As we have seen in part 1, Jews of the OT were not taught about Satan “the fallen angel”. They were taught that Satan was someone or something opposing the other in his purpose or action.
Likewise, we have seen in part 2 that the great red dragon of Re 12 is the beast of Daniel 7 (Roman empire) amalgamated and transformed later into a spiritual beast. Those who ignore it, do gravies injury to the Word of God.
Alas, the power called Satan, the fallen angel, who kill, steal and destroy has been taught in the Christian world today. Anyone who knows God from the O.T. (as indicated in part 1) will have to ask what is really going on. Did God abdicate His power or lost it all together?
We are pointed to
Joh 10:10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy…
Who is Jesus referring to? We need to see the context of this verse. Let’s go back to
Joh 9:39 And Jesus said, For judgment I am come into this world, that they which see not might see; and that they which see might be made blind.
Jesus says that he came to make some to see and to blind others. The Pharisees were upset for this with Jesus:
Joh 9:40 And some of the Pharisees which were with him heard these words, and said unto him, Are we blind also?
Joh 9:41 Jesus said unto them, If ye were blind, ye should have no sin: but now ye say, We see; therefore your sin remaineth.
So the Pharisees were the ones to be blinded. But they were the custodians of the Word of God. They had the power and authority. They were the leaders of Israel. They were the “shepherd of the flock”. Were they a “good shepherd”? Jesus continues
Joh 10:1 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber.
Joh 10:2 But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.
Joh 10:3 To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out.
Joh 10:4 And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice.
Joh 10:5 And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers.
Did they understand the parable?
Joh 10:6 This parable spake Jesus unto them: but they understood not what things they were which he spake unto them.
Jesus continues
Joh 10:7 Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep.
Joh 10:8 All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them.
Joh 10:9 I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.
Joh 10:10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
This is what Jesus was referring to
Eze 34:2 Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel, prophesy, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD unto the shepherds; Woe be to the shepherds of Israel that do feed themselves! should not the shepherds feed the flocks?
Eze 34:3 Ye eat the fat, and ye clothe you with the wool, ye kill them that are fed: but ye feed not the flock.
Eze 34:4 The diseased have ye not strengthened, neither have ye healed that which was sick, neither have ye bound up that which was broken, neither have ye brought again that which was driven away, neither have ye sought that which was lost; but with force and with cruelty have ye ruled them.
Eze 34:5 And they were scattered, because there is no shepherd: and they became meat to all the beasts of the field, when they were scattered.
Eze 34:6 My sheep wandered through all the mountains, and upon every high hill: yea, my flock was scattered upon all the face of the earth, and none did search or seek after them.
Eze 34:7 Therefore, ye shepherds, hear the word of the LORD;
Eze 34:8 As I live, saith the Lord GOD, surely because my flock became a prey, and my flock became meat to every beast of the field, because there was no shepherd, neither did my shepherds search for my flock, but the shepherds fed themselves, and fed not my flock;
Eze 34:9 Therefore, O ye shepherds, hear the word of the LORD;
Eze 34:10 Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against the shepherds; and I will require my flock at their hand, and cause them to cease from feeding the flock; neither shall the shepherds feed themselves any more; for I will deliver my flock from their mouth, that they may not be meat for them.
Eze 34:11 For thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I, even I, will both search my sheep, and seek them out.
Eze 34:12 As a shepherd seeketh out his flock in the day that he is among his sheep that are scattered; so will I seek out my sheep, and will deliver them out of all places where they have been scattered in the cloudy and dark day.
Eze 34:13 And I will bring them out from the people, and gather them from the countries, and will bring them to their own land, and feed them upon the mountains of Israel by the rivers, and in all the inhabited places of the country.
Eze 34:14 I will feed them in a good pasture, and upon the high mountains of Israel shall their fold be: there shall they lie in a good fold, and in a fat pasture shall they feed upon the mountains of Israel.
Eze 34:15 I will feed my flock, and I will cause them to lie down, saith the Lord GOD.
Eze 34:16 I will seek that which was lost, and bring again that which was driven away, and will bind up that which was broken, and will strengthen that which was sick: but I will destroy the fat and the strong; I will feed them with judgment.
So speaking to Pharisees about the “thieve” Jesus was referring to Eze 34 whereby God foretold that the Pharisees “the thieve” will be replaced by the “good shepherd”.
People use Joh 10:10 without consideration of the Biblical context assuming satanic connotation.
You will tell me that Satan is taught in the Gospels. True, Satan is spoken about in the gospels.
As I have already mentioned above, Jesus says that he came to make some to see and to blind others. How did Jesus do it? He spoke to them in parables.
Mat 13:34 All these things spake Jesus unto the multitude in parables; and without a parable spake he not unto them:
What was the purpose for speaking in parables?
Mar 4:11-12 And he said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God: but unto them that are without, all these things are done in parables: That seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest at any time they should be converted, and their sins should be forgiven them.
Jesus says again that he doesn’t speak clearly to the Jewish leaders purposely that they shouldn’t be converted. If they were to be blinded by Jesus’ saying, are we not supposed to be blinded by reading exactly the same words? Yes, we are.
Are these the only two verses whereby God clearly states that He will hid things from certain people? Certainly not
Mat 11:25 At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes.
2Co 4:4 In whom the god (God) of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.
2Th 2:11 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:
So the “wise and prudent” or the educated in their own imagination, like the Pharisees were, shall be blinded.
So where is the Truth? God has revealed Himself to man in the O.T. If we don’t get to know Him from there we will be blinded as Jews were.
King David had an excellent relationship with God. He was blessed abundantly. He knew that God’s power was the only power in the world. His son king Solomon did very well until he followed his pagan woman (not Satan) to warship pagan gods. So God began chastising him.
1Ki 11:14 And the LORD stirred up an adversary (Satan) unto Solomon, Hadad the Edomite: he was of the king's seed in Edom.
1Ki 11:23 And God stirred him up another adversary (Satan) Rezon the son of Eliadah, which fled from his lord Hadadezer king of Zobah:
Please note that the word “ adversary” was translated from the original Hebrew word śâtân
After the death of king Solomon, God divided the kingdom of Israel into two parts. Both parts grew worse and worse so God put them through periods of severe punishment. It didn’t turn them back, so God put them to slaughter and Babylonian slavery for 70 years.
After the Babylonian slavery, Israel was weak. Her priests became disinterested in the matters of God. In turn God sent prophets no more. They were left without instruction for about 500 years. They backslid and observed pagan gods again. Also the Greek philosophy became fashionable.
When Jesus began his preaching, Jews were dip in pagan beliefs. They attributed some aspects of the power of God to pagan powers (gods).
