What was your upbringing regarding your belief in Satan or the Devil? How were you taught (or scared) growing up about the fallen angel, the demon, the serpent, Beelzebub, and the many other names? In this episode, we will discover where our idea of Demon or Satan comes from. Brian is so excited about this subject and has prepared a ton of materials for this one. So tune in and see how your beliefs or ideas about the devil line up with what scripture says.
Satan in the Hebrew Bible: Numbers 22:22
And God’s anger was kindled because he went: and the angel of the Lord stood in the way for an adversary against him. Now he was riding upon his ass, and his two servants were with him.
Satan in the Garden of Eden as the serpent: Ezekiel 28:12-19
‘You were the seal of perfection,
full of wisdom and perfect in beauty.
You were in Eden,
the garden of God;
every precious stone adorned you:
carnelian, chrysolite and emerald,
topaz, onyx and jasper,
lapis lazuli, turquoise and beryl.[b]
Your settings and mountings[c] were made of gold;
on the day you were created they were prepared.
You were anointed as a guardian cherub,
for so I ordained you.
You were on the holy mount of God;
you walked among the fiery stones.
You were blameless in your ways
from the day you were created
till wickedness was found in you.
Through your widespread trade
you were filled with violence,
and you sinned.
So I drove you in disgrace from the mount of God,
and I expelled you, guardian cherub,
from among the fiery stones.
Your heart became proud
on account of your beauty,
and you corrupted your wisdom
because of your splendor.
So I threw you to the earth;
I made a spectacle of you before kings.
By your many sins and dishonest trade
you have desecrated your sanctuaries.
So I made a fire come out from you,
and it consumed you,
and I reduced you to ashes on the ground
in the sight of all who were watching.
All the nations who knew you
are appalled at you;
you have come to a horrible end
and will be no more.’”
Where the term “fallen archangel” come from: Isaiah 14:12
How you have fallen from the heavens, O Morning Star, son of the dawn!
How you have been cut down to the earth, you who conquered nations!
Pop-cultural resources about The Devil:
- Inferno by Dante Aligheri
- Paradise Lost by John Milton
- The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer
- Screwtape Letters by CS Lewis
A few images depicting Satan:
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Photo by Norbert Buduczki on Unsplash