The Bible: One Bite at a Time Expository Sermon Series Notes Genesis to The Revelation Sid Galloway © 1999

Genesis 3:1a Satan: That Serpent of Old (Who, what, when, ....)

John 3:13-18 [Jesus said]  “No one has ascended to heaven but He who came own from heaven, that is, the Son of Man who is in heaven. And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God."
The Holy Bible, New King James Version

Audio Tapes #s 17, 18 - Feb 20, 27, 2000         (Notes Updated ..... Feb 23, 2000) Keep checking back for updates !
(Some images are from http://www.answersingenesis.org , by permission)

Review: (Gen 1-2) Creation &

Whether you like it or not, you are in a real battle. You can not avoid it. So remember, this is war, not a vacation. And by the way, the enemy is not your spouse or your kids or your boss. We are to fight FOR them not AGAINST them. The Bible, God's Word, uses three categories to describe the enemies of the Christian: THE DEVIL, THE WORLD, & THE FLESH. Each category is different, yet all three are inter-related. In fact, some attacks can involve all three fighting together against you. In this study, we will examine these three in the order of the devil (demons), the world, and then the flesh, because of the dynamics involved between them.
Keep in mind, that this study is for the Christian (a born-again child of God). The non-Christian has another, awesome enemy: God! COL 1:21 "And you, who once were alienated and enemies". Or more accurately stated, unbelievers have made themselves the enemy of God, the One who loves them. JAM 4:4 "... makes himself an enemy of God". But as we will see as we study the Christian's allies, Christians are no longer at enmity with God.

A. THE DEVIL (& THE DEMONS)
1. A FEW DIRECT BIBLE PASSAGES

GEN 3; LEV 17:7 DEU 32:17 1CH 21:1 2CH 11:15 NEH 2:13 JOB 1:6
JOB 1:7 JOB 1:8 JOB 1:9 JOB 1:12 JOB 2:1 JOB 2:2
JOB 2:3 JOB 2:4 JOB 2:6 JOB 2:7 PSA 91:13 PSA 106:37
PSA 109:6 ISA 14:12 ISA 27:1 ISA 51:9 JER 51:34 EZE 29:3
ZEC 3:1 ZEC 3:2 MAT 4:1 MAT 4:5 MAT 4:8 MAT 4:10
MAT 4:11 MAT 4:24 MAT 7:22 MAT 8:16 MAT 8:28 MAT 8:31
MAT 8:33 MAT 9:32 MAT 9:33 MAT 9:34 MAT 10:8 MAT 10:25
MAT 11:18 MAT 12:22 MAT 12:24 MAT 12:26 MAT 12:27 MAT 12:28
MAT 13:39 MAT 15:22 MAT 16:23 MAT 17:18 MAT 25:41 MAR 1:13
MAR 1:32 MAR 1:34 MAR 1:39 MAR 3:15 MAR 3:22 MAR 3:23
MAR 3:26 MAR 4:15 MAR 5:12 MAR 5:15 MAR 5:16 MAR 5:18
MAR 6:13 MAR 7:26 MAR 7:29 MAR 7:30 MAR 8:33 MAR 9:38
MAR 16:9 MAR 16:17 LUK 4:2 LUK 4:3 LUK 4:5 LUK 4:6
LUK 4:8 LUK 4:13 LUK 4:33 LUK 4:35 LUK 4:41 LUK 7:33
LUK 8:2 LUK 8:12 LUK 8:27 LUK 8:29 LUK 8:30 LUK 8:33
LUK 8:35 LUK 8:36 LUK 8:38 LUK 9:1 LUK 9:42 LUK 9:49
LUK 10:17 LUK 10:18 LUK 11:14 LUK 11:15 LUK 11:18 LUK 11:19
LUK 11:20 LUK 13:16 LUK 13:32 LUK 22:3 LUK 22:31 JOH 6:70
JOH 7:20 JOH 8:44 JOH 8:48 JOH 8:49 JOH 8:52 JOH 10:20
JOH 10:21 JOH 13:2 JOH 13:27 ACT 5:3 ACT 10:38 ACT 13:10
ACT 26:18 ROM 16:20 1 CO 5:5 1 CO 7:5 1 CO 10:20 1 CO 10:21
2 CO 2:11 2 CO 11:14 2 CO 12:7 EPH 4:27 EPH 6:11 1TH 2:18
2 TH 2:9 1 TI 1:20 1 TI 3:6 1 TI 3:7 1 TI 4:1 1 TI 5:15
2 TI 2:26 HEB 2:14 JAM 2:19 JAM 3:15 JAM 4:7 1 PE 5:8
1JO 3:8 1JO 3:10 JUD 1:9 REV 2:9 REV 2:10 REV 2:13
REV 2:24 REV 3:9 REV 9:20 REV 12:3 REV 12:4 REV 12:7
REV 12:9 REV 12:12 REV 12:13 REV 12:16 REV 12:17 REV 13:2 REV 13:4 REV 13:11 REV 16:13 REV 16:14 REV 18:2 REV 20:2 REV 20:7 REV 20:10

