Is Evil Real?
Is the concept of evil an illusion or simply a mistake?
Is there real evil in the world? I am convinced that evil is accurate, not just a series of mistakes and unfortunate events. We have an internal predisposition towards selfish ambitions and rebellious nature. No one wants to confess this truth, so it is not a popular concept. However, if one follows the news, it soon becomes apparent that humanity has a real problem.
Violence, crime, extortion, hate, the list goes on. In America, we are seeing a rise in school violence and assaults. Hatred language and actions are spreading. I could write a large book describing the unique and classic ways people harm one another for one cause or another. Can we assume this is just making mistakes, or do individuals like doing wrong?
A combination of wrongs done in the past creates wrongdoings in the future. If there is doubt, if you are a woman, try walking alone at night in a large, dark inner city setting or a war zone. Browse the internet and see situations of spam, fraud, and phishing efforts to steal money from the unsuspected. The list of evil in society is extensive if one bothers to look deeply. However, that is the problem: few bother to look, so it goes unnoticed or brushed over. However, sometimes evil gets freaky…especially when the unseen gets involved.
“For our struggle is not against enemies of flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against authorities, against the cosmic powers of this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.” — Ephesians 6: 12
When I first read this statement in Ephesians, it did not make sense. What powers and principalities are being described? Over the years, it has made more sense. In general, invisible forces fuel degenerate instincts and desires in people. We are bad enough, but we have helpers who keep our thoughts and actions evil. That is frightening and sometimes extremely sad to witness in ourselves and others.
An example is when a bar brawl breaks out for no apparent reason after heavy drinking. No wonder alcohol is often called “spirits,” as it can be a negative influence on behavior if unchecked. This is not to say alcohol is an invisible spirit; anything or anyone that gains access to our minds and reduces natural inhibitions against violent displays is a type of spiritual influence. Something we would not ordinarily do without influence. The influence people can have on us can induce terrible things. We get caught up in the mood (frenzy) and display behavior we are not proud of. While these examples are typical, behind the scenes are invisible forces not easily discerned.
Returning to King Saul in 1 Samuel chapter 16, as the Spirit of God departed Saul, an evil spirit entered him, causing him to be tormented with ranting and raving. Various conditions, including epilepsy-like convulsions, are described in a variety of bible passages, even more during the times of Jesus and after. Today, there are events with no apparent reason. A person will pull out a gun and randomly fire into a crowd, killing others, then turn the gun on themselves. Some of these individuals have no previous history of violence — what gives? This seems like a troubled soul under the influence of an evil spirit.
Going back to Ephesians 6:12, we see cosmic powers and spiritual forces of evil in heavenly places. Older Bible translations call them spiritual forces in the air. This is interesting given the increasing international interest in Unidentified Aerial Phenomenon (UAPs), formerly UFOs. Reports of supernatural occurrences, visions, visitations, hauntings, poltergeists, witches, wizards, and the like are ubiquitous — across the world, going back to the distant past.
It is not entirely unheard of for church members to report to their pastors that their homes are troubled by unseen forces or that their family members are suffering and hearing voices. Some even claim to see the dead!
Today’s materialistic worldview classifies such reports as evidence of mental illness of one type or another. While the Catholic Church maintains some credibility in addressing cases of demonic possessions, many fundamental and mainstream protestant denominations deny such possibilities or are powerless to provide help. Some mainstream Christian leaders are afraid of facing such situations and quickly shut down any conversations on the subject. This is the result of centuries of repressing spirituality and denying those experiencing the unseen in modern Christianity. This denial resulted in a shift towards orthodoxy and ritual practice. Christian leaders should be available and able to address the spiritual needs of their followers (even negative spiritual occurrences), or they should cease to be effective. That is precisely the condition facing the churches of today.
Did we have a hint or forewarning that such times of despair would happen? Yes!!
What is the Biblical Devil?
Another modern concept is that there is no Satan (the accuser), Belial, Leviathan, Beelzebub, or the Devil. There are many names for this being of evil. However, even some Christians deny that this enemy exists. However, there is evidence that evil and the agency of evil do exist. Many misconceptions about Satan arose over time. During the Renaissance, artists gave the devil an evil look, including horns, red skin, and a pointed tail. This was to distinguish the evil one from the fair-skinned cherub-like angels. However, this is a misleading illusion. The prophet Isaiah describes his ultimate defeat in Isaiah 27: 1. Satan is called a Leviathan.[1] And a fleeing twisting serpent. Interestingly, as in the book of Genesis, the serpent is the creature that fools Adam and Even to commit the first sin. This provides the nature of his identity and his ultimate ambition for humankind.
