John Lawrence: Satanology Part 2 of 3

SATANOLOGY - "Know Your Enemy"
Session II- Partially, a Review.
VI. The Career of Satan (His history) "What sin did for a life."
A. Original Position.
He was the anointed cherub that "covers" in the Holy mountain or government of God. He was the perfection of creation, the highest in position of any creature. Ezek. 28:14.
JUDGMENT: When sin was found in him he fell from this position.
Satan no longer was the anointed cherub that covers to defend God's holiness.
He no longer was in the government of God.
He no longer was the archangel of God, but Michael takes his place.
He no longer was the perfection of creation.
He fell with his angels to the earth, which became the headquarters of his kingdom. Rev. 12:4.
B. Present Position.
His headquarters is on earth, with conflict in the heavenlies
and access to the throne of God as the accuser of the brethren.
Rev. 2:13, Eph. 6:11-12, Rev. 12:9-10.
JUDGMENT: Predicted in the Garden of Eden, Gen. 3:15.
JUDGMENT: Actual on the Cross. John 12:31, Heb. 2:14; Col. 2:15.
JUDGMENT: Executed in the middle of the Tribulation, Rev. 12:9.
Satan is cast out of heaven forever.
C. Restricted to earth during last half of Tribulation Period.
Rev. 12:9.
D. At the end of the tribulation and beginning of the Millennium Satan is confined to the abyss as a result of God’s Judgment, Rev. 20:1-3.
E. At the end of the Millennium he is set free on earth for a short period. He is free to deceive the nations and lead the evil forces of the world against God for the last time, Rev. 20:7-9.
JUDGMENT: Forever confined to the Lake of Fire, Rev. 20:10.
F. Everlasting Existence in the Lake of Fire, Rev. 20:10.
Satan's original fall was a fall from heaven. Satan's fall in the Tribulation is a fall from the heavenlies, with all his forces. Satan's fall at the end of time is a fall from the earth. If you go away from God--there is only one way to go—DOWN! Cf. Jonah, Chapters 1-2.
VII. The Present Abode of Satan.
There are two common errors present today. One is that Satan and his angels are imprisoned in hell (the abyss). This is not true. It is the doctrine of Roman Catholicism and others in Protestantism who typically hold to the doctrine of Amillennialism. We ignore cultists here, who hold many different views.
This doctrine leads to Satan being confined to the abyss. It is stated in Revelation 20 that Satan will be shut up for the duration of the millennium. Since Roman Catholicism and maybe 2/3 of Protestantism (includes some Baptists) state that we are now in the Millennium and that there is no literal millennium, therefore Satan must be confined today. These views deal prominently with dispensationalism and literal interpretation.
There are some angels today being "reserved in everlasting chains under darkness," but these are a special defiled group. We will discuss these in detail in our study on Demonology. Jude 6.
Another error believed today: it is that the devil is present every- where at once. Not true. Satan is a created being, and God alone has the attribute of being omnipresent.
A. Satan's present position and abode is the earth.
It has been the earth since his fall from heaven. It is on the earth that he has his headquarters, Rev. 2:13. His headquarters at that time was Pergamos. His capital had changed from Babylon, to Pergamos, to spiritual Babylon, or Rome...Lawrence.
It is on the earth that he is very busy going to and fro, and walking up and down, Job 1:7 (Between visits before God, Satan was very busy on earth: Job 2:2) Cf. 1 Pet. 5:8. He is the head of this world system and the whole world is in his power: ("prince of this world"), John 12, 14, 16; 2 Cor. 4:4; 1 John 5:19; cf. Acts 26:18
B. Satan and his host extend their conflict and pursue their war- fare to "the heavenlies". Eph. 6:11,12.
This is where we must fight him because it is the Lord alone who can wage the battle against Satan for us.
C. Satan has access to God’s presence, Job 1:7; 2:2, Zech. 3:1,
Rev. 12:10, "the accuser of the brethren, who accuses our brethren before God day and night."
Here we should review Pastor White’s Wednesday night teachings on Dispensationalism and the literal millennium.
VIII. The Present Character of Satan
A. Seen from the terms used of Satan.
Not all of the appellations used of Satan apply to his present state, but most of them do (review session I). That the terms for Satan are used with spiritual significance may be seen from a passage like Revelation 12:9.