We see Jesus telling them that they are blind and will remain in their sin:
Joh 9:39 And Jesus said, For judgment I am come into this world, that they which see not might see; and that they which see might be made blind.
Joh 9:40 And some of the Pharisees which were with him heard these words, and said unto him, Are we blind also?
Joh 9:41 Jesus said unto them, If ye were blind, ye should have no sin: but now ye say, We see; therefore your sin remaineth.
We don’t see Jesus correcting them. He spoke to them according to their beliefs, pointing out that whatever power they believed in he (the false Messiah) was in control of.
We come across some verses, which seem to stand out as a contradiction of the general pattern of Jesus’ preaching. It happens only when Jesus explains a parable or speaks to the apostles alone.
In the parable of the sower Jesus teaches that if someone hears the word without understanding it, he will be easily persuaded by others not to consider it:
Mat 13:19 When any one hearth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side.
Wicked one - these are some of the possible meanings of the word poneros - hurtful, morally culpable, derelict, vicious, facinorou, sinner, bad, evil, grievous, lewd, malicious. It is indicative of man.
Likewise Jesus pointed out that man of shallow faith “loses” the Word because of the prevailing conditions of the world:
Mat 13:21 Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended.
Mat 13:22 He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful.
The apostles asked correctly who sinned that a man was born blind. They understood that it was a punishment for sin:
Joh 9:1 And as Jesus passed by, he saw a man which was blind from his birth.
Joh 9:2 And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind?
Jesus didn’t indicate the operation of Satan but replied to them that it was the will of God to manifest His work this way:
Joh 9:3 Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him.
Jews accepted existence of pagan gods, the false powers. Jesus spoke to them in parables in line with their understanding. He didn’t correct them. Yet there is a “second doctrine” in the “back light” which is taught by Jesus and which is spoken by the apostles that there is only one power in the world, the Power of the Father.
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Iota
Posted 15 August 2009 - 12:16 PM
How can we explain NT verses containing ”supposed information” about Satan and the devil? We need to remember that we begin the NT without knowledge of a fallen angel called Satan.
As in the OT so in the NT the opponents are called Satan
Mt16:23 Jesus turned and said to Peter, "Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men.
Joh6:70 Then Jesus replied, "Have I not chosen you, the Twelve? Yet one of you is a devil.
Let us look first at Satan’s work leading people to God. Are you surprised?
1Co5:4-5.…Hand this man over to Satan, so that the sinful nature may be destroyed and his spirit saved on the day of the Lord.
2Co12:7 To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me.
1Ti1:20 Among them are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have handed over to Satan to be taught not to blaspheme.
Ac13:8-12 But Elymas…opposed them and tried to turn the proconsul from the faith. Then Saul, who was also called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked straight at Elymas and said, "You are a child of the devil and an enemy of everything that is right! You are full of all kinds of deceit and trickery. Will you never stop perverting the right ways of the Lord? Now the hand of the Lord is against you. You are going to be blind, and for a time you will be unable to see the light of the sun. Immediately mist and darkness came over him, and he groped about, seeking someone to lead him by the hand. When the proconsul saw what had happened, he believed, for he was amazed at the teaching about the Lord.
Ac19:13-20 Some Jews who went around driving out evil spirits tried to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those who were demon-possessed. They would say, "In the name of Jesus, whom Paul preaches, I command you to come out…One day the evil spirit answered them, "Jesus I know, and I know about Paul, but who are you?" Then the man who had the evil spirit jumped on them and overpowered them all. He gave them such a beating that they ran out of the house naked and bleeding. When this became known to the Jews and Greeks living in Ephesus, they were all seized with fear, and the name of the Lord Jesus was held in high honor. Many of those who believed now came and openly confessed their evil deeds. A number who had practiced sorcery brought their scrolls together and burned them publicly. When they calculated the value of the scrolls, the total came to fifty thousand drachmas. In this way the word of the Lord spread widely and grew in power.
Satan “destroys man’s sinful nature in order that his spirit may be saved”. A messenger of Satan “prevented” Paul from becoming conceited (proud). Satan “teaches” not to blaspheme. A child of the devil “helps” proconsul to believe. Evil spirits “help” the name of the Lord Jesus to be held in high honour.
Do you remember that Satan (or man) obeys Gods commands?
Job1:12, 2:6 The LORD said to Satan, "Very well, then, everything he has is in your hands, but on the man himself do not lay a finger"… The LORD said to Satan, "Very well, then, he is in your hands; but you must spare his life".
It is very important to notice that Satan obeys God hundreds of years after the supposed tempting and subsequent cursing in the garden of Eden.
A proud person would fall into condemnation of the devil.
1Ti3:6 Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil.
TEMPTATIONS
God tells us very clearly that we are tempted by our own evil desires:
Jas1:13-15…Each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.
1Pe2:11 Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to obstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul.
Jas4:8 Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.
1Ti6:9 People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction.
Tit2:12 It teaches us to say "No" to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age.
Ro7:8 But sin…produced in me every kind of covetous desire…
Apostle Paul provides an excellent testimony of struggle with his own sinful nature:
Ro7:17-23 As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do, this I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it. So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God's law; but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members
Sin produces in us every kind of covetous desire. Our nature is double-minded. Our evil desires overpower the desire to obey God.
In the following verses God provides the explanations that the one who “will strike his heel” is a person or people:
Ps41:9 Even my close friend, whom I trusted, he who shared my bread, has lifted up his heel against me.
Joh13:18 I am not referring to all of you; I know those I have chosen. But this is to fulfil the scripture: “He who shares my bread has lifted up his heel against me”
Satan or the devil is not a supernatural power in existence in the world out of God’s control. It is us who act against God’s commandments, against His will. We are His adversaries and are called “Satan and the devil”. We do evil things out of our own ungodly fleshly desires.
As in the OT so in the NT the opponents are called Satan
Mt16:23 Jesus turned and said to Peter, "Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men.
Joh6:70 Then Jesus replied, "Have I not chosen you, the Twelve? Yet one of you is a devil.
Let us look first at Satan’s work leading people to God. Are you surprised?
1Co5:4-5.…Hand this man over to Satan, so that the sinful nature may be destroyed and his spirit saved on the day of the Lord.
2Co12:7 To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me.
1Ti1:20 Among them are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have handed over to Satan to be taught not to blaspheme.
Ac13:8-12 But Elymas…opposed them and tried to turn the proconsul from the faith. Then Saul, who was also called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked straight at Elymas and said, "You are a child of the devil and an enemy of everything that is right! You are full of all kinds of deceit and trickery. Will you never stop perverting the right ways of the Lord? Now the hand of the Lord is against you. You are going to be blind, and for a time you will be unable to see the light of the sun. Immediately mist and darkness came over him, and he groped about, seeking someone to lead him by the hand. When the proconsul saw what had happened, he believed, for he was amazed at the teaching about the Lord.
