Hating the Devil

[david_ian]

Certainly, we are told to "resist the Devil and he will flee from you." (James 4.7) but what is supposed to be our general attitude toward Satan? Are we supposed to hate him? Are we specifically directed to do so in the Bible?

We are directed to hate evil on many occasions in the Bible, but is that the same thing?

[Colswann1]

Certainly, we are told to "resist the Devil and he will flee from you." (James 4.7) but what is supposed to be our general attitude toward Satan? Are we supposed to hate him? Are we specifically directed to do so in the Bible?

Michael, a top angel, was scared to slander him, so he must have some legal standing of respect in their angelic system. I think this was given to warn us as to what we say too.

I find it difficult when I hear things coming from Christians that have no Biblical basis - I heard one Christian say, "I'll kick his ass." I'm not sure this is right and Paul said he was a formidable foe who harassed him and stemmed his ministry at times.

Saying all that, I still think 'he is but a man' in his power toward God and the Lord uses him now for his own purposes.

[swfdoc1]

I think the answer is “yes,” we are to hate Satan. I can think of three possible arguments supporting this view, and I think their cumulative weight (despite objections to them) is enough to overcome two arguments I can think of on the other side (to which objections can also be raised).

Arguments for “yes”:

1. A strong (but not airtight) inferential argument can be made by comparing Scriptures that mention things that God hates with Scriptures that address Satan’s activities. Objections: the word “hate” is to be taken hyperbolically or otherwise non-literally. These Scriptures seem to be addressing human sins.
2. Psalm 139:21-22 reads: “Do I not hate those who hate you, LORD, and abhor those who are in rebellion against you? I have nothing but hatred for them; I count them my enemies.” Surely Satan is one who hates the Lord. Objections: Could be descriptive, not normative. Seems to be addressing human haters.
3. Genesis 3:14-15 reads: “So the LORD God said to the serpent, ‘Because you have done this, Cursed are you above all livestock and all wild animals! You will crawl on your belly and you will eat dust all the days of your life. And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.’” The serpent is Satan. The Hebrew for “enmity” means personal hatred. Further, it is not just that Satan hates us. The hatred is a two-way street (“between”). Thus, it is not really a matter of whether we “should” hate Satan; rather God has decreed that we will. Objection: this passage has many interpretive problems and should not be relied upon.

Arguments for “no”:

1. The argument from silence, i.e., we are never directly commanded to hate Satan. Objection: arguments from silence are weak arguments and some consider them completely invalid. This one is further weakened by the arguments “for.”
2. We are commanded to love our enemies. Satan is surely our enemy. Objection: Such Scriptures seem to address human enemies and the reasons for loving human enemies are inapplicable to Satan.

Colin raises an interesting point about our attitude toward Satan and our verbal interactions with him. For me, Martin Luther got it right (with asterisked comments by me): see him as both powerful compared to us but as resistable/beatable in the power of Christ.

A Mighty Fortress is our God

1. A Mighty Fortress is our God,
a bulwark never failing;
our helper He amid the flood
of mortal ills prevailing.
For still our ancient foe
doth seek to work us woe;
his craft and power are great,
and armed with cruel hate,
on earth is not his equal.

2. Did we in our own strength confide,
our striving would be losing,
were not the right Man on our side,
the man of God's own choosing.
Dost ask who that may be?
Christ Jesus, it is He;
Lord Sabaoth, His name,
from age to age the same,
and He must win the battle.

3. And tho’ this world, with devils filled,
should threaten to undo us,
we will not fear, for God hath willed
His truth to triumph thro’ us.
The Prince of Darkness grim,
we tremble not for him;
his rage we can endure,
for lo, his doom is sure;
one little word shall fell him.

4. That Word* above all earthly powers,
no thanks to them, abideth;
the Spirit and the gifts** are ours,
thro’ Him who with us sideth.
Let goods and kindred go,
this mortal life also;
the body they may kill;
God's truth abideth still;
His kingdom is forever.


