Satan the Devil (Lucifer!) - Is he symbolic or real?

1. Does a Devil Exist?

Millions of people think that the Devil is a figment of human imagination; a non-existent being akin to hobgoblins and elves. They are mistaken. According to the Bible the Devil exists and is more active today than he ever was in the past. Let us now consider this evil spirit: for, believe it or not, of all the enemies the human race has, he is the most dangerous.

The Devil was originally a holy arch angel of light called Lucifer! He is a being of astonishing beauty, intelligence and power. He was one of the two original "covering cherubs" who stood in the very presence of Yahweh the Creator. The Devil was in Eden at the creation of the world. The Devil was symbolised by a 'serpent' who tempted our first parents to mistrust the Almighty and break His commandment. Though he has existed for thousands of years, the Devil is not immortal, his time is short. The Bible tells us that the Devil knows that his time is running out; that he is scheduled to be judged, found guilty and burned to ashes in the sight of the redeemed. The Devil knows all these facts better than we do. The following Biblical passages tell us about Lucifer the Devil, the king of Tyrus (an ancient city of Phoenicia where money for business transactions was first used) who merely symbolised the Devil, the arch enemy of the human race.
Isaiah 14:12 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!
13: 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 the congregation, in the sides of the north:
14: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.
15: Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit.
Ezekiel 28:1 The word of the LORD came again unto me, saying,
2: Son of man, say unto the prince of Tyrus, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Because thine heart is lifted up, and thou hast said, I am a God, I sit in the seat of God, in the midst of the seas; yet thou art a man, and not God, though thou set thine heart as the heart of God:
3: Behold, thou art wiser than Daniel; there is no secret that they can hide from thee:
4: With thy wisdom and with thine understanding thou hast gotten thee riches, and hast gotten gold and silver into thy treasures:
5: By thy great wisdom and by thy traffick hast thou increased thy riches, and thine heart is lifted up because of thy riches:
6: Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Because thou hast set thine heart as the heart of God;
7: Behold, therefore I will bring strangers upon thee, the terrible of the nations: and they shall draw their swords against the beauty of thy wisdom, and they shall defile thy brightness.
8: They shall bring thee down to the pit, and thou shalt die the deaths of them that are slain in the midst of the seas.
9: Wilt thou yet say before him that slayeth thee, I am God? but thou shalt be a man, and no God, in the hand of him that slayeth thee.
10: Thou shalt die the deaths of the uncircumcised by the hand of strangers: for I have spoken it, saith the Lord GOD.
11: Moreover the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
12: 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.
13: 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 sapphire, 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.
14: 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.
15: Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee.
16: 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 midst of the stones of fire.
17: 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. 18: Thou hast defiled thy sanctuaries by the multitude of thine iniquities, by the iniquity of thy traffick; therefore will I bring forth a fire from the midst of thee, it shall devour thee, and I will bring thee to ashes upon the earth in the sight of all them that behold thee.
19: All they that know thee among the people shall be astonished at thee: thou shalt be a terror, and never shalt thou be any more.

In Scripture the Devil is symbolically described as that old serpent, the fiery serpent, the dragon! Nothing pleases the Devil more than for us humans to deceive ourselves into thinking that he doesn't exist. That is why he has even removed his name 'Lucifer' from modern Bible Versions; which are his end-time masterpieces of deception. Carefully note this awesome warning concerning the Devil.
Revelation 12:7 And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels,
8: And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven.
9: And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.
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.
11: And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.
12: Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters 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.

2. The Devil's First Sin

The Devil's sins are legion. But his first sin was pride. In Ezekiel 28:17 we read of the Devil's pride because of his extremely good looks and his brilliant mind. The Almighty said of him:
Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty,
thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness.
Yes, the Devil is a handsome and clever person. So put out those mental pictures about an ugly demon with goaty beard, cloven feet and a pitchfork. The Devil is extremely good looking and this makes him all the more dangerous. The Devil's main tool for gaining power over others is 'merchandising - trade!' He was the very first one to conceive the idea of trade and its underlying profit motive. As we all know, money is the main-spring of modern business. But it is the "love of money" which is the root of all evil (1 Timothy 6:10). One may even go further down and say that it is the 'love of what money can buy' (possessions, positions, power, fame, enjoyment, adulation etc); these are the things that are behind the love for money. The Devil used the process of 'merchandise' to obtain his ends. He offered bribes to all who would join him in his rebellion against Jehovah.
Isaiah 14:12 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!
13: 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 the congregation, in the sides of the north:
14: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.
Ezekiel 28:16 By the multitude of thy merchandise they have filled the midst of thee with violence, and thou hast sinned...