1. Terms denoting his rulership, deception, baseness and opposition to doing right:
a. King of Tyre, Ezek. 28:12.
Satan is the actual ruler behind the political rulers of the nations.
b. Prince of this world (kosmos). John 12:31; 14:30; 16:11.
This is a reference to his world rulership, having formed a system (kosmos) out of his chaos. Our Lord himself spoke these words, and He recognized Satan’s rulership of this world in his temptation by Satan (Matt. 4:8,9).
c. Prince of the power of the air. Eph. 2:2.
The "air" has its spiritual forces, i.e., its power. Satan is the prince of that power and directs it all. Even as the physical earth has its atmosphere and the sun is the controlling force over both earth and atmosphere, so the kosmos has its own air and Satan is the controlling
force over both the kosmos and the air. For the believer there is also a parallel. We are "in Christ", and our ""atmosphere is the heavenlies. The head over this new creation is the Lord Jesus Christ.
d. The god of this world (age). 2 Cor. 4:4
Satan is the god of this age because of his work as promoter of every cult and religion. Satan is not out to have mankind worship him directly, although this is done much more than the average Christian realizes. Satan has a more subtle way. Indirect worship accomplishes the same results, and the results are what he seeks. Paul in Romans 6:16 says, "Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey?" There are two laws set before us, that of God and that of Satan; and whose law we keep, his servants and worshippers we are. Profession, however vehement, does not change the picture in the slightest. One may profess to worship the Supreme God, but may at the same time be obeying the laws of Satan and are reckoned as his subjects, actually serving him even in hypocritical worship. Satan's servants live for this world over which he presides. God's servants live for the next world in which God will reign supreme.
Nor does it bother Satan in the least that he should have a thousand conflicting religious voices each opposing one another. The master of deceit uses this to confuse the truth all the more. If a person leaves
one error, Satan has another one ready to devour him, and Satan keeps all his prisoners. The only redeemer is the person of the Lord Jesus Christ, whose blood was shed on the cross; the only power to deliver is the death and resurrection of Christ; and the only method of accepting it is by grace alone through faith alone. This places every lodge, every cult, every religion under the control of Satan. There is an ancient saying, "Religion is man looking for God, but Christianity is God looking for man".
e. The spirit that energizes the disobedient. Eph. 2:2.
There is a spiritual force operating in the unbeliever, just as the Holy Spirit is the spiritual force to be operating in the believer (Phil. 2:13). The unbeliever does the things he does, not just because of the old sin nature, but more than this--because of the energizing work of Satan. Satan is not omnipresent, but he operates through his "spirit" workers.
f. Beelzebub ("Lord of the house"). Matt. 13:24.
Cf. 2 Kings 1:2-3, 6, 16.
g. Prince of demons. Matt.12:24; Mark 3:22; Luke 11:15.
h. The angel of the bottomless pit. Rev. 9:11
i. King (of the abyss) Rev. 9:11. There are other terms which also imply rulership, " lion", "the deceiver of the whole world", but these are better listed under a different category. When these terms of rulership are analyzed, Satan is seen to be, at this present hour, in control in three spheres: on the earth, under the earth and above the earth. This planet is his domain and we are strangers here in hostile country.
2. Terms denoting his deception.
a. An angel of light. 2 Cor. 11:14.
b. The old serpent, The Hebrew "serpent" in Genesis 3 = "the sinning one." Rev. 12:9, (14:15?), 20:2
c. The tempter, Matt. 4:3, 1 Thess. 3:5. His method of tempting is to try to deceive. He fair would "help Christ’s faith", stimulate one’s confidence in the divine power and furnish an incentive to worship.
d. The fowler ("Bird catcher"). Psalm 91:3.
e. A liar, John 8:44.
f. The father of lies, John 8:44.
g. The deceiver of the who1e world, Rev. 12:9; 2O:3,8,1O
3. Terms denoting his baseness and opposition to righteousness
a. Terms denoting baseness alone.
(1) Fallen star, Rev. 9:1
(2) Wicked one("Evil One"), John 17:15, 2 Thess. 3:3.
