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It seems when you go through the bible and just looking at all the bad and wicked things in life, people will say sin and Satan is the cause.
Why let something with this much evil influence roam the earth and cause havoc for 5-6000 yrs so far to be killed at the end of the tribulation when Satan could have just been wiped out when he was kicked out of heaven.
It seems when you go through the bible and just looking at all the bad and wicked things in life, people will say sin and Satan is the cause.
Why let something with this much evil influence roam the earth and cause havoc for 5-6000 yrs so far to be killed at the end of the tribulation when Satan could have just been wiped out when he was kicked out of heaven.
Since Satan's fall and his subsequent sentencing to the lake of fire by God occurred before human history began, and yet the sentence will not be carried out until the end of human history at the end of the Millennium at which point the eternal state for man begins, it is a reasonable assumption that Satan objected to the sentence and accused God of being unfair, thereby impugning the character of God. It pleased God to demonstrate to all of creation that He was just in His sentencing of Satan to banishment in the lake of fire. During human history God is giving Satan an opportunity to appeal his case. Human history then is the appeal trial of Satan in which he is attempting to prove his boast that he is capable of ruling as well as God (Isa. 14:13-14). Satan is called the god of this age (2 Cor. 4:4), and the ruler of this world (John 12:31, 14:30, 16:11).
This 'angelic conflict' is one of the reasons that God created man. And this spiritual warfare thoughout the course of human history can be seen throughout the Bible. For man, the battlefield in which he participates in this conflict is in the soul. The angelic conflict from the standpoint of the angels can be seen in such passages as Daniel chapter 10 in which an angel described as a man by Daniel, probably Gabriel who is mentioned in Daniel 9:21, states that he was withheld from coming to Daniel by the prince of Persia (10:13) (a fallen angel in the ranks of Satan assigned by Satan to Persia, not a human prince) for twenty one days until one of the chief princes, Michael came to help him. After delivering his message to Daniel Gabriel then states that he is returning to fight against the prince of Persia (10:20-21), and in Revelation 12:7-9 in which during the middle of the Tribulation Satan and his angels are warring against Michael and his angels. Satan at that time will be permanently cast out of heaven and confined to the earth at which time he will vent his rage upon Israel.
While God could have immediately sent Satan and the angels who rebelled with him to the lake of fire, He chose to give Satan an opportunity to prove that the sentence was unjust. This is what human history is about. Satan of course has no chance of winning.
It seems when you go through the bible and just looking at all the bad and wicked things in life, people will say sin and Satan is the cause.
Why let something with this much evil influence roam the earth and cause havoc for 5-6000 yrs so far to be killed at the end of the tribulation when Satan could have just been wiped out when he was kicked out of heaven.
The existence of The Devil is a theological nightmare for those that are thinkers and believers in God. Augustine did a fair job with this issue.
The idea that there is a being out there that makes people do evil things is extremely weird, but it was a very useful preaching tool to gain converts. And to this day it still works.
The existence of the Devil also diminishes God because God is supposed to be infinite GOODNESS. Then why allow a DEVIL to cause havoc on humans?
The solution is simple:
Just assume the Devil is the symbol of EVIL within man: CASE CLOSED.
Assume allegory every single time Satan or the Devil is mentioned in the Bible.
It seems when you go through the bible and just looking at all the bad and wicked things in life, people will say sin and Satan is the cause.
Why let something with this much evil influence roam the earth and cause havoc for 5-6000 yrs so far to be killed at the end of the tribulation when Satan could have just been wiped out when he was kicked out of heaven.
That's why it would make more sense to understand "satan" (adversary) and "devil" (false accuser) as referring to anything in our own mind that causes us to live as if we are separated from God.
And the parable of the wheat and tares would explain why God doesn't just rip it up destroy it from within us. Because it would destroy us (our consciousness) in the process.
The existence of The Devil is a theological nightmare for those that are thinkers and believers in God. Augustine did a fair job with this issue.
The idea that there is a being out there that makes people do evil things is extremely weird, but it was a very useful preaching tool to gain converts. And to this day it still works.
The existence of the Devil also diminishes God because God is supposed to be infinite GOODNESS. Then why allow a DEVIL to cause havoc on humans?
The solution is simple:
Just assume the Devil is the symbol of EVIL within man: CASE CLOSED.
Assume allegory every single time Satan or the Devil is mentioned in the Bible.
No, the case is not closed simply because you refuse to believe what the Bible says about him. Satan is shown to be a real being who when he tempted Jesus in the wilderness took Jesus into the holy city and had Him stand on the pinnacle of the temple (Matthew 4:5). And no, that does not read as an allegory.
No, the case is not closed simply you refuse to believe what the Bible says about him. Satan is shown to be a real being who when he tempted Jesus in the wilderness took Jesus into the holy city and had Him stand on the pinnacle of the temple (Matthew 4:5). And no, that does not read as an allegory.
It sure looks allegorical to me.
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