*I have capitalized the second use of "Word" although it is (usually?) not capitalized in this translation. I think the original German indicates it should be, and other translations do so.
**Luther, the charismatic! And I do believe the gifts are an important aspect of our warfare against Satan.

[aphram@yahoo.com]

There is No Message of Hate in the Bible. God is Love. This is the underlying theme of the Scriptures. The question about 'Hating the Devil' cannot be asked without putting an Emphasis on Hate, but since it is not in line with the Biblical Theme of Love, if we must answer, then the emphasis must be placed on The Devil, e.g. On the Subject and not the Object.

God Hates Sin, but loves all sinners. The Devil is the Father of Falsehood! We are the Fathers of Sin! He deceived us, our Adversary, the Mother of Deception, and we fell into Sin, which is our opposition to God in disobedience to His Purpose.

“Only Thing We Have to Fear Is Fear Itself”: FDR’s First Inaugural Address - along the same line of courage, we must also say 'The Only Thing We Have to Hate Is Hate Itself'.

If there is any substance to a 'YES' to 'Hate', it is in the Hatred of Sin; this is OUR SIN, which is our guilt, and our lot in God's Judgment of Death as our Penalty of Sin. We must qualify hatred and strive to be perfect like our Father in Heaven, the Father of Love, and to be in a constant Hatred of Sin, but also in a constant Love of the Perpetrator. And who is the Perpetrator here? Satan?! Nay, but I, a mere mortal, Man!!!

So then we are to Hate Sin, and Love the Sinner. And who is the Sinner, in opposition to God? In disobedience to God? Satan?! Nay, for Satan has no free will, cannot in his nature disobey God or even stand in opposition to God! The Sinner is Man, ever free to stand against God! However, thanks be to God, for Christ, for the Blood of the Lamb, in which we are to live and prevail to live out of Sin, through the Holy Spirit, our Comforter; and by receiving the gifts and the fruits of the Holy Spirit, know no hate, experience no hate, and be free of this Satanic Vice, forever and evermore!

Jesus asked us to love our enemies, and certainly Satan is our greatest enemy, and do good to all those who persecute us. "You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect. (Matthew 5:43-48 ESV)

In the Arguments for No, by swfdoc1, the above is only to be used between humans, and have nothing to do with Satan. But I disagree, based on the Totality of Love as the Foundation of the True Christian Message, that encompass all in all, leading us to be an Instrument of Love, against all the powers of darkness and deception. Nevertheless, I must be aware of the tendency of my argument, that I may in my total opposition of Hatred, be a promoter to Love, even the source of all hatred and anger, Satan himself.

Let's make it clear: Satan has nothing to do with my Fall from Grace, but in his nature of deception, tempting us to disobey God, whereas he takes pleasure in our opposition to Our Creator, bringing evidence against God, and standing in judgment with God, humiliating Him, ever laughing, ever sarcastic, ever excited to prove God's creation of Man, to be the laughing stock of all His Creation.

Therefore, my enmity with Satan is not that of Hatred but that of Opposition, e.g. That I must oppose Satan, and not God, and I must defeat his purpose, and not that of God, and in doing so, I must Love God, and have nothing to do with Satan, not in love and also not in hatred!

I am sure 'to resist evil with good' and not to hate, will drive the Devil out, will repel him, will increase his shame, and burn him ever eternally in his hatred, and particularly, in his self hatred!

1- What is supposed to be our general attitude toward Satan?
2- Are we supposed to hate him?
3- Are we specifically directed to do so in the Bible?

1- As a matter of attitude, we as Christians, are baptized with the Holy Spirit and Fire, new creatures of God's Redemption, elevated to a life in the Spirit and reinstituted to our Prior to the Fall Natural State. Such an attitude is an attitude of Grace and Thanksgiving, and in that it is an attitude of Forgiveness and Humility. If there should be an attitude towards Satan, it should be the same attitude that Jesus showed us in His Testament: And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, "Far be it from you, Lord! This shall never happen to you." But he turned and said to Peter, "Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me. For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man." (Matthew 16:22, 23 ESV) - It is not an attitude of confrontation, but that of Resistance, not that of acquiescence, but rather that of Opposition. By setting our minds on the things of God, we become a facilitator of God's Purpose, and not a hindrance to Him.

