The Prince of the Power of the Air

When Lucifer, or Satan, as he is now called, was cast out, he realized that he had lost heaven forever. His nature was now changed completely, and his heart was filled with anger and hatred toward the entire government of God. His history shows that from that time his motto was, in the language of Milton, ”Evil, be thou my good.” His change of name indicates his change of character. Lucifer means “light-bearer.” The word devil means the opposite,—“darkness.” He is now the prince of darkness.

Revenge now filled that heart where once the love of God abode, and all his powers were exerted against God and His work. Every artful device of Satan and the evil angels has since been used to lead men to follow them in sin and rebellion against God.  It is well for man to know the strength of the foe he has to meet. Satan and his angels have on earth the same wisdom, and much of the power, which they had in heaven before their fall. To this is added six thousand years’ experience in their terrible work.

In heaven Satan’s influence was so great as to deceive and lead into rebellion a vast number of the holy angels. If his influence in the very courts of heaven was so great, can we not readily understand how it is possible for him to lead mankind astray?  With such power and influence as he has at his command, we can never overcome Satan in our own strength. If we let go our hold upon God, we step onto the enemy’s ground, and he will always be there to meet us. Under such conditions we are sure to be “taken captive by him at his will.” (2 Tim. 2 : 26) But we need not be overcome by the enemy. Christ has twice conquered this foe,— once in the battle in heaven, when Satan was cast out; and again as a man on earth when He met all his temptations, and came off victorious. Hence Satan is to Christ a conquered foe. If we trust our Lord fully, He will give us strength in every hour of need, and thus we may become “more than conquerors through Him that loved us.” (Rom. 8 : 37)  Not only does Satan seek to draw man away from his allegiance to God, but he uses also the elements of the earth, sea, and sky to work his destruction. Paul calls Satan “The prince of the power of the air.” (Eph. 2:2.)  The name is well applied; for it is he who causes the terrible cyclones, the tidal waves, and other awful disasters. Only the restraining hand of God prevents him from bringing devastation to the whole world, more awful than has yet been known.  The experience of Job, as recorded in the first chapter of that book, is evidence that Satan controls, not only the hearts and actions of wicked men, but also, as far as permitted, the very elements. When God allowed him to afflict Job, four great calamities came upon him in such quick succession that one bearer of evil tidings could not finish his report before another was waiting with his account of disaster.  They were as follows :—

First, a band of Sabeans fell upon the servants who were plowing, and slew them, and took away the oxen, and the asses that were feeding beside them. It was Satan who stirred up these wicked men to do this deed.

Second, fire from above burned up the sheep as they were feeding, as well as the servants who were caring for them. This storm of fire was brought down by Satan for the purpose of causing this very destruction.  The text reads, “The fire of God is fallen from heaven, and hath burned up the sheep, and the servants, and consumed them.” (Job i : 16)  This was the language of the messenger, giving an account of the disaster as he understood it. By a reading of the twelfth verse we can not avoid the conclusion that these calamities were not sent by God, but were the means the Lord permitted Satan to use in his effort to destroy the integrity of Job.

Third, three bands of Chaldeans fell upon the camels, and carried them away, and slew the servants who were keeping them. These Chaldeans were idolaters, hence were servants of Satan, and were led and influenced by him in this raid upon the property of Job.

Fourth, a wind from the wilderness smote the house where the sons and daughters of Job were eating and drinking, and killed them all. This awful bereavement was the last of the four great calamities brought upon him at this time. In this instance the winds obeyed the will of Satan, so justifying the statement made by Paul, that Satan is “the prince of the power of the air.”

The “working of Satan” is to be “with all power and signs and lying wonders, and with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish.” (2 Thess. 2 : 9, 10)  “And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven [the atmospheric heavens, which surround this earth] on the earth in the sight of men.” (Rev. 13 : 13)  As we near the end, Satan will become more and more active in bringing disaster upon the world. The apostle-prophet John says of this time, “Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time.” (Rev. 12 : 12)