After spending time looking at various paintings in a history course I am taking, I started to think more about the disposition of satan and demons. For some reason I have always thought they were always laughing and “cutting it up” with other demons and satan when someone would yield to temptation. For some reason I have always thought they were so confident and actually laughing at God when another person would deny Him.
This does not seem to be the picture Scripture gives when it comes to the disposition of the demonic. James 2:19 says the demons believe, but the response they have is one of shuddering and not True confidence. It seems they have a form of confidence, but the Object which they worship is wrong. The reason why this has been such different thinking for me is that demons and satan act from a disposition of desperation. God is not mocked! He will not be mocked! He knows the reason why demons and satan want to lead people astray is so they can also become well acquainted with a disposition of desperation. I may be wrong, but it seems like satan or demons would have to come and beg God in order to even have the opportunity to tempt man (this may be a better picture of satan’s disposition in front of God in Job 1). Maybe this is too much speculation. I am not sure.
My point in writing this is to get some of your opinions on this subject. I think I have been giving to much credit to satan and his demons in many areas of my life. I do not deny that the demonic may laugh at us, but my main meditation has been the root of this laughter. The root seems to be desperation. The demonic is confident in desperation and the reality of condemnation. Our confidence should come in the greatness of God, not only to conquer evil, but also to satisfy every longing in our souls.
Again...let me know what you think.
Love Truth
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4 comments:
I was just chatting with some friends about a book published by Cambridge press called "Satan: A biography" which discusses the biblical description (or lack thereof) of Satan and the present perception which is based more on church tradition than Scripture.
http://www.cambridge.org/us/catalogue/catalogue.asp?isbn=9780521843393&ss=exc
Sounds like a good one.
aiyaa! that link won't copy correctly. Just google "Satan biography cambridge press" and it should be the first one to pop up.
hey sista!
Thanks for the reference. It was so good to hang with you. You are an amazing girl! Amber and I love you and what you are doing a ton!
This is actually an area in which I've done a lot of study, and I think your thoughts are right on track. Maureen is correct in pointing out that our idea of Satan owes much more to tradition than it does to Scripture. In fact, an honest reading of the OT reveals that Satan is mentioned only three times, and each time seems to be serving as an agent of God! In the NT, Revelation 12 makes it clear that Satan was cast out of Heaven not before the creation, but at the cross. He is indeed now engage in a desperate attempt to take as many believers down with him as possible. All we need to to win this spiritual war is to stay faithful to the testimony of Jesus.
good thoughts.
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