John Lawrence: Satanology Part 1 of 3

SATANOLOGY – "Know Your Enemy"

I. Introduction: The Importance of the Doctrine
The single most prominent creature in Scripture is Satan.
II. The Existence of Satan
We proved the existence of angels by:
1. Scientific argument. Man is only able to see a very small percent of the total.
2. Rational argument. In all nature we see both diversity and a great gradation from lower to higher forms of life. Man is the lowest of rational creatures. That he should be the only creature of this order is out of harmony with the analogy of all nature.
3. Ethnological argument. It is the universal belief.
4. The Scriptural argument. It is the Word of God which establishes the doctrine of Satan. This is the main reason why Satan tries to discredit the Word of God. The fact of a personal devil is clearly stated in the Word of God.
III. The Scriptural Argument for Satan
1.In the Old Testament Satan is referred to directly in seven different books: Genesis, 1 Chronicles, Job, Psalms, Isaiah, Ezekiel, and Zechariah.
2.In the New Testament he is referred to by ALL the writers and is mentioned directly in 19 books: Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Acts, Romans, 1 and 2 Corinthians, Ephesians, 1 and 2 Thessalonians, 1 and 2 Timothy, Hebrews, James, John, Peter, Jude, and Revelation. If every NT writer was wrong about Satan, then they are not trustworthy for salvation. This is what Satan wants men to believe.
3. The Lord Jesus Christ Himself refers to Satan. Of the 29 times Satan is referred to in the Gospels, 25 came from Christ himself. Our Lord was TRUTH in all He said as well as did.
4. Something of Satan's importance in the Word can also be seen from the fact that at least forty appellations are used to describe or name him. Some are descriptions, some are descriptive titles, and others are proper names or aliases. Based on the King James we find:
(1) Devil = slanderer or accuser - 52 times.
(2) Satan = adversary - 35 times(51X in my NASB)
(3) Lucifer = Light giver, day star, light bearer - Isa. 14:12.
(4) Son of the morning - Isa. 14:12.
(5) An Angel ("messenger") of light - 2 Cor. 11:14.
(6) Fallen star - Rev. 9:4.
(7) King of Tyre - Ezek. 28:12.
(8) Prince of this world - John 12:31; 14:30; 16:11.
(9) Prince of the power of the air - Eph. 2:2.
(10) The god of this world (or age) – 2 Cor. 4:4.
(11) The old Serpent - Rev. 12:9; 14:15; 20:12. Heb"Serpent" in Gen. 3 = The shining one"
(12) Great dragon – Rev. 12:3, 9, 13, 17; 13:2, 4, 11; 116:13; 20:2. (Hebrew–tannoth: howler, jackal; making the noise like the howling jackal in the wilderness).
(13) Anointed cherub that covers - Ezek. 28:14. Covering cherub: Ezek. 28:16
(14) Beelzebub - Lord of the house-Matt. 13:24.
(Cf. 2 Kings 1:2-3, 6, 16).
(15) The Tempter-Matt. 4:3.
(16) The Enemy-Matt. 13:39.
(17) Roaring Lion-1 Pet. 5:8.
(18) The Wolf-John 10:12.
(19) Fowler (a bird catcher) - Psalm 91:3.
(20) The Wicked one (The Evil One) - John 17:15, 2 Thess. 3:3
Matt.13:19,38; 1 John 2:13; 3:12; 5:19.
(21) The Fowls - Matt. 13:4 with 13:38
(22) A Liar - John 8:44.
(23) The Father of lies - John 8:44.
(24) The deceiver of the whole world - Rev. 12:9, 2O:3,8,10
(25) A murderer - John 8:44.
(26) Prince of Demons - Matt 12:24; Mk 3:22; Luke 11:15.
(27) Accuser of the Brethren - Rev. 12:10
(28) Adversary – 1 Pet. 5:8
(29) The spirit that works(energizes) in the disobedient Eph 2:2.
(30) Apollyon or Abaddon = "destroyer" - Rev. 9:11
(31) Belial = applied to the chief of the unholy angels only by implication. 2 Cor. 6:15
The Sower of tares ? Matt 13:25
The Sifter Luke 22:31
The Blinder 2 Cor 4:4
Animals to which he is likened include: serpent, dragon and jackal, lion, wolf, bird.
