Why is Satan mentioned so rarely in the Old Testament?

JimB · Jan 1, 2007

Why do you think Satan is mentioned so rarely in the Old Testament (in only 5 chapters in 929 in the OT i.e., only about ½ of 1% of the chapters)? In particular:

Genesis 3. (Where he is called the serpent)
1 Chronicles 21. (Where he tempted David to number Israel)
Job 1,2. (Where he afflicted Job)
Zechariah 3. (Where he resisted the Angel of the Lord)

You can (should) check me out on this.

It seems probable to me that ancient Israelites had no clear concept of Satan, such as the New Testament gives him, nor did Satan figure that much into their lives. At least, if he did it is not recorded.

Have you ever wondered about this? What do you think?

~Jim

Zeal is like a fire: feed it but watch it.

JTM3 · Jan 1, 2007

Because it was, for whatever reason, not revealed to them.

Fighting spiritual battles against spiritual entities was not revealed to Israel, like praying in the spirit and the gifts of the spirit weren't revealed to them.

Questioning Christian · Jan 1, 2007

Maybe Satan was on vacation or something.

JTM3 · Jan 1, 2007

Questioning Christian said:
Maybe Satan was on vacation or something.

LOL!!!

Yeah, so for 4,000 years or so he was being lazy and God was sending the plagues and evereything.

So THAT's where the suffering doctrine comes from.

Adammi · Jan 1, 2007

Questioning Christian said:
Maybe Satan was on vacation or something.

ROFL

In all seriousness though, I think that the idea of "Satan" did not exist in the OT as it did in the NT or even more so as it does now. The afterlife is another example of this.

JTM3 · Jan 1, 2007

Upon_This_Rock said:
ROFL

In all seriousness though, I think that the idea of "Satan" did not exist in the OT as it did in the NT or even more so as it does now. The afterlife is another example of this.

The afterlife didn't exist in the OT?!

Heaven is a recent invention?

Always in His Presence · Jan 1, 2007

Jim M said:
Why do you think Satan is mentioned so rarely in the Old Testament (in only 5 chapters in 929 in the OT i.e., only about ½ of 1% of the chapters)? In particular:

Have you ever wondered about this? What do you think?

You missed:

the references to Lucifer in Isaiah
the references of "the accuser" in Psalms

In addition there are many many references to his activity through "foreign gods and idols.

The prophets of Baal for example: Who was Baal, but a form of another god (satan)

Beyond that the majority of references to Satan in the New Testament is in direct correlation to Jesus' (and subsequently our), victory over him and his kindom, inlcuding admonishments not to be fooled by him.

JimfromOhio · Jan 1, 2007

Compare to the "New Testament", Satan or other names belonging to Satan, Old Testament mentioned very little. However, we have seen alot of writings regarding "sins" of the people in the Old Testament and how people forget God that Satan is not needed to be mentioned.

That's how I looked at the Old Testament and its important to know that the Old Testament made hundreds of references to Christ... (Messiah) including prophecies about the Messiah is about to come. Also, reading the Old Testament, God's Sovereign have been mentioned more than I can count.

Reading the Old Testament is looking at God's perspective towards the New Testament.

JTM3 · Jan 1, 2007

Do you have an ulterior motive for this thread Jim?

Adammi · Jan 1, 2007

God's Sovereign have been mentioned more than I can count.

True, I think that Satan's seeming absence in the OT really demonstrates that God is sovereign above, beyond, and through Satan.

JimB · Jan 1, 2007

JTM3 said:
Do you have an ulterior motive for this thread Jim?

Why would you ask that, JT? Do I have to have ulterior motive in searching for the truth?

~Jim

Zeal is like a fire: feed it but watch it.

TrollSA · Jan 1, 2007

JTM3 said:
The afterlife didn't exist in the OT?!

Heaven is a recent invention?

Oh yes afterlife existed to God's children from the beginning, take Abraham for i.e.(I know that's not the start - For further clarity see Rom 2:12-16 ) but do u think Abraham's promise from God was void?? To make him father of many. Certainly not, coz we're the proof in the pudding so to speak. And through that same generation Jesus came to earth. Praise the Lord! Abraham together with God's children before and His children now shall inherit eternal life.Rom 2:12-16

No. 2 Gen 1:7 And God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament: and it was so.

Gen 1:8 And God called the firmament Heaven. And the evening and the morning were the second day.

Hope that clears it enough.

I don't think the need for satan to be mentioned a certain number of times in either the OT or NT is of importance. As long as we can identify him as our enemy and stand against him when the need be.
Take care

JTM3 · Jan 1, 2007

Upon_This_Rock said:
ROFL

In all seriousness though, I think that the idea of "Satan" did not exist in the OT as it did in the NT or even more so as it does now. The afterlife is another example of this.

