Monday: Evil Being
One of the great questions that has challenged human thinking deals with evil. Though some philosophers and even religionists have denied the existence of evil or think we should at least abandon the term, most people would disagree. Evil is real; it’s a part of this world.
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Though we can argue over what is or is not evil, most of us (to paraphrase a U.S. Supreme Court justice in another context) “know it when we see it.”
Evil is sometimes put into two broad classes: natural and moral. Natural evil is defined as the kind that arises from natural disasters, such as when earthquakes or floods or pestilences bring suffering. Moral evil results from deliberate actions of other human beings, such as murder or robbery.
All sorts of theories, ancient and modern, attempt to account for the existence of evil. As Seventh-day Adventists, we believe that the Bible teaches that evil originated in the fall of a created being, Satan. The popular culture, aided by materialistic philosophical speculations, has denied the idea of Satan. But one can do so only by rejecting the clear testimony of Scripture, which depicts Satan as a real being out to do humans as much harm as possible.
This is a truth especially revealed in the book of Job.
Read Job 1:1-2:8. How do these two chapters help us understand the role of Satan in the evil that’s so prevalent in the world?
In Job’s case, Satan was directly responsible for the evil, both moral and natural, that fell upon this man. But what we see in the book of Job doesn’t necessarily mean that every example of evil or suffering is directly related to demonic activity. The fact is, as with the characters in the book of Job, we just don’t know all the reasons for the terrible things that happen. In fact, the name of “Satan” never even came up in the dialogues regarding Job’s misfortunes. The speakers blamed God, they blamed Job, but never Satan himself. Nevertheless, the book of Job should show us who is responsible in the end for the evil on the earth.
| What do these following texts tell us about the reality of Satan? Rev. 12:12; Matt. 4:10; Matt. 13:39; Luke 8:12; Luke 13:16; Luke 22:3, Luke 22:31; Acts 5:3; 1 Pet. 5:8. More important, what examples do you have of Satan’s influence in your life? How can you be protected against him? |
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It was Adam, who betrayed God's trust in giving him dominion over this world, who purposely rebelled against God and trusted Satan's word rather than God's; thus introducing sin and death, of which Satan is *god* - god of this world. Satan would have no influence in this world except by Adam's treachery.
Some of what you say maybe true, but never forget Adam died thousands of years ago and Satan still rules many hearts, it is you and me who continually give Satan room to grow his lies about God! A heart abiding in OUR Savior is the only answer to de-throne the devil and his lies! It is my (and your) distrust of God that needs to be understood as the problem NOW!
It was not Satan’s sin that brought Christ to the cross. It was the human race’s head, Adam’s. Through him we, his posterity, became slaves of sin. Satan and his angels were already condemned to the lake of fire - no redemption for them. The 2nd Adam, spiritual, the head of the new human race, came and conquered sin and death for His posterity. It’s Adam’s sin that introduced sickness, murders, death, and destruction. He gave Satan legitimate papers to tramp about this earth reeking havoc, as permitted by God of course.
To us, God should have told Job who was “really” troubling him. God is eternally *bigger* than we are. God can take the blame! God said, “although you incited me against him to destroy him without reason.” Job 2:3. If God had intimated to Job, while this episode was in progress, that it was actually Satan who was destroying him, wouldn’t Job seek to appease, somehow, this powerful authoritative “god”, who has such control of nature...? Just like billions worship such “gods” today. God says, “I, even I, am He, and there is no god beside me; *I kill and I make alive; I wound and I heal; and there is none that can deliver out of my hand.” Dt 32:39. Also I make dumb; i make the blind. So there is no reason to consult any other god or man about our problems. He told Job it was He who created the *foolish* ostrich; the wild animal that serves only to create fear in man, or to create chaos; animals that take wonderful care of their young, and others that do not.
Job then understood that even in chaos God’s supreme purpose is being accomplished. Job 42:2. God did not have to say one word about Satan. God laughs at Satan Ps 2:4
Yes Kenny sin on earth started with Adam. But remember, rebellion started in Heaven. We allow Satan's influence to continue on earth when we, us, you and I disobey God, and follow Satan's words rather than God's.
It's not Satan's words that we follow. When believers sin, it's the sin principle in us inherited from Adam (Rom 7&8), because we are still "in the flesh". Sin does not have dominion over us though, because believers possess God's Spirit. They may sin because they are still in the flesh. But non-believers are dominated by sin because the flesh, with the sin principle, has dominion in their lives and they don't need Satan to incite them.
