SATAN. See Angel, Devil
A name for the devil, revealing him as an
inplacable enemy to the honour of God and the true interest of men. He tempted our first parents in Paradise, bereaved Job of his substance and health, causing his friends to reproach him, tempted David to seduce Bathsheba, and to number the Hebrews, and caused Ahab's prophets to induce him to go to war against Ramothgilead. (Gen. 3:1-5; Job 1:2, etc; 2 Sam. 12; 1 Kings 22; 1 Chron. 21) He tempted our Saviour to distrust, to suicide, and to devil-worship, tempted Judas to betray him, Peter to deny him, and tempted Ananias and his wife to tell lies to the Apostles concerning the price of their field. (Matt. 4:1-11, 16:23; John 13:27; Luke 22:3, 31; Acts 5:3)
Long has his power been established in the world, and, by the erection of the Assyrian, Persian, Greek, and especially, the Roman Empire, he attempted to strengthen his power against all attacks of the expected Messiah. However, God made them all contribute to the furtherance and spread of the gospel; and, by the preaching of the gospel, the working of miracles by Christ and His Apostles, and by the overturn of heathenism, his kingdom was overthrown. (Matt. 12:26; Luke 10:17-18; John 12:31, 16:11; Rev. 2:9)
Peter is called
Satan because, in reproving Christ's intention to suffer, he did Satan's work, and under his direction. (Matt. 16:23) (p. 538)
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