Just Who In The Devil Is Satan

By John Clark
From the beginning of my memory up until about January 1998 I had always "known" that Satan was a self-aware entity and was "the prince of the power of the air, general of the armies of Hell", etc. However, I was looking some things up on the Internet and came upon the fact that denominational Christianities doctrine of Satan (and Hell) was firmly based in many of ancient Babylons' teachings regarding an afterlife and the punishments for those who were "sold unto sin". Until this time, whenever my pastor taught his version of who Satan was, I ignored him since I knew he was wrong, but I found myself looking at Satan in a different manner because of the doubts instilled in my mind by this newfound knowledge. What follows are the results of my ongoing study.

               John Clark                         The Church at Morley
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Satan,  שׂטן is used many times in the Old Testament specifically, and the Bible in general, but as we can see from the context, not necessarily as a proper name, but it always seems to apply to a person or persons. When dealing with the Hebrew language there are two things we always need to remember.

1. There is no capitalization in the Hebrew alphabet so any time you see capital letters in the Bible they got there by either context or interpretation of the translators.
2. There are no vowel points or punctuation in ancient Hebrew, these having come into use after 500 AD so these also are included due to context or translational interpretation.

The first time 'satan' is mentioned is Num 22:22

Num 22:22   And God's anger was kindled because he went: and the angel of the LORD stood in the way for an adversary against him. Now he was riding upon his ass, and his two servants were with him.

The angel of the Lord was 'satan' here because he had been sent to be an opponent to Balaam because he was acting in
opposition to what God was wanting him to do. In fact, in Num 22:32 he declares it
                                  
Num 22:32      And the angel of the LORD said unto him, Wherefore hast thou smitten thine ass these three times? behold, I went out to withstand thee, because thy way is perverse before me:

There are other instances where the inhabitants of Heaven are classified as a 'satan'. There are many times when God Himself is an adversary to Israel. In one instance the writer even uses the term "satan" In 1 Cronicles, 18, 19, and 20, there are several conflicts recounted so in 1 Chr 21:1 "satan" (one of David's military advisors) provokes David to count all of Israel. Now, there is nothing wrong with a census. Moses did it several times without reprisal. David, however, was counting his army (vs 5) contrary to the will of God.

Deu 20:1  When thou goest out to battle against thine enemies, and seest horses, and chariots, and a people more than thou, be not afraid of them: for the LORD thy God is with thee, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.

is just one instance of God telling the people that they need not be concerned with numbers when He is on their side. Therefore, in 1 Chr 21:1

1 Chr 21:1     And satan stood up against Israel, and provoked David to number Israel.

We can show that this was referring to God by reading in 2 Samuel where there is a slightly different view on the situation.

2 Sam 24:1     And again the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel, and he moved David against them to say, Go, number Israel and Judah.
2Sa 24:2       For the king said to Joab the captain of the host, which was with him, Go now through all the tribes of Israel, from Dan even to Beersheba, and number ye the people, that I may know the number of the people.

David is on a winning streak, and if human nature follows, he is starting to get a bit cocky. He is starting to become what Samuel described in 1 Samuel 8:11_17,

1Sa 8:11  And he said, This will be the manner of the king that shall reign over you: He will take your sons, and appoint them for himself, for his chariots, and to be his horsemen; and some shall run before his chariots.
1Sa 8:12  And he will appoint him captains over thousands, and captains over fifties; and will set them to ear his ground, and to reap his harvest, and to make his instruments of war, and instruments of his chariots.
1Sa 8:13  And he will take your daughters to be confectionaries, and to be cooks, and to be bakers.
1Sa 8:14  And he will take your fields, and your vineyards, and your oliveyards, even the best of them, and give them to his servants.
1Sa 8:15  And he will take the tenth of your seed, and of your vineyards, and give to his officers, and to his servants.
1Sa 8:16  And he will take your menservants, and your maidservants, and your goodliest young men, and your asses, and put them to his work.
1Sa 8:17  He will take the tenth of your sheep: and ye shall be his servants.

and in some aspects, following in the footsteps of Saul getting just a bit too big for his britches. So, God has to remind him just where the real power is. In 2 Sam 24:1, God uses the same tactic he will use in the future.

1Ki 22:22  And the LORD said unto him, Wherewith? And he said, I will go forth, and I will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets. And he said, Thou shalt persuade him, and prevail also: go forth, and do so.
1Ki 22:23  Now therefore, behold, the LORD hath put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these thy prophets, and the LORD hath spoken evil concerning thee.

and provokes one of David's advisors to give him some bad advice. Joab tries in 1 Chr 21:3 to remind David he is going against the will of God, but he won't listen. In vs 8 he comes to the realization of the gravity of both the situation, and his sin. God gives him a choice of punishments, and even so, David sees 70,000 people die because of his vanity. God still does this today, giving us just enough rope to hang ourselves. It can be shown that there are times where satan isn't even a specific person or entity.

