“Who is Satan?”
by
Jeff Chacon
Tampa, 2/21/10

Introduction

“He is your worst nightmare.
He is more cunning than a serial killer, more dangerous than a terrorist, and more powerful than all the armies of the world, combined.
He is sneaky, underhanded and covert.
He is the demise of many a good man, woman, and nation.
He is very good at what he does.
In fact, he’s the best.
He’s a killer, a liar and a thief - but most people never even know they’ve been taken by him.
You have...
He’s stolen your self-esteem, damaged your relationships, and crippled your walk with God.
He’s been in your house, in your car, in your bedroom, and in your heart.
He fights dirty, hits below the belt, and doesn’t play by the rules.
He has one goal in life: to destroy you and everything you love and hold dear.
And he won’t stop - until he sees you burn in hell – forever.
What is his name?
He is called Lucifer or Beelzebub, the ruler of darkness, the prince of this world.
He is called Belial, Abaddon, and Apollyn.
He is called “the god of this age”.
He is our accuser, our adversary, and our enemy.
He is referred to as ‘the serpant’, ‘the tempter’, and ‘the Evil One’.
He is ‘the angel of the abyss’, ‘the prince of demons’, ‘the ruler of the kingdom of the air’...
He is the devil, and his name is SATAN. (“Dare to Dream Again”, pgs. 35-36)

1. Back in my day, they made jokes about him.

1. Comedian Flip Wilson: “The devil made me do it.”
1. These days, they romanticize about him in movies:
1. He was played by:

1. Al Pacino, in “The Devil’s Advocate”
2. Jack Nicolson in “The Witches of Eastwick”
3. and Robert DeNiro in “Angel Heart”

3. But Satan is neither a joke, nor a fictional movie character.
4. He’s our very real enemy.
1. He is mentioned over 100 times in scripture.
2. Jesus himself had many personal interactions with him, showing he is not simply a symbol or allegoric character.

1. The Bible warns us:
1. to be aware of him
2. to be alert to his schemes
3. and to resist him.

5. Transition =) So, who is he exactly?  Where did he come from?  And why do we need to be on our guard against him?
6. The title of the lesson this morning = “Who is Satan?”
7. Names
1. The name “Satan” appears

1. 18 times in the Old Testament
2. 35 times in the New Testament

2. In Greek, Satan means “Accuser, Adversary or Hater”.
3. In Hebrew, Satan means “Arch-enemy of good”.
4. He is also called “The Devil” in the New Testament 61 times, which means “Slanderer or False Accuser”.
5. He is called “Beelzebub” 7 times, which means “the prince of demons”.
7. Q: Where did Satan come from?  What is his origin?
1. There is some debate about this…

1. But many scholars believe that God apparently created three “Arch-angels “ (leaders among the angels): Gabriel, Michael, and Lucifer.
2. Gabriel (the Messenger)
1. appeared to Daniel in Daniel 8:16; 9:21
2. appeared to Mary in Luke 1:26
3. appeared to Zechariah in Luke 1:19
3. Michael (the Warrior)
1. called “one of the chief princes” in Daniel 10:13
2. called, “the great prince who protects God’s people” in Daniel 12:1
3. and the one who drives Satan out of heaven in Revelation 12:7
4. and Lucifer (whose name means “the Light bearer”,

according to Isaiah 14:12 in the KJV of the Bible)

1. His name was apparently changed from Lucifer (“the Light bearer”) to Satan (“Accuser/Hater”) after his fall from grace.

