The Doctrine of Satan

The Personality of Satan

Alright, so we're gonna be looking at the personality of Satan. This is from the Morris Corner Church doctoral statement. I'll just read it. It says we believe that Satan is a person. Satan is a person the author of sin and the cause of the fall and that he is the open and declared enemy of God and man and that he shall be eternally punished in the lake of Fire.

And then there are the Scripture references that we're going to look at throughout this class and probably add one or two.

To this.

So just as we talk about the Holy Trinity as being one God in three persons. The Father is a person. Jesus Christ is a person and the Holy Spirit is a person. So the devil is also a person now. Don't let there be any misunderstanding.

Obviously, we're not saying that means he's a human being right? The devil is not a human being. Jesus was a human being. But the devil is not human, but he is a person. So what does it mean when we say that he is a person?

Well, we're saying he has personality. He can think he can reason he makes decisions. The devil can speak. So he's making decisions and he's going to be held responsible For these decisions. So let's go through the Bible verses listed and turn to the book of Job chapter 1.

Job chapter 1. So a person is being Capable of attributes again such as reason also morality or a lack thereof. Consciousness or self-consciousness. A few more things about Satan when he was created he was created as what?

An angel he was created a holy angel originally Lucifer. Until he rebelled and we'll get into the timing of this in just a moment. But let me just read from Revelation 12 verses 7 through 9. It says. And war broke out in heaven.

Michael and his angels fought with the dragon and the dragon and his angels fought but they did not prevail. Nor was a place found for them in heaven any longer. So the great dragon that's the serpent of old called the devil and Satan.

He was cast out. Who deceives the whole world and he was cast to the earth and his angels were cast out with him? So Satan was in heaven until he rebelled and then he was cast out and thrown to the earth.

Satan has many names. What are some other names for Satan? Lucifer. Beelzebub. The enemy the adversary. So usually Satan and the devil are the two primary names we use. Belial good. Good the tempter excellent.

All right, so he has many names and He's called that serpent of old. All right.

Yeah.

Devil means accuser and Satan means adversary. So that's what those terms mean. All right, let's look at Job 1 verses 6 and 7. Job some people Believe this is the oldest book in the Bible that it's probably true Job chapter 1 verses 6 and 7 and it says now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord and Satan also Came among them and the Lord said to Satan from where do you come?

So Satan answered the Lord and said from going to and fro on the earth and From walking back and forth on it. Here's one of the biggest Misconceptions about the devil if you go up to someone on the street and say you've heard of Satan and the devil, right?

Of course, where is he? Oh, he's in hell, right? That's that's the devil's domain. He is in hell is Satan in hell. I mean, he's going to be someday but no Satan is Here on the earth walking to and fro so he is busy Deceiving the nations and you know, anyone who's born again can clearly see that he's active doing that.

So in the book of Job chapter 1 we're transported to this scene in heaven where the angels present themselves before the Lord. Now what does it say angels? What does it say? Sons of God now. We're usually as New Testament Christians.

We usually think of the sons of God as being believers in Christ. And in the New Testament, that's true the New Testament sons of God that's believers in Christ but when the Old Testament talks about the sons of God the Hebrew term is the B 'nai Elohim and It almost always in the Old Testament refers to angels.

So the angels are presenting themselves before God and who's among them Satan because He's an angel so it's that it's that.

Simple.

So the angels present themselves before God Satan is among them and. The point of this reference in our doctrinal statement is to prove the personality of the devil. So here the devil is having a conversation with God.

There's people out there Who would think that the devil is sort of like an impersonal force?

Or.

The devil is evil. It's just a concept. Well a force or a concept can't have a conversation. So that's clearly presenting Satan as a Person. All right any questions so far?

Jim.

If he was walking with the angels sons of God. He had. There's something there had to be something about his personal appearance that he was identified as.

Okay.

You know the Bible talks about Satan and describes him. We've all seen the caricatures of Satan and he's he's red and he's got the pitchfork and he's got the tail and the hooves and Everything. I mean some of that is that imagery is found in the Bible.

Is that really what the devil looks like? I don't think so. That's how he's described because he's evil. But the Bible and we're going to touch on this the Bible says the Apostle Paul says that he Transforms himself into an angel of light.

