In the Bible, several places can be found that speak quite directly about Satan's rebellion against God or his opposition to God. Here are a few quotations (this selection does not claim to be exhaustive)...
In the Bible, several places can be found that speak quite directly about Satan's rebellion against God or his opposition to God. Here are a few quotations (this selection does not claim to be exhaustive):
Wisdom of Solomon, 2:24 "God created man for incorruption, and made him an image of his own eternity; but through the devil's envy death entered the world, and those who belong to his party experience it."
Isaiah, 14:12-15 "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! 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 north; I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.' But you are brought down to Sheol, to the depths of the pit."
Gospel of John, 8:44 "You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father's desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and has nothing to do with the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies."
1 John, 3:8 "Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil."
At the same time, Holy Scripture does not give us "picturesque" descriptions of this event. There are a number of reasons for this, the main ones being the following: 1) The Bible is addressed to us, people, and we bear responsibility for ourselves and our sin; 2) In Old Testament times, there was a serious danger of dualism, the worship of two opposing deities, one good and one evil. Many ancient pagan peoples (including Semitic ones) adhered to this point of view: the Babylonians and Persians, for example. Therefore, everything concerning Satan is reported in passing in the Old Testament, so as not to draw the reader's attention to this topic.
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8:32 The truth - Written in your hearts by the Spirit of God, shall make you free - From guilt, sin, misery, Satan.
8:33 They - The other Jews that were by, (not those that believed,) as appears by the whole tenor of the conversation. We were never enslaved to any man - A bold, notorious untruth. At that very time they were enslaved to the Romans.
8:34 Jesus answered - Each branch of their objection, first concerning freedom, then concerning their being Abraham's offspring, Joh 8:37, etc He that committeth sin, is, in fact, the slave of sin.
8:35 And the slave abideth not in the house - All sinners shall be cast out of God's house, as the slave was out of Abraham's: but I, the Son, abide therein for ever.
8:36 If I therefore make you free, ye - shall partake of the same privilege: being made free from all guilt and sin, ye shall abide in the house of God for ever.
8:37 I know that ye are Abraham's offspring - As to the other branch of your objection, I know that, ye are Abraham's offspring, after the flesh; but not in a spiritual sense. Ye are not followers of the faith of Abraham: my word hath no place in your hearts.
8:41 Ye do the deeds of your father - He is not named yet.But when they presumed to call God their Father, then he is expressly called the devil, Joh 8:44.
8:42 I proceeded forth - As God, and come - As Christ.
8:43 Ye cannot - Such is your stubbornness and pride, hear - Receive, obey my word. Not being desirous to do my will, ye cannot understand my doctrine, Joh 7:17.
8:44 He was a murderer - In inclination, from the beginning - Of his becoming a devil; and abode not in the truth - Commencing murderer and liar at the same time. And certainly he was a killer of men (as the Greek word properly signifies) from the beginning of theworld: for from the very creation he designed and contrived the ruin of men. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own - For he is the proper parent, and, as it were, creator of it. See the origin not only of lies, but of evil in general!
8:45 Because I speak the truth - Which liars hate.
8:46 Which of you convicteth me of sin? - And is not my life as unreprovable as my doctrine? Does not my whole behaviour confirm the truth of what I teach?
8:47 He that is of God - That either loves or fears him, heareth - With joy and reverence, God's words - Which I preach.
8:48 Say we not well - Have we not just cause to say, Thou art, a Samaritan - An enemy to our Church and nation; and hast a devil? - Art possessed by a proud and lying spirit?
8:49 I honour my Father - I seek his honour only.
8:50 I seek not my own glory - That is, as I am the Messiah, I consult not my own glory. I need not. For my Father consulteth it, and will pass sentence on you accordingly.
8:51 If a man keep my word - So will my Father consult my glory.We keep his doctrine by believing, his promises by hoping, his command by obeying. He shall never see death - That is, death eternal. He shall live for ever. Hereby he proves that he was no Samaritan; for the Samaritans in general were Sadducees.
8:54 If I honour myself - Referring to their words, Whom makest thou thyself?
8:56 He saw it - By faith in types, figures, and promises; as particularly in Melchisedec; in the appearance of Jehovah to him in the plains of Mamre, Gen 18:1; and in the promise that in his seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed.Possibly he had likewise a peculiar revelation either of Christ's first or second coming.
8:57 Thou art not yet fifty years old - At the most. Perhaps the gravity of our Lord's countenance, together with his afflictions and labours, might make him appear older than he really was.Hast thou seen Abraham - Which they justly supposed must have been, if Abraham had seen him.
8:58 Before Abraham was I AM - Even from everlasting to everlasting.This is a direct answer to the objection of the Jews, and shows how much greater he was than Abraham.
8:59 Then they took up stones - To stone him as a blasphemer; but Jesus concealed himself - Probably by becoming invisible; and so passed on - With the same ease as if none had been there.