The Devil Doesn't Love Me Anymore
He is insane with rage against humans. It is personal. He cannot hurt God directly so he focuses his anger against God's creatures, you and me. Why this intense animosity?
We are the object of God's favor
Jesus told us that God loved the population of the planet so much that He gave His life to rescue us from death (John 3:16). There is no redemption for fallen angels or any other rebellious spiritual being. Those who have known God's home and his perfect environment in the heavenly realm have no hope of any salvation. That is offered to fallen humans who have known only sin and death.
Promise of a resurrection body
Humans are spirits who have a physical body or “earth suit”. We can function in the spiritual realm (that is more for in the future) and we can interact with the earth realm. Satan cannot directly operate in the physical realm, our world. He has influence, lies, and evil thoughts projected to men but he cannot operate here as we do. He was never given an earth suit. In the end times he will attempt to operate through “that man of sin” (2 Thess 2:3), thus having access to a material body that he can act through to a degree.
Not only do we have what he does not have, a physical body, we are promised a body just like the resurrected Christ has now. This suggests that our area of operation will include all realms. The devil is really angry about this. His authority is shrinking while ours is going to be expanded.
United to the Godhead
Jesus asked the Father that we, the believers, would be united to God the same way Jesus is united to God (John 17). The devil wanted this for himself, to become equal to God. Satan would never become God and neither will we but we will get to live in that supreme condition that the devil has always desired but will never obtain.
You almost could feel sorry for Satan already but there is a lot more.
Unemployment and Replacement
It seems that Satan is one of the chiefs in the “Sons of God” class (Job 1:6).
[He is called the adversary here in the book of Job. By the time John wrote the book of Revelation, he had seen it clearly that this adversary, Satan, the serpent, the Murderer, and the father of lies are all the same person (Rev 20:2). Do not let anyone try to intimidate you by suggesting that the book of Job is mistaken. In the end, the theology of the entire Bible is shown to be intact.]
These Sons of God witnessed the creation of the earth, mankind, and earth-time (Job 38:7). They shouted for joy. After Satan fell into sin, he realized that it was these same little “bacteria”, newly created on the newly created (or remanufactured) earth, that would replace him. The new Sons of God (in Christ) were going to replace the devil and all the rebellious Sons of God (Eph 2:6, 3:10) . Not only that but we would be in a place superior to all the angels (1 Cor 6:3).
Satan not only is going to be replaced but God has used him to test and resist men, preparing them for places in the Kingdom of God. Satan is, in a sense, training his replacements.
All this would be enough to make almost anyone feel sorry for the devil. Did I say he is insane with rage? I meant insane with rage! No wonder he hates us. How could you possibly do any more damage and insult to someone?
Then shall he (Jesus) say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: (Matt 25:41)
And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever. (Rev 20:10)
Maybe you are thinking, That is too much! I thought God was a God of fairness and mercy. You do not realize Who this is that we are dealing with. This is the Absolute One (Isa 57:15). There is no gray area with God. He does nothing part way. Everything He does is off the chart. If He displays His wrath, it is beyond description. If He displays His love toward anyone, it is beyond comprehension.
If you are a human, an invitation of grace is extended toward you. The Absolute One desires to show unreasonable, lavish, even wasteful goodness toward you. If you are an object of His love He will do nothing half way. He cannot do anything part way. Do not refuse His mercy and end up with the devil who has maximum wrath upon him.
Feb 22, 2024