(32) King (of the Abyss) - Rev. 9:l1,
(33) The angel of the bottomless pit - Rev. 9:11
(34) Leviathan in Isa 27:1
(35) The king of Babylon in Isa 14:4 is probably the Anti-Christ, but intimately related to Satan
(36) The power of darkness in Col 1:13
5. There is no want of evidence for the personality of either
Satan or fallen angels or demons from the Bible.
6. There is one further attestation of Satan's existence from Scripture that is mentioned by Bancroft:
"The Lord was sinless in heart and mind. No evil thought ever could, or did, rise up in His mind . . .If He was tempted, He was tempted by some ‘being’, and the narrative declares that it was the devil" (Italics mine).
There are three general objections that have been raised against the Biblical doctrine of Satan:
It has its origin in mythology. This cannot be sustained. Moses never took the Egyptian mythology on creation as the basis for revelation
It conforms to the dualism of Zoroastrianism. In reply it may be stated that Scripture does not teach an eternal dualism of good and evil in any sense. God is in absolute sovereign control.
It destroys the unity of God. This objection is invalid since these created personalities, with wills of their own, are in the end all accountable to Him. In the end, as in the beginning, "God is all in all".
7. The Rational Argument for the Existence of Satan. It may be easier to prove the existence of evil spirits apart from Scripture than it is to prove the head of the forces of evil. It is only rational to conclude that they have a leader.
III. (Cont.) The Personality of Satan
In Scripture the personality of Satan is made emphatic. He is the embodiment of evil in a personality.
A. He has the characteristics of personality, which are intellect, will, and emotion.
1. Intellect. Gen. 3:1, 4-5,Job. 1:9,Ezek. 28:12,Matt. 4:6,1Tim 3:7,2 Cor. 2:11,Rev. 2:23,Rev. 12:9. Rev. 12:12
2. Will (Volition). Satan has will and exercises the power of choice. Isa. 14:13-14, "I will",Matt 4:9, 2 Tim. 2:26
3. Sensibility (Emotion). "Desire" – Involves both will and emotion, Luke 22:31, "Pride" – Involves both intellect and emotion. 1 Tim. 3:6, "Accusation" – Involves intellect, emotion and will. Rev. 12:10, "Wrath" - Involves intellect, emotion and will, Rev. 12:12. "Contending"-Involves intellect, emotion, and will, Jude 9
B. Personal Pronouns are used of Satan which reveal personality
Job 1:8, 2:1,2 Satan is as much a person as the sons of God, Job and even God Himself, Zech. 3:2, Jude 9, "against him."
C. Personal Actions are attributed to Him
1. He speaks: Gen. 3,Job 1, 2,Matt. 4:1-1l
2. He sins, murders, and lies. John 8:44. 1 John 3:8.
3. He has power over death. Heb. 2:14.
4. He is ruler of this world (1st heaven). John 14:30.
5. He makes war. Rev. 12:7, Rev. 20:8,9.
6. He performs miracles. 2 Thess. 2:9. Luke 4:5.
D. He is regarded by God as a morally responsible being.
Job 1: The reason he presented himself to God is because he is the direct creation of God and morally responsible to God for everything.
Matt. 25:41. He is capable of receiving punishment.
E. He is associated with those who are personalities
Matt.4:1-l1. Christ is a person, Satan is a person. Rev. 20:10. The beast and the False Prophet are personalities. Satan is associated with them as a partner in this evil trinity. He must be a personality.
IV. The Origin and Original State of Satan
A. The Origin of Satan
While little is stated in Scripture concerning the origin of Satan, it does state that this one is a created being, Ezek. 28:13,15. Since he is a direct creation of God, he is subject to God at all times. Cf. Job. 1 & 2. It is seen from Scripture that God did not create the devil as such. He created an angelic being perfect in every way who became the devil, for God only creates after His own nature.
B. The Original State of Satan - Commentary
The original state of Satan is mainly found in one passage of Scripture: Ezekiel 28:11-19. There are two persons in Ezekiel 28:
28:2 - Prince of Tyre. . . type of Man of Sin
28:12 - King of Tyre. . .Satan (does not fit a historical person)
There are three basic views:
Satan is not involved at all. They say this only refers to an historical prince and an historical king.
