That Old Dragon

I think it is safe to say that in this day and age most people associate the term/name "Satan" with the Devil, the serpent that showed up in the Garden who has played a role throughout Scriptures and is known as our Adversary, that old Dragon.  We also know that if we resist temptation the devil will flee from us.

Genesis 3

The serpent was the shrewdest of all the wild beasts that YHWH made. The serpent speaks to Eve asking, "Did God really say you shall not eat of any tree of the garden?"  With that he causes her to doubt the Word of the Creator.  The serpent reassures her that she won't die if she eats of the tree in the middle of the Garden but that her eyes will be opened and she will be like the 'divine beings' who know good and bad. He tempted her and she took the bait.  Later, when Yah approaches and asks, "What is this that you have done!" she blames the serpent.  Yah curses the serpent, separating it from all the wild beasts and cattle. "On your belly you shawl crawl" seems to indicate it walked either upright or on all fours, but no more. And now there is enmity between it and the woman and their offspring; hers shall strike at its head and its shall strike at their heel. (A deadly head wound comes to mind). Adam and Eve were banned from the Garden where they had been cared for by YHWH and now had to work to provide for themselves.

Definition of enmity:

: positive, active, and typically mutual hatred or ill will

This everlasting hatred is between Jacob and Esau and their descendants. Our Creator blessed both sons of Abraham, but He only kept His Covenant through Jacob.

In these writings no one is designated as 'Satan' and it isn't until Genesis 6 that we read about the divine beings who had sex with human women who bore those genetic half breeds; and eventually man's wickedness and his continuous evil ways cause our Creator to become so saddened that He regrets that He had made man. 

Was Satan the boss of those divine beings? We're they part of his plan against YHWH and that perpetual mutual hatred between the children of Cain and the children of Elohim? What about that bright shining morning star that some translations read as 'Lucifer' ... was this referring to the King of Babylon or to the fallen state of Satan?

I found this very interesting, the definition of 'Satan' found in the Merriam Webster Dictionary:

• the angel who in Jewish belief is commanded by God to tempt humans to sin, to accuse the sinners, and to carry out God's punishment
• the rebellious angel who in Christian belief is the adversary of God and lord of evil

Commanded by God? I always thought Satan was acting of his own accord, out of pride and arrogance, defying YHWH Elohim.  Rebellious and disobedient to the Creator; lawless, and able to tempt mere humans to sin.

Who we have come to know as Satan was either appearing as a serpent, possessing the serpent, or deceiving Adam and Eve into believing that it was the serpent who was talking to them. This much we can discern by reading Revelation 12:8 ~ But the dragon was not strong enough, and no longer was any place found in heaven for him and his angels. And the great dragon was hurled down — the ancient serpent called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him.

Second Thessalonians 2:9

For the coming of that Evil One is the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders and with all the deceptiveness of iniquity in them that perish; because they did not receive the love of the truth by which they might have life. Therefore Elohim will send upon them the strength of a deception that they may believe a lie and that they all may be condemned who do not believe the truth but have pleasure in their inequity.

Inequity defined:

Injustice = Wrong

Unfairness = Marked by deception

Deceptiveness of inequity = it's all wrong, lies accepted in place of the Truth.  Once we win the battle against being brainwashed all these years, it is amazing how His Truth stands out so obvious against the darkness Satan's wields.

Second Corinthians 2:10

And whom you forgive, I also forgive for that which I forgave to any one for your sakes I forgave it in the presence of the Messiah; or else Satan should overtake us, for we know his devices.

Second Corinthians 11:13

For they are false apostles, crafty workers, and pretend apostles of Y'shua, and in this there is nothing strange, for if Satan pretends to be a Messenger of light it makes sense that his ministers also pretend to be ministers of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works.

First Peter 5:6

Humble yourselves under the powerful hand of Elohim for He cares for you. Be sober and guarded because Satan, like a lion, roars and goes about and seeks whom he may devour. Therefore resist him, being steadfast in the Faith and know that the same sufferings befall your Brothers that are in the world.

Through our own personal battles with temptations, and in our times of joy, we do have Revelation 20:1 to look forward to: And I saw a Messenger that descended from heaven, having the key of the abyss and a great chain in his hand. And he seized that dragon, the old serpent, who is the Deceiver and Satan, who seduced the whole habitable world, and he bound him a thousand years.

Satan has been referred to as the dragon, a serpent, a deceiver, the father of lies and the adversary.  It is believed he was once Yah's most favorite of the host of heaven who chose to leave his station out of pride and arrogance wanting to be 'god' himself, no longer satisfied to be part of creation. It has been his mission ever since to keep mankind from knowing the one true Living Elohim.

Recognizing Demons in Today's World

Most of the following is gleaned from a web site I came across while researching 'demons'. Much of it does make sense in light of Scriptures as we know demons are written of more than once throughout Scriptures. This study is to help us better understand our enemy so as not to be destroyed for lack of knowledge; nor shall we fall for the strong delusion coming our way. I provided Chapter and Verse references taken from my copy of the Tanakh and the Aramaic English New Testament. Please read from your own copy of Scriptures as you further your studies.