If he were to and I don't think this actually happens in this this world. But if he were to manifest himself to where a human being could see him, he wouldn't be this grotesque Creature because his whole job is to deceive people.

He would present himself as an angel, right and there are some major religions of the world that have been founded because Joseph Smith or Muhammad claimed that they are visited by an an angel of light who came with this new Teaching and revelation and we've seen the fruit of that.

But yes. Yeah, if it was an angel it was it was either him or one of his fallen angels.

Yes, I think that I like honestly, I can't remember. I think it's an Isaiah. It describes him or maybe Ezekiel, but I think it was more than Isaiah. It describes him as what his position was in heaven.

So I think The identifier would be that he would be clothed in Righteousness looking clothing or you know, it's something that would distinguish him from maybe anything else that was there, right? Because when he was expelled kicked out Moved on whatever your phrase you want to use.

He may have Continued to have that.

Clothing or rose. What is the term Lucifer mean? Yeah light bearer.

Okay.

Satan here's just a few things you can make a note of this second Corinthians 4 4 Calls him the god of this age. Ephesians 2 2 Calls Satan the prince of the power of the air and then first John 5 19 says that the whole world is under his sway or Influence.

So at this point in the book of Job, which was written about 3 ,500 years ago Satan has access to heaven. We just read that. Maybe not full reign or access. Maybe it's by invite only but he still has access from heaven.

Yes, Carolyn. Well, I think they are it's just a term that for all the angels. So there's holy angels. There are fallen angels, which are demons and Then there are a separate class of angels that are chained in the bottomless pit.

So sons of God would have been referring Likely to all of them or To the holy angels, but Satan is there that's that's what we know. So Satan has access to heaven or at least he did maybe not full access.

Like I said by invite only perhaps before the fall though in Genesis chapter 3. He would have had full Access in heaven. Let's turn to Isaiah 14 and we're not exactly sure how all of that works, obviously.

But that verse that I read from Revelation 12 a few minutes ago about Satan being cast out of heaven. We believe the book of Revelation is a book of future prophecy. So we do not believe he has been fully cast out of heaven.

Yet.

In the end of days There will be a time where he is cast out never Allowed to return he's cast to the earth and then he's gonna know that he has a short time Left and that's during the great great tribulation.

So the way I understand it He was created as Lucifer full access to heaven. After he fell the access was limited and the day is coming when he will be banished once and for all. I don't think that Has happened yet.

Revelation 12 12 says for the devil has come down to you having great wrath because he knows he has a short time. So that that's still yet to happen. I believe. Okay, so you're in Isaiah 14, right? This is one of the key texts when it comes to the origins of the devil.

This is the only place in the Bible that mentions his original name Lucifer again meaning light bearer and That ties in with what the Apostle Paul said that he transforms himself into an angel of light.

So make a note of this the devil's primary Operation is to work in and through false religion. You might think of somebody who's just The dregs of society a serial killer someone you might look at like an Adolf Hitler and I'm not saying that Satan isn't involved in any of that stuff.

But I don't think Satan is primarily.

Involved in.

In crime and those things Satan deceives the world through false False religion. So, let's look at Isaiah 14 12 through 15, but it's all part that's all part of the devil's domain. Isaiah 14 12 through 15 Says how you have fallen from heaven.

Who? Oh.

Lucifer okay, so I know there's translations that remove the name Lucifer, but we use the King James or the New King James. Well, at least I do. I say we because I'm the pastor so I get to say that. So some of your some of your Bibles will not use the term Lucifer.

But mine does now how you have fallen from heaven. Oh Lucifer son of the morning. How you are cut down to the ground you who weakened the nations for you have said in your heart. Here's his original sin.

You have said in your heart I will ascend into heaven and I will exalt my throne above the stars of God. I will also sit on the mount of the congregation on the farthest sides of the north. I will ascend above the heights of the clouds.

I will be like the most high. That was Satan's sin. I will be like God. I Will be like the most high and what does the Lord say? No you won't. Yet you shall be brought down to Sheol the lowest depths of The pit so Satan is a personal being a fallen angel the author of sin the cause of the fall.

