Existence of the Devil by Editor

International Tract and Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Jul 24, 1884

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 10, No. 28.

Existence of the Devil.

By Editor

A CORRESPONDENT asks the question: "When did the devil come into his Satanic power, and by whom was he created?" On this subject we copy the following from our work, "The Nature and Tendency of Modern Spiritualism." In speaking of the work of the magicians of Egypt, we remarked that "the only conclusion at which we can arrive is, that the magicians performed these wonders by the power of Satan." Then follows the argument:—

Against this position it is objected that there is no such being; and it is further urged that he cannot exist, as it would be inconsistent with the wisdom and benevolence of God to create a devil and give him such power. To this we agree; we have no idea that God ever created a devil. As it has become very common to deny the existence of such a being, we will notice

THE EXISTENCE OF EVIL.

We take the question in this form because it is more comprehensive, and will apply to evil of every kind and degree. Dr. Hare said:—

"But I conceive that the existence of a devil is irreconcilable with all goodness and omnipotency; and that were a devil created by God, the Creator would be answerable for all the acts of the being so created. Evidently, the devil could be nothing else but what omnipotence should make him, and could do nothing but what prescience would foresee. The acts of the devil would therefore be indirectly those of his Maker."—Spiritualism Scientifically Demonstrated, page 31.

In another place, he said:—

"No evil can endure, which any being has both the power and desire to remove. "If God be both omnipotent and omniscient, he can, of course, make his creatures exactly to suit his will and fancy, and foresee how they will fulfill the end for which they are created. "Is it not more consistent with divine goodness to infer that we are placed in this life for progressive improvement, and that there is no evil which can be avoided consistently with his enormous, though not unlimited, power?"—Id., page 20.

Epicurus, the pagan philosopher, put forth the same objection in the following propositions: "Either God wills to remove evils and cannot; or he can and will not; or he neither will nor can; or he both can and will." After showing that the last position is the only one consistent with God, he inquired, "Then whence are evils? and why does he not remove them?"

Our answer to all is, "He both can and will." And to arrive at this conclusion we need not query in doubt with Epicurus, nor make God accountable for evil, or limit his power, as Dr. Hare has done. Spiritualism boasts of wise adherents, but in talking of this and kindred subjects, they have illustrated the scripture, that the wisdom of the world is foolishness. A degree of evil exists, and we hold that it is no more inconsistent for God to permit a strong being to sin than a weak one, if both have faculties to discern good and evil—to distinguish right from wrong. The Saviour called the devil a murderer and a liar, and we know that murderers and liars do exist. Here is surely an approximation to the devil in character. Paul enumerates "the works of the flesh" in Gal. 5, which are certainly manifested in the world; and if all of these were developed in one person, though it would not make the devil of him, he would be bad enough to bear such a name. Murder and adultery are amongst these works, the existence of which no one can doubt. We will parody Dr. Hare's remarks, and apply them to these as follows:—

"But I conceive that the existence of murderers and adulterers is irreconcilable with all goodness and omnipotency; and that were murderers and adulterers created by God, the Creator would be answerable for all the acts of the beings so created. Evidently, murderers and adulterers could be nothing else but what omnipotence should make them, and could do nothing but what prescience would foresee. The acts of murderers and adulterers would therefore be indirectly those of their Maker."

This is the Doctor's argument in its full strength; shall we therefore conclude that there is no murder and adultery? It is easy to see that with all his show of wisdom he was weak in argument.

The blasphemous conclusion that God is responsible for all sin, necessarily attaches to that argument with only one possible refuge, that is, the limited power of God! To this, Dr. Hare resorts as a substitute for human accountability, and the spirits indorse it, for he says:—

"Such an inference coincides with communications recently received from the spirits of departed friends, which it is the object of this publication to promulgate."—Id., page 20.

The object and the alternative are now before us. Probation is uniformly denied by Spiritualists; hence man is not responsible for his actions. But all perceive that wrong exists, and responsibility must rest somewhere; if not with man, then with his Maker. Is it not so? Spiritualism answers, Not necessarily; perhaps he cannot help it; his power may be limited!

So to avoid the truth of human probation, we have men irresponsible and God either wicked or weak! And this is sanctioned by the spirits, and Dr. Hare has published a book to promulgate it, under their instructions.

As before said, we do not believe that God ever created a devil or a wicked man. But men exist, with the power and will to do evil. "God made man upright," but he became wicked by his own will and actions; and so of the devil. We hold that the only reasonable view is that of the Scriptures; that God creates intelligences, giving them power and freedom to act, without which they could form no character at all; and holds them accountable for the exercise of that power in the actions performed, and vindicates justice by bringing them to judgment. There are expressions in Eze. 28, which can refer to no other being than the devil, by which we learn that he was created a "covering cherub," perfect and beautiful. But he fell because of pride. When Moses made the sanctuary, he was directed to make cherubim and place them on the mercy-seat over the ark, their wings overshadowing the mercy-seat. Heb. 9:5. The Lord promised to meet with them "between the two cherubim." Ex. 25:22. As all this was a shadow and example of heavenly things, a visible representation of the sanctuary and true tabernacle in Heaven, which the Lord pitched, and not man (Heb. 8:1-5; see also Eze. chapters 1-10), we here learn the exalted position occupied, and consequently the great power possessed, by a covering cherub. In Eze. 28, the prince of Tyrus is declared to be a man, the king of Tyrus was a covering cherub. This may well be applied to Satan, who is "the prince of this world," and who makes use of wicked earthly powers to accomplish his purposes; he was afterward represented by the Roman power (Rev. 12), as it was then his special instrument of wickedness. He who is wise and strong to do good, will, of course, be wise and strong to do evil if he turns his powers in that direction. And as the cherubim in Heaven possess far more power than men, so if they fall, their power will be greater to do evil in the same proportion. On this point we think it sufficient to add that the Scriptures affirm that angels have fallen; that there was more than human power exerted through the magicians of Egypt; and Satan is said to work miracles, "with power, and signs, and lying wonders."

Sorcery and witchcraft are the works of the devil. It was by this power that the magicians of Egypt wrought, and Paul affirms that "so" the truth will be resisted in the last days. And the existence of the devil is not only denied by some, but his whole work is denied; even those who profess faith in the Bible contend that there is no such thing as witchcraft, and that a belief in its existence is a relic of the superstition of the Dark Ages. But God said, "Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live." Ex. 22:18. This proves that witches did exist, or else God commanded them to put to death such as had no being, to suppose which would be absurd. Paul also teaches, in Gal. 5, that witchcraft is one of the works of the flesh as much as envy, hatred, drunkenness, and murder. Thus the fact of its existence is established by both Testaments.