Set thou a wicked man over him: and let Satan stand at his right hand.

Psalm 109:6 KJV

Previously we observed the existence of Satan in the Supernatural Before Adam as a serpent tempting man to question God.

If you acknowledge the Almighty Creator of all things and all men, yet recognize that evil pervades creation and the hearts of mankind, then you must ask about this power who deceives the minds of men.

Who (or what) is Satan?

You may have read scripture seeing little reference to Satan, but a deeper understanding of our English translations will reveal a willing and powerful opponent of the Lord God in places beyond the garden and circumstances considerably beyond original sin.

Psalm 109

Several translations of this same verse in Psalm 109 suggest, “Appoint a wicked man against him; let an accuser bring him to trial.” RSV

The man after God’s own heart pleads:

O God of my praise,
Do not be silent!

Psalm 109:1

He prays to the living God – ruler above the angels, spirits who serve and the fallen. The Lord rules over creation whether spirit or wicked man.

5 Thus they have repaid me evil for good
And hatred for my love.

6 Appoint a wicked man over him,
And let an accuser stand at his right hand.

The Hebrew word for accuser here is satan – שָׂטָן

The heading of Psalm 109 in the NASB reads: Vengeance Invoked upon Adversaries. Our best understanding of Satan is that this fallen angel of darkness is accuser of the faithful and adversary of Christ.

Job

A description of Satan in the Hebrew book of Job occurs in a setting of heaven unseen to mankind.

The NLT reads: “One day the members of the heavenly court came to present themselves before the LORD, and the Accuser, Satan, came with them.” – Job 1:6

The King James describes them as the “sons of God [‘elohiym] and the NIV describes them as “angels.” Satan is one of these supernatural beings unseen by Job (and mankind).

The LORD [Yĕhovah] said to Satan, “Where have you come from?” Then Satan answered the LORD and said, “From roaming about on the earth and walking around on it.”

Job 2:2 NASB

Consider it: Satan, an unseen angel opposed to God, walking about among men inciting us (with the Lord’s consent) toward evil.

διάβολος – diabolos

Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil… And the tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God…

Matthew 4:1,3a

Of course Satan knew the incarnate Son of God, led by the Holy Spirit of the Lord God! Yet the devil, the accuser of man, tempted Jesus just like he did deceive man in the beginning of creation.

the Dragon and Serpent

Fearful images: mythical? Perhaps. The great deceiver would have you believe that. But possibly these serpents command such unimaginable evil that man dare not give these any hint of existence.

The Revelation of Jesus Christ to John uncovers a fearful glimpse into the end which includes these representations of evil power.

drakōn – It is the same beast of eden from the Hebrew of Genesis 3:

Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made.

In another unseen future apocalypse in heaven John reveals:

And there was war in heaven, Michael and his angels waging war with the dragon. The dragon and his angels waged war… – Revelation 12:7 NASB

War — between the unseen forces of good and evil. Can you imagine that? Could a decisive defeat of these devils and Satan soon inaugurate a new heavens and a new earth without evil?

Surely men of dust decaying with each mortal day will become caught in the middle of this battle between good and evil.

Where do you stand? Who is your champion in this life — and the next?

Who will stand beside your soul at the Judgment when the Accuser recounts all of your sins before the Judge Who IS?

This October series, Because the Days are Evil,
To be continued, God-willing...