Who's This Satan Guy, Anyway?

I loaned out my Walter Wink (who had a highly enlightening chapter on this very question) so I'll need to wing it...

But another source tells me that "a satan" was a sort of political undercover cop for the Persian Empire. Basically, the word translates into English, where we first find it in Job, as "The Accuser." His role there is one of ferreting out disloyalty to God, using entrapment & abuse in his efforts, but with some restraint by God, who knows Job is innocent. Does Job? Where did this "satan" get his anonymous tip? Who fingered Job in the first place? I think it was Job himself, who had not been suffering and wasn't clear in his own mind whether he was "really" devoted to God, or just to the rewards he'd been receiving.

In other words, this accuser seems to depend on our fears for his influence. If we're very young, and haven't had anything too dreadful happen to us, we are paradoxically afraid of the possibility, so much so that we almost "need" some suffering, just as reassurance that it will not destroy us. Hence, I imagine, the appeal of scarey movies, to those who like them.

Anyway, Satan in the 'Old' Testament plays the role of God's enforcer, an angel delegated to probing for & punishing human sinfulness. As we read toward & into the Christian scriptures there's more a sense that this is a spirit exceeding its authority, a prosecutor who as Jesus says, "Always was a liar." That is, the guilt we personify as this spirit is not, and never was, truly deserved.

So here we have this element of our psyche chained up, and restrained by satanic-type torment, for 1000 years, whereupon "he must be loosed for a little while."

Hmmmm.... extremely "Hmmmm!"

Revelation 20.1-3

Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, holding in his hand the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain.

And he seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is The Devil, called Satan, and bound him for a thousand years, and threw him into the pit, and shut it and sealed it over him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years were ended. After that he must be loosed for a little while.

Revelation 19.17->

Then I saw an angel standing in the sun, and with a loud voice he called to all the birds that fly in mid-heaven, "Come, gather for the great supper of God, to eat the flesh of kings, the flesh of captains, the flesh of mighty men, the flesh of horses and their riders, and the flesh of all men, both free and slave, both small and great!"

And I saw the beast and the kings of the Earth with their armies gathered to make war against him who sits upon the horse and against his army.

And the beast was captured, and with it the false prophet who in its presence had worked the signs by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshipped its image. These two were thrown alive into the lake of fire that burns with sulphur. And the rest were slain by the sword of him who sits upon the horse, the sword that issues from his mouth, and all the birds were gorged with their flesh.

Revelation 19.11-16

Then I saw Heaven opened, and behold: A white horse!

He who sat upon it was called faithful and true, and in righteousness he judges and makes war.

His eyes flamed like fire, and on his head were many diadems.

Written upon him was a name known to none but himself.

He is clad in a robe drenched in blood.

He was called The Word of God.

And the armies of Heaven followed him on white horses, clothed in fine linen, clean and shining.

From his mouth there went a sharp sword with which to smite the nations; for he it is who shall rule them with an iron rod, and tread the winepress of the wrath and retribution of God the sovereign Lord. On his robe and on his thigh there was written the name: "King of Kings and Lord of Lords."

Revelation 19.6-10

Again I heard what sounded like a vast crowd, like the noise of rushing water and deep roars of thunder, and they cried: "Hallelujah! The Lord our God, sovereign over all, has entered on his reign!

"Exult and shout for joy and do him homage, for the wedding-day of the Lamb has come! His bride has made herself ready, and for her dress she has been given fine linen, clean and shining." (Now the fine linen signifies the righteous deeds of God's people.)

Then the angel said to me, "Write this: 'Happy are those who are invited to the wedding-supper of the Lamb!' " And he added, "These are the very words of God.!

At this I fell at his knees to worship him. But he said to me, "No, not that! I am but a fellow-servant with you and your brothers who bear testimony to Jesus. It is God you must worship. Those who bear testimony to Jesus are inspired like the prophets."