2- As to Hatred, No! Neither of Satan nor of Man! We may hate things, an evil work, works of inequity, torture, enslavement, and most surely hatred as a a way of life. Don't even go there by asking about love in relation to Satan, for it is written: And he said to him, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets." (Matthew 22:37-40 ESV) LOVE is exclusively God's, and of Our Neighbor as ourselves as a second.

3- Are we directed? In the Bible? To Hate the Devil? The Holy Bible is a book of Holiness, Sacred Knowledge, of Love and Forebearance, of God's Laws and Instructions, Wisdom and Salvation, of doing Good and refraining from evil, of Positive Teachings, and it does not direct us to Hate. I did not search the Bible, ever to find any evidence of any direction about our relationship with the Devil. Therefore, I venture to say No, we are not directed to hate the Devil in the Holy Bible. I say it only through my Christian conviction, that our relationship is with God, for God, and by God; never it is about a relationship with the Tempter, and thus there should be nothing in the Holy Bible to teach me about Satan, but that which is To Resist All Evil, With Good!

There is no place for Satan in the Bible. Cursed he shall remain, cursed is he and his domain, and cursed is he, an outcast, into his own deception, defeated and scorned, to the depth of his kingdom of hate!

[david_ian]

Personally, I'm torn. There seems to be a clear message to hate evil, evil actions, evil mindset, etc.

Rom 12:9 Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good.

Pro 8:13 To fear the LORD is to hate evil; I hate pride and arrogance, evil behavior and perverse speech.

But there also seems to be a mandate not to carry that over personally to an individual

Luk 6:27 "But I tell you who hear me: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you,

Mat 5:43 "You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.'
Mat 5:44 But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,

But there is also a sort of "righteous hate" when applied to our passion for God

Psa 139:21 Do I not hate those who hate you, O LORD, and abhor those who rise up against you?

As well as a philosophical acceptance that there is a place for hate

Ecc 3:8 a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace.

But, if it becomes personalized, internalized, there is a danger

Proverbs 10:12 Hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all offenses.

Galatians 5:19-21 Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

1 John 2:11 But whoever hates his brother is in the darkness and walks in the darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.

Proverbs 26:24-26 Whoever hates disguises himself with his lips and harbors deceit in his heart; when he speaks graciously, believe him not, for there are seven abominations in his heart; though his hatred be covered with deception, his wickedness will be exposed in the assembly.

Leviticus 19:17 “You shall not hate your brother in your heart, but you shall reason frankly with your neighbor, lest you incur sin because of him.

Ephesians 4:31 Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice.

Almost without exception, these apply to interaction between brothers; should this apply to Satan as well?

When it comes out of the wash for me, I think Satan is one to be despised, but I don't think we should dwell upon that too deeply; I think we can become distracted, misguided, even to the point of being consumed with that hatred, even if begins as a "righteous hate" spurred on or bourne by our passion for God.

David_Ian

[Come forth]

Man, this could go so many places.

Who is Satan and which interpretation do you subscribe to? Do we subscribe to the personification of a fallen angel, or is it simply some force behind evil choice? As we become more Christ like, does that also mean we become less Satan like? So is Satan really our carnal self and the satisfaction of carnal desires; and is this the true meaning of the enemy within? Or is he some form of combination of all the above with a heap of realistic and symbolic teaching? And if we identify him as being part of self, even if only in some sort of symbolic way, how does that reflect on hating our own sinful ways/behavior?

And one of the big questions I've always wondered is this; "If God the Father is always waiting for His wayward children to repent and come home, what would it mean to the eternal plan if Satan suddenly repented and asked to come home?" Is that even possible? If the most vile sinner, who has committed the worst imaginable act can turn and be restored, isn't it also possible for Satan to do this?

And here's another curly one. If our role as Christians is to pray for all to come into the light, and certainly for that symbolic 'Satan within' to have a life changing God encounter, then should we not also intercede for Old Nick himself?

