SATAN

Did God create Satan? (C.F.T.)

<ANSWER>--According to the Bible, Satan, of his own volition, became the adversary of God. Originally, as God created him, he was holy, pure, grand of character and of a high order of angelic nature, a "covering cherub" (`Eze. 28:16`). He transformed himself from the loyal, glorious servant of God, to a bitter enemy and opponent. The Scriptures tell us what constituted this transforming work--that it was an evil thought, a disloyal thought, an ambitious thought. The angel Lucifer--signifying "bright morning star"--said within himself, "I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God (the other angels) . . . I will be like the Most High (`Isa. 14:12-14`). As God is the Emperor of the entire Universe, I should like to be the Emperor of some quarter of it where I might reign supreme and work out my own schemes and plans." Lucifer's opportune moment came when our first parents were created. Perceiving that they had procreative powers, he seized upon the thought that by alienating them from God, he could wield an influence over them and eventually have an earthly dominion of his own. God has permitted him to carry out much of his scheme, while he was, at the same time, unconsciously working out a part of the Divine Program. It is not to be understood that Satan has in any sense thwarted the Divine Program; on the contrary it has been a part of God's great plan to permit evil to reign for 6,000 years and then to bind Satan and establish righteousness.

Kindly explain `John 14:30` --"Hereafter I will not talk much with you: for the prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me." (A.W.W.)

<ANSWER>--The first part of the text relates to the time following the Lord's resurrection. Jesus had been put to death as a human being, a perfect man, and was raised a glorious spirit being of the highest order, of the Divine nature. In His highly exalted spiritual state, endowed with glory, honor and immortality, it was appropriate that the Lord should manifest a greater measure of dignity, in order to impress upon the minds of His followers the change that had taken place. He who had been the meek and lowly Nazarene, so poor that He had not where to lay His head, after His resurrection would be so no longer, but the all-powerful Divine Lord, next to the Heavenly Father in power and authority. During the forty days from the time of His resurrection to the time of His ascension into Heaven, he manifested Himself and talked very rarely with His disciples. The "prince of this world," Satan, was coming in the sense that he would triumph over the world of mankind and bring it into subjection to his own evil sway and dominion until the time for the Lord to set up His own Kingdom at His second coming.--`2 Cor. 4:4`.

Who is the "Prince of this world," mentioned in the following Scripture texts: `John 16:11`, and `John 12:31`? (Subscriber.)

<ANSWER>--There are three great ages or dispensations of time outlined in the Bible. The first of these is referred to as "the world that was," and the second as "the world that now is," and the last as the "world to come wherein dwelleth righteousness." The "world that now is," or "this present evil world," is the one over which Satan is the "Prince" or ruler. The Apostle elsewhere refers to Satan as "the god of this world." (`2 Cor. 4:4`.) It is because Satan is the ruler over this present order of things during this dispensation that it is termed an "evil world." All will agree that evil is very much in evidence, and that the influences of the past and present are universally inclined towards sin and unrighteousness. How difficult it is to do right now; and how easy it is to take the downward way! Our Lord is not ruling over the nations now, and will not until the appointed time for Him to take unto Himself His great power and authority and establish His own Kingdom in the earth. Then, as the Scriptures declare, "the kingdoms of this world will become our Lord's and His Christ's and He shall reign for the Ages of the Ages." This agrees with the Savior's words when He said, "My Kingdom is not of this world."

If Satan (the Devil) is the grand general supervisor over the lower regions, and he is to be destroyed, as we read in the Scriptures--(`Heb. 2:14`) who will be appointed to look after the interests of his department after his demise? (Q.E.D.)

<ANSWER>--Not only will Satan be destroyed, but we read also that "hell," the place of supposed fire and brimstone, is to deliver up all the dead that are there and then the place itself destroyed-- (`Rev. 21:13,14`). The "lake of fire and brimstone," as all Bible scholars now know, is the symbolic expression denoting destruction, annihilation, or extinction of being. Death and hell being cast into this "lake," would, therefore, signify their destruction, or termination. Demonstrating the truth of this interpretation of the symbols, we find it stated in the `22nd chapter and the 4th verse` that "there shall be no more death"--it having been destroyed in the "lake of fire and brimstone." Satan will have no successor, and the fire-proof demons will join the army of unemployed!

Since Jesus is to reign until all enemies are put under His feet, and the last enemy to be destroyed is death (`1 Cor. 15:25,26`) would it not prove that Satan and his hosts would be destroyed before death is destroyed, and that both would be destroyed during the reign of Jesus?

<ANSWER>--The Apostle's argument is so clear and convincing in this `fifteenth chapter of First Corinthians` relative to the reign of our Lord Jesus and the object or purpose to be accomplished by that reign, that there is but one answer to the question and that one in the affirmative. It is apparent to all thinking minds that Christ's reign has not yet begun, for the Scriptures declare that during the reign of the Lord, the great adversary of the race, Satan, will be bound, and that in the close of that reign he will be loosed for a little season. A single glance over the conditions existing in the world will serve to convince anyone that Satan is still a very active personality. However, conditions in the next Age, the period of Christ's reign, will experience a radical change as gradually the evil, selfish elements are eliminated. The last of the evil things that have so long afflicted the race, death, "and him that had the power of death" shall be destroyed (`Heb. 2:14`; `Rev. 21:4`).