Satan – Real or just a metaphor for evil?

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Satan is not a real figure at all, but only a symbol, a metaphor for evil. Such theses can be read more and more often and only play into the hands of those who want to send people straight into the pitfall. The Bible gives clear indications that the devil, the serpent, is indeed up to mischief.

Satan’s existence is doubted

The Gospel reports in many places about the great adversary of God, his different names, his characteristics, plans and his certain end. A biblical fact that has, however, been questioned for some time, mainly by zealous “scientific Bible critics” and modern “theology”. Accordingly, the great adversary was just a metaphor, a symbol for the general evil in the world.

The result: Evil simply needs to be overcome, starting with humans, in order to finally achieve global peace within a united human family. How scientific theology, based on the appearance of Satan, the circumstances and actions, comes up with only an imaginary quantity as the symbol of evil remains a mystery. This cannot be explained rationally.

Accordingly, more and more people are generally losing sight of the work of fallen angels, i.e. demons. These evil beings are unconcerned about their actions and even the people affected don’t even notice it (Info).

The names of God’s great adversary are Satan, devil, serpent, the old serpent, dragon, Beelzebub (Beelzebul). For the first time in the Bible, Satan appears in the Garden of Eden. The event is probably one of the most famous scenes in the Bible, even known to non-Christians. The last mention of the adversary is in the book of Revelation. In fact, in the prophetic final book of the Bible, Satan receives special attention.

Genesis 3 – The Fall

Satan first appears in Genesis 3, in the form of the serpent.
“Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?” (Genesis 3:1)

Already when the first people fell due to the seduction of Satan in the form of the serpent, God revealed His plan of salvation, Genesis 3:15:
“And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.“

The woman means Eve and her descendants. The “He” is clearly Jesus Christ, who will appear from the perspective of the Fall in around 4,000 years. The crucifixion of Jesus Christ announced victory over Satan. Could we be talking about a symbolic defeated “evil” here? Hardly, because as we know, evil still exists to this day. The victory over Satan is for his plans to one day achieve complete dominion over this world, since God will never give up His (eternal) justice. This so-called “predicament” was broken with the work of salvation, the self-sacrifice of Jesus Christ, and with it Satan’s plans. He can’t win anymore.

Isaiah 14 – The fall of Satan

A very striking and today massively doubted passage about Satan and his “career” can be found in Isaiah 14. Here the then king of Babylon stands as a synonym for the great adversary. However, scholars claim that the prophet actually addressed only the king. The salient part is verses 12 to 14:
“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! 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: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.“

The then Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar was indeed a powerful ruler, but his territory was smaller than that of the Medo-Persians, smaller than that of the Greeks and smaller than that of the Romans. He didn’t fall from the sky or hit the ground. It’s worth reading the entire chapter of Isaiah 14 anyway so that the context becomes even clearer. (Isaiah 14).

Nebuchadnezzar and his empire Babylon were also one of the seven heads of the same beast (Revelation 17 – Sequence of animals, horns, kings). Like the empires that followed (Medo-Persia, Greece, Rome, the Papacy), Babylon was also a state power manifested by Satan. It is therefore obvious that a parallel is drawn with Nebuchadnezzar for the fall of Satan described in Isaiah 14.

Ezekiel 28 – Satan’s Origin

An equally informative passage is Ezekiel 28. Designed similarly to Isaiah 14, but with the then king of Tire as a symbolic figure. The focus is on the characteristics of Satan, his origins and his fall into rebellion. Ezekiel 28:13-17:
“Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God; every precious stone was thy covering, the sardius, topaz, and the diamond, the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the emerald, and the carbuncle, and gold: the workmanship of thy tabrets and of thy pipes was prepared in thee in the day that thou wast created. Thou art the anointed cherub that covereth; and I have set thee so: thou wast upon the holy mountain of God; thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire. Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee.

