“That Old Serpent”

Part 1

February 26, 2014

There are many different trains of thought on the existence and power of the old serpent called the devil and satan.

Rev 12:9  And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.

Rev 20:2  And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years,

Many believe he doesn’t exist at all, others think he was killed off by Christ by being destroyed by Jesus Christ, still others believe he is a literal man with a forked tail and pitchfork waiting around the next corner to use all his might to inflict the most spiritual damage in his power.

The truth of who that old serpent called the devil and satan is, is quite different when examined by what the scripture of Truth reveals about him.

Dan 10:21  But I will shew thee that which is noted in the scripture of truth: and there is none that holdeth with me in these things, but Michael your prince.

In this series, we are going to dig into various scriptures and ask and pray that the Lord anoints and blesses our eyes and ears to see and hear what we are told about the old serpent, how we can combat him, and what his purpose is in the life of the elect.

Unless we understand the war we are in, we cannot begin to fight the good fight until the end so that we are able to overcome, Lord willing.

1Ti 6:12  Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.

“Satan”

The first mention of the term ‘Satan’ in scripture as the books are laid out is found in 1 Chronnicles 21:1 and illustrates what “Satan” is used for and means throughout scripture.

1Ch 21:1  And Satan stood up against Israel, and provoked David to number Israel.
1Ch 21:2  And David said to Joab and to the rulers of the people, Go, number Israel from Beersheba even to Dan; and bring the number of them to me, that I may know it.
1Ch 21:3  And Joab answered, The LORD make his people an hundred times so many more as they be: but, my lord the king, are they not all my lord’s servants? why then doth my lord require this thing? why will he be a cause of trespass to Israel?

And a few verses later:

1Ch 21:7  And God was displeased with this thing; therefore he smote Israel.

David was provoked by Satan to number Israel, and David did this thing which displeased the Lord so that the Lord smote Israel. So we can see that Satan is used to provoke, but that is not the only function of one who “Satan” is.

The oldest book in the bible, as noted by many scholars, is the book of Job. In this book, we can see the function which “Satan” lives out in the lives of the children of God.

Job 1:6  Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them.
Job 1:7  And the LORD said unto Satan, Whence comest thou? Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it.
Job 1:8  And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil?

As we just read, whenever the sons of God come to present themselves before the Lord, Satan comes also among them “night and day,” that is to say, whenever they are presenting themselves. How can this be the case, and what does it mean that Satan comes among them? What, then, does Satan mean? For many of us, we will already be aware that Satan means adversary, but who can be an adversary?

H7854
שׂטן
śâṭân

From H7853; an opponent; especially (with the article prefixed) Satan, the arch enemy of good: – adversary, Satan, withstand.

The King James concordance has Satan listed as such:

H7854
שׂטן
śâṭân
Total KJV Occurrences: 27
Satan, 19
1Ch_21:1, Job_1:6-9 (5), Job_1:12 (2), Job_2:1-4 (5), Job_2:6-7 (2), Psa_109:6, Zec_3:1-2 (3)
adversary, 6
Num_22:22, 1Ki_5:4 (2), 1Ki_11:14, 1Ki_11:23, 1Ki_11:25
adversaries,1
2Sa_19:22
withstand,1
Num_22:32

Here is an important example of what Satan can represent:

Num 22:21  And Balaam rose up in the morning, and saddled his ass, and went with the princes of Moab.
Num 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.
Num 22:23  And the ass saw the angel of the LORD standing in the way, and his sword drawn in his hand: and the ass turned aside out of the way, and went into the field: and Balaam smote the ass, to turn her into the way.

The word used here in Numbers is the same word translated ‘Satan’ other places. A few verses later it is used this way:

Num 22:31  Then the LORD opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the angel of the LORD standing in the way, and his sword drawn in his hand: and he bowed down his head, and fell flat on his face.
Num 22:32  And the angel of the LORD said unto him, Wherefore hast thou smitten thine ass these three times? behold, I went out to WITHSTAND thee, because thy way is perverse before me:

“Satan” is an adversary which is ADVERSE to the sons of God while he is AMONG them as they are presented to the Lord, and he is used to WITHSTAND them just as the angel of the Lord was used to WITHSTAND Balaam from cursing Israel.

What other functions does the adversary serve?

Rev 12:9  And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.
Rev 12:10  And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the ACCUSER of our brethren is cast down, which ACCUSED them before our God day and night.

So, the adversary is used to accuse and withstand those who are the sons of God. However, that is not the only thing under discussion in this first part of this series. 

