CHAPTER 10
The Devil
In the drama of redemption the devil has been the persistent foe of
God from the beginning. One must know the teaching of the Bible
concerning this arch-enemy of the soul if he is to understand the
distressing conditions around him and if he is to meet the adversary’s
attacks victoriously.
Three errors which the devil uses to his own advantage must be
studiously avoided. The first error is the popular belief that there is no
personal devil. The second is that, if the devil does exist, he is nothing
but a fantastic, long-eared, impish, mischievous Miltonic creation.
The third error is that the devil’s sole residence is hell. To hold any of
these views is anti-Scriptural. To ignore or to minimize the devil’s
power is to reduce one’s resistance to his wiles. 1
A. THE BIBLICAL DESIGNATIONS OF THE DEVIL.
The enemy of God is characterized in the Bible in many ways. “He
is a liar, and the father of it” (John 8:44) 2 ; “the prince of this world”
(John 14:30); “the god of this world” (2 Cor. 4:4); “the prince of the
power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of
disobedience” (Eph. 2:2) 3 ; “your adversary the devil” (1 Pet. 5:8);
“the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, 4 and Satan 5 ” (Rev.
20:2).
1 One of his greatest deceptions is simply that we are not or cannot be deceived. The one who believes that he is beyond the reach of deception has already thereby been deceived. 2 He is a person. 3 He is an angel. 4 dia,boloj, One of His personal names – the “slanderer”; predominately, as a specific name for Satan as the false accuser, the Devil. 5 sata,n, Another of his personal names – the “Adversary,” Satan, the enemy of God and His people.
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B. THE ORIGIN OF THE DEVIL.
At least two passages of Scripture suggest 1 the original nature of
Satan and depict his fall from heaven.
1. Ezekiel 28:12-19. These words refer to the king of Tyre, first as
a historical personage, and second, as a type of the devil prior to the
latter’s expulsion from the presence of God. Note the phrases: “The
anointed cherub” (verse 14) 2 , “full of wisdom, and perfect in beauty”
(verse 12), “Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day thou wast
created” (verse 15). But “iniquity was found in thee” (verse 15);
“thine heart was lifted up 3 because of thy beauty” (verse 17);
therefore “I will cast thee to the ground” (verse 17).
The devil was originally a created being of wisdom, beauty and
perfection. Because of pride he was debased from his pristine
position. As the prince and god of this age he is extremely busy
opposing the purposes of God.
2. Isaiah 14:12-15. The fall of Lucifer (“light-bearer”) is here
described. Observe the five-fold occurrence of the words “I will” in
verses 13 and 14. 4 The cherub lifted up his heart in self-will against
God and was punished for his rebellion. “How art thou fallen from
heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the
ground, which didst weaken the nations!” Is not this fact reiterated in
our Lord’s statement “I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven
(Luke 10:18)?” (Compare Rev. 12:7-9.)
C. THE CHARACTER OF THE DEVIL. 5
1. Satan is the mighty enemy of the Lord. Our wrestling is “not
against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the
powers, against the world-rulers of this darkness” (Eph. 6: 12 R.V.).
The devil has unseen assistants.6 As Beelzebub he is “chief of the
devils” (Luke 11:15), whose number is “legion” (Luke 8:30). He and
his cohorts constitute a powerful host.
1 The primary application of these two passages directly regards the King of Tyre (Ezekiel) and the King of Babylon (Isaiah) The reference to Satan in these passages is oblique or indirect, but very definite. 2 Here he is the cherub that covers – “guards” as also in verse 16. The cherub was probably the highest rank of angelic beings whose function was twofold: to carry the throne of God and to guard the glory of God. Satan directly attacked both. 3 “Pride” was at the heart of the Satan’s fall. 4 Isaiah 14:13 For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: 14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High. 5 He is a person and he is an angel. 6 These are hosts (“legions”) of demonic powers of differing rank, order and power. See Eph. 6:12 above. 56
