No study of the end times would be compete without a discussion of the role which the devil will play. The word devil means slanderer, false accuser, one who tears apart. He is also known as Satan which means adversary.
A. Satan’s origins:
We first encounter Satan in Genesis chapter 3 in his encounter with Eve but his origin is from long before that. Moses does not describe Satan’s beginning but from the prophets Isaiah (14:4,11-15) and Ezekiel (28:11-19) we learn that Satan’s original name was Lucifer. He was created as an angel of high position and we may be certain that he was created in perfection and gifted to serve God’s glorious purpose. His fall was the result of the sin of pride. He fell in love with his beauty and sought to overthrow God. Failing in this, he was cast out of heaven and now attempts to overthrow the creatures made in God’s likeness.
B. Satan’s first appearance:
Satan’s desire was to seduce Adam and Eve and draw them into his rebellion against God. The man and woman had been created by God and placed in the perfection of Eden’s garden. The Lord had told them to eat freely from every tree of the garden except for one, The tree of the knowledge of good and evil … for in the day that you eat from it you will surely die.” (Gen. 2:16,17). This was merely a test — would humanity seek knowledge in relationship with their Creator or apart from Him? Would they enjoy abundant life in union with God or would they seek life in separation from God, which would create the reality of death.
The devil’s began his assault by testing Eve’s knowledge of God’s word, ‘Indeed, has God said?’ (Gen. 3:1). If she does not know what God said, then he can easily mislead and destroy her. Notice the subtle casting of doubt on God’s Word: Has God said? implies the question, “Can you trust what you think you heard?”
Satan would have us believe the lie that there is no established truth — truth is relative, it changes. Truth is whatever they say, whatever you say, truth is relative to time and place, social custom and politically correct trends. There is no truth that transcends our culture and our time because there is no transcendent Truth Giver. Satan would have us believe the lie that there is no God who speaks truth. Or maybe there is a God but whatever God said is not relevant for our lives and really, we can’t even be sure what God said. This is Satan’s approach in every generation and it is always a lie.
But then the devil moved from questioning Eve as to her knowledge of God’s word to directly contradicting God’s word: You surely will not die (3:4). He brazenly declares God to be a liar. This is a direct assault on God’s character, as if to say, “God is not telling you the truth in this matter so how can you trust anything He says?” God’s integrity is called into question. The subtle suggestion is that God doesn’t love you enough to tell you the truth. Satan’s even more subtle suggestion is, “I do love you enough to tell you the truth so trust me.”
Satan, the devil, is a lying deceiver and for this reason we are exhorted, Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour (I Peter 5:8). But on that day in the garden, Satan was not roaring. He was whispering in subtle tones and here is the beginning of humanity’s fall from grace — Eve listens to and converses with temptation. Adam then joined his wife in believing the liar. They had not encountered evil before but they did on that day. Any living being who calls God a liar is evil.
C. Satan’s Opposition to Jesus.
Before the Lord cast Adam and Eve out of the Garden, He promised a someday deliverer, born of the seed of the woman (a unique birth). This deliverer would bruise Satan on the head (a mortal wound), though the deliverer would be bruised on the heel (Gen. 3:15). We see in this promise the prophecy of Jesus, who was wounded for our transgressions … bruised for our iniquities (Isa. 53:5).
Satan understood that this Deliverer, who would someday conquer him, would be descended from Eve and born into the covenant nation of Israel. Therefore, he has attempted to destroy Israel and the Messianic line throughout the centuries. He inspired Pharaoh to order the death of Hebrew male children. He inspired the massacre of the children of Bethlehem following the birth of Jesus, hoping to kill the Messiah at birth.
He tempted Jesus. Following His baptism, Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil (Matt. 4:1). Mark is even more emphatic, saying, Immediately the Spirit impelled Him to go out into the wilderness (Mark 1:12). This confrontation was necessary, for Jesus came to destroy the works of the devil (I Jn. 3:8). That destruction had to begin with victory over the personal attacks of Satan. The Lord could not destroy the devil’s power over humanity unless He first overcame that power in His own life.
The word tempted, peirazo, has to do not only with temptation but also trial and testing, proving, examining or assaying (which is the process by which we determine the worth or purity of a metal). Satan intended to tempt Jesus away from His mission. God allowed the test and Jesus embraced the test to confirm Him in His mission. What Satan intended as a corrupting temptation, God allowed as a test to prove the purity of His Son. What Satan intended for destruction, God allowed for confirmation.
The three temptations were:
1. If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread (Matt. 4:3). After a forty day fast, Jesus was hungry and the temptation was to employ His gifts for the purpose of serving Himself. Jesus refused, choosing to use His gifts to glorify God and serve others.
