Who is Satan?
Is he real? What is his purpose?
Is there anyone more evil than satan?
What is the history of satan?
This satan bible study will look closely at the person who
is largely responsible for all of mankind's miseries. First of all, Satan was once an
angel. In fact, he was the highest ranked angel of all the angels. His name was Lucifer.
Lucifer means, "son of the morning star". He was
highly favored by God.
First of all, Lucifer was a created being. He was created by God Himself. Colossians 1:16
states, “For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth,
visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all
things have been created by Him and for Him.” We know from scripture that Lucifer had
dominion and authority. This authority was given to Lucifer by God.
So what happened? Lucifer wanted to leave his proper abode as a created being or creature
and become like God. Lucifer wanted to know the difference between good and evil so he
rebelled against God and became the personification of evil..He became Satan. The same
thing happened to man. Adam and Eve were created beings. But they fell from God's grace.
Why? In Genesis 3:5, the serpent (Satan) tells Eve, For God doth know that in the day ye
eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and
evil."
Adam and Eve committed the same sin as Lucifer. They wanted to be gods. Apparently the
knowledge of good and evil is what separates a fallen creature from one who is still in
the grace of God.
Lucifer probably demanded of God to give him the knowledge of good and evil. He probably
accused God of being unfair and holding back information. Reluctantly, God granted Lucifer
his wish, knowing full well what the consequences would be.
Ezekiel 28:11-19 has this to say about the fall of Lucifer:Thus the word of the LORD came
to me: Son of man, utter a lament over the king of Tyre, saying to him: Thus says the Lord
GOD: You were stamped with the seal of perfection, of complete wisdom and perfect beauty.
In Eden, the garden of God, you were, and every precious stone was your covering
(carnelian, topaz, and beryl, chrysolite, onyx, and jasper, sapphire, garnet, and
emerald); Of gold your pendants and jewels were made, on the day you were created. With
the Cherub I placed you; you were on the holy mountain of God, walking among the fiery
stones. Blameless you were in your conduct from the day you were created, Until evil was
found in you, the result of your far-flung trade; violence was your business, and you
sinned. Then I banned you from the mountain of God; the Cherub drove you from among the
fiery stones. You became haughty of heart because of your beauty; for the sake of splendor
you debased your wisdom. I cast you to the earth, so great was your guilt; I made you a
spectacle in the sight of kings. Because of your guilt, your sinful trade, I have profaned
your sanctuaries, And I have brought out fire from your midst which will devour you. I
have reduced you to dust on the earth in the sight of all who should see you. Among the
peoples, all who knew you stand aghast at you; You have become a horror, you shall be no
more. New American Bible
Isaiah 14:12-17 states: " How you are fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the
morning! [How] you are cut down to the ground, You who weakened the nations! For you have
said in your heart: 'I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of
God; I will also sit on the mount of the congregation On the farthest sides of the north;
I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the Most High.' Yet you
shall be brought down to Sheol, To the lowest depths of the Pit. "Those who see you
will gaze at you, [And] consider you, [saying:] '[Is] this the man who made the earth
tremble, Who shook kingdoms, Who made the world as a wilderness And destroyed its cities,
[Who] did not open the house of his prisoners?' New King James Version
Because of Lucifer's rebellion, he became Satan. In the book of Revelation Chapter 12,
Satan is referred to as a "dragon". But what was he like before he became Satan.
In our text above we see that Satan, as Lucifer, had
1. Perfect Beauty - Lucifer was probably the most beautiful creature in the universe
2. Complete Wisdom - Isn't it ironic that both Lucifer and Solomon were wise, yet both
rebelled against God, which is foolish?
3. He walked in Eden the garden of God - This is probably referring to a pre-adamic eden.
4..He was adorned with riches - This signifies that he was was ruler (like a king) who was
given the riches of the land. Riches glorify kings.
5. He was one of the Cherub - Cherubim are associated with guarding the holiness of God
(Gen. 3:24), with the throne of God (Ezek. 1:5), and here apparently with the actual
presence of God. Satan was on the holy mountain of God and he walked in the midst of the
stones of fire, likely references to the presence of God Himself. Apparently Satan was the
chief guardian of God’s holiness and majesty.
6. He was perfect -How could such a magnificent creature become such an evil loathsome
being we now know as Satan? Referred to in Revelation 12:7 as a "dragon" Dragon
is derived from the Greek word drakwn which means "hideous monster or serpent".