Please note that I am not offering answers, simply posing questions.

Blessings, Graham.

[david_ian]

Some interesting questions, Graham.

I have some difficulties identifying Satan as a part of self, as we have his person represented in whole in the book of Job, and we also see him in the wilderness with Jesus. It'd be a tough case to make that Satan is the "evil within" for either Christ or the Father.

We see that there is a Judgment reserved for the Devil, and that battle, within God's sphere and relevancy of time, is considered "already been won"; so yeah, it occured to me what would happen with a Repentant Satan. I would assume that evil and Satan are like a leopard and spots, and this would only be possible in the realm of imagination and the hypothetical.

Satan is the enemy to Man. So, we are to Love our enemies? And yes, even pray for them? Jesus had some harry things to say about and to the Pharisees. Okay, and what EXACTLY does the phrase, "Get thee behind me, Satan" mean?

[Come forth]

We know that Jesus is the 'Lamb of God', and that the lambs were sacrificed for thousands of years to teach us about the final sacrifice of sacrifices; and yet Jesus was not an actual lamb. The lamb was simply symbolic. Jesus taught most of His lessons through the use of symbolism; parables about seeds, farm managers, wedding feasts, loan sharks and an unending list of examples.

My questions did not pose answers because I feel that any one answer MAY be incomplete and misleading. Is it possible that the personification of Satan, as a person who will face his final battle and judgment, is also a method of God teaching us about our inner battle? Does one need to negate the other? And, if God knows all things and knows the timing of all things, why did He create Satan in the first place?

Do we believe that He created us for relationship with Him? Is it possible that He created the angels, knowing that many would fall, because He knew that man, all of whom would fall, needed lessons on how to fight the fight and read the signposts pointing to home?

Interestingly the first reference to this foe of foes is that of a serpent. In the Strong's lexicon (H5175) that word means a whisperer, and in the Brown Driver Briggs lexicon it also means an 'image' of a serpent. Dig a little further and the Ancient Hebrew Lexicon of the Bible teaches us that the word also relates to learning, experience and observation.

Is it not true that what we learn, through what we experience and observe, forms our inner man? And is not this inner man, when he forms inner false thoughts and conclusions, one of our greatest roadblocks to a life of faith? Do we not whisper arguments to ourselves all the time? Modern psychology has made millions of dollars out of teaching people about 'self-talk' and controlling the voice within your own head. Sports motivators and teachers use that same 'talking to self' as a method of improving golf swing or hitting a home run. Was not the serpents first trick to cause a whispering in the mind that created questions to be pondered? "Did God really say?" - "Is that what will really happen?"

There is no doubt in my mind that I am often my own worse enemy. My mouth often moves far faster than my brain has the ability to shut it. My emotions, particularly those of hurt or rejection, often overtake the ability to consider or care for the effect of my behavior or words on others. So, in answer to all of these questions, let me put forward another few questions.

Is it possible that, by looking at Satan and all that is taught about him, we can see a picture of the struggle within each and every one of us? Can we see a picture of what will become of us if we allow this inner whispering to lead us down the wrong path? Is it not more important to recognize the work of the enemy within ourselves rather than to go around blaming something 'out there'?

And isn't all of this, as mentioned before, still possible if there is an actual Satan, with his band of not so merry men, weaving his own sort of trickery on all who will allow him to plant the seed?

But remember, that seed still needed to be planted. If you become more like Christ every day, because you receive His seed Word, who do you become like if you receive the other seed?

Blessings, Graham.

[aphram@yahoo.com]

Interestingly the first reference to this foe of foes is that of a serpent. In the Strong's lexicon (H5175) that word means a whisperer, and in the Brown Driver Briggs lexicon it also means an 'image' of a serpent. Dig a little further and the Ancient Hebrew Lexicon of the Bible teaches us that the word also relates to learning, experience and observation.

Thank you Graham for pointing this reference out. Whisperer, Image, Knowledge.

This will help in resisting evil by knowing its source.

[Colswann1]

A few notes, on the reality of Satan, for anyone who wants to make a study of his existence as a real being.