2. The devil is remarkably shrewd and cunning. He is the one who
“deceiveth the whole world” (Rev. 12:9). Paul appreciated his
treachery. “But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve
through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the
simplicity that is in Christ” (2 Cor. 11:3). Satan is a master at
disguise, a “fifth columnist” of the first rank, a fabricator of
counterfeits. (Study 2 Cor. 11:13-15.) 1
3. He is extremely wicked. “He that committeth sin is of the devil;
for the devil sinneth from the beginning” (1 John 3:8). 2
D. THE WORKS OF THE DEVIL.
God allows the devil for a time to do many terrible things. 3 Satan
is bruising the heel of the woman’s seed (Gen. 3:15). He and his allies
stand in direct opposition to anything that savors of truth, beauty, or
goodness.
1. The devil despises the Word of God and is determined that it
will find no permanent abode in the hearts of men. When the seed is
sown by the wayside “Satan cometh immediately, and taketh away the
word that was sown in their hearts” (Mark 4:15).
2. He blinds men’s eyes, that they might not see Christ as their
Saviour. “But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: In
whom the god of this world 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 Cor. 4:3,4).
3. Paul dubs him “the tempter” (1 Thess. 3:5). Nothing seems to
please the devil more than to seduce the servants of Christ. As he
tempted the Saviour, so he levels his attack at believers. He has his
areas of temptation (see 1 Cor. 7:5) and his ingenious “devices” 4 (2
Cor. 2:11). The children of God must not be ignorant of these.
1 His greatest weapon is deception (cleverly lying): “13 For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. 14 And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. 15 Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.” (2 Corinthians 11) 2 IMPORTANT TO NOTE: Satan is not omnipotent or omnipresent or omniscient! He is a finite, created being. 3 Satan is under God’s governance and control. The prime example is his seeking of permission in his attacks upon Job and his family. 4 2 Corinthians 2:11 Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices [strategies]. 2 Corinthians 11:14 And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. 57
4. Satan molests and harasses the followers of Christ in countless
ways. 1 He induces them to become discouraged. He resists them in
their Christian work. Paul, for example, wrote to the Thessalonian
church: “Wherefore we would have come unto you, even I Paul, once
and again; but Satan hindered us” (1 Thess. 2:18). The devil is always
on the alert. He loves to stir up trouble. As a roaring lion he “walketh
about, seeking whom he may devour” (1 Pet. 5:8).
5. In carrying out his wicked purposes Satan often enters into men
and uses them as his tools. Judas’ betrayal of Christ was the result of
the devil’s indwelling power. “After the sop,” it is written, “Satan
entered into him” (John 13:27). The exorcisms described in the
Gospels were necessitated because demons had taken up their
residence in human hearts. (See Matt. 12:27,28, 43-45.)
6. The devil accuses men before God. 2 The apostle John calls him
“the accuser of our brethren . . . which accused them before our God
day and night” (Rev. 12:10). Whenever a believer sins, it is as though
Satan appeared before the court of heaven with the finger of
accusation. In the face of this effrontery the Lord Jesus, our
“Advocate with the Father” (1 John 2:1), pleads the merits of His
wounds on our behalf; the indwelling Holy Spirit convicts the sinner;
repentance, confession, and forgiveness follow (1 John 1:9) and one is
restored to fellowship with the Father. (Memorize 1 John 1:9.)
7. In general, Satan’s supreme effort is directed toward disrupting
the purposes of God. This effort will continue with unabated force
until he is overthrown. Some day, thank God, our omnipotent Saviour
will “destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil” (Heb.
2:14).
1 He is joined in his activities by a host of demonic powers: “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.” (NASB Ephesians 6:12) 2 He disguises his accusations under the guise of being conviction from the Holy Spirit and with devastating results. a. Satanic accusation is an attack upon the person of the believer and results in guilt and defeat. b. Holy Spirit conviction is an attack upon the sin, not the sinner and results in confession and assurance of sins forgiven 58
E. THE SPHERE OF THE DEVIL’S ACTIVITIES.
The partial record of Satan’s works listed above indicates that our
adversary’s area of operations is by no means limited to hell. He does
not hesitate to invade the hearts of men or the courts of heaven.
