I have been thinking about this question for a while. I have been told Christians should never think too much about Satan. We should only acknowledge Satan exists and move on... anything beyond that is blasphemous. The theory is (as I have been told), if we spend too much time on Satan then by default we aren't spending time with God. If we aren't spending time with God then how do we become godly. I understand their fear of focusing on Satan.
Why do we not study Satan?
Generals study their adversary.
Coaches study their opponent.
Why treat Satan any differently?
The reality is most people wouldn’t recognize Satan if they shook hands with him. They know not his appearance; they know not his doctrines; they know not his character; they know not his plan; they know not his influence; they know not his deception. Satan is the most powerful of the fallen angels.
Ezekiel describes Satan like this... "You were the model of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty. You were in Eden, the garden of God; every precious stone adorned you. You were anointed as a guardian cherub, for so I ordained you. You were blameless in your ways from the day you were created till wickedness was found in you. You were on the holy mount of God; you walked among the fiery stones. You were blameless in your ways from the day you were created till wickedness was found in you. and you sinned. So I drove you in disgrace from the mount of God, and I expelled you, O guardian cherub, from among the fiery stones. Your heart became proud on account of your beauty, and you corrupted your wisdom because of your splendor. So I threw you to the earth; I made a spectacle of you before kings." Ezekiel 28:11-18
Ezekiel uses the King of Tyre to describe Satan before the fall of man in Genesis3 and we learn:
- He was full of wisdom and beauty
- He was perfect.
- He was in the Garden of Eden before the fall.
- He was the anointed covering cherub.
- His heart was lifted up (pride) because of his beauty.
In Jude 1:9 we read Satan is so powerful that Michael the Archangel left battling Satan to the Lord. "... [Michael] did not dare bring slanderous accusation against him but said, "The Lord rebuke you!"
Satan's mission is to oppose God. Satan is to lie to us. Satan is to deceive us. Satan is to distract us... to create so much clutter and noise that we are incapable of knowing what is true. He will promote false doctrine in the name of God. You and I are the spoils of Satan's work and effort. The Bible says he will search for us and devour us. We are the dust that Satan is to eat. The following scriptures show Satan's character and purpose.
“One day the angels came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came with them. The LORD said to Satan, “Where have you come from?” Satan answered the LORD, “From roaming through the earth and going back and forth in it.” Job 1:7
"Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith…" 1Peter 5:8-9
"Because you have done this, "Cursed are you above all the livestock and all the wild animals! You will crawl on your belly and you will eat dust all the days of your life."" Genesis 3:14
"By the sweat of your [Adam’s] brow you will eat your food until you return to the ground, since from it you were taken; for dust you are and to dust you will return." Genesis 3:19
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