Number 59 | August 16, 2005

Scratching a Roaring Lion

"My dear brothers, never forget when you hear the progress of the Enlightenment praised, the devil's cleverest wile is to convince us that he does not exist" — French poet Charles Baudelaire (1821-1867)

Talmudic teaching suggests that on the occasion of the first Rosh Hashanah—the sixth day of creation—heaven was the scene of a debate about the creation of human beings, some angels arguing that men would only be liars, cheats, and quarellers, among other things. God ignored the objections (or you wouldn't be reading this), but each year Satan, the great prosecutor of mankind, renews the plea. In Jewish tradition, Satan is advocating the destruction of Israel for its failure to live up to Abraham's legacy. The accused are defenseless, manifestly guilty of the crimes Satan is prepared to list, and their only hope lies in the blowing of the shofar, the ram's horn that symbolizes Abraham's selflessness, faith, and commitment to God. For more than 3,300 years, the blowing of the shofar on Rosh Hashanah has confounded Satan's prosecution and delayed the inevitable verdict.

In Christian teaching, the scene is much the same. Satan stands ready to make the case against every human being. We are defenseless, manifestly guilty of crimes against God and our fellow humans. In some sense, the situation for Christians appears even worse than for Jews since Jewish tradition claims that an "individual is judged in accordance with the majority of his [or her] deeds..." (Rabbi Elazar son of Simon)—it is a matter of which way the scale tips—whereas Christians can take no solace in a balance of works (Galatians 2:16). No quantity of works is sufficient to even budge the scale. Jesus, however, unequivocally changes the equation with His sacrifice on the Cross. In a scene from Ray Boltz' powerful music video, one drop of Jesus' blood falls to the scale, counterbalancing a large pile of dirty rags.

The subject of this issue of Ekklesia Then & Now, however, is not atonement—it is Satan himself, the great accuser of Mankind, who is a stumbling block for many people in modern Western society. There are many misunderstandings about Satan and tragically, Christian history is replete with example of abuse of his nature and his activity.

It is difficult, if not impossible, to derive a complete picture of Satan from biblical sources, and much of the popular conceptions are therefore based on the writings of the Ante-Nicene Fathers and Catholic tradition, even though the Vatican has recently subtly altered its position on Satan. It is possible, however, to piece together a number of Scriptures directly or indirectly related to Satan to make a few tentative observations.

Satan is a Hebrew word meaning "adversary" or "accuser." In the Old Testament, it is used in the sense of a normal human adversary (1 Samuel 29:4), but God also sent or raised up satans to oppose people. He sends an angel as a satan to block Balaam from going to Balak (Numbers 22). He raises up Hadad and Rezon as satans against Solomon (1 Kings 11:14,23). Satan as a distinct individual appears only three times in the Old Testament, most notably in Job, perhaps the oldest book of the Bible. Satan also "incited David to number Israel" (1 Chronicles 21:1), in defiance of God's sovereignty. Finally, Satan appears alongside another angel in Zechariah's vision of Joshua the high priest (Zechariah 3).

The Job account is particularly noteworthy since it is commonly believed that Satan was cast out of heaven immediately after he tempted Eve to eat from the Tree of the Knowledge of God and Evil, but in Job, Satan is shown approaching God: "Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came among them" (Job 1:6). The exchange that follows is reminiscent of one in the Garden: "The LORD said to Satan, "From where have you come?" Satan answered the LORD and said, "From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking up and down on it" (Job 1:7). After Adam and Eve ate from the forbidden tree, they try to hide from God. "Where are you?" God asks (Genesis 3:9). Both questions are curious since an omniscient God would certainly know where Satan had been and where Adam and Eve were hiding.

Either God deliberately suppressed His own knowledge of these actions of His created, free-will creatures or the questions served some divine purpose. In the case of Adam, God's question certainly was meant to give Adam the opportunity to confess, but in a more general sense, Adam represents all of humanity. God asks each of us, "Where are you?" Perhaps God's question to Satan was also an opportunity to repent. God knew that Satan had been on Earth, being an adversary to men. "From where have you come?" God asks, but Satan is only looking for a way to embarrass God.

