Who Is Satan?

The leader of the evil angels and highest-ranking of the evil spirit beings is Satan. The Bible calls Satan the "prince of the power of the air" (Ephesians 2:2) as well as the "god of this world" (II Corinthians 4:4), for he currently has all the kingdoms of this world in his power (Luke 4:5-7).

The Scriptures reveal that Satan is a real, evil being — not a fictional character. In this study, we will examine what the Word of God says about Satan and see how the actions of this evil being affect mankind. We will also piece together clues about the origin of Satan and learn the truth about his future.

The Bible ascribes the following names to Satan:

• Accuser of the brethren (Revelation 12:10)
• Adversary of mankind (I Peter 5:8)
• Apollyon (Abaddon), which means "destroyer," is sometimes attributed to Satan. But in the context of Revelation 9:11, this creature is not Satan but rather a fallen angel of the "bottomless pit" who is bound until he is loosed in the end times to release havoc on the earth.
• Belial, which means "worthless" or "wicked" (II Corinthians 6:15)
• Deceiver (II Corinthians 11:3)
• Devil, which means "slanderer"
  (Matthew 4:1)
• Enemy (Matthew 13:39)
• Great red dragon (Revelation 12:3, 9)
• Liar and father of lies (John 8:44)
• Lucifer (Isaiah 14:12, KJV)
• Murderer from the beginning (John 8:44)
• Prince of the devils, or Beelzebub, which means "lord of the flies"
  (Matthew 12:24)
• Prince of this world (John 12:31, 14:30, 16:11)
• Satan, which means "adversary"
  (Mark 1:13)
• Serpent (II Corinthians 11:3; Revelation 12:9, 20:2)
• Spirit that works in the children of disobedience (Ephesians 2:2)
• Strong man (Matthew 12:29)
• Tempter (Matthew 4:3; I Thessalonians 3:5)
• Thief, whose mission is to "steal, kill, and destroy" (John 10:10)
• Wicked one (Matthew 13:19; I John 5:18)

Satan is the great dragon who even now prowls around the earth like a roaring lion, "seeking whom he may devour" (I Peter 5:8). Who or what does Satan devour? His prey is none other than the dust of the earth: or mankind (Genesis 3:14, 19).

Who in the Bible Encountered Satan?

The Bible tells the stories of people who contended with Satan, the great accuser:

• Eve, whom the serpent beguiled in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3:1-13; II Corinthians 11:3).
• King David, whom Satan provoked to number Israel (I Chronicles 21:1).
• Job, who did not curse God even through Satan's tests (Job 1-2).
• Joshua the high priest, whom Satan opposed (Zechariah 3:1-2).
• Jesus, who overcame all of Satan's temptations (Matthew 4:1-11).
• Peter, whom Satan wanted to sift as wheat (Matthew 16:23; Luke 22:31).
• Some who hear the Word, and Satan snatches the seed from their hearts (Mark 4:15).
• Israelite woman, whom Satan bound with a spirit of infirmity for 18 years (Luke 13:16).
• Judas Iscariot, whom Satan entered in order to betray Jesus (Luke 22:3; John 13:27).
• Ananias, whose heart Satan filled to lie to the Holy Spirit (Acts 5:3).
• Hymenaeus and Alexander, who were delivered to Satan because their faith was shipwrecked (I Timothy 1:19-20).
• Paul, who was buffeted by a messenger of Satan (II Corinthians 12:7) and hindered by Satan (I Thessalonians 2:18).

Satan, that old serpent, beguiled Eve in the Garden of Eden and is still blinding the eyes of people today (II Corinthians 4:4, 11:3). Satan is the propagator of sin, the deceiver of the whole world, and the father of lies. Jesus said of the devil, "He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it" (John 8:44).