1 King 5:4     But now the LORD my God hath given me rest on every side, so that there is neither adversary nor evil occurrent.

In this instance there is no 'satan' because there is no opposing national power to cause any problems. To show that 'satan' can be and is sometimes an opposing king or army

1 King 11:14   And the LORD stirred up an adversary unto Solomon, Hadad the Edomite: he was of the king's seed in Edom.
1 King 11:23   And God stirred him up another adversary, Rezon the son of Eliadah, which fled from his lord Hadadezer king of Zobah:
1 King 11:24   And he gathered men unto him, and became captain over a band, when David slew them of Zobah: and they went to Damascus, and dwelt therein, and reigned in Damascus.
1 King 11:25   And he was an adversary to Israel all the days of Solomon, beside the mischief that Hadad did: and he abhorred Israel, and reigned over Syria.

Zech 3:1  And he shewed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the LORD, and Satan (noun) standing at his right hand to resist (verb) him.
Zech 3:2  And the LORD said unto Satan, The LORD rebuke thee, O Satan; even the LORD that hath chosen Jerusalem rebuke thee: is not this a brand plucked out of the fire?

Zechariah was a contemporary of both Ezra and Haggi and the book was written at about the time the book of Ezra was telling of the rebuilding of the Temple.

Ezra 5:1  Then the prophets, Haggai the prophet, and Zechariah the son of Iddo, prophesied unto the Jews that were in Judah and Jerusalem in the name of the God of Israel, even unto them.
Ezra 5:2  Then rose up Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and began to build the house of God which is at Jerusalem: and with them were the prophets of God helping them.
Ezra 5:3  At the same time came to them Tatnai, governor on this side the river, and Shethar-boznai, and their companions, and said thus unto them, Who hath commanded you to build this house, and to make up this wall?

In vs 2, Jeshua is a variant spelling of Joshua, and was the person Zechariah was referring to in  Zech 3:1.

Haggai 1:1     In the second year of Darius the king, in the sixth month, in the first day of the month, came the word of the LORD by Haggai the prophet unto Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel,  governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Josedech, the high priest, saying,

We can therefore say that the persons mentioned in Ezra 5:3 are the 'satan' that Zechariah is referring to.
We note in verse 3 the adversarial position they are taking toward the rebuilding of the Temple, and in Haggai 1:2

Haggai 1:2     Thus speaketh the LORD of hosts, saying, This people say, The time is not come, the time that the LORD's house should be built.

even the whole nation of Israel seems not to be inclined to rebuilding the Temple, and are being adversarial to the command of God.

Haggai 1:4     Is it time for you, O ye, to dwell in your cieled houses, and this house lie waste?

Strong's # 5603 caphan (saw-fan');
a primitive root; to hide by covering; specifically,  to roof (passive participle as noun, a roof) or wainscot; figuratively, to reserve:
Translated in KJV-- cieled, cover, seated.
                                       

The children of Israel were more concerned with maintaining a roof over their heads than they were about rebuilding the Temple, so we can include the whole nation of Israel when we speak of satan in Zech 3:1 so  even the children of God (natural and spiritual) can be called satan (see Mt 16:23)

Job 1:6   Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them.
Job 1:7   And the LORD said unto Satan, Whence comest thou? Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it.
Job 1:8   And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil?
Job 1:9   Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, Doth Job fear God for nought?
Job 1:10  Hast not thou made an hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side? thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land.
Job 1:11  But put forth thine hand now, and touch all that he hath, and  he will curse thee to thy face.
Job 1:12  And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold, all that he hath is in thy power; only upon himself put not forth thine hand. So Satan went forth from the presence of the LORD.

In the story of Job, the sons of God came before the Lord, and 'satan' came also among them. We have already shown that satan in many places was translated adversary and at times was adversity toward the  children of God. We have also shown that satan has been a multitude (army) at times. In these scriptures the Sons of God (people serving the Lord) were together and were expressing both envy and dissatisfaction  because seemingly Job (in their eyes) was being blessed and rewarded more than he deserved. God was not allowing anything to happen to anything that was acquainted with him. Even though his children (vs 4 & 5) might be less than godly, he was still being blessed and they thought it was unfair so God allowed things to happen to Job and his family. Note: the second satan in verse 12 wasn't an adversary, it was adversity
from the Lord

Job 1:13  And there was a day when his sons and his daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother's house:
Job 1:14  And there came a messenger unto Job, and said, The oxen were plowing, and the asses feeding beside them:
Job 1:15  And the Sabeans fell upon them, and took them away; yea, they have slain the servants with the edge of the sword; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.

More than likely, God spoke to the leader of the Sabeans and told him (much like He did Nebuchadnezzar) to attack the holdings of Job and to steal what he wanted and to kill the rest.

