I have heard and my research seems to confirm me that many Jewish people now don't believe a personal devil or Satan exists. Part of the reason for this from what I found in books such as the Jewish study Bible is a confusion over what are two Hebrew words according to the Hebrew dictionary in Strong's Exhaustive Concordance. A number of times in the Jewish study Bible it is claimed that in places where the name Satan of the devil is used in the King James Version of the Bible they use and justify the term accuser such as in Zechariah 3. However I found that according to Strong's Concordance the Hebrew word Satan with a short a in the second vowel due to a certain Hebrew vowel means accuser or adversary while another word with the pronunciation Satawn with a longer a in the second vowel and a different Hebrew vowel in the second vowel means adversary but also Satan, or arch-enemy of all that is good or opponent according to Strong's Concordance. It is this second word that is translated Satan in such places as Zechariah 3, Psalm 109 and Job 1 and 2 and not the first word mentioned that means more accuser. Therefore it should be quite legitimate for Jewish people to believe in a personal devil named Satan as this is supported by their scriptures on several occasions and is not to be confused with the word for accuser as the Jewish study Bible and perhaps other Jewish sources do and then try make out that this means only a human accuser. If you are Jewish I would urge you to seriously consider accepting the idea of a personal devil as you have been a primary victim of him through the Holocaust and other anti-semitism and fighting against Israel and the Jewish people in Roman and Old Testament days. Unfortunately as the New Testament makes clear there will also be a Satanic attack against the Jewish people in the tribulation as mentioned in places like the book of Revelation which is also mentioned in places like Zechariah and Daniel and other parts of the Old Testament although those scriptures might not be as clear that this anti-semitism will be stirred up by the devil. From a Christian viewpoint it is also important to believe in a personal devil to explain the incident of the fall of man in the Garden of Eden and the need for a Saviour in Jesus the Messiah (Christ). One other reference in the Old Testament that rightly uses the name Satan to refer to a personal devil and head of the fallen angels and leader of the opposition is the refernce in 1 Chronicles 21:1 of the cause of the opposition to God in David's self-sufficiency in trusting in his army by numbering them without God's permission. It is not valid reasoning to say this was done by an angel or even demon that was under God's command and doing God's will. Although the Hebrew scriptures sometimes present fallen angels as doing God's will such as in the vision of the prophet Micaiah and the demon sent to afflict King Saul the incident with the serpent and the fall of man was most certainly not God's will and was in direct opposition to it and although less dramatic the incident with David's numbering his troops was also not God's will.
to GodGod speaks to his servant Ezekiel the son of man to make a lamentation for the King of Tyre. Tyre was then a great and godless trading city in what is now Lebanon. God was saying that because of their covetousness and godlessness he would judge them. However the real object of this message and the one referred to is Satan or Lucifer the devil who is the real ruler behind the King of Tyre and most other earthly rulers at that time and at the current time and other times between the fall of man and the second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. God says the King of Tyre representing the devil was full of wisdom or worldly wisdom such as in culture and business and perferct in beauty or outward splendour or glory. Then speaking more clearly about the devil God says Satan was in Eden the garden of God which could have been also before Adam and Eve were created or before the fall of mankind. God says that every precious stone was the devil's covering before he fell including nine precious stones plus gold. This compares to the breastplate of the high priest in Exodus 28 that had 12 precious stones plus gold for the twelve tribes of Israel. The nine precious stones of the devil's breastplate is one basis for the number nine being an occultic or Satanic number. God also says that Satan before he fell was responsible for the heavenly and angelic music and that it was originally prepared by God including his musical instrument of tabrets (tambourines). I used to think pipes were also musical instuments but I found from looking in the Bible concordance that they mean bezel or bevel ( a place on a ring or bracelet to which gems were attached). Satan is also mentioned as using viols (lyres or psalteries) before he fell in Isaiah 14. Although much music of the world is not of God and has some elements from Satan or the devil one of the worst types of music and that is most Satanic is hard rock music such as put out by groups like Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, Guns and Roses etc. and started in earnest by the Rolling Stones and also including Alice Cooper. Much of this music unmistakenly glorifies a rebellious spirit, Satan and darkness and is sometimes also specifically anti-Christian or blasphemous. This music could also be preparing people for the rule and worship of the Antichrist or Beast out of the Sea in the tribulation. God also says clearly that the devil was created unlike God who is eternally self-existent. God also says that Satan or Lucifer was the annointed