Satan is “The Accuser of the Brethren” 526-1 - 3 - 6

Satan is “The Accuser of the Brethren” trying to turn the followers of Jesus against each other and/ or to insert himself between Jesus and His people.

Job 1:6, “Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them.” The story of Job’s suffering starts in heaven when the sons of God appeared before God including Satan, known as the Accuser.

Does God boast? Perhaps a little as God pointed out to Satan “the uprightness of His servant Job.” The accuser Satan inferred that the only reason Job feared God was that He had been so good to him by putting a protective hedge around Job. Without this hedge, Satan insisted, Job would have cursed his God to His face.

Although Job continued to be an upright servant of God, his three “friends” also implied that he had sinned in some way. God restored all to Job but not before giving him a lesson in creation, Job 38:4, “Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? declare, if thou hast understanding.”

Revelation 12:10, “And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.”

Good news for those in Heaven but not for the inhibitors of the earth.

Revelation 12:12, “Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhibiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time.”

Satan, now on earth, pursuits the woman (Israel) after the man child (Jesus) is caught up onto God. This is the start of Jacob’s Troubles, suggestive of a mid-tribulation rapture?

Revelation 12:17, “And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.”

“Furious over this humiliation, he seeks to wreak vengeance on Jews who had remained in the land—Jews who show the reality of their faith by keeping the commandments of God and by bearing testimony to Jesus.”

[Believer’s Bible Commentary]

As for me, during the summer I live in a remote area in northeastern Arizona where my neighbors are not within hearing distance. There are times I feel a slight atmosphere of something not quite right. In case it is anything to do with Satan or his minions I speak works such as, “I repudiate anything that is not of God in the name of Jesus. I’m covered by the blood of Jesus so leave."

So much for Satan being The Accuser of the Brethren including me.

What are the two lies about sin and the two lies of Satan. 531-1 - 5 - 3

Per CM “Sin controls by two lies: 1) Nothing is wrong with us.  2) Nothing can be done for us; we are beyond help. Our misconceptions about Satan are the same way: He doesn’t exist; He is too powerful to conquer”

Many people make the mistake of not believing in the existence of Satan. As I observed the evil in the world it is impossible for me to doubt the existence of Satan. The dictator of North Korea Kim Jong-un, Syria President Bashar al-Assad’s recent chemical bombings in a northern rebel-held area, ISIS are just a few examples. Closer to home is the far left who seem to have appropriated Isaiah 5:20, “Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!’

Yes, Satan most definitely exists and is perpetrating much evil on the earth and it seems his minions are growing exponentially. However, it would be a mistake to fear him as when we fear something, we give it an undue control over our life. I hold to the middle ground and acknowledge that Satan exists and yet hold strong to my victory over him through Jesus.

In 1 Peter 5:8 we are told, "Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour." Be sober, be vigilant, good advice in these end days.

The DNC holds itself above God’s Word, “Nothing is wrong with us.” Per DNC chairman Tom Perez, “Every Democrat, like every American, should support a woman’s right to make her own choices about her body and her health,” Perez said in a statement. “That is not negotiable and should not change city by city or state by state.”

[http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2017/04/23/dnc-chair-calls-for-abortion-rights-litmus-test-for-democrats/]

Women's choice is code for abortion even of viable babies. By not negotiable the DNC gives antecedence to the Federal gov’t over States Rights.

“Democrats applaud last year’s decision by the Supreme Court that recognized that LGBT people—like other Americans—have the right to marry the person they love. But there is still much work to be done.”

[https://www.democrats.org/people/lgbt-community]

Are we as a country passed the point of no return, that nothing can be done for us; we are beyond help as was Judah for a time. Ezekiel 22:30, “And I sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it: but I found none.”

Satan holds the title deed to earth and perhaps God is dropping any hedge of protection from Satan. As a BAC, I know I’ll be OK and must continue to pray for revival. I struggle with the temptation to remain in my circle of church family, a form of giving into Satan. Remembering and praying for the many loss people helps me to enter the spiritual battleground.

The three temptations Satan 503s - 5 - 6

Sola scriptura, "by Scripture alone"

First - Nourishment

Mat 4:3-4, “And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread. But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.”

Second - Security

Matthew 4:6-7, “And saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone. Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.”

Third - Power/ Glory

Matthew 4:8-10, “Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me. Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.
To each temptation offered by Satan Jesus responded with Scripture invoking the name of God. Reminiscent of Jude 1:9, “Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee.”

Perhaps God allows us to be tempted as a test and/or as a spiritual growth opportunity.

This summer I opened a little shop, now closed for the winter. It will reopen May 2015. As a BAC among mostly unbelievers there was/ will be the temptation to be politically correct; to bit my tongue when I hear potential customers/ other sellers promoting the theology that “All roads lead to God.” Then there is the fact that there is a major Mormon population claiming to be Christian while promoting false doctrine. Add to that those of the “New Age” and their “Designer god(s).”  

A discussion question from SD501 - Introduction to Spiritual Disciplines involved the important of making spiritual deposits?” Studying the Bible, attending/ leading Bible studies and really immersing myself in the Word is comparable to making “spiritual knowledge deposits.” Then I can make a withdrawal from my spiritual account to witness and to sweetly (PC) add, “It’s not me saying that, it’s in the Bible.”  

