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The Adversary

  1. God’s Purposes seem thwarted by different sources of opposition. Disorder seems to prevail before God intervenes. The People of God must prepare for and expect opposition that can come from the faithlessness of God’s People, community failure, or foreign enemies. Common terms for an adversary in Scripture are:[2]
    1. אויב (oyeb: personal or national enemy, Exo 16:6, Lev 26:25)
    2. צר (tsar: adversary, foe, enemy, oppressor, Num 10:9, 1Sa 2:32)
    3. שׂטן (satan: opponent, the adversary and archenemy of God, 2Sa 24:1 says it was the Lord who incited David to make a census, but 1Ch 21:1 says שׂטן incited him. Stokes believes this is a superhuman adversary, not Satan.[3] Day believes this is a proper noun for Satan just as אדם is a proper name.[4]

If adversaries can be other gods, then biblical monotheism encounters problems with reconciling the presence and power of evil. If there is no God but YHWH (Isa 44:6), foreign gods are human creations or demonic spirits.[5] (i.e. Psa 96:4-5, Deu 32:17,21.

  1. The Historical Order includes historic adversaries as enemies of the king, the People of God, the nation, and ultimately of God. Israelites encountered Pharaoh, Amalekites, enemies during Joshua’s reign, peace during the reigns of Solomon and David, Assyrians and Babylonians after this period, and Persians and Seleucids are a major theme in Daniel, and throughout Psalms (45:5, 2:1-3, 18:47). Personal Adversaries are within society: wicked (3:7), pursue the faithful (7:1), mock (35:19-20), and accuse (27:12). These are insolent (86:14), hateful (38:19), and hostile (22:12-13) adversaries typical of every person’s lives (p. 236). There is a theme that God’s people will “provoke opposition” and should not “retreat from society,” but should “live out their faith in society.” In the Treatment of Enemies, there is no command of God to hate them. God commands to hate evil and love good (Amo 5:15). There are some expressions of hatred toward adversaries (Psa 139:21-22) due to oppression (Psa 137). Vengeance is found in our nature (Gen 4:23-24). The lex talionis advances a limit to personal vengeance (Exo 21:23-24). Merciful and kind treatment of our enemies is an appropriate action (Pro 25:21-22, Gen 50:15-21).
  1. In The Created Order: Powers of Chaos there is a contrast between Creation and Conflict. God created by divine fiat, not the result of a battle with other gods or chaos. Victory is symbolically shown by waters and chaos. God rules the Waves showing restraint and boundaries. The deluge was the removal of restraints (Gen 7:11). When the waters separated, the land emerged (Gen 1:9-10). God separated the Red Sea (Exo 14:21). Not only personal adversaries represented, but the waters of a cosmic evil (Psa 69:14-15). God rules the agents of Chaos in limited toleration. When an enemy rises above his toleration, he is crushed (Psa 89:9-10). He created (Gen 1:21) and sustains Leviathan. He is able to crush him (Ps 74:13).
  1. In The Created Order: Powers of Evil the OT refers to spirits and disorder at work. The Day of Atonement ceremony gives a proper name to an agent of evil: Azazel (Lev 16:8). I found Azaz’el to be responsible for teaching sword smith, cutlery, armory, eye shadow, ornamentation, and alchemy to list a few from the Book of Enoch.[6] It is not clear who this identifies. Scobie writes that some render it scapegoat (242). Lilith haunts desert places at night (Isa 34:14),[7] which is inadequately rendered “night bird” (ESV) or “desert creatures” (NIV). God’s Spirit departs from Saul; an evil spirit takes his stead (1Sa 16:14). A lying spirit is put deceives Ahab, but answers to God (1Kg 22:22). Evil does not seem to “operate in independence from” God (242).
  1. In The Created Order: The Adversary begins to take a personal shape later in the OT. Satan opposes Balaam on his way to curse the Israelites; he is sent by God (Num 22:22,32). In the prologue of Job, Satan is given permission to test his faith (Job 1:6). Joshua stands in the heavenly court while Satan accuses him; he is rebuked (Zec 3:1,4). David’s census is condemned and said to have originated from Satan (2Sa 24:1). These are the only instances where שׂטן is given a proper name. Heavenly adversaries such as the serpent in Genesis are not given a proper name until later (Wis 2:23-24). This development shows a “growing awareness of the existence of a personal power of evil” at work.

Old Testament Promise

  1. Intensification of Opposition and Final Victory shows the People of God will meet opposition. It will intensify before faith prevails at the final culmination.
  1. The Historical Order: Intensification shows an eventual victory over the adversaries of the People of God enshrouded in the truth that God is not “automatically on our side” (245). The last four of the beasts is strongest (Dan 7:7). False prophets bring a deceptive message of ease of victory.
  1. The Historical Order: Victory shows adversaries will finally be Taken Away. No matter how long or difficult (Isa 59:18), how much the waters roar (Isa 17:13), enemies will be judged (Psa 110:1). They will be Put to Shame (Psa 6:10).
  1. The Created Order: Intensification shows adversaries not only as world empires, but emerges from the great sea (Dan 7:3) of opposition to God’s purposes. God meets these enemies himself (Eze 38:18). There is a future finale.
  1. The Created Order: Victory is given to Israel over the adversaries who will fall upon the mountains and devoured by beasts, lose their weapons, buried, and followed by a feast and restoration (Eze 39:4-17). Hostile beasts will be overthrown (Isa 27:1). The hosts of heaven will be punished (Isa 24:21-23).