The whole world is under his sway and because man chose to obey Satan in the garden instead of God. The world is the way it is people sometimes ask the question. Why do bad things happen? Because men choose to obey Satan rather than God.

It's that simple and it started at the beginning with Adam and the results has been well, that's world history. That's what we've seen ever since death and destruction and warfare and every evil thing under the Sun is the result of man.

Listening to the voice of Satan over the voice of God. So what let me pose the question back to you. What was Lucifer's downfall? I will right so Sometimes we call this pride that that was the first. The first sin was pride.

He wanted to exalt himself. Above God and all of the angels. All right, so let's look to Ezekiel chapter 28. Turn there if you would Ezekiel 28. This is kind of how you can remember these two passages.

It's Isaiah 14. So these are two prophets Isaiah 14 and 14 plus 14 is what? 28 Zeke say Isaiah 14 is a heel 28. That's how I remember it. It's helpful for me. So it might be helpful for you.

All right. So when when did that happen his fall?

When did he first fall. We know it was sometime before Genesis chapter 3. When we don't we don't really know. There's different theories on that that we don't have time to get into but by the time we read about the serpent in the garden in Genesis 3 Lucifer had fallen by that point and he came to Eve presenting himself as a what a.

Serpent.

But he did come In a very deceptive cunning manner, he didn't start out with hey, I hate God. You should join me and we can rebel against God together. That's not how he did it. He was very Subtle. Okay, and that's the way false teachers Work, they're very subtle.

They're not going to come out with the the blasphemy right away. They're gonna try to trick you into following following that that path. Well just before we get into Ezekiel just a few more things on this.

God told Eve not to eat of the tree right. And she did it. Anyways, and what was the temptation you will be like.

God.

So Satan said I will be like God and his temptation for us is that we shall be like.

God.

There is a strain of Christianity where the. The teaching is you can be just like God. It's called the word faith movement and they say that human beings are little gods. You can be like.

God.

This is a very dangerous teaching which makes up most of what you see on Christian television today.

So.

There are a few good preachers on TV I think but most I would say be very careful be very careful. Oh. But but they're talking about Jesus though. Yeah, well the devil subtle. You just have to watch out.

Satanism is not about drawing pentagrams and holding seances, although that is within that realm, but it's not about Someone drawing a pentagram and having a goat's head and doing all that kind of dark weird stuff.

Satanism really when you boil it down is do what you want. Do as thou will. There is actually something called the Church of Satan. In the United States, there is something called the Church of Satan.

Their mantra is do as thou will. How does that tie into? Genesis 3 God told Eve Adam and Eve don't eat of the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. And what does Satan say? You can do what you want.

Do what you want. Revelation 22 14 says blessed are those Who do his commandments that they may have the right to the tree of life? Revelation also talks about those who have the testimony of Jesus. That's how we're saved by believing in Jesus as the Son of God Who died on the cross for our sins rose again the third day were saved by faith alone.

The Revelation talks about those who have the testimony of Jesus and Keep the commandments of God. One of the devil's current scams is That you can just ignore the Old Testament scriptures you can ignore God's law, you know, we're not under law.

You can do what you want do as thou will and if somebody comes along and Preaches about how you should obey God's commandments there. They're smeared as a legalist. So that's a that's another thing you have to watch out for.

I know I told you to turn to Ezekiel. I haven't forgot. Okay, we're gonna get to that in a second. But we need to know how the devil is operating. So didn't you know disregard the commandments? All you need to do is love your neighbor love your neighbor as yourself.

We've heard a lot about that the past couple of years right love your neighbor as yourself. Do we believe that? Yeah, Jesus said you should love your neighbor as yourself. Does anyone actually do it? You know, that's that's a whole other.

That's a whole other thing. Well, I'll just answer the question nobody actually loves their neighbor as themselves you realize that Love God with all your heart with all your strength. You realize nobody does that perfectly.

Love your neighbor as yourself. Nobody can live up to that. You know what that is that's not the gospel love your neighbor as yourself. That's God's law. That everyone has fallen short in that area when Jesus said love your neighbor.

First of all, he's quoting from the Old Testament. So people want to hold on to that phrase. It comes from the Old Testament scriptures. That's a summary of the Ten Commandments Love God, that's the first half of the Ten Commandments.

