If God is good, why is there so much evil in the world?
Astronauts who have seen the Earth from orbit say how beautiful, calm and majestic it looks. How can something bad happen on such a beautiful planet? But, as soon as they return to Earth, they realize that not all is well here!
There are wars, tears and blood are shed. Every day we hear news of new terrible events. This has become so commonplace that we don’t really worry - until it affects us!
Have you ever wondered why good people suffer just like bad people? Why do innocents become victims of crime and violence? Why do good people have such a hard time, while evil people enjoy life? Why do innocent people die due to the fault of a drunk driver, but he himself gets away with minor bruises?
Planet Earth is tormented by earthquakes, floods, fires and other disasters! The number of deformed children and orphans has increased. Millions of earthlings are starving and have no roof over their heads. And people’s hearts are tormented by the question: “IF GOD IS SO GOOD, WHY IS THERE SO SO EVIL IN THE WORLD?”
Is the whole reason only in God? Or perhaps there is another force that opposes the Lord? What is this force called? Where does it originate? What does he do? Will it last forever or will it end?
Only the Bible can answer all these questions.
Does Satan exist?
Yes, indeed, there are opposing forces in the Universe! These are the forces of good and the forces of evil, the forces of heaven and the forces of hell. God is not to blame for the evil happening on planet Earth! God is the Creator of love and blessing. Satan created hatred and suffering. Let us turn to the Bible for confirmation: “God is love” (1 John 4:8). “I have loved you with an everlasting love, and therefore have I shown you My favor” (Jeremiah 31:3). God's love is eternal! God never changes!
The Bible also characterizes the devil: “He was a murderer from the beginning and did not stand in the truth, for there is no truth in him; When he speaks a lie, he speaks his own way, for he is a liar and the father of lies” (John 8:44).
You and I are in the center of a cosmic drama - a conflict between power and lawlessness, between the Creator and Satan, the fallen angel.
We are not spectators, but participants in the action, because we are involved in this struggle - whether we like it or not.
Believing that Satan is just a myth or a phenomenon leaves us completely unprepared to face the intelligent being that he truly is. The Apostle John in Revelation 12:12 empathizes with us: “Woe to those who dwell on the earth... for the devil has come down to you in great wrath, knowing that he has not much time left.”
Ap. Peter compares him to a roaring lion: “Be sober and watchful, for your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8).
Is God the creator of Satan?
We need to know: WHO IS SATAN, WHAT IS SATAN, AND WHERE DOES IT COME FROM? Jesus himself answers this question:
“I saw Satan fall from heaven” (Luke 10:18).
The devil lived in heaven! Incredible, but it's a fact! Holy Scripture reveals to us the most tragic story. Satan, or Lucifer (“light-bringer”), as he was formerly called, was a beautiful and powerful heavenly angel. So why did he give in to sin?
Lucifer held the highest position among the heavenly angels. “You were an anointed cherub to overshadow, and I appointed you for this purpose; you were on the holy mountain of God, walking among the fiery stones. You were perfect in your ways from the day you were created, until iniquity was found in you... Your heart was lifted up because of your beauty, and because of your vanity you destroyed your wisdom” (Ezekiel 28:14-17).
This beautiful and wise angel desired the glory and honor that belongs only to God. He craved power. This created angel wanted to rule the Universe himself instead of the Creator!
“And I said in my heart: “I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God, and I will sit on the mountain in the assembly of gods, on the edge of the north; I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the Most High” (Isaiah 14:13-14).
Shortly before this, Lucifer began to spread a spirit of discontent among the angels. He began to insidiously destroy the love and justice with which the Lord ruled the Universe!
How did our world become subject to sin?
Planet Earth has just emerged from the hands of the Creator in all its splendor and perfection. A perfect world and in it two perfect people - Adam and Eve, to whom God gave dominion over this world. After observing the first couple in their genuine love and perfect joy, Satan planned to lead them into doubt and rebellion against God.
God told Adam and Eve about His difficulty with Satan and warned against his tricks.
Created with free will and freedom of choice, they were free to choose to love God and follow Him, or to ignore His instructions. Their loyalty was tested.
God placed a special tree in the middle of paradise and gave the following instruction and warning: “But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, you shall not eat from it; For in the day that you eat of it, you will die” (Genesis 2:17).
People could eat fruit from all the trees in the huge garden - except one. And this requirement was not difficult. Human faith, love, devotion and obedience were tested by such a simple means.
A person is most vulnerable when he is taken by surprise. This is exactly what happened to the first people. Satan used his supernatural power to deceive them. The Prince of Darkness does not always approach openly, and, acting with flattery and cunning, he seduced the first couple. By disobeying God, they lost everything: happiness, perfect love, fellowship with God, their home and dominion over the Earth.
Free man or slave?
As we read the third chapter of Genesis, we ask the question: “Why did God, knowing the danger of the Fall, allow Satan to tempt man?”
He allowed this, wanting man to love Him with all his mind and consciously respond to His love. The first people on earth were faced with a choice: to listen to God or to succumb to the flattering words of the tempter? What will they choose? The entire Universe watched with bated breath.
And they made a choice, alas, not in favor of good. If God were to give man a difficult test, one might doubt His intention. The very ease of the prohibition made the sin great. By sinning, Adam and Eve lost their given dominion, and Satan became “the prince of this world” (John 12:31). And to this day he constantly tempts a person who has become a slave to his own sin.
Since then, everything bad has come: illness, quarrels, confusion, despair, fear, death. After the Fall, God appeared to Adam and said: “Cursed is the earth for your sake; in sorrow you will eat from it all the days of your life. It will bring forth thorns and thistles for you...By the sweat of your brow you will eat bread until you return to the ground from which you were taken; For you are dust, and to dust you will return” (Genesis 3:17-19).
