SEEK 29 – God and the Devil
Question: Does God sometimes use the devils to execute his plans? If yes, why?
Bible Reading: Acts 4:23-31
Text: “They did what your power and will had decided beforehand should happen” (Acts 4:28)
Sometimes people get a little obsessed by the devil or evil spirits. They see demons everywhere and blame them for everything – like the student who said ‘I have a demon of laziness!’ ‘The devil made me do it’ is an excuse as old as the Fall. But other people go to the opposite extreme – they do not believe in the reality of the devil and his demons. “The greatest trick the devil ever pulled was convincing the world he didn’t exist” (Kaiser Sose, in the film The Usual Suspects). Both errors are fatal – As CS Lewis wrote in The Screwtape Letters “There are two equal and opposite errors into which our race can fall about the devils. One is to disbelieve in their existence. The other is to believe and feel an excessive and unhealthy interest in them.”
Another error is to adopt the belief that God and the Devil are equal and opposite powers. The world is divided equally into good and bad, and we have to choose which power we will serve. But although the Devil is powerful, he is still a created being whose power is limited. He may be called the ruler of this world, or the prince of Darkness but he is still subject to the King of Kings. And that is where you will find the answer to your question.
The African Christian, Augustine, wrote about how God is so powerful that he can even take evil and bring good out of it. “And, in the universe, even that which is called evil, when it is regulated and put in its own place, only enhances our admiration of the good; for we enjoy and value the good more when we compare it with the evil. For the Almighty God, who, as even the heathen acknowledge, has supreme power over all things, being Himself supremely good, would never permit the existence of anything evil among His works, if he were not so omnipotent and good that he can bring good even out of evil” Augustine – Enchiridion ch.11
Augustine also dealt with the question of God creating evil. He said that evil is not a created thing – it is just the absence of good. When God created the Devil as a mighty angel, he was not creating evil – but when the Devil chose to turn away from God that is how evil – with all its consequences entered the universe. Ever since then the Devil has been the Deceiver seeking to destroy all that God has created good. But God is so powerful he can even turn that destructive force into good.
Take for example the story of King Saul in 1 Samuel “The Spirit of the LORD had departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the LORD tormented him.” (1 Samuel 16:14). Saul was God’s anointed king and yet he had disobeyed God and turned away from him. God permitted an evil spirit to torment him – why? One reason is that was the way that David was introduced into Saul’s life. It was only his music that could soothe Saul and help him. Ultimately David was to become king, and Christ was to come from the line of David! Whilst the devils were tormenting, God was working out his plan of salvation.
At the Last Supper, Satan entered Judas (John 13:27). As a result, Judas betrayed Jesus and handed him over to be crucified. Surely this was a great evil and a great victory for Satan. Indeed, it was but it was a . Because as our text says, ‘they did what your power and will had decided beforehand should happen”. God was working out his plan of salvation.
There are other examples. In Acts chapter 5 we read of how Satan filled their hearts so that Ananias and Sapphira lied to the Holy Spirit – and both of them died. This filled the whole church with ‘great fear’ and all those who heard about it. In 1 Corinthians 5 Paul talks about handing a man over to Satan, so that whilst his flesh would be destroyed his spirit would be saved on the day of the Lord. And in 2 Corinthians 12 Paul speaks about how a messenger of Satan was sent to him – and that is how he learned more of the grace and power of God.
The point is not that there is a battle between the Devil and Christ which we don’t know who the winner is! The point is that Christ is so great that even the attacks of the devil can be used for good. “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:28) . The greatest question we have to ask is not whether the devil will attack us, but rather whether we love God.
Consider: If the devil is on a chain why should we be afraid? If God can even take evil things and turn them for our ultimate good, why should we be afraid? If the world seems in chaos, but the nations are just like a drop in the bucket to God, why should we be afraid? Fear not!
Recommended Further Reading:
Did the Devil Make me do it? – Mike McKinley
Satan Cast Out – Frederick S Leahy
Prayer: “‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name,
10 your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
11 Give us today our daily bread.
12 Forgive us our debts as we also have forgiven our debtors.
13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.’ (Matthew 6:9-13)
SEEK – Introduction and Contents
change to false victory
Westminster Catholic Cathedral had a Radio 3 evensong broadcast on the Wed of Easter week. The psalms or liturgy were in Latin. But there were also scripture readings or meditations in English. One of these considered how even evil people can be used to accomplish divine purposes, and even sanctification of the saints.