Love your neighbor as yourself. That's a summary of the second half. So Even that term love your neighbor as yourself if someone's presenting that as the gospel, that's a false gospel. See how Satan can be very very Cunning very very subtle.

Okay, you're in Ezekiel 28. Let's look at verses 11 through 16 I want to give you a chance. Do you have any questions on that? What I just said and please don't be afraid to ask questions.

No, all right.

Ezekiel 28 11 through 16. Moreover the word of the Lord came to me saying Son of man take up a lamentation for the king of Tyre and they said to him thus says the Lord God. Here's another difference between Old and New Testament.

The Son of Man in the New Testament is who?

Jesus.

Well here the Son of Man is Ezekiel. So that's just another difference. The chapter begins with the Lord addressing who? The king of Tyre so this was a large city sort of like a nation state or a city-state.

Excuse me. So it's talking about the prince of Tyre and then it turns to address the king of Tyre. So in one sense the Prophet or God through the Prophet is addressing a man the king but then he's Moves to start to address the devil himself.

Why. Because human rulers what do they have a tendency of doing same thing the devil did to exalt themselves as God or to be above God. So that's the transition from the king of Tyre who's exalted himself like the devil.

So The Prophet can speak of this man, but he's actually speaking of the the spirit behind the man, which is Satan. All right, look at that verse continuing the Lord says to him you are the seal of Perfection full of wisdom and perfect and beauty.

Verse 13 You were in Eden the Garden of God in every precious stone was your covering. Was the king of Tyre or the prince of Tyre the man in the Garden of Eden. No. Who is in the guard who is he talking to he's talking about Satan.

Obviously we're speaking to the devil so you are in Eden the Garden of God every precious stone was your covering and Then he lists these gems. In verse 13 he says The workmanship of your timbrels and pipes was prepared for you on the day You were created now.

I know this I know this kind of steps on people's toes a little bit. So, please don't be offended. But there there is a different translation. This doesn't say timbrels and pipes. What does it say? Okay settings and mountings.

So again, this would be a difference between the King James version of the Bible, you're not upset with me Stacy, right? Okay. Good. All right. Good. That's your choice. Okay Settings okay, so Jim's with you.

Okay, you got a deacon on your side. Listen this my point is not to fight over Bible translations, but I'm gonna give you my understanding and if you want to disagree. That's up to you. But you see a difference here right settings and mountings in Timbrels and pipes.

One is talking about the settings for gemstones. The other is talking about musical instruments. These are not the same. Okay, so I Guess logically both translations could be wrong. But one thing I know for sure they both can't be right.

So, what is he saying here. The idea that many theologians have believed that Lucifer originally was involved with.

Music.

One theologian described him that he was in charge of the heavenly choir so if you think of praise and in worship happening in heaven and Singing praises to God in heaven. Originally. The idea is that Satan would have been the director of heaven's Heaven's choir.

How many of you have heard this before that the devil is closely associated with music. Yeah, so. It's no surprise then if that's true, and I believe it is. It's no it's no surprise that The devil still uses music as a very effective tool.

Doesn't he do that the devil can use music in order to seduce people. Just an example of this. I remember I was on YouTube and I looked up come now found that's my favorite him Come now found of many blessings and I typed it in come now found Congregational singing and it came up the Mormon tabernacle choir.

Well, you know I listened to it and halfway through the thought in my mind. Something or someone placed the thought in my mind. The singing was glorifying to God. It was so beautiful and I had the thought how can these people not be Christians?

I Know better than that. But that's how music is able to seduce people not just teenagers and the stuff they listen to that's that's one area That can lead people away from God Satan. I believe uses Music he uses all sorts of things to draw people away.

Do you agree music has a powerful influence? Over people very powerful. Now it's interesting just to go back to the difference of Bible translations most modern Bible translations. Probably the majority translate this Differently to where this at this verse has nothing to do with music.

Timbrels and pipes. Versus mountings for the gemstones now. He does talk about gemstones so you could say well that kind of fits the context. That'd be mounting for the gemstones.

Right.