They failed God's test. From masters they turned into slaves: “Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are slaves…” (Romans 6:16).
Why didn't God destroy the devil right away?
Before Lucifer's rebellion against God, there was no lie or deception. The idea of telling a lie never occurred among the angels. When Lucifer began to accuse God, slandering Him, the other angels could not understand that this was a sin. For their sake, the Lord could not destroy the first sinner without first showing the full severity of his sin.
God might declare that Satan is a deceiver, a liar, a thief, a destroyer, and a murderer. But the angels created by the Lord had to understand this themselves. The Creator determined the time at which evil was to reveal itself to the end.
Satan showed his hatred of God at the birth of Jesus, influencing the jealous mind of King Herod, prompting him to destroy the Child in Bethlehem. But it was not enough for Herod to take the life of Jesus alone; he put to death many infants under the age of two. This is the handwriting of Satan: hatred, malice, violence, murder... But Satan’s plan failed: Christ remained alive.
Satan does not calm down and continues to look for an opportune moment for his dirty deed. After baptism, the devil, masquerading as a Heavenly Angel, approached Christ in the desert. Satan could have received an eternal inheritance on earth if he had managed to in any way prevent Christ from fulfilling His mission of saving sinful people. But Christ triumphed over all temptations.
The defeated Satan left, but not for long. He returned - Calvary followed. All his strength was aimed at preventing Christ from restoring the dominion lost to man. This was the last chance for survival for a person.
In the end, Satan managed, through treachery, to betray Christ into the hands of a bloodthirsty crowd, and He died on Calvary. God gave His Son, and the Son gave His life, to change our destiny. Contemplating the Cross of Calvary, the entire Universe saw that Satan is the source of lies and a murderer. His essence was finally revealed when he brought about the death of the innocent Son of God. The cross revealed another truth to everyone: Christ is the Savior of our world.
About His death on the cross, which brought salvation to people, Jesus said: “Now is the judgment of this world; now the prince of this world will be cast out; and when I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw everyone to Me. These things He spoke, indicating by what kind of death He would die” (John 12:31-32).
Satan directs all his efforts to the destruction of those for whom Jesus accepted death on the cross of Calvary, and Christ died for everyone: “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life "(John 3:16). The Word of God says, “The devil has come down to you in great wrath, knowing that he has not much time left” (Revelation 12:12).
Great is Satan's hatred of God, His followers and every righteous law. Without even a drop of love and compassion, he forces a person to endure physical, mental and spiritual torture.
But God is stronger than Satan - He won. And He gives us the assurance: “For I am the Lord your God; I hold you by your right hand, I say to you: “Do not be afraid, I will help you” (Isaiah 41:13).
To repel all the attacks of Satan, strength is needed, it is hidden in God. You can ask Him for help in simple words, for example, like this: “Dear Heavenly Father, I thank You for the victory that the Son of God won over Satan in this world. I thank You for the promise that Jesus will give me victory over the devil and my sinful life. I thank you that you hear my prayer. In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen".
Thinking out loud:
The source of goodness is God: “God is love” (1 John 4:8).
The source of evil is Satan: “He was a murderer from the beginning and did not stand in the truth, for there is no truth in him; When he speaks a lie, he speaks his own way, for he is a liar and the father of lies” (John 8:44).
The origin of evil took place in heaven: “And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought against them” (Revelation 12:7). Christ said, “I saw Satan fall from heaven” (Luke 10:18).
The cause of Lucifer's fall is pride: "Thy beauty made thy heart proud" (Ezekiel 28:17).
The devil led the first people on earth into sin. He still seeks his victims today: “Be sober and watchful, for your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8).
Quick question: Who is Satan? – And the short answer: Jesus gave two titles - “the prince of this world” (John 14:30) and “the enemy of man” (Matthew 13:28).
2. But many believe that Satan is the enemy of God.
- This is not in the Bible. This idea is not biblical.
3. Is it true that God gave the earth to Adam, and he, having sinned, gave it to Satan?
– The idea is not biblical. God handed over to Adam, first of all, the world of Paradise, and if the mechanism of transferring rights to Satan had actually been implemented, the latter would have taken possession of the heavenly abode. The Bible reports something else: after the sin, the Lord himself disposed of both Paradise and earth. And if today Satan enjoys the rights of a prince on earth, then this is God’s will.
4. Sometimes they write that Satan appropriated the title of prince of this world to himself!
– There is no such thing in the Bible, and to think so means to believe that God has no order. It should be remembered that in the world created by God, only what happens is what God allows, and if Satan really uses the enormous rights of the prince, it means that God needs it.
5. They write that there is a great struggle going on in the world.
– Yes, there is a spiritual struggle going on in the world, and the field of this battle is human hearts. The struggle is between the forces that encourage a person to do good and the forces that tempt him with sinful temptations.
6. But why does God need this struggle?
– The Bible teaches that God is not a dictator in relation to people, He gives everyone the right to choose – to fulfill His commandments, or not to fulfill them. Two opposing forces offer a person one or the other path. Only those who honorably pass through the crucible of all kinds of temptations and pass through the narrow gate will inherit eternal life.