Who is Satan? What possessed him to challenge God? To suggest that His servant Job was only a fair-weather follower? What, for that matter, possessed Satan to meddle with humanity in the first place?

The Biblical Record of Satan

First, a disclaimer or perhaps just a caveat: There is no comprehensive description of the person and the activity of Satan found in the Bible. At best, we can piece together a few passages (most notably from Revelation) but this kind of scriptural cobbling can be misleading. In a book dealing as comprehensively with human behavior as the Bible does, it would be possible to "prove" just about anything by stringing together isolated passages. Consequently, what follows should be considered tentative at best. To maintain the flow, I have omitted references and comments. Click here for an annotated version of this summary.

Satan was created, probably sometime in the first three "days" of creation, as a high-ranking angel, perhaps one of the cherubim. He apparently initially served in the court of God and may have had a number of lesser angels assigned to him. He was created "full of wisdom and perfect in beauty" but, like other angels and human beings, he was granted free will to determine his own course. His original name may have been Lucifer, although this may also merely be a description.

It is far from certain, but what may have motivated his rebellion against God were pride, envy, and resentment. The angels apparently witnessed the creation of the World, but according to Talmudic tradition, some opposed the creation of Man, correctly predicting his sinful nature. Satan may have envied Adam because, unlike angels, Man is created in the image of God, although Man was also made "a little lower" than the angels. Satan may have resented this lower creature being given dominion over the newly-created world when he had no territory of his own. Being full of wisdom, he may have understood that Man was likely to mess up the world God had created and, deciding that he would be better suited to the task, resolved to demonstrate how unworthy Mankind was by inciting Adam and Eve to disobey God.

Bitterly disappointed in Adam and Eve, God expels them from the paradise He had created for their sustenance and enjoyment, but He gives them hope in the "seed of the woman." For his actions, Satan is cursed and expelled from heaven, but to serve His ultimate purposes, God allows him to become a temporary ruler or god of this world. He manages to convince about a third of the angels, perhaps that faction that questioned the creation of Man, to follow him in opposing God.

The Old Testament is the record of the Jewish people who are, to some degree at least, insulated from Satan through the sacrificial system, but in their interactions with the other peoples of the world, the degree of Satan's degrading influence on Mankind is obvious. With sin unloosed through the Fall, Satan must have been able to act in relatively subtle ways without a lot of direct intervention, and during that time he was apparently still allowed to approach God on occasion.

With the sacrificial death of Christ on the Cross and the subsequent establishment of the church, the stakes changed for Satan. The Law could no longer serve as the perfect foil against God's Chosen People, and reconciliation became available to every human being, not just the Jews. It is therefore not surprising that Satan's level of activity and visibility picked up dramatically in the New Testament and the Church. Recognizing the threat, he was probably behind the attempts to murder the baby Jesus. He attempted to destroy Jesus' ministry through temptation, and he was certainly a factor in the call for Jesus' conviction and crucifixion. That God turned his "success" into the ultimate defeat of his plans surely infuriated Satan, and he turned his attention on the church.

The first attack on the church actually came before its formal foundation, when Satan demanded the opportunity to "sift (the apostles) like wheat." He had already gotten Judas Iscariot, and he almost got another. It took reassurance from the resurrected Jesus to restore Peter. Satan continued to attack the church after its formal foundation on the day of Pentecost. In a famous incident, the deception of Ananias and Sapphira is attributed to Satan's influence.

Paul was a particular target of Satan: he keeps the apostle from visiting Thessalonica and he sends a messenger to harass him. Paul also uses Satan to purge sinful believers—he recommends that the Corinthians turn the sinful brother over to Satan and he tells Timothy that he has handed blasphemers Hymenaeus and Alexander over to Satan. Paul warns Christians about potential snares of the Devil—pride and sexual temptation, for example.

In the Revelation to John, Jesus attributes persecution the church in Smyrna is about to experience to the Devil, and praises the church in Pergamum for maintaining their faith in the place "where Satan dwells."

The Early Post-Apostolic Church and Satan

The writers of the early church continued to teach the reality of Satan and his devices, often quoting the same Scriptures used to develop the biblical record of Satan above, although some began the process of associating evil specifically to woman in the form of Eve. "This Eve, on account of her having been in the beginning deceived by the serpent, and become the author of sin, the wicked demon, who also is called Satan, who then spoke to her through the serpent, and who works even to this day in those men that are possessed by him, invokes as Eve" (Theophilus to Autolycus, II.28, ca 180).

