Satan in the Old Testament
In the OT, Satan is used in the sense of “adversary” when referring to humans (1 Kings 11:14, 23, 25). However, the events that are important to understanding Biblical teachings present Satan as a transcendent and supernatural figure. Most notable among these are Job 1-2, where Yahweh presents Job as “a blameless and upright man, fearing God and turning away from evil” (Job 1:8). Satan then responds by citing the protection and blessings that Job had enjoyed, assuming that Job feared God solely because of the blessings he received by doing so (v.10). Then Satan proposes a challenge: “but now he stretches out your hand and touches everything he has, and you will see if he does not curse you to your face” (v.11). In the end God grants Satan limited power to test Job’s character, first, by destroying his possessions and his family (1:12-22); and second, by physically attacking him (2:4-13). Clearly his purpose was to incite Job to curse God (1:11; 2:5) to accuse him of wrongdoing (1:22) and of “sinning with his lips” (2:10).
Likewise, Satan is portrayed as accusing men of God like Zechariah. In chapter three, the prophet receives a vision of “…Joshua the high priest, who stood before the angel of the Lord; and Satan stood at his right hand to accuse him” (Zech 3:1). However, in the vision Yahweh rebukes Satan, pointing out that He “has chosen Jerusalem” and returning them from the Babylonian exile” (3:2). Joshua’s change of clothing (3:4-5) symbolizes two things: God’s forgiveness of sins and his restoration to his position as high priest. Despite Satan’s accusations, this prophetic writing makes it clear that Yahweh’s sovereignty and merciful purpose will prevail.
In addition to accusing members of God’s people, two other OT passages reveal a second strategy that is used by Satan. In 1 Chronicles 21:1, “Satan rose up against Israel and provoked David to take a number of Israel.” His strategy was to hurt Israel by tempting David, their king, by taking the census to determine the number of men for battle, something for which he had been rebuked by Joab by showing both pride in the size of his empire and a lack of of faith in Yahweh. According to this passage, it was Satan who prompted David to take the census, while 2 Samuel 24:1 makes it clear that, as in Job, the tempter operates under the sovereign will of Yahweh: “Again the wrath of the The Lord was kindled against Israel, and he provoked David against them and said, ‘Go, take a number of Israel and Judah.’ In this case, while Satan’s purpose was evil, he unspeakable, inciting the leader of God’s people to sin; in God’s sovereignty even Satan is used to fulfill Yahweh’s great purpose for both David and his people.
The OT teachings about Satan are somewhat limited. However, by emphasizing both Satan’s evil purpose and God’s sovereignty, the OT lays the foundation for the New Testament (NT) teaching regarding Satan and demonic powers.
Satan and Demons in the New Testament
The NT teachings regarding Satan and demons are more developed than in the OT. Satan (also referred to as Beelzebub), is presented as the ruler of the kingdom of darkness, with demonic powers in submission to him (see Mt 9:34, 12:24, Mk 3:22, and Lk 11:15, where mentioned as “the prince of demons” (cf. also Jn 12:31; 14:30, 16:11, where he is presented as the “prince of this world”). These demonic powers are variously referred to in the NT as “demons,” “spirits,” “evil spirits,” “unclean spirits,” and “deceitful spirits.” The NT also uses the term “principalities and powers” which makes clearer reference to personal and spiritual beings who seek to fulfill Satan’s purposes in the world.
The rebellion of Satan and his followers
It is clear from the global teaching of Scripture that there is no eternal dualism between God on the one hand and Satan and his demonic followers on the other. Rather, Satan and his demonic minions were created by God, but chose to rebel before the creation of the world, and now stand in opposition to God and his purposes. Paul’s teachings in Colossians chapter 1 are supportive in understanding the origin of Satan and demonic powers. In Colossians 1:16 the apostle indicates that “…in Him all things were created”, then he specifies that he was created in Christ: “both in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible; be they thrones or dominions or powers or authorities.” Following this he suggests that God created “all things” – which in the immediate context includes spiritual beings – in a state of goodness. According to Paul, they were created “through Him and for Him.”