6. Is it true that behind the first forces is God, and behind the second is Satan?
– Neither Jehovah nor Jesus spoke about any “great controversy” between God and Satan. Such a belief actually calls into question the omnipotence of the Creator. In the Bible, the following phrases appear many times: “God spoke, and it became so.” But with Satan, according to some beliefs, everything is not so. God seems to be at war with a supposedly fallen angel, but Satan’s position really does not change at all. Judging by the number of human sins, Satan is in active form. Let's look around: the overwhelming number of people do not even rush to God! If you believe that it is God himself who fights with Satan, then this means that it is as if God is losing this fight, and losing to his angel?!?
7. But who stands on both sides of the “barricades”?
– Let us repeat: everything in the world is determined by God Himself, which means that He determined both the fighting sides. Indeed, Satan represents one side, and who represents the other, the Bible does not cover this issue. Some believe that these are guardian angels. And the fact that today the majority of people follow Satan does not mean that God is ineffective, but that He allows only the most suitable ones into His gates, who were able to melt down during this spiritual struggle. He does not need spiritual “idlers” or “bullies”.
9. In the books they write that Jesus was tempted by Satan according to his own evil will!
– But the Bible tells a different story. Evangelist Matthew (4:1) writes unequivocally: “Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.” So who led Jesus into the wilderness? By God's Spirit. For what? For temptation from Satan. That is, God decided to carry out this test - before the Son entered into ministry. The word temptation, as you know, means test, test, test.
10. But the evil will of Satan is spoken of in 1 Chronicles 21:1: “And Satan rose up against Israel, and stirred up David to number the Israelites.”
– Let’s compare this text with the parallel one – 2 Samuel 24:1. “The wrath of the Lord was kindled again against the Israelites, and it stirred up David in them to say: Go, number Israel and Judah.” It turns out that Satan rose up against Israel because the wrath of the Lord again kindled against the Israelites. God got angry, made a decision and... Satan carried it out. By the way, the Bible repeatedly tells us that God made “tough” decisions, and entrusted their execution to his angels, for example, the destroyer (Ex. 12:23), the lying spirit (1 Kings 22:22). Another example: “The troublemaker seeks only evil; therefore a cruel angel will be sent against him” (Prov. 17:11). There are, God has angels specialized for temptation and reward!
11. All the major churches agree that the prophecies about the kings of Tire and Babylon simultaneously refer to Satan, and there he is shown as an arrogant rebel against God.
– Yes, the churches attribute these prophecies to Satan, but there is no such thought in the Bible itself. The prophecies about the kings of Tire and Babylon were first forwarded to Satan by the church fathers only in the 3rd century after Christ. Bl. Augustine denied the connection of these prophecies with Satan, but they did not listen to him. In fact, an ordinary angel, who is not “more powerful” than the angel of the Destroyer or the Lie, has been elevated to the level of a powerful adversary of God. And in the Bible there is not a single episode in which Satan did anything against the will of God. Let's read Luke 10:17: “The disciples said to Jesus with joy: “The demons are subject to us in Your name.” Even to the disciples, at the mere mention of the name of Jesus, the demons obeyed! Moreover, demons could not even incarnate into pigs without God's consent. And Job says that Satan sought permission for every step and punctually carried out everything that God said.
12. And some believe that God knew that Job was faithful to Him, and agreed in order to humiliate Satan.
- God! Forgive our wingless thinking! After all, you are credited with the “technology” of a communal apartment - how can I humiliate this nasty neighbor? It’s better to pay attention to the beginning of the conversation! God was keenly interested in the affairs of Satan - where he was, what he saw... Answering Job’s questions about the causes of the misadventures, the Lord did not refer to the fact that all the troubles were organized by Satan. No, Almighty God has shown this time that He alone resolves issues of both blessings and suffering.
13. But the Apostle Paul in the First Epistle to Timothy (3:6) wrote about ministers: “He [must not] be one of the new converts, lest he become proud and fall into condemnation with the devil.” That is, he wrote that Satan fell into condemnation, didn’t he?
– This is an example of how sometimes people make translations “for themselves.” Bishop Cassian translated this passage differently: “so that, having become proud, he would not fall under the judgment of the devil.” This text more accurately expresses the views held by the apostle (compare 1 Timothy 3:7). After all, he used this spirit so that backslidden people could later turn to God (1 Cor. 5:3-5; 1 Tim. 1:20).
14. Some argue that after the fall of Adam, people live under the curse of Satan.
- They approve. The Bible says that God cursed people for their first sin, and this – God’s – curse is still in effect today. But Satan did NOT curse anyone at all.
15. But believers believe that even at the dawn of mankind, God cursed Satan, who took the form of a serpent!
– Let’s be precise: the one God cursed was the snake, and the curse is still in effect: snakes move on the ground on their bellies and sting a person in the leg; Most people are terribly afraid of them and, when they see them, try to kill them by crushing their heads. But the Bible does not say that God cursed Satan. Do you believe that after being cursed, Satan moves on his belly?!
16. But in Revelation the “ancient serpent” and Satan are presented as one entity.
– Apparently, this is not entirely true. Much later than the first sin, in Job, it is shown that God calmly listened to Satan, gave him permission, and set restrictions. That is, by this time God clearly did not curse Satan. It can be assumed that before the first sin, Satan tempted the serpent and managed to instill in him daring thoughts, and he was already tempting with the words of Satan, and therefore John united Satan and the serpent. One way or another, we will believe the Bible: Eve was tempted by a serpent, and it was him who God cursed.
17. Did Jesus defeat Satan at Calvary?
- In a sense, yes. But not in the sense that they usually want to put into these words. Jesus said, “I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). He “was tempted as we are, but sinned not” (Heb. 4:15, modern translation), and the prince of this world had nothing in Him. In this sense, Jesus won: he resisted temptations, did not succumb to them, and walked His path to the end. But Satan is not destroyed. Now every disciple of Christ must repeat the victory and feat of Jesus: submit to God and resist the devil so that he runs away.