2. The devil then took Jesus up to the pinnacle of the temple and said, If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down for it is written, ‘He will command His angels concerning You’ (Matt. 4:6). The temptation was to force God to act in a spectacular way. But forcing God to do anything reveals a lack of trust in God. Failure to trust God is sin and in sinning, Jesus would have forfeited His perfect holiness, thereby separating Himself from the Father and aborting His redeeming mission. Jesus refused.
3. With the third temptation, the devil showed Jesus all the kingdoms of the world and their glory and said, All these things I will give You, if You fall down and worship me (Matt. 4:9). The temptation was to submit His life in service to Satan, gaining fame, wealth, power and glory apart from submission to His Father. Jesus’ response was to serve God and allow God to give Him the true riches of kingdom glory.
Those first temptations failed but throughout His ministry, Jesus was attacked, ridiculed and threatened. Satan continually sought to oppose, discredit and destroy Jesus. Numerous times Christ’s opponents sought to take His life. They even credited His miracles to the ruler of the demons (Matt. 12:24).
D. Satan Holds Dominion In This World
When Adam and Eve were created, they were given authority, dominion over this earth. When they fell, they lost their dominion and they brought a curse on the world — Cursed is the ground because of you (Gen. 3:17) the Lord said to Adam. Because they obeyed Satan rather than God, they forfeited their authority to Satan and he is now the administrator of the curse.
Following his expulsion from heaven, The great dragon was thrown down, the serpent of old who is called the devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him (Rev. 12:9).
Dragon is a way of representing the terrible, malicious, destructive power of Satan. He is also the serpent of old who, through deception and temptation, brought about the fall of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden.
John identifies this dragon as the devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world (Rev. 12:9). Originally not a proper name, Satan came to be one of the names of this evil being who opposes God’s people and God’s purpose on earth. Because Satan is the adversary of all that God is and does, he opposes all that God is doing in the lives of His covenant people.
Devil means, slanderer, false accuser. He continually accuses people before God (Rev. 12:10). It was Satan who accused Job of honoring God only for the blessing he could receive (Job 1:6-11). Zechariah was shown a vision of Satan accusing Joshua the high priest (3:1).
He is also the deceiver of the whole world (Rev. 12:9). He deceived Adam and Eve and put it in the heart of Judas to betray Jesus (John 13:2). He sought to destroy Peter in the hour of trial (Luke 22:31). Paul warns of his evil devices (2 Cor. 2:11). His false prophets will deceive those who dwell on the earth (Rev. 13:11-15 ), even attempting to lead the elect astray, if that were possible (Matt. 24:24).
Satan is actively moving through this world, deceiving, corrupting, seducing, destroying. The Apostle John reminds us, The whole world lies in the power of the evil one (I John 5:19).
Satan establishes his dominion by incarnating his perverse values in the minds and personalities of people who then incarnate those values in human institutions of law, government, economic policy, false philosophies, false religions, cultural customs and the creative arts. These institutions then further shape and form the minds of people who then continue the formation of society which exists in Satanic opposition to God.
He is the god of this world (2 Cor. 4:4). The word world — aion — may be translated age and refers to the values and philosophies which form the culture in which people live. Satan is not a god in the sense of being divine but it is his power which dominates and energizes god-rejecting societies.
Satan is the inspiration behind wealth gained through unjust means. He is the source of fame and power gained through seduction, exploitation and manipulation. He is the inspiration behind vulgar, profane, idolatrous artistic expression. He is the empowerment behind all proud, murdering dictators and oppressive tyranny. He is the genesis of all lies, racial hatred and international strife. Therefore, when Satan offered Jesus all the kingdoms of the world and their glory, Jesus did not dispute Satan’s ability to do this. What Jesus disputed is the way to achieve true glory and the way to exercise true power which is submission to God.
E. Satan blinds people to truth:
The Apostle Paul reveals, In whose case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God (2 Cor. 4:4).
When people reject the truth of God’s existence, which is readily available to all through the grandness of creation and through an inward sense of moral justness, Satan will then draw them into ever deepening darkness, idolatry and depravity (see Romans 1:18-32).
F. Satan will manifest most fully through one final world ruler.
John calls him this final ruler the Antichrist, Children, it is the last hour; and just as you heard that antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have appeared; from this we know that it is the last hour (I Jn. 2:18).
For many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is the deceiver and the antichrist (2 Jn. 1:7).
The spirit of antichrist has been at work in the world for many generations. It is the spirit of opposition to Jesus — to His person, His work and His truth. Satan is the energizing force behind this opposition. But there will be one final incarnation of this opposition.
Paul calls him, the man of lawlessness . . . the son of destruction (2 Thes 2:3). Man of lawlessness refers to his arrogant disrespect for God’s law. Son of destruction refers to his destiny.