Ac19:13-20 Some Jews who went around driving out evil spirits tried to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those who were demon-possessed. They would say, "In the name of Jesus, whom Paul preaches, I command you to come out…One day the evil spirit answered them, "Jesus I know, and I know about Paul, but who are you?" Then the man who had the evil spirit jumped on them and overpowered them all. He gave them such a beating that they ran out of the house naked and bleeding. When this became known to the Jews and Greeks living in Ephesus, they were all seized with fear, and the name of the Lord Jesus was held in high honor. Many of those who believed now came and openly confessed their evil deeds. A number who had practiced sorcery brought their scrolls together and burned them publicly. When they calculated the value of the scrolls, the total came to fifty thousand drachmas. In this way the word of the Lord spread widely and grew in power.
Satan “destroys man’s sinful nature in order that his spirit may be saved”. A messenger of Satan “prevented” Paul from becoming conceited (proud). Satan “teaches” not to blaspheme. A child of the devil “helps” proconsul to believe. Evil spirits “help” the name of the Lord Jesus to be held in high honour.
Do you remember that Satan (or man) obeys Gods commands?
Job1:12, 2:6 The LORD said to Satan, "Very well, then, everything he has is in your hands, but on the man himself do not lay a finger"… The LORD said to Satan, "Very well, then, he is in your hands; but you must spare his life".
It is very important to notice that Satan obeys God hundreds of years after the supposed tempting and subsequent cursing in the garden of Eden.
A proud person would fall into condemnation of the devil.
1Ti3:6 Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil.
TEMPTATIONS
God tells us very clearly that we are tempted by our own evil desires:
Jas1:13-15…Each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.
1Pe2:11 Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to obstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul.
Jas4:8 Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.
1Ti6:9 People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction.
Tit2:12 It teaches us to say "No" to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age.
Ro7:8 But sin…produced in me every kind of covetous desire…
Apostle Paul provides an excellent testimony of struggle with his own sinful nature:
Ro7:17-23 As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do, this I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it. So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God's law; but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members
Sin produces in us every kind of covetous desire. Our nature is double-minded. Our evil desires overpower the desire to obey God.
In the following verses God provides the explanations that the one who “will strike his heel” is a person or people:
Ps41:9 Even my close friend, whom I trusted, he who shared my bread, has lifted up his heel against me.
Joh13:18 I am not referring to all of you; I know those I have chosen. But this is to fulfil the scripture: “He who shares my bread has lifted up his heel against me”
Satan or the devil is not a supernatural power in existence in the world out of God’s control. It is us who act against God’s commandments, against His will. We are His adversaries and are called “Satan and the devil”. We do evil things out of our own ungodly fleshly desires.
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Iota
Posted 15 August 2009 - 12:20 PM
Let us analyse some of the verses where the spiritual powers seem to be present.
Lu 22:3 Then Satan entered (eiserchomai) Judas….
Joh 6:70 Then Jesus replied…”Yet one of you is a devil!”.
Joh 13:2 … the devil had already prompted Judas…
Eiserchomai is translated as entered. It is also a metaphor of thoughts that come into the mind.
This does not mean that something entered Judas from outside, but the thought, which entered his mind. We can also see that Jesus had called him the devil before, so Satan’s entry into Judas does not make sense.
Apostle Paul’s own internal struggle provides us with further clarification concerning our internal dialog:
Ro7:17-23 As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do, this I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it. So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God's law; but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members.
In the book of Eze 38 God clearly Says that He will put hooks in Gog’s mouth and “thoughts will come into your mind and you will devise an evil scheme” Eze38:10
This was a thought that “entered” Judas’ mind.
Lu 22:31 And the Lord said, Simon…Satan hath desired…that he may sift…you…
It is very interesting to look closely at the next verses:
Lu22:32-34 But I have prayed for you, Simon that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers. But he replied, "Lord, I am ready to go with you to prison and to death." Jesus answered, "I tell you, Peter, before the cock crows today, you will deny three times that you know me.
We know what followed. Peter forgot about this conversation when he saw how the Jews were treating Jesus. He denied Jesus three times. In this case, the Jewish authority was “Satan” (adversary) persecuting Jesus and His followers.
Mt 12:26 If Satan drives out Satan, he is divided against himself…
This is in no way a confirmation of Satan’s existence. We need to note that Jesus always preached according to his Father’s instruction. He not only ignored hypocrisy, false beliefs or ignorance of the Jewish leaders, but used their way of thinking. For instance Jesus didn’t argue when the Jews said He had demon
Mar3:22-23 And the scribes which came down from Jerusalem said, He hath Beelzebub, and by the prince of the devils casteth he out devils. And he called them unto him, and said unto them in parables, How can Satan cast out Satan?
Joh8:52+54 At this the Jews exclaimed, "Now we know that you are demon-possessed!…. Jesus replied, "If I glorify myself, my glory means nothing. My Father, whom you claim as your God, is the one who glorifies me
Jesus’ purpose was not to correct the Israelite apostasy (see John 9:39), but to preach the Kingdom of God to those who were seeking God. We can see it in Mr3:22-30 where Jesus gave only a parable for the false accusation but concluded that they (Jews) were guilty of eternal sin.
Similarly, Jesus cast out demons according to the prevailing beliefs even though these were sicknesses.
Millions of sick people are made well by the modern medicine everyday. A pill a day, seems to keep a demon away. Yet some “Christians” still continue casting demons from sick people. What a circus. Are they “without”?
Mar 4:11 And he said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God: but unto them that are without, all these things are done in parables:
Mar 4:12 That seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest at any time they should be converted, and their sins should be forgiven them.
Luk 10:18 And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven.
Joh 12:31 Now is the time for judgment on this world; now the prince of this world will be driven out.
In this verse, Jesus proclaims judgment “on this world”, taking place “now” as he speaks and that “the prince of this world will be driven out” from his position. Let us find out who that prince is:
Eze21:25 O profane and wicked prince of Israel, whose day has come, whose time of punishment has reached its climax.
Ho3:4 For the Israelites will live for many days without king or prince… Joh12:42+43 Yet at the same time many even among the leaders believed in him. But because of the Pharisees they would not confess their faith for fear they would be put out of the synagogue for they loved praise from men more than praise from God. Joh9:39 Jesus said, "For judgment I have come into this world, so that the blind will see and those who see will become blind".
Joh12:48 There is a judge for the one who rejects me and does not accept my words; that very word which I spoke will condemn him at the last day.