18. What then does 1 John 3:8 say: “For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, to destroy the works of the devil”? And: “And since the children share in flesh and blood, He also took part in it, so that by death He might destroy the one who had the power of death, that is, the devil” (Heb. 2:14)?
– It is clear here that we are talking about victory over the works of the devil, and not over Satan himself. What are the works of the devil? Lead astray, make you sin. But Christ gave us the Spirit so that we could resist the devil. Jesus walked His Path, showing that this is possible for us too. “For just as He Himself suffered when He was tempted, He is able to help those who are tempted” (Heb. 2:18). Thus, He reduced the “effect” of the tempter’s work. Jesus also showed the goal - the Kingdom of Heaven and the life of the next century through His resurrection. Therefore, the fear of death has now disappeared, and those who were enslaved by the fear of death have gained a future and new strength.
19. But Jesus, when the 70 He sent returned, said (Luke 10:18): “I saw Satan fall from heaven like lightning.”
– The Bible does not report that there were any collisions in the sky at that time. It is more logical to assume that Satan was once again in heaven, and then descended to his usual “workplace” of the “prince of this world.” We cannot see such “flights,” but Jesus saw them. Perhaps the “prince of this world” turned out to be seriously concerned about the relentless activity of the 70 disciples, so he hastened to put more effort into his “earthly affairs.”
20. Why did Jehovah communicate with Satan calmly, but Jesus denounced him? One example (John 8:44): “When he speaks a lie, he speaks his own, for he is a liar and the father of lies.”
– The Almighty and Jesus talked about one thing – the need to resist sinful hobbies, but they talked about different aspects of this problem. If Jehovah, in denouncing people for following sin, did not touch upon the “technology” of creating tempting situations, then Jesus, living among people, paid attention to who organizes these situations. Yes, Jesus noted that the essence of Satan is a liar. And as such, in order to tempt, Satan lies, and people listen, when there is no need to listen, and they do his works, but there is no need to do them; Satan must be resisted with firm faith. Let us add: Jesus did not curse Satan.
21. They say that God does not stop the activities of Satan because he does not want to scare people: He does not want to be feared because of His power and authority, but is waiting for simple love.
– Yes, some believe that God creates with an eye on what people think of Him. The Bible presents God to us differently. When humanity became corrupted, He brought a great Flood upon them and was not afraid of anyone’s opinion. If His angel began to mock His children with his evil will, God would only think of it, and Satan would end up somewhere on Venus, or even in some other galaxy.
And secondly, people actually imagine God to be indifferently cruel. Satan supposedly mocks people, and God is worried about his “image”?! Do you think about God this way too?
22. So is Satan an enemy of God?
– This is a human thought, it is not in the Bible. They refer to Matthew 13:36-39 – about the enemy the devil, who sowed tares, and also to Acts 13:8 about “the son of the devil, the enemy of all righteousness.” Let's say briefly: here we are talking about an enemy not to God, but to people. Jehovah did not say a single word that Satan was His enemy. Let us remember what streams of angry words the Lord poured out against people when they betrayed their God, but in relation to Satan - not a word of reproach. Jesus said about Satan: “the enemy of man” (Matt. 13:28).
23. But we are children of God! Isn't the enemy of people also the enemy of God?
– What about us people? When a crime is committed, the police are to some extent the enemies of the criminals. But these “enemies” receive salaries from the state treasury. So we are all sinners, and until God’s Judgment is completed, God allows Satan to act in our lives. Yes, today Satan comes to steal, kill and destroy. But with whom does he succeed? With those who easily succumb to the influence of others, they either put carnal pleasures above all else, or grow self-love to gigantic proportions, as well as with those who do not want to think about the future. In a word, through various temptations, Satan identifies those who are capable of exchanging God for something sweet, serene, and enticing. One can feel sorry for such people, but it is doubtful that God needs them in eternity. Will He be able to rely on them?
24. But in “Revelation” the epic picture of “War in Heaven” is presented - Satan is leading an innumerable army against God’s forces.
– The real power of the so-called “enemy of God Himself” is well shown in Rev. 20:2. One single angel will bind Satan without any war. And after that, for a thousand years he will be inactive, “shackled,” but then he will suddenly be released. For what? Obviously, it is by the will of God that he must once again perform his usual work - to encourage those who oppose God to take active action. Apparently, the Almighty will give sinners one last chance - to repent and not follow the tempter.
25. How to explain Rev. 12:7-9? “And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought [against them], but they did not stand, and there was no longer room for them in heaven. And the great dragon was cast out, that ancient serpent, called the devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world, he was cast out to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.”
– This question must be examined in context with others of a similar nature. In one of the following articles we will look at it in detail. For now it will be short. Yes, there was a war in heaven. But let's remember the episode of the temptation of the first people. Satan, as John claims, was present in this case, but God, having punished the people and the serpent, did not show in any way that He had any claims against Satan. So in this case, Satan and his angels were thrown out of heaven, but Satan, as it is written in Job, remained allowed into heaven by God.
26. How can we explain that “Revelation” promises to eliminate Satan at the end of time?
“Those who believe that God waged a spiritual battle with Satan for many thousands of years actually imply that He lost it. And after that he physically destroyed the enemy. Of course, this is not so, which means that the initial premise that God fights with Satan is not true. It can be assumed that God created this spirit only to work as a tempter; After selecting the required number of human souls, Satan will no longer be needed.
27. What is it - it became no longer needed, and it was thrown into the lake of fire? The Moor has done his job - can the Moor leave?