Assisted as he is by his cohorts of evil, the devil is potentially
ubiquitous. 1 Whenever an opportunity presents itself to incite to sin or
to oppose the good, he is not slow to avail himself of it. As the god
and the prince of this age, he exerts a constant, iniquitous, universal
pressure upon the children of men.
F. THE DESTINY OF THE DEVIL.
One purpose of Christ’s incarnation was the destruction of the
devil. This destruction will be in fulfillment of the prophecy of Gen.
3:15, in which God warned Satan that some day the seed of the
woman, Christ (study Gal. 3:16), “shall bruise thy head.” 2 No matter
how foul the devil’s intentions or how ruthlessly diabolical his
machinations, believers may strengthen their hearts in the knowledge
that some day he will be permanently eliminated from the scene.
Satan is very active indeed today. But his doom is sure, and he knows
it.
On Calvary the serpent received, as it were, his deathblow (see
John 12:31,32). 3 But he continues to writhe, determined to involve as
many souls as possible in his ultimate catastrophe. The climax will be
reached when the arch-deceiver is “cast into the lake of fire and
brimstone” to be “tormented day and night for ever and ever” (Rev.
20:10).
1 Ubiquitous: present, appearing, or found everywhere. NOTE: Satan is not omnipresent. He is potentially present in many places at once through his host of demonic powers. Omnipresent: (of God) present everywhere at the same time. Satan is potentially present everywhere through his host of demonic powers. Only God is personally present everywhere at the same time. 2 1 John 3:8 He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil. 3 The work of the cross has forever sealed the doom of Satan and his kingdom of wickedness and darkness. John 12:31 Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out. 32 And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me. Colossians 2:15 And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it. Paraphrase: He by Himself completely disarmed the rulers and the authorities and removed them from Himself and further, He disgraced them publicly (boldly and openly He placed them on display) causing them to follow behind Him in a procession of triumph (in a triumphal celebration of His victory) in the work of the cross. 59
G. THE SECRET OF VICTORY OVER THE DEVIL.
1. Do not succumb to the illusion that the devil is a mythological
character. 1 Appreciate the fact that he is a person of great power and
malice, that he is intent on deceiving you and causing you to fall, and
that he knows the weakest link in your character. That link may be
pride, or lust, or covetousness, or lovelessness. Whatever it may be,
he is on the alert to break it and to bring you down to defeat.
2. Remember that victory is possible 2 , but that in your own
strength you are totally unable to conquer an adversary who is
stronger than you.
3. Believe that God has made provision for your victory over the
devil. 3 He has given you the example of Christ for your
encouragement and guidance. (See Matt. 4:1-11.) Jesus triumphed
over the tempter in the wilderness of Judea. Through Him you too
may prevail. Further, God has supplied you with all the spiritual
armor you need. (See Eph. 6:11-17.) He has taught you to watch and
pray for strength. (See Matt. 26:41.) He has beaten out for you on the
anvil of His purposes your one offensive weapon, the Word of God.
Learn to wield it effectively, even as your Saviour did. Above all,
God has given you a divine Ally, the Holy Spirit, who will never let
you down.
Therefore, “resist the devil, and he will flee from you” (James 4:7).
Successful resistance is possible. Notice carefully the command
which introduces this text: “Submit yourselves therefore to God.” 4
Only the yielded soul may expect to be victorious, not the one who
tries in his own strength to overcome. He will triumph who remains
steadfast in the attitude of submission, and permits and expects the
Holy Spirit to work out the victory in and through him.
1 Respect his great cunning and power. Be on the alert, but rest in the victory of the cross over him – do not fear him. He is a defeated foe. 2 Victory is not only possible but readily available through the work of the cross and our abiding in the Lord Jesus. 3 1 John 4:4 Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world. We should walk carefully in confidence, not in fear and dread of defeat. 4 The heart, mind and life given to the exaltation of Christ and the glory of God is fertile soil for the wonderful outworking of the victory given us in the work of the cross of Christ. 60