“…and every spirit that does not confess Jesus, is not from God, that IS (capitals mine) the spirit of the antichrist, of which you have heard is coming, and now is already in the world. You are from God, little children, and have overcome them; BECAUSE GREATER IS HE WHO IS IN YOU THAN HE WHO IS IN THE WORLD. (capitals mine)”
1 John 4:3-4
Perhaps Satan IS the greatest liar in the history of the universe, but smart he ain’t! How could someone/something be created by God prior to the earth’s Creation and highly exalted in his status honestly believe somehow he is BETTER and ABOVE God? Pride! Obviously, Satan took pride in his status which is believed to have been equal at his creation to that of the archangels Michael and Gabriel. Instead of humility for the gifts given to him, he exalted himself and expected to be worshipped as God, a reoccurrence which will soon happen midway through the coming Tribulation period of 7 years in the rebuilt Jewish Temple. The Abomination of Desolation is an event in which Satan will enter the Temple and proclaim himself to be God and demand to be worshipped (Daniel 12:11) as God.
“Now the serpent (Satan) was more crafty than any beast OF THE FIELD (capitals mine) which the Lord God had made.”
Genesis 3:1
Now, as I have said, Satan is a great liar and deceiver BUT the Bible says he is only more “crafty” (smart or deceptive?) than the many beasts OF THE FIELD that God had made. It does not say he is smarter than man! He is smarter than a goat, a lizard, a fish, etc. but he is not smarter than man! Why is this important? Because mankind has the ability through the study of the Bible and by having faith in Christ’s sacrifice for us to easily deflate Satan’s lies since “He (Jesus) who is in me is greater than he (Satan) who is in the world.” Unfortunately, Satan went to war with God to prove his superiority and as expected, lost BIG TIME. As a result, Satan and his former angelic/now demonic followers were thrown out of Heaven to the earth below where they are allowed to wreak their havoc on an unbelieving world deceived by AND welcoming of his lies.
“And the great dragon was thrown down, the serpent of old who is called the devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was thrown down to the earth and his angels were thrown down with him.”
Revelation 12:9
Let me be clear! God is all powerful. God is all knowing! God is all present! Satan is not! He cannot be everywhere at once. He lacks power and he certainly does not know everything. He does however, know how to lie. I believe Isaiah said it best:
“How you have fallen from heaven, O star of the morning, son of the dawn (Satan)! You have been cut down to the earth, You have weakened the nations! But you said in your heart, ‘I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God, And I will sit on the mount of assembly in the recesses of the north. I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High. “Nevertheless you will be thrust down to Sheol (Hell), to the recesses of the pit.”
Isaiah 14:12-15
Throughout the Bible there are numerous clear prophecies on the judgement awaiting Satan for his lies and evil deeds. I don’t know about you but while I am not the smartest guy in the room, I surely would hope that if God created me (He did!); if He repeatedly told me my ultimate fate for my lies and deceptions; and, if He told all that He would send his own Son to earth to die for me (which He did), I would probably have to sit back and wonder, “What in the hell am I doing (no pun intended)?” Can you imagine the joy Satan and his followers must have felt when Christ was crucified and died? They must have thought they had won! Jesus was dead and had not created His kingdom on earth. Of course last Sunday we celebrated Christ’s resurrection as a sacrifice for our sins. I doubt there was much partying going on around Satan and his demons that day. If God was 100% correct on everything so far, what awaits them next?
“And he laid hold of the dragon, the serpent of old, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years (time of Christ Millennium rule over the earth); and he threw him into the abyss and shut it and sealed it over him, so that he would not deceive the nations any longer, until the thousand years were completed; after these things he must be released for a short time.”
Revelation 20:2-3
We know Christ will return at Armageddon, defeat Satan, bind him for 1,000 years during which Christ will rule the earth. No longer will there be lies and deceptions as Christ will rule with a rod of iron, meaning we will follow the just laws of His kingdom. Earth will be as it was originally intended to be in the Book of Genesis. However, during the 1,000 Christ on earth Kingdom, there will be marriages and births as civilization rebuilds itself in harmony after the devastation of the 7 year Tribulation and Battle of Armageddon. Unfortunately, some of the children born during that time who never knew the world under the influence of Satan will be swayed when he is released for a short time. That “uprising” will be quickly ended and Satan will FINALLY get his just punishment for thousands of years of lies and deceptions..
“And the devil who deceived them was throne into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast (antichrist) and false prophet are also; and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.”
Revelation 20:10
Personally, because I know what will eventually happen to Satan I guess makes me smarter than him! If you do as well, you also are smarter than Satan. As usual, the comfort of God’s Word makes me know that I am not doomed to be with Satan in the lake of fire and brimstone for eternity, but rather with God in Heaven. With that Promise I hope we can ALL “…comfort one another with these words.”