Right, and I think that's why they interpreted it that way because it seems to fit the context. However, if you look up the Hebrew words The Hebrew word translated timbrel go ahead and check it out. It's almost always a reference to musical instruments almost always and the word that's translated Pipes is only found once so you have nothing else to compare it to.

So at least I take the position that Satan was Involved with music originally or Lucifer was involved with music originally and he still uses music To seduce people to this very day so we can agree to disagree.

We can still be friends, right?

Yes, okay.

So just be aware while music can be used to glorify God Music is also an effective tool used by the God of this age. So anyways, if you were not convinced that This is talking about Lucifer or the devil instead of the Prince of Tyre now Look at verse 14.

He the Lord comes right out and says who he's addressing. He says you were the anointed cherub who covers so now he's saying you were an angel. I Established you you were on the holy mountain of God. You walked back and forth in the midst of the fiery stones.

And so this gives the idea that Lucifer originally was probably the highest ranking of all the angels in charge of Glorifying or guarding God's throne the fiery stones probably going back to a reference of the gems in Exodus chapter 24 verse 10.

What gives a vision of God. And under his feet were all these these gemstones in the book of Revelation. John sees a vision of heaven and he sees an array of these. These colors he's shining colors like gems.

So Satan. We believe I believe he is the highest ranking angel In heaven or Lucifer. You understand that I'm going back and forth with the terms. But he was the highest ranking angel in in heaven. Who's the highest ranking angel now.

Michael. Michael is called the Ark angel. Some people have the idea. Because we want to dispel some of the myths some people have the idea that okay here's God right. And then below God is is Jesus and Jesus in Satan or Jesus and Lucifer are kind of like equals.

Is that true? I Remember there was a meme some of you know what a meme is. I was going around on Facebook and it was it was about like one of the elections back in 2020 I think and it had a picture of Satan and Jesus arm-wrestling it was it was really popular for a while.

We just think about that Jesus and Satan arm-wrestling as if they're equal and know who's gonna win. That's not the way it is. No, it's no contest. Right, yeah. Mormonism teaches that Jesus and Lucifer are equals in that sense now.

They I think they would have to put Jesus ahead. He's the Savior they would say but yeah. They say that they were brothers so that they started out on equal footing the Jehovah's Witnesses say that Jesus is the Archangel Michael.

Well, here's the here's the big difference between Lucifer and Jesus. Not only are they not equals. Lucifer is a creature. Lucifer was created by God. Jesus is God. So one is a creature. The other is a creator.

If you were to just read the first few verses of the Gospel of John. It's very clear that everything was created By the Son of God, so don't ever make that mistake to think that Jesus and Lucifer are somehow Equal.

They they are not. The Bible says that Christ is the power and wisdom of God. That's first. Corinthians 1.

24.

Satan is a fallen creature. Headed for where? It's right here. He's headed for the lake of fire. So they have never been equals. They never they never will be. A few other things to consider. Satan is powerful.

That's true. Satan is very powerful. But God is all.

Powerful.

The Lord we say the Lord is Omniscient, what does that mean? He knows everything says that the Lord not only knows the end from the beginning. Isaiah 46 verse 10 says the Lord Declares the end from the beginning.

Is Satan omniscient. No, Satan does not know everything. There's a I mean he he's very knowledgeable. But he does not have all knowledge. He does not have all Power. It was the Protestant reformer Martin Luther who said about?

The devil he said even the devil is God's devil. If you read the book of Job Satan had to get permission before he did anything. Now this does raise a question. Why did God create the devil. To begin with how many you've heard this?

Some of you have probably asked that question.

Okay.

It's true. God did not create the devil. But he did create Lucifer and he knew Lucifer was going to become the devil. So why did God create Lucifer to begin with? Who wants to who wants to answer that question?

Carolyn.

To give man a choice. Okay, I think that's a I think that's a common response a good good answer Jen.

Yeah.

Okay.

So yes, God knew what was going to happen and he chose to create and do this. Anyways, and while we cannot call evil good It I believe it somehow. It was good that God did what he did. I Don't know why.

I don't know how exactly. Maybe it's the contract. Maybe it's about giving man a choice. Because if man doesn't have a choice to love God. And he makes that then it's you know, if if God forces people to love him, it's not really love.

