Satan vs. humanity

Satan began his existence as one of the most glorious of God's angels. His name was Lucifer meaning "Light-bearer". Angels were created before the earth. They were eternal spirits destined to live happily in heaven forever praising and serving their Creator. They were given free will so that they might freely choose to return God's love.

Some of the angels became proud and willful. With Lucifer as their leader, they started a rebellion in heaven, and tried to seize control. Michael led the good angels in a mighty war against Lucifer and his followers. Michael and the good angels won. Lucifer's name was changed to Satan. He and his followers were driven out of heaven into a fiery place of punishment, hell.

God then created the earth and he ordained that his next creatures would live on this planet, until they had proved that they loved him, and would be worthy inhabitants of heaven. The first humans, Adam and Eve, also disobeyed God, but some of their descendants were noble and honest. They would surely earn the privilege of living forever with God in paradise.

This fact sent Satan and his followers into a frenzied rage. These lesser, mortal creatures would soon be occupying the places that had been prepared for them. Satan obtained permission from God to try to tempt the humans to sin. If they committed serious sin, they would have to join Satan in hell forever after death.

The story of one man's testing by Satan is told in the Bible, in the Book of Job. Satan tries to get Job to sin, by giving him many cruel trials. Job loses his wealth, his family, his servants and finally his health, but he still refuses to curse God. Despite everything Satan can do, Job remains faithful. Eventually, all his family, servants, and worldly goods are restored to him twofold and Satan is defeated again.

Satan continues to hate humanity today. He and his followers are determined to lure as many as possible to share the eternal misery of hell with them. They employ many of the same methods they used on Job, and sometimes they succeed. Our challenge, in times of trials, is to emulate the patience and faithfulness of Job and to echo his words: " The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away; blessed be the name of the Lord." (Job 1:21)