(modified January 1998)
Scoffield says, "the angels who go about dong the will of Satan ... may be identical with the demons. The Bible acknowledges the existence of many demons. Mark 5:9 "And he asked him, What is thy name? And he answered, saying, My name is Legion: for we are many."
Thompson notes some things about Satan and his army of demons:
They often are granted permission to afflict the righteous (Job 1:12
They claim authority over the world (Luke 4:6)
Sinners are under the dominion of them (Acts 26:18)
They blind the minds of unbelievers (2 Corinthians 4:3, 4)
They contend with the saints (Ephesians 6:12)
They inspire lying wonders (2 Thessalonians 2:9)
They tempt to disobedience (Genesis 3:4, 5)
They slander the saints (Job 1:9-11)
They inflict disease (Job 2:7)
They oppose the righteous (Zechariah 3:1)
Satan tempted Christ (Matthew 4:1)
They remove the good seed (Matthew 13:19)
They sow the tares (Matthew 13:38, 39)
They ruin the soul and body (Luke 9:42)
They are liars (John 8:44)
They instigate men to sin (John 13:2)
They prey upon men (1 Peter 5:8)
One of the jobs of the Satan and his demons is in their opposition of Christianity. 1 Pet 5:8, "Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:"
The plan of attack has not changed a great deal since Satan's encounter with Eve. But he is extremely clever and persistent. He knows our weaknesses. With Eve, King David, and with us, his plan of attack is summarized as this. I Jn 2:16, "the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life."
I have sat under several Sunday School teachers in the past who stated that the Plan of Salvation was introduced once man had fallen in the garden. It does seem a bit logical that, having witnessed man fall, God organized a plan to offer fallen man salvation.
Let me share a note from another Bible Study. "Satan may have scored a major victory with the fall of man (in the Garden of Eden). Satan may be extremely wise, but he is battling a far wiser being. For when Satan led man to fall, he played right into the hand of God, Far from defeating God, he set a trap for himself. He set up a situation through which God could demonstrate His justice and His love to the infinite degree. God did not want man to fall (see 2 Peter 3:9), but in His infinite wisdom, He forknew man would fall. And He had a plan (see Revelation 13:8) - a plan to save man from his own rebellious state and ultimately destroy the forces of Satan."
Regarding the foreknowledge of God, here are some good verses of Scripture. Acts 2:23, "Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain" (KJV) Acts 2:23, "This man was handed over to you by God's set purpose and foreknowledge" (NIV) Acts 2:23, "this Man, delivered up by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God" (NAS)
Rom 8:29, "For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren." (KJV) Rom 8:29, "For whom he foreknew, he also foreordained" (ASV)
Matt 25:34 Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:
John 17:24 Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world.
Eph 1:4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:
Heb 4:3 For we which have believed do enter into rest, as he said, As I have sworn in my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest: although the works were finished from the foundation of the world.
Heb 9:26 For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.
1 Pet 1:20 Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you,
Rev 13:8 And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.
2 Tim 1:9 Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,
The "World began", (Thayer's Definition, 166) without beginning and end, what has always been and always will be.
2) without beginning
3) without end, never to cease, everlasting
Titus 1:2 In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began;
Isa 14:12-15; 12, How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! 13, For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: 14, I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High. 15, Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit.
Rev 12:7-9; 7, And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, 8, And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven. 9, And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.
Rev 12:3-4; 3, And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads. 4, And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth: and the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born.
Scofield Reference Bible, C.I. Scoffield, D.D., copyright 1967, New York, Oxford University Press.
Thompson's Chain Reference Bible, Frank Charles Thompson, D.D., Ph.D., copyright 1964 B.B. Kirkbride Bible Co., Inc.
Notes made from reading "Satan is Alive and Well on Planet Earth", Hal Lindsey, (I am not certain whether these are my thoughts or thoughts from the book.)
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