The Doctrine of Satan
I. The Existence of Satan
A. Seven Old Testament books and every New Testament writer refer to Satan.
B. Jesus referred to Satan (Matt.13:39; Luke 10:18; 11:18).

II. The Personality and Names of Satan
A. Personality – He has intellect (2 Cor.11:3), emotions (Rev.12:17) and will (2 Tim.2:26.
B. Names – He is called Satan, the Devil (slanderer), Lucifer (son of the morning), Beelzebub (Lord of the flies – Matt.12:24), and Belial (lawless – 2 Cor.6:15), the evil one (1 John 5:19), the tempter (1 Thess.3:5), the prince of this world (John 12:31), the god of this age (2 Cor.4:4), the prince of the power of the air (Eph.2:2), the accuser of the brethren (Rev.12:10), and angel of light (false light – 2 Cor.11:14), a serpent (Rev.12:9), and a dragon (Rev.12:3).

III. The Nature of Satan
A. He is a created angelic being. He was created as part of the angelic realm (Eph.6:11,12; Ezek.28:18) and was the highest in rank of them all (Ezek.28:12-14).
B. He is an enemy of righteousness. He is a murderer (John 8:44), a liar (John 8:44), and accuser (Rev.12:10) and our adversary (1 Pet.5:8).
C. He is a limited creature. He is limited by God (Job.1:12). He is not God’s equal (1 John 4:4). He is not omniscient, omnipotent or infinite in any way. Believers with God’s help can resist him (James 4:7).

IV. The Fall of Satan
Key Passages – Ezekiel 28; Isaiah 14
A. Ezekiel 28:11-19 is a prophetic lamentation over the “King of Tyre” who is described in language that fits Satan’s fall and not a mere human king. Satan is distinguished form the human ruler of Tyre in 28:2 (“prince/ruler”) and called a “king” in 28:12. Though Tyre had a human “ruler”, Satan was the real “King” behind that wicked kingdom.
B. His attributes – Moral perfection (v.12) Sinless at his creation until his fall (v.15)
C. His appearance – Perfect in beauty (v.12b,13)

1. His privileges – Free access to the garden of Eden (v.12) and to God’s holy mountain (= God’s presence – v.14)

2. His rank – “Cherub” (vs.14,16)

3. His judgment –
a. Cast out of the mountain of God (v.16, cf. Rev. 12:4)
b. Cast to the ground (v.17)
c. Consumed by fire (v.18, cf. Rev.20:10)
D. Isaiah 14:12-15 also seems to describe Satan’s fall. Satan is manifest here by the king of Babylon. As in Ezekiel 28, Satan is pictured here as the real “king” behind the wicked human kingdom of Babylon.

1. The imagery of a “star” and “falling from heaven” (v.12) suggests a supernatural fulfillment. “Stars” (v.12,13) are symbolic of the angelic realm elsewhere (Job 38:6,7; Rev.12:4).

2. The five “I will’s” of vss. 13 & 14 are literally true of Satan and only metaphorically true of Babylon’s king. This ultimate form of pride (“I will be like the Most High” – v.14) fits the New Testament description of Satan’s fall 1 Tim.3:6.

V. The Activity of Satan
Satan is seeking to oppose God’s plan by promoting evil in every way possible.
A. Indirect Activity – He works indirectly through the world (in which he has great freedom and power – John 12:31; 1 John 5:19) and the flesh (Gal.5:19-21). The world, the flesh and the devil are not three separate enemies of the Christian. Rather Satan works through the evil world system (1 John 2:13-15) to exploit the fleshly nature that still wars within us (Rom.7:18; Gal.5:19-21).
B. Direct Activity – He works directly by deception, temptation, attack and possession.

1. In Christ’s ministry
a. He tempted Christ (Matt.4:1-11).
b. He attempted to thwart Christ’s work (John 8:44; Matt.16:23; Luke 22:31).
c. He possessed Judas to accomplish the betrayal (John 13:27).