By the multitude of thy merchandise they have filled the midst of thee with violence, and thou hast sinned: therefore I will cast thee as profane out of the mountain of God: and I will destroy thee, O covering cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire. Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty, thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness: I will cast thee to the ground, I will lay thee before kings, that they may behold thee.”

It takes an enormous amount of “good will” to apply this description of Satan to a human being.

Revelation 12 – The Battle in Heaven

Revelation 12 is another passage in which Satan’s actions are specifically highlighted. Only with extraordinary “cognitive contortions” could one create a symbol for “evil” instead of recognizing who is actually meant. Revelation 12:7-9:
“And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven. 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.“

Job 1 – Imaginary Satan in conversation?

The strokes of fate surrounding Job are well known. He experienced numerous defeats in his life. Triggered by Satan. This adversary wanted to prove that Job was only faithful to God because he was doing so well. Satan even appeared before God. Job 1:7-9:
“And the LORD said unto Satan, Whence comest thou? Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it. And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil? Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, Doth Job fear God for nought?“

How did this fit if Satan was just a symbol of evil? Not at all! Here too it is clear that Satan is a personality.

Matthew 12:24 – Impersonal Beelzebul?

As is well known, Jesus Christ healed many people of their illnesses and also cast out demons. This was a thorn in the side of the Pharisees, who were worried about their position of power. They accused Jesus Christ of only obtaining His power through Satan, Matthew 12:24:
“But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, This fellow doth not cast out devils, but by Beelzebub the prince of the devils.“

Ginge man nach so einigen “wissenschaftlichen Theologen”, dann sprachen die Pharisäer nicht von einem persönlichen Satan, sondern vom sinnbildlichen “Ober-Bösen des Bösen”. Jesus Christus antwortete u.a., Matthäus 24,26:
“Wenn nun der Satan den Satan austreibt, so ist er mit sich selbst uneins. Wie kann dann sein Reich bestehen?“

Does this mean that “symbolic evil” even has its own kingdom? This statement only makes sense if it is a personal, real Satan.

Zechariah 3 – The Accuser

The name Satan means “accuser.” Not only does he accuse man by pointing his finger at their sins, but he even accuses God, claiming that He is unjust. So Satan did not fail to accuse the high priest Jeshua. Zechariah 3:1-2:
“And he shewed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the LORD, and Satan standing at his right hand to resist him. And the LORD said unto Satan, The LORD rebuke thee, O Satan; even the LORD that hath chosen Jerusalem rebuke thee: is not this a brand plucked out of the fire?“

Here again, only with immense effort of imagination is it possible to explain Satan as non-existent and only as a symbol of evil.

Revelation 20 – The End of Satan

After the return of Jesus Christ and the salvation of those who remained faithful to God, the beast (from the sea) and the false prophet will be put to an end. Babylon has been destroyed (Babylon – Info). Satan, however, must remain in captivity for a while longer, Revelation 20:2;7:
“And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years
And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison,“

Only after the final seduction of the people who have been temporarily resurrected for the final judgment will Satan find his final end, Offenbarung 20,10:
“And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone“

Satan is very real

It is obvious. Satan, the devil, the old serpent, is by no means a symbol of evil, but rather an actually existing, personal being. He is up to mischief by seducing as many people as possible so that they will go straight to ruin with him.

What better thing can happen to a criminal in his plans when no one believes he even exists? The Bible also clearly states that Satan will disguise himself as an “angel of light” (2 Corinthians 11:14). How easy is it for the great adversary to carry out his pernicious work when no one believes in his existence, but he himself will act as a shining benefactor, with an enticing voice and sweet teachings? His deceptions are so sophisticated and melodious that the people who do His work even believe that they are pleasing God (John 16:2).

In principle, it is relatively easy to distinguish the wheat from the chaff. Anyone who claims to believe in God as a Christian but does not or only partially associate this with the Gospel has an actual “belief problem”. You either believe the gospel, from the first verse to the last, or you don’t.

Bible verses from King James Version