and do not give the devil an opportunity. Ephesians 4:27 NASB Opportunity – “Opportunity” isn’t quite what the Greek text implies. Paul’s word is topos, i.e., place. It’s a topographical term. “Don’t give the devil any space.” “In common usage this word means a. ‘territory,’ ‘land,’ ‘area,’ ‘locality,’ b. ‘district,’ ‘town,’ ‘dwelling place,’ and c. ‘place’ in…
For we wanted to come to you—I, Paul, more than once—and yet Satan hindered us. 1 Thessalonians 2:18 NASB Satan – What was the first century Jewish view of “Satan”? Why does Paul refer to Satan when he writes to the Thessalonians? Where did the idea come from? For most contemporary believers, Satan is as real as it gets. …
Now there was a day when the [b]sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and [c]Satan also came among them. Job 1:6 NASB Satan – A few footnotes tells you that the phrase “sons of God” and the noun “Satan” are modern interpretations of the ancient ambiguous Hebrew text. A lot of milage has been…
“When the unclean spirit comes out of [a]a person, it passes through waterless places seeking rest, and not finding any, it then says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ And when it comes, it finds it swept and put in order. Then it goes and brings along seven other spirits more evil than…
And a command has gone out from the Lord against those who dwell upon the dry ground that this must be their end. For they have learnt all the secrets of the Angels, and all the wrongdoings of the satans, and all their secret power, and all the power of those who practice magic arts,…
having canceled the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us, which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. When He had disarmed the rulers and authorities, He made a public display of them, having triumphed over them through Him. Colossians 2:14-15 NASB The rulers and authorities – The Midwestern Baptist…
Now there was a day when the [b]sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and [c]Satan also came among them. Job 1:6 NASB Sons of God – Some authors have made a lot of the idea that there are multiple divine beings in the biblical account. With verses like this one from the book of…
For we wanted to come to you—I, Paul, more than once—and yet Satan hindered us.1 Thessalonians 2:18 NASB Satan– What was the first century Jewish view of “Satan”? Why does Paul refer to Satan when he writes to the Thessalonians? Where did the idea come from? For most contemporary believers, Satan is as real as it gets. He and…
“But put forth Your hand now and touch all that he has; he will surely curse You to Your face.” Job 1:11 NASB Your hand– yadeka. Your hand. The pronoun carries a lot of weight here. This isn’t just any external force. This is the hand of God. That is uncomfortable. Do we ignore the bad in order…
“How you have fallen from heaven, O star of the morning, son of the dawn! You have been cut down to the earth, you who have weakened the nations!” Isaiah 14:12 NASB Star of Morning – In an important research article, Roy Blizzard exposes the pagan origins of our usual concept of Satan. It’s worth reading:…