Jim M said:
Why would you ask that, JT? Do I have to have ulterior motive in searching for the truth?

~Jim

Zeal is like a fire: feed it but watch it.

Just wondering...just a quandry..

Nice Jimmy!

Optimax · Jan 1, 2007

Jim M said:
Why do you think Satan is mentioned so rarely in the Old Testament (in only 5 chapters in 929 in the OT i.e., only about ½ of 1% of the chapters)? In particular:

Genesis 3. (Where he is called the serpent)

1 Chronicles 21. (Where he tempted David to number Israel)

Job 1,2. (Where he afflicted Job)

Zechariah 3. (Where he resisted the Angel of the Lord)

You can (should) check me out on this.

It seems probable to me that ancient Israelites had no clear concept of Satan, such as the New Testament gives him, nor did Satan figure that much into their lives. At least, if he did it is not recorded.

Have you ever wondered about this? What do you think?

~Jim

Zeal is like a fire: feed it but watch it.

I have wondered the same thing, could not find anything in scripture that addressed it, not yet anyway.

My OPINON is this.

satan stole from Adam certain authorities. Therefore before Jesus came and took them back there was more that satan could do in OT times than now.

The people then were even more subject to sin than we are because of this stolen authority the devil had, therefore God did not draw attention to the devil anymore than necessary in order not to sway people even more towards him.

That is certainly subject to change should I learn a better explanation. So far in about 25 years of study that is the best I can do.

NewSong · Jan 1, 2007

My personal opinion of why satan is so rarely mentioned in the Old Testament if that is the case would be because of interchange in terminology. Satan = accuser, one who plots against another, fallen angel, hostile angel, devil, opponent of God...etc. Still mentioned just not the way the New Testament style of writers referred to the enemy.

Just my usual 2 cents.

Alpine · Jan 1, 2007

This is something I've thought a lot about. I recently was reading Genesis, and I wondered if the snake really was Satan - or - just a snake. The scripture seems to only call him a snake in that section of scripture.

I have done a little looking into what Jews think about the idea of Satan, and they tend to view Satan as an actual angel of God (hence their idea that God created evil.) They don't believe in a devil who goes around tormenting people, etc.

The New testament however paints a very clear picture that there is someone out there whom Jesus calls Satan and he has demons who influence and possess people.

Perhaps it is just a part of the Revelation that Jesus brought to earth with His coming.

Questioning Christian · Jan 1, 2007

JTM3 said:
LOL!!!

Yeah, so for 4,000 years or so he was being lazy and God was sending the plagues and evereything.

So THAT's where the suffering doctrine comes from.

Ever heard of Death Takes A Holiday???

JTM ... I don't think Jim has an ulterior motive. I just think it's a question - just an honest question.

Adammi · Jan 1, 2007

Alpine said:
This is something I've thought a lot about. I recently was reading Genesis, and I wondered if the snake really was Satan - or - just a snake. The scripture seems to only call him a snake in that section of scripture.

I have done a little looking into what Jews think about the idea of Satan, and they tend to view Satan as an actual angel of God (hence their idea that God created evil.) They don't believe in a devil who goes around tormenting people, etc.

The New testament however paints a very clear picture that there is someone out there whom Jesus calls Satan and he has demons who influence and possess people.

Perhaps it is just a part of the Revelation that Jesus brought to earth with His coming.

Great post. I've wondered some of the same things including whether the serpent was actually Satan.
Also, I do believe that God created evil (I believe in one God...maker of...all things visible and invisible...).

JTM3 · Jan 1, 2007

JTM3 said:
Just wondering...just a quandry..

Nice Jimmy!

Questioning Christian said:
Ever heard of Takes A Holiday???

JTM ... I don't think Jim has an ulterior motive. I just think it's a question - just an honest question.

Looks like you missed a post

AudioArtist · Jan 2, 2007

I don't understand why you'd pray to God for a possessed person to be free if Satan was an agent of God. How could Jesus have gained victory over Satan if Satan was always just a tool of God?

I've also been perplexed by this issue in the Old Testament for a long, long time. Where did the theology of Satan in the New Testament come from? I know Jesus brought new revelations to people, but when talking of Satan the apostles seem to be assuming that he was familiar concept. Did ideas about the devil stem from any Jewish beliefs at the time? When did Jews start believing in demon posession, too? The only Old Testament reference I can find is where God sends an evil spirit to torment Saul! The O.T sometimes makes God and Satan/evil spirits appear to be working together, which I find very confusing. If God works with evil, what hope do we have?

Luckily, the New Testament fixes up some of these issues, but I'd really love someone more learned in Jewish doctrine to clear some of this up.

Why is Satan mentioned so rarely in the Old Testament?

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