A few days ago, I began a series of studies about a figure called Satan, who or what figure is as is understood in the Bible, while pointing out that this is not the same as how we have come to know that figure today. Thus far, we have discovered that Satan is not an archangel, as is supposed, nor is he even an angelic figure. Christian tradition supposes he is the serpent that tempted the woman in Genesis 3, but we’ve found that there simply is not enough information there to point to a sentient, evil, angelic being. Instead, the metaphorical figure seems to point to Adam, vis-à-vis it was he who adopted a plan to seduce his wife into testing the word of God at Genesis 2:17 by eating of the tree (Genesis 3:6), which the Lord warned Adam not to eat. At this point in our study of this figure, since the Bible doesn’t describe an evil spiritual being called Satan or the serpent of Eden, does it describe a spirit being, whom we have come to believe to be Satan, but is really called the Devil?[1]
The Apocalypse mentions there coming to be war in heaven (Revelation 12:7), whereby the Dragon and his messengers fought Michael and his messengers. The Dragon lost the battle and was cast out of heaven (verse-8), and at that time he is identified as “that old serpent,” who is called the Devil and Satan, very same who deceives the world (verse-9). At this point the text announces the coming of “salvation, strength, and the Kingdom of God… for the Accuser of our brethren is cast down…” (Revelation 12:10).
Many would consider this scripture to be proof of the existence of an evil sentient spiritual being very much like the traditional figure we’ve come to know as Satan, the Devil. However, we should keep in mind that it is probably unwise to derive a literal interpretation from the most symbolic book in our Bible. If this is logical and true, what may we say of Revelation 12:7-10?
In chapter 10 of Luke’s Gospel narrative, Jesus sends out the Seventy disciples to preach to those places and cities he would visit on his way to Jerusalem from Galilee (Luke 10:1). Upon their return to him, they rejoice in finding that even the demons were subject to them through Jesus’s name (Luke 10:17). How Jesus replied is significant. He said: “I beheld Satan, as lightening, fall from heaven!” (Luke 10:18). Scholars conclude that this points to an original rebellion in heaven prior to the creation of mankind, but such an interpretation is pure supposition. Not an ounce of proof is submitted by anyone to show this is a valid understanding. If, however, we allow the sending out of the Seventy to be what is symbolized in the Apocalypse (Revelation 12:7-10), we are able to conclude what Jesus and his disciples were doing in the spirit. The preaching was physical, but the effect is spiritual. If this is so, then the terms, satan, serpent and devil point to physical figures, not spiritual entities. But, is this logical and true?
Scripture often connects certain men with the devil or the ‘accuser’ of God’s people. Paul called Elymas the sorcerer, a child of the devil (Acts 13:3-10). Jesus said that the one who would betray him is a devil, someone who slanders or falsely accused him, turning him over to those who desired his life (John 6:70-71; cp. John 13:2). He also claimed that the religious leaders of his day, who refused to receive him were children of the devil (John 8:44). Moreover, Jesus said that all those who claim to be his followers are not necessarily so. Though they dwell among his people claiming to be his, they are really the children of the devil. They bring slander and accusation upon Christ and his Body, the Church (Matthew 13:24-25, 37-39; cp. Revelation 2:9; 3:9; 2Peter 2:1-2).
In John 8:44; Jesus says that his accusers were children of the devil. Notice that Jesus says that the devil lusts! What does he lust after? The text says he desire to murder, but why do folks want to murder others? Isn’t murder committed over jealousy, hatred, envy, fear, greed, anger and the like, vis-à-vis works of the flesh (Galatians 5:19-21)? Moreover, Jesus says that the devil is also a liar from the beginning (John 8:44)! Didn’t Adam lie to his wife, saying touching the tree would result in death (Genesis 3:3; cp. 2:17), if not, why didn’t he correct his wife’s error, because he was there with her (Genesis 3:6)? Paul claims that the works of the flesh (Galatians 5:19-21) war against (Galatians 5:17) the works of the spirit (Galatians 5:22-23). Doesn’t such a statement reflect the symbolism of Revelation 12:7-10 and the reality of Luke 10:1, 17-18)? Without any proof that the devil, satan or the serpent represent evil spiritual identities, how can they be anything other than evil, wicked men just as we find them referred to as such in the four Gospel narratives?
