Welcome back. Today we will discuss further the misconceptions concerning the overall character of HaSatan (The Tempter). In part 1 several names were given for which most of our bible reading circles are known for. Growing up there was a great steriotype that attached itself to what I knew him to be called, and that was The devil. Although I am Jewish by birth I knew nothing say a kid from an orthodox family would know. The name HaSatan was absent from my vocabulary until I was thirty seven years old as was the same with the name Yeshua. Jesus was the theme and the only name I had known. My limited view of what we called the devil was something of an evil deity parading around in a red suit and pitch fork. What should one expect if he is never taught, and the truth is most have no idea what so ever. As human beings we tend to repeat what we see and hear without consideration for thinking it through, and as parents and adults how could we expect our children to know any better.
Lets start our spiritual engines, tighten our belts and reason.
In the Tanakh (First half of your bible) the word Satan is used many times, it means adversary, obstacle, stumbling block and Tempter. In Judaism Satan is known as an agent of HASHEM created for a specific purpose. Life is about overcoming and drawing nearer to the One who placed us here. Unless one is drawn to God and hearkens to His voice, considers Him and as well fears God, what would any of this mean. Think it through.
Consider the following scripture from Isaiah 45: 7 I, HASHEM am the creator of all things. I make peace and create evil, I am God who does all these.
First we will turn to 2nd Samuel 24: 1 - The anger of HASHEM again flared against Israel, and He enticed David because of them, to say, "Go count the people of Israel and Judah."
And now 1st Chronicles 21: 1 - An adversary (Satan) stood against Israel, and enticed David to take a count of the people of Israel.
We read in the first of the two that HASHEM himself entices David to go and count, While the latter reads is was Satan. Refer back to yesterdays study concerning Job and how it was God Himself who gave the go ahead to Satan involving all that he had. You may or may not be aware of this, but it was against the will of God to take a census of the men. King David should have prostrated himself before HASHEM to seek atonement for Israel and himself. The action of the census through the counting of elegable men fit for war was a mistake beyond counting, seventy thousand men fell because of it.
There's a parable concerning a king and his son. The king one day decided to put his son to a test, his purpose for it was to question his sons worthiness to become heir to the throne. One day as the King was sending off his son he gave some sound advice, "Son live a life of righteousness and stray from loose women." After the son departed the King hired a harlot and gave these orders, "Go to my son and entice him the best you know how." The moral of this parable is as follows, if the kings son overcomes temptation he is worthy, if not, well that's obvious.
Matthew 7: 13 - Go through the narrow gate; for the gate that leads to destruction is wide and the road broad, and many travel it; but it is a narrow gate and a hard road that leads to life, and only a few find it.
HaSatan is nothing but a tool created by God Himself to be a stumbling block. Satan is the Tempter and prosecuting attorney, his job is clear. To think of Satan as a fallen angel would be the same as saying he's got a mind of his own, he doesn't. If there was nothing wrong in your life and everything went just your way, how interesting could that be? What would draw you closer to God? No doubt there are circumstances we rather not deal with, but God promises great reward for those who hold out.
Please take a look now at Genesis chapter 4: 3 - After a period of time, Cain brought an offering to HASHEM of the fruit of the ground; and as for Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and from their choicest. HASHEM turned to Abel and to his offering, but to Cain and to his offering He did not turn. This annoyed Cain exceedingly, and his countenance fell. And HASHEM said to Cain, "Why are you annoyed, and why has your countenance fallen? Surely, if you improve yourself, you will be forgiven. But if you do not improve yourself, sin rests at the door. Its desire is toward you, yet you can conquer it."
We will compare the above to Revelation 3: 20 - Here, I'm standing at the door, knocking. If someone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he will eat with me. I will let him who wins the victory sit with me on my throne, just as I myself also won the victory and sat down with my Father on his throne.
Watch out for part 3. We will read and study just who in each of the books are the prophets speaking of. They are men, not angels, so we shall see.
Study to show yourself approved.
Shalom
3 comments:
What about Revealtion 12?
1. What does the Bible say about fallen angels?
Of course, there are fallen angels as well. Lucifer, another archangel, rebelled against God and became the devil. Following are verses often quoted in reference to the evil one.
"How you have fallen from heaven, O star of the morning, son of the dawn! You have been cut down to the earth, You who have weakened the nations! 13 "But you said in your heart, I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God, And I will sit on the mount of assembly In the recesses of the north. 14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High" (Isaiah 14:12-14).
Most scholars agree that one third of the angels fell into sin and became demons.
"And another sign appeared in heaven: and behold, a great red dragon having seven heads and ten horns, and on his heads were seven diadems.4 And his tail swept away a third of the stars of heaven, and threw them to the earth . . . " (Rev. 12:3-4).
In the future, there will be a judgment upon the fallen angels:
"Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels," (Matt. 25:41).
"For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment," (2 Pet. 2:4).
"And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day," (Jude 6).
"And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him," (Rev. 12:9).
Whichever view you have of angels, it cannot be escaped that the Bible mentions them a lot and that they are greatly used by God to accomplish His will.
Shalom Anonymous,
You will find a posting (HaSatan Part 3) in which I will explain partially now to references you have given and then tonight if God allows, we will continue further.
Shalom,
Lawerence
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