Lucifer’s sin lay in his ambition to ascend into heaven and set his throne above the
stars of God and to become equal with God. Beholding his own beauty, a created beauty, and
being lifted up in pride, he aspired to leave the bounds of his proper position as a
created being and fell into sin. Such was precisely the case with the temptation and the
fall of man. This can only happen if one has free will. The will to choose what path to
follow. Because Lucifer was puffed up with pride, then we can see that sin originates in
the heart.
Satan/Lucifer did not want to subject himself to God. He wanted to act indepenently of
God. We see that in our fellow man. That is one of the reasons it is so hard for a rich
man to enter the kingdom of God. He has all he needs for this life and has convinced
himself that he doesn't need God. Was not Lucifer rich?
Copyright 2003 by Gary Goodworth
Who is The Devil, Satan?
The Devil
Introduction
Names & descriptions of the devil:
Devil: Mt 4:1 Belial 2 Cor 6:15 lit: "worthless"
Enemy: Mt 13:39 Serpent: Rev 12:9; 20:2; 2 Cor 11:3
Satan: Mk 1:13 Tempter: 1 Th 3:5; Mt 4:3
Ruler of demons: Mt 12:24 Adversary: 1 Pe 5:8
Strong man: Mt 12:29 Angel of bottomless pit: Rev 9:11
Murderer: Jn 8:44 Great red dragon: Rev 12:3
Liar & father of lies: Jn 8:44 Beelzebub: Mt 12:24
Ruler of world: Jn 12:31; 14:30; 16:11 Accuser of the brethren: Rev 12:10
god of this world: 2 Cor 4:4 The wicked one: Mt 13:19
Heb: "Abbadon" lit-destruction Gr: "Apollyon" lit-destroyer
A. Satan isn't a "red, horned, long tailed being holding fork" 2 Cor 11:14
B. The sinful world is Satan's domain: Job 1:7; 1 Pe 5:8
1. Ruler of this world: Jn 12:31; 14:31; 16:11
2. Prince of the power of the air: Eph 2:2
3. The god of this world: 2 Cor 4:4
4. He promises the world to those who will obey him: Mt 4:8-9
5. His domain is a sinful world under evil power: 1 Jn 5:19
6. God is more powerful than Satan: 1 Jn 4:4 "greater is He..."
7. Satan rules the world through deception and sin, not legitimately by God: Rev 12:9
C. Satan's war against God is for domain or property rights of your soul!
1. Satan gets your soul the first time you sin!
2. God purchased us from Satan with blood: 1 Co 6:20;7:23; Ax 20:28; 1 Pe 1:18; 2 Pe 2:1; Rev 5:9
3. Once Christian's, Satan goes to war with us trying to make us fall away: Eph 6:10-18; 4:27
4. Satan is more at war with Christians than non-Christians. He wars primarily with those not his!
5. Satan schemes to bring Christians under damnation of God: 2 Cor 2:11; 1 Pe 5:8; Mt 13:28,39
6. He sets hidden snares for Christians: 2 Ti 2:26; 1 Ti 3:7
I. Origin of Satan
A. God created Satan:
1. God is the only eternal self-existent being represented in the Bible. Satan is not self-existent
2. Satan must have therefore had a point of origin: Col 1:16; Jn 1:3; Heb 1:2
3. God is the Father of all spirits including Satan's: Eph 2:2
B. Was Satan created good or evil?
1. All God created was good: Gen 1:31. God must have created Satan good.
2. Kind begets kind: God is good therefore He must have created Satan good.
3. Satan, like every man can choose to do good or evil.
C. Indications of Satan's fall:
1. Satan did not abide in truth: Jn 8:44
2. Satan fell into condemnation: 1 Ti 3:6
3. Angels (demons) were cast into Hades when they sinned: 2 Pe 2:4
4. Angels didn't keep their own domain...abandoned their proper abode...were cast down: Jude 6-7
5. War in heaven against Satan's army vs. Michael & angels...Satan cast out of heaven: Rev 12:7-9
D. The Devil is not "Lucifer"
1. Isa 14:12-15 Refers to king of Babylon not the Devil
2. V12: "Lucifer" (KJV) "star" (NASB) literally means, "shining one"
3. Ezek 28:13-19 Refers to king of Tyre not the Devil