2. THE DEVIL (SATAN)

SATAN'S DESCRIPTIONS:

OT Hebrew for "Satan" means "an adversary". When used with the definite article (the), it becomes a proper name: the Satan (Job 1,2;
Zech 3:1-2, etc.).

NT Greek for Satan is used 36 times. It is always used with the definite article except for (Mat 4:10; 16:23; Mar 3:23; 8:33; Luk 22:3;
Joh 6:70; and 2Cor 12:7). NT Greek for the devil (diabolos) is used for him 33 times. It means the Slanderer. Many other terms and descriptions are ascribed to Satan. The following are examples:

- ABADDON & APOLLYON (Rev 9:11) = "destroyer"
- ACCUSER OF OUR BRETHREN (Rev 12:10)
- ADVERSARY (antidikos) (1 Pet. 5:8)
- BEELZEBUL (Mat 12:24) = "Lord of the flies"
- BELIAL (2Cor 6:15) = "without profit"
- DECEIVER OF THE WHOLE WORLD (Rev 12:9)
- GREAT DRAGON (Rev 12:9)
- AN ENEMY (Mat 13:28, 39)
- EVIL ONE (Mat 13:19, 38)
- FATHER OF LIES (John 8:44)
- GOD OF THIS WORLD (2Cor 4:4)
- A LIAR (John 8:44)
- A MURDERER (John 8:44)
- PRINCE OF THE POWER OF THE AIR (Eph 2:2)
- RULER OF THIS WORLD (John 12:31; 14:30; 16:11;
Note Mat 4:1-11 Jesus did not dispute Satan's rule over the world.
- THE ANCIENT SERPENT (Rev 12:9; 2Cor 11:3)
- THE TEMPTER (Mat 4:3; 1Thes 3:5)
- LUCIFER (Isa 14:12-14; c.f. Eze 28:12-15)
- ANGEL OF LIGHT (2Cor 11:13-15)

SATAN'S ORIGIN: Who is he? Where did he come from? Why is he "evil"?

Lucifer was the original Pseudo-Psychotherapist.

Very little is revealed in the OT about Satan. Progressive revelation of truth by God, culminated in Jesus and the completed cannon of Scripture. That is why so much more is revealed in the NT. However, many conservative scholars believe that Isa 14:12-14 & Eze 28:12-15 refer to Satan as the (behind the scenes) spiritual being who controlled the human rulers of these nations. These passages appear to reveal Satan's original role, position, and his fall from grace. Note: God often addressed Satan indirectly through the one he was influencing (Gen 3; Mat 16:22-23, etc.)

EZE 28:12-17 "Son of man, take up a lamentation for the king of Tyre, and say to him, 'Thus says the Lord God: "You were the seal of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty. You were in Eden, the garden of God; every precious stone was your covering: the sardius, topaz, and diamond, beryl, onyx, and jasper, sapphire, turquoise, and emerald with gold. The workmanship of your timbrels and pipes was prepared for you on the day you were created. "You were the anointed cherub who covers; I established you; you were on the holy mountain of God; you walked back and forth in the midst of fiery stones. You were perfect in your ways from the day you were created, till iniquity was found in you. "Your heart was lifted up because of your beauty; you corrupted your wisdom for the sake of your splendor; I cast you to the ground, I laid you before kings, that they might gaze at you.

ISA 14:12-15 "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.

Gen 3:1-5 "Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said to the woman, "Has God indeed said, 'You shall not eat of every tree of the garden'?" And the woman said to the serpent, "We may eat the fruit of the trees of the garden; "but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God has said, 'You shall not eat it, nor shall you touch it, lest you die.' " And the serpent said to the woman, "You will not surely die. "For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil."

Rev 12:9 "So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him."

In an ultimate sense, all sin is rooted in the fall of Satan. From this original rebellion, the world and the flesh have now been infected with the disease of sin (Rom 8:18-22). The dynamics of this infection will be covered in the sections on the world and the flesh.