We learn from reading Ephesians 2 that before we knew right from wrong we were unaware of our sins and offenses.  We behaved according to the the worldliness of this world (religions, customs and materialism...) and lived according to the will of the prince and power of the air, that spirit which is active in those who are rebellious and disobedient (shunning the Creator).  We gave into temptations and desires of the flesh and our thoughts... we were just like the rest of the people we hung out with. 

Satan is "the prince of the power of the air". 

John 12:31 tells us when Judgment Day comes, the ruler of this world will be cast outside. It is reasonable to think that he and his demons have some control over the elements of nature such as wind, rain, hurricanes, and tornadoes. Remember that it was Satan who directed a "great wind" to collapse the home of Job's oldest son, resulting in the deaths of all Job's children:

Job 1:19  ... suddenly a mighty wind came from the wilderness. It struck the four corners of the house so that it collapsed upon the young people and they died..." 

Another thing I'd like to point out is the fact that governments of this world use weather as a weapon by means of control through the HAARP program, chemical spraying of the atmosphere, pinging and things we've yet to hear about which are all behaviors connected to demonic influence.

It is not logical to blame every illness on demonic activity nor is it biblical. Many of our illnesses are the result of poor lifestyle choices: too much fast food; lack of physical exercise; addictions to things such as alcohol, nicotine, drugs, TV, social media; hanging onto guilt and not forgiving others; holding onto a grudge and blaming ourselves for things not our fault. Though not all illnesses are caused by Satan and his demons, some of them are. Reading in Mark we see there is a difference between sicknesses that were caused by demons and those that were not.

Mark 1:32 ~ And in the evening at the setting of the sun, they brought to him all those who were severely diseased and possessed ....he healed many who were severely diseased with diverse weaknesses  ....he cast out many demons, and he did not allow the demons to speak, because they knew him.

It seems Mark is making a difference between people who are sick with some sort of disease and those who are possessed. Folks can become physically ill from a weakened immune system and maybe if one is spiritually weak they can become home to a demon.

Just like physical illness, some mental disorders are caused by other factors while some are demonically influenced.  Again I would like to suggest it relates to how spiritually weak a person is. I think it is a mistake to say that all mental illness is directly linked to demons. 

Our thoughts and emotions are directly traceable to a series of electrical and chemical impulses in the brain. When the brain does not function properly, drug therapy can help restore the natural balances. However, our thoughts and emotions are more than a series of electrical and chemical impulses. There's an immeasurable, though very real, spiritual component that influences our thoughts and emotions. Positively, this spiritual component can protect us from anxiety and its attendant consequences:

Philippians 4:4 ~ Rejoice in יהוה always, again I say, rejoice! Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Master is near. Do not worry at all, but in every matter, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to Elohim; and the peace of Elohim, which surpasses all understanding, shall guard your hearts and minds through Messiah יהושע. For the rest, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is righteous, whatever is clean, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good report, if there is any uprightness and if there is any praise – think on these.

If a positive spiritual exercise like prayer can influence our thought processes by removing anxiety, then it is reasonable to conclude there are also negative spiritual influences that can seize control of our minds and emotions. While not all mental disorders are caused by external spiritual forces such as demons, some of them are.

Consider the man in Luke 8 who was controlled by numerous demons. A refusal to put on clothes, withdrawal from others, strange voices emanating from his mouth, and deep depression were symptoms that today would immediately land him in a mental hospital. Yet as soon as the demons left him, notice the immediate and radical change in his mental state and behavior: "The people went out to see what had happened; and they came to Y'shua, and found the man from whom the demons had gone out, sitting down at the feet of Y'shua, clothed and in his right mind; and they became frightened. Those who had seen it reported to them how the man who was demon-possessed had been made well" (Luke 8:35-36).

The restoration of this man's mental health did not require years of psychotherapy or drug treatment, because his root problem was not primarily physical or emotional, but spiritual. Please understand that I'm not condemning psychotherapy or chemical treatment. What I am suggesting is that sometimes there is also a spiritual component to mental disorders we should not ignore.

Demons can use other people to discourage, distract, and deceive us. In extreme instances, demons have the ability to use human agents to persecute and murder other Believers. John attributes the slaughter of Elohim's people during the coming Tribulation to demonic activity (see Revelation 18:2,24). We are aware of similar persecution throughout history and in many areas of the world today.

While no true Set Apart believer can be possessed by a demon, we can be influenced by demons - it is an ever present, although spiritual, war. Any area of our lives that is not controlled by the Ruach haKodesh is vulnerable to being controlled by Satan and his forces. You may remember from physics that nature abhors a vacuum. The same truth applies to the spiritual realm. Some spiritual force is going to fill or control your life. Any area of your existence — finances, marriage, work, and morality — that is not being directed by the His Spirit is vulnerable to being controlled by demonic influences.

The key to resisting demonic influences in our lives is to make sure that every area of our lives is filled or controlled by Yahweh Elohim.  Put Him first in all things.

(Adapted from The Divine Defense by Robert Jeffress, Waterbrook Press, 2006)