Some scholars see Satan as Lucifer — the Light Bringer or Morningstar; others see him as the angel Samael, a being seen in the extra-biblical book of Enoch as the leader of the angelic rebellion. Recently, I’ve come to understand that Satan served during the Old Testament days as the accuser in the Divine Council of God. He, along with many heavenly beings, serves as God’s adviser.
We see this in Job chapter 1 when God convenes his Council, and Satan is present among them, ready to accuse. This role is like today’s courts, where a prosecutor levies charges against those accused of sinning against God’s rules. Before Jesus created the final sin offering on the cross, Satan had access to God’s Council of Judgement. During Jesus’ earthly ministry, he described seeing Satan kicked out of heaven and falling like lightning to the earth — Luke 10:18.
The same event is seen in detail in Revelation 12: 7–17. Satan and his angels no longer had a place in heaven and were kicked out. He raged to get the Christ-child born to the Woman (Israel) and failed. The woman is protected by being scattered into the wilderness. This describes the ending of the nation of Israel in 70 CE and the people scattered across the region by the Romans. Satan then pursued the children of the woman, those who hold the testimony of Jesus — Christians. This explains the terrible persecutions the early Christians faced throughout the first centuries of the church.
The Apostle Paul indicates Satan can disguise himself as an Angel of Light — 2 Corinthians 11:14.
What is Satan’s ultimate power — death- Hebrews 2: 14–15.
Satan (and his agents on earth) can do wonders and miracles — 2 Thessalonians 1:9–10.
It is crucial that Satan can be seen as an angel and not a red, pointy-earned devil. His ministers, too, can disguise themselves as ministers of righteousness. They can appear as apostles of Christ. Telling the difference can be extremely difficult and may depend entirely on warnings of the Holy Spirit in the hearts of true believers. Prideful boasting is one sign of a false minister (1 Corinthians 11:13).
Satan’s role is as an accuser against humankind; like a prosecutor, he sought to file charges against us before God, the righteous judge, to condemn us to eternal punishment. This was possible up to the point when Jesus saved us from further condemnation. This is the same fate of condemnation Satan and his angels face upon the final judgment. Examples of Satan serving in this prosecutor role can be found in Zechariah 3: 1–10 and the book of Job, chapters 1 and 2. Yes, there is mention of the Devil or Satan in the Old Testament. Some fail to acknowledge it.
In Zechariah, we see the story of Joshua, the high priest. Joshua is standing before the Lord, and Satan is at his side to accuse him. Joshua is dressed in filthy clothes, which illustrates sin. The Lord rebukes Satan and orders new clothes for Joshua. This is God taking the guilt of sin away from Joshua. This is only possible because of the future Christ and His sacrifice on the cross.
In Job, however, Satan appears before God in the company of the angels. God asks where he has been. Satan started going in and out of the earth. God then tells Satan about Job, a good and righteous man. Satan claims he is only good because God protects him. If God lets Satan have him, he will curse God. God allows a test but not to harm Job directly. The story goes that Job loses his property and children by violent crime and fire.
Interestingly, the witness claims the fire was from God. In Old Testament times, both good and evil were believed to come from God. He blesses and curses, so it is thought. But with a window open and willing to accept the unseen, we see another agent is responsible for the damage, and it is not God.
Job continued faithful to God despite the damage to his property and children. The story goes on to repeat the scene of God surrounded by angels and Satan showing up. God again indicates that Job remains righteous despite Satan’s attack. Satan claims it is only because God won’t allow him to harm his flesh. Skin for skin, all people have, they will give to save their lives. This is an essential observation from Satan. He is convinced people will do anything and everything to protect themselves.
God relents and allows it, but not take Job’s life. Satan afflicts Job with terrible sores and boils across his body. He is so stricken that even his wife tells him to curse God and die. I suppose she was rather sick of him, too! The story goes on with Job complaining about how God has punished him. Although he has done no wrong, he does not curse God.
This case is unique as Job’s punishment is not because of sins he committed. The opposite in this case, as God bragged before Satan and the Angels how righteous Job was. Satan took advantage of that claim to challenge God and reveal that Job isn’t so good after all.
This should caution us to believe all bad things are due to our destructive behaviors. Sometimes, it is because we are doing the right thing that brings an attack. Nothing is cause and effect, as modern rationalistic thinkers claim. They, however, lack a window into the unseen realm where these types of issues are playing out. The angels witness God’s consistency in dealing with rebellion and sin.
[1] Great sea monster, like a dragon metaphorically described in Job 41: 1–11, Isaiah 27:1, Revelation 12