Job 1:16  While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, The fire of God is fallen from heaven, and hath burned up the sheep, and the servants, and consumed them; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.

Luke 10:18     And he said unto them, I beheld satan (adversity) as lightning fall from heaven.

This looks like a violent thunderstorm. It would seem that God created a very strong, violent thunderstorm and the lightening from it killed and burned Job's livestock and servants.
                   
Job 1:17  While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, The Chaldeans made out three bands, and fell upon the camels, and have carried them away, yea, and slain the servants with  the edge of the sword; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.

Same as with the Sabeans. God told them to attack and carry off what they could, and kill the rest.

Job 1:18  While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, Thy sons and thy daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother's house:
Job 1:19  And, behold, there came a great wind from the wilderness, and smote the four corners of the house, and it fell upon the young men, and they are dead; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.

This was an apparent tornado. This tornado was probably spawned by the thunderstorm in verse 16.

Job 2:1   Again there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them to present himself before the LORD.
Job 2:2   And the LORD said unto Satan, From whence comest thou? And  Satan answered the LORD, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it.
Job 2:3   And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil? and still he holdeth fast his integrity, although thou movedst me against him, to destroy him without cause.
Job 2:4   And Satan answered the LORD, and said, Skin for skin, yea, all that a man hath will he give for his life.
Job 2:5   But put forth thine hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse thee to thy face.
Job 2:6   And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold, he is in thine hand; but save his life.

As before, the satan refereed to here is the adversarial spirit in the Sons of God dissatisfied with the way God has protected Job in the past, and no doubt embarrassed by the fact that Job kept his integrity in the midst if the trials God sent his way.

Job 2:7   So went Satan forth from the presence of the LORD, and smote Job with sore boils from the sole of his foot unto his crown.

As before, God sent adversity (satan) toward Job and struck him with boils all over his body.

Job 2:8   And he took him a potsherd to scrape himself withal; and he sat down among the ashes.
Job 2:9   Then said his wife unto him, Dost thou still retain thine integrity? curse God, and die.
Job 2:10  But he said unto her, Thou speakest as one of the foolish women speaketh. What? shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil? In all this did not Job sin with his lips.

Even through all this, Job didn't curse God. However, neither did he blame Satan (as an entity) for his problems and tribulations. Also notice, satan is not directly mentioned any more in the book of Job. Job never attributes any of the trials that come upon us as originating with an entity named "Satan". It is my opinion that satan did come to visit Job in person in two separate manefestations. The first time is in Job 2:9

Job 2:9  Then said his wife unto him, Dost thou still retain thine integrity? curse God, and die.

and the second time is in Job 2:11

Job 2:11  Now when Job's three friends heard of all this evil that was come upon him, they came every one from his own place; Eliphaz the Temanite, and Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite...

With friends like these, who needs enemies. These are some of the men described in Job 1:6 and 2:1 as the "Sons of God". Usually when you go visit a friend who is grieving you try to console them. These "friends" start out in Job 4 comforting him by telling him that he deserved what he was getting.

In 2 Sam 19:22

2Sa 19:22      And David said, What have I to do with you, ye sons of Zeruiah, that ye should this day be adversaries unto me? shall there any man be put to death this day in Israel? for do not I know that I am this day king over Israel? 

These are the sons of David's sister and one of them (Abishai) wants to kill Shimei because he had cursed David when he was running for his life from Absalom. David is in a good mood because God has given him his kingdom back and although he probably wants to deal with this traitor, he knows that mere words are not a good enough reason to kill him. He does tell Solomon later to keep an eye on him because he can't be trusted. This warning and the subsequent command Solomon gave him became his eventual downfall because he disobeyed the command of the king (insurrection) and it cost him his life. Psalm 71, 38, and 109 are, in my mind, written when David is running for his life and not only mentions an adversary (person) but also talks about adversarial actions (verb).

Psa 109:2      For the mouth of the wicked and the mouth of the deceitful are opened against me: they have spoken against me with a lying tongue.
Psa 109:3      They compassed me about also with words of hatred; and fought against me without a cause.
Psa 109:4      For (In return for) my love they are my adversaries (verb): but I give myself unto prayer.
Psa 109:5      And they have rewarded me evil for good, and hatred for my love.
Psa 109:6      Set thou a wicked man over him: and let Satan (noun) stand at his right hand.

Psa 109:20     Let this be the reward of mine adversaries (verb) from the LORD, and of them that speak evil against my soul.
Psa 109:29     Let mine adversaries (verb) be clothed with shame, and let them cover themselves with their own confusion, (shame in Hebrew) as with a mantle.

Psa 38:20      They also that render evil for good are mine adversaries;(verb) because I follow the thing that good is.

Psa 71:13      Let them be confounded (ashamed) and consumed that are adversaries (verb) to my soul; let them be covered with reproach and dishonour that seek my hurt.