‘All hail the rise of baby Lucifer — now a more popular baby name than
Nigel or Trevor’.[1]
What a
headline! Traditionally, people will have named their baby boys after a loved
one, perhaps a father, a grandfather an uncle, or even a famous person; but how
times have changed. Many, abandoning long-established forenames now seek to
name their children something different, something that makes their little one
stand out. Following this trend, last year in the U.K. fifteen parents saw fit
to name their baby boys Lucifer.
What the devil is going on?
“The devil's finest trick is to persuade you that he does not exist.”
It seems that there is a lack of clarity regarding who
said this, but what is certain is the truth of it. There are many who deny the
existence of a personal devil.
Certainly, to say that you believe in the devil, in the
increasingly secular West, is to invite scorn and laughter. The devil clearly knows what he is doing.
It should be of little surprise to us that those outside
of Christ would deny the reality of a personal devil, after all ‘the god of
this world blinds the minds of unbelievers’ (2 Corinthians 4:4); but what are
we to make of those who claim an allegiance to Christ, who also deny the
existence of the devil?
The devil is in the detail…
There appears to be an increasing number of ‘believers’
who reject a personal devil. For sure they will offer reasons for their lack of
belief, but I am confused how this conclusion can be reached if one reads, and
believes, the Bible.
The New Testament is replete with those who speak of and
encounter a personal devil. Let’s begin where we should, with the Lord Jesus
Christ Himself.
Matthew 4:10-11
Then Jesus said to him, “Be
gone, Satan! For it is written,
“‘You shall worship the Lord your God
and him
only shall you serve.’”
11 Then the
devil left him, and behold, angels came and were ministering to him.
Jesus is here being tempted by the devil in the
wilderness. Notice how Jesus speaks to him as a personal being and how this ‘being’
then left Him.
In John 8 Jesus again speaks of the devil as a personal
being with personal traits:
John 8:44
You are of your
father the devil, and your will is to do your father's desires. He was a
murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because
there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own
character, for he is a liar and the father of lies.
Jesus is not only aware of a personal devil, but He also knows of those
spiritual beings (demons) who are part of the devil’s cohort.
Mark 5:7-9
And crying
out with a loud voice, he said, “What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son
of the Most High God? I adjure you by God, do not torment me.” For
he was saying to him, “Come out of the man, you unclean spirit!” And Jesus asked him, “What
is your name?” He replied, “My name
is Legion, for we are many.”
Luke 10:17-20
The seventy-two
returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in
your name!” And he said to them, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. Behold,
I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over
all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you. Nevertheless,
do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your
names are written in heaven.”
Jesus also speaks of a future place
prepared for such beings:
Matthew 25:41
“Then he will say
to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the
eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.
If Jesus believed in a personal devil
and the fallen angels who follow him – shouldn’t also those who claim Jesus as
Lord?
Follow the Leader
Early prominent followers of the Lord Jesus had no
problem believing in a personal devil. Both Peter and Paul warned believers of
this enemy.
1 Peter 5:8-9
Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world.
Ephesians 6:10-13
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armour of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armour of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm.
Master of Deception.
The devil is the master of deception. If he can convince the
world he does not really exist, he can happily go about his monstrous deeds
with little opposition.
Though people claim not to believe in him or his minions,
the world is still obsessed with the idea of ghosts, ghouls and demonic
activity. Halloween gets bigger ever year and Hollywood churns out countless
films each year based on the idea that hiding in our universe are various
maleficent beings.
The Bible is clear that the devil and fallen angels are
all around us. Occasionally we get glimpses of them, we can sometimes, as Jesus
did, come face to face with them. They are real. But who are they? Who is the
devil? Where did he come from? We will consider this, and more, next time.
Comments