3. Satan is revealed by man’s evil.
I don’t think anyone will disagree with the statement that evil not only exists in the world it’s rampant and getting worse every day. The disagreement comes when we try to decide where evil comes from. Humanists (nonbelievers) have declared that man himself is a god with virtues that will continue to evolve over time so that the earth will eventually become a utopian paradise. Humanists dare not blame man for the evil in the world, or Satan for that matter, because it would destroy the entire belief system they have constructed to deny the existence of God. Just as an invisible God is revealed by the existence of physical man, an invisible Satan is revealed by the actions of physical man, which are evil. We may not be able to see evil spirits but we can know they exist by the path of destruction, sin and evil they leave behind. God and Satan are a matched pair, one good and one evil, on opposite sides of the spiritual spectrum. On earth you can’t have good without evil because Satan is still currently the god of this world. You can’t have God without Satan until God chains Satan in the bottomless pit on the last day. If we’ve already proven that God is real then we know for certain that Satan also has to be real, and vice versa.
Luke 10:18 – (Jesus speaking) – I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.
1 Peter 5:8 – Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.
Ephesians 4:26-27 – Be angry, and do not sin: do not let the sun go down on your wrath, nor give place to the devil.
Isaiah 14:12-14 – How you have fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How you are cut down to the ground, you 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.
We know Satan means “adversary.” Satan is the adversary of both God and man. Who exactly is Satan? We know Satan was known in heaven as Lucifer when he was the most powerful angel that God ever created. Satan became enamored of his power and beauty and in his pride and arrogance he thought that he should be God so he led a third of the angels of heaven in a revolt against God. When God defeated Satan and the rest of his fallen angels they were thrown to earth where we know them as demons. Since fallen angels (demons) are eternal spirit beings that can no longer live in heaven due to their sin God created the lake of fire and brimstone as an eternal resting place for them on the day of judgment. The lake of fire was created for Satan and his fallen angels but it will also serve as the final resting place of all men who reject God’s saving grace. Those who fail to accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior will face the wrath of God on the last day. After the resurrection of nonbelievers on the last day those who have rejected God’s grace will be grabbed bodily by an angel of God and thrown into the lake of fire where they will be in pain and agony for all eternity.
Revelation 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.
Romans 16:20 – And the God of peace will crush Satan under your feet shortly. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen.
Luke 22:31 – And the Lord said, “Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat.
Ephesians 6:11 – Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
Matthew 7:17-18 – (Jesus speaking) – Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit.
Revelation 20:15 – And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.
When God created Adam and Eve the earth was without sin and God gave the earth to Adam as his inheritance. Satan beguiled Adam and Eve causing them to sin against God. God banished Adam and Eve from the Garden of Eden because of their sin and then God took away their immortality. Satan gained title to the earth from Adam and he became the god of this world. Satan introduced sin and evil into the world and as long as the world continues to experience the sin and the evil that men do we can be sure that Satan is real and still with us on this earth. When Scripture says the fallen angels were thrown to the earth that means God incarcerated them here on earth with us until the last day. Scripture also says you will know both God and man by their fruit and the same holds true for Satan. We may not be able to see an invisible Satan or his fellow demons but we can sure track his handiwork (fruit) in this fallen world. There are literally millions of demons roaming the earth bent on our destruction so we need to be aware of it and seek the Lord’s protection.
Matthew 7:19-20 – Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Therefore by their fruits you will know them.
Hebrews 2:14 – In as much 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.
1 John 3:8 – He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil.
Matthew 4:1 – Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.
Matthew 4:10 – (Jesus speaking) – Away with you Satan! For it is written, you shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve.
Humanists don’t want people believing in God so they say the Bible isn’t really talking about a real person when it mentions Satan or the devil. They claim that Satan was only meant to be an allegory or a spiritualization that described man’s life on earth. That doesn’t hold water when we examine the Bible. God’s word is meant to be interpreted literally except in those few instances where figures of speech are obvious or explained in Scripture. The rule of thumb with Scripture interpretation is if it makes plain sense then seek no other sense. Once you start spiritualizing the verses of the Bible then the reader can make the Bible say whatever the reader wants it to say instead of the truth of God. This is the ultimate goal of the humanists. People who alter or distort the meaning of what God says in his word will face the wrath of God on the last day.
Revelation 22:18-19 – For I testify to everyone who hears the word of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds to these things, God will add to him the plagues that are written in this book; and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the Book of Life, from the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.
When humanists try to distort God’s word for their own purposes they risk the wrath of God as stipulated in the above verses from the book of Revelation. We’d all be wise to interpret the Bible literally and avoid making that mistake before an angry God. In Ezekiel 28:12-19, God gives us a lengthy discussion of the origin and fall of the devil. God is obviously talking about a real person. In Job 1:6-12 and Job 2:1-7, God is conversing with Satan at length about his servant Job. You can only have a conversation with a real person. We know that in the gospel of Matthew, verses 4:1-10, the Scriptures are describing Satan tempting Jesus three times in the wilderness. In each instance Jesus was dealing with a real person when he rebuffed Satan’s temptations by quoting Scripture. Quoting the Bible is a good example for all us to follow when Satan tempts us, because he will. This story is also recorded in the gospel of Luke, verses 4:1-12. That can only happen when you have real people conversing back and forth; Jesus and Satan in this instance. In the Bible Satan entered Judas and the antichrist which proves Satan is a real person and not an allegory or spiritualization of the Bible. The Bible is the proven truth of God that is without error so when the Bible addresses Satan as a person it’s a fact that no one can dispute.
1 John 5:19 – We know that we are of God, and the whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one.
Matthew 16:23 – (Jesus speaking to Peter) – Get behind Me, Satan! You are an offense to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men.
Luke 22:3 – Then Satan entered Judas, surnamed Iscariot, who was numbered among the twelve.
James 4:7 – Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.
Matthew 12:33 – (Jesus speaking) – Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or else make the tree bad and its fruit bad; for a tree is known by its fruit.
The devil is mentioned in seven Old Testament books; Genesis, Job, 1 Chronicles, Psalm, Isaiah, Ezekiel, and Zechariah. Satan is found in nineteen New Testament books, and is referred to by every New Testament writer. Satan is mentioned 55 times in the Bible and referred to as the devil 61 times. Satan is mentioned so may times in the Bible that his existence cannot be simply explained away by nonbelievers as a spiritualization or an allegory. God speaks plainly in his word and he speaks literally so we know for certain that Satan exists and does evil in the world. So in the Bible we have Satan mentioned a total of 116 times, not counting when Satan is called by one of his many other names such as the evil one, the wicked one, the son of perdition, etc. God desires above all else to be believed in. Satan on the other hand, tries his best to be underestimated, ignored or denied so that he can work his evil on the world unnoticed and unopposed. In his hatred Satan seeks to destroy man at every opportunity. God loves us and seeks to save us at every opportunity. The gulf between God and Satan couldn’t be any wider. The contrast between God and Satan couldn’t be any clearer. If you want to maintain fellowship with God then avoid sin and evil and abide in God’s word. Love what God loves and hate what God hates. God really hates Satan and so should we!
John 15:16 – (Jesus speaking) – You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you.