its angels battled (8) but it did not prevail, neither was a place found for them any longer in heaven. (9) So down the great dragon was hurled, the original serpent, the one called Devil and Satan, who is misleading the entire inhabited earth; he was hurled down to the earth, and his angels were hurled down with him.”
At his time, Satan misleads the entire inhabited earth
This hurling has not happened yet. But I believe it will take place very soon. Compare the chapter on when Jesus comes.
John 8:44 “YOU are from your father the devil, and YOU wish to do the desires of your father. That one was a manslayer when he began, and he did not stand fast in the truth, because truth is not in him. When he speaks the lie, he speaks according to his own disposition, because he is a liar and the father of [the lie].”
Some believe (like the Jehovah’s Witnesses) that Satan has good intentions for mankind. And that he is trying to create a government to rival what God could do for mankind. They claim that a question was raised in the Garden of Eden that was a challenge to God’s sovereignty. The alleged challenge / question was that Satan claimed that he could rule man better then God. And that Jehovah is allowing time for wickedness to show the universe that Satan was wrong. This is a falsehood! The answer to this question was answered shortly after Adam and Eve sinned. They were punished, were to die, and were kicked out of God’s garden. Everyone alive at that time (angels and humans) absolutely knew that man could never achieve what he had lost. There was no question to be answered! And if Satan had good intentions for mankind he would have helped Adam and Eve and their offspring as much as he could, including eating of the tree of life before Adam and Eve were kicked out of the garden. But he didn’t. Jesus believed that Satan was real as he stated that Satan is a manslayer. (John 8:44) A manslayer does not try to help man.
Some believe that Satan does not exist. But that is a falsehood too! Just by examining the scriptures presented here, one can see that Satan is real just as Jesus is real. But the biggest difference between the two is that Satan seeks his own will but Jesus seeks his Father’s will.
Satan’s actions are based upon greed but Jesus’ actions are based upon love.