The Lord God has chosen to limit the amount of information He could reveal about Satan's origin. Therefore, we should be extremely careful not to exceed God's Word, as we study. (Memorize Prov 30:5-6; 1 Cor. 4:6)

Lucifer became self-deceived and counseled himself (self-help) into believing that he could and should have a high self-esteem. The search for significance is sin and is never satisfied, so he ultimately desired to be equal to the most high God in esteem. He chose to love himself more than God and more than his neighbors (man and the other angels). He did not want to have anyone tell him what to do as authority over him. He wanted to decide for him self what was good and evil. This counsel is the heart and core of sin (Jer 17:9), and out of such a heart flow the sins (Mat 15:19) which now infect God's creation. It is the counsel Satan gave to Eve, and she in turn became the peer-counselor of her husband Adam. The list goes on and on until our own names appear. Scripture warns that at the end of this age, these very same deceptive, counseling prinicples will flood both the world and even the church (2 Tim 3-4).

SATAN'S APPEARANCE: Who cares what he looks like?

Far from being the ugly creature of the movies, he is actually brilliant in his blazing beauty. He radiated the light of God's glory through his attractiveness. And he continues today as an angel of light (2Cor 11:13-15), seducing the world and the church through temptations that are attractive to the flesh. Because people think of "satanic" as ugly and repulsive, they often fail to recognize demonic involvement when it is there.

SATAN'S POSITION: Who is he now? Why does it matter?

Satan's original position as the "anointed cherub who covers", was highly exalted. His position was one of authority, dignity, and honor. The NT says Satan is now the god of this world, the prince of the power of the air. He still maintains a ruling position in the spiritual realm, which controls the ungodly, physical kingdoms of the world.
As David respectfully responded to sinful King Saul (God's anointed), humility before God demands recognition of Satan's position (Job 1-2; Jude 1:9; ...). This does not mean obedience to Satan's desire. But it does means that to joke, mock, or ridicule Satan is unbiblical. Our own pride is deceptive, and leads to destruction (Prov 14:12; Jude 1:8).

SATAN'S POWER: How superhuman is he?

Satan's power is great, beyond our comprehension. Gen 3; Job 1-2; Dan 10; 1 Pet. 5:8; reveal that he is able to control and manipulate much of the physical and spiritual creation.

SATAN'S INTELLIGENCE: What does he know?

Satan's IQ is clearly awesome. Certainly his knowledge of the Scripture is great (Mat 4:1-11). He knows his time is short (Mat 8:29). And Gen 3:1 reveals that he is a master of mind control (2 Cor 11:3). This fact is central to the understanding of true spiritual warfare, and crucial to our experience of a victorious life.

SATAN'S CHARACTER: What is the nature of his heart? Why?

His deepest desire is to be worshiped as God. In Isa 14; Eze 28; Mat 4; 1 John 3:8 God clearly reveals the central source of sin at the heart of Satan. He chose to love himself more than God and his neighbor. His chosen desire is to be highly esteemed. This is the root of all sin, which produces the tangled web of sins that have crippled creation (Philip 2:3; Rom 12:3; 2 Tim 3-4). 1 Tim. 3:6 "...lest being puffed up with pride he fall into the same condemnation as the devil."

SATAN'S LIMITATIONS: Is he equal but opposite from God?

Now the good news. He is NOT omnipotent. Nor is he omnipresent. "Greater is He that is in you, than he that is in the world" (1 John 4:4). He is also not omniscient. He makes many mistakes. Scripture reveals that Satan's pride deceives him into assumptions and presumptions. From his temptation of Adam and Eve, to Jesus in the wilderness, to his efforts to form a one-world government/religion in these last days, he has and will fail.

SATAN'S ACTIVITY: What does he do? Why?

Job 1:7 says, "And the LORD said to Satan, "From where do you come?" So Satan answered the LORD and said, "From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking back and forth on it." Satan actively seeks to undermine the plan of God in this world (1 Pet. 5:8). He controls a vast network of angelic and human followers (Dan 10:13; Eph 2:2; 6:12; Rev 12:4,7,9). He manipulates & orchestrates a vast kingdom, which the Bible calls the "world".
Satan's primary activity is to tempt, not force. He is the puppet-master of the world system, but not of the Christian. We'll see why when we examine the Christian's battle strategies.

SATAN'S DEFEAT: When will this spiritual war be won?