Others say Satan only is involved. They say there is no historical person.
Still others say both an historical person and Satan are involved.
This latter is the norma1 and historic church interpretation. It is not new, but the usual.
Origen -- 2nd Century.
Tertillian – 3rd Century.
Augustine, 4th century and others.
What right do we have to say this one is Satan?
The description fits no one else, not even the Man of Sin.
It has to be an angelic creature.
It has to be the highest angelic creature.
Where does the Anti-Christ fit in? In verses 2-10 the address is to a local, historical leader and ruler of Tyre. From verses 11-19 the address concerns Satan. The first section is a perfect picture by anti-type of the Man of Sin. The Prince of Tyre is a legitimate type of the Man of Sin. He is himself an historical person and he is a picture of another historical person. This typology has been seen by many. It follows that:
1. His Original Nature
a. His finiteness. He was a creature of God, and therefore, finite. Yet he was the greatest of all finite beings being perfection - greatest of all creature attributes. Ezek, 23:
b. His Intellectual Nature, Ezek. 23:12, "full of wisdom,"
c. His Esthetic Nature. Beauty: Ezek. 28:12, "perfect in beauty." God made this one creature a masterpiece of perfection. Music: Ezek 28:13, he himself was a diadem of praise.
d. His spiritual nature. Ezek 28:14, "Thou art the anointed cherub that covers; and I have set thee so."
(1) Cherub. His order of angelic beings is related to the throne of God as protectors and defenders of holiness. No other angelic creatures are nearer the presence of God.
(2) Covereth. Ezek. 28:16, "0 covering cherub" This signifies spiritual position.
(3) Anointed. In O.T. times men were anointed to fill three spiritual offices: prophet, priest, and king. 1 Kings 19:16 (King and prophet), Lev. 16:32 (Priest) There are hints in Scripture that Satan himself originally filled all three of these offices among angels. Compare Ezek. 28:13 with Ex. 28:17
e. His moral nature. Ezek. 28:15. He both possessed and maintained a perfection of creature conduct from his creation until his fall.
f. His social nature. Ezek. 28:14, "Thou wast upon the holy mount of God." Mountain is, in its O.T. usage, the seat of governmental authority and affairs.

2. His Original Domain.
a. Satan's original domain, along with all angels, is the 2nd
heaven. His sin in Isa. 14:13 was "I will ascend into heaven" (i.e. God's presence or the third heaven.
b. Satan's office work was the 3rd heaven, the government of
God, Ezek. 28:14b
c. Satan had a Garden of the Earth, Ezek. 28:13.
V. The Fall of Satan.
A. The Moral Problem (The Problem of Evil)
1. Basic foundational facts in connection with the problem.
God Himself is ever free from the slightest complicity with the evil which He permits or allows:
Ps. 5:5 God hates evil and the doers of evil.
Gal 1:4 Sin and the sinner are related
Rom. 5:6,10 "Enemies", not just while I hated God, but while He hated me, the sinner because of my sin
Paradox: at the same time He loves sinners: John 3:16
The sinner totally bears the responsibility for sinning in the program God has made. Genesis 4:7. God drew up the plans (every single part). But man is responsible. Man though eternity will never say: "It is God's fault for my being here in hell."
Sin must serve some justifiable purpose attainable in no other way else God would not permit it or would now terminate it. The total purpose has not been revealed to man. With respect to the divine permission of sin in the angelic sphere, Scripture is totally silent. There is no redemption for the fallen angels. They are said to be consigned without hope to the lake of fire. Matt. 25:41, Rev. 20:10, Cf. Col. 1:20. Everything is reconciled by the cross except things "under the earth".
Possible reasons:
2. The acquirement of divine knowledge for creatures
The creatures of God's hand must, by a process of learning, attain to that knowledge, or a portion of that knowledge, which God has possessed eternally. They can learn only by the process of experience and revelation. Man must come to learn something concerning both good and evil. He must realize the sinfulness of sin, if he is to attain in any degree to the knowledge God possesses.