@ Kenny Springer. Adam and Eve were innocent in the garden and were deceived by a being far wiser and knowledgeable than they. The strategies used by this being were so effective that a third part of the angels in heaven believed and followed him. In this context, I believe that calling what Adam did as "treachery" is out of line. It would be like labelling the actions of a child who was deceived by an adult and subsequently molested as treacherous.
Adam and Eve knew God and had his word to protect them, but were deceived into believing lies about God, and this has adversely impacted every aspect of their and our lives and existence. But thankfully, the Word promised a Redeemer who became flesh and dwelt with us and who starkly revealed God's true intentions and character to mankind with complete unambiguity on the cross, breaking the power of the Deceiver.
It is the Word's finished work that saves to the uttermost those who have been deceived, which is every one of us. It is his finished work and faith in him who accomplished that work that saves in spite of the work of the Adversary of our souls. Being deceived is not treachery. Treachery is practiced by the Deceiver.
My friend, Adam was not deceived; Eve was. Did God administer a test that Adam could not pass? He willfully rebelled against His maker!
I would be careful in classifying Adam's sin as recorded in Genesis. perhaps this incident more than any other reveals the complexity of sin and obedience. We often use the expression, "The two horns of the dilemma" to describe this sort of situation. On the one hand he had obedience to God and on the other, the love for and loyalty to his companion. I am not going to indulge in a lot of "what if" speculation, but we should consider that Adam was faced with a very tough decision and I doubt that many of us men, who are married to the love of our life would have done anything different.
The Genesis account is necessarily short and sometimes we are rather glib when talking about the way sin entered into the world. But there is enough evidence in the short account that we are given, to know that for Adam it was a heart wrenching decision. Anyone since, who has faced the same issue of obedience to God and loyalty to a partner has experienced some of the agony that faced Adam. Let's be brutally honest about this; Sin does not play a fair game!
I’m sorry, brethren, if my use of the word “treachery” offends you. However, are we still blaming God like the very Adam? It was God, in His love, wisdom, and providential care, who considered or determined that Adam should not be alone. Scripture does not indicate that Adam protested his aloneness. When God presented Eve, the perfect and wonderful gift, Adam complemented and glorified God Gen 2:23. At the test, according to some, Adam considered his wife so glorious it pained him to consider her more deserving of glory, honor, and loyalty than the Creator who lovingly provided him the wife. Is it that God should not have created her so beautiful and loving and...? Should God have left Adam alone as Adam implied? We sympathize naturally with Adam because we are born of Adam(1 Cor 15:44-49). We can”t but sympathize with him.
Christ, 2nd Adam, on the other hand says, “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple.”(Luk 14:25-28, Mat 19:29) We can and will sympathize with Christ *only if we are born* of Him (John 3:3,5).
Don't we fall prey to satans temptations in our life time
Though the first Adam we are here in sin but by the merit of the second Adam we have a chance of eternal life
Praise the Lord we can choose Jesus and live
Blessings to all
Satan is real. We need to stay in the Word of God and be guided by the Holy Spirit.
The unequivocal truth is that one of the wisest and most powerful of creatures has chosen to lead a rebellion against God. It is his studied effort to make God look evil and thus he has hidden himself by deception and works through visible agents who have also chosen against their conscience to place self above the Sovereign God and Creator of all things. The whole notion is absurd and hopeless, yet on earth, this movement prevails and in the closing events of this earth's history these rebels will wage war against the Lamb of God, who will finally destroy them.
For those willing to know and accept the truth, there is ample evidence of the evil one, and his schemes are revealed in the Word of God so none need be fooled. IF any are fooled, it is because they chose to reject truth in favor of the pleasures of sin(2 Thess 2:10-12). The only protection from the devil is the obedience of faith. Trusting in God is our refuge(Ps 118:8,9).
We cannot keep playing the blame game at this point in our lives. Since Adam and Eve God has sent His only begotten son Jesus Christ to save us from sin. Hence, we now have an opportunity to make choices. I say to us, 1 Peter 5:8-Be sober, be vigilant; "WHY" because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.
My friends, pray without ceasing, let us stay in God's word, resist the devil and he will flee from you. We got to keep Job's experience in our hearts and keep our eyes on the prize and our reward will be great. The promises of God is true, it is real, also evil is real. I close by saying Proverbs 3:5&6, Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.
May continue to increase our knowledge and understanding of His holy words. God bless you.
If Satan can fool one third of the angels in heaven; who knew God and was with God personally, who are we to be able to compete with him? We are no match against him, but I know who is. When one's specialty is deception, (like a magician), and we by fallen nature's specialty is to be deceaved ; Jer.17:9 we surely need to lean heavy on our redeemer.