or favoured cherub who before he fell covered God's glory that the two angels. This is portrayed in the mercy seat above the Ark of the Covenant mentioned in Exodus where two angels representing some holy angels that remained loyal to God cover his glory perhaps Michael and Gabriel in heaven but also during the first temple on earth when the LORD dwelt between the cherubims on the mercy seat above the ark of the covenant in the holy of holies. God also said before his fall Satan the devil was in the mountain of God and on the stones of fire. The expression walked up and down (in the midst of the stones of fire) is possibly an indication of the restlessness of Satan or Lucifer evil before he fell. The same expression is used in Job 1 of Satan after he fell in the days of Job that almost surely continues to this day and will continue until the end of the tribulation when Jesus casts him into the bottomless pit. God said because of his merchandise including his plans to plot rebellion against God with other angels that became fallen angels as mentioned more clearly in Isaiah 14 Satan became filled with violence and would be cast out of the mountain of God of from heaven. God also said Satan or Lucifer started to get lifted up with pride and self-glory because of his beauty and brightness or splendour and that he would be cast to the ground from heaven and earthly kings would behold him. This casting out of the devil probably happened some time between the creation of the stars which could have included the spiritual stars the angels and the fall of man and the expression kings would behold him is looking forward to the future after that time when earthly kings would see the devil as an angelic being fallen from heaven and God's favour. The scripture reference from Ezekiel 28 of the pre-fallen state and some record of the fall of Satan the devil or Lucifer after his pride and rebellion is as follows:
Son of man, take up a lamentation upon the king of Tyrus, and say unto him, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Thou sealest up the sum, full of wisdom, and perfect in beauty. Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God; every precious stone was thy covering, the sardius, topaz, and the diamond, the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper, the sappire, the emerald, and the carbuncle, and gold: the workmanship of thy tabrets and of thy pipes was prepared in thee in the day that thou wast created. Thou art the anointed cherub that covereth; and I have set thee so: thou wast upon the holy mountain of God; thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire. Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee. By the multitude of thy merchandise they have filled the midst of thee with violence, and thou hast sinned: therefore I will cast thee as profane out of the mountain of God: and I will destroy thee, O covering cherub, from the mdst of the stones of fire. Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty, thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness: I will cast thee to the ground, I will lay thee before kings, that they may behold thee. Ezekiel 28:12-17
This scripture passage reveals some of the happenings in heaven involving the angels and demons including Satan. According to this scripture there are regular occasions when the angels including the demons or fallen angels including Satan come before God. On such an occasion the LORD asked Satan what he had been doing lately. Satan answered the LORD that he had been going to and fro on the earth and walking up and down in it. This is an expression that implies he was looking to see what was going on with intention to stir up trouble. That a similiar expression is used in Ezekiel 28 before Satan fell possibly indicates that even before he rebelled against God and fell from God's grace that he had a restlessness nature with him that could lead to trouble or dissatisfaction. The scripture reference from Job 1 about the angels coming before God and Satan indicating he was walking up and down in the earth before that is as follows:
Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them. And the LORD said unto Satan, Whence comest thou? Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it. Job 1:6-7
Abimelech was a son of Gideon or Jerubbaal one of the leading judges of Israel. Abimelech was one of about 70 sons of Gideon who were in line for his judgeship when Gideon died. In order to cut off possible competition for this position Abimelech killed his 70 or so brothers in a cruel and vicious act of selfish ambition. Abimelech made a covenant or agreement with the men of Shechem in central Israel that is now under the Palestinian Arab name Nablus to make Abimelech king of Israel. God later judged Abimelech and the men of Shechem by sending an evil spirit or demon to cause strive between them and this led to the death of Abimelech and many of the men of Shechem. The point to note is that it was God that sent this evil spirit and it did God's bidding which was something destructive and strifeful that the evil spirit or demon was glad to do even though it was accomplishing God's will of judging Abimelech and the men of Shechem for their evil. The scripture passage in Judges 9 of God sending an evil spirit to cause strife between Abimelech and the men of Shechem to judge them for killing the 70 brothers of Abimelech and sons of Gideon (Jerubbaal) is as follows:
Then God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the men of Shechem; and the men of Shechem dealt treacherously with Abimelech: That the cruelty done to the threescore and ten sons of Jerubbaal might come, and their blood be laid upon Abimelech their brother, which slew them; and upon the men of Shechem, which aided him in the killing of his brethren. Judges 9:23-24