3. The instruction of angels, Eph. 3:10, 1 Pet. 1:12.
Angels are observing men on earth and are learning important facts through the present experience of human beings. It would be as necessary for angels to learn the truth regarding that which is evil as it is for them to learn the truth regarding that which is good. But to learn about evil, evil must exist.
4. The demonstration of the divine hatred of evil.
It is extremely important to God to demonstrate His hatred of evil:
Fall of Lucifer and the consequences.
Garden of Eden and the consequences.
Flood and the destruction of man. Pharaoh, Judas, etc.
Paul says that God was "willing to show his wrath, and to make his power known" (Rom. 9:22). But no judgment, wrath, or power in relation to sin could ever be disclosed apart from the permitted presence of active sin in the world.
5. The righteous judgments on all evil
Evil as a principle, if it is to be judged and completely disposed of forever from God's presence, must be brought out into an open manifestation of its actual character. Sin existing as a hypothetical issue could not be so manifested. It had to become concrete and proved to be unlike God.
6. The exercise and manifestation of all grace
There was in God that which no created being had ever seen. The angelic hosts had seen His wisdom, His power and His glory, but they had never seen His grace. The only way grace can be manifested is for God to exercise love, mercy, and goodness, upon the righteous basis of His Son as a sacrifice for sin, to those who, because of their sin, deserved only His wrath forever, Eph. 2:7.
7. The Problem of the first sin of the first Angel.
(L. S. Chafer deals with this).
Here is where the problem is, for the multitude of angels who sinned under the influence of the first sinning angel have an existent, external tempter. But the lapse of an unfallen angel, who was a perfect creature from the hand of God and who was uninfluenced by any external force or being, raises the question: "How could an uninfluenced, unfallen angel, who was the masterpiece of perfection, sin?"
It is a mystery.
It is irrational.
It is exceedingly sinful.
It is the opposite of all that God is. Yet: Sin is not in God.
Sin is not in any part of God’s original creation, nor a weakness of any kind in that creation, else all would have fallen. Nor is sin a weakness in Satan himself, else he would not have been created perfect. The eternal decree of God anticipated all that would ever be; yet sin originates, not in the divine decree, but in the responsible act of the sinner. Finally, sin is not something inherent with free moral agency, else all free moral agents must fall. Augustine writes in " City of God": "What was the efficient cause of their (i.e., the angels
who sinned) evil will? There is none. For what is it which makes the will bad, when it is the will itself which makes the action bad? And consequently the bad will is the cause of the bad action, but nothing is the efficient cause of the bad will. When the will abandons what is above itself, and turns to what is lower, it becomes evil, not because that is evil to which it turns, but because the turning itself is wicked. Therefore, it is not an inferior thing which had made the will evil, but it is itself which has become so by wickedly desiring an inferior thing."
B. The Fall of Satan (Cont.)
1. The Fact: Ezek. 28:11-19, Isa. 14:12-17, 1 Tim. 3:6,
Luke 10:18.
2.The Sin.
a. The sin was pride, selfishness, self-centeredness.
Ezek, 28:17, "Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty, thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness,"
b. The sin was rebellion.
The root of sin is selfishness and self-assertiveness against the will of God. When Satan said, "I WILL," at that moment he was guilty of treason against the rulership, the government, and the sovereignty of God. It was exceedingly sinful and the highest form of rebellion. At this moment there was a counter-kingdom opposing the kingdom of God's authority and does not end until Satan and all who follow him are cast into the lake of fire.
3. The Amplification of the Sin. Isaiah 14:13-14.
a. The Background of the Passage.
-1- Isaiah 14:1-11, The King of Babylon.
Isaiah 14:1-3, Future tense.
Prophecy of the Millennium.
It was never fulfilled that the stranger joined with Israel in the return of the Babylonian Captivity. 14:4, King of Babylon. Not used historically, therefore, of Nebuchanezzer, but used of the Man of Sin. It is further identified as the Babylon of Revelation by the statement "the golden city". Cf. Rev. 18:16. It is also important to notice that Isaiah refers to the future King of Babylon directly and prophesies these things about him. It is not a type and anti-type arrangement as in Ezekiel 28.
14:5-6 -- His oppression of the world in the Tribulation
14:7-8 -- The Millennium has come: Peace and Rest.
14:9-1l -- His place in Sheol.