Having established in Colossians chapter 1 the goodness of God’s original creation, including all spiritual powers, it is notable that the following verses, especially Colossians 1:19-20, suggest that after God created “all things” something very bad: “For it pleased the Father that all fullness should dwell in Him, and through Him to reconcile all things to Himself, having made peace through the blood of His cross, through Him, I repeat, whether they be those that are on earth or those that are in heaven. The fact that “reconciliation” is required, both for men and for “things in heaven,” suggests the presence of disharmony and rebellion. While the hosts of heaven were created without sin, a change took place where those powers were now demonic in nature, doing the bidding of “the prince of demons.”
It is important to note that some scholars believe that the fall of Satan and his followers is described in the depiction of the king of Tire in Ezekiel 28:11-19 and in the depiction of the king of Babylon in Isaiah 14:12-14. They argue that the descriptions are more than metaphorical, and while the primary reference in each case is to an earthly king in question, the language of these two descriptions goes beyond what would be appropriate if they were referring solely to earthly kings.
Satan’s defeat and final judgment
The NT teaches that Satan and his followers have been and will be defeated through four specific events or ministries. First, they were defeated in the temptation of Jesus (Mt 4:1-11, Mk 1:12-13, Lk 4:1-13). When Jesus overcame temptations by quoting God’s Word, he maintained his sinless status and continued to walk in obedience to his heavenly Father. Because of his obedience in facing temptation, he was qualified to offer himself on the cross as a sacrifice for the sins of mankind.
In the second event, Jesus defeated Satan and his followers when he proclaimed the gospel of the kingdom and allowed men and women to follow him and live their lives in submission to the kingdom of God by obeying his teachings. Furthermore, in the Synoptic Gospels, Jesus said: “But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.” (Mt 12:28; Lk 11:20). The eschatological victory over Satan that was so expected in Jewish thought was taking place in the ministry of Jesus, albeit in a limited way by freeing people from the power of demonic forces. Every exorcism that Jesus performed was actually a blow to the kingdom of darkness.
In the third event, Satan and his followers were definitively defeated at the cross and at the empty tomb. According to Colossians 2:13-14, God “…forgave all crimes, having canceled the debt document that consisted of decrees against us and that was adverse to us, and has removed it from the midst, nailing it to the cross”. This saving action had consequences for Satan and his followers: “And having dispossessed the powers and authorities, he made them a public spectacle, triumphing over them through himself” (v.15). The resurrection of Jesus also played an important role in the defeat of Satan, as 1 Peter 3:21-22 says, which refers to baptism resulting from salvation by faith in Christ: “…he saves you (…) through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who is at the right hand of God, having ascended into heaven after angels, authorities, and powers had been subjected to him.”
Fourth, God’s people possess a living and expectant hope: that the Kingdom of God will fully come at a future time, and Satan’s dark kingdom will be completely defeated. As Paul wrote to the church in Rome, “And the God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet” (Rom 16:20). For this reason, Christians wait patiently and confidently for the fulfillment of John’s vision described in Revelation 20:10, “And the devil (…) was thrown into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are also. . And they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.”
The “strategies” of Satan and his demonic forces
The fact that Satan and his followers have been definitively defeated does not prevent them from continuing to oppose God’s will and purposes in the world during these times. Their main concern is to prevent men and women from responding to the proclamation of the gospel by putting their faith in Christ. He opposes fruitful evangelism because even now it “operates in the children of disobedience” (Eph 2:2), called non-Christians. Satan is well aware of the fact that if people put their faith in Christ, they will immediately be saved “…from the domain of darkness” and translated “…into the kingdom of his beloved Son” (Col 1:13; cf. Acts 26 :18). In short, when someone truly believes the gospel message, Satan loses a subject and that person then becomes devoted to his enemy, called Christ. Satan and his demonic followers will do everything in his power to prevent this. In fact, in 2 Corinthians 4:4 the apostle Paul writes: “in whom the god of this world has blinded the understanding of unbelievers, from seeing the brightness of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God”. This is what Jesus refers to in the parable of the sower when he says: “These who are along the path where the word is sown are those who, as soon as they hear it, immediately Satan comes and takes away the word that has been sown.” in them” (Mk 4:15; cf. Mt 13:19, Lk 8:12).
Given the fact that Satan and the spiritual forces under his authority prioritize opposition to efforts for fruitful evangelism by the Church, there is no doubt that Christians must guard the proclamation of the gospel as a critical point of spiritual conflict. . However, Satan’s opposition does not end…