Satan & A History of Hell (Part 1)

"Satan & A History of Hell" will be a two-part blog story, containing excerpts from Who's ? Right: Mankind, Religions & The End Times by Kelly Warman-Stallings. Part 1 will introduce the sinister character of Satan to blog readers; Part 2 will contain and extend a brief description of the place mankind refers to as Hell. 

Satan & A History of Hell

(Part 1: Satan)

Depiction of Satan in Hell

When you read the Holy Books of the world you find missing pieces of the characters and places you know well and, in some instances, you stumble upon those who have names, but hardly a story is attributed to them. Such is the case when referring to Heaven, Hell and Satan.

During the centuries of mankind's existence, Satan and Hell have been explicitly intertwined with one another. The Holy Books of the world does not mention Satan often nor do the ancient writings expand upon a Hell. According to researchers and scholars of biblical studies, the majority of today's population believes Satan and Hell do exist. Many modern theologians have found a basic denominator while researching religion: where there is good, there is evil; where there is a Heaven, there is a Hell; where there is God, there is Satan.     

Satan

Depiction of Satan cast from Heaven

Many scholars of religion agree that Satan was the fallen angel, Lucifer, who was thrown out of Heaven for his presumptuous challenge of demanding the Creator's heavenly throne. Satan was defeated in the celestial battle for power by the angel, Michael, and his army. Soon after, Lucifer was thrown out of Heaven, and to this day, has never returned. 

The Christian faith believes that Satan watches over Hell and entices mankind to join him there. The Islamic faith decrees that only a few will receive the condemnation of Hell. While the Jewish faith denies the existence of Satan and Hell, Judaism teaches that sinners who practice evil deeds will be dealt with by the Creator directly.

Greek God Pan

Egyptian God Set

Some religions believe the Creator gave Satan reign over Hell and in his dark dominion is where he devilishly schemes to avenge his fall from grace. Other religious congregations believe the perception of Satan's dark side was basically enhanced by mankind. The ancient pagans acknowledged that Satan was descended from Set, the Egyptian God of the Underworld, and Pan, the Greek God who was half man/half beast and ruled over sexual desire.

The modern perception of Satan began with the early Christians of antiquity. The ancients felt the enigmatic Satan was a minor figure, not an evil mastermind. A few of the early Christians disagreed. They sought out Satan in the Old Testament and poured over many scriptures. Our ancient ancestors were convinced that the serpent (snake) in the Garden of Eden, the one who tempted Eve to eat the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge, was Lucifer in one of his many disguises. While Judaism originally introduced Satan in the book of Job, it was the early Christians who embellished upon the character of the Creator's foe (some scholars attribute this to Satan's tempting Jesus in Matthew 4:1-11).

Artist depiction of Satan

Eager to spread the word of Christ, these zealous Christian ministers of yesteryear warned of Satan's wickedness and Lucifer was formally introduced to mankind. In the 6th century A. D., Pope Gregory the Great preached that Satan had powers and attributed seven sins to him: 1) Anger, 2) Envy, 3) Gluttony, 4) Greed, 5) Lust, 6) Pride, and 7) Sloth. This would later become known as the "Seven Deadly Sins of Mankind". By the 10th century, Satan had assumed a monstrous form and some artists of the era captured an evil looking devil with horns and a tail.

During this same historical era if anyone opposed the Christian Church they became an advocate of Satan. By the 1980's the rise of Satan was more powerful than any other time in mankind's history. In 1987, there was over a million estimated Satanists practicing in the United States. Today, the concept of Satan and his evil powers continue in the various sermons of our religious leaders. As the Holy Books of the world does not say much about Satan, the details of the Devil primarily come from the poets, not the prophets. In all religions there is an equal balance between good and evil. Hence the birth of Satan....    

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Below are a few Christian and Quranic verses associated with Satan:

1 Chronicles 21:1-3                                                                                                             
King James Version (KJV)

And Satan stood up against Israel, and provoked David to number Israel. And David said to Joab and to the rulers of the people, Go, number Israel from Beersheba even to Dan; and bring the number of them to me, that I may know it. And Joab answered, The Lord make his people an hundred times so many more as they be: but, my lord the king, are they not all my lord's servants? why then doth my lord require this thing? why will he be a cause of trespass to Israel?

Job 1:7-9     

King James Version (KJV)

And the Lord said unto Satan, Whence comest thou? Then Satan answered the Lord, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it. And the Lord said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil? Then Satan answered the Lord, and said, Doth Job fear God for nought?

Mark 1:13

King James Version (KJV)

And he [Jesus] was there in the wilderness forty days, tempted of Satan; and was with the wild beasts; and the angels ministered unto him.

Revelation 20:1-3

King James Version (KJV)

And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season.

Quran 2:34    

And behold, We said to the angels: “Bow down to Adam” and they bowed down. Not so Iblis (Satan): he refused and was haughty: he was of those who reject Faith. 

Quran 4:117-120

(The Pagans), leaving Him, call but upon female deities: They call but upon Satan the persistent rebel! God did curse him, but he said: “I will take of Thy servants a portion marked off; I will mislead them, and I will create in them false desires; I will order them to slit the ears of cattle, and to deface the (fair) nature created by God.” Whoever, forsaking God, takes Satan for a friend, hath of a surety suffered a loss that is manifest. Satan makes them promises, and creates in them false desires; but Satan’s promises are nothing but deception. 

Quran 7:11-13 

It is We Who created you and gave you shape; then We bade the angels bow down to Adam, and they bowed down; not so Iblis; He refused to be of those who bow down. (God) said: “What prevented thee from bowing down when I commanded thee?” He said: “I am better than he: Thou didst create me from fire, and him from clay.” (God) said: “Get thee down from this: it is not for thee to be arrogant here: get out, for thou art of the meanest (of creatures).”

Quran 15:36-42 

(Iblis/Satan) said: “O my Lord! Give me then respite till the Day the (dead) are raised.” (God) said: “Respite is granted thee till the Day of the Time appointed.” (Iblis) said: “O my Lord! Because Thou hast put me in the wrong, I will make (wrong) fair-seeming to them on the earth, and I will put them all in the wrong, Except Thy servants among them, sincere and purified (by Thy Grace).” (God) said: “This (way of My sincere servants) is indeed a way that leads straight to Me. For over My servants no authority shalt thou have, except such as put themselves in the wrong and follow thee.” 

Satan & The History of Hell - Part 2