-2- Isaiah 14:12-20, Lucifer (KJV)
Not just anyone, but a certain one. Change from human for spiritual power behind him. In this way, same as Ezek 28.
14:12-14 -- His Sin.
14:15-17 -- His previous Power.
14:18-20 -- His Judgment.
b. An Examination of His Sin, 14:13-14.
Sin originates in the heart, not in the act, 14:13. It should be noted that this is not five sins, but a five-fold sin of rebellion, caused by pride.
C. The Fall of the Angels.
Satan not only fell himself, he caused others to fall also. He not only became a rebel in God's universe, but he led a rebellion. This gives us something of the very nature of Satan's work which is against God. It is always to get others to follow him and not follow God. Ezek. 28:16. "By the mult1tude of thy merchandise they have filled the midst of thee with violence, and thou hast sinned." "To go about," is to merchandise or to slander. Cf. Rev. 12:10. Satan went about to merchandise or slander God among the angels, and "they," the angels, filled Satan with violence. Here it seems that all the angels who went along with Satan added fuel to the rebellion.
In verse 15 -- iniquity was in Satan.
In verse 16 -- violence was in Satan (stronger).
The angels who went with Satan, therefore, were not innocent, but even promoted the rebellion, there is no redemption for them. They are condemned to the Lake of fire (Matt. 25:41). Ezek. 28:18
D. The Time of the Fall.
Is it possible for us to ascertain anything as far as when Satan fell?
If by this we mean what "year"? NO.
If by this we mean when in a progression of events? YES.
1. Creation of the Heavenly Hosts.
2. Creation of the Universe and Earth. Job. 38:7
While Scripture does not state that the angels were created before the entire universe, it is probable. It is a fact that they were created before the creation of the earth because Satan appears there. Are there indications? Yes.
3. The Earth: A Garden of Eden and God created it so.
Ezek. 28:13. Cf. Gen. 2:8, Isa. 45:18.
4. The Sin and Fall of Lucifer and 1/3 of the Angels. Rev. 12:4-9
5. They fell to the Earth. Isa. 14:12, Luke lO:l8
6. The Resultant State of the Earth: Chaotic. Gen. 1:2 with Isa. 45:18 Cf. 1 Cor. 14:33, Isa. 14:17. Order is always related to God. Chaos is related to Satan. We can see something of the same thing when man sinned in the Garden of Eden.
7. The Reconstruction of the Earth by God and Creation of Man right in the midst of Satan's domain. Gen. 1, 2. The Fall of Satan, therefore, probably took place after the creation of the earth in beauty and perfection, and it was to the earth Satan fell, which resulted in the earth becoming chaotic (disordered).
E. The Effects of the Fall.
1. To Satan.
a. Lucifer (Isa. 14:12, KJV) became Satan (the devil) with all the resultant changes in his character. 1 John 3:8. He ceased to abide in truth and sin became his inherent nature, John 8:44.
b. He became the author, and disseminator of sin. John 8:44: "The father of it", i.e., the lie that would dethrone God. There is but one "lie". Either God rules over His universe, or He does not. The "lie" declares that He does not, the Truth declares that He does.
c. He became the enemy of God and the adversary of all that align them selves with God. Matt. 13:25, 28.
d. He came under condemnation, and judgment.
1 Tim. 3:6; Luke 10:18; Rev. 12:4.
e. His ultimate destruction is determined: Isa. 14:12-17.
Ezek. 28:16. Rev. 20:1-3, 7-10.
2. To God.
a. God now had an opposing kingdom-the very opposite of His own nature-which must be someday subdued and destroyed if God is to be sovereign. 1 Cor. 15:24
b. It took the death of Christ on the cross to judge Satan, destroy his works and undue the work he had done. Heb.2:14-15; Col.1:21-22; John 12:31; 1 John 3:8
3. To Creation.
Sin entered into the universe with its resultant conflict in heavenly spheres. Sin began here. John 8:44. The angelic host was divided into two camps with conflict between them. Michael becomes the head of God's forces, Rev. 12:7. Creation becomes blighted from its original perfection. Future creation of God is blighted by Satan's deception. Here we see that the Fall of Satan affects not only the original creation, but also the recreation of the earth and the creation of man.