Give Me A Minute – Who Is The Devil?

Who is this pointy tailed guy with horns and a red suit? Is that how you view the devil? He goes by several names including Satan, Lucifer, the serpent and, the devil. I’ve done some research and conclude that most people don’t think he’s real. He is more of a representation of “evil” than an actual living thing. But Christianity, Islam, Buddhism and Judaism each have something in their teachings about “the evil one”.

The Bible says that a long time ago some of the angelic beings in heaven, led by Lucifer (Satan), rebelled against God. They lost and were cast out of heaven. So, he is a fallen angel and he’s the one who introduced sin to mankind. Yes, Adam and Eve sinned but it all originated with Lucifer. One of my favorite teachers is Erwin Lutzer. He wrote a book entitled “God’s Devil.” I love that title because even though Satan rules on earth, he can’t do anything God doesn’t allow. Lutzer asks a great question. How did Satan think God would react to this rebellion? Nobody had ever sinned before so there wasn’t anything to compare it to. I bet God’s reaction was far more severe than the devil thought it would be.

God threw him and the other rebel angels out of heaven. When Christ returns, these evil ones are condemned to eternal damnation in Hell. But until Jesus returns, Satan is loose on earth, and he is evil. Ephesians 2:2 says, “You used to live in sin, just like the rest of the world, obeying the devil–the commander of the powers in the unseen world. He is the spirit at work in the hearts of those who refuse to obey God.”

He is real, he is evil, and he is at work in the hearts of those who refuse to obey God. Is there any hope? Yes, God gives us armor to protect ourselves against the devil. Read about it in Ephesians 6:12-18.

Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.

I Peter 5:8