Matt. 13:19, 38, 1 John 2:13; 3:12; 5:19
(3) Belial, 2 Cor. 6:15. Applied to the chief of the unholy angels only by implication.
b. Terms denoting opposition to right and therefore baseness of character. We have seen many of these in our study in Session I.
(1) Devil - "Slanderer", "accuser", 52 times.
He slanders man before God, and God before man, and man before man. In this last capacity he seeks to destroy the innocent. He sends out a million rumors daily which would be, if tangible, cases of libel in any court. He is out to cause confusion and chaos, and then to rearrange this chaos into his own kosmos.
(2) Satan - "adversary", 35 times.
Satan comes the Hebrew word meaning "to lie in wait". It has the idea of adversary, an enemy which carries the concept not only of opposi- tion, but of hatred. A cognate word means "an accusation, letter of accusation." In this title we see Satan in the character that dominates his every action. It is his hatred that makes him the enemy and adversary of God. Of all evil passions that afflict the soul, hatred is the most terrible. It manifests itself in many other forms such as wrath, malice, envy, jealousy, revenge, and even murder. Christ said to hate your brother was to commit murder (Matt. 15:21-24). Paul instructs us to put away hatred and all kindred sins (Rom. 12:14,17 Eph. 4:31: Col.3:8).
(3) The Tempter. Matt. 4:3.
(4) The Enemy. Matt. 13:39
(5) The Fowler ("bird catcher"). Psalm 91:3.
(6) Adversary. 1 Pet. 5:8.
(7) Accuser of the brethren Rev. 12:10.
(8) A murderer John 8:44.
(9) Apollyon & Abaddon ("destroyer"). Rev. 9:l1.
The Hebrew and Greek names are here linked together because they both mean the same thing. This designation links Satan with the bottomless pit(the abyss: Rev. 9:1,11) and gives the key to why it is used. Satan is the destroyer or the destructionist.
He wants to be like God. Christ is the author and finisher of our faith. Satan is the author of rebellion and sin, but by the designation "destroyer", he is seen as the finisher of his task. All the rest he does has this aim in view. "When sin is finished it brings forth death". This is why Satan and Christ are in extreme conflict. "The Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil". In opposition, the devil seeks to destroy the work of the Son of God (Cf. Isa. 14:17b, "that opened not the house of his prisoners").
c. Terms denoting opposition to right and therefore baseness of character using animals. Their nature depicts Satan's nature.
(1) Devil. The Hebrew word is "he-goat." The Hebrew word, "sair" means "hairy goat", "he- goat, etc. The he-goat in Scripture stands for all that is low and base. Those who partake of the "sair" nature at the judgment of the gentiles (Matt. 25:32,33), are called goats. He divides the sheep from the goats. God teaches us spiritual truth by the names He uses. The goat is a synonym for the lowest instinct of the animals. Notice, then, that Satan, who was created in the highest position of spiritual life, has sunk to the lowest level of brute life. In all respects, he is the epitome of evil. If there was no other delineation given of Satan, his fall would still be seen to be a change from one extreme to another.
(2) The old serpent. "The shining one," i.e., sly and cunning; deceiving. Rev.12:9,14:15,20:12
(3) The great dragon ("Jackal"). Hebrew - Tanneth, "howler, jacka1" making the noise like the howling jackal in the wilderness. Rev. 12:3,9,13,17, 13:2,4,11, 16:13, 20:2. He is spoken of as a monstrous animal having the form of a serpent, with crested head, wings, and tremendous claws; ferocious and dangerous.
(4) Roaring Lion. 1 Pet. 5:8.
This is to strike complete terror into the believer so that he becomes an easy pray to the enemy. A terrified soldier is useless.
(5) The Wolf. John 10:12 The dreaded enemy of the sheep.
(6) The Fowls -- "birds". Matt. 13:4 with 13:38
Satan’s forces partake of the same nature he is.
B. Seen by the direct statements of Scripture
The statements of Scripture are not separated from the above terms in the main, but Scripture employs these terms in order to convey the present character of Satan graphically.
1. He is described as wicked and malignant in nature.
His RELATIONSHIP TO HIMSELF is as GOD
a. He is absolutely evil in being. He is the Evil One, the personification of evil. John 17:17. 1 John 5:19
He is the source of evil. John 8:44
He is the original and chief sinner. l John 3:8
b. He is the direct opposite of all that Christ is.