Origen, frequently an enigmatic figure in early church history, confirms the church's teaching of the actual existence of Satan (revealing that there were doubters even then) but laments the lack of specificity in church teaching: "Regarding the devil and his angels, and the opposing influences, the teaching of the Church has laid down that these beings exist indeed; but what they are, or how they exist, it has not explained with sufficient clearness" (De Principiis, Preface, ca. 225)

Lactantius summarized the church's position on the works of Satan: "He therefore lays plots against all; but those who are ignorant of God he hinders by error, he overwhelms with folly, he overspreads with darkness, that no one may be able to attain to the knowledge of the divine name, in which alone are contained both wisdom and everlasting life. Those, on the other hand, who know God, he assails with wiles and craft, that he may ensnare them with desire and lust, and when they are corrupted by the blandishments of sin, may impel them to death; or, if he shall have not succeeded by stratagem, he attempts to cast them down by force and violence" (The Divine Institutes, III.29, ca. 310).

Notably missing from the writings of the early church fathers is any hint of seeking to oppose the devil by engaging in a culture war with the Roman world, and Christianity had relatively little affect on society at large. It did, on the other hand, have a profound affect on those who were united with Christ. When Christianity became the state religion, it had a profound affect on society but far less on individuals.

Biblical Advice on Dealing with Satan

"Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places" (Ephesians 6:11-12).

"Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world. And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you" (1 Peter 5:8-10).

"Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you" (James 4:7).

Probably the most famous extrabiblical work about Satan is Milton's Paradise Lost, which recounts Satan's role in the fall of Man. Milton describes the great battle that results in Satan's expulsion from heaven, along with his followers. Following the battle, Satan's forces are disconsolate, so he rises to address them and give them new marching orders:

Fall'n Cherube, to be weak is miserable
Doing or Suffering: but of this be sure,
To do ought good never will be our task,
But ever to do ill our sole delight,
As being the contrary to his high will
Whom we resist. If then his Providence
Out of our evil seek to bring forth good,
Our labour must be to pervert that end,
And out of good still to find means of evil;
Which oft times may succeed, so as perhaps
Shall grieve him, if I fail not, and disturb
His inmost counsels from their destind aim.

John Milton: Paradise Lost (1667), Book I, lines 157-168

Today, there is ample evidence that Satan is working on several fronts:

1. The "Baudelaire Scheme" by which he convinces people that he does not exist. (humanist subset)
2. The "Gnostic scheme" by which he convinces people he is worthy of worship.
3. The "Hell in a Handbasket Scheme" by which he convinces Christians to attack "the world."
4. The "Pharisaical Scheme" by which he convinces Christians that God's Grace is insufficient.

The Baudelaire Scheme

If recent polls are reliable indicators, the Baudelaire Scheme is working well. According to a 2001 study by the Barna Group, only 27% of American adults believe that Satan is real. More disturbing, among Catholics the figure is only 17%, among mainline Protestants 20%. Even among more "conservative" groups, the results were shocking—a mere 36% of church of Christ members and 34% of Baptists believe Satan is real. Only more Charismatic groups were significantly different—47% of Pentecostals and 56% of Assembly of God members. These figures correlate highly to (but are significantly less than) belief in the accuracy of the Bible: 26% of Catholics, 34% of mainline Protestants, 57% of church of Christ members, 66% of Baptists, 81% of Pentecostals, and 77% of Assembly of God members.

Many Christians now consider Satan no more than a symbol of evil, and the discrepancies between belief in the accuracy of the Bible and that Satan is real suggest that a sizeable proportion of Christians are largely ignorant of biblical teaching, where Satan is clearly described as a being with intellect (2 Cor 11:3), will (2 Tim 2:26), and feelings (Rev 12:17), none of which a mere symbol possesses. It seems that most Americans, including Christians, will not believe in the existence of Satan unless a horned red guy jabs them with a pitchfork and presents a contract for their souls.

