Who Is Satan? Satan is a person, not an impersonal principle or force. He is a cherub. His name comes from the Hebrew sathan and means enemy or one who hates.
Origin. Ezekiel 28:12–15a addresses the king of Tyre yet describes what no human is: presence in Eden the garden of God, covering of every precious stone, tabrets and pipes prepared on the day of creation, the anointed cherub who covers, set upon the holy mountain of God, walking in the midst of the stones of fire, and perfect in his ways from the day he was created.
Fall. Ezekiel 28:15b–19 continues: iniquity was found in him; the multitude of his merchandise filled him with violence and he sinned; his heart was lifted up because of his beauty; his wisdom was corrupted by his brightness; he is cast as profane from the mountain of God and the covering cherub is destroyed from the stones of fire.
Motivation. Isaiah 14:12–14 records Lucifer, son of the morning, fallen from heaven: “I will ascend into heaven. I will exalt my throne above the stars of God. I will sit upon the mountain of the congregation in the sides of the north. I will ascend above the heights of the clouds. I will be like the Most High.” After the attempt failed he doubled down and made it his business to oppose God.
Opposition. In Job 1–2 the sons of God present themselves before the Lord and Satan comes among them. He argues that Job fears God only because of the hedge and blessing; the Lord permits testing of Job’s possessions, then of Job’s person. In 1 Chronicles 21:1 Satan stood up against Israel and provoked David to number the people. In the garden he persuaded Eve to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
Demons. Satan did not fall alone. Revelation 12:3–4, 9 identifies the great red dragon as that old serpent called the devil and Satan; his tail draws a third of the stars of heaven and casts them to the earth. Those fallen angels are demons. Ephesians 6:11–12 and Colossians 1:16 speak of principalities and powers among the ranks. Demons remain active: a lying spirit stands before the Lord and is sent into the mouths of Ahab’s prophets (1 Kings 22:19–23); in latter times some depart from the faith giving heed to deceiving spirits and teachings of demons (1 Timothy 4:1). A demon is a person. Satan is not omnipresent; many temptations come from demons rather than from Satan himself.
Relation to the world. Jesus calls him the prince or ruler of this world who shall be cast out (John 12:31; 14:30; 16:11). In the wilderness the devil claims all the kingdoms and their authority have been delivered to him and he gives them to whom he will (Luke 4:6). The whole world lies in the evil one (1 John 5:19). Unsaved people are under the authority of Satan and must be turned from darkness to light (Acts 26:18). The god of this age blinds the minds of the unbelieving (2 Corinthians 4:4).
Relation to Christians. Satan cannot touch, possess, or indwell a Christian (1 John 5:18). He is an enemy who walks about as a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour (1 Peter 5:8). He is the accuser (Revelation 12:10) and attacks through desires placed in the mind. The defense against the flesh and the defense against Satan are not the same; the kinds of attack also differ. The flesh offers appetites people find appealing. Satan operates as a roaring lion—discouragement, doubt, bitterness, and other unwelcome pressures meant to freeze the prey and produce a response such as cursing God.