Joh3:18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son.
1Co2:8 Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.
Col2:15And having disarmed the powers and uthorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross
The Jews (the prince) judged themselves by rejecting Jesus. They suffered their first punishment in the year 70 AD.
Mt 13:19 …the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown…
Mr 4:15 …Satan comes and takes away the word….
Lu 8:12 …the devil comes and takes away the word…
Satan, the devil or evil in these three verses take the sown word away. We find out who these are in the following verses:
Lu8:14)…But as they go on their way they are choked by life's worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature
Mr4:19 But the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful
Mr4:17. …When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away
Lu8:13.. …They believe for a while, but in the time of testing they fall away
Mt13:14-15 In them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah: "You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving. For this people's heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them
Joh 8:37 …Yet you are ready to kill me, because you have no room for my word
2Ti4:3-4 For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths
2Th2:11…God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie
For there are many rebellious people, mere talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision group (Tit1:10). For such people are not serving our Lord Christ, but their own appetites. By smooth talk and flattery they deceive the minds of naive people (Ro16:18). Keeping a close watch on him, they sent spies, who pretended to be honest. They hoped to catch Jesus in something he said so that they might hand him over to the power and authority of the governor (Lu20:20). For certain men whose condemnation was written about long ago have secretly slipped in among you. They are godless men, who change the grace of our God into a licence for immorality and deny Jesus Christ our only Sovereign and Lord (Jude1:4). For they mouth empty, boastful words and, by appealing to the lustful desires of sinful human nature, they entice people…(2Pe2:18). For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, masquerading as apostles of Christ (2Co11:13). But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them, bringing swift destruction on themselves. Many will follow their shameful ways and will bring the way of truth into disrepute. In their greed these teachers will exploit you with stories they have made up. Their condemnation has long been hanging over them, and their destruction has not been sleeping (2Pe2:1-3). I am sending you out like sheep among wolves…(Mt10:16). In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, while evil men and impostors will go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived (2Ti3:12-13). …There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them. They are the kind who worm their way into homes and gain control over weak-willed women, who are loaded down with sins and are swayed by all kinds of evil desires, always learning but never able to acknowledge the truth. Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so also these men oppose the truth, men of depraved minds, who, as far as the faith is concerned, are rejected (2Ti3:1-8). Woe to the world because of the things that cause people to sin! Such things must come, but woe to the man through whom they come! Mt18:7). See to it that no-one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ (Col 2:8).
It is our lack of understanding, preoccupation with worldly desires or influence of ungodly people that prevents the Word of God we hear to develop and bear fruit.
Ac 13:10 You are a child of the devil…
Joh 8:44 …Your father, the devil…He was a murderer from the beginning…
1Jo 3:8 He who does what is sinful is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning…
1Pe 5.8 …Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour
The following verses provide us with evidence that the enemy (false accusers, slanderer, roaring lion) has always been man:
Ever since the time of your forefathers you have turned away from my decrees and have not kept them…(Mal3:7). Even so must their wives… not slanderers…(1Ti3:11AV). Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good (2Ti3:3AV). The aged women likewise, …not false accusers… (Tit2:3AV). Do not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own actions were evil and his brother's were righteous (1Jo3:12). Like a roaring lion or a charging bear is a wicked man ruling over a helpless people (Pr28:15). Many bulls surround me; strong bulls of Bashan encircle me. Roaring lions tearing their prey open their mouths wide against me (Ps22:12-13). I am in the midst of lions; I lie among ravenous beasts, men whose teeth are spears and arrows, whose tongues are sharp swords (Ps57:4). There is a conspiracy of her princes within her like a roaring lion tearing its prey; they devour people, take treasures and precious things and make many widows within her. Her officials within her are like wolves tearing their prey; they shed blood and kill people to make unjust gain (Eze22:25+27). Wash and make yourselves clean. Take your evil deeds out of my sight! Stop doing wrong (Isa1:16). For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers (1Pe1:18). Jesus replied, "I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave to sin (Joh8:34). You are doing the things your own father does." "We are not illegitimate children," they protested. “The only Father we have is God himself” (Joh 8:41). Was there ever a prophet your fathers did not persecute? They even killed those who predicted the coming of the Righteous One. And now you have betrayed and murdered him (Ac7:52). They will put you out of the synagogue; in fact, a time is coming when anyone who kills you will think he is offering a service to God (Joh16:2).
Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord's disciples he went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem (Ac 9:1+2). O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you…(Mt23:37). But the Lord stood at my side and gave me strength, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it. And I was delivered from the lion's mouth (2Ti4:17). Persecutions, sufferings, what kinds of things happened to me in Antioch, Iconium and Lystra, the persecutions I endured. Yet the Lord rescued me from all of them (2Ti3:11).
If I fought wild beasts in Ephesus…(1Co15:32). The former preach Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing that they can stir up trouble for me while I am in chains (Php1:17). Then some Jews came from Antioch and Iconium and won the crowd over. They stoned Paul and dragged him outside the city, thinking he was dead (Ac14:19). I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them (Ac20:29-30). For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for him, since you are going through the same struggle you saw I had, and now hear that I still have (Php1:29-30). Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer… (Re2:10). In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials (1Pe1:6). Keeping a close watch on him, they sent spies, who pretended to be honest. They hoped to catch Jesus in something he said so that they might hand him over to the power and authority of the governor (Lu20:20). Yet these men speak abusively against whatever they do not understand; and what things they do understand by instinct, like unreasoning animals, these are the very things that destroy them. Woe to them! They have taken the way of Cain; they have rushed for profit into Balaam's error; they have been destroyed in Korah's rebellion (Jude1:10+11). …You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? (Mt3:7). …The poison of vipers is on their lips. Their mouths are full of cursing and Bitterness (Ro 3:13).
Please note the similarity between the last two verses and Ge3 in regard to a snake (serpent and viper):
Now the serpent …(Ge3:1).
Finally we need to ask ourselves this question: is there in the Bible any evidence that the devil has murdered anybody as Joh8:44 may seem to suggest?:
You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father's desire. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies (Joh8:44).
It is obvious that the devil spoken of above is people.
Lu 22:3 Then Satan entered (eiserchomai) Judas….
Joh 6:70 Then Jesus replied…”Yet one of you is a devil!”.
Joh 13:2 … the devil had already prompted Judas…
Eiserchomai is translated as entered. It is also a metaphor of thoughts that come into the mind.
This does not mean that something entered Judas from outside, but the thought, which entered his mind. We can also see that Jesus had called him the devil before, so Satan’s entry into Judas does not make sense.