A subset of this diabolical scheme is the Baudelaire-Humanist Scheme. According to Wikipedia, an online, "content-free" encyclopedia, "...many secular humanists not only do not believe that Satan exists, they also hold the view that a belief in Satan is a serious obstacle to human progress, peace, and a just world, and that the belief itself should be eradicated through education and scientific thinking." Historically, this Baudelaire-Humanist scheme gains momentum from the actions of the church itself. Humanists point to the abuses of such events as the Crusades, the Inquisition, and the Salem Witch Trials as evidence that a belief in Satan leads to intolerance, war, and persecution. Of course, the humanists ignore the fact that these events were perpetrated by the very humans they believe are inherently good and that none can be justified by the Bible itself.

The Gnostic Scheme

In the second and third centuries, a number of pernicious doctrines arose that have been historically categorized as "Gnostic" (see ET&N 41, Heresy, Power, and Personal Revelation). There were several varieties of ancient Gnosticism, but all were based on sort some of secret knowledge (from the Greek word, gnosis). Some strains of Gnosticism became so popular that they threatened the future of the church, and early church writers aggressively countered this internal heresy.

By the fourth century or so, Gnosticism as a major challenge to orthodox Christianity was virtually destroyed, but it has been making a slow, steady comeback since the dawn of the Enlightenment. Since knowledge was the sustenance of the Enlightenment, people have sought to use rational thought and scientific method, rather than God's Word, to explain the universe and humanity's place in it. Satanism is a subset of modern Gnosticism, as evidenced by the doctrinal statements of the Church of Satan.

Founded in San Francisco in 1966 by Anton Szandor LaVey, the Church of Satan claims to be "the first organized church in modern times promulgating a religious philosophy championing Satan as the symbol of personal freedom and individualism" (Gilmore, Magnus Peter H., "Anton Szandor LaVey, A Biographical Sketch," 2003, Church of Satan website). According the The Satanic Bible (written by LeVey), Satan represents "indulgence, vital existence, undefiled wisdom, kindness to those who deserve it, vengeance, man as just another animal, and all of so-called sins." Clearly, LeVey conceived the Church of Satan as the antithesis of his perception of Christianity. "Satan," LeVey concludes, "has been the best friend the Church has ever had, as He has kept it in business all these years!"

According to its "official" website, the Temple of Set (an ancient Egyptian deity) formed in 1975 as a splinter group when LeVey "redesign(ed) (the Church of Satan) as a nonfunctional vehicle for his personal expression, exploitation, and financial income." The fundamental tenets of the Temple of Set claim that through the use of "black arts," human beings evolve toward divinity.

The typical Christian view of Satanism involves ritual child murders, animal mutilations, backwards writing, and even crop circles, but most Satanist are little more than deluded humanists seeking spiritual truth in all the wrong places. They claim that Satan has been slandered by Christianity for centuries and that they are merely trying to restore his rightful place in Mankind's progress. In most cases, ritualistic acts attributed to Satanists are more likely the acts of human criminals claiming satanic inspiration.

The modern Baudelaire and Gnostic Schemes have largely been aimed outside the church (although the Baudelaire Scheme appears to be active in the church), but while they may be inspired by Satan, they are probably diversionary tactics rather than a frontal action. The frontal actions are necessarily targeted at the greatest threat to Satan's dominion—the Church. These are both more subtle and more profound.

The Hell in a Handbasket Scheme

Throughout its history, the Church has spent an inordinate amount of time and effort attacking the perceived sins of the world, trying to extinguish them by legislation, intimidation, persecution, and extermination. This stands in dramatic contrast to the early (pre-Constantine) church, when Rome tried to extinguish the church through the same tactics. With the establishment of Christianity as the state religion of Rome late in the fourth century, the persecuted became persecutors. In an ironic twist that can only be described as diabolical, Satanic influences may well be at the root of paganism, Muhammadism, Hinduism, Buddhism, and other religions, but Satan's success was in convincing orthodox Christianity to attempt to counter these developments with methods more heinous than anything conceived in those other religions.