All of creation was affected by Adam’s sin. Death entered our race because of Adam’s sin of rebellion (Romans 5:12). Adam, the original satan, is responsible for it all, but he hid his crime (Job 31:33; cp. Genesis 3:12), suggesting in his reply that God was ultimately to blame for giving him the woman, whom he also blamed for his predicament. The slanderer, vis-à-vis the devil, veils his sin by accusing everyone else and excusing himself! But isn’t it wonderful that God never passes the buck. He accepted the blame for man’s rebellion, when Adam accused him, and in the fullness of time Jesus came and died—taking the blame for all the things done by the slanderer, vis-à-vis the Serpent, the Devil, called Satan.
______________________________________________________
[1] This study represents a major redo of my original study: The Devil, Called Satan, Unveiled! I use some of what I said in the original, but my argument comes from a different direction to prove my conclusion, date: December, 2024.
Smoodock's Blog 
30 responses to “Is Satan the Devil?”
I can hardly believe that you actually believe Adam is the devil. I think you have gone too far beyond God’s written word. From the scriptures, we might be able to see that Satan was at one time an angel, but later he is a serpent, and also a dragon. However, please give up the belief that Satan is Adam. Adam was a man whom God breathed into his nostrils and made Adam a living soul.
The word of God specifically states that Adam introduced death and sin into our world (Romans 5:12). This couldn’t occur if Satan had organized an angelic rebellion prior to human creation as is supposed by many Christian brethren. Where does this doctrine come from, if you wish to speak of going beyond the written word? Where does the doctrine of an angelic rebellion come from prior to the creation of mankind?
If creation took 6 literal days as the Scriptures seem to conclude, where was there time for an angelic rebellion? Why would anyone believe that God is such a poor Creator, that once he created everything, it all began to fall apart and those with mental capacity rebelled against him? As far as I can see, the Scriptures show that only mankind rebelled and that through our father Adam. He is the Enemy #1, and brought all mankind with him.
Lord bless,
Eddie
Eddie,
We really do not know how long it was from the time Adam was created to the time the serpent deceived Eve, correct? Therefore, I do not think that there is a problem with time for things to be going on heaven as far as rebellion.
Jesus said he saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. Surely, Adam’s fall was while he was on earth and not from heaven. The bible says the serpent was WITH Adam in the Garden of Eden. You saying that the serpent was with Adam and is Adam are just not right.
You say, “Why would anyone believe that God is such a poor Creator, that once he created everything, it all began to fall apart and those with mental capacity rebelled against him?” Are you discounting the fact that God made the plan for salvation BEFORE the creation of the world? God wants us to choose to love and obey Him. Again, the plan for salvation came before the creation of the world, so that means God knew the evil that would come.
God bless.
Eddie,
We really do not know how long it was from the time Adam was created to the time the serpent deceived Eve, correct? Therefore, I do not think that there is a problem with time for things to be going on heaven as far as rebellion.
Well, I think this subject may be good for another discussion. Certainly many believe the universe is older than the Biblical account says. Even if we use days allegorically, we have trouble fitting things in with science. :-)
Anyway, I, presently, don’t see anything wrong with the literal 6 day creation understanding, especially with the advent of the String Theory. We know that things could travel instantly over vast areas of space through things like worm holes etc. If there are something like 11 different dimensions, but we know and labor in understanding only 4 of them (if time is a dimension), then I think it is pretty adolescent of mankind to presume God couldn’t have created this universe in 6 literal days. So do we have time for an angelic rebellion? If we do (assuming an allegorical meaning for the “days”) the Scriptures mention nothing about such a rebellion.