That's the argument. So it's about giving man a choice. Yeah, is it about the contrast light and darkness makes God that much brighter, you know is about Giving more glory to God. There's all sorts of different Answers.

Here's the one thing we can never say God is not the author of sin. There's a lot of things we don't understand just this whole spiritual realm and angels and demons and. And the spiritual warfare and the fighting that go.

I don't have any idea how that works or what's going on in that realm. You just need to trust in God's Word because the devil. What what he does he's tried to get you to doubt God's Word or doubt God's goodness.

That's what you got to watch out for Kathy. Yeah, the whole question of why. Yeah, it's kept theologians busy for 2 ,000 years and they still haven't Cracked the code. All right, so God created Lucifer.

He created him a perfect being. Look at verse 15. You're still in Ezekiel. You were perfect in your ways from the day You were created till iniquity was found in you by the abundance of your trading. You became filled with violence within and you sin.

Therefore I cast you.

I.

Cast you as a profane thing out of the mountain of God and I destroyed you. Oh covering cherub from the midst of the fiery Stone. So going back to the Morse corner. Church statement of faith it says we believe that Satan is a person the author of sin in the cause of the fall and he is the open and Declared enemy of God and man and he shall be punished eternally in the lake of fire.

Satan’s Names, Origin, and Fall

Okay, let's turn to Revelation chapter 20. We're talking about the names of Satan. Somebody brought this up. One of his names is Beelzebub. All right, you know what Beelzebub means. Who knows what that means.

There's a there was a well-known book that was written called the Lord of The flies. That's what Beelzebub means. This was a derogatory term used by the Jews to call Satan. Oh, yeah his kingdom. He's the Lord of the flies which basically means, you know, what a fly is circle around.

He's the Lord of the dung heap. Basically is what what that meant his kingdom is going to come to naught. He's also identified. Many would identify Satan as the king of the bottomless pit. How many of you are familiar with Revelation chapter 9?

The.

Hebrew word is a badden. The Greek term is a Polly on. So this is the king of the bottomless pit at some point the bottomless pit where some of the angels are chained in darkness. In the end of days the bottomless pit is open and they have a king over them who is a Polly on and many identify that king as as.

Satan.

This is interesting. Okay, this I'm just throwing this in as a bonus. Because I think it does prove a point. Some of you are gonna say wow, this is really far out. How many of you have heard of CERN C E R N or the large hadron collider?

It's beneath the ground in Switzerland. And a few of those countries. Yeah, they study. It's a science research Center and there's it's a they're studying nuclear physics or nuclear research. You say what in the world does this have to do with with Satan?

Okay, so he's called a Polly on which means what? The destroyer. So another term for the devil is the destroyer. Outside of CERN and this was in the news. This is the only reason I bring it up. This was in mainstream news.

About.

20 2009 some somewhere around then. With the research they were doing at CERN. There was a lot of concern that Because it's a particle accelerator. The fear was that they might create a black hole that might destroy the earth.

Again, this was in all mainstream media outlets. This is not a conspiracy theory so a black hole if Created on earth would destroy the earth. Do you know what they have outside of CERN? They have a statue of the Hindu goddess Shiva who is in Hinduism called what the destroyer?

Outside of the United Nations this past year they erected a statue of a Beast that had wings and it was basically the Beast of Revelation a Perfect description of the Beast of Revelation now. I'm not trying to float some grand conspiracy.

I'm just saying that The the God of this age is active. Okay, what does the Bible say the whole world is under his sway in? Influence so people who are of the world Do this kind of a thing? So again, that's just a bonus.

The Beast, the False Prophet, and the Mark of the Beast

I just thought that was that was interesting. I don't not saying there's anything really behind it. There could be I suppose Revelation chapter 13. This is relevant. Revelation 13 talks about the Beast and the false prophet Preached on this several times that the whole world follows after the Beast so there is a one world government under the Beast and his Man of sin the Antichrist a one world government one world religion all peoples will be forced to worship the Beast and there will be a one world economy because Every man woman and child would be forced to take what?

The mark of the Beast. Otherwise, they cannot buy or sell one world government one world religion one world Economy. I preached a sermon on that and on YouTube it got slapped with a conspiracy label.