De-Fanging the Devil, Part 3

As we continue de-mythologizing, the devil, we’re going to transition from talking about his nature to talking about his power. Remember, by nature, Satan is a created being. Everything appropriate to say about created beings is appropriate to say about him: he is finite, he can’t be in all places at all times, he is limited in his knowledge, etc. He is hemmed in by that overarching word, “created.” But let’s transition now from his nature to his power.

Apart from Genesis 3, I think Job chapters 1 and 2 have the clearest record of Satan’s activity in the Old Testament. There, it becomes very clear that the devil has a certain power over nature and a certain strong influence in the lives of some men.

Let’s talk first of all, about his power of influence. In Job 1-2, we see a couple of places where the devil seems to exert a certain influence over the behavior of human beings. Two people groups, the Sabeans and the Chaldeans made raids on Job’s possessions. They caused destruction in Job’s life. Thus, the devil was able to exert a certain influence, perhaps to flare up their imagination or to give them the idea, to carry out these heinous attacks upon Job’s possessions. I think there’s probably another example of this in Job’s wife when she tempts job to curse God and to die (Job 2:9). This power of influence or suggestion was also exerted in Eve’s life and in the life of Peter when Peter denied Christ three times. Jesus himself discussed this with Peter saying, “Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you as wheat” (Luke 22:31). So there’s a certain power of influence or suggestion the devil has.

There’s also a certain power over nature. In Job, again, referring to Job 1-2, the devil was able to stir up a great wind. This might have been a tornado or a straight-line wind as we like to talk about here in the south. This wind caused destruction and death (Job 1:18-19). He was also able to bring down fire from heaven that consumed Job’s livestock (Job 1:16). So, the devil has a certain power over nature. This is also seen where he brought boils upon Job’s flesh (Job 2:7).

Now, let’s be very clear. Those powers of influence and that power over nature may only be used under the sovereign dominion of Almighty God. He does not have unlimited power. He cannot simply stir up a whirlwind or bring about a tidal wave at his whim. He may only do this under God’s sovereign dominion. At other times God himself, without any intermediary, by his own direct agency, brings about certain events we would call natural disasters or acts of God. Therefore, we have to be very careful about ascribing things to the devil.

There have been periods in history, certainly in the Middle Ages, when people looked for devils and demons everywhere. Any calamity, any natural disaster was attributed to these devils and demons. That’s a false worldview. Certainly, as Scripture shows the devil does have a certain power of calamity. But how do we know if a calamity has come about because of the agency of the devil, or if it has come about because of God’s direct agency? Well, the answer is we can’t know. And, because we can’t know, it’s important never to say, “Well this is the work of the devil’s hand.” You simply cannot know that for certain.

What you can know for certain is only what God has given you to know in his Word. You must never ever go beyond what God has said in Scripture. Many folks enjoy reading between the lines and speculating about things God hasn’t revealed. But this is a sin (1 Corinthians 4:6). When it comes to the devil, Christian maturity enables us only to attribute to him what God has said, never more and never less. That is enough.