Paul further describes the career of the Antichrist, The coming of the lawless one is by the activity of Satan with all power and false signs and wonders, and with all wicked deception for those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved (2 Thes 2:9-10). The word activity is energeia, from which we derive the word energy. The Antichrist’s career is energized, inspired, empowered by Satan and will feature false signs and wonders. False does not mean that the miracles are not real. Rather, they are for the purpose of seducing and deceiving people into believing Satan’s lies.
John describes him in symbolic terms, And I saw a beast rising out of the sea, with ten horns and seven heads, with ten diadems on its horns and blasphemous names on its heads. And the beast that I saw was like a leopard; its feet were like a bear's, and its mouth was like a lion's mouth. And to it the dragon gave his power and his throne and great authority. One of its heads seemed to have a mortal wound, but its mortal wound was healed, and the whole earth marveled as they followed the beast (Rev 13:1-3).
With the cunning and speed of a leopard, the power of a bear, the tearing, fierceness of a lion's mouth, given power and great authority by Satan, the Antichrist will be a brilliantly talented orator and administrator, a massively intelligent leader, a remorseless lying murderer. He will be entirely demonized, completely possessed by Satan. His arrogance will motivate him to set up an altar to himself in the rebuilt Jerusalem temple, demanding worship from all the people on earth.
Behind this abomination we see Satan’s desire to steal God’s glory, to set His throne above the throne of God. Manifesting Satan’s hatred of God, the Antichrist will be a violent, genocidal persecutor of Israel and the church.
In the final years of his reign the judgment of God will be poured out on all ungodliness, resulting in the complete breakdown of governments and economies and the disintegration of nature itself. This will climax in the return of Jesus Christ as the Antichrist is cast into hell.
G. The Origins of Satan’s Defeat
Peter testifies, You know of Jesus of Nazareth, how God anointed Him with the Holy Spirit and with power, and how He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him(Acts 10:38). John reminds us, The Son of God appeared for this purpose, to destroy the works of the devil (I Jn.3:8).
Throughout His ministry on earth, Jesus confronted and overpowered Satan. Every time Jesus encountered demonic presence in a man or woman, He cast it out. Every time He encountered physical or emotional brokenness in a man of woman, He created wholeness. He took authority over the brokenness of cursed creation, calming storms with a spoken word. He even exercised dominion over death. Jesus continually demonstrated His absolute authority over Satan and all the powers of darkness.
As He approached the time of His sacrificial death, Jesus said, Now judgment is upon this world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out (Jn. 12:31). Satan’s defeat began at the cross where the Lamb of God, through His atoning sacrifice for sin, insured that no charge could ever again be laid against the redeemed (Romans 8:33-34). At the cross, Jesus took our sins upon Himself and thereby disarmed the rulers and authorities … made a public display of them, triumphed over them (Col. 2:15). The resurrection was God the Father’s vindication of the eternally sufficient sacrifice of His Son and the visible declaration of Christ’s triumph over death.
H. Satan’s Continuing Defeat
Now, redeemed by the blood of the Lamb and filled with the Holy Spirit, the followers of Jesus share His authority. We are walking in His victory procession (2 Cor. 2:14).
We are by nature overcomers, the Apostle John says, because greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world (I John 4:4). We are overcomers because the blood of the Lamb has released us from our sins (Rev. 1:5), has redeemed us to be a kingdom of priests (1:6) and established our right to reign on earth with Christ (Rev. 5:9,10). We share in Christ’s authority as we pray Spirit empowered prayers, as we lift up Spirit anointed worship, as we preach Spirit inspired truth and as we live Spirit filled lives.
Jesus said, I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it (Matt; 16:18). The gates of Hades — that is the strategies of hell, the powers of hell, cannot overcome the church Jesus is building.
In Luke chapter ten, as seventy disciples returned from a missionary journey, they exclaimed, Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name (Luke 10:17). Jesus replied, I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven (Luke 10:18). He was not simply referring to the past event when Satan lost His position in heaven. Rather, Christ sees in His atoning sacrifice on the cross, in His resurrection and in the ministry of His church, the continual casting down of the powers of darkness in this world.
Jesus then said, Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy (Luke 10:19). The word authority is exousia — delegated jurisdiction, the right to rule in place of another. We have authority in Jesus to trample the powers of darkness.
Paul reminds us, For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places (Eph. 6:12). Even though Satan uses people to accomplish evil, people are not our enemy. Our adversary is the demonic power seducing, deceiving and energizing people. But we have authority in Christ to trample the powers of darkness that have become lodged in men and women. We have authority to pull down and nullify strategies of darkness that have been released against families and cities.
