By Brian R. Kenyon
Several years ago people said that many of the free computer programs and phone apps were offered at no cost in order for those companies to track and collect data from the responses people gave to online questions, surveys, and feedback in order to make “artificial intelligence” (known today as AI). That was hard to believe back then (but, of course, it did not bother me much because the Lord is always in charge). It seems now that what people were saying back then is exactly what has been happening with all that information we have been giving (and to which terms we agreed)! From where else could all that information that has became part of AI programming come? How does AI know our next move? How does AI seem to read our minds as we begin certain electronic tasks? How can AI write a personal letter as if from me and be so accurate? The answer: AI has had a deluge of information that has been analyzed and cataloged over a long period of time and connected to programming that allows it to self-program!
At this point, there may not be much we can do about AI (except keep trusting the Lord will take care of us cf. Ps. 18:2; Heb. 13:5). However, there is something even more threatening than Artificial Intelligence, and that is “your adversary the devil [who] walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour” (1 Pet. 5:8). The devil has been around for a long time, and has been allowed to gather, analyze, and catalog a deluge of human information and feedback over several millenniums that has allowed him to know every human weakness and to form multiple strategies to solicit humans to sin so they can be eternally separated from God (Isa. 59:1-2). It is imperative, therefore, that we know the adversary and his tactics so we “may be able to stand against the wiles [schemes, ESV] of the devil” (Eph. 6:11).
Satan Is the Adversary
Perhaps the most intriguing yet informative passages about Satan are found in the Book of Job. Twice it is said:
In the Hebrew language of Job, the word “Satan” always appears with the definite article (i.e., “the Satan”), which indicates a title rather than a personal name. Later, it was used more as a proper name. “The Satan” is from a root word that means “to oppose at law” (Hartley, 71). Thus, Satan is an adversary, false accuser (Rev. 12:10), slanderer, and destroyer (Rev. 9:11). Satan mainly operates through deception (2 Cor. 11:2-5; 1 Jn. 2:16; Rev. 12:9; 13:14; 20:3, 8) and false religion (2 Cor. 11:13-15; Rev. 13:11-18). In Job, “Satan [the Adversary, ASVm]” (Job 1:6) is described as a “son of God” in the sense that he too was created by God (as are all created beings). However, Satan is an apostate “son [angel] of God.” Whether Satan appears as one of the “sons of God” or is being allowed as an intruder, one thing is clear: he has absolutely no power over God! Satan must have God’s permission before he can do anything! Sometimes God grants that permission, as in the case of Job (Job 1:8-12; 2:3-6), and sometimes He does not grant that permission as in the case of Peter, recorded by Luke:
And the Lord said, “Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat. 32But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren.” (Lk. 22:31-32)
In the New Testament, “Satan” (from satanas, σατανâς) is defined as the Adversary, Satan. The word occurs thirty-six times in the New Testament (Mt. 4:10; 12:26 [2x]; 16:23; Mk. 1:13; 3:23 [2x], 26; 4:15; 8:33; Lk. 10:18; 11:18; 13:16; 22:3, 31; Jn. 13:27; Acts 5:3; 26:18; Rom. 16:20; 1 Cor. 5:5; 7:5; 2 Cor. 2:11; 11:14; 12:7; 1 Thes. 2:18; 2 Thes. 2:9; 1 Tim. 1:20; 5:15; Rev. 2:9, 13 [2x], 24; 3:9; 12:9; 20:2).
Satan, the chief adversary, is also known by other terms. Revelation 12:9 contains more names for him than any other verse. From the island of Patmos, John first described Satan in that verse as the “great dragon” (from drakon, δράκων). This word only occurs in Revelation 12:3, 4, 7, 9, 13, 16, 17; 13:2, 4, 11; 16:13; 20:2.
Second, the adversary is described as the “serpent of old.” This connects to Genesis 3:1-6, where Satan used the serpent to introduce sin. From that time, the serpent has often been synonymous with Satan (Rev. 9:9; 12:9, 14, 15; 20:2; 2 Cor. 11:3). Third, the adversary is described as the “Devil,” which is from a word (diabolos, διάβολος) that basically means “slanderer.” Most of its thirty-seven occurrences refer to the devil (Mt. 4:1, 5, 8, 11; 13:39; 25:41; Lk. 4:2, 3, 6, 13; 8:12; Jn. 6:70; 8:44; 13:2; Acts 10:38; 13:10; Eph. 4:27; Eph. 6:11; 1 Tim. 3:6, 7; 2 Tim. 2:26; Heb. 2:14; Jas. 4:7; 1 Pet. 5:8; 1 Jn. 3:8 [3x], 10; Jude 9; Rev. 2:10; 12:9, 12; 20:2, 10), but a few of them are used as an adjective that means “given to malicious gossip” (1 Tim. 3:11; Titus 2:3). Fourth, the adversary is described as the one “who deceives the whole world,” which informs us his number one weapon is deception!
