Practically all Christians believe that Satan is real and he is evil. According to scripture he is a deceiver, liar and murderer. Why is Satan so wicked?

Since there is a Satan, did God mess up and now is battling for men’s souls with Satan? Who is winning? We read that God is love, but we look around at this world and see evil and hate almost everywhere. What is going on?

Was it part of God’s plan for there to be a Satan? How did Satan come into existence?

Theologians will tell us that originally this being called Satan was a shining Archangel who went bad. Why would God let this happen? Did God make a mistake with what has happened is this idea of “Lucifer’s” rebellion story of fiction? There is much more to the story since the name Lucifer is not in the original manuscripts of scripture.

The Christian teaching is that before God ever created the first man, this perfect spirit being whom Christians call Satan or Lucifer, went bad. He was perfect but he turned bad by rebelling against God. He turned into an evil being. So did God’s first and greatest creation up to that time fail? How can a perfect creation by a perfect Creator malfunction?

First and foremost we need to acknowledge that God does not make mistakes. All that He does is for the ultimate benefit of mankind. Most of us, until we investigated the matter for ourselves, we naturally fell into line with the thought that Satan was not a sinner at first, but became so later in his existence.

We need to check out the scriptures to find out which one of these two opposing views are correct.

Opinion Number One

Satan was originally created righteous but made himself evil by rebelling against God.

OR

Opinion Number Two

Satan was intentionally created by God as an evil sinning spirit being.

Concerning Opinion Number One

According to theologians, Satan created himself. He was supposedly a perfect archangel and then changed himself into an evil being. Is this Scripturally true?

Theologians have been teaching for centuries that Isaiah 14 and Ezekiel 28 give us an explanation of this transformation.

Isa 14:12 (KJV) How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!

Isa 14:13 (KJV) For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north:

Isa 14:14 (KJV) I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High .

Eze 28:12 (KJV) Son of man, take up a lamentation upon the king of Tyrus, and say unto him, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Thou sealest up the sum, full of wisdom, and perfect in beauty.

Eze 28:13 (KJV) Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God; every precious stone was thy covering, the sardius, topaz, and the diamond, the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the emerald, and the carbuncle, and gold: the workmanship of thy tabrets and of thy pipes was prepared in thee in the day that thou wast created.

Eze 28:14 (KJV) Thou art the anointed cherub that covereth; and I have set thee so: thou wast upon the holy mountain of God; thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire.

Eze 28:15 (KJV) Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee.

Eze 28:16 (KJV) By the multitude of thy merchandise they have filled the midst of thee with violence, and thou hast sinned: therefore I will cast thee as profane out of the mountain of God: and I will destroy thee, O covering cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire.

Eze 28:17 (KJV) Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty, thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness: I will cast thee to the ground, I will lay thee before kings, that they may behold thee.

These scriptures we are told, is an accurate description of how perfect Lucifer, a shining light-bringing archangel, became Satan the Devil. Is this interpretation valid? Is this describing a spirit being or of a haughty, prideful human king with authority and power? A ruler who seizes divine honors to him self.

The view of scholars holding this idea that Lucifer corrupted himself and fell is due to a poor translation and poor interpretation.

The motive that prompts this is obviously the desire to prove that he is a blot on God’s creation, which has intruded contrary to God’s purpose and will and in spite of every precaution. The first step in this propaganda is to prove that Satan was originally perfect, so that God is not at all responsible for his subsequent default.

Isaiah 14 and 15 – King of Babylon

Isa 14:4 (KJV) That thou shalt take up this proverb against the king of Babylon, and say, How hath the oppressor ceased! the golden city ceased!

God is speaking of and to  “the King of Babylon,” not Lucifer, not Satan, not an archangel. And God tells us the end of this rulers reign:

Isa 14:11 (KJV) Thy pomp is brought down to the grave, and the noise of thy viols: the worm is spread under thee, and the worms cover thee.

Satan never died or was put in a grave. Worms do not eat a spirit.

Then we come to verse 12 and the mention of Lucifer:

Isa 14:12 (KJV) How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!

This twelfth verse is where theologians believe God stops speaking of the King of Babylon and begins speaking of the origin of Satan. They disconnect the thought of the previous verses and introduce a new theme in verse 12. Is this valid?

There will be a king of Babylon who will arrogate divine honours to himself and who will lord it over the kings of the nations, and who will shake kingdoms. Yet he is a man (Isa. 14:16), and Satan is not a man.

But first lets clarify the misunderstanding concerning the word Lucifer. Lucifer is NOT found in the original scriptures. And it is found in only one verse in the entire bible. Almost all other versions use terms like day-star, oh shining one, morning star, etc. It is the Hebrew word הֵילֵל heylel (Strong’s H1966 – from H11984 in the sense of brightness; the morning stars). Jerome in 382, was commissioned by Pope Damasus to write the Latin Version of the bible. He translated the Hebrew word as Lucifer, a Latin word meaning light bringer. Theologians have accepted the word and used it in many translations, including the ever popular King James Version.