 

Greed for Money

To his cardinal sin of pride, the Devil has added sins beyond number. Greed for money and all that money brings is, even to this day, the root cause of the world's ills. The Bible speaks out strongly against all who trample on the poor in their mad rush to gain wealth.
James 5:1 Go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you.
2: Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are motheaten.
3: Your gold and silver is cankered; and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire. Ye have heaped treasure together for the last days.
4: Behold, the hire of the labourers who have reaped down your fields, which is of you kept back by fraud, crieth: and the cries of them which have reaped are entered into the ears of the Lord of sabaoth.
5: Ye have lived in pleasure on the earth, and been wanton; ye have nourished your hearts, as in a day of slaughter.
6: Ye have condemned and killed the just; and he doth not resist you.

3. The Devil's Obsession

The Devil is totally obsessed with hatred for the Almighty and all things holy and good. He never tires of trying to get others join him in his rebellion against the authority of the Almighty God of Israel. Consequently, every commandment Yahweh ever issued has become a target for the Devil's attack and every obedient believer, especially if he/she claims affinity with Israel, becomes a potential enemy. Here are some activities in which the Devil delights.
To Lead People into Sin
Sin is disobedience against the Almighty's commandments. It is spiritual rebellion against divine authority. The Devil was the first sinner and one of his goals is to get as many people as possible to join him in his sins, in his rebellion against the Almighty. In 1 John 3:8 we read:
He that committeth sin is of the Devil,
for the Devil sinneth from the beginning.

 

To Vex People
The Devil delights in the misery of others. The more he can vex them, the greater is his pleasure. His spirit is against every peace process. He is miserable when people are happy. It is not possible to understand the full extent of the Devil's sick mentality and his addiction and delight in the woes of mankind.
Matthew 15:21 Then Jesus went thence, and departed into the coasts of Tyre and Sidon.
22: And, behold, a woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts, and cried unto him, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou Son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil.

 

To Take Possession of People's Minds
The Devil seeks to take over people's minds like a squatter would take over an unoccupied house. His first approach is to tempt, to seduce, to control and finally to possess. Once the Devil is in possession of the human mind, it is difficult to get him out. Only Yahweh's power can do that. One of the first things the Saviour did when he came to earth was to rid people of devil-possession. Instances of this may be found at Matthew 4:24, 8:16, 10:8, Mark 1:32 and Mark 5:15, Mark 16:9.

 

The Father of Falsehood
The Devil is the 'father of falsehood.' He hates the truth and will ever seek to destroy it. The Devil's spirit motivates all the enemies of truth: who usually are unaware of the source of their motivation.
John:8:44: Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.

 

To Destroy Believers
The Devil targets Yahweh's followers, especially those who keep the Almighty's commandments. The devil knows their potential for good better than they do. He also knows their weaknesses and how best to tempt them. Every time a person sins, the Devil rejoices. His unholy glee knows no bounds when true believers succumb to his temptations.
1 Peter 5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.
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.

4. The Devil's Speciality

Though infinitely less powerful than the Creator, the Devil, nevertheless, rules over a large spiritual empire. Its capital city is Babylon the Great, an evil metropolis on high from which he directs his rebellion against Yahweh's capital Jerusalem the Golden. In Scripture the Devil is called the Prince of this World! (John 14:30, 16:11). He became the temporary ruler of earth when our first parents believed his lies in Eden. They lost their authority to manage earth and its creatures and the Devil took over. With his ill-gotten gains the Devil will do business with anyone who will bow the knee to him. He will offer money, property, authority, power, ecstasy - anything - if you will only acknowledge his authority and worship him! Here is egotistical pride at its very worst. It is the Devil's terminal illness - a mental AIDS for which he seeks no cure. The Devil is humanity's No 1 Foe. It is with such an enemy that we believers wrestle.
Matthew 4:8 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;
9: And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me.
10: 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.
Ephesians 6:10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.
11: Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
12: For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

5. The Devil is not Invincible

I'm glad to report that the Devil is not invincible.. Though a being of enormous experience and power, the Devil is not omnipotent. He can be defeated. To be sure he has great power, ability, cunning and skill; but the Devil is not invincible. He can be overcome. Moreover he can only do what Yahweh allows him to do. In other words the Devil is still under the supreme authority of Yahweh the God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel. As Jesus said to Pilate the Roman Governor:
John 19:11 Jesus answered, Thou couldest have no power at all against me, except it were given thee from above...