2. In unbelievers
a. He blinds their minds to hinder their understanding of the gospel (2 Cor.4:4).
b. When the gospel is heard or understood, he tries to hinder its effect (Luke 8:12).
c. He uses persecution (Rev.2:10) and false religions (Rev.2:13) to hinder the effect of the gospel.

3. In believers
a. He tempts believers (to pride – 1 Chron.21:1-8; to materialism – John 2:15; James 5:1-7; to immorality – 1 Cor.7:5; to lie – Acts 5:3; to discouragement – 1 Pet.5:6-10; to be unforgiving – 2 Cor.2:10,11 etc.).
b. He hinders the ministries of believers (1 Thess.2:18; Rev.2:10).
c. He promotes false teaching among believers (1 John 4:1-4).
d. He promotes anger, bitterness and division (Eph.4:26,27; 2 Cor.2:5-11).

[cdawson41]

My answer to this topic may be way to simplistic but I'm going to take my lead from my youngest son. He is now 24 years old.

One Sunday when he was about 5 we had attended church. At the time we didn't have a car so we walked back and forth. On our way home he informed me he had something very special to tell me.

I was all ready for him to tell me about the Bible lesson he had learned that day, to talk of God's love any number of things along that line. I was not ready for the statement that came out of his mouth.

He was smiling so big, I remember this as if it were yesterday, and he told me that he LOVED satan. I nearly fell over where I was. I stopped and started to explain to him that no we do not love satan, that is not good or right. But he corrected me. He said his teacher taught him that day that God commands us to love everyone and that love is the greatest thing. He said if God wants us to love everyone then he means everyone and that includes satan. He went even further to tell me that just because we love him doesn't mean we have to like or go along with the things he says and does but the point was to love everyone.

The Bible quite clearly tells us unless we can have faith like a child we will not enter the kingdom of heaven.

My son made a very powerful argument that day and thus changed my entire life on the topic of love or hate. I have made it my personal choice to hate no one. There are many that I do not like nor agree with the things they say and do so I do not follow them or allow them to influence my life. I'm not near as bold as my son I will not make a statement of loving satan but I will state that since that day I have never had feelings of hate for anyone or anything. God doesn't want me to be a hater, he wants me to love.

So do I hate satan, no I most certainly do not. Do I agree with his direction in life and what he wants to do to all of us, most certainly I do not.

Sometimes I think we can talk theory and the what is this and what if that's but often our kids have the best answers. Satan has already been beaten by God, he will not win, my choosing to hate one of God's fallen angels seems wrong to me. It would be the same difference if I hated a murderer. God doesn't not hate someone who murders, he loves them and holds out hope they will turn their life around and come to him or back to him. The person who commits murder is still a child of God and until that last day there is hope that person will see the light and change their ways.

My ending thought on that is to allow hate of any form in your heart is like cutting of a very resistant weed. It will keep coming back and usually it comes back bigger than it was before. If you allow hate for anything to reside in your heart there is a seed there that could turn bad, very very bad.

[swfdoc1]

It’s a tough question, and there’ve been a lot of good points all around and just a few that I both disagree with enough to mention and that I can address quickly. There are a few others that are more complicated that I just don’t have the time to chime in on.

1. Enmity in the Genesis 3 passage does not mean opposition; it means “personal hatred.”
2. It’s one thing to say we’re not to hate anyone; it’s another to say we are not to hate anything. Surely we are, as per the scriptures various folks have posted.

[Come forth]

Enmity in the Genesis 3 passage does not mean opposition; it means “personal hatred.”

Maybe my first comment here will be seen as splitting hairs, but I don't agree that the word 'enmity' means 'personal' hatred. Neither the Strong's or the BDB lexicons use the word 'personal'. But they certainly use the word 'hatred'.

I agree that there is a hatred involved in our relationship with the enemy, but as the young child mentioned earlier points out, is that really a personal hatred or a hatred of the cause and effect of sin? Do I hate Satan? Can I even begin to separate the person from the effect? The arguments given by Col for the personification of Satan are all real and valid, but again, do they negate the other arguments of the symbolic teaching of Satan within? Are we not supposed to hate the evil we do?