4. This is a very common false teaching.
B. Satan has already lost his war against God
A. Historical victories of Satan:
1. Adam and Eve eating forbidden fruit
2. Enticing God's people to worship idols
3. Murder of Jesus Christ: Lk 22:3
4. Every time a Christian gives us on the faith and falls away: 1 Ti 1:18-20
5. Corruption of doctrine: 1 Ti 4:1-4 "doctrines of demons": Today there are 500 churches!
B. Major defeats of Satan in the Bible:
1. War in heaven, cast to earth: Rev 12:7-9
2. Job tests God's wisdom with Job, "you think Job is good, take away blessings...he will curse you"
3. Temptation in wilderness with Jesus: Mt 4:1-11
4. Cast out demons during ministry of Jesus: Lk 10:17-20
5. Sinless death & resurrection of Christ: Col 2:14-15; Heb 2:14-16; 1 Jn 3:8; Rev 1:18
6. Every time a sinner becomes a Christian: Acts 26: 18; Col 1:13 + Lk 15:7 "angels rejoice"
C. Satan was bound by Christ:
1. Ps 72:9, Mt 12:29, Isa 53:10 = Lk 10:17, Acts 2:34-36, 1 Cor 15:25-28, Col 2:15, Eph 4:8, Rev 20:1-6
2. Satan has power: 1 Pe 5:8, but it is limited: Jas 4:7
3. Satan is bound like a Pit Bull is chained to a pole. Powerless unless we enter his "circle"
4. Satan cannot force us against our will or possess us: 1 Cor 10:13
D. Devil & demons know that God has won & that they are damned: Mt 25:41; Jn 16:11
1. Mt 8:29 "Have you come to torment us before the time"
2. Jas 2:19 "demons believe God is united and tremble" (gr: "tremble" lit: to bristle up hair)
3. Mk 5:7; Lk 8:28 "do not torment me"
4. Mk 1:24; Lk 4:34 "have You come to destroy us"
E. Disobedient men will suffer same fate as Devil: Mt 25:41; Rev 20:10,14-15; 2 Th 1:6-9
Conclusion:
A. The devil will attack you today in one of 5 ways:
1. Keep you out of the church
2. Get Christians back into the world
3. Render Christians useless
4. Disrupt or corrupt worship & doctrine
5. Cause trouble & division among brethren
The Profane and Wicked Prince of Israel (Ezekiel 21:5)
The Angel of the Bottomless Pit (Revelation 9:11)
The King of Fierce Countenance (Daniel 8:23)
The One Who Comes In His Own Name (John 5:43)
The Branch of the Terrible Ones (Isaiah 25:5)
The One Who Comes In His Own Name (John 5:43)
The Branch of the Terrible Ones (Isaiah 25:5)
The Prince That Shall Come (Daniel 9:26)
The Head Over Many Countries (Psalms 110:6)
The Son of Perdition (2Thessalonians 2:3)
The Lawless One (2Thessalonians 2:8)
The Son of the Morning (Isaiah 14:12)
The Wicked One (2Thessalonians 2:3-8)
The Idol Shepherd (Zechariah 11:17)
The Bloody and Deceitful man (Psa 5:6)
The Man of the earth (Psalms 10:18)
The King of Babylon (Isaiah 14:4)
The Man of Sin (2Thessalonians 2:3)
The Fourth Horseman (Revelation 6)
The Willful King (Daniel 11:36)
The Seed of Satan (Genesis 3:15)
The Violent Man (Psalms 140:1)
The Adversary (Psalms 74:8)
The Mighty Man (Psalms 52:1)
The Desolator (Daniel 9:27)
The Vile Person (Daniel 11)
The Little Horn (Daniel 7:8)
The Antichrist (1John 2:22)
The Beast (Revelation 11:7)
The Assyrian (Isaiah 14)
The Spoiler (Isaiah 61:45)
The Nail (Isaiah 22:25)
The Enemy (Psalms 55:3)
Satan—His Infernal Majesty
WHO IS HE?
He has many aliases . . .
Liar
Angel of light
Imitator
The tempter
The evil one
Prince of demons
Satan = The accuser
The devil = The slanderer
Belial = The wicked one
Beelzebub = Lord of flies
Apollyon & Abaddon = Destroyer
The great dragon
That ancient serpent
Prince of the power of the air Thief
Murderer
Roaring lion
The adversary
The father of lies
Prince of darkness
Prince of this world
The god of this age
The angel of the Abyss
The oppressor of the saints
The sower of discord
The enemy of all good
The spirit that works in the children of disobedience
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