Jesus said he saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. Surely, Adam’s fall was while he was on earth and not from heaven.
Jesus said he beheld Satan fall from heaven while the Apostles were on their two-by-two mission to the cities of Israel. Adam’s fall in Eden was a spiritual fall—a fall from grace. Satan’s fall is described in Revelation as a literal fall. He was at one point permitted to appear before God. After a specific time implied by the war in heaven between Michael and his angels (messengers), revealed on earth by Jesus and his messengers (the Apostles), there was no room found for Satan in heaven. This does not preclude Satan being Adam. If it would, why wouldn’t a presumed angelic rebellion before human creation preclude Satan returning to heaven—out of which he again fell?
The bible says the serpent was WITH Adam in the Garden of Eden. You saying that the serpent was with Adam and is Adam are just not right.
Actually, the Bible has Eve speaking with the Serpent and Adam is beside or with Eve. There is nothing in Scripture that says Adam was beside or with Satan. If Eve spoke with Satan and the only one Scriptures say she was with is Adam, then Satan = Adam.
You say, “Why would anyone believe that God is such a poor Creator, that once he created everything, it all began to fall apart and those with mental capacity rebelled against him?” Are you discounting the fact that God made the plan for salvation BEFORE the creation of the world? God wants us to choose to love and obey Him. Again, the plan for salvation came before the creation of the world, so that means God knew the evil that would come.
God bless.
On the contrary, Christ was slain **from**, that is immediately after the foundations of the world were broken up. That is, the plan of salvation did not exist until Adam rebelled.
Concerning what God knows, if God created the **ages** (time) through the One who became Jesus (Hebrews 1:2), then God is not subject to time. He is timeless and doesn’t have a future or a past. He lives in an eternal present. Our whole lives are before him at any given ‘time’ as we know it. In a very real sense, this means God doesn’t know anything beforehand. Only when he communicates to us does he mention the future or the past. He knows all—all at once. His plan of salvation exists to keep all things in their original location in the will of God. God doesn’t change. His will doesn’t change. He never had a better idea. He continually causes the original idea to work out in our time.
Lord bless,
Eddie
You said, “Well, I think this subject may be good for another discussion. Certainly many believe the universe is older than the Biblical account says. Even if we use days allegorically, we have trouble fitting things in with science. ”
You do not understand, Satan falling from heaven could have happened after the literal 6-day creation.
You said, “Jesus said he beheld Satan fall from heaven while the Apostles were on their two-by-two mission to the cities of Israel. Adam’s fall in Eden was a spiritual fall—a fall from grace. Satan’s fall is described in Revelation as a literal fall. He was at one point permitted to appear before God.”
As I said before, Jesus said Satan fell from heaven.
You said, “This does not preclude Satan being Adam. If it would, why wouldn’t a presumed angelic rebellion before human creation preclude Satan returning to heaven—out of which he again fell?”
I do not understand what you mean. Satan is Satan, and Adam is the first man. Satan and Adam were in the Garden of Eden together, as separate entities. You go beyond the written word when you say they are the same.
You said, “Actually, the Bible has Eve speaking with the Serpent and Adam is beside or with Eve. There is nothing in Scripture that says Adam was beside or with Satan. If Eve spoke with Satan and the only one Scriptures say she was with is Adam, then Satan = Adam.”
With that kind of logic, it makes me want to discontinue discussion with you.
You said, “On the contrary, Christ was slain **from**, that is immediately after the foundations of the world were broken up. That is, the plan of salvation did not exist until Adam rebelled.”
You are in error. I know the scripture about Jesus slain from the foundation of the world, but that is NOT what I am saying. God made the plan for salvation BEFORE the creation of the world. I was listening to Joyce Meyers not too long ago, and she made that same mistake as you. Here are scriptures that tell us God made the plan for creation before the creation of the world: 1 Peter 1:20; Matthew 25:34; and, Ephesians 1:4.