The Great Inquisition is certainly the best and most shameful example of the Church giving in to the Hell in a Handbasket Scheme, but comparable episodes continue today. The Church is not called to directly wage a culture war. Rather, the Church is called to submit to God through the Grace offered by Christ Jesus and to respond by living exemplary lives. The harassment of homosexuals is probably the best modern example of how sadly many in the church have gotten this precisely backwards (see ET&N 50, Repent America, Marvin Olasky & Michael Peroutka).

The excesses of the persecuting church have done more to advance the cause of Satan than anything non-believers have done!

The Pharisaical Scheme

Finally, and more insidiously, there is Satan's Pharisaical Scheme. Satan has undergone significant transformation over the centuries, but not in the way religious skeptics suggest. They claim that the Satan of the Old Testament was akin to the Attorney-General of heaven, an aggressive prosecutor whose role was merely to adjudicate transgressions against God's laws. It was the New Testament writers and the early church fathers who transformed Satan into the despicable tormenter of Mankind. Effectively, it is the same argument many use about the perceived disparity between the wrathful God of the Old Testament and the loving God of the New Testament.

What the skeptics miss in both arguments has to do with the progressive unveiling of God's revelation to humanity. With Christ Jesus came the opportunity for individuals to be reconciled to the Creator, and this development must have infuriated Satan. After all, up until then he had pretty much had his way with humanity since the Fall. With the exception of God's Chosen Race (Israel), people were largely unfamiliar with God, even though He had "put eternity into man's heart" (Ecclesiastes 3:11) but lacking specific knowledge of God, Satan diverted attention to the creation rather than the Creator, encouraging them to invent and worship a plethora of nature gods. Paganism was so revamp that it frequently spilled over into the practices of the Jews.

Furthermore, there was the Law, established to reveal sin. Satan was certainly able to use the Law against the Jews, convincing men that righteous comes through works of the Law. The residual effects of such legalistic religion are still evident today as some Christian groups simply don't seem to understand Grace.

But Satan understands Grace, and it throws an insolvable problem into his diabolical schemes. Before the Cross, Satan held the advantage because on our own, we human beings simply can't measure up to the standards of a Holy God. Because the Cross, Satan's advantage is gone, and it is this that led to the dramatic change in his activity—not the kind of human mythology the skeptics suggest.

While we point fingers and preach damnation to the world, we neglect to recognize that Satan's most damaging work is accomplished by unwitting Christians mimicking biblical Pharisees by restoring the yoke removed by Christ. Before Christ, Satan didn't have to spend much time tormenting humanity because there was no viable avenue for reconciliation. Christ brought freedom (but not license), but today's satanic assistants seek to move that freedom with judgmental, legalistic religion or ostentatious ritual that clouds God's real message.

The 2001 Barna survey that revealed the shockingly low figures on the real existence of Satan also included the statement "works don't earn heaven." The degree to which members of various Christian communities agreed with this statement reveals a lot about their works- vs. grace-orientation. The Barna survey showed that 9% of Catholics agreed that works don't earn heaven, 24% of Methodists, 26% of Episcopals, 27% of Lutherans, 31% of Presbyterians, 42% of Church of Christ members, 43% of Baptists, 62% of Pentecostals, and 64% of Assembly of God members.

The Catholic Church is a case in point and while I do not wish to question the faith or commitment of any individual Catholic, the Barna survey reveals the problems associated with legalistic religions: Only 26% believe the Bible is totally accurate (only Episcopals were lower), only 17% believe they are called to share their faith, and only 46% are totally committed to Christianity. It therefore becomes clear that when one strips off the lies of church tradition, people are left rudderless.

Before any of us in the churches of Christ becomes arrogant, the polls results for us showed that only 57% believe the Bible is totally accurate, only 51% believe they are called to share their faith, and only 59% are totally committed to Christianity!! These are disturbing numbers, particularly the fact that over half of church of Christ members believe that works have something to do with earning a place in heaven. Works are apparently more important than Grace to more than half our brotherhood. Given the kind of legalism we sometimes see in our midst (see ET&N 9, The Law of Christ), we have only ourselves to blame.

In a recent issue of Reflections, Al Maxey quoted a member of an Alabama church of Christ as saying "We can only maintain our place in the church if we are obedient to all of the teachings of Jesus and the apostles (the NT) until we die" (Reflections #200, "Unity or Uniformity").