However, an examination of the Hebrew text will convince any one that the evidence for the title “Lucifer” is incorrect. There is absolutely no reason or rule of grammar for turning this word into a personal name! This name is a human invention, and should have no place in the Scriptures. It could possibly mean “a shining one,” but not a personal name such as “Lucifer.” Doubtless the translators followed the Vulgate as they did in most of their translating.

There is a likelihood that the Hebrew word heylel has a meaning connected to Strong’s H3213, meaning howl or yell. Weird it seems. There seems to be no Hebrew or Aramaic text in which there is a word heylel with which to make an association. What we find in all such associations is the word “hehlehl,’ eill, which is a form of the Hebrew stem “yah-lahl,” ill. It means howl or yell.

If you do a search on the web about the Hebrew word you will find that Lucifer and the meaning of the word are not referring to Satan or any spirit being. There are many articles on this and here is an example:

https://www.godfire.net/Lucifer.html


From this it is not difficult to recognise that much of the references to the one being spoken about by God in Isa 14 and Ezek 28 is an arrogant, proud and powerful human ruler being referenced to by figurative language. Here are a couple of examples:

First, who fell from heaven? Does it have to be a spirit being to be thrust out of heaven and does this have to refer to the heaven where God dwells? Not necessarily. Here is proof that Jesus Christ gives concerning this expression.

Luke 10:15 (KJV) And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted to heaven, shalt be thrust down to hell (Hades – unseen).

So here we have a whole city being thrown down from heaven to Hades, their grave. And so it is with the King of Babylon whose “pomp is brought down to the grave” (Isa. 14:11). These two Scriptures are parallel thoughts.

The reference is to Babylon and none other. It was Babylon which was exalted to heaven. It was he who was like Venus the brightest star (planet) in the morning sky. Yet just as Capernaum, God says she is brought down to the earth, the one who was a “crusher of nations.”

It is the king of Babylon who elevated himself to heaven in his own mind, and it is the same king of Babylon who has fallen from on high. It is the same king of Babylon who is “hacked down to the earth,” and it is the same king of Babylon who was the “defeater of all nations,” and not a perfect Satan.

What is actually spoken of in these two chapters of Isaiah 13 & 14 is the history of world religion and government from the creation of man, through the destruction of man, and the establishment of God’s spiritual Mt. Zion filling the universe. All the religions and governments of the world in the history of the world are personified in these two chapters.

Ezekiel 28 – Prince of Tyre

The favorite passage for proving the original perfection and subsequent fall of Satan is found in the twenty-eighth chapter of Ezekiel. The “king of Tyrus”, we are told, is another name for Satan. No, he is a man, not a spirit being. His presence in Eden is a figure of speech when you look at Eden also being a lovely garden. . So this does not establish the identity of Satan, the serpent, with the king of Tyre.

The prince of Tyre is emphatically described as a man, a human being (Eze. 28:2, 9). The king of Tyre was known among the people and his destruction was a matter of public astonishment. This cannot apply to Satan ? Those who have seen the ruins of Tyre and have some idea of its ancient magnificence will find nothing in this passage too wonderful to be accounted for. There is not the slightest hint that it concerns any one but the ruler of Tyre.

There is so much more to investigate to determine whether these scriptures in Isaiah 14 and Ezekiel28 really refer to the fall of Satan or to appalling human rulers which God describes to us in symbolic and figurative language. You the reader will decide on which is true. When you read the next section you may see the inappropriateness of this fall of Satan belief.

Concerning Opinion Number Two

Everything God does is ultimately for a good result.

Gen 1:31 (KJV) And God saw every thing that he had , and, behold, it was very good.

This scripture tells us that everything that God made was very good. That would include Satan, the Adversary. God created Satan for a divine purpose. Yes God created him prefect – perfect for the task he was created for.

Ah, the remarkable wisdom of God.

Satan does play a role in the salvation of the human race. Satan is just one more “evil” that God uses in bringing many sons into glory. He is referred to as a serpent, a slanderer, along with other monikers. Who made evil happen? Was it Satan or God? Whence Evil – that is the topic of the next article.

God created Satan to be an evil, sinning being

Right from the beginning we find that God said He made Satan. Yes God made Satan to be a sinning, evil being.

Gen 3:1 (KJV) Now the serpent was more subtle than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?

Here is more proof.

Job 26:13 (KJV) By his spirit he hath garnished the heavens; his hand hath formed the crooked serpent.

Yes God adorned and garnished the heavens by His Spirit, because His creation is a thing of great beauty, and majesty. But God formed the crooked serpent by His hand, perhaps at arms length. The hand holds its work at a distance, and suggests power and skill, rather than communion Telling us that it was something necessary in His plan for the salvation of man, even though He knew it would create hard ship and discouragement for mankind for a while.