– The very formulation of the question suggests that many exaggerate the importance of Satan. Angels are merely ministering spirits. Some things can serve us faithfully, but when they become unnecessary, they throw them away. Things that have become unnecessary should not clutter up the apartment, and unnecessary perfumes should not clutter up the Cosmos.
28. So who is Satan?
– First, let me ask you two questions. Do you believe that if Almighty God wanted, Satan would not tempt anyone? And one more thing: do you perceive as an edification for us the Bible’s mention that even the Archangel Michael did not dare to pronounce an offensive judgment against Satan? (Jude 1:9-10, Sir.21:30).
And now the answer to your question. As Jesus said, Satan is our enemy; he is a tempter, or in other words, a provocateur. Few people pronounce the word “provocateur” with respect. But they benefit not only the leadership of the state, but also the common people. For example, thanks to their tempting work, the very roots of criminal gangs are often discovered, from which it is mainly the common people who suffer.
This is the same work - only for God - that the tempting spirit does. And with sweet lies, and pleasant temptations, and screaming pain, Satan provokes us to betray Jehovah. As said earlier, God in eternity does not need those who are able to renounce Him. So let us humbly accept the will of the Creator, who tests our devotion to Him at the “hands” of the prince of this world.
My question relates to an article published a few days ago. It talks about how Satan or the devil is associated with the serpent in (the book of Genesis). The author further states that the idea of the "prince of darkness" appeared only in the 2nd and 1st centuries BC, and only then the "prince of darkness" was associated with the serpent.
He also mentions the dragon from the book of Revelation. If this is so, then the idea of Satan is only a later doctrine. Michael Heizer also wrote an article about the absence of Satan in the Old Testament and, in particular, he uses the book of Job as an example. Some skeptics argue that Jesus adapted his teachings to fit the theology of his time. I'm wondering how this can be explained.
There is a theory within which these authors operate. They claim that Jesus and the writers adapted their teaching to the false ideas around them. In other words, they did not correct people's mistakes while they were among them, but used false ideas and their vocabulary to teach deeper ideas. More frankly, this theory implies that there are errors in it. It is dangerous because it undermines biblical authority. Simply put, it is simply not true.
First of all, in response to all statements, I will note that there are doctrines that are less developed in the Old Testament, but are described in more detail in the New. There are several examples:
- Believe it or not, the ideas about heaven and hell in the Old Testament are relatively vague and more implied than revealed. However, there is one very clear description of the final resurrection and judgment in Daniel 12:1-4. When we see New Testament teaching, many Old Testament passages about the final resurrection, heaven and hell become clearer (Ezekiel 47:1-12, Zechariah 14). Not that the truth has changed or that the Old Testament was wrong, but simply that God is revealing the truth gradually;
- the doctrine of angels is proposed and occasionally mentioned in the Old Testament, but is more fully developed in the New.
It can be argued that the idea of Satan is also presented in the Old Testament, but in a less developed and clear form than in the New, just like with the biblical teaching about heaven and hell. It is not that the truth has changed, but that God is revealing this aspect to us more clearly through . Of course, Satan was present in the Old Testament. Claims that the idea of the devil was invented in the 1st or 2nd century BC, or that it was incorporated into Judaism and later Christianity as a later invention, are simply not true. Jesus did not learn from his contemporaries! Not only did He know the truth, but He Himself was the Truth (John 1:17 and 14:6). If Jesus tells us that Satan is real, then he really is. He knows this because He is the Son of God. Satan is not the embodiment of the false beliefs of the Jews in the 2nd century BC.
Satan is present in the Old Testament (book of Genesis) in the form of a serpent. Genesis 3:15 contains a prophecy regarding the serpent and his enmity with the Messiah, as happened when Jesus was tempted by Satan in the wilderness, and including the final destruction of the serpent (or devil) as recorded in Revelation 20:10. Revelation shows a clear connection between the serpent and Satan. They are one and the same.
Satan lurks behind the scenes in many places in the Old Testament, most prominently in Job 1 and Daniel 10, where Satan's angelic supporters battle the Archangel Michael. In Job 1:6-12 we meet Satan named. Facts refute the assertion that in the 2nd century BC. it was invented that Satan is a personal and evil opponent of God and His will, because the Book of Job is one of the first written books in the Old Testament.
So Satan is found in Chapter 1 of the Book of Job where he discusses Job with God. He also tempts David to test the Lord in 1 Chronicles 21:1. Are these references to him more vague and less personal than his encounter with Jesus in Matthew 4:1-11? Perhaps, but they are the same type. The idea is that the New Testament gives a clearer picture of what is implied in the Old Testament. The servants of Satan are seen in Daniel 10:12-21: they are the angels of Persia and Greece who oppose Archangel Michael. If the authors of the articles you cited claim that God has no personal spiritual enemies in the Old Testament, then what about this passage?
Scientists like to make a name for themselves by undermining our faith in the reliability of the Bible, because no one gets any glory by stating the obvious that the entire Bible is inspired by God. There is some truth in what these people say, but there is only a grain of truth there. It is true that the doctrine of the devil/Satan/serpent is more clearly outlined by Jesus in the New Testament than in the Old. However, the claim that this was simply an idea taken from another religious tradition or invented for religious purposes in the 2nd or 1st century BC is outrageous and untrue. The Bible is inspired by God and is completely true. Please do not be afraid of those who would undermine your faith in the reliability of the Bible.
The author of the first article you linked states that Satan is God's servant in Zechariah 3:1-2, doing His will. This is a subtle argument. This Satan is called the accuser and is rebuked by God. This is clearly the same slanderer as in Revelation 12:10 - a deceiver and accuser of God's people.