New Testament Fulfillment

  1. D-Day and V-Day demonstrate the already-not-yet idea. Christ’s coming doomed Satan, but will be realized at the final consummation. Like WWII, the turning point of the war (D-Day) has occurred and the final surrender (V-Day) will come.
  1. Adversaries in the Historical Order are now seen as evil spirits, cosmic powers, and the agents of Satan. Like Pharaoh, Herod the Great orders male Israelite children killed, but Jesus survives (Matt 2:16-20). Jesus encounters Pharisees, spirits (Luk 13:17), Jews (Joh 2:18, 8:57, 10:24), agents of Satan (Joh 8:44), and government as Historical Adversaries. Jesus’ Treatment of Enemies resembles the manifestation of the OT ideal, which is beyond lex talionis (Mat 5:43-44).
  1. The Created Order: Satan is more pronounced as Devil, evil spirits, demons, and powers of evil. The Ancient Serpent is a personal enemy working since the beginning (2Co 11:3). He is the adversary (1Pt 5:8), enemy (Luk 10:19), evil one (Mt 13:19), tempter (Matt 4:3), god of this world (2Co 4:4), Beelzebul (Mk 3:22), Beliar (2Co 6:15), and father of lies (Joh 8:44). He disguises himself (2Co 11:14) has influence in events (Mat 4:8-9), teaches mankind (1Co 1:20), and hates the Christ and his followers (Joh 1:10, 7:7, 17:14). Satan Falls as Jesus gains victory with each battle won (Mat 4:11) until the final culmination (Luk 10:17-18). The Devil Prowls and Christians must be on guard during his final days (Rev 12:12).
  1. The Created Order: Demons are assumed to be present in the NT. Mental derangements are said to be Demon Possession (Mk 5).The casting out of demons is a separate account from healings, etc. (Mk 1:32, 6:13, 16:17-18). We’re warned not to pay attention to them (1Ti 4:1). They are regarded as agents of Satan. Demons Fall Down before Jesus’ authority (Mk 1:27). This is a manifestation that the kingdom of God has come (Mt 12:28). Exorcisms were not denied. Jesus rebuked evil spirits and storms (Mk 4:39) showing power over chaos in creation. Jesus gave his disciples Authority over Unclean Spirits (Mat 10:1) “in the ongoing struggle against these powers of evil and disorder” (256).
  1. The Created Order: Powers are referred to frequently. Spiritual Forces of Evil are “the powers that be” that exercise authority in the world. Jesus warns we will face them. Spiritual powers exist in opposition to God (Eph 6:12) from cosmic sources. They are the rulers of this age (1Co 2:6-8): both human and spiritual. These originate from God and are good when used as he intended. Jesus’ work on the cross drives out the ruler of this world (Joh 12:31) Triumphing over Them. Jesus the messiah (Psa 110:1) is high above all rule, authority, and power (1Pe 3:21-22). Who Shall Separate Us? from victory over those “doomed to perish” (1Co 2:6). Danger exists in being influenced by the powers, but we have been equipped with spiritual weapons (Eph 6:10) to avoid separation (Rom 8:37-39).

New Testament Consummation

  1. Intensification of Opposition and Final Victory has the NT ending with triumph. Things get worse before they get better. Satan is at work until the conclusion.
  1. The Historical Order: Intensification is demonstrated as Jesus and his followers meet opposition until a gradually developed final consummation (Rev 2:4-5).
  1. The Historical Order: Victory is demonstrated in that no matter how much power an oppressor possesses, judgment is pending. As the Church grew, opposition to government authorities also increased. Revelation tells of their eventual demise.
  1. The Created Order: Intensification occurs as evil becomes focused in a personal agent called Anti-Christ who is slain by the messiah. The term is found in John’s epistles (1Jo 2:18,22, 4:3, 2Jo 1:7). Historians view this character type in Jewish apocalyptic literature; rooted in a monster of chaos in ANE mythology (260). Figures of Antichrist are mentioned as the coming lawless one (2Th 2:1-12), false teachers (1Jo 2:18), and a beast rising out of the sea (Rev 13:1). A “personal power of evil” is at work before the finale (262). Restraint will be lifted and Satan Will be Loosed. Satan persists (2Th 2:9) until the last struggle (Rev 20:3).
  1. The Created Order: Victory will finally be seen in the defeat of the powers of evil. There is Victory over the Powers in Christ’s resurrection (Psa 110:1), but will be realized when all enemies are under his feet (1Co 15:24-25). Victory over the Anti-Christ is iminent. The work of evil present throughout history has been overcome through God at times, defeated in Christ, will be manifested as the end nears, and will be destroyed at the final consummation, Armageddon: Mt. Megiddo or Mt. Zion (Rev 19:11-21). Victory over Satan occurs as Satan is released from his prison and surrounds Jerusalem with his minions (Rev 20:7-10). Fire from God consumes them. There is No More Sea/Night in this final victory. The sea that symbolized disorder is no more (Rev 21:1). The Lord becomes the light reigning forever (Rev 22:5).

[1] Charles H. H. Scobie, The Ways of Our God: An Approach to Biblical Theology, Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2003, 233-268.

[2] Definitions are taken from TWOT, Chicago: Moody, 1980.

[3] Ryan E. Stokes, “The Devil Made David Do It…Or Did He? The Nature, Identity, and Literary Origins of the Satan in 1 Chronicles 21:1,” JBL, 128, vol. 1, 106.

[4] Ibid, 96.

[5] Supported by Holman Bible Dictionary, Nashville: Holman, 2003, 663.

[6] James H. Charlesworth (ed.), The Old Testament Pseudepigrapha, vol. 1, Peabody: Hendrickson, 2009, 16 (1 Enoch 8:1-3).

[7] TWOT.