The first prophecy of God's victory in this spiritual conflict is found in Gen 3:15, "And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her Seed; He shall crush your head, and you shall crush His heel." One born of a virgin ("her Seed") would one day crush the head (destroy) the serpent. Jesus was the one. He became flesh and was born the God/man (John 1:14). He lived a sinless life and withstood the full temptation of Satan (Mat 4:1-11). He entered the strong man's house and overcame him (Mark 3:27). And His death and resurrection finished the war (John 3:14-16; 1 John 3:8; John 12:31; 16:11; Col 2:14-15; Heb 2:14-15).
"Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, And release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. For indeed He does not give aid to angels, but He does give aid to the seed of Abraham." Heb 2:14-16
Now, the war is actually a matter of mopping up. The ultimate victory is already accomplished. But these last days of mopping up are still very dangerous. The devil, the world, and the flesh are still very active.

SATAN'S DESTINY: What will be the final result?

Matt 25:41 "...into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels...." Soon, the Lord will completely remove Satan and his destructive activity. Rom 16:20 "And the God of peace will crush Satan under your feet shortly."

WHY DOES SUFFERING EXIST?
The Bible's historical record of a real Devil, Adam & Eve, and the reality of sinful rebellion is the only answer consistent with logic and science. None of man's philosophies that reject these facts have been able to answer this foundational question. So, boldly proclaim God's answer!

3. THE DEMONS

Satan himself has probably never directly attacked either you or me.
Since Satan is not "omni" anything, he must depend upon the help of demons & humans to tempt, manipulate, and orchestrate the world system.

The OT used no term equivalent to "demon". As with Satan, God chose not to reveal much about demons until Christ's advent and the NT period. This is interesting, because the ancient world was filled with complex stories and theories about demons that ruled the world from behind the scenes. They were the "gods" which pagan religions feared and tried to appease through horrible rituals like child-sacrifice (for example, Molech, Lev 18:21).

Gen 6:1-5 is seen by many scholars as a reference to fallen angels, who produced offspring through human women. These offspring were infamous for their size ("giants") and for their wickedness. However, this theory about Gen 6 is unsure, because the passage is difficult to interpret.

In the Greek LXX translation of Deut 32:17, "daimonia" is used for "foreign gods" (also Psa 106:37). In Lev 17:7, the Hebrew phrase used is "hairy ones", referring to pagan demon spirits.

In Mat 25:41 Scripture refers to, ..."the devil and his angels". The word angel literally means messenger. In 2Cor 12, Paul's thorn in the flesh was caused by "a messenger (angel) of Satan". In Luke 8:27-29, "unclean spirits" is used interchangeably with "devils".

And in Rev 12:4-11 Scripture says:

"His tail drew a third of the stars of heaven and threw them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman who was ready to give birth, to devour her Child as soon as it was born. ...And war broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon and his angels fought, But they did not prevail, nor was a place found for them in heaven any longer. So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, "Now salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down. "And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death."

And in Mat 12:26-29, Jesus explicitly states that demons are the spirit messengers who do the bidding of Satan:

""And if Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand? ...But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, surely the kingdom of God has come upon you. "Or else how can one enter a strong man's house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man? And then he will plunder his house."

So, demons are the angelic beings who rebelled against God with Satan. They are spirit beings, who were created by God. One-third of them followed Satan (Rev 12:4).

THEY FUNCTION TOGETHER IN A HIGHLY ORGANIZED,
"MILITARISTIC" KINGDOM.

Eph 6:12 "For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places"

THEY ARE NOT IDENTICAL. SOME ARE MORE WICKED THAN OTHERS:

LUK 11:26 "Then he goes and takes with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter and dwell there; and the last state of that man is worse than the first."

Some are more powerful and/or intelligent than others.
Notice what the angel says in the following passage:

DAN 10:13 "But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me twenty-one days; and behold, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me,...."

Questions to answer by further study of Scritpure:

CAN THEY FORCE SOMEONE TO THINK, SAY, OR DO ANYTHING?
CAN THEY CONTROL SOMEONE PHYSICALLY?
CAN THEY CAUSE DISEASE?
WHAT CONTROL CAN THEY HAVE OVER AN UNBELIEVER?
ARE THEY LIMITED IN THEIR CONTROL OVER BELIEVERS?
ARE NT BELIEVERS MORE PROTECTED THAN OT BELIEVERS?
CAN THEY READ A PERSON'S MIND?
CAN THEY PUT THOUGHTS INTO SOMEONE'S MIND?
CAN THEY DRIVE SOMEONE "CRAZY"?
CAN THEY DESTROY SOMEONE'S ABUNDANT LIFE & RELATIONSHIPS?
ARE WE TO FIGHT OFFENSIVELY OR DEFENSIVELY?

*** To fully and adequately understand the abilities, limitations, and strategies of Satan and his demons, we must also have a biblical understanding of our other two enemies:
The World and The Flesh . . . . . . .