Here is a member of the church of Christ insisting that salvation is about obedience rather than Grace. That is not to suggest that obedience is unimportant, but it is the proper response to Grace, not the mechanism of salvation, and there is a universe of difference between the two. One is the message of God, the other of Satan.

If it seems harsh to describe legalistic Christians as doing Satan's work while there is all manner of heinous evil rampant in the world, consider what does more damage to the Gospel. In China, the godless government continues its campaign to persecute the church, yet conversions skyrocket. In America, there was a modest, albeit temporary bump in church attendance immediately following 9-11. If these evil actions were motivated by Satan, they backfired, just as they did in the early church (see ET&N 17, Disasters). In legalistic churches, however, attendance is plummeting or, at best, stagnant. Which is more pleasing to Satan?

Conclusion

Satan continues his assault on humanity on multiple fronts. Among those I have suggested, the Baudelaire and Gnostic schemes are primarily diversionary tactics and pale in comparison to the internal Heck in a Handbasket and Pharisaical Schemes. In the immortal words of Pogo, "We have seen the enemy and they is us."

Through the church's declining belief in biblical truth, evidenced by very low recognition of Satan as real; by our overlaying of new law on the Gospel; by our institution of human ritual; by our all-too-frequent focus on the "sins of the world" rather than our own shortcomings, we are treating Satan more like a cute, mythical kitten than a roaring lion. As we scratch the kitten's head, however, we will become painfully aware of the difference.

This issue of ET&N garnered more responses than almost anything else I've written. Most responses were quite lengthy, and I've selected three to share (with apologies to everyone else).

From an elder (and old friend) from Oklahoma:

Dick,

Excellent discussion regarding our Adversary! (You will "tick him off".) I have been concerned for quite some time that too many Christians think that Satan is just an "evil force" (the dark side), and not really a being who is out to destroy us. I recommend Joe Beam's book, "Seeing the Unseen" as a good source of more detailed information about the Enemy. I think Joe describes well Satan's goals:
1. To keep people from ever hearing the Good News of salvation through Jesus (He's done a pretty good job of this - point you made in your discussion regarding the grace of God)
2. To convince the saved to reject God and "fall from grace" (Something he's not very good at, but he has had success via the "salvation by works" scheme)
3. Failing #1 and #2, to steal away the joy of Christians (unfortunately, he's done a pretty good job of this)

Just as another point of interest, I believe that 1 Cor. 2:6-10 is also referencing Satan and his angels. They are the "rulers of this age". Satan thought he "had" Jesus where he wanted him at the crucifixion. Just think, he was killing God. What pride he must have felt! I don't know when Satan realized it, but it soon (perhaps on Easter morning?) sunk in that God had played him for a fool, and sealed his demise through the seeming weakness of Christ crucified. This was one of the hidden mysteries of God which has now been revealed through His Spirit.

Another point that I took away from Joe's book is that the spiritual world is much more prevalent in scripture than most of us see. Once you start to see it, the "heavenly realms" are all through scripture (not just the Ephesian letter). For example, look at the "Lord's prayer" - every word is dripping with spiritual warfare.
"Our Father" - just by praying this, we reject Satan's claim of fatherhood over us (remember Jesus discussion with the Pharisees in John 8:38-47)
"who art in Heaven" - again a specific statement that God in heaven is our Father - we reject the "father" of this earth (those are fighting words! They enrage the Enemy)
"hallowed be your name," - God alone is holy, not Satan - in fact, Satan is not to be honored at all
"your kingdom come," - may God be recognized as King in the hearts of more and more people, thus diminishing the earthly kingdom of Satan
"your will be done" - God's will, not Satan's will - Satan's desires will increasingly be ignored
"on earth as it is in heaven." - God is invading the very territory of Satan - this earth
"Give us today our daily bread." - We depend on God for our daily sustenance, not Satan, not even ourselves
"Forgive us our debts," - through the victory of the cross - something Satan would definitely like to forget (and have us forget, hence the importance of the Lord's Supper)
"as we also have forgiven our debtors." - we are increasingly transformed into the image of Christ (not Satan) - as He forgave, we do likewise
"And lead us not into temptation," - God is our protector - we follow Him
"but deliver us from the evil one." - This cannot be more direct! An open challenge to Satan! He has no power over us!