Christ = Life Satan = murderer. John 8:44
Christ = Truth Satan = Liar John 8:44
Christ = Way to God Satan = Way from God
Christ = Light Satan = Darkness. Col. 1:13
Christ = Giver of Satan = Blinder. 1 Cor. 4:4
Light
Christ = Love Satan = Hatred.
Christ = Friend Satan = Adversary. 1 Pet. 5:10
Christ = Advocate Satan = Accuser. Rev. 12:10.
Christ = Righteousness Satan = Confirmed Sinner. 1 John 3:8
Christ = Shepherd Satan = Wolf and Lion
2. He is the head of a system of wickedness in which we live.
. . . [RELATIONSHIP TO UNBELIEVERS]
a. He is the strong man who has a house or kingdom with
subjects. Matt. 12:25-29.
b. He energizes those in his kingdom. Eph. 2:2.
c. He imposes grievous burdens on his subjects, Mark 5:1-13 Luke 13:11, 16.
d. He blinds men’s minds to the saving truth in order to
keep them in his fold. 2 Cor. 4:4.
e. He steals the saving truth from the hearts of men.
Luke 8:12.
f. He is the sower of tares so as to pervert, confuse and
choke out the good harvest. Matt. 13:25.
3. He is the Tempter. . . . RELATIONSHIP TO BELIEVERS
Matt. 4:3, 1 Thess. 3:5 None escape his temptations. He is continually soliciting men to sin. Gen. 3:1-6, Matt. 4:1-11,
1 Thess. 3:5. As tempter, Satan works especially on those who are not in his kingdom. In this area also, Satan is enemy, accuser, deceiver and sifter of believers. For the last see Luke 22:31.
4. He is deceitful in all his ways (crafty, cunning, subtle)
. . . RELATIONSHIP TO METHODS.
All of his activity in this area is to get men to sin against God. Thus it is a means to a desired end. Even his methods show his wickedness.
a. He has the ability of conforming himself to appear as an
angel of light. 2 Cor. 11:14.
b. He has many and subtle devices of which we should not
be ignorant. 2 Cor. 2:11.
He will often tempt men in their weak moments. Matt. 4:1-11; Luke 22:40-46. He will also often tempt them after great successes, John 6:1-15.
c. He uses snares that are not easily detected. 2 Tim. 2:26.
He suggests the use of the right things in a wrong way. Matt. 4:1-1l.
d. He is a great strategist and uses many wiles so that we constantly need the whole armor of God to withstand him. Unless we appropriate the armor, he will sooner or later score a direct hit in our minds and deceive us. Eph. 6:11-12. This could be Satan, personally, but more likely an evil minion whom he instructs.
e. He displays great power with signs and wonders of falsehood that utterly deceive those who receive not the love of the truth. Often times even believers are taken in by his deception.
Matt. 16:23. One reason a woman is not to teach doctrine in the church
(1 Cor. 14:35) is also found in 2 Thess. 2:9-l0, Rev. 13:11-14, Matt. 24:24.
IX. The Present Power of Satan.
A. His Present rulership authority: position authority = strength & ability. Satan's present position even as a fallen angel is so exalted that Michael, the archangel of God, would not bring any railing judgment against him (Jude 9).
1. He is head of the spiritual forces of evil.
a. He has fallen angelic followers, Matt. 25:40, Rev. l2:7~7
b. He has demon followers, Matt. 12:24, Rev. 9:11, King of the abyss.
c. His forces seem to be arranged in a military pattern of governmental control from the five star General on down. Matt. 25:41 – Satan, Rom. 8:38 - (Fallen) angels, powers. Eph. 6:12 - Principalities. Rulers of the darkness of this world. Spiritual wickedness in the heavenlies.
It is impossible to identify with clear distinction these various ranks of command, but that they do exist, seems clear from Scripture. Satan is the prince of the power of the air (Eph. 2:2).
2. He is head of this present world system.
"Prince of this world" (kosmos). John 12:31; 14:30; 16:11.
