Satan’s Hindrance Series

Children are constantly coming up with that profound argument

that they feel is an infallible guide to what ought to be-“But I

wanna.” I remember explaining to Steven one time that we don’t

always get to do what we want, and Cindy felt that was good advice.

So the next time he was refused and hollered out his most powerful

argument, “But I want to!” Lavonne and I were delighted when in

all seriousness Cindy said, “But Steven, we don’t always get what we

want you know.” That advice, like most advice, is only remembered

to be given away and not to be applied, for Cindy herself became

convinced that “I want to,” is the ultimate argument.

Adults have the same problem. We have desires and wants we

would like to fulfill, but we are hindered and frustrated and we

wonder why? Paul had this problem also. He was eagerly trying to

get back to Thessalonika. His desire to do was great, and he wanted

desperately to get back there. But when he couldn’t fulfill that

desire, he did not say it must be the Lord’s will, but he said instead

that Satan hindered him. We want to consider this adversary of

Paul and the attitude he had about this adversary.

I. PAUL’S ADVERSARY.

The first thing we see from the context is that Paul did not use

Satan as a scapegoat for all evil. He had just given a blistering

denunciation of the Jews without mentioning Satan. He did not

doubt that Satan was the instigator of it all, but those who follow

Satan are guilty by their own choice, and the blame cannot be

thrown off of them. Satan caused the fall of Adam and Eve too, but

they were punished and were not excused on the basis of a

scapegoat. We need to have some understanding of this adversary,

and so we will look at a few facts.

A. HIS ORIGIN.

The church has always agreed that Satan is a created being, and

that he was created holy. E. M. Bounds wrote, “We have no genesis

of the devil in the Bible as a direct statement.” The Bible is only

concerned with his history in relation to humanity. The curtain is

drawn and the main actors are already on the stage. Isa. 14: and

Ezek. 28 are passages often used to get information about Satan.

The text actually refer to the king of Babylon and Tyre. When we

were assigned to do research on Isa. 14:12 in the Seminary, which

reads, “How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the

morning.” Not one of the great commentaries saw a reference to

Satan. Those who feel these texts do refer to Satan say that this was

before he was cast out of heaven. They see this as yet future just

before a great tribulation.

In spite of the lack of a definite statement the tradition of the

church has been that Satan was a perfect angel, and possibly even

the highest angel. It was because of pride that he rebelled against

God, and others followed him and were cast out of heaven. Jude 6

says, “And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their

own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under

darkness unto the judgment of the last day.” In the Jewish tradition

man played a major role in the fall of Satan and his angels. In The

Books of Adam and Eve Satan gives his own account of why he fell.

God created Adam and Eve and then commanded the angels to

worship them. The following is Satan’s response:

“Michael also brought thee and made us worship thee in the

sight of God; and God the Lord spoke: ‘Here is Adam. I have

made thee in my own image and likeness.’ And Michael went

out and called all the angels, ‘Worship the image of God as the

Lord God hath commanded.’ And Michael himself worshiped

first; then he called me and said, ‘Worship the image of God

the Lord.’ And I answered, ‘I have no need to worship Adam.”

And since Michael kept urging me to worship, I said to him,

‘Why dost thou urge me? I will not worship an inferior and

younger being than I. I am his senior in the creation, before

he was made was I already made. It is his duty to worship

me.’”

The result was that he was cast out with others, and in revenge

he tempted Eve and got them cast out of Eden. It is a case of misery

loving company. This idea has been held by some Christian

theologians, and a number feel that it was Satan’s aggravation with

man in some form that lead to his rebellion.

B. HIS OCCUPATION.