Believers will only overcome the Devil if they equip themselves with the whole armour of God. We are fighting a spiritual battle against spiritual enemies and only spiritual weapons will be of any good. Secular education, better housing conditions, full employment and well meaning political parties are not enough in the fight against sin and its myriad effects. We need the full armour of God. Nothing else will do.
Ephesians 6:10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.
11: Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
12: For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
13: Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
14: Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;
15: And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;
16: Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.
17: And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:
18: Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints.

Remember your seven pieces of equipment. All are vital.
THE BIBLE The Sword of the Spirit. Don't be satified with an imperfect, counterfeit sword.
Obtain and use the Real Word of God!
TRUTH Loins girt about with Truth
FAITH Above all take the Shield of Faith
SALVATION The helmet of Salvation
OBEDIENCE The Breastplate of Righteousness
PEACE Feet shod with the Gospel of Peace
PRAYER Praying always with all Supplication

Will the end-time church overcome the Devil? Yes, we will overcome the Devil. By the life-giving power of the blood of Yeshua the Messiah and our personal testimonies - we shall overcome the Devil: even if many of us are martyred in the process.
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.
11: And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.

The Apostle James' Advice:
James 4:7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the Devil, and he will flee from you.

If a believer follows the path outlined above he/she will overcome the Devil and his angels.

6. The Devil's Destination

The Devil is not immortal. No persistent sinner is. The Devil and his followers will come to an end after the Great Day of Judgement. The Devil's capture, his imprisonment in the Bottomless Pit, his temporary release from the Pit and his eternal death in the 'lake of fire' are described in Scripture in great detail. Very briefly here is the sequence of events:

The Devil's Imprisonment

At the return of Jesus Christ to this earth, the Devil will be imprisoned in the Bottomless Pit, an angel penitentiary which currently houses many evil spirits. He will remain in the Pit for the duration of the millennium, Christ's 1000 year reign of peace on earth.

The Devil's Punishment

When released at the end of the millennium the Devil will once again seduce earth's populations. He will convince them that under his leadership they are well able to overcome the saints and take over the restored earth. But God will not allow this to happen.
Revelation 20:7 And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison,
8: And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea.
9: And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them.
10: And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.

The Devil's Death

Will the Devil live forever and ever? No, the devil is not immortal: he is subject to death. He will die. He will be burned to ashes! The term "for ever" in the above verse means 'as long as is possible.' The evil city of Sodom was burned to ashes in 'eternal fire.' (Jude 1:7) That is, Sodom burned as long as there was something to burn. But once everything combustible was reduced to ashes, the eternal fires of Sodom went out. It will be the same with the Devil. He will burn as long as it is possible for him to burn. He will be punished - in flames - for all his monstrous crimes. He will be burned to ashes! The Devil's punishment will match his evil. His punishment will fit the millions of crimes he has committed: unimaginably severe it will be! Here is the forecast of the Devil's death.
Ezekiel 28:18 Thou hast defiled thy sanctuaries by the multitude of thine iniquities, by the iniquity of thy traffick; therefore will I bring forth a fire from the midst of thee, it shall devour thee, and I will bring thee to ASHES upon the earth in the sight of all them that behold thee.
19: All they that know thee among the people shall be astonished at thee: thou shalt be a terror, and never shalt thou be any more.

No pen can describe the enormity of the Devil's guilt, the severity of Yahweh's verdict on him, the ferocity of the fire that will consume the Devil and the totality of his annihilation. But it will happen none the less. See SBS file entitled Immortality for proof that the Devil (Lucifer) and the evil angel host who joined his rebellion against Jehovah, are subject to death. In other words: Angels are not immortal; for God only hath immortality. (1 Timothy 6:16)

 

7. Summary

The Devil exists. He is an extremely powerful demoted archangel, the arch enemy of Yahweh, His followers and Truth.
The Devil's first and greatest sin was pride: pride of his beautiful appearance and his brilliant mind. This monstrous pride and love of self motivates the Devil in his futile attempts to dethrone Jehovah. The Devil will give anything to gain the worship of others.
The Devil is obsessed with evil. He delights in the misery of others. It's his entertainment.
The Devil's main weapon in winning others is the "love of money" and what money can buy: possessions, power, pleasure and adulation.
The Devil is not invincible. He can be overcome, but only with the following spiritual weapons provided by Yahweh the Almighty God of Israel.
Truth
The Holy Scriptures
Faith in Yahweh's Son, Yeshua the Messiah and his sacrifice on Calvary
The helmet (mind-guard) of Salvation
Obedience of the commandments of God
The Gospel of Peace
Prayer
The Devil is not immortal. His time is short and will soon end. He is scheduled to be consigned in the Abyss for 1000 years; after which he will be judged and burned to ashes in the presence of the multitudes he deceived. He will then be no more!

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