| The word "devil" means someone who tells wicked lies about another person. "Satan" means an enemy or an opposer. These are terms given to God’s chief enemy. At first, he was a perfect angel in heaven with God. However, he later thought too much of himself and wanted the worship that rightly belongs to God. (Matthew 4:8-10) |
Matthew 4:8-10 Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. "All this I will give you," he said, "if you will bow down and worship me." Jesus said to him, "Away from me, Satan! For it is written: 'Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.'" |
God’s chief enemy. In what sense is the term "chief" meant? |
| This angel, Satan, spoke to Eve by means of a snake. By telling her lies, he got her to disobey God. Satan thus attacked what is called God's "sovereignty," or position as the Most High. Satan questioned whether God rules in a worthy way and in the best interests of His subjects. Satan also brought into question whether any human would remain loyal to God. By doing this, Satan made himself God's enemy. That is why he came to be called Satan the Devil. (Genesis 3:1-5; Job 1:8-11; Revelation 12:9) |
Genesis 3:1-5 Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, "Did God really say, 'You must not eat from any tree in the garden'?" The woman said to the serpent, "We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, but God did say, 'You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.' " "You will not surely die," the serpent said to the woman. 5 "For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil." Job 1:8-11 Then the LORD said to Satan, "Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil." "Does Job fear God for nothing?" Satan replied. "Have you not put a hedge around him and his household and everything he has? You have blessed the work of his hands, so that his flocks and herds are spread throughout the land. But stretch out your hand and strike everything he has, and he will surely curse you to your face." Revelation 12:9 The 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. |
By doing this, Satan made himself God's enemy. As stated in the previous point, Satan made himself God’s enemy by desiring the worship that rightly belongs to God. After he fell, he then went on to tempt humans to also fall. Furthermore, before Satan even tempted Eve, there existed the question of whether any human would remain loyal to God. If a creature is born with free will, even if he is also born perfect, there is a chance that he will become imperfect through acts of pride. This is pointed out about Satan in the first point: At first, he was a perfect angel in heaven with God. How do Job 1:8-11 and Revelation 12:9 tie in to this subject? |
| Satan tries to trick people into worshiping him. (2 Corinthians 11:3, 14) One way he misleads people is through false religion. If a religion teaches lies about God, it really serves the purpose of Satan. (John 8:44) People who are members of false religions may sincerely believe that they are worshiping the true God. But they are really serving Satan. He is 'the god of this world.' (2 Corinthians 4:4). |
2 Corinthians 11:3, 14 But 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. And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. John 8:44 You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father's desire. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies. 2 Corinthians 4:4 The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. |
Satan tries to trick people into worshiping him. I think Satan has an easier task than this - he tries to trick people into not worshiping God. That’s all he needs to do to lead us astray. So long as we are not worshiping God, it doesn’t matter what we are worshiping; we are still doomed. |
| Spiritism is another way Satan brings people under his power. They may call upon spirits to protect them, to harm others, to foretell the future, or to perform miracles. Satan is the wicked force behind all these practices. To please God, we must have nothing to do with spiritism. (Deuteronomy 18:10-12; Acts 19:18, 19). |
Deuteronomy 18:10-12 Let no one be found among you who sacrifices his son or daughter in the fire, who practices divination or sorcery, interprets omens, engages in witchcraft, or casts spells, or who is a medium or spiritist or who consults the dead. Anyone who does these things is detestable to the LORD, and because of these detestable practices the LORD your God will drive out those nations before you. Acts 19:18, 19 Many of those who believed now came and openly confessed their evil deeds. A number who had practiced sorcery brought their scrolls together and burned them publicly. When they calculated the value of the scrolls, the total came to fifty thousand drachmas. |
All sins can be boiled down to one sin: pride. Any time we put ourselves and our own desires before God and His desires, we are sinning. These lists, while they may all be truly sinful, do not warn us of that fundamental trap. |
| Satan also misleads people through extreme pride of race and the worship of political organizations. Some feel that their nation or race is better than others. But this is not true. (Acts 10:34, 35) Other people look to political organizations to solve man's problems. By doing this, they are rejecting God's Kingdom. It is the only solution for our problems. (Daniel 2:44). |
Acts 10:34, 35 Then Peter began to speak: "I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism but accepts men from every nation who fear him and do what is right. Daniel 2:44 "In the time of those kings, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed, nor will it be left to another people. It will crush all those kingdoms and bring them to an end, but it will itself endure forever." |
Other people look to political organizations to solve man’s problems. If one ignores God and follows a political leader - so that he is, in a sense, "worshiping" that leader - then I agree that his practice is wrong. However, political leaders play key roles in a shaping the morality of their countries. Also, we are commanded to obey the laws of the government, so long as they do not conflict with God’s law (Matt 17:24-27, 22:15-22; Romans 13:1-5; Titus 3:1) |
| Another way Satan misleads people is by tempting them with sinful desires. Jehovah tells us to avoid sinful practices because he knows they will harm us. (Galatians 6:7, 8) Some people may want you to join them in such practices. Remember, though, it is really Satan who wants you to do these things. (1 Corinthians 6:9, 10; 15:33). |
Galatians 6:7, 8 Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. 1 Corinthians 6:9, 10; 15:33 Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. ... Do not be misled: "Bad company corrupts good character." |
(Same comments apply as above) |
| Satan may use persecution or opposition to get you to leave Jehovah. Some of your loved ones may become very angry because you are studying the Bible. Others may make fun of you. But to whom do you owe your life? Satan wants to frighten you so that you will stop learning about Jehovah. Do not let Satan win! (Matthew 10:34-39; 1 Peter 5:8, 9) By resisting the Devil, you can make Jehovah happy and show that you uphold His sovereignty. (Proverbs 27:11). |
Matthew 10:34-39 "Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to turn " 'a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law-- a man's enemies will be the members of his own household.' Anyone who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; and anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. 1 Peter 5:8, 9 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, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings. Proverbs 27:11 Be wise, my son, and bring joy to my heart; then I can answer anyone who treats me with contempt. |
...you can make Jehovah happy. No act that I perform by myself can possibly make God "happy". I am sinful, broken, fallen and ruled by my own pride. The only actions that are pleasing to God are those that come about due to the reconciliation that Jesus provides (Col 1:19-20). |