The Greek word translated "world" in John is "kosmos" and has different meanings, but here refers to this present world order, or world system. Satan had the kingdoms of the world at the time of the temptation of Christ (Matt. 4). How he acquired them was very crafty. This world was placed in the hands of Adam to control. The first Adam was a ‘free’ man and as a free man could of his own volition follow whomever he chose. When Adam voluntarily chose to disobey God and listen and follow Satan, he at that very moment placed himself as a subject of Satan. Whoever a man gives obedience to, to his kingdom he belongs. As a free man, Satan was able to place him and all his progeny yet unborn into slavery because of original sin. But not only did Satan by this act acquire all mankind, he also acquired the rulership of the world which God had placed in Adam's authority. By one act of disobedience Satan had it all.
a. Satan exercises GENERAL CONTROL over all the world. Matt. 4:8 He would have given it to Christ. Also, see 1 John 5:19.
b. Satan exercises POLITICAL CONTROL. John 12:31. Dan. 10:13
c. Satan exercises ECCLESIASTICAL CONTROL. 2 Cor 4:4, "The god of this age." 2 Cor 11:13-15. The devil has his ministers.
As far as external form, these ministers are "good":
Rev. 2:9, "synagogue of Satan."
Rev. 2:13,"Where Satan dwelleth."
Rev. 2:24, "deep things" = Satan's doctrine.
d. Satan exercises MORAL CONTROL.
Matt. l3:3l~33, Matt. 13:38.
John 8:44, 1 John 5:19.
He was and is the head of the lower portion of hades, or sheol, i.e., the unrighteous dead. This is the case even though the Lord is in sovereign control of all (Ps. 139:8). Isa. 14:17, 20b, "That made the world as a wilderness, and destroyed the cities thereof; that opened not the house of his prisoners? .... because thou hast destroyed thy land, and slain thy people."
Matt. l6:18, "and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell (hades) shall not prevail against it."
Heb. 2:14,15, "that . . . he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; and deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage." Cf. Job 1:14-19, 2:6. Satan killed people 3 different times in Scripture that we know of, and could have done so with Job except for God’s personal command not to touch his body.
It seems that the souls of the unregenerate dead were and still are under the control of Satan even though the redeemed have been rescued out of his control and bondage, and, therefore, its fear. Satan is a creature of God and therefore everything he does is by permission of God who is in sovereign control, but we may say from human understanding that He works in mysterious ways.
1 Thessalonians 4:14 reads: "even so them also which sleep in Jesus." But the Greek is causative and should read: "Sleep through Jesus." What a wonderful truth it is that every believer is taken home to be with the Lord by the Lord Jesus Christ Himself and Satan has no power over us.
Cf. 1 Cor. 15:55, "0h death, where is thy sting?" "0h grave (Hades), where is thy victory?
Cf. Rev. 1:18, "and have the keys of hell and of death."
Some manuscripts have "death and Hades".
B. His Present Personal Power.
Satan has power only because God permits him to have such. Satan's power may be categorized into various compartments; however, there is an inter-relationship between many of these categories. Cf. Acts 26:18.
1. Spiritual Powers.
Luke 11:21, "a strong man armed." This is a reference by Christ to Satan. Jude 8/9. He has great spiritual power. Dan. 10:12-13
2. Supernatural Powers.
a. Over the Material World
2 Thess. 2:9. Rev. 13:12-15 Rev. 16:13-14.
b. Over the Animal World.
He uses the body of an animal. Gen. 3:1.
3. Natural Powers.
He uses the forces of nature. Job 1:16-19. Part of the testing and tempting work of Satan. Luke 8:22-25. By implication this storm was from Satan trying to get at the Son of God.
4. Mental Powers.
a. Over unbelievers. 2 Cor. 4:4
b. Over Believers. Matt. 16:23. Acts 5:3.
The only way Satan can reach the believer is through the mind. He has no other way to get to the Christian. This is why we need our minds and hearts guarded. Phil. 4:7, 2 Cor. 10:5, Ephesians 6.
5. Physical Powers.
a. To inflict physical disease upon men.
Luke 13:14-16,Acts 10:38,2 Cor. 12:7,
b. To possess unbelieving men, Luke 22:3.
c. To inflict death upon men.
(1) Upon unbelievers. See previous section A.3.