Paul reminds us that the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses. We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ (2 Cor. 10:4,5). Our weapons are truth proclaimed, mercy outpoured, anointed worship that enthrones God in our circumstances and powerful, focused prayer. With these holy tools we are pulling down strongholds of darkness in the minds and imaginations of people.
We read in the Revelation, And they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their testimony, and they did not love their life even when faced with death (Rev. 12:11). Not only was Satan defeated at the cross, he is continually defeated on earth by faithful believers who overcome by the blood of the Lamb and the Word of (our) testimony (Rev. 12:11). Satan is defeated in eternity by the cross and defeated in time by the church redeemed by the blood of the Lamb.
The church overcomes by its testimony, which is the worship of Jesus and the proclaiming of His cross, His resurrection, His coming kingdom and all kingdom truth. We proclaim the presence of the coming kingdom, the kingdom that is now and now yet, coming and yet present in the hearts of men and women who have surrendered to the Lordship of Christ.
This faithful testimony may require the martyrdom of the truth speakers but the church overcomes when it loves the Lord Jesus more than its own life. The church that gives up its life for Jesus and for His truth will live in union with the risen Christ and will therefore always rise and overcome.
We are in a spiritual war and therefore the Apostle Paul exhorts us, Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil (Eph. 6:11)
Peter exhorts us, Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. But resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brethren who are in the world (I Ptr. 5:8,9).
I. Christ’s Victory / Our Victory
The Church Age is Christ’s victory procession. But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and manifests through us the sweet aroma of the knowledge of Him in every place. (2 Cor. 2:14). The picture is of a victorious general parading with his army following behind him. As the soldiers shared in the victory of their leader, so they now share in his triumphal procession.
So it is with the church. We follow in the procession of our risen, ascended, triumphant King, who as Peter reminds us, Is at the right hand of God, having gone into heaven, after angels and authorities and powers had been subjected to Him (I Peter 3:22). Therefore with Paul we rejoice, But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ (I Cor. 15:57).
Now, in the Church Age, Satan’s power is being confronted — darkness is penetrated by light, lies are destroyed by truth; despair is consumed by hope; brokenness made whole by mercy; addiction transformed into wholeness and liberty as the redeemed church ministers in the power of the risen Christ.
In Christ’s victory over the devil, we see our victory. Jesus said, Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has chosen gladly to give you the kingdom (Luke 12:32). We pray, Thine is the kingdom, and the power and the glory forever (Matt. 6:13), but it is the Lord’s joyful desire to invite us into the establishing of His kingdom by His power and for His glory.
Jesus said, All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age (Matt. 28:18-20). We go, proclaiming and teaching in the authority of the One who holds all power and authority in the universe.
Paul prayed for the church that, The God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him. I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the boundless greatness of His power toward us who believe. These are in accordance with the working of the strength of His might which He brought about in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. And He put all things in subjection under His feet, and made Him head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all (Eph 1:17-23).
Paul wants us to know that the same power which raised Jesus from the dead and seated Him far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and every name that is named, the same power which has put all things in subjection under His feet, is the power that is at work in each of us who fill the church of the redeemed.
Indeed, Paul prays, Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen (Eph. 3:20).
J. Satan’s Final Defeat
Then the seventh angel sounded; and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, ‘The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ; and He will reign forever and ever’ (Rev. 11:15). John heard that proclamation 2,000 years ago. It is so certain that it is already proclaimed.
In order for this to happen, Satan must be finally and completely defeated and John witnessed that future event: And the devil who deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are also; and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever (Rev. 20:10).
The Apostle Paul reveals, Then comes the end, when He hands over the kingdom to the God and Father, when He has abolished all rule and all authority and power. For He must reign until He has put all His enemies under His feet ( I Cor. 15:24,25).
The word end is telos — which refers to fulfillment, completion. It refers to the fulfilling of God’s redemption purpose in this universe. The end also refers to the end of this present world order when the dead have been raised, when all rule and all authority and power which opposed God has been abolished. The unredeemed will be in hell with the devil and his angels. Death itself will be thrown into the lake of fire which is to say that death, which is the negation of life, will itself be annihilated. The kingdom of God — that is the rule of God, a rule of grace and mercy and justice and peace — will be established across the universe. All things will be restored to God’s original design.
Jesus, then, will hand over the kingdom to the God and Father. God sent His Son into the world to redeem it. Having accomplished the work the Father gave Him to do, Jesus will give to His Father a world redeemed, populated by the redeemed.
Satan, the fallen archangel, will not even be remembered. The sin-tainted universe will have been destroyed and replaced by a world in which righteousness dwells (2 Pet. 3:10-13). And the redeemed will live in harmony with our Lord forever.
That day is not today. But as we live toward that day in this storm of violence, lies, depravity and suffering, let us be encouraged by the words of our brother Paul, For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord (Rom 8:38,39).