Σατανᾶς

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Many may wish to peruse http://www.christian...flee-from-what/ or http://www.christian...bb%ce%bf%cf%82/ regarding the correct interpretation of Devil

I will present the study of Satan in like manner as the Devil study as it is good to systematically investigate the context of each passage for truth. We shall also investigate the word Devil as revealed to us in the Book of Revelation: since, in the Book of Genesis the person of Satan is not found any more than is the idea of a Devil.

Facts:

Satan is found in the AV 55 times, 19 in the OT, 36 in the NT. The word itself is a Hebrew word, so its real meaning is better enforced by considering the Hebrew text first.

Interesting Fact:

In the OT it occurs in 14 passages very distinctly translated either adversary or adversaries: And in one occasion in Zech. 3:1KJV as resist, and one other to withstand in Num 20:32. 19 times it is NOT translated (for sathan or satan is the Hebrew word untranslated).

Another Interesting Fact:

Of the 19 which are the untranslated word satan 14 found in the book of Job, it can be seen that these passages in which the word is translated and in its true meaning are 9 more than those that present in its untranslated form, being Satan.
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Let’s proceed by considering some passages and find its true meaning in the Bible.

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David is a good case in mention:

Then said the princes of the Philistines, What do these Hebrews here? And Achish said unto the princes of the Philistines, Is not this David, the servant of Saul the king of Israel, which hath been with me these days, or these years, and I have found no fault with him since he fell unto me unto this day? And the princes of the Philistines were wroth with him; and the princes of the Philistines said unto him, make this fellow return, that he may go again to his place which thou hast appointed him, and let him not go down with us to battle, lest in the battle he be an adversary to us: for wherewith should he reconcile himself unto his master? Should it not be with the heads of these men? Is not this David of whom they sang one to another in dances, saying, Saul slew his thousands and-David his ten thousands? 1 Sam 24:3,4,5.

“Lest he be an adversary to us”

The word here rendered adversary is satan:

Therefore Satan here is applied to a man.

And another:

And Hiram the king of Tyre sent his servants unto Solomon; for he had heard that they had anointed him king in the room of his father: for Hiram was ever a lover of David. And Solomon sent to Hiram, saying, thou knowest how that David my father could not build an house unto the name of the Lord his God, for the wars which were about him on every side, until the Lord put them under the soles of his feet. But now the Lord my God bath given me rest on every side, so that there is neither adversary nor evil occurrent, 1 Kings 5:1,2,3,4.

Adversary in the original is satan; this adversary again refers to human adversaries because Solomon makes a reference to wars which David fought against human beings.

Later we find that Solomon sinned. As a punishment, God stirred up an adversary, unto Solomon, Hadad the Edomite: he was of the king‘s seed in Edom, 1 King 11:14.

No doubt at all this adversary was a human being, and the Hebrew word for adversaries is satan.

 

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And when Solomon continued to break God’s law he was punishment again.

And God stirred up another adversary, Rezon, the son of Eliadah, which had fled from his lord Hadadezer, king of Zobah 1 Kings 11:23. He was an adversary to Israel all the days of Solomon.

The word sathan is the word translated adversary, and once again we see human adversary.

And again…

But Abishai the son of Zeruiah answered and said, Shall not Shimei be put to death for this, because he cursed the Lord‘s anointed? And David said, What have I to do with you, ye sons of Zeruiah, that ye should this day be adversaries unto me? Shall there any man be put to death in Israel? For do not I know that I am this day king over Israel? Therefore, the king said unto Shimei, Thou shalt not die. And the king sware unto him, 2 Samuel 19:21,22,23.

The adversaries here are evidently human beings, the sons of Zeruiah, and yet these in the Hebrew are named satans.

 

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Rather than providing the interpretation how about you all take part?

Cast me not off in the time of old age; forsake me not when my strength faileth. For mine enemies speak against me; and they that lay wait for my soul take counsel together, saying, God bath forsaken him: persecute and take him; for there is none to deliver him. O God, be not far from me: O my God, make haste for my help. Let them be confounded and consumed that are adversaries to my soul; let them be covered with reproach and dishonour that seek my hurt....Ps 71:9-13.

And…

As he clothed himself with cursing like as with a garment, so let it come into his bowels like water, and like oil into his bones. Let it be unto him as the garment which covereth him, and for a girdle wherewith he is girded continually. Let this be the reward of mine adversaries from the Lord, and of them that speak evil against my soul, Ps. 109:18-20, 29.

What do you think?

 

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The pressing issue for satan believers is found in the positive use of the Hebrew word satan. It is not always teaching a bad character!!!