In 1 Samuel 16 God says in his word that the Spirit of the LORD or the Holy Spirit departed from King Saul. This was after King Saul's disobedience or imcomplete obedience to God's command to kill all the Amalakites after their previous attacks on the helpless of Israel. Saul directly and through his orders to his armed forces did kill most of the Amalekites but he and they spared their possessions and their king Agag. God then sent the godly prophet and judge Samuel to rebuke Saul and kill the Amalekite king Agag directly before Saul and then announce then the kingdom would not continue with Saul (and it was soon given to David). As part of this punishment God took His Holy Spirit from Saul and then sent an evil spirit instead to trouble or torment Saul. This tormenting work or influence of the evil spirit in Saul as well as his natural or fleshly jealousy of David as the one destined to replace him as king led to Saul's attempts to kill David. David was in regular presence of Saul in his court as one of the court musicians on his harp. The action of God using David and his godly music to reduce or remove the evil spirit from King Saul is a good lesson for listening or participating in godly Christian or Jewish music at this time as well for people who might also be troubled by evil spirits today. This playing of the music by David on his harp enabled Saul to be freed temporarily from the evil spirit and have more mental, emotional or spiritual liberty or be of a more sound mind as follows:
But the Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the LORD troubled him. And Saul's servants said unto him, Behold now, and evil spirit from God troubleth thee. Let our lord now command thy servants, which are before thee, to seek out a man, who is a cunning player on an harp: and it shall come to pass, when the evil spirit from God is upon thee, that he shall play with his hand, and thou shalt be well. And Saul said unto his servants, Provide me now a man that can play well, and bring him to me. Then answered one of the servants, and said, Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Beth-lehemite, that is cunning in playing, and a might valiant man, and a man of war, and prudent in matters, and a comely person, and the LORD is with him. Wherefore Saul sent messengers unto Jesse, and said, Send me David thy son, which is with the sheep. And Jesse took an ass laden with bread, and a bottle of wine, and a kid, and sent them by David his son unto Saul. And David came to Saul, and stood before him: and he loved him greatly; and he became his armourbearer. And Saul sent to Jesse, saying, Let David, I pray thee, stand before me; for he hath found favour in my sight. And it came to pass, when the evil spirit from God was upon Saul, that David took an harp, and played with his hand: so Saul was refreshed, and was well, and the evil spirit departed from him. 1 Samuel 16:14-23
After David's victory over Goliath in a battle that should have been taken by King Saul himself was a rebuke to Saul for his lack of leadership and courage. King Saul was not only upset at David for this but for all the praise David was getting including from the women of Israel that King Saul was used to getting himself. David still had the work and position of coming before Saul in his court to play his music on the harp. However the evil spirit from God from that time stirred up King Saul to look for an opportunity to kill David which he tried to do twice at this time by hurling a javelin at David and trying to pierce him and pin him to the wall of the court of his palace. The evil spirit could lead Saul to prophesy as this is what they regularly do through false prophets that speak some truth with error or speak some things out of the will of God or speak in the name of other gods. This evil spirit sent from God attempting to lead King Saul to kill David is still consistant with God being a good God if we understand the whole picture and the way God works according to the Bible. First, the evil spirit was sent to King Saul as a curse on him from God and as a sign God had given up on him at least as king and as a man under God's favour. God knew full well that the evil spirit might lead King Saul to later do something violent or ungodly but God would hold King Saul reponsible for this because he refused to obey God and continue with His Holy Spirit, favour and protection so God gave up on Saul. God would however protect David as he was beloved of God and God had a great future for David as probably the greatest King of Israel that could have been realized by Saul if he was more obedient and less presumptuous. The scripture reference in 1 Samuel 18 of an evil spirit (demon) leading King Saul to try to kill David due to jealousy is as follows:
And Saul was very wroth, and the saying displeased him; and he said, They have ascribed unto David ten thousands, and to me they have ascribed but thousands: and what can he have more but the kingdom? And Saul eyed David from that day and forward. And it came to pass on the morrow, that the evil spirit from God came upon Saul, and he prophesied in the midst of the house: and David played with his hand, as at other times: and there was a javelin in Saul's hand. And Saul cast the javelin; for he said, I will smite David even to the wall with it. And David avoided out of his presence twice. 1 Samuel 18:8-11
