Gary Pollard
A “satan” (σαταν) is an enemy or an obstacle of some kind. A “devil” (διαβολος) is one who puts down another person’s character or accuses them. Both describe a similar goal: to make someone less favorable in the eyes of another and prevent their acceptance. Our enemies did this in God’s presence (cf. Job 1 & 2 and at least one non-canonical source), but this is no longer the case thanks to Jesus’s sacrifice! He defeated them for good (Col 1 and 2), so “who is there to condemn when God is the one who justifies?” (Rom 8.33-34).
My point is this: there is one leader of the satans, but there are many who accuse and put down. Perhaps this is why we’re told to avoid even entertaining an accusation against elders if there aren’t multiple witnesses (I Tim 5.19). We often absolutely deserve these accusations — we’re human, we fail all the time. That’s not the way God sees our relationship with him, though! Look at Rom 8.1ff, Jn 3.18, I Jn 1.9, and all of Hb 8. Provided we believe in him and aim higher than our physical bodies, he gives life and not condemnation.
I’m writing this shortly after noon on Election Day 2024. I’ve not kept up with the details of the presidential race, and have mostly unplugged from the rhetoric. This is not out of self-righteousness or some other holier-than-thou attitude. To put it bluntly, I don’t need another reason to view others in a negative light! It’s way too easy to become a satan/devil when all I choose to be exposed to is the weakness of others. Everyone sins, everyone fails to live up to God’s intrinsic perfection (Rom 3.23). Even we who believe have to fight our sinful selves for as long as we’re in our current bodies (cf. Rom 7-8). I have to think that those who shove only the evil of other humans down our throats 24/7 are motivated by the same spirit as those who accuse(d) us before God. It’s much harder (for me anyways) to be “perfected in love” if all I see is the worst of humanity.
In a roundabout way, this article is about how we decide to live after God puts a leader in charge of this country (cf. Dan 2.21). We all have a sense — rightfully so — that this election will determine the viability of our great country in the short and long term. We will likely either lose our national identity and freedoms and security, or we’ll push that decline further into the future. Will we get who we deserve or will God spare us for a few more years? I don’t know. But we beg God to give us the power to love other people and live like Jesus — whether he gives us Trump or Harris, economic prosperity or decline, national security or devastation, freedom of speech or censorship, etc.
“When the assembly of the godly will appear and sinners will be judged for their sins and driven from the face of the Earth, when the Righteous One will appear before the eyes of the righteous whose chosen works hang on the Lord of armies, light will appear to the righteous and chosen who live on the Earth. Where will the sinners live then? Where will those who denied the Lord of armies find shelter? It would be better for them if they had not been born: when the secrets of the righteous will be revealed, the sinners are judged, and the godless are driven from the presence of the righteous and chosen, those who possess the Earth will no longer be powerful and exalted. They will be unable to see the faces of the holy ones because the Lord of armies will cause his light to appear on the faces of the holy, righteous, and chosen. Then the kings and the mighty will perish and will be given into the hands of the righteous and holy. None of them will seek mercy for themselves from the Lord of armies, for their lives will have ended”(I En 38; non-canonical book, for comparison).
Praise God’s name forever and ever! Power and wisdom belong to him. He changes the times and seasons. He gives power to kings, and he takes their power away (Dan 2).
Lord, you are a great and awesome God. You keep your agreement of love and kindness with people who love you. You keep your agreement with the people who obey your commands. But we have sinned. We have done wrong, we have done evil things. We turned against you. We turned away from your commands and good decisions. The prophets were your servants. They spoke for you to our kings, our leaders, our fathers, and to the common people of this country. But we did not listen to them. Lord, you are innocent, and the shame belongs to us, even now. Shame belongs to the people from Judah and Jerusalem, and to the people of Israel, and to everyone who lives near and far in many nations across the Earth. They should all be ashamed because of the evil things they did against you. Lord, we should all be ashamed. All of our kings and leaders should be ashamed. Our ancestors should be ashamed, because we sinned against you. But Lord our God, you are kind and forgiving, even though we rebelled against you. … All of these terrible things have happened to us, … but we still have not asked the Lord our God for help. We still have not stopped sinning. We still do not pay attention to your truth, Lord. … Now, our God, hear your servant’s prayer. Listen to my prayer for mercy. For your own sake, do good things for your holy place. My God, listen to me! Open your eyes and see all the terrible things that have happened to us. See what has happened to the city that is called by your name. I am not saying that we are good people. That is not why I am asking these things. I am asking these things because I know you are kind. Lord, listen to me! Forgive us! Lord, pay attention, and then do something! Don’t wait! Do something now! Do it for your own good! My God, do something now for your city and your people who are called by your name (Dan 9.4-19).
Lord, I have heard the news about you. I am amazed, Lord, at the powerful things you did in the past. Now I pray that you will do great things in our time. Please make these things happen in our own days. But in your anger, remember to show mercy to us.
Figs may not grow on the fig tree, and grapes may not grow on the vine. Olives may not grow on the olive trees, and food might not grow in the fields. There might not be any sheep in the pens or cattle in the barns. But I will still be glad in the Lord and rejoice in God who saves me. The Lord God gives me my strength (Hab 3.1-2, 17-19).
Who can accuse the people God has chosen? No one! God is the one who makes them right. Who can say that God’s people are guilty? No one! Christ Jesus died for us, but that is not all. He was also raised from death. And now he is at God’s right side, speaking to him for us. Can anything separate us from his love? Can trouble or problems or persecution separate us from his love? If we have no food or clothes or face danger or even death, will that separate us from his love? … But through all of these troubles, we have complete victory through God who has shown his love for us. Yes, I am sure that nothing can separate us from God’s love — not death, life, angels, or ruling spirits. I am sure that nothing now, nothing in the future, no powers, nothing above us or nothing below us — nothing in the whole created world — will ever be able to separate us from the love God has shown us in Christ Jesus our master” (Rom 8.34-39).
Jesus is the one who says that all of this is true. Now he says, “Yes, I am coming soon.” I agree completely — come back to us, Jesus our master” (Rv 22.20).
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