“The Devil”

This series was in part brought about due to what the Lord had been working in “my heavens” regarding why it is we all do what we do, why we act or react the ways we do, and what can or cannot be done about it.

I have been doing the “Awesome Hands” series and will pick up with it after this mini-series is done, but this topic has increasingly been on my mind. Then, one day I received an email from a person whom I didn’t know, and his email talked about the topic of Satan.

While most of what he wrote to me was unscriptural and tainted with untruths, it was used to confirm to me that this topic was something the Lord wanted me to focus on soon. As I sat out to study this topic, some of the questions I had been pondering were graciously answered by the things which were inspired to be “re-discovered”.

I ended my last “Awesome Hands” study with the Israelites seeing the firstborn of the Egyptians being killed, thus setting them free.

However, as we read about what happens after this salvation from the Egyptians, the Israelites soon go on to doubt, back talk, accuse and generally disobey “keeping the faith” which had caused them to faithfully execute the preparation of the Passover and unleavened bread which they were commanded of the Lord to perform before the death angel arrived at midnight.

Why is it then, that just like the Israelites who were set free, we all “as a dog go back to our vomit and folly” so quickly after being given another nugget of scriptural truth, or being freed from the various sins that so easily beset us just to commit them again?

Pro 26:11  As a dog returneth to his vomit, so a fool returneth to his folly.

This happens because we aren’t fully aware of our calling and the power which has been given to us, and that is due to the traducer who accuses us day and night and withstands the Truth being brought to Light in our hearts and minds.

Who then is the traducer? He is none other than the devil. What then are the devil’s functions, and why is it I call him the traducer? Let’s see if the Strong’s concordance can help us out.

G1228
διάβολος
diabolos
dee-ab’-ol-os

G1225 a traducer; specifically Satan (compare [H7854]): – false accuser, devil, slanderer.

“Diabolos” is a traducer, a false accuser, a slanderer. To “traduce” means to speak badly of or tell lies about someone as to damage their reputation. However, “diabolos” has a root of G1225.

G1225
διαβάλλω
diaballō
dee-ab-al’-lo
G1223 and (figuratively) to traduce: – accuse.
G1225 “diaballo” a.k.a “diablo” has dual roots and is taken from two words. The first word is “dia” meaning “through” and “ballo” meaning to “throw”.

What then does the compound word “diaballo” tell us about what “devil” means and what he does?

The old serpent was created to be a traducer and adversary. The old serpent was created to be a devil and Satan to and FOR God to use for His purposes.

How does God the Father use the old serpent called the devil? The devil is used as a channel, as a translator, and as a traducer to take the Word of God and mix it with lies so that the unabated and unadulterated Truth of the Word is twisted and distorted into the many “doctrines of devils” which plague the mind of man.

1Ti 4:1  Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;
1Ti 4:2  Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;

What we are starting this series off with is contrasting the “spirit of the mind” with the mind of Christ and how they can be ONE if there is ONLY TRUTH there. If lies are mixed with Truth, then the Truth is VEILED. If there is only Truth, the Truth is UNVEILED.

Mat 27:50  Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost.
Mat 27:51  And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent;
Mat 27:52  And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose,

Heb 10:19  Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus,
Heb 10:20  By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh;
Heb 10:21  And having an high priest over the house of God;
Heb 10:22  Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.

It just so happens that what the Lord has created to be in the spirit of the mind is the adversary “walking to and fro in the earth seeking whom he may devour.”

Eph 4:18  Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart:
Eph 4:19  Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.
Eph 4:20  But ye have not so learned Christ;
Eph 4:21  If so be that ye have HEARD HIM, and have been TAUGHT BY HIM, as the TRUTH is in Jesus:
Eph 4:22  That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the DECEITFUL lusts;
Eph 4:23  And be RENEWED in the spirit of your mind;
Eph 4:24  And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.

“Faith Renewed”

The combating of the old serpent called the devil and Satan is the FAITH that has been given to us. This same FAITH is what was used by Christ when He was taken into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. What Christ dealt with in the wilderness as He was tempted was that of Truth being mixed with lies, but Christ knows the Truth because He is it.

1Pe 5:8  Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:
1Pe 5:9  Whom resist stedfast IN THE FAITH, knowing that the SAME AFFLICTIONS are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.

How is it then that you have HEARD Christ, been taught by Christ and seen and heard the Truth?

1Co 1:18  For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the POWER OF GOD.

