The devil is a servant of God

The devil is widely regarded as God’s arch-enemy; a supernatural being implacably opposed to the will of God who leads people astray. This view is supported in the Greek scripture. However, there is another side to the devil’s portrayal in the Hebrew scripture. This sees him as entirely subject to God’s control. God uses the devil to accomplish his purposes; making him not God’s adversary but, more substantially, God’s servant.

God calls Nebuchadnezzar his servant even though Nebuchadnezzar is an enemy of God that does not know God: “I will send and take all the families of the north, and Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, my servant, and will bring them against this land.” (Jeremiah 25:9). “I will hand all your countries over to my servant Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon; I will make even the wild animals subject to him.” (Jeremiah 27:6-7).

God uses Assyria to serve his purposes without the Assyrians knowing about it: “I am sending Assyria against a godless nation, against a people with whom I am angry. Assyria will plunder them, trampling them like dirt beneath its feet. But the king of Assyria will not understand that he is my tool; his mind does not work that way. His plan is simply to destroy.” (Isaiah 10:5-7).

In the same manner, the devil is a tool in the hands of God. He is not only subject to God, he is used to achieve God’s will.

Job’s example. The subordination of the devil to God is most explicit in the prologue of the book of Job. God hands over Job to the devil by inviting him into Job’s affairs. He extolls Job’s uprightness but the devil contests it, arguing that Job only seems to be upright because God shields him from wrongdoing. Thereby, the devil admits he cannot breach the protective wall God puts around Job.

God then gives the devil permission to afflict Job. However, he sets a limit to this: the devil cannot take Job’s life.

This shows the devil’s subordination to God. It shows he cannot act independently without God’s say-so. Moreover, his affliction of Job was part and parcel of God’s plan and ultimately to Job’s benefit. Although Job initially lost all his wealth and children, the Lord restored them all. “Indeed, the LORD gave Job twice as much as he had before.” (Job 42:10).

Job himself acknowledges that his affliction led him into more intimate knowledge of God than ever before. He tells God afterwards: “I have heard of you by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees you. Therefore, I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes.” (Job 42:5-6).

It is the devil who afflicts Job: “Satan went out from the presence of the LORD, and struck Job with painful boils from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head.” (Job 2:7).

Nevertheless, the scriptures lay the responsibility squarely on God’s shoulders, indicating that the devil only does what God prompts him to do: “All (Job’s) brothers, all his sisters, and all those who had been his acquaintances before, came to him and ate food with him in his house; and they consoled him and comforted him for all the adversity that the LORD had brought upon him.” (Job 42:11).

Even more significant is the fact that God himself accepts full responsibility for being the cause of Job’s affliction, even though it was the devil he used to bring it about. He said to the devil: “(Job) still maintains his integrity, though you incited me against him to ruin him without any reason.” (Job 2:3).

The idea of God using evil spirits for his purposes is presented in other cases in scripture: “A distressing spirit from the LORD troubled (Saul). (1 Sam 16:14). In the case of Ahab, Micah gives us with a fascinating revelation whereby God sent an evil spirit to confuse his prophets and destroy him.

“I saw the Lord sitting on his throne, and all the host of heaven standing by, on his right hand and on his left. And the LORD said, ‘Who will persuade Ahab to go up, that he may fall at Ramoth Gilead?’ So one spoke in this manner, and another spoke in that manner. Then a spirit came forward and stood before the LORD, and said, ‘I will persuade him.’

The LORD said to him, ‘In what way?’ So he said, ‘I will go out and be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.’ And the LORD said, ‘You shall persuade him, and also prevail. Go out and do so.’ Therefore look! The LORD has put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these prophets of yours, and the LORD has declared disaster against you.” (1 Kings 22:19-23).

In effect, as Habakkuk finally realizes, God uses the devil and his evil works for good, disciplinary and corrective purposes: “O LORD, you have appointed them for judgment; O Rock, you have marked them for correction.” (Habakkuk 1:12).

sonmvayina:
The devil is a servant of God

The devil is widely regarded as God’s arch-enemy; a supernatural being implacably opposed to the will of God who leads people astray. This view is supported in the Greek scripture. However, there is another side to the devil’s portrayal in the Hebrew scripture. This sees him as entirely subject to God’s control. God uses the devil to accomplish his purposes; making him not God’s adversary but, more substantially, God’s servant.

God calls Nebuchadnezzar his servant even though Nebuchadnezzar is an enemy of God that does not know God: “I will send and take all the families of the north, and Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, my servant, and will bring them against this land.” (Jeremiah 25:9). “I will hand all your countries over to my servant Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon; I will make even the wild animals subject to him.” (Jeremiah 27:6-7).

God uses Assyria to serve his purposes without the Assyrians knowing about it: “I am sending Assyria against a godless nation, against a people with whom I am angry. Assyria will plunder them, trampling them like dirt beneath its feet. But the king of Assyria will not understand that he is my tool; his mind does not work that way. His plan is simply to destroy.” (Isaiah 10:5-7).

In the same manner, the devil is a tool in the hands of God. He is not only subject to God, he is used to achieve God’s will.

