Who is
the arch-enemy of God -- the adversary of God?
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Who is
it that is constantly in an adversarial role with God?
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Who is
it that "opposeth and exalteth himself above all
that is called God, or that is worshiped;
so that he as God sitteth in
the temple of God, shewing himself that
he is God?"
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"Satan"
is found 56 times in the Bible: 36 in New Testament
- 20 in Old Testament.
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New
Testament
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In the 36
times it is used in the New Testament, it is always
transliterated from the Hebrew "Sawtawn."
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Its meaning is
"an opponent" -- "the arch-enemy of
good."
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The root of
the word means, "to attack."
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Old
Testament
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The Old
Testament prophet Ezekiel was definite in his
description of the destruction of Israel, Jerusalem, and
the Temple. They were brought to their end by God.
Although other nations (other people) were the
instruments of annihilation, God was the one behind the
scenes that was at work bringing about His desired
intentions.
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Ezekiel was
also clear that they were destroyed because they
corrupted themselves from within. The armies without
could only do their work after the inner sanctuary was
defiled. The morning of doom was dawning, the rod had
blossomed, and pride had budded from the abominations in
the Temple. The true adversary of God is always from
within.
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Although the
New Testament gives us the most exact definition
of "Satan," the thought and concept of Satan
originates in the Old Testament.
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The English
word "Satan" appears 20 times in
the Old Testament, whereas the Hebrew word that is
transliterated those 20 times is actually found 28
times.
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Thus: the
Hebrew word "Sawtawn" transliterated
20 times "Satan" translated
"to withstand" one time translated
"adversary" seven times
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First time the
original word is found -- Numbers 22:22:
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The prophet
Baalaam was writing his donkey to
go to the children of Moab and "God's anger was
kindled because he went: and the angel of the
LORD stood in the way for an adversary against
him."
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If the
KJV had transliterated the original word as
they did 20 other times in the Old Testament, the
verse would have read, God's anger was kindled
because he went: and Satan stood in the way
for an adversary against him."
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First time the
word "Satan" is found in the KJV is when
David desired to number the Children of Israel --
1 Chronicles 21:1.
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"And
Satan stood up against Israel, and provoked David to
number Israel."
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It is
interesting to note that the same incident (David’s
desire to number the Children of Israel)
as recorded by 2 Samuel 24:1 reads: "And
again the anger of the LORD was kindled
against Israel, and he moved David
against them to say, Go, number Israel
and Judah."
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Same story
told by two different records: One has
"Satan" provoking David and the other has
the LORD "moved" David.
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Also,
interesting to note that of the 20 times the English
word "Satan" is used in the Old Testament 14
are in Job.
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Take away the 14 times that
"Satan" is mentioned in Job and in the
other 65 books of the Bible "Satan" is
mentioned on 6 times.
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With the
modern day understanding of "Satan," it is
with great difficulty that Job 2:1is understood:
"Again there was a day
when the sons of God
came to present themselves before
the LORD, and Satan came also among
them to present himself before the
LORD."
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New
Testament Examples of the Adversary
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The clearest
description of the adversary is from the New
Testament. Perhaps, it is best seen in a statement of
Jesus to Peter:
(Matthew 16:21-23)
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"Then
charged he his disciples that they should tell
no man that he was Jesus the Christ. From that
time forth began Jesus to show unto his disciples,
how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and
suffer many things of the elders and chief priests
and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again
the third day. Then Peter took him, and began
to rebuke him, saying, Be it far from thee,
Lord: this shall not be unto thee. But he turned,
and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me,
Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou
savourest not the things that be of God, but
those that be of men." With
thou savorest in "thou savourest not
the things that be of God, but those that
be of man" -- meaning "the exercise of the
mind’ (literal translation), Jesus seams
to be indicating that "Satan" has something
to do with the mind.
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Paul also knew
where the adversary to God would occur.
He stated:
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"For to
be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually
minded is life and peace. Because the
carnal mind is enmity against God" (Rom. 8:6,7)
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With enmity
meaning, "hostility; by implication, reason for
opposition" and the root of that word
meaning, "hostile; usually as a noun, an adversary"
-- Paul also connects the adversary with
the mind of man.
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Peter also
knew the power of the adversary, the power of
the uncontrolled mind. (1 Peter 5:8)
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"Be sober
["to abstain from wine (keep sober), i.e. be
discreet"], be vigilant ["to keep awake,
i.e. watch"]; because your adversary ["an
opponent"] the devil ["a traducer; from a
word meaning to
throw"], as a roaring lion, walketh
about [ "to
thread all around," also translated
by KJV as "be occupied with"], seeking
[to plot] whom he may devour [to drink
down, i.e. gulp entirely, from the root, "to
imbibe"]"
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Peter seems to
be indicating that the adversary is
an intoxicated mind in control of the soul.
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