The author of the second article argues that the word "Satan" in Job 1 is not a reference to someone who is a deceiver/accuser. Indeed? Read this passage again. Is there anyone who does not see Satan here as the person who is the deceiver/accuser (as in Revelation 12:10)? This is a special hypothesis for scientific discussion. You can safely reject this argument.
“And the Lord said to Satan: Where did you come from? And Satan answered the Lord and said, “I walked on the earth and walked around it” (Book of Job 2:2)
To me it sounds like a conversation between people. The author's attempt to prove his point by the use or absence of the indefinite article in the English translation falls apart when we read Genesis 3 or Job 1.
Part of the arguments of the people you refer to is related to vocabulary. They say that the phrase "prince of darkness" is not found in the Old Testament, yet it is found in the intertestament and then in the New Testament. Therefore, they argue, the “prince of darkness” is a later “invention.” This is partly true and does not prove anything. Is the idea of a unique, powerful, personal enemy of God and accuser of His people (Satan) present in both the Old and New Testaments? Of course yes! What names are used for this person is not a significant issue. The spread of many false ideas was facilitated by scholars who argued that there was a great difference in the names by which God was known in different parts of the Old and New Testaments. But the most important thing is that in the entire Bible there is only one God.
“Hear Israel, the Lord your God, there is one God” (Gospel of Mark 12:29)
Yes, He is known as the Father, God, YHWH, Adonai, Jehovah, Elohim, God of Heaven, etc., and He is all God. The accuser and the deceiver, aka the roaring lion, the serpent, Satan, the devil is real, and he is against our love for God.
I reject the hypotheses of these people as refuted by Holy Scripture.
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The Holy Scripture testifies to the authentic existence of the devil. There is not a page in the book of human life on which the devil has not left his tainted and destructive mark. Many outstanding world-famous writers and artists brilliantly and accurately depicted the vileness of the devil in their brilliant works and works, which over time became the property of world art and literature!
When the Pope celebrated Mass in September 2000, something amazing and unusual happened. During the prayer, unexpectedly for those present at the prayer, one young Italian girl behaved, to put it mildly, strangely and inappropriately. How all the Italian newspapers were full of headlines - “A girl burst out with satanic laughter during Mass.” Approaching the girl, the Pope tried to expel the devil from the possessed woman; in science this is called an act of exorcism. But the demon, sensing danger, fell silent, but only for a short time. And then, over time, it manifested itself with renewed vigor.
What happened did not pass without a trace. And in each of us sits that demon who controls our consciousness from the inside, plunging us into sin! However, we still do not believe in the existence of invisible spirits, and yet they influence each of us every second. The pragmatic world, which is already almost very distant from religion, still doubts the reality of an invisible and terrible force. Otherwise, having caught the influence of something invisible, physicists recognize some kind of subtle fields in this, astronomy blames it on “black holes”
As the famous Goethe said: “The average person does not notice the devil, even when he holds him by the throat.” We are so subject to the will of convenience, comfort, and it seems to us that it is very easy and simple to get rid of, to cast out the so-called virtual devil - just turn off the TV, through the screen of which he influences us almost constantly - and that’s all.
Satan is considered by many to be a fictitious colloquial figure. A fantastic symbol and idol of evil. Considering this, they unwittingly become slaves of the one whom they call the “father of lies.” After all, the holy righteous John of Krondstadt subtly and correctly noted: “Stubborn disbelief in evil spirits is real demonization, because it goes against the truth, against the revelation of God.” And in order to save man from the clutches of Satan, in order to bring to “No” all the tricks and deeds of the devil, the Lord came to earth. And there would be no need for the coming of the Son of God into this world, if rejecting the existence of the devil means thereby rejecting Christianity. This is, of course, ridiculous. The many years of experience of every sensible person, common sense, as well as the historical lives of saints and centuries-old folk history confirms to us the real existence of evil spirits. The most important thing is that a person can see all this spiritually.
Superstitious people think that evil spirits are invented just to intimidate them. No, there should not be the slightest doubt that the evil spirit is real and exists next to us. To achieve his goal, the devil will resort to all tricks and inventions, using all his intelligence, talent and ingenuity. The devil, taking various guises, has unlimited opportunity and ability to do evil to a person, to plunge him into sin.
If you think carefully, you and I can testify to the fact that when something like this happened in our lives, when in the quiet moments of our prayer and mental appeals to God, suddenly, against our will, evil, like fire, scorches the soul, for no reason, for no reason evil thoughts and desires appear; Thoughts about carnal passion, lust appear in our heads, our heart is enveloped in anger, long-forgotten hatred for one of our acquaintances appears, some are drawn to commit some sin.
And in these moments a person seems defenseless, there is a feeling of being bound, powerless, a feeling of weak-willed slavery of an evil will... and the explanation for this state of a person is very simple - such a sudden, spark-like and causeless, groundless appearance of evil in the soul, Orthodoxy explains by demonic obsession . And if a praying person in these moments does not succumb to the will of the evil spirit, but resists this with his diligent prayer, his concentrated attention on God, then the obsession and attacks of the evil force will recede, and the person will spiritually rejoice at the victory achieved in the invisible battle with the devil and his demons.
To prove the above, you can cite the following fact - think about it, when you read a prayer in church or at home, you immediately experience some special intervention of an invisible force acting on you. More precisely, you are doing something of any kind, but as soon as you stand up for prayer (here we are talking about people who do not have inner illumination from prayer, about people who are not ready to accept it with all their soul), you immediately cannot stand by oneself. A yawning attack occurs, or a pull towards sleep occurs, and suddenly all sorts of ailments appear, and some thoughts not related to prayer become confused in the head. You finish, you pray - and again you feel as if nothing had happened, cheerful, cheerful. Many people say that it is easier for them to do any hard work than to stand at a prayer service and pray.