Apostle Paul’s own internal struggle provides us with further clarification concerning our internal dialog:
Ro7:17-23 As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do, this I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it. So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God's law; but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members.
In the book of Eze 38 God clearly Says that He will put hooks in Gog’s mouth and “thoughts will come into your mind and you will devise an evil scheme” Eze38:10
This was a thought that “entered” Judas’ mind.
Lu 22:31 And the Lord said, Simon…Satan hath desired…that he may sift…you…
It is very interesting to look closely at the next verses:
Lu22:32-34 But I have prayed for you, Simon that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers. But he replied, "Lord, I am ready to go with you to prison and to death." Jesus answered, "I tell you, Peter, before the cock crows today, you will deny three times that you know me.
We know what followed. Peter forgot about this conversation when he saw how the Jews were treating Jesus. He denied Jesus three times. In this case, the Jewish authority was “Satan” (adversary) persecuting Jesus and His followers.
Mt 12:26 If Satan drives out Satan, he is divided against himself…
This is in no way a confirmation of Satan’s existence. We need to note that Jesus always preached according to his Father’s instruction. He not only ignored hypocrisy, false beliefs or ignorance of the Jewish leaders, but used their way of thinking. For instance Jesus didn’t argue when the Jews said He had demon
Mar3:22-23 And the scribes which came down from Jerusalem said, He hath Beelzebub, and by the prince of the devils casteth he out devils. And he called them unto him, and said unto them in parables, How can Satan cast out Satan?
Joh8:52+54 At this the Jews exclaimed, "Now we know that you are demon-possessed!…. Jesus replied, "If I glorify myself, my glory means nothing. My Father, whom you claim as your God, is the one who glorifies me
Jesus’ purpose was not to correct the Israelite apostasy (see John 9:39), but to preach the Kingdom of God to those who were seeking God. We can see it in Mr3:22-30 where Jesus gave only a parable for the false accusation but concluded that they (Jews) were guilty of eternal sin.
Similarly, Jesus cast out demons according to the prevailing beliefs even though these were sicknesses.
Millions of sick people are made well by the modern medicine everyday. A pill a day, seems to keep a demon away. Yet some “Christians” still continue casting demons from sick people. What a circus. Are they “without”?
Mar 4:11 And he said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God: but unto them that are without, all these things are done in parables:
Mar 4:12 That seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest at any time they should be converted, and their sins should be forgiven them.
Luk 10:18 And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven.
Joh 12:31 Now is the time for judgment on this world; now the prince of this world will be driven out.
In this verse, Jesus proclaims judgment “on this world”, taking place “now” as he speaks and that “the prince of this world will be driven out” from his position. Let us find out who that prince is:
Eze21:25 O profane and wicked prince of Israel, whose day has come, whose time of punishment has reached its climax.
Ho3:4 For the Israelites will live for many days without king or prince… Joh12:42+43 Yet at the same time many even among the leaders believed in him. But because of the Pharisees they would not confess their faith for fear they would be put out of the synagogue for they loved praise from men more than praise from God. Joh9:39 Jesus said, "For judgment I have come into this world, so that the blind will see and those who see will become blind".
Joh12:48 There is a judge for the one who rejects me and does not accept my words; that very word which I spoke will condemn him at the last day.
Joh3:18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son.
1Co2:8 Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.
Col2:15And having disarmed the powers and uthorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross
The Jews (the prince) judged themselves by rejecting Jesus. They suffered their first punishment in the year 70 AD.
Mt 13:19 …the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown…
Mr 4:15 …Satan comes and takes away the word….
Lu 8:12 …the devil comes and takes away the word…
Satan, the devil or evil in these three verses take the sown word away. We find out who these are in the following verses:
Lu8:14)…But as they go on their way they are choked by life's worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature
Mr4:19 But the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful
Mr4:17. …When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away
Lu8:13.. …They believe for a while, but in the time of testing they fall away
Mt13:14-15 In them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah: "You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving. For this people's heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them
Joh 8:37 …Yet you are ready to kill me, because you have no room for my word
2Ti4:3-4 For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths
2Th2:11…God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie
For there are many rebellious people, mere talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision group (Tit1:10). For such people are not serving our Lord Christ, but their own appetites. By smooth talk and flattery they deceive the minds of naive people (Ro16:18). Keeping a close watch on him, they sent spies, who pretended to be honest. They hoped to catch Jesus in something he said so that they might hand him over to the power and authority of the governor (Lu20:20). For certain men whose condemnation was written about long ago have secretly slipped in among you. They are godless men, who change the grace of our God into a licence for immorality and deny Jesus Christ our only Sovereign and Lord (Jude1:4). For they mouth empty, boastful words and, by appealing to the lustful desires of sinful human nature, they entice people…(2Pe2:18). For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, masquerading as apostles of Christ (2Co11:13). But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them, bringing swift destruction on themselves. Many will follow their shameful ways and will bring the way of truth into disrepute. In their greed these teachers will exploit you with stories they have made up. Their condemnation has long been hanging over them, and their destruction has not been sleeping (2Pe2:1-3). I am sending you out like sheep among wolves…(Mt10:16). In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, while evil men and impostors will go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived (2Ti3:12-13). …There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them. They are the kind who worm their way into homes and gain control over weak-willed women, who are loaded down with sins and are swayed by all kinds of evil desires, always learning but never able to acknowledge the truth. Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so also these men oppose the truth, men of depraved minds, who, as far as the faith is concerned, are rejected (2Ti3:1-8). Woe to the world because of the things that cause people to sin! Such things must come, but woe to the man through whom they come! Mt18:7). See to it that no-one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ (Col 2:8).
It is our lack of understanding, preoccupation with worldly desires or influence of ungodly people that prevents the Word of God we hear to develop and bear fruit.
Ac 13:10 You are a child of the devil…
Joh 8:44 …Your father, the devil…He was a murderer from the beginning…
1Jo 3:8 He who does what is sinful is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning…
1Pe 5.8 …Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour
The following verses provide us with evidence that the enemy (false accusers, slanderer, roaring lion) has always been man:
Ever since the time of your forefathers you have turned away from my decrees and have not kept them…(Mal3:7). Even so must their wives… not slanderers…(1Ti3:11AV). Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good (2Ti3:3AV). The aged women likewise, …not false accusers… (Tit2:3AV). Do not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own actions were evil and his brother's were righteous (1Jo3:12). Like a roaring lion or a charging bear is a wicked man ruling over a helpless people (Pr28:15). Many bulls surround me; strong bulls of Bashan encircle me. Roaring lions tearing their prey open their mouths wide against me (Ps22:12-13). I am in the midst of lions; I lie among ravenous beasts, men whose teeth are spears and arrows, whose tongues are sharp swords (Ps57:4). There is a conspiracy of her princes within her like a roaring lion tearing its prey; they devour people, take treasures and precious things and make many widows within her. Her officials within her are like wolves tearing their prey; they shed blood and kill people to make unjust gain (Eze22:25+27). Wash and make yourselves clean. Take your evil deeds out of my sight! Stop doing wrong (Isa1:16). For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers (1Pe1:18). Jesus replied, "I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave to sin (Joh8:34). You are doing the things your own father does." "We are not illegitimate children," they protested. “The only Father we have is God himself” (Joh 8:41). Was there ever a prophet your fathers did not persecute? They even killed those who predicted the coming of the Righteous One. And now you have betrayed and murdered him (Ac7:52). They will put you out of the synagogue; in fact, a time is coming when anyone who kills you will think he is offering a service to God (Joh16:2).
Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord's disciples he went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem (Ac 9:1+2). O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you…(Mt23:37). But the Lord stood at my side and gave me strength, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it. And I was delivered from the lion's mouth (2Ti4:17). Persecutions, sufferings, what kinds of things happened to me in Antioch, Iconium and Lystra, the persecutions I endured. Yet the Lord rescued me from all of them (2Ti3:11).
If I fought wild beasts in Ephesus…(1Co15:32). The former preach Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing that they can stir up trouble for me while I am in chains (Php1:17). Then some Jews came from Antioch and Iconium and won the crowd over. They stoned Paul and dragged him outside the city, thinking he was dead (Ac14:19). I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them (Ac20:29-30). For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for him, since you are going through the same struggle you saw I had, and now hear that I still have (Php1:29-30). Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer… (Re2:10). In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials (1Pe1:6). Keeping a close watch on him, they sent spies, who pretended to be honest. They hoped to catch Jesus in something he said so that they might hand him over to the power and authority of the governor (Lu20:20). Yet these men speak abusively against whatever they do not understand; and what things they do understand by instinct, like unreasoning animals, these are the very things that destroy them. Woe to them! They have taken the way of Cain; they have rushed for profit into Balaam's error; they have been destroyed in Korah's rebellion (Jude1:10+11). …You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? (Mt3:7). …The poison of vipers is on their lips. Their mouths are full of cursing and Bitterness (Ro 3:13).
Please note the similarity between the last two verses and Ge3 in regard to a snake (serpent and viper):
Now the serpent …(Ge3:1).
Finally we need to ask ourselves this question: is there in the Bible any evidence that the devil has murdered anybody as Joh8:44 may seem to suggest?:
You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father's desire. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies (Joh8:44).
It is obvious that the devil spoken of above is people.
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Iota
Posted 15 August 2009 - 12:24 PM
Re 2:9 …they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan.
These people claim to be Jews but according to God they are not because they oppose everything that is godly. Therefore they represent a synagogue of adversaries (synagogue of Satan).
Re 2:13 I know where you live, where Satan has his throne…where Satan lives.
We read in Re 2:12 and 13 that these words were addressed to the church in Pergamum, which despite severe persecutions by the local authority (Satan) did not renounce their faith in Jesus.
"To the angel of the church in Pergamum write… ...Yet you remain true to my name. You did not renounce your faith in me, even in the days of Antipas, my faithful witness, who was put to death in your city…(Re2:13).
2Co 11:14…Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light.
Let us investigate the following verses:
But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to where he was baptising, he said to them: "You brood of vipers… (Mt3:7). …Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy (Lu12:1). …"Watch out for the yeast of the Pharisees and that of Herod"(Mr8:15). For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, masquerading as apostles of Christ. It is not surprising, then, if his servants masquerade as servants of righteousness…(2Co11:13+15). I served the Lord with great humility and with tears, although I was severely tested by the plots of the Jews (Ac20:19).
The Jewish leaders were guilty of hypocrisy and wrong teachings. Being the guardians of the Word of God, they did not only fail to recognize their Messiah, but persecuted those who did.
Mat 8:31 So the devils besought him, saying, If thou cast us out, suffer us to go away into the herd of swine.
We need to be aware that only God makes things happen. In De 13 God warned that He would test people by extraordinary means. What a genus could come up with the idea to make Jesus, the deceiver as Jews claimed he was, to place acknowledged by them powers into the unclean swine? Can you imagine their reaction?
Mt 4:3+6+8…"If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread. If you are the Son of God," he said, "throw yourself down…The devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world….
There are two possible answers to the question “who tempted Jesus”?
1). There was somebody with Jesus who knew His powers and tempted Him to use it (it could not be “Satan” as we have seen from the previous paragraphs),
2). Jesus probably struggled with His own mind during the fast. See the struggle of Paul in Ro7:15-23.
We need to recall the three elements of temptation in Eden: the fruit was good for food, the fruit was pleasing to the eye and the fruit was desirable for gaining wisdom. Jesus was tempted by the three elements. In Mt 4:3 His flesh was tempted with food, in Mt 4:6 His pride was tempted to gain glory for Himself and in Mt 4.8 His eyes were tempted with world’s splendour. See “temptations”.
Please note that in Mt 4:3 the tempter tempted Jesus, but in verses 4:5 and 4:8 it was the devil who continued the tempting. In Mr1:13 Jesus was tempted by Satan. In Lu 4 Jesus was tempted by the devil. These verses appear contradictory unless the tempter, Satan and the devil are the same namely adversary, slanderer and false accuser. Our fleshly mind is taking us away from God as Paul noted in Ro 7.
It is important to note that the devil in Lu 4:13 left Jesus “until an opportune time”:
When the devil had finished all this tempting, he left him until an opportune time (Lu4:13).
This opportune time arrived when Jesus was hanging on the cross. We can see that He is again tempted but this time by people:
Those who passed by hurled insults at him, shaking their heads and saying, "You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days, save yourself! Come down from the cross, if you are the Son of God!" In the same way the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders mocked him. "He saved others," they said, "but he can't save himself! He's the King of Israel! Let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him. He trusts in God. Let God rescue him now if he wants him, for he said, `I am the Son of God” (Mt27:39-43).
Jesus shows who those temptress and false accusers were:
But Jesus perceived their wickedness and said, "Why tempt ye Me, ye hypocrites? (Mt22:18 K.J.). But He perceived their craftiness and said unto them, "Why tempt ye Me? (Lu20:23). This they said testing Him, that they might have cause to accuse Him…(Joh8:6).
We know that Jesus was like us in every way:
…Had to be made like his brothers in every way…(Heb2:17).