The most positive evidence that 1. Satan simply means adversary 2. That satan is mostly used of humans in both good and bad context; is found in the fact that the word satan is used of a good messenger (yes an angel) of Yahweh.

We all know the storey of Balaam the prophet, who was about to curse Israel under Balak authority, and contrary to the command of God (Num 22:12,22).

Balaam knew he was a messenger from Yahweh and bowed himself: The angel-messenger said to him:

Wherefore hast thou smitten thine ass these three times? Behold, I went out to be an adversary unto thee, Because thy way is perverse before me Num 22:32 KJV

The more you look at this occurrences the more the Scriptures come to life before your eyes.
Now imagine if the translators printed it this way:

Wherefore hast thou smitten thine ass these three times? Behold, I went out to be a Satan unto thee, Because thy way is perverse before me…

Can you see how your notion of the word carries meaning that is simply not there.

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So the simple meaning of satan is one who is opposing another, and showing that if the one who is opposing, opposes someone doing evil, or if the one opposing opposes someone doing good, in either case the individual is a satan, an adversary.​

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This understanding can apply to many parties, individuals, nations and so on.​

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Every single OT passage can be conclusively proven that the adversary is in fact human. It appears those who teach the supernatural satan are those who wrest certain passages, such as Ezek 28 & Isa 14, which as you know deal with entirely different circumstances and nowhere therein is even a hint of this illusive creature.

By far the strongest OT passage a satan believer has in their possessing is that of Job. In Job‘s account the word Satan occurs twelve times.

Now, there was a day when the sons of God came, to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan came also among them. And the Lord said unto Satan, Whence comest thou? Then Satan answered the Lord, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it. And the Lord said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and upright man, one that feareth God and escheweth evil? Then Satan answered the Lord, and said, Doth Job fear God for nought? Hast thou not made a hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side? thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land. But put forth thine hand now, and touch all that he bath, and he will curse thee to thy face, Job 1: 6-11.

Without doubt any reader with or without the false notion of satan will conclude the satan is an adversary to the true worship of God. This adversary claims that Job served God only for what he had in his possession.

Those of you who read the devil studies will immediately see his language is selfish, a false accuser, one who believes that no man can do anything good except for the reason of gain: its all about Job holding fast to his integrity, testing the adversary‘s theory to be true or false.

Skin for skin, yea, all that a man bath will he give for his life. But put forth thine hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse thee to thy face.‖ And the Lord said unto Satan, Behold, he is in thine hand; but save his life, Job 2:4,5,6.

God allows adverse circumstance to come upon Job being afflicted by permission mind you we see a good man’s sincerity is put to the test to see the value of his moral virtues, whether he is found to be an adversary himself or a righteous man himself.

Whoever the adversary is said to be he is allowed to falsely accuse Job a good man who rules well over his house.

Understanding that every occurrence of the word devil implies a human false accuser and that every satan is mostly human except for a couple of exceptions where we find an angel or God Himself.

It is worthy of considering the nature of this adversary.

I hope to place some thoughts for you to consider shortly.

 

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One such way to establish the human aspect of the adversary is to determine who brought the evil upon Job? If it can be proven that God in fact administered the circumstances which tried his servants faith, then one must concede that either satan is powerless and totally controlled by God like that of a puppet, or that the false accuser is in fact one like Cain who having a form of religion despised his brother.
We find that everyone in the record of Job knew that God had brought the evil upon him.

Adversary: Job 1:11 Stretch out Your hand and touch (Job 2:5)

Job: Job 1:21 The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away. (Job 2:10)
Job 6:4 The arrows of the Almighty are within me.
Job 9:17 He crushes me multiplies my wounds without cause.
Job 10:8 Your hands made me yet You would destroy me.
Job 19:6 Know then that God has wronged me.
Job 27:2 As God lives, who has taken away my justice.

Friends: Job 5:17 Do not despise the chastening of the Almighty.
Job 8:4 He has cast your sons away for their transgression.
Job 11:6 God exacts from you less than your iniquity deserves.

God: Job 2:3 You incited Me against him, to destroy him without cause.
Job 42:11 All the adversity that the Lord had brought upon him.

All of Job’s afflictions were controlled by God with great precision: the Sabeans, lightning, Chaldeans, tornado, leprosy.

What this does immediately is cast doubt over the notions of this being supernatural being. If in fact it was then the friends of Job would have warned or discuss the adversary at length.

There is no room in the record for a supernatural being (at this early stage).