1Co 1:23  But we PREACH Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumbling block, and unto the Greeks foolishness;

1Co 1:10  Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the SAME THING, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the SAME MIND and in the SAME JUDGMENT.

The Spirit of Truth comes in this way.

Joh 16:13  Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he SHALL HEAR, that shall he SPEAK: and he will shew you things to come.

Act 26:25  But he said, I am not mad, most noble Festus; but SPEAK FORTH THE WORDS OF TRUTH and soberness.

1Ti 2:7  Where unto I am ordained a preacher, and an apostle, (I speak the truth in Christ, and lie not;) a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and verity.

For almost all of mankind while now in this age and in their own generation, when the Truth is spoken it is THROWN THROUGH (diablo) the old serpent and adversary.

When the written word is read or heard, it is coming from the heavens of the mind, and it is filtered through the old dragon, the old serpent called the devil and Satan, and that is why the simplicity that is in Christ cannot take root unless a miracle from the Lord happens. This has always been the case.

2Co 11:2  For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.
2Co 11:3  But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your MINDS SHOULD BE CORRUPTED from the SIMPLICITY that is in Christ.
2Co 11:4  For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him.

Truth is simple, and it is concrete. Truth is a Way to Life in Christ, who is that Life. So, what is the simplicity that is in Christ?

G572
ἁπλότης
haplotēs
hap-lot’-ace

From G573; singleness, that is, (subjectively) sincerity (without dissimulation or self seeking), or (objectively) generosity (copious bestowal): – bountifulness, liberal (-ity), simplicity, singleness.

G572 is rooted in G573.

G573
ἁπλοῦς
haplous
hap-looce’

Probably from G1 (as a particle of union) and the base of G4120; properly folded together, that is, single (figuratively clear): – single.

G573 is from G1 and the BASE of G4120.

G1
Α
A
al’-fah

Of Hebrew origin; the first letter of the alphabet: figuratively only (from its use as a numeral) the first. Often used (usually “an”, before a vowel) also in composition (as a contraction from G427) in the sense of privation; so in many words beginning with this letter; occasionally in the sense of union (as a contraction of G260): – Alpha.

And:

G4120
πλέκω
plekō
plek’-o

A primary word; to twine or braid: – plait.

The simplicity that is in Christ is that He is Alpha and Omega and He ALONE has made of twain, One.

Christ has put death to an open shame and the he that has the power of death.

Heb 2:13  And again, I will put my trust in him. And again, Behold I and the children which God hath given me.
Heb 2:14  Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that THROUGH DEATH he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil;
Heb 2:15  And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.

Christ made in Himself of twain ONE NEW MAN and therefore made peace possible because He gave us access to the Holy of holies because “the traducer” and his power were abolished by His blood.

Eph 2:15  Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace;
Eph 2:16  And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby:
Eph 2:17  And came and PREACHED PEACE to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh.

“Conclusion of the That Old Serpent – Part 1”

In Part 1 of this series, we have discovered who that old serpent called the devil and Satan really is.

The adversary accuses us day and night before God the Father in all things we do, think and feel. The traducer is the channel that Truth is thrown through before the old serpent is used to beguile us into believing a lie.

Eph 6:11  Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
Eph 6:12  For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
Eph 6:13  Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

In order to combat this and make war in heaven, God sent His only begotten Son so that He could take on the likeness of man and make of twain ONE NEW MAN.

We have a battle raging, and knowing who the enemy is and how we have BEEN SET FREE is the beginning of turning the tide in this battle that rages.

It is a process of “three days” that this temple is being built, and while it is being built we have been given directions on how to make war in the heavens.

Mar 14:58  We heard him say, I will destroy this temple that is made with hands, and (dia)within three days I will build another made without hands.

It is THROUGH the process of three days the temple is built, so may we REST in Him knowing He will finish the work He has started in us. Nevertheless, the Lord has sent us helpers to walk this walk with us.

Isa 30:19  For the people shall dwell in Zion at Jerusalem: thou shalt weep no more: he will be very gracious unto thee at the voice of thy cry; when he shall hear it, he will answer thee.
Isa 30:20  And though the Lord give you the bread of adversity, and the water of affliction, yet shall not thy teachers be removed into a corner any more, but thine eyes shall see thy teachers:
Isa 30:21  And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, THIS IS THE WAY, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left.

In the next part of this study, we will continue to evaluate the work of that old serpent in our lives and learn more and more how his devices work and how we are able to overcome him through Christ in us.