We are told that Jesus was in a desert fasting for forty days and nights. It is very difficult for a man to survive such a test. Hallucinations and disillusionment will occur. In such a state of mind we can expect a man to think of all possibilities available to him and Jesus was aware of the power available to Him:
Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power… (Joh13:3)}. Also see Joh3:35. 1Co15:27. All that belongs to the Father is mine (Joh16:15). All I have is yours, and all you have is mine…(Joh17:10).
Jesus could tell the stones to become bread and end His hunger, but He would have used Gods power for His own benefit.
The pinnacle of the temple, as historian Josephus informs us, was an elevated court or promenade, which, on one side overlooked the depths of the valley of Jehosaphat to a depths of 200 feet, and offered the facility for self-destruction. It is possible that Jesus desired to use His power to cause a sensation by falling unhurt from the pinnacle of the temple.
The devil showed Jesus all the kingdoms of the world from a high mountain. There is no mountain from which all the kingdoms of the world could be viewed. If the devil had perhaps done it miraculously, then what was the reason to ascend a high mountain? Did Jesus struggle in His mind with the circumstances on one side, and the power by which he was able to possess “the kingdoms of the world”, to allow people to worship Him? We know He could:
Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels? But how then would the Scriptures be fulfilled that say it must happen in this way? (Mt26:53-54). Jesus commanded Peter, "Put your sword away! Shall I not drink the cup the Father has given me?" (Joh18:11). Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped (Php2:6).
We can envisage that Jesus was tempted to put the power at his disposal to use and disregard the purpose that He was sent to fulfil. He could have used this power and claim what was to be His, but each time a word of God came to his mind and won over temptation. He first had to fulfil the purpose he was sent for and follow His Father’s will in full:
For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him and through him to reconcile to himself all things…, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross (Col1:19-20). For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me (Joh6:38). The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life…(Joh10:17). For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many (Mr10:45).
We see how Jesus suffers just before His arrest:
Going a little further, he fell to the ground and prayed that if possible the hour might pass from him (Mr14:35). See Mt26:39 Lu22:42.
2Pe 2:4…God did not spare angels when they sinned…putting them into gloomy dungeons to be held for judgment. See also Jude1:6.
These were supposed to be angels who sinned presumably like Satan and the devil, but were treated differently. They were kept in dungeons, but Satan and the devil (if exist) managed to escape God and work against Him. We know that the word “angel” refers often to people so the reference is made to people of high status who disregarded God and were killed as the consequence. Nu 16 may be a good place to look at.
Heb 2:14…so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death, that is, the devil.
Let us finally find out who or rather what the devil is. Paul tells us:
“Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting”. The sting of death is sin...(1Co15:55+56). …The wages of sin is death… (Ro6:23). The mind of sinful man is death…(Ro8:6)… Sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned (Ro5:12).
Therefore we all die because of our sin, the product of our mind. Jesus died for our sins so that we could have everlasting life:
…For he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors (Isa53:12). …He appeared so that he might take away our sins…(1Jo3:5). …Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures (1Co15:3). … But now he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself (Heb9:26). For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the sinful nature, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful man to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in sinful man (Ro8:3). …I have overcome the world (Joh16:33).
We can understand now that Jesus came to destroy death with its sting or cause, which is sin (called the devil) in sinful man. Jesus also disarmed Jewish powers, hostility and their devil actions:
And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross (Col2:15). …His purpose was to create in himself one new man out of the two, thus making peace, and in this one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility (Eph2:15+16).
We die because:
For the wages of sin is death…(Ro6:23). …who holds the power of death, that is, the devil (Heb2:14).
Jesus appeared to:
But you know that he appeared so that he might take away our sins…(1Jo3:5). …The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil's work (1Jo3:8).
Jesus conquered:
…so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death, that is, the devil (Heb2:14). …But now he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself (Heb 9:26).
Do you still think that Satan rules the world? Take a look at this
Mat 11:25 At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes.
Joh 9:39 And Jesus said, For judgment I am come into this world, that they which see not might see; and that they which see might be made blind.
Mar 4:11 And he said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God: but unto them that are without, all these things are done in parables:
Mar 4:12 That seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest at any time they should be converted, and their sins should be forgiven them.
Mar 4:13 And he said unto them, Know ye not this parable? and how then will ye know all parables?
God bless
These people claim to be Jews but according to God they are not because they oppose everything that is godly. Therefore they represent a synagogue of adversaries (synagogue of Satan).
Re 2:13 I know where you live, where Satan has his throne…where Satan lives.
We read in Re 2:12 and 13 that these words were addressed to the church in Pergamum, which despite severe persecutions by the local authority (Satan) did not renounce their faith in Jesus.
"To the angel of the church in Pergamum write… ...Yet you remain true to my name. You did not renounce your faith in me, even in the days of Antipas, my faithful witness, who was put to death in your city…(Re2:13).
2Co 11:14…Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light.
Let us investigate the following verses:
But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to where he was baptising, he said to them: "You brood of vipers… (Mt3:7). …Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy (Lu12:1). …"Watch out for the yeast of the Pharisees and that of Herod"(Mr8:15). For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, masquerading as apostles of Christ. It is not surprising, then, if his servants masquerade as servants of righteousness…(2Co11:13+15). I served the Lord with great humility and with tears, although I was severely tested by the plots of the Jews (Ac20:19).
The Jewish leaders were guilty of hypocrisy and wrong teachings. Being the guardians of the Word of God, they did not only fail to recognize their Messiah, but persecuted those who did.
Mat 8:31 So the devils besought him, saying, If thou cast us out, suffer us to go away into the herd of swine.
We need to be aware that only God makes things happen. In De 13 God warned that He would test people by extraordinary means. What a genus could come up with the idea to make Jesus, the deceiver as Jews claimed he was, to place acknowledged by them powers into the unclean swine? Can you imagine their reaction?
Mt 4:3+6+8…"If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread. If you are the Son of God," he said, "throw yourself down…The devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world….
There are two possible answers to the question “who tempted Jesus”?
1). There was somebody with Jesus who knew His powers and tempted Him to use it (it could not be “Satan” as we have seen from the previous paragraphs),
2). Jesus probably struggled with His own mind during the fast. See the struggle of Paul in Ro7:15-23.
We need to recall the three elements of temptation in Eden: the fruit was good for food, the fruit was pleasing to the eye and the fruit was desirable for gaining wisdom. Jesus was tempted by the three elements. In Mt 4:3 His flesh was tempted with food, in Mt 4:6 His pride was tempted to gain glory for Himself and in Mt 4.8 His eyes were tempted with world’s splendour. See “temptations”.
