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SATAN ALWAYS SHOWS UP WHERE HE IS NEEDED
hillsbororiver:
This is a portion of Ray's article "The Lucifer Hoax and the Mission of Satan" (Lake of Fire Part IX)
http://bible-truths.com/lake9.html
SATAN ALWAYS SHOWS UP WHERE HE IS NEEDED
Satan entered Eden as "that Old Serpent [Satan]" and deceived Eve to eat of the forbidden fruit. Satan didn’t sneak into the garden against God’s will. He performed a needful task with our first parents. God knew what Satan was going to do to Adam and Eve. God did not try to prevent it. It is all part of God’s master plan.
Just as God has provided food for mankind, He has also provided food for Satan. And just what kind of food does Satan dine on? Satan dines on mankind.
"And the Lord God said unto the serpent, Because you have done this, you are cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon your belly shall you go, and DUST SHALL YOU EAT all the days of your life" (Gen. 3:14).
This is, of course a parable. That "serpent" in the garden was none other than
"…that OLD SERPENT, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceives the whole world…" (Rev. 12:9).
And this is the same serpent that "deceived" Eve.
Man is the "dust of the earth" upon which Satan dines: "The first man [Adam] is of the earth, earthy [dust]…" (I Cor. 15:47). Man IS ‘dust.’
"…for DUST you are, and unto DUST shall you return" (Gen. 3:19).
When God told the serpent devil Satan that he would eat DUST, He was telling him that he would eat MAN (adam). And this is exactly what Peter tells us in his epistle:
"Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walks about, seeking whom he may devour [Gk: swallow down/eat]" (I Pet. 5:8).
Satan dines and thrives on the meat of the "carnal [Greek: sarx; flesh] mind [which] is enmity [hostility/hatred] against God: for it is not subject to the [spiritual] law of God, neither indeed can be" (Rom. 8:7).
Satan does not seek to devour everyone for food; only those who are carnally [fleshly] minded represent a great steak dinner to him.
Satan even had King David for dinner:
"And SATAN stood up against Israel, and provoked David to number Israel" (I Chron. 21:1).
But always remember, Satan never operates beyond his God-given parameters as we will see in the case of Job.
God gave Satan charge over Job, his body, and all his possessions, to try him severely before God:
"And the Lord said unto SATAN, Behold, he [Job] is in your hand; but save his life" (Job 2:6).
It was GOD’S idea to severely try Job, not Satan’s. But Satan took strict orders from God as to just how he could try Job. Satan got permission from God at each and every step of this severe trying of Job. Do we think God does it differently today? Do we think Satan now has "free reign"- "free will?" Do we think that God "changes?" Nonsense: "For I am the LORD, I change not…" (Mal. 3:6).
David prayed for God to use Satan in judging his enemies:
"Set you a wicked man over him: and let SATAN stand at his right hand" (Psalm 109:6).
Are not these activities of Satan necessary? Does God use Satan for no good purpose? Then why can’t men see that God also CREATED Satan for these very purposes?
Satan is constantly finding fault with God’s Chosen ones: (Bold lettering my own, contemplate this statement)
"And he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the Lord, and SATAN standing at his right hand to resist [accuse] him" (Zech. 3:1).
Remember, Satan can do NOTHING without God’s approval. When God completed His creating, He said
"And God saw EVERY THING that He had made [including Satan, the Adversary], and, behold, it was VERY GOOD…" (Gen. 1:31).
Satan was not only necessary, but he was, in fact, PERFECT for the job that God created him to fulfill.
Patrick:
Satan is constantly FINDING FAULT with God's chosen ones, BUT, it is the meat of the "carnal" mind that he dines and thrives on. Satan does not seek to devour everyone for food; only those who are carnally [fleshly] minded represent a great steak dinner to him.
This is an area I may not have had my eyes and ears opened up to completely.
Take Job for example; from my earthly view, Job was a Porterhouse/T-bone steak dinner to Satan. If so, does that mean Job was just "called" (still had a carnal mind) and not "chosen?" Unlike Joshua the High Priest where Satan was just accusing (finding fault), but was not able to devour; Joshua was called?
Must go back and study some more.
I really enjoy The Lucifer Hoax and The Origin Of Sin articles.
Rene:
Hi Joe,
Excellent reminder and food for thought (no pun intended). Satan has feasted on me more times than I care to admit. I pray that today I will be an overcomer, as I will pray the same for all my brethern.
Peace and His grace to you.
Rene'
hillsbororiver:
Hi Patrick and Rene' great to see two Brethren from the Conference in one place again! :D
Satan has also had me for lunch all too often Rene' he seems to know exactly where to be in moments of weakness but even if we don't submit to temptations he is very capable of being a royal pain anyway.
Patrick, the men of old (before the ministry and death of Jesus) were under the old covenant of carnal Mosaic Law and did not receive the same promise that those who lived after the crucifixion received, it is amazing to ponder the thought that some of us may have the opportunity to help bring them into the Lord's Kingdom!
Hebrews 11
32And what shall I more say? for the time would fail me to tell of Gedeon, and of Barak, and of Samson, and of Jephthae; of David also, and Samuel, and of the prophets:
33Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions.
34Quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens.
35Women received their dead raised to life again: and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection:
36And others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment:
37They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented;
38(Of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.
39And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise:
40God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect.
Peter touches on this as well,
1Pe 1:10 Of which salvation the prophets have inquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you:
His Peace and Wisdom to you,
Joe
Patrick:
Joe, I knew that in the back of my mind, thanks for bringing it forward. Poor choice of words once again on my part.
What I'm trying to see is the distinction between being devoured and finding fault in reference to Satan and the men of old.
It's not something I will make myself crazy over, but when I read the topic it stirred up some thoughts.
The main focus right now is re-reading LOF 16 A, B, and C in preparation for Part D. ;D
The most important thing to me about this topic is knowing that Satan can do NOTHING without God’s approval and that God created Satan; And God saw EVERY THING that He had made [including Satan, the Adversary], and, behold, it was VERY GOOD…" (Gen. 1:31).
Satan was not only necessary, but he was, in fact, PERFECT for the job that God created him to fulfill.
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