Satan’s Names Reveal His Nature and Character
In the garden of Eden we get a glimpse of Lucifer, or Satan, as he was called after his expulsion and fall from Heaven. This passage also reveals Satan’s nature and character after his fall. The Bible says, “Now the SERPENT was more SUBTIL than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made” (Gen. 3:1). Once tempted, Eve told God, “The serpent BEGUILED me, and I did eat” (Gen. 3:13), showing Satan’s crafty and deceptive nature.
Once an anointed cherub in the mountain of God, Satan was cursed by God and took the form of a serpent: “And the Lord God said unto THE SERPENT, Because thou hast done this, THOU ART CURSED above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; UPON THY BELLY SHALT THOU GO, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life” (Gen. 3:14).
What do the Scriptures say regarding Satan’s nature and character? The biblical names given to Satan reveal his nature, character, and also show his realm of authority on this earth.
Adversary: “… your ADVERSARY the devil…walketh about, seeking whom he may devour” (1 Peter 5:8).
Thief: “The THIEF cometh…to steal, and to kill, and to destroy …” (John 10:10).
Murderer and liar: “Ye [the scribes and the Pharisees] are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a MURDERER from the beginning …he is a LIAR, and the father of it” (John 8:44).
Accuser of the brethren: “… THE ACCUSER OF OUR BRETHREN is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night” (Rev. 12:10).
Deceiver “And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which DECEIVETH the whole world …” (Rev. 12:9).
Angel of light: “… for Satan himself is transformed into an ANGEL OF LIGHT” (2 Cor. 11:4). As a deceiver, Satan transforms himself into an angel of light.
The prince of this world: “Now is the judgment of this world: now shall THE PRINCE OF THIS WORLD be cast out” (John 12:31; 14:30; 16:8,11).
Prince of the power of the air: “… in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to THE PRINCE OF THE POWER OF THE AIR, THE SPIRIT that now worketh in the children of DISOBEDIENCE” (Eph. 2:2).
The god of this world system: “In whom THE GOD OF THIS WORLD hath blinded the minds of them which believe not…” (2 Cor. 4:4).
If people understood that Satan is the god of this world, it would clear up a lot of confusion they have about why evil exists on this earth.
Some people are so taken up with the evil in the world that they think the universe is basically evil instead of good. Some people have accused God of being the author and creator of evil. For example, I read an article some time ago written by a well-known newspaper columnist here in America. He said he was not religiously inclined, didn’t belong to any church, and never had. He didn’t believe the Bible was the Word of God, and he didn’t know if God existed or not.
In his article he said, “Christians say there is a God who created everything and that God is running this universe. Logically speaking, it would seem a Supreme Being did create the universe. But if God is the Ruler of this universe and He’s running everything, He surely has things in a mess. Why doesn’t He put a stop to war and poverty and innocent babies dying?”
He was trying to understand why a good God who is ruling the world would allow evil to exist. But this newspaper columnist had only heard one side of the argument—he didn’t know that the Bible says Satan is the god of this world (2 Cor. 4:4).
If this journalist had known and believed the Bible, he would have known that God made the world in the beginning and saw that everything was good (Gen. 1:10,12,18,21,25,31; James 1:17). God made man and gave man dominion over the work of His hands.