 

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While many endeavor to use Job as an anchor for satan teaching the real story is not so much Job himself but those he saved through his sufferings. Those sufferings like Jesus had nothing to do a supernatural being but rather the overcoming of sins flesh (Rom 8:3 2 Cor 5:21 Heb 2:14,15 Gal 4:4 Heb 4:15 and so on…)

Job and Christ - - Amazing parallels:

1. Both outstandingly righteous.
2. Both suffered more intensely than any other recorded.
3. Both held fast, and Yahweh knew they would.
4. Both reduced in shame to lowest level.
5. Both utterly despised and rejected.
6. Both were perfected through suffering.
7. Both suffered to benefit others.

The adversary has three possibilities only:


1. Human
2. Angel
3. Supernatural Being

If believers were really honest about Christ’s enemies they would need to concede it was always those vipers and serpents of the flesh who plague him daily and finally placed him on the tree.

Both Job and Christ were ‘made perfect by suffering’.

Christ, was unblemished righteousness, however not perfect until he had in loving and all-trusting obedience, passed through the required suffering and sacrificial death.

Job was the most righteous man of his day - a giant of faith and endurance. Still, Job had something to learn, something in which to be developed as he at last freely and humbly confessed. He had to learn that most shattering of all lessons, that human flesh is of no value of itself even when a man is upright, even when he has done his level best to serve his Creator, and that we are saved only by the grace of God in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus, by which His character is developed in us.

In both men it was God who tested and tried with fire to reveal a purified glorious character acceptable and pleasing to Yahweh.

This is why the adversary is gone from the record after a few chapters both in the life of Job and Christ. The Father will use these evil men to bring about his own Will and Pleasure.

The satan was an adversary either human or angelic, however I suggest it was one of his brethren who conspired to bring Job undone!

Yes, you are no doubt thinking of men such as Cain & Judas.

And you would be right.

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The adversary (satan) in the Book of Job, was clearly a personal adversary of Job. No one else is mentioned? Which the Bible student should raise further questions?

We can only conclude this worshipper knew the one true God and took his accusations to God about Jobs prosperity.

An avid student will ask such questions as why the adversary and Gods meeting appear so amicable.

And why should such an adversary be concerned with his relationship with God? It’s basis? And bring into question the substance of Jobs house? Are Jobs possessions something a supernatural evil monster would find value? And why would a power of all darkness care about whether Job has a few extra sheep than he?

No, this adversary was human and in close proximity to Job household.

Another question might be how would this adversary benefit in proving God wrong? If in fact God had blessed Job with substance as he did with men like Abraham and David? Is it possible for God to get His blessings wrong? And why would a supernatural being even care about the principles upon which He blesses his children if in fact this being takes no part in?

Ultimately these questions and many more lead us to a human adversary, who with an envious converting spirit took his jealousies to God questioning God’s Righteousness and that of Job’s.

One concludes the adversary did not know God or Job for that matter proving their fallibility rather than an all seeing demonic being.

Thankfully the adversary was proved wrong.

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Here is another passage where Satan is applied to a human adversary:

Hold not thy peace, O God of my praise: for the mouth of the wicked and the mouth of the deceitful are opened against me they have spoken against me with a lying tongue. They compassed me about almost with words of hatred; and fought against me without a. cause. For my love they are my adversaries; but I give myself unto prayer. And they have rewarded me evil for good, and hatred for my love. Set thou a wicked man over him: and let Satan stand at his right hand. When he shall be judged, let him be condemned: and let his prayer become sin, Psalm 109:1-7.

Answer: “Set thou a wicked man over him”

Most clearly speaking to the punishment of a bad person; to have someone who also a wicked to rule over him is just and right: But to one at his right hand (helper) who would misrepresent all he did to his ruler would amplify his punishment even more so!

Judas is a great example of this passage.

Being a "satan" (adversary) and “devil” (fasle accuser) to Christ; Jesus uses the word "diabolos" of him in John 6:70; 13:2, and cp John 6:26, Judas who to be their chief witness against Christ, for the "prosecution"

Once again in Ps 109:7 we are presented with legal language "Stand at the right hand" Ps 109:7RSV here; Jdg 6:31; Zec 3:1 etc…

The RSV has: "Let an accuser bring him to trial".

Judas at the last minute apparently even after coming to the very scene of judgment (note the implication of "saw" in Mat 27:3?), Judas refused to carry out his paid-for part. He left the Sanhedrin and their case against Jesus in a real mess (See Mat 26:60).

And instead of Judas standing at his right hand, Jesus had an angel there (Psa 109:31; 110:5)!

No supernatural devil or satan!

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