The Gap Theory Revisited 544 - 8 - 4

Nearly two and a half years ago I answered this discussion question, “Discuss the possibilities (and problems) with the conjectures of a gap between Genesis 1:1 and 1:2.” I originally selected this discussion question as a reaction to a post in the eBay Soapbox chat room, “Is Satan more powerful than God?” Timing is everything so back then as today the debate is on. The only argument I would have against the gap theory is that, I really don’t have one. Even to a novice such as myself, digging deeper into the Word seems to indicate that there was/ is merit to the gap theory.

Genesis 1:1, “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.

Genesis 1:2, “And the earth was without form (H8414), and void (H922); and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.”

With thanks to Strong’s:

H8414 – “A masculine noun meaning formlessness, confusion. The exact meaning of this term is difficult at best since its study is limited to its relatively few Old Testament occurrences. It is used to describe primeval earth before the seven creative days”

H922 – “A masculine noun indicating void or emptiness. It depicts the state of matter after God had created it but before He had fashioned it for habitation”

H922 also describes the state of the land or earth after God judges it (Isaiah 34:11 and Jeremiah 4:23). It is used in combination with tōhû, without form, each time. So could these two verses be analogous to a judgment on the earth that occurred after Genesis 1:2?

What makes this interesting is that the original Hebrew reads “And the earth became without form” implying that when Satan fell and took a third of the angels with him, he caused disorder on God’s creation. So “the earth became without form” so the Spirit of God once more had to move upon the face of the waters. Another use of the word “became” that Dr. Missler pointed out is Genesis 19:26, “But his wife looked back from behind him, and she became (H1961) a pillar of salt.”

H1961 – “A verb meaning to exist, to be, to become, to happen, to come to pass, to be done. It is used over 3,500 times in the Old Testament. In the simple stem, the verb often means to become, to take place, to happen….”

The English translation of Greek Septuagint that I have reads “1:1 in the beginning God made the heaven and the earth. 2 But the earth was unsightly and unfurnished, and darkness was over the deep, and the Spirit of God moved over the water.” God would not create a mess so this also suggests that Satan rendered it “unsightly and unfurnished.”

As an aside, Satan and his minions were not satisfied with nearly destroying God’s original handiwork, they sired Nephilim which brought on the flood. Even after the flood the fallen ones were still bringing God’s judgment onto the earth.

What are the two mistakes you can make about Satan? What guarantees your victory over him? 521-2 - 14 - 7

Many people make the mistake of not believing in the existence of Satan. As I observed the evil in the world it is impossible for me to doubt the existence of Satan. Just one example of the evil the world is Hamas and their obsession with the elimination of the state of Israel. Hamas has funneled monies into the construction of numerous tunnels into Israel, money that could have been used to provide for the people of Gaza.

Israel has been responding to a three-week long barrage of missiles aimed at them from Gaza. Hamas secrets missile launching sites in schools and hospitals and the world condemns Israel when she protects herself by eliminating these launching sites. Hamas further perpetuates its evil by herding people including young children on the roofs of these buildings.

Yes, Satan most definitely exists and is perpetrating much evil on the earth and it seems his minions are growing exponentially.

Another mistake that could be made concerning Satan is to fear him. When we fear something we give it an undue control over our life. When Adam and Eve introduced the knowledge of good and evil to planet Earth they in effect gave Satan the title deed to it. Deed holder or not, God, not Satan is in control.

The middle ground is to know that Satan exists and yet hold strong to our victory over him. We are protected by the blood of Jesus and we can repudiate the devil in the name of Jesus. In 1 Peter 5:8 we are told, "Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour." Satan knows that his days are numbered and that eventually he will be cast into the bottomless pit by the Archangel Michael.

Discuss the possibilities (and problems) with the conjectures of a gap between Genesis 1:1 and 1:2. 502-1 - 2 - 1

I wasn’t planning on selecting this Discussion Question, however, one of the soapbox posters I enjoy debating posted the thread, “Is Satan more powerful than God?” Timing is everything so the debate is on.

Genesis 1:1 and 1:2. “1 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. 2 And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.”

What makes this interesting is that the original Hebrew reads “And the earth became without form” implying that when Satan fell and took a third of the angels with him, he messed up God’s creation. So “the earth became without form” so the Spirit of God once more had to move upon the face of the waters. Another use of the word “became” that Dr. Missler pointed out is Genesis 19:26, “But his wife looked back from behind him, and she became a pillar of salt.”

BTW, the English translation of Greek Septuagint that I have reads “1:1 in the beginning God made the heaven and the earth. 2 But the earth was unsightly and unfurnished, and darkness was over the deep, and the Spirit of God moved over the water.” God would not create a mess so this also suggests that Satan rendered it “unsightly and unfurnished.”

I’m having a problem getting a grasp on the gap theory, pun intended. However, it seems like a very reasonable theory so I’m raising my hand on both an old and new earth. An older earth that Satan and his minions nearly destroyed and an earth God renewed in six 24 hour days. Now about the behemoth of Job 40:15, “Behold now behemoth, which I made with thee; he eateth grass as an ox.” Sure sounds like a Dinosaur to me so a young earth, yes.

As an aside, Satan and his minions were not satisfied with nearly destroying God’s original handiwork, they sired Nephilim which brought on the flood. Even after the flood the fallen ones were still bringing God’s judgment onto the earth.