(2) Upon believers who have committed the sin unto death. 1 Cor. 5:6

Hardening the Heart and Turning the Reprobate Over to Satan
Curt Daniel’s The History and Theology of Calvinism
In Daniel’s syllabus, he has a section on The Hardening of the Reprobate. One portion of this seems very applicable to our study on Satan.
God Withholds Grace
Romans 11:8 quotes the Old Testament to prove the hardening of the reprobate by referring to Deut. 29:4. God not only gives spiritual blindness and deafness and an unbelieving heart, He withholds spiritual sight and hearing and faith from those who are reprobate. After all, they do not deserve these things. They have not asked for them. Even the elect do not deserve them. Joshua 11:20 says that God hardened men "that they might receive no mercy". God withholds saving mercy from the reprobate not only because they do not deserve it, but because they would refuse it. He gives mercy to whom He chooses to give it, and He chooses to withhold it from the reprobate. In Matt. 11:25 we find that God "hides" spiritual illumination from certain men, but gives it to others. Neither deserve it. Jesus is speaking of the same message. He turns on the same light, but He does not open all men’s eyes to see that light. He simply withholds sight from the reprobate. Now get this. He takes away what little they already have. This is taught in Matt. 13:12 and 25:29 in the very context of unbelief and withholding. All men have already been given a little light through general revelation. When special revelation appears, it eventually illumines the elect, but hardens the reprobate. Then God not only removes special revelation, but removes some of general revelation. They are more blinded than ever before. That is why a person who rejects the Gospel is worse than if he had never heard it to begin with. His sin is compounded and his reprobation is confirmed.
God Turns Their Hearts
Consider Proverbs 21:1: "The king’s heart is like channels of water in the hand of the Lord; He turns it wherever He wishes." This is exemplified down in Egypt. God turned the heart of Moses, an adopted Egyptian prince, to serve the Lord. But God also turned the heart of Pharaoh to disobey the Lord with many warnings and catastrophes. Psa. 105:25 says "He turned their heart to hate His people." The reprobate hate God’s people because they hate God. They do this because God has sovereignly given them over and turned their hearts. God does something else, too. He not only withholds grace from the reprobate, but He permits the entrance of great sin. This is more than simply His "giving them over". This seals their reprobation (Rev. 17:17). God actually puts it into the hearts of the reprobate to serve Satan, thereby fulfilling God’s holy purposes and words. Listen to 2 Thess. 2:11-12: God sends them "a deluding influence so that they might believe what is false". God not only withholds light and grace that they might believe the truth, as He does in the elect, but He actually sends (or at least allows) a special influence to the reprobate that they might believe lies and be damned. This is not only true in the last days concerning the Man of Sin and Beast, but with every one of the reprobate. He gives them enough rope to hang themselves, and they do it willingly!
God Uses Satan and his Evil Host.
Other Scriptures tell us that God turns the reprobate over to Satan, AND He allows Satan and the demons to have this special influence in the hearts of the reprobate. It is seen in 1 Kings 22:19-23, 2 Chron. 18:18-22, 1 Sam. 16:14 and Judges 9:23-24. Judas is another example. In each of these OTcases, God sent an "evil spirit" to deceive certain persons so that their sin would increase, hastening their judgment. In 2 Chronicles, "The Lord had put a deceiving spirit in the mouth of these your prophets, for the Lord has proclaimed disaster against you". This does not necessarily mean demon possession, for our study of Satanology and Demonology clearly shows that Satan can influence both believers and unbelievers through the mind. Demon possession, although fearful, is rare and never occurs in believers, for "greater is He who is in you, than he who is in the world". All men are sinners by nature and vulnerable to "special influence". By nature, man is in Satan’s power and hands. God not only leaves them there, but He grants Satan greater power in their live. If they are elect, they will be freed by Christ. But if they are reprobate, God simply turns them over to Satan, who then exerts increasingly greater power in their lives. He takes the Gospel seed away, blinds their minds, deceives them, sends false prophets, and exhorts them to both false religion and to increasing evils. Satan is the great deceiver, and his tricks are successful in the reprobate for their entire lives.
Take warning, beloved of the Lord, and be not fearful for either the present or the future in these last days. Put on the whole armor of God and resist him who comes about like a roaring lion, and he will flee from you. Our God has sent myriads of angels to watch over us.