Job’s example. The subordination of the devil to God is most explicit in the prologue of the book of Job. God hands over Job to the devil by inviting him into Job’s affairs. He extolls Job’s uprightness but the devil contests it, arguing that Job only seems to be upright because God shields him from wrongdoing. Thereby, the devil admits he cannot breach the protective wall God puts around Job.

God then gives the devil permission to afflict Job. However, he sets a limit to this: the devil cannot take Job’s life.

This shows the devil’s subordination to God. It shows he cannot act independently without God’s say-so. Moreover, his affliction of Job was part and parcel of God’s plan and ultimately to Job’s benefit. Although Job initially lost all his wealth and children, the Lord restored them all. “Indeed, the LORD gave Job twice as much as he had before.” (Job 42:10).

Job himself acknowledges that his affliction led him into more intimate knowledge of God than ever before. He tells God afterwards: “I have heard of you by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees you. Therefore, I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes.” (Job 42:5-6).

It is the devil who afflicts Job: “Satan went out from the presence of the LORD, and struck Job with painful boils from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head.” (Job 2:7).

Nevertheless, the scriptures lay the responsibility squarely on God’s shoulders, indicating that the devil only does what God prompts him to do: “All (Job’s) brothers, all his sisters, and all those who had been his acquaintances before, came to him and ate food with him in his house; and they consoled him and comforted him for all the adversity that the LORD had brought upon him.” (Job 42:11).

Even more significant is the fact that God himself accepts full responsibility for being the cause of Job’s affliction, even though it was the devil he used to bring it about. He said to the devil: “(Job) still maintains his integrity, though you incited me against him to ruin him without any reason.” (Job 2:3).

The idea of God using evil spirits for his purposes is presented in other cases in scripture: “A distressing spirit from the LORD troubled (Saul). (1 Sam 16:14). In the case of Ahab, Micah gives us with a fascinating revelation whereby God sent an evil spirit to confuse his prophets and destroy him.

“I saw the Lord sitting on his throne, and all the host of heaven standing by, on his right hand and on his left. And the LORD said, ‘Who will persuade Ahab to go up, that he may fall at Ramoth Gilead?’ So one spoke in this manner, and another spoke in that manner. Then a spirit came forward and stood before the LORD, and said, ‘I will persuade him.’

The LORD said to him, ‘In what way?’ So he said, ‘I will go out and be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.’ And the LORD said, ‘You shall persuade him, and also prevail. Go out and do so.’ Therefore look! The LORD has put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these prophets of yours, and the LORD has declared disaster against you.” (1 Kings 22:19-23).

In effect, as Habakkuk finally realizes, God uses the devil and his evil works for good, disciplinary and corrective purposes: “O LORD, you have appointed them for judgment; O Rock, you have marked them for correction.” (Habakkuk 1:12).

Interesting angle

ogyunging:
Interesting angle

What?.
You thought there was something God created that he can't control.? Nah

ogyunging:
Interesting angle

That is one of the psychiatric cases we have in this land.

Dtruthspeaker:


That is one of the psychiatric cases we have in this land.

Lol...go and answer your case.you are mentally unstable...

sonmvayina:

Lol...go and answer your case.you are mentally unstable...

The case was dismissed for lack of merit.

But you are a nairaland verified lunatic.

Dtruthspeaker:


The case was dismissed for lack of merit.

But you are a nairaland verified lunatic.

You no well....I don’t have time for you

Dtruthspeaker:

But you are a nairaland verified lunatic.

Did you learn nothing about calling liars out?

Show us who believes you!

Satan, devil and lucifer refers to three distinct principles with the universe. They are personified to teach certain spiritual truth.
In the babylonian epics which is where the Bible writers drew most of their inspiration from. Satan, his sons and daughters are the baals and asherah mentioned in the bible. That is the gods and goddesses. They occupy the left hand side of the elohim. Some are Chatonic and some are surface. That is some are underworld deities and some are overworled. The most important of these are Enlil, Who is Satan and the destroyer.. he is the God of the air or wind ( the yorubas calls them orishas) the Bible refers to them as the "sons of God". His symbol is the bull. His son Nanna/sin is the moon god. He is the devil or the God or orisha of darkness. His symbol is the goat or the moon. Inanna is Nanna's daughter. She is lucifer. She is the goddess of death and destruction. Her symbol is a dove or a lion depending on her aspect that is revealed.
Other sons and daughter of Enlil includes Ninurta, Ninazu, Nergal( moloch) Ningasu...etc.

One of the most terrifying experiences Christianity exploits is the fear of Satan, his demons, and potentially being left behind in the rapture. Accounts of possession have been recorded in several religions, but alternate explanations range from issues within the subconscious and repressed guilt to hallucinations. ​Without the fear of hell, the great tribulation, and Satan, the New Testament does not have much to keep people locked into its rat race of tithing, being walked all over, and being told how and what to think.