Or, to prove the existence of demonism, one can give an example that, for example, slander some person - and this slander will spread everywhere with the speed of lightning. But as soon as you begin or try to attract people to what leads to their pure moral way of life, nobility, it immediately becomes clearly visible how all these invisible forces, with all their talent and ingenuity, are trying to stifle and eradicate the growth of the good seed planted by you . The work of the devil is also shown in the fact that the human heart, unfortunately, is more inclined to perceive and is drawn to everything vicious, base, sinful, but to the holy, pure and sublime, it partly remains deaf.
Well, if you think about it this way, the Devil is a very abstract phenomenon and I don’t think he exists. Well, how can I say this... I'll give you an example. Take the New Testament for example. It has a lot of history, many of which are very interesting. But this does not mean that they actually happened, and the author simply decided to write them down. It seems to me that the author wanted to convey some of his thoughts and emotions, but the fact is that such words simply do not exist in the language, and the best solution was to tell a story, after reading which a person would experience approximately the same feelings that the author wanted to convey. Same with the Devil. Of course, it is quite possible that it exists. But if you think about it, the Devil lives in the heart of each of us. People by their nature are very vicious, greedy creatures, and to describe this, the image of the “Devil” was created. The “devil” is each of us, and our task is to fight him with all our might. I am not speaking from a religious point of view, but from the point of view of an ordinary person.
Proof of the Devil's Existence
Translation of the article by John Ankerberg and John Weldon Evidence for the Devil (original here: Evidence for the Devil by Dr. John Ankerberg, Dr. John Weldon)
The perfume came out today. Through their "channels" they have spoken at public seminars, through books, tapes, videos and even use national television.
Sergey Bodrov Oracle (58465) 7 years ago Does the devil really exist?
“Satan really exists. We must realize that he is as real as God is real and as we are real. Those who teach that the devil does not exist are either ignorant or lying" (ElRay L. Christiansen, "Power Over Satan," Ensign, November 1974, 22).
Satan is the enemy of all that is righteous and the enemy of those who do the will of God. He is the necessary opposite of God. Latter-day Saints view Satan as a literal being, a spiritual person who has no horns, cloven hooves, or tail, and believe that his purpose is to provide the antithesis between good and evil.
And it must be that the devil tempts the children of men, otherwise they could not act according to their will; for if they had never tasted bitter, they would not have known sweet (Doctrine and Covenants 29:39).
Does the devil exist?
“He is the same age as God. He is considered the master of temptation and the initiator of all evil on earth. For thousands of years it has been used as a convenient alibi for slander, persecution and cruelty. Who is Satan really? Is this why we are still horrified when we hear his name? Where does this fear come from?
This is the introduction to an article in the magazine “Peter Moslinters Store - P.M.” (March 2002) on the topic we are considering: “The Devil is a sinister world power”
Appendix - Names of Satan
Who is the devil really? Does it exist? Is he now on the path to the destruction of the world?
My encounter with this cockroach was more than ten years ago, but it made a strong impression on my life. Was it just a coincidence that he was even in church on this day, in my particular pew, on such a pivotal day in my spiritual life? Is it only possible that he was pierced by the holy cross of Christ? Or perhaps someone to the abrupt start of church cleaning that morning with a little dust, disturbing this poor insect from the bed. Maybe it's simple?
The concept of the devil or demon has been around for a very long time and has crossed many religions and cultures around the world. We look for the devil in mythology, folklore, myths, legends, fairy tales, stories, literature, cinema, and, of course, religion. He has been named Hades, Pluto, Pazuzu, Kit, Tash, Dark Lord, Woland, Mara, Rahu, Beelzebub, Lucifer, Shaitan, Iblis, Antichrist, Satan, just to name a few. He is all around us, but he is difficult to define. Many doubt its existence.
I think that what is called “paranormal abilities” is actually called much more simply - observation. After all, if a person is able to accurately determine the emotional state of another person by some external signs, and the other person, in turn, being emotional, is not capable of insight, then, naturally, it will seem to the second person that some kind of person is sitting in front of him. some eastern guru. Perhaps the so-called “psychics” simply say what is expected to be heard from them, or they play on the unconscious, which sometimes produces such fantastic pictures in the brain that you don’t even know where to run from them.
Let me note once again that communication consists not only of direct conversation - there are many other non-verbal signs that can, if not tell literally everything about the interlocutor, then at least reveal several deeply hidden things, which, when they are noticed by a “psychic” , immediately clouds the mind.
Proof of the Devil's Existence
What is truly incredible is not the devil, not the Angels, but rather the stupidity and frivolity of the skeptics and their unforgivable sophistry, of which they themselves become victims. “The devil is a gentleman with red horns and a long tail, but I cannot believe in a gentleman with red horns and a long tail; That’s why I don’t believe in the devil.” This is exactly what the devil wants from them. Those who are fixated on old wives' tales refuse to believe in the devil, because their idea of him is borrowed entirely from these fairy tales. Denis de Rougemont, The Devil's Share. Essay on the devil in modern society.
The Devil (aka Satan, aka Lucifer) in the minds of Christians is the main opponent of the Heavenly Powers and the Lord himself, a manifestation of Darkness and Chaos. The word “devil” means “evil”, “slanderer” (for comparison, “Satan” means “adversary”, “slanderer”).
