Subject: Did Satan know God's plan for salvation |
Bible Note: I respectfully disagree. While there is not a specific reference that I can think of that indicates Satan foreknew God's plan of salvation, there is plenty of Scripture which infers this knowledge. In Matthew 4, Satan calls Jesus the Son of God. He specifically targets Jesus, tempting Him to worship the devil instead of God, and offering Jesus all the kingdoms of this world. Also, in verse 6, Satan quotes Scripture... indicating knowledge of the truth. Why would Satan do this unless he knew something was up? Matthew 4 1 Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil. 2 After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. 3 The tempter came to him and said, "If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread." 4 Jesus answered, "It is written: "Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God." 5 Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. 6 "If you are the Son of God," he said, "throw yourself down. For it is written: "He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone." 7 Jesus answered him, "It is also written: "Do not put the Lord your God to the test." 8 Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. 9 "All this I will give you," he said, "if you will bow down and worship me." 10 Jesus said to him, "Away from me, Satan! For it is written: "Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only." 11 Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him. We also read that Judas was an incarnation of the devil, sitting with Christ, knowing full well that Jesus had the keys to eternal life. John 6 68 Simon Peter answered him, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. 69 We believe and know that you are the Holy One of God." 70 Then Jesus replied, "Have I not chosen you, the Twelve? Yet one of you is a devil!" 71 (He meant Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, who, though one of the Twelve, was later to betray him.) Then there is this: James 2 19 You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that--and shudder. Satan fully understands who God is and who Christ is. Satan chose his path and has fought God every step of the way, knowing that his battle was lost. |