One of the names God gives Satan is “the crooked serpent.” This word crooked comes from a Hebrew word that is not translated “crooked” anywhere else in the Bible. The word in Hebrew is bariach, and it means “a fugitive,” Strong’s #1281. Isn’t that just appropriate to call him a fugitive? And “fugitive” is from the Hebrew word nuwa, Strong’s #5128, among its several meanings are: “to [roam] up and down,” and “to and fro,” and to “sift.” God names things according to what they are and what they do. The “fugitive serpent” of Job is the same as the “fugitive serpent” of Isaiah. The “fugitive” serpent of Job (A. V. “crooked”)

Here is yet another proof that God created Satan for his role in God’s master plan.

Isa 54:16 (KJV) Behold, I have created the smith that bloweth the coals in the fire, and that bringeth forth an instrument for his work; and I have created the waster to destroy.

Isa 54:16 (CLV) Behold! I, I created the artificer who blows into the fire of coal, and brings forth an implement for his occupation. And I, I created the ruiner to harm.”

God created the waster, not the archangel who later changed himself into Satan. It is God from the beginning who created the waster and He created him to destroy. So whose role is it to tear down man? It is Satan who was created from his very beginning to be the waster and one who ravages men’s minds to depravity and increasing carnal mindedness. Satan started with Adam and Eve and he isn’t finished yet.

Hebrew word shachath H7843

Strong’s #7843 שָׁחַת shachath {shaw-khath’}

a primitive root; TWOT – 2370;

1) to destroy, corrupt, go to ruin, decay 1a) (Niphal) to be marred, be spoiled, be corrupted, be corrupt, be injured, be ruined, be rotted 1b) (Piel) 1b1) to spoil, ruin 1b2) to pervert, corrupt, deal corruptly (morally) 1c) (Hiphil) 1c1) to spoil, ruin, destroy 1c2) to pervert, corrupt (morally) 1c3) destroyer (participle) 1d) (Hophal) spoiled, ruined (participle).

Satan is completely under God’s control

Some of the most revealing scriptures that give us insight into how God is in total control of everything Satan is allowed to do is found the beginning of the book of Job. Satan never operates beyond his God-given parameters.

God gave Satan charge over Job, his body, and all his possessions, to try him severely.

Job 2:6 (KJV) And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold, he is in thine hand; but save his life.

It was God’s idea to severely try Job, not Satan’s. But Satan took strict orders from God as to just how he could try Job. Satan got permission from God at each and every step of this severe trying of Job.

Today God works the same way since He tells us He does not change (Mal. 3:6). Satan is constantly finding fault with believers in Christ.

Therefore, Satan was not only necessary, but he was, in fact, perfect for the job that God created him to fulfill.

Job 41:1 (KJV) Canst thou draw out leviathan with an hook? or his tongue with a cord which thou lettest down?

Psa 74:14 (KJV) Thou brakest the heads of leviathan in pieces, and gavest him to be meat to the people inhabiting the wilderness.

Psa 104:26 (KJV) There go the ships: there is that leviathan, whom thou hast made to play therein.

Isa 27:1 (KJV) In that day the LORD with his sore and great and strong sword shall punish leviathan the piercing serpent, even leviathan that crooked serpent; and he shall slay the dragon that is in the sea.

Leviathan and Satan are one and the same.

The power of Satan

God has given Satan a great deal of power and influence but Satan can only exercise that power within the limits God has set as we just read above about Job.

We are in a wrestling match against evil forces.

Eph. 6:12 (KJV) For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

That evil spirit being, Satan is transformed in this age.

2 Cor. 11:14 (KJV) And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.

 

Satan is not an angel of light, and never has been. Satan appears as an angel of light to the world. It is an illusion and a deception. Satan has his followers. They are false preachers, liars, deceivers and they claim to be preaching and teaching God’s truth.

2 Cor. 11:13 (KJV) For such are false apostles, deceitful orkers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ.


Satan is the father of lies and a murderer.

John_8:44 (KJV) Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.

What do you believe?

Whether you hold to opinion one or opinion two described above, as a bible believer you can see that Satan is our enemy. Satan goes about like a roaring lion seeking whom he might devour.

1 Pet. 5:8 (KJV) Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.

But be of good cheer.

Eph. 6:16 (KJV) Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked (wicked one – CLV).

James 4:7 (KJV) Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil (Adversary – CLV), and he will flee from you.

Satan is functioning perfectly as God’s adversary. Satan is essential to the purpose and salvation of the whole human race. That is why God created him in the first place.

Yet most professing Christians refuse to understand these simple truths of Scripture. They refuse to believe that all is of God.

Col_1:16 (KJV) For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him.

They think that all evil is of Satan. They refuse to believe that even Satan is God’s creation. Satan deceives the whole world and that is according to God’s plan for this age (Rev. 12:9). God created Satan, God controls Satan, and God calls all the shots with Satan. A related article deals with the topic of evil.

Go to Home Page

   2015-2024 copywrite © JTK