Devil's Story
When translating the main book - the Old Testament - into Greek, the name diabolos is used to replace the Hebrew satan and denotes a being, an angel, who originally carried out the will of God (“Book of Job”). But later, the angel-like creature thought too much of itself and wanted to worship the angel as God. Over time, in the New Testament, this image undergoes changes and is transformed into an “enemy” - the culprit of all human troubles.
So who is the Devil and does he really exist? A complex question that requires coverage in more than one line of text! From the point of view of believers - and there are many of them all over the Earth - the Devil certainly exists, just like the Lord. After all, this is a opposition between the two.
Do demons exist?
Who knows what demons are? If we turn to mythology, it says that demons are a collective name for certain supernatural creatures, as well as spirits and even demigods. They occupy some kind of intermediate state between gods and people. If we turn to the Christian faith, then demons are presented in it as an evil force that causes significant harm. But there is a category of people who doubt whether demons exist in real life and do not believe in otherworldly, mystical forces.
Ancient peoples believed that demons lived in hell and could not be disturbed. And those who make such a mistake may pay for it with their own lives. Often demons choose a victim and move into her body. At this time, the person completely ceases to control the presence of the demon in himself, and the otherworldly entity takes all the energy of the body, committing unthinkable acts and causing injury to the human body, which is in its power.
He is the same age as God. He is considered the master of temptation and the initiator of all evil on earth. For thousands of years it has been used as a convenient alibi for slander, persecution and cruelty. Who is Satan really? Is this why we are still horrified when we hear his name? Where does this fear come from?” This is the introduction to one article in the magazine “Peter Moslinters Store - P.M.” (March 2002) on the topic we are considering: “The Devil is a sinister world power”
Appendix - Names of Satan
Who is the devil really? Does it exist? Is he now on the path to corrupting the world through the media, drug cartels, heavy metal rhythms, as Christians believe.
Norbert Lith
“He is the same age as God. He is considered the master of temptation and the initiator of all evil on earth. For thousands of years it has been used as a convenient alibi for slander, persecution and cruelty. Who is the devil really? Does it exist? Is he now on the path to corrupting the world through the media, drug cartels, heavy metal rhythms, as Christians believe? Does he represent the invisible force of darkness, taking the fate of the world into his own hands while we don't notice? Those who associate with the devil soon encounter the devilish qualities, the habits of Satan, the spirit of paradoxes, which leads to confusion and draws the person into the mental circle of Satan. (The Greek word devil, from which our word devil is derived, originally meant one who “causes trouble”). Who is the devil? The paradoxical answer: first of all, he personifies the greatest curse that could ever exist in history.
Devil, is there one?
The Holy Scripture testifies to the authentic existence of the devil. There is not a page in the book of human life on which the devil has not left his tainted and destructive mark. Many outstanding world-famous writers and artists brilliantly and accurately depicted the vileness of the devil in their ingenious works and works, which over time became the property of world art and literature! When the Pope celebrated Mass in September 2000, something amazing and unusual happened. During the prayer, unexpectedly for those present at the prayer, one young Italian girl behaved, to put it mildly, strangely and inappropriately. How all the Italian newspapers were full of headlines - “A girl burst out with satanic laughter during mass.” Approaching the girl, the Pope tried to expel the devil from the possessed woman; in science this is called an act of exorcism. But the demon, sensing danger, fell silent, but only for a short time.
Satan: who is he and does he exist in our world? Many people associate the image of Satan with a horned devil with a burning star in his forehead and red eyes, with monsters, dead people, pentagrams, with evil deeds, dirty tricks, monsters from horror films, with indescribable universal fear, shackling the whole body and soul, but in fact everything is not so frightening in appearance, but much more serious in essence: the devil is not a comic book guy, but he is a huge force that rules the world, he can be both a spirit and incarnate in specific individuals , he has an army of demons, service demons and... people who have given themselves into his power.
99% of the inhabitants of the earth in their ordinary, everyday life do not think deeply about whether the devil exists or what he is. And if someone decides to face the truth and approach the problem more deeply, then they go into religion and there they find an outlet, answers to questions, some watch horror films, others go crazy.
DOES THE DEVIL EXIST AS A PERSON?
Yes, but not the absurd, ridiculous monster that people believed in fifty or more years ago, and some in certain church circles still believe in - there is no such thing in nature. The devil is not a “fallen” angel, as some believe. The fact that the devil exists does not raise any objections, for there are many references to him in the Bible. Indeed, Christ was given a special role in destroying the works of the devil: “For this purpose the Son of God appeared, to destroy the works of the devil” (1 John 3:8). The Apostle Paul in the Epistle to the Hebrews: “And just as the children share in flesh and blood, He also took part in the same, that through death He might destroy the power of him who had the power of death, that is, the devil” (Hebrews 2:14,15).
If one tries to compare this quotation with the old Orthodox idea, one will have to face a number of difficulties. For example, taking on human form in order to oppose oneself to the powerful, immortal devil is a rather strange way of fighting him.
The structure of the hellish world Over the past two millennia, there has been a constant debate between people: does the devil really exist or is it just an idle fiction?
Many people, while reading the Bible, often came across the following words: “devil”, “Satan”, “devil”, “devil”, “hell”, “hell”. People replaced all these concepts with the expression “evil spirits.”
Just as on earth there are small and large people, rich and poor, occupying different social positions, so the “unclean” have their own hierarchy.
The most important thing among the “unclean” ones, their god, is the devil, who created this entire “unclean” civilization.
Many people have seen or read fairy tales about the Serpent Gorynych. So this is what the devil looks like.
