Satan Knows His Time is Short!

Since November 28, 2022, Pastor Ted Dudak has been preaching on the book called “The Revelation of Jesus Christ.” During that time, he has mentioned and elaborated on Satan six times found in Rev 2:9, 3:9, 2:13, 2:14, 9:11, and 12:9-12. He is not finished yet. He will expose Satan again in 20:1-3, 20:7-8, and Rev 20:10.

Satan was first named Lucifer, which means shining one, light-bearer. ““How you are fallen from heaven, O Day Star, son of Dawn! How you are cut down to the ground, you who laid the nations low!” (Isaiah 14:12). Other translations show O Lucifer, son of the morning!

Ezekiel gives us the best account of how and why he was created by God:

Satan Guarding Eden

“You were in Eden, the garden of God; every precious stone was your covering, sardius, topaz, and diamond, beryl, onyx, and jasper, sapphire, emerald, and carbuncle; and crafted in gold were your settings and your engravings. On the day that you were created they were prepared. You were an anointed guardian cherub. I placed you; you were on the holy mountain of God; in the midst of the stones of fire you walked.” (Ezekiel 28:13–14)

Wow! Lucifer basically had it all. He was the perfection of wisdom and beauty as we find in Ezekiel 28:12. He was put in the holy mountain of God as a guardian for Eden. What happened? While a whole other topic, Lucifer, like all the angels and Adam and Eve at first had free will. He chose to sin against our Holy God as he let his pride take over. Pride is the original sin. Most every sin entails the sin of pride. I can just picture him standing atop that holy mountain and observing all he could see gave him that pride. Isaiah describes Lucifer’s process quite clearly: “You said in your heart, ‘I will ascend to heaven; above the stars of God I will set my throne on high; I will sit on the mount of assembly in the far reaches of the north; I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.’” (Isaiah 14:13–14). Once fallen, he and the third of the angels that fell with him have absolutely no chance of salvation. Thank God for sending Jesus in His plan of redemption for us.

We must guard ourselves against him for he possesses intelligence (2 Cor. 2:11; 11:3). He possesses memory (Matt. 4:6). He possesses a will (2 Tim. 2:26). He possesses desire (Luke 22:31). He possesses pride (1 Tim. 3:6). He possesses wrath (Rev. 12:12). He possesses great organizational ability (1 Tim. 4:1; Rev. 2:9, 24).

When used as a proper name, the Hebrew word so rendered has the article "the adversary." The Book of Job mentions Satan seven times within chapter 1:6-12 Chapter 2:1-7 again shows his name again, with the perfect number seven!

Satan is known by Twenty-Two other names in Scripture and those names are used in more than once. For example, we find in the New Testament it is used as interchangeable with Diabolos, or the devil, and is so used more than thirty times; He has twenty-one other names in the Scriptures; Satan (adversary), his most common name, used some 52 times; The devil (slanderer) used 35 times; The prince of the power of the air (Eph. 2:2); The god of this age (2 Cor. 4:4); The king of death (Heb. 2:14); The prince of this world (John 12:31); The ruler of darkness (Eph. 6:12); Leviathan (one who dwells in the sea of humanity) (Isa. 27:1); Lucifer (light-bearer, shining one) (Isa. 14:12); The dragon (Rev 12:7). The deceiver (Rev. 20:10); Apollyon (destroyer) (Rev. 9:11); Beelzebub (prince of demons) (Matt. 12:24); Belial (vileness, ruthlessness) (2 Cor. 6:15); The wicked one (Matt. 13:38); The tempter (1 Thess. 3:5); The accuser of the brethren (Rev. 12:10); An angel of light (2 Cor. 11:14–15); A liar (John 8:44; Gen. 3:4–5); A murderer (John 8:44); The enemy (Matt. 13:39) and A roaring lion (1 Pet. 5:8).

Since his fall Satan knows his time is limited, as Pastor Ted covered: “Therefore, rejoice, O heavens and you who dwell in them! But woe to you, O earth and sea, for the devil has come down to you in great wrath, because he knows that his time is short!”” (Revelation 12:12)

Peter warns us: “Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.” (1 Peter 5:8) That someone(s) is all of us, especially Christians. He doesn’t have to go after the unbelievers; he already has them, yet he continues to deceive them to keep them from hearing the Word of God.

Satan prowling the earth, sows tares among God’s wheat. He is the instigator of many false doctrines, and perverts the Word of God. He hinders the works of God’s servants, especially His preachers and teachers as they diligently study His Word. As we find in Daniel 10:12-13, Satan resists the prayers of God’s servants. He blinds the unbelievers to the truth (2 Cor 4:4). In other scriptures, he lays snares for men; tempts them and afflicts them. He undermines the sanctity of the home (1 Cor 7:3-5). He prompts both saints and sinners to transgress against the holiness of God.

How can we stand against Satan and his armies? How can we avoid his snares, lies, traps, and the rest? By studying God’s Word (Logos) in the sixty-six books that He has provided - the Bible.

Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®, copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.