Please note that in Mt 4:3 the tempter tempted Jesus, but in verses 4:5 and 4:8 it was the devil who continued the tempting. In Mr1:13 Jesus was tempted by Satan. In Lu 4 Jesus was tempted by the devil. These verses appear contradictory unless the tempter, Satan and the devil are the same namely adversary, slanderer and false accuser. Our fleshly mind is taking us away from God as Paul noted in Ro 7.
It is important to note that the devil in Lu 4:13 left Jesus “until an opportune time”:
When the devil had finished all this tempting, he left him until an opportune time (Lu4:13).
This opportune time arrived when Jesus was hanging on the cross. We can see that He is again tempted but this time by people:
Those who passed by hurled insults at him, shaking their heads and saying, "You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days, save yourself! Come down from the cross, if you are the Son of God!" In the same way the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders mocked him. "He saved others," they said, "but he can't save himself! He's the King of Israel! Let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him. He trusts in God. Let God rescue him now if he wants him, for he said, `I am the Son of God” (Mt27:39-43).
Jesus shows who those temptress and false accusers were:
But Jesus perceived their wickedness and said, "Why tempt ye Me, ye hypocrites? (Mt22:18 K.J.). But He perceived their craftiness and said unto them, "Why tempt ye Me? (Lu20:23). This they said testing Him, that they might have cause to accuse Him…(Joh8:6).
We know that Jesus was like us in every way:
…Had to be made like his brothers in every way…(Heb2:17).
We are told that Jesus was in a desert fasting for forty days and nights. It is very difficult for a man to survive such a test. Hallucinations and disillusionment will occur. In such a state of mind we can expect a man to think of all possibilities available to him and Jesus was aware of the power available to Him:
Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power… (Joh13:3)}. Also see Joh3:35. 1Co15:27. All that belongs to the Father is mine (Joh16:15). All I have is yours, and all you have is mine…(Joh17:10).
Jesus could tell the stones to become bread and end His hunger, but He would have used Gods power for His own benefit.
The pinnacle of the temple, as historian Josephus informs us, was an elevated court or promenade, which, on one side overlooked the depths of the valley of Jehosaphat to a depths of 200 feet, and offered the facility for self-destruction. It is possible that Jesus desired to use His power to cause a sensation by falling unhurt from the pinnacle of the temple.
The devil showed Jesus all the kingdoms of the world from a high mountain. There is no mountain from which all the kingdoms of the world could be viewed. If the devil had perhaps done it miraculously, then what was the reason to ascend a high mountain? Did Jesus struggle in His mind with the circumstances on one side, and the power by which he was able to possess “the kingdoms of the world”, to allow people to worship Him? We know He could:
Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels? But how then would the Scriptures be fulfilled that say it must happen in this way? (Mt26:53-54). Jesus commanded Peter, "Put your sword away! Shall I not drink the cup the Father has given me?" (Joh18:11). Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped (Php2:6).
We can envisage that Jesus was tempted to put the power at his disposal to use and disregard the purpose that He was sent to fulfil. He could have used this power and claim what was to be His, but each time a word of God came to his mind and won over temptation. He first had to fulfil the purpose he was sent for and follow His Father’s will in full:
For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him and through him to reconcile to himself all things…, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross (Col1:19-20). For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me (Joh6:38). The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life…(Joh10:17). For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many (Mr10:45).
We see how Jesus suffers just before His arrest:
Going a little further, he fell to the ground and prayed that if possible the hour might pass from him (Mr14:35). See Mt26:39 Lu22:42.
2Pe 2:4…God did not spare angels when they sinned…putting them into gloomy dungeons to be held for judgment. See also Jude1:6.
These were supposed to be angels who sinned presumably like Satan and the devil, but were treated differently. They were kept in dungeons, but Satan and the devil (if exist) managed to escape God and work against Him. We know that the word “angel” refers often to people so the reference is made to people of high status who disregarded God and were killed as the consequence. Nu 16 may be a good place to look at.
Heb 2:14…so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death, that is, the devil.
Let us finally find out who or rather what the devil is. Paul tells us:
“Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting”. The sting of death is sin...(1Co15:55+56). …The wages of sin is death… (Ro6:23). The mind of sinful man is death…(Ro8:6)… Sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned (Ro5:12).
Therefore we all die because of our sin, the product of our mind. Jesus died for our sins so that we could have everlasting life:
…For he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors (Isa53:12). …He appeared so that he might take away our sins…(1Jo3:5). …Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures (1Co15:3). … But now he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself (Heb9:26). For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the sinful nature, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful man to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in sinful man (Ro8:3). …I have overcome the world (Joh16:33).
We can understand now that Jesus came to destroy death with its sting or cause, which is sin (called the devil) in sinful man. Jesus also disarmed Jewish powers, hostility and their devil actions:
And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross (Col2:15). …His purpose was to create in himself one new man out of the two, thus making peace, and in this one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility (Eph2:15+16).
We die because:
For the wages of sin is death…(Ro6:23). …who holds the power of death, that is, the devil (Heb2:14).
Jesus appeared to:
But you know that he appeared so that he might take away our sins…(1Jo3:5). …The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil's work (1Jo3:8).
Jesus conquered:
…so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death, that is, the devil (Heb2:14). …But now he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself (Heb 9:26).
Do you still think that Satan rules the world? Take a look at this
Mat 11:25 At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes.
Joh 9:39 And Jesus said, For judgment I am come into this world, that they which see not might see; and that they which see might be made blind.
Mar 4:11 And he said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God: but unto them that are without, all these things are done in parables:
Mar 4:12 That seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest at any time they should be converted, and their sins should be forgiven them.
Mar 4:13 And he said unto them, Know ye not this parable? and how then will ye know all parables?
God bless
#6
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- Christadelphian
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- 718 posts
Pi
Posted 28 August 2009 - 06:23 PM
There's a few reasons why no one is commenting, I suspect.
1. Your posts are way too long. You were advised before to make a series of one to two paragraphs per posts because not many people will take the time to read long posts where the words seem to run together.
2. The majority of people who post on this forum, are Christadelphians, and we don't believe in a supernatural devil named Satan and therefore there is nothing really to comment on.
1. Your posts are way too long. You were advised before to make a series of one to two paragraphs per posts because not many people will take the time to read long posts where the words seem to run together.
2. The majority of people who post on this forum, are Christadelphians, and we don't believe in a supernatural devil named Satan and therefore there is nothing really to comment on.
Edited by ChickenSoup, 28 August 2009 - 06:24 PM.
#7
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- Members
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- 130 posts
Iota
Posted 29 August 2009 - 07:30 AM
It is fair but I have found that people tend to run in circles using one or two verses.
#8
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- Christadelphian MD
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- 1,884 posts
Rho
1 user(s) are reading this topic
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