Deception Is the Weapon
Satan is described as he “who deceives the whole world” (Rev. 12:9; 13:14; 19:20). Paul already wrote:
Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. (Eph. 6:11-12)
Satan and his angels are alive and active, but they work through deception. Satan and his agents, “false [pseudo] apostles, deceitful workers,” are able to deceptively transform “themselves into apostles of Christ. And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light” (2 Cor. 11:13-14). Although he works through agents who themselves are deceived, Satan is the one ultimately behind every scheme to keep people from the truth (1 Thes. 2:18). These instigators of evil are even able to trick people into thinking they can actually perform miracles, but are simply described as “lying wonders” (2 Thes. 2:9). They are continually allowed to be deceived and deceive others because “they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved” (2 Thes. 2:10).
Perhaps the best passage to get a sense of the deception Satan uses is Paul’s declaration:
For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. 4For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, 5casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ. (2 Cor. 10:3-5)
Physical weapons, of course, will not work in a spiritual battle (2 Cor. 10:3-4), but the spiritual weapons God gives are more than adequate (cf. Eph. 6:13-18). We will say more about this later, but notice the “strongholds” Satan uses to draw people away from the Gospel. First, the word “strongholds [fortresses, NAS]” comes from a word (ochuroma, ὀχύρωμα) that is used only this one time in the New Testament (but is in Pr. 21:22, LXX, where it is translated “stronghold”). The word refers to a fortress type structure. The Roman military’s building of these fortresses provided the imagery used by Stoic philosophers contemporary with Paul to “describe the fortification of the soul by reasonable arguments to render it impregnable under the attack of adverse fortune” (Kruse, 174). Stoicism was the “Hellenistic [Greek] philosophy which sought to make the personal and political lives of men as orderly as the cosmos” by following the laws of nature (Hallie, 19). They used “reason,” referred to as strongholds, to keep their followers from being deceived and swayed from their “orderliness.” As it describes Satan’s fortress to keep people away from the truth, Paul gave four parts. First, “arguments [imaginations, KJV; speculations, NAS95],” which is from a word (logismos, λογισμός) that basically refers to thought, reasoning, and is also used of false argument or reasoning (Rom. 2:15). Such so called “reasonable” arguments as organic evolution, homosexuality being good, deliberate abortion is not murder, and people can choose their genders have no real evidence to support them, but people are deceived into thinking they should be normal and acceptable. Second, “high thing [speculations, NAS95; lofty opinion, ESV]” is from a word (hupsoma, ὕψωμα) that means height; stronghold or proud obstacle. It is found again only in Romans 8:39, translated “height,” where it referred to something believed to be strong but unable to “separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Third, anything that “exalts itself [raised up, NAS] against the knowledge of God.” This indicates “intellectual arguments, the reasonings erected by human beings against the gospel” (cf. 1 Cor. 1:17-2:5). Fourth, “thought,” which is from a word (noema, νόημα) that means mind, thought; method, design, plot, is used throughout Second Corinthians in association with Satan and his deceptions and/or the results of his deceptions (2 Cor. 2:11; 3:14; 4:4; 11:3). Only “the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding,” and which comes through the knowledge of God and obedience to Him, can “guard your hearts and minds [noema] through Christ Jesus” (Phil. 4:7).
Defeat Is the Guarantee
As noted above, Paul wrote, “For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are … mighty in God for pulling down … casting down … bringing … into captivity to the obedience of Christ” (2 Cor. 10:3-5). These weapons being “mighty in God [divinely powerful, NAS]” explains why they are unstoppable (cf. Eph. 6:10-18). “Pulling down [the destruction of, NAS; casting down, ASV]” is from a word (kathaipesis, καθαίρεσις) that means destruction or tearing down (2 Cor. 10:8; 13:10). Like Jeremiah, Paul’s work involved destroying and rebuilding (cf. Jer. 1:10). “Casting” in “casting down” is from a word (epaipro, ἐπαίρω) that means to raise, lift up; hoist sails; in the middle voice, as here, to rise up in opposition (2 Cor. 10:5). It is coupled with a preposition (kata, κατά) that often means down. The phrase thus carries the idea of lifting up and throwing down. The spiritual weapons God supplies “body slam” anything Satan devises, if Christians will just use them! “Bringing … into captivity” is from a word (aichmalotizo, αἰχμαλωτίζω) that means to make captive or prisoner; get control of, make prey of (Lk. 21:24; Rom. 7:23; 2 Tim. 3:6). These terms describe the unbeatable spiritual weapons the Lord provides, guaranteeing the demise of Satan’s strongholds!
Conclusion
Like artificial intelligence, the adversary Satan, although seemingly all-knowing and all-powerful, is actually limited in what he can do. Satan, along with his angels, has been defeated and is awaiting final destruction. The entire Book of Revelation teaches this (especially, Rev. 20:7-15 cf. Mt. 25:41). Satan can be defeated today by being faithful to Christ. After his warning about “your adversary the devil,” Peter commanded, “Resist him, steadfast in the faith” (1 Pet. 5:8-9). James further commanded, “Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you” (Jas. 4:7). These inspired writers would not command something that is impossible! Intelligence of the enemy is important in any war, especially this spiritual war in which eternal souls are at stake! Let us be armed with this adversarial intelligence and continue to “Fight the good fight of faith,” and “lay hold on eternal life” (1 Tim. 6:12)!