I believe that every time we pray this prayer (or words like these), we are openly defying the Enemy. It must really make Him mad - and He can't do a thing about it - although he will fight back.
And think of the power we fail to appropriate when we fail to pray this prayer... :-(
However, those who are for us are greater than those who are against us. May more of us do battle with the Enemy more often! As Moses told Joshua, "be strong and courageous"!

From a minister in Texas:

Excellent issue, especially regarding how Satan attacks God’s people. It was well researched and well written.
I have a different take on traditional views of Satan. The passage frequently quoted to suggest Satan was one of the highest angels is Isaiah 14:12. In the KJV “Day Star” is “Lucifer.” But verse 3 gives the context:
3 On the day the LORD gives you relief from suffering and turmoil and cruel bondage, 4 you will take up this taunt against the king of Babylon: How the oppressor has come to an end! How his fury has ended!

Isaiah goes on to say:

9 The grave below is all astir to meet you at your coming; it rouses the spirits of the departed to greet you— all those who were leaders in the world; it makes them rise from their thrones— all those who were kings over the nations.
10 They will all respond, they will say to you, "You also have become weak, as we are; you have become like us."
11 All your pomp has been brought down to the grave, along with the noise of your harps; maggots are spread out beneath you and worms cover you.
12 How you have fallen from heaven, O morning star, son of the dawn! You have been cast down to the earth,
you who once laid low the nations!
13 You said in your heart, "I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God; I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly, on the utmost heights of the sacred mountain.
14 I will ascend above the tops of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High."
15 But you are brought down to the grave, to the depths of the pit.

Doesn’t really sound much like an angel, does it? The entire chapter is a taunt against Babylon, not an angelic being. I see no exegetical reason to apply this text to Satan.
Just my two-cents worth!

[DS] I agree that it's a real stretch to apply the Isaiah passage to Satan. I presented the "traditional" view with equivocation. I think the Job passage is a more compelling argument for some elevated status of Satan. Furthermore, if angels are created with differential powers, as some suggest, it would probably take one with substantial status to (1) even be able to defy God and (2) to bring others with him.
Ultimately, of course, it doesn't matter if Satan is a rebellious viceroy or some lowly run-amuck bureaucrat...results are the same.
In a follow-up, this subscriber mentioned C.S. Lewis' The Screwtape Letters (which I haven't read despite intended to for years), where Lewis characterizes Hell as a mundane bureaucracy.

From a Georgia subscriber:

I guess the question that has always plagued me is: what are angels for anyway? If God is omnipotent, why does he need another set of hands? I can understand arguments for why God created man, but I haven't yet heard compelling arguments for why God created angels.

[DS] While God is omnipotent, perhaps there are tasks that are inappropriate for a holy God and therefore He can use angels as messengers, protectors, etc., at those times.

Compound that with the observation that they are often portrayed in scripture as humans with super powers.

I'd have to study them being portrayed as humans. I know they sometimes LOOK like humans, but since they are spirit beings, that's just appearances.

They seem to be fallible (hence Satan and his cohort), they have a will that is described as being free, they engage in warfare, they can worship God, and they can breed with humans (if that interpretation of the Nephilim in Genesis is accurate). Except for the cool tricks that angels often perform, they don't seem that much different than humans. Which brings up another question. What does it mean exactly to say that humans are unique, being made in the image of God, if angels seem to possess all the characteristics of humans and then some?

[DS] I think the primary difference between men and angels, as well as the image of God thing, has to do with creativity, bringing us back to our previous discussion about ktisis. I don't see evidence that angels have any creative abilities...they merely do (or do not do) God's bidding. Of course, it might be argued that Satan is creative in his approaches to tormenting humanity, but this would be destructive capabilities, not creative. Perhaps that's also why human beings try so hard to be gods (and why some--like Mormons-- believe that's our ultimate fate). There's no evidence that Satan wanted to actually be God, just to frustrate His creation of the world and mankind.
I hadn't thought much about the purpose of angels before, so these were thought-provoking questions. I wonder if heaven has an angelic Rick Warren counterpart writing books about the purpose-driven angels.

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