2. Let’s turn to Isaiah 14 and look more closely at this passage…
3. Isaiah 14:12-15

1. “How you have fallen from heaven, O morning star, son of the dawn! You have been cast down to the earth, you who once laid low the nations! 13 You said in your heart,  "I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God; I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly, on the utmost heights of the sacred mountain. 14 I will ascend above the tops of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High." 15 But you are brought down to the grave, to the depths of the pit.
2. Many scholars claim this is a “duel prophecy”
1. (applies to both:
1. the current King of Babylon
2. and to Lucifer)
2. In fact, the King James Version translates the name “morning star” as “Lucifer” (which means “light bearer”)
1. So vs. 12 in the King James Version reads: “How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning!”
3. One commentator on this verse:
1. “It is true that the king of literal Babylon shined brightly among the men of his day, and fell as hard and as completely as if a man were to fall from heaven. But there was a far more brightly shining being who inhabited heaven, and fell even more dramatically - the king of spiritual Babylon, Satan.”
3. So, if indeed this passage refers to Satan, then, what can we learn about him?
4. One: Notice that Satan used to be one of the good guys!
1. Vs. 12 = “How you have fallen from heaven, O morning star, son of the dawn!”
2. One commentator on this verse:
1. “Jesus Himself is called the Bright and Morning Star (Revelation 22:16). Satan, though a created being, had some of these glorious qualities in himself. No wonder that Satan transforms himself into an angel of light (2 Corinthians 11:14), deceiving many with his apparent glory, beauty, and goodness.”
2. Don’t picture Satan with horns and a pitch-fork!
3. Picture him as a glorious, beautiful, seemingly good angel of light!
4. M.P. = This is why he such an effective deceiver.
1. 2 Corinthians 11:1-4 = “I hope you will put up with a little of my foolishness; but you are already doing that. 2I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy. I promised you to one husband, to Christ, so that I might present you as a pure virgin to him. 3But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent's cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ. 4For if someone comes to you and preaches a Jesus other than the Jesus we preached, or if you receive a different spirit from the one you received, or a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it easily enough…”
2. Vs. 13-15 = “For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, masquerading as apostles of Christ. 14And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. 15It is not surprising, then, if his servants masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve.”
3. Q: How do we protect ourselves from false teaching and false teachers?
4. A: A big subject, but two main safeguards:
1. One: Examine all teaching by the light of God’s Word.
2. Two: Look at the fruit of the person’s life.
5. One: Examine all teaching by the light of God’s Word.
1. Acts 17:10-12 = “As soon as it was night, the brothers sent Paul and Silas away to Berea. On arriving there, they went to the Jewish synagogue. 11Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true. 12Many of the Jews believed, as did also a number of prominent Greek women and many Greek men.”
6. Two: Look at the fruit of the person’s life
1. Matthew 7:15-23 = “Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. 16By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? 17Likewise every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. 19Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them. 21"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' 23Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!”
2. James 3:13-18 = “Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. 14But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. 15Such "wisdom" does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil. 16For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice. 17But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. 18Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness.”
5. Two: Look at the reason Satan fell.
1. Isaiah 14:13-14 = “You said in your heart, "I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God; I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly, on the utmost heights of the sacred mountain. 14 I will ascend above the tops of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.”
1. In Proverbs 8:13, God says “I hate pride and arrogance…!”
2. Notice the “I will” statements:
1. "I will ascend to heaven.”
2. “I will raise my throne above the stars of God.”
3. “I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly, on the utmost heights of the sacred mountain.”
4. “I will ascend above the tops of the clouds.”
5. “I will make myself like the Most High.”
3. Compare this with Jesus’ humility in Philippians 2:5-8…“Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: 6Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, 7but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. 8And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself  and became obedient to death— even death on a cross!
1. What a contrast!
1. I will not cling to my position.
2. I will make myself nothing.
3. I will take the very nature of a servant.
4. I will be made in human likeness.
5. I will humble myself.
6. I will be obedient to death, even death on a cross.
4. M.P. = If any thought, attitude, person or group is leading you toward humility, it’s probably of Jesus.  If any thought, attitude, person or group is leading you toward pride, it’s probably of Satan.
6. Three: Look at the consequences of Satan’s fall
1. Vs. 15 = “But you are brought down to the grave,
          to the depths of the pit.”
2. Quote Proverbs 16:18 = “Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.”
3. Again, let’s compare this to the rewards of Jesus’ humility in Philippians 2:9-11
1. “Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, 10that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,  in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”
2. Ironically, Jesus got what Satan wanted.
1. Quote 1 Peter 5:5 = “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”

4. Let’s turn to Ezekiel 28…

1. This is another passage that many scholars believe is a “duel prophecy” referring to both the King of Tyre and Lucifer/Satan.

5. Ezekiel 28:11-17

1. “The word of the LORD came to me: 12 "Son of man, take up a lament concerning the king of Tyre and say to him: 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says: " You were the model of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty.  13 You were in Eden, the garden of God; every precious stone adorned you: ruby, topaz and emerald, chrysolite, onyx and jasper, sapphire, turquoise and beryl. Your settings and mountings were made of gold; on the day you were created they were prepared. 14 You were anointed as a guardian cherub, for so I ordained you. You were on the holy mount of God; you walked among the fiery stones. 15 You were blameless in your ways from the day you were created till wickedness was found in you. 16 Through your widespread trade you were filled with violence, 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. 17 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.”
2. Notice again the story-line:
1. Lucifer was an amazing creature
1. Vs. 12b = “You were the model of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty.”
2. God had a wonderful plan for his life
1. Vs. 14 = “You were anointed as a guardian cherub, for so I ordained you.”
3. But Lucifer’s sin was his downfall.
1. Vs. 17 = Your heart became proud on account of your beauty, and you corrupted your wisdom because of your splendor.”

6. Revelation 12 is the most instructive New Testament passage on Satan’s origins and story…
7. Revelation 12:7-12

1. “And there was war in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back. 8But he was not strong enough, and they lost their place in heaven. 9The great dragon was hurled down—that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him. 10Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say: "Now have come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Christ. For the accuser of our brothers, who accuses them before our God day and night, has been hurled down. 11They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death. 12Therefore rejoice, you heavens and you who dwell in them! But woe to the earth and the sea, because the devil has gone down to you! He is filled with fury, because he knows that his time is short.”
2. Apparently, there was a titanic war between angelic beings in heaven!
1. Michael led one group
2. and Satan led the other.
3. Michael’s side wins, and Satan and his angels are hurled down to the earth.
1. On earth, Satan is:
1. “filled with fury” (vs. 12b)
2. “accusing God’s people day and night” (vs. 10b)
3. and “leading the whole world astray” (vs. 9b)
4. Q: What’s Satan’s motive to harm us?
5. A: Vs. 12 = “He is filled with fury, because he knows that his time is short.”
1. Apparently Satan is furious at God, and wants revenge by hurting those God loves the most – us.
1. Read vs. 17 = “Then the dragon was enraged at the woman [symbolizing God’s church] and went off to make war against the rest of her offspring [symbolizing individual members in the church] —those who obey God's commandments and hold to the testimony of Jesus.”
1. So, according to this passage, Satan is a powerful, bitter, and vengeful arch-angel who’s one goal in life is to destroy God’s people!
1. That’s why we must beware of him.

9. Close
1. 1 Peter 5:8-11

1. “Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 9Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings. 10And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. 11To him be the power for ever and ever. Amen.”