In verse 12 it is the devil or Satan that God is addressing even though God uses the name Lucifer the morning star. (Lucifer is Latin for morning star.) This is what the Bible teaches and is quite valid although I know this is contrary to what Satanists and perhaps some in witchraft including Wicca or people in some cults teach. This verse in verse 12 looks forward to God knowing in advance that Satan or Lucifer would try after he fell to tempt and deceive the nations but the real reason for God's initial judging of Satan or Lucifer was his pride as made clear in the immediately following verses. Satan or Lucifer got lifted up in pride from his heart, it wasn't initiated by someone else like Satan through the serpent in our first parents Adam and Eve but Satan' rebellion was wholly by his own corrupting himself through pride. This is made cleared if we also look at the account of Satan or Lucifer before he fell leading to his fall as mentioned in Ezekiel 28 and already mentioned on this web page. Unlike the Lord Jesus Christ at to some extent all true Christians that say at least to some extent that not our will be done but God's will be done as the Lord Jesus Christ determined for himself to go to the cross in the Garden of Gethsemane Satan or Lucifer's rebellion began with his "I wills" that were in rebellion to God. This is also true of all non-Christians who are still living for themselves and not for God through Jesus and His free salvation or to some extent for carnal Christians including myself and most Christians to some extent or another when we live for ourselves and not for God and the leading of His Holy Spirit. Satan wanted to ascend into heaven and take control there which is the place of God's throne meaning he wanted ultimate rule of the universe including over all the angels. This is made clearer my his saying I will exalt my throne above the stars of God. This could mean the physical stars or the astronomical heavens in which case it would also mean other celestial bodies such as planets, moons and asteroids or it could mean or it could also mean over the angels that are sometimes symbolically called stars or the host of heaven. This rebellion of Satan or Lucifer and 1/3 of the angels that became demons was probably between the creation and fall of Adam and Eve the first humans or between the end of Genesis 2 and the beginning of Genesis 3. One main reason I believe this is that if Satan and other angels fell before most of the creation week and especially if they contaminated the earth or heavens spiritually or otherwise things would not be good at that time as the Bible says it was. I believe that Satan or Lucifer's rebellion affected negatively the stars and the heavens in general through introducting the law of theromdynamics or tendency to disorder and perhaps in other ways from that time. I think this is referred to in the Book of Job chapters 15 and 25 when the stars and heavens are called not clean or pure by Job's time. The expression the mount of the congregation in the sides of the north is an expression for which God has recently given me more understanding especially through a CD I recently heard by a Messianic Gentile named Eric Morey and he is the general director of an organization in Israel called the Galilee Experience. He pointed out although I was coming around to this idea myself by the Holy Spirit before I heard his CD but he made it crystal clear. This is that Satan or Lucifer's ultimate aim is also to rule the earth as well as heaven and that the mount of the congregation on the sides of the north is a reference to the Temple Mount or Mount Zion in Jerusalem where God chose to set His temple there and will do so again. This becomes more clear when we look at Psalm 48:2 which says: " Beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth, is mount Zion, on the sides of the north, the city of the great King." This is of course talking about earthly Jerusalem where the Messiah the great King will rule the world from in the Messianic age and the Lord Jesus Christ also in the Gospels called Jerusalem the city of the great King referring to Himself and his future reign there. The sides of the north according to this Mr. Eric Morey and for which I agree refers to the Temple Mount being to the north of the initial city or David or Zion which was the first part where the Israelites settled in what is now called Jerusalem after God gave David the victory over the pagan Jebusites (who are Canaanites and no relation to most of the so-called Palestinians who are mostly Arabs and descend from Ishmael the son of Abraham.) Because God has chosen Jerusalem as his place to dwell among his chosen earthly people the Jews among all the other nations this is a place that Satan especially wants to dwell in and control. He has done that and to some extent is still doing that through the Muslims that took Jerusalem in 638 AD 6 years after Muhammed's death and then built the Dome of the Rock (Haram al Sharif or the NOble Sanctuary) and the Al-Aqsa mosque there around 700 AD. The Dome of the Rock is most likely built over the location of the previous Jewish temples and that is why some Jews and Christians would like an earthquake or something to destroy it so the Jews could build their third temple. Mr. Morey probably believes the Antichrist will just use the Dome on the rock to control the Temple Mount rather than a rebuilt Jewish temple and for this and similiar reasons believes unlike myself that the Church might go through some or all of the tribulation. I think the devil will still use the rebuilt Jewish temple to control the temple mount but more through the New World Order than through Islam when the Antichrist takes it over with the devil's authority half way through the tribulation. I