church of Christ at 26th and Connecticut
Joplin, Missouri

Phone
417-781-2326
Fax
417-781-2326

   Worship Schedule

Sunday
    Bible Class              9 am
    Morning Worship    10 am
    Evening Worship      6 pm

Wednesday
     Devotional & Class   7 pm

Upcoming Activities

Satan in the Old Testament

In the New American Standard Bible (the translation from which I preach), the word “devil” appears 34 times in the New Testament, but it does not appear in the Old Testament at all (even though the Old Testament is much longer than the New Testament).  Likewise, the word “Satan” appears 36 times in the New Testament, but, only 18 times in the Old Testament (that is, exactly half the number of times that it appears in the New Testament).  And those 18 appearances of the word “Satan” in the Old Testament are actually all located in three passages: 1 Chronicles 21, Job 1-2, and Zechariah 3.

Satan and David

The first passage, 1 Chronicles 21, says, “Then Satan stood up against Israel and moved David to number Israel” (verse 1 NASB).  If it weren’t already clear from Satan’s involvement in this incident, the text goes on to make clear that “God was displeased with this thing” (verse 7 NASB).  This passage has puzzled people, because they wonder what is wrong with taking a census?  After all, didn’t God elsewhere command the taking of a census ["Take a census of all the congregation of the people of Israel, by clans, by fathers' houses, according to the number of names, every male, head by head” (Numbers 1:2 ESV)]?  Apparently, it was David’s motive for the census that was displeasing to God.  Perhaps David was acting out of pride, and, as James and Peter both said (both of them quoting Proverbs 3:34) "God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble” (James 4:6 ESV; 1 Peter 5:5).

Satan and Job

The second passage, Job 1-2, tells of Satan appearing before God and obtaining permission to test Job’s faith by taking away Job’s wealth, health, and children.  The incident seems similar to what Jesus would say to Simon Peter: "Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat” (Luke 22:31 ESV).  An interesting thing from the Job account, is that twice Satan tells God that he has been "roaming about on the earth and walking around on it” (Job 1:7 NASB; 2:2).  This reminds us of what Peter said, “Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8 ESV). 

Satan and Joshua

In the third passage, Zechariah 3, an angel shows Zechariah a vision of Satan making accusations against Joshua the high priest, and God rebuking Satan for doing so.  Actually the word “Satan” (which is also “Satan” in Hebrew) is elsewhere translated “an accuser” (Psalm 109:6 NASB).  Likewise, the Greek word for “devil” has been translated “false accuser” (2 Timothy 3:3 KJV; Titus 2:3 KJV).  And the apostle John wrote that Satan is “the accuser of our brothers” (Revelation 12:10 ESV).  Actually, even in the previous passage, we see Satan accusing Job [he tells God, “But put forth Your hand now and touch all that he has; he will surely curse You to Your face” (1:11 NASB); and “However, put forth Your hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh; he will curse You to Your face” (2:5 NASB)].  So Satan—the accuser—accused Joshua, Job, John’s brothers in the first century, and, no doubt, you and I today.

Satan and Eve

Even though the words “Satan” or “devil” do not appear in Genesis 3, there can be no doubt that the serpent mentioned there is none other than Satan himself.  The New Testament makes this clear by referring to “that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan” (Rev. 12:9 ESV).  Thus, when God told the serpent, “I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel” (Genesis 3:15 ESV), we see more than just a lesson about the relationship between snakes and human beings.  Paul seems to have the passage in mind when, after warning the Romans about false teachers and telling them to be wise and faithful, he said, “The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet” (Rom 16:20 NASB).  Concerning this passage, David Lipscomb wrote, “if a congregation of Christians would avoid the teachers that are not faithful to God and will be wise and faithful to his service, then God will quickly enable them to triumph over the evil one.”