“Who is Satan and why do we find him in the Bible …?

“Who is Satan and why do we find him in the Bible under many different names and what is his primary strategy to live up to these different names?”
Once again, thanks for all the answers and some questions. It is a great blessing to me personally to know that you have spent time in the Word of God and have discussed the questions throughout the week with fellow believers. Remember, you can listen to some of the answers that were discussed before the sermon.
Here is a summary of the answers given:
1. Most responses included the following Scripture verses: Ezekiel 28:14-15, Isaiah 14:12-15; Luke 10:18; 2 Corinthians 11:14; Revelation 12:9-10; John 8:44; Deuteronomy 8:2; Exodus 20:20;
1 Corinthians 7:5; Job 1:6; Matthew 12:24; 13:19; John 10:9-10; 2 Corinthians 4:4; Ephesians 2:2; Revelation 19:9; 20:2; 1 Peter 5:8; 1 John 4:3; Genesis 3:13.
2. One person wrote: “…I found 47 names in the Bible…he has many names to disguise himself, so we don’t recognize him…The devil masquerades his many names/characters to trick us or fool us or tempt us, so we will believe his lies and fail.”
3. Here is a question someone submitted: Is Satan able to read our minds? The answer is NO! What he is able to do though is to know in advance HOW we would think under certain circumstances not because he can read our minds, but because he learned through observation. We are “creatures of habits” and Satan and his minions study our habits and will tempt us or deceive us accordingly.
Now let’s give you a little more background about Satan and his names: Long before he shows up in the Garden of Eden as the NACHASH, we read in Job chapter 1 and chapter 38 that the ‘sons of God were also called ‘Morning stars’. Morning stars are the stars one sees over the horizon just before the sun appears in the morning. They signal new life – a new day. So, the sons of God were the original created morning stars, because they saw the beginning of life as we know it – THE CREATION OF EARTH.
These ‘sons of God’ are divine beings, not human. The name “sons” is a family term and that’s neither coincidental nor inconsequential. What we learn is that God created a host of nonhuman divine beings whose domain is an unseen realm; at least to the human eyes. Since God created them, he calls them his sons in the same way you claim your children as your sons and daughters because you played a part in their creation.
We learn from the Bible in (Ezekiel 28 and Isaiah 14) that one mighty divine instigated a rebellion against God and many others joined the rebellion. In the original Hebrew the name Satan means “adversary or the one who opposes”. In the Garden of Eden God’s adversary shows up with the name NACHASH, which means “bronze or brazen with a bright shine”. This is a characteristic of a divine being. But the same Hebrew word NACHASH when used as a verb and not an adjective would be translated “deceiver with divine knowledge”.
Here we see another characteristic of this Satan. Paul, in 2 Corinthians 11:14-15 draws from that Old Testament description when he says: And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. So, it is no surprise if his servants, also, disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. Their end will correspond to their deeds.”
As most of you rightly answered, Satan’s names are directly linked to his characteristics. Each name reveals one of these characteristics. These names allow us to understand HOW Satan works. When we recognize his characteristics are being displayed, THE WARNING SIGNS SHOULD GO OFF. This is not God at work, but Satan, our arch-enemy is on the prowl.
What is Satan’s primary strategy? One person answered: “his primary strategy is to keep us from seeing the treasure of the gospel. (2 Corinthians 4:4)”
The answer is hitting the target, at least for one particular group.
Let’s briefly look into it: 2 Corinthians 4:3-4
And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled TO THOSE WHO ARE PERISHING. In their case the god of this world has blinded THE MINDS OF THE UNBELIEVERS, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image if God.
According to Paul’s teaching here, this strategy of Satan is used AGAINST THE UNBELIEVERS. What kind of primary strategy is Satan using against BELIEVERS?
There are many ways Satan will do his dirty work in the minds of God’s people. The spirit of FEAR is being deployed with great success. 2 Timothy 1:7 bears this out. In the first letter to Timothy, Paul is warning us of another very powerful strategy Satan is using against God’s children: 1 Timothy 4:1-2 Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by DEVOTING THEMSELVES TO DECEITFUL SPIRITS AND TEACHINGS OF DEMONS, through the insincerity of liars whose conscience are seared.
False teaching is the primary culprit for God’s people to lose hope and not growing in their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.
How did Satan start out with our first parents in the Garden of Eden: DID GOD REALLY SAY?