We are actually told two things in Scripture which could seem opposite to each other, until you look a little deeper.

First we are told that 'hate' is punishable. Deuteronomy references of 5:9, 7:15 and 30:7 are just three quick ones that support what I am saying; but Scripture is peppered with warnings about harboring hate in the heart. I'm not going to be so bold as to say that 'all' of these refer to 'personal' hate; but the ones I've looked at seem to say that hatred of a person (as in a wife, friend, brother, God etc.) is wrong and will not go unpunished. But just to confuse the issue, David in at least two or three Psalms clearly says he hates all of those that hate him or God.

But then we have a different approach; we are encouraged to hate. Psalms references 89:23, 101:3, 119:104 and 163, all of these references encourage us to hate the behavior and 'false ways' of the enemy.

None of us, while all having truth in what we are saying, really have come to the fullness of understanding this issue. The fullness of truth lies somewhere in a blend of all that the Lord is revealing to His house. And having said that, here is something else interesting about the word 'hate'.

The Ancient Hebrew Lexicon of the Bible teaches us something really interesting. The word 'hate' comes from a root word that means 'the strength of the house'. It refers to the desires of the Father of the house. So the strength of our house is directly related to those things we desire, the things which fill our heart. We are also told that 'out of the fullness of the heart, the mouth speaks' and that we should love the things God loves and hate the things He hates.

This word for hate also refers directly to beholding the fullness of the Father by standing firm for what He desires. So if we fill our heart with the things that God desires, we will come to a place of beholding His fullness. A good reason to love what He loves and to hate what He hates.

Blessings, Graham.

[swfdoc1]

Graham,

As you say, many dictionaries/lexicons indicate the hate/hatred part of “enmity.” In my synthesis definition, I included “personal” for several reasons, one of which is because it IS in the BDB definition, at least my edition. So we must have different editions. I have the Hendrickson Publishers edition copyrighted 1979. Its definition is “personal hostility.”

By the way, you have cited the Ancient Hebrew Lexicon twice now. I am very leery (if not more than leery) of that book. It is, by its own description, etymologically based. Etymologically based definitions CAN be helpful and valid is the scholar is very careful, but they are also very dangerous if the scholar is not careful because it is very easy to fall into the etymological fallacy. The Ancient Hebrew Lexicon seems to fall into this trap. Furthermore, it imparts “meaning” not only from word origins, but even from the ancient forms of the letters. Others have leveled very serious criticisms at its author’s scholarship, on multiple fronts.

Steve

[Come forth]

I agree that the etymological fallacy is very easy to fall into; however, there is an even greater risk of sticking to your current meanings without concern for culture or time. A simple example is that a person fifty years ago when describing something as wicked would not necessarily mean the same thing as someone using the word today. The times and culture of the words when written is an essential part of understanding what the writer was saying.

Can wicked therefore mean awesome and fantastic? It sure can; and has for some years now. But it would never have been used that way by a Hebrew in the days of Abraham. The large X in the Strong's meanings helps us to understand when a word has become an idiom, but we must still be careful about when this transition took place.

I view the Ancient Hebrew Lexicon of the Bible (AHLB) as a very valuable tool; and indeed, the ancient pictographs of the original hieroglyphics are mind boggling in what they can reveal. All tools are not, however, the be all and end all of any argument; Scripture will always define and clarify its own meaning when the Holy Spirit is involved. (A big claim here, and sadly one that we humans are capable of manipulating to suite ourselves).

As for knockers of the AHLB; some have valid claims and some are no more than a comparison to medical practitioners who always push their favorite drug as a cure. If you look at what the AHLB says, follow through with the meanings of the pictographs and keep it all in the context of the teachings of Christ, it is amazing how clear a spiritual meaning can become. We will often see things we have missed this way, and I've seen incredible things happen in peoples lives when the light of understanding suddenly dawns; as I'm sure we all have.

That, by the way, is one reason I love these discussions. I repeat something I said in an earlier post; I don't believe any of us have the full or right answer. But as we share in honesty and with open minds, we all gain a little more and move a little closer.