Who Is the Devil? – Behind Blood Falls → CMADDICT.com

Snake, Dragon, Lucifer, or Red Guy with Pitchfork?

Whether he slithers like a snake, roars like a dragon, or runs around in red tights carrying a pitchfork, the devil is society’s favorite bad guy. He prefers to have people think of him as either a mischievous cherub or a terrifying monster. He wants us to dismiss his presence—or fear it. Either way allows him to control the narrative as he schemes to systemically destroy the work of the Creator on this planet.

Who is he, really, and where did he come from?

We first find Satan in the Garden of Eden in Genesis, where he convinces Eve to disobey God’s command and eat the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. We know the serpent described there is Satan because Revelation identifies him as such. In fact, this one Scripture connects four names to one entity.

And the great dragon was thrown down, the serpent of old, who is called the devil and Satan….

-Revelation 12:9

Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, holding the key of the abyss and a great chain in his hand. And he laid hold of the dragon, the serpent of old, who is the devil and Satan….

– Revelation 20:1-2

Note that two of the names, serpent and dragon, describe his nature and are drawn from the first and last books of the Bible where very unusual events are being recounted. Genesis gives an account of the dawn of creation. Revelation describes events unfolding at the end of the age.

Bible teacher Don Stewart shares a long list of other titles associated with Satan, many of which are descriptive of his character:

*Day-Star and Son of the Morning (Isaiah 14:12)

*The Anointed Cherub (Ezekiel 28:14)

*The Accuser (Revelation 12:10)

*The Tempter (Matthew 4:3)

*The Ruler of the Demons (Matthew 9:34)

*Beelzebub (Matthew 12:24)

*The Evil One (Matthew 123:19)

*The Enemy (Matthew 13:39)

*Liar, Father of Lies, and Murderer (John 8:44)

*Ruler of This World (John 14:30)

*God of This Age (2 Corinthians 4:4)

*Angel of Light (2 Corinthians 11:14)

*Belial (2 Corinthians 6:15)

*Ruler of the Kingdom of the Air (Ephesians 2:2)

*Roaring Lion (1 Peter 5:8)

*Abaddon and Apollyon (Revelation 9:11)

*Deceiver (Revelation 12:9)

*Accuser (Revelation 12:10) 1.

A more well-known name assigned to the devil is Lucifer.

Why Is He Called Lucifer?

The name Lucifer comes from the King James Version of the Bible:

How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning!

How art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!

– Isaiah 14:12 (KJV)

Most other translations favor versions of star of the morning and day star instead of the proper name. Although addressed to the “king of Babylon,” Isaiah 14 is thought to refer to have a dual fulfillment, speaking to both the future destruction of physical Babylon and the downfall of Satan. The fall from heaven and designation as a “star” suggest an angelic or demonic force rather than a human.

Four books of the Old Testament especially give us insight into the spiritual world and the nature of the devil:

Job 1:6-12 and 2:1-7 reveal a startling image of Satan moving back and forth between the earth and the throne room of God. It describes interaction between the two and reveals how Satan has to ask permission to inflict pain of any kind upon God’s people. Oddly, it clarifies that the devil neither dwells in nor rules over hell at this time.

Daniel 10:10-21 relates the words of the angel describing the spiritual battle in the heavenlies between angels and demonic forces.

Isaiah 14:12-15 describe a being called “star of the morning, son of the dawn,” who dreams of raising his throne above God’s and experiences a radical fall from heaven.

Ezekiel 28:11-15,17 declares judgment over the “King of Tyre,” who is also described at the “anointed cherub who covers” who was present in the garden of Eden.

The Five “I Wills”

The prophet Isaiah lists the five famous “I wills” attributed not only to the Babylon king, but also to Lucifer before his fall:

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.

I will ascend above the heights of the clouds;

I will make myself like the Most High.”

– Isaiah 14:13-14

Again the word of the LORD came to me saying, “Son of man, take up a lamentation over the king of Tyre and say to him,

‘Thus says the LORD GOD, ‘You had the seal of perfection,

Full of wisdom and perfect in beauty.

You were in Eden, the garden of God;

Every precious stone was your covering:

The ruby, the topaz and diamond;

The beryl, the onyx and the jasper;

The lapis lazuli, the turquoise and the emerald;

And the gold, the workmanship of your settings and sockets,

Was in you.

On the day that you were created

They were prepared.

You were the anointed cherub who covers,

And I placed you there.

You were on the holy mountain of God;

You walked in the midst of the stones of fire.

You were blameless in your ways

From the day you were created

Until unrighteousness was found in you.

…I cast you to the ground.’”

-Ezekiel 28:11-15,17

The Scriptures paint the vignette of an exalted, created angelic being destroyed by pride and jealousy.

This breathtakingly beautiful being, an anointed cherub entrusted with the oversight of the very Garden of God, did a very bad thing. He wanted to be greater than God.

Follow us next week as we explore the Garden of Eden and the fall of creation. We’ll present what the Scriptures say and some difficulties with interpretation.

1. https://www.blueletterbible.org/faq/don_stewart/don_stewart_80.cfm