think this is referred to in 2 Thessalonians 2:4 where the man of sin the Antichrist or beast out of the sea is mentioned sitting in the temple of God making as he is God. This is similiar to Satan or Lucifer wanting to sit in the mount of the congregation on the sides of the north in Isaiah 14. Lastly Revelation 13:2 says the dragon gave him the beast or the Antichrist his seat and great authority. I think this includes the present authority the devil has to some extent over the Temple Mount and that will be realized most fully in the second half of the tribulation when he enables the Antichrist to sit there and receive the worship of the whole world on pains of death for disobedience. The devil then focuses again on things in heaven in his rebellion saying he wanted to ascend above the heights of the clouds and be like the most High. Being like the most High is what many unsaved people try to do by their own strength to one extent or another in one way or another. However this is more clear in the New Age movement, Buddhism and Hinduism or some other religions like Taoism where one tries to become God or a god which is a temptation of the devil starting with his invitation to Eve in the Garden of Eden in Genesis 3. However if we trust in the Lord Jesus and live for the glory of Him and the heavenly Father he will dwell in us and give us a new nature that will make us like him in humility and a way he approves of in his word the Holy Bible. God gives the sentence to the devil or Satan or Lucifer of being destined to hell and the pit although the devil currently has fairly free reign on earth and access to heaven but this will all be withdrawn from him part way through or at the end of the tribulation. The scripture reference from Isaiah 14 of the rebellion and fall of the devil is as follows:
How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of congregation, in the sides of the north: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High. Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit. Isaiah 14:12-15
Behold, he putteth no trust in his saints; yea, the heavens are not clean in his sight. Job 15:15
Behold even to the moon, and it shineth not; yea, the stars are not pure in his sight. Job 25:5
In 1 Kings 22 there is a scene, probably in the palace of the king of the northern king of Israel Ahab, in which he gathered the prophets to give him counsel about whether he and his army should go forth against against the king of Syria. Most of these prophets were false prophets and didn't care whether what they said was a true message from the LORD God or not. They had all advised the king of Israel, Ahab to go forth to war against the king of Syria. Lastly Micaiah, who was a God-fearing prophet that sought to be faithful to the one true God the God of Israel, was called to give his advice that was also supposed to be from the LORD. He was asked to join the consensus of all the false prophets that King Ahab should go forth to war against the king of Syria and that King Ahab would be victorious and return safely. However, Micaiah said he would only say what God told him to say whether it agreed with the other prophets or whether the king liked it or not. Then God gave Micaiah a vision around God's throne and of the angels including fallen angels or demons around God's throne. God asked the angels or spirits what plan should be followed by which king Ahab would go forth to battle against the king of Syria and fall there or be killed in battle. Then some of the spirits said one thing and others another thing. Then one of the spirits that was probably a fallen angel or demon said that he would be a lying spirit with the false prophets of king Ahab and God told him to go and do it. This lying spirit is the one that convinced all the false prophets to prophecy to King Ahab that he should go to battle against the king of Syria and would return safely. However, as it makes clear later in 1 Kings Ahab did go to battle but had a terrible lost and he himself was killed in the battle as the faithul prophet Micaiah predicted. This is another instance of God using a demon or fallen angel in this case in the form of a lying spirit to follow his orders and accomplish his will. This is because Ahab had been disobedient to God especially together with his even more evil wife Jezebel and God determined it was time to end the evil reign and life of King Ahab. The scripture reference from 1 Kings 22 of the faithful prophet Micaiah having a vision of the conference of angels, I think holy and unholy, around God's throne advising him what to do to end King Ahab's life and then having a fallen angel carry it out is as follows:
And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, Did I not tell thee that he would prophecy no good concerning me, but evil? And he (Micaiah) said, Hear thou therefore the word of the LORD: I saw the LORD sitting on his throne, and all the host of heaven standing by him on his right hand and on his left. And the LORD said, Who shall persuade Ahab, that he may go up and fall at Ramoth-gilead? And one said on this manner, and another said on that manner. And there came forth a spirit, and stood before the LORD, and said, I will persuade him. And the LORD said unto him, Wherewith? And he said, I will go forth, and I will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets. And he said, Thou shall persuade him , and prevail also: go forth, and do so. Now therefore, behold, the LORD hath put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these thy prophets, and the LORD hath spoken evil concerning thee. 1 Kings 22:18-23
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