A Brief Study of Angels
Does Satan really exist?
This is an interesting question to pose to people. Why? Because you will get all kinds of answers. For instance, there are people who profess to believe in God who at the same time deny that there is such a being as Satan. Such a mindset reflects a naive desire to affirm that which is pleasant and good and reject that which is unpleasant and bad. Others see Satan as a representation of that part of existence which seems to be weighted toward the bad, the chaotic or the unfortunate. In other words, he is like a personification of Murphy’s law but not a real person at all. Still others see Satan as the equal opposite of God. God is good and Satan is evil (whether literally real or not) and they each have their place and role and will eternally struggle but will never be able to completely eliminate the other. It is similar to the Eastern idea of Yin and Yang or perhaps the “good” and “dark” sides of “the Force” in the Star Wars movies.
According to the Bible, however, none of these ideas are accurate. Scripture testifies that Satan does indeed exist. We see him in the earliest chapters of the first book of the Bible, Genesis, all the way to the latest chapters of the last book, Revelation. He is mentioned in seven books of the Old Testament. In the New Testament nineteen books refer to Satan, with all of the writers represented in those books (i.e., John speaks of him in his Gospel and I, II John but not in III John). Furthermore, Jesus speaks of Satan no less than twenty-five different times. We will reference many, if not all, of these passages, as we progress in our study.
As with the holy angels, fallen angels and, indeed, with the Person of God Himself, the Bible makes no effort to prove the existence of Satan. It merely assumes this fact as it relates various details about him and gives accounts of his doings. Again we contend that for the fundamental believer, this is certainly enough evidence. There is nothing more reliable than the testimony of the Holy Scriptures.
But, as with the angels and demons, if one desires other extra-biblical evidence for Satan, it is easy to find. Secular society is replete with references to Satan in all forms of literature and in the popular media. Not all of it done lightly. One such instance that comes quickly to mind is the photograph of the smoke ascending from one of the World Trade Center towers on September 11, 2001 which seemed to resemble a malicious face that many took to be the devil. That it was published in major newspapers shows that the idea of Satan is not so far fetched and distant in people’s minds as some modern men would like to think--at least in a time of crisis. In addition to this there is the evidence of those who actually worship Satan and completely discount the Bible because they think that, in the end, Satan will triumph over God. Finally, there also still seems to be a general feeling that all the wickedness in the world cannot simply be laid at the feet of chance or even of mankind alone. Though they may not have all the facts straight, many think that there is an intelligent purpose behind the scenes which is orchestrating the flood of evil and hatred. This intelligence is usually referred to as Satan or the devil.
Certainly, some use the name “Satan” lightly or figuratively to describe something they can’t put into words. And some scoff at the idea of Satan and the supernatural in general. This latter view is, no doubt, acceptable to Satan, or even in accordance with his overall purpose. As C.S. Lewis insightfully wrote in The Screwtape Letters, it is likelythat Satan’s goal is to make of every person either a materialist or a magician. In other words, either someone who does not believe at all in the things of spirit or someone who is overly obsessed with that world and eventually comes to serve Satan directly. Instead, we need to take the biblical road which recognizes the truth and power of the supernatural but does not stray over the prescribed boundaries God has laid out (i.e., Deuteronomy 18:9-14). Does Satan exist? Yes, he does. Let us see what the Bible has to say about him.