No one in the Tanakh speaks of demons, and God never says he gives his power to Satan. In the book of Jōb, God grants temporary authority to Satan to test Jōb as a quality inspector, but he is not given carte blanche power to run ram shod through the earth. For a short amount of time, he is allowed some reign within the sphere of Jōb’s life. ​Several signs found within the Hebrew Scriptures support the fact that what we are told in the New Testament is not reliable as a truthful resource.
The Tanakh states that it is God who plants the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. It is God who sends evil spirits to Saul. It is God who sends an evil spirit between Abimelech and Shechem. It is God who creates the darkness, who speaks evil, who kills, who confuses the languages at the Tower of Babel, who causes King Nebuchadnezzar to go crazy for seven years, and it is God who tested man. God even frames evil against the disobedient. Everything in the earth is said to belong to God——and not scripture in the Tanakh claims of God giving Satan any authority or rule over the earth. Even though the New Testament makes the claim, the New Testament narrative cannot prove itself true.

God planted the garden and the tree: good and evil
Genesis 2:8-9
God sends an evil spirit to King Saul 1 Samuel 16:14-15
God sends an evil spirit between Abimelech & Shechem
Judges 9:23
God created darkness
and created evil
Isaiah 45:5-7
God speaks both evil and good Lamentations 3:38
God kills and God wounds Deuteronomy 32:39
God confused the languages at Babel Genesis 11:7-9
God causes Nebuchadnezzar to go crazy
Daniel 4:32-34
God tests you
Deuteronomy 13:3

Devil is the same as Satan meaning you don't even know the real identify of the person you want to talk about!

sonmvayina:

What?.
You thought there was something God created that he can't control.? Nah

Which of the control button was pressed by this God in Gen 6 that made him grieve Sir since he controls all things. Or he controls things so that he can be sad arimes. Right?

hupernikao:


Which of the control button was pressed by this God in Gen 6 that made him grieve Sir since he controls all things. Or he controls things so that he can be sad arimes. Right?

Lol....
That is just the words of the writter....

MaxInDHouse:
Devil is the same as Satan meaning you don't even know the real identify of the person you want to talk about!

Lol...funny you. You don't really know anything.

Satan is different from devil and different from lucifer..

In paganism , they represent 3 different laws and principles. Satan is the god of the air or wind.
Devil is the god of darkness

Lucifer is the goddess of death and love. I think the toruba know her as osun.

sonmvayina:


Lol....
That is just the words of the writter....

You haven't answered me.

Can we go by same logic that all you quoted before were just the writer's word and should not be taken seriously?

So answer.
There is a remote button God used in Gen 6 that went haywire. Did he lose the control device or the infrared connection got blurred in the sins of men.

If you can't provide answer to that, then after all. He doesnt control all things. We can then start examining your texts to see that.

sonmvayina:

Lol...funny you. You don't really know anything.
Satan is different from devil and different from lucifer..
In paganism , they represent 3 different laws and principles. Satan is the god of the air or wind.
Devil is the god of darkness
Lucifer is the goddess of death and love. I think the toruba know her as osun.

Is this included in the Torah?
That's why it's impossible for people to have the same line of thought regarding God without Jesus of Nazareth! John 17:20-23

If each person should say exactly what he feels in his heart just as you're saying right now then the arguments will be endless. Even those you thought are on the same page with you will abuse, insult and even curse you.
The only thing that rings in your head along with theirs is to negate the idea that Jesus is the Christ, apart from that all of you can't have the same line of thought regarding what God wants! Luke 11:23

MaxInDHouse:


Is this included in the Torah?
That's why it's impossible for people to have the same line of thought regarding God without Jesus of Nazareth! John 17:20-23

If each person should say exactly what he feels in his heart just as you're saying right now then the arguments will be endless. Even those you thought are on the same page with you will abuse, insult and even curse you.
The only thing that rings in your head along with theirs is to negate the idea that Jesus is the Christ, apart from that all of you can't have the same line of thought regarding what God wants! Luke 11:23

I said "in paganism "...don't play dumb.

sonmvayina:

I said "in paganism "...don't play dumb.

According to the Jews your omenani is an idol therefore you're a pagan!

The following is much more truer.

musicwriter:


The concept of a messiah has been around for at least 5,000 years before anybody heard of Jesus. It's one of the most ancient spiritual concept.

A messiah is a principle NOT a person!!

Horus was called a Messiah before Jesus.

Buddha was called a messiah before Jesus.

Krishna was called a messiah before Jesus.

Mithras was called a messiah before Jesus.

Hercules was called a messiah before Jesus.

Zoroastra was called a messiah before Jesus.

Tammuz was called a messiah before Jesus.

The list is endless.........there are at least 16 historically verified such messiahs known before anybody heard of a Jesus.

That's why Paul said in your bible "but we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness" because it was indeed a stupid thing to call someone a messiah 2,000 years ago. Nobody took Paul seriously since there were already hundreds known older messiahs and saviours before Jesus.

God is an African concept because we created God, Yahweh, Allah. If you want to understand where the concept of messiah came from, you must first understand Satan and how white people blackmailed Africans to create a new fraudulent messiah Jesus. See What's Satan? What's Lucifer? The biggest secret in the world https://www.africason.com/2021/07/what-is-satan.html