Be Watchful Satan Wants to Devour You! -SATAN IS CRUEL

The apostle Peter compared Satan to a "roaring lion."  One reference book explains that the Greek word translated "roaring" means   "the howl  of a beast is fierce hunger."  How well that describes Satan's cruel and wicked attitude!  He already controls the whole world, yet that is not enough for him. Satan is like a lion that is hungry for more victims.  (1 John 5:19) His main targets are the anointed still on earth, who are joined by the "other sheep." (John 10:16; Revelation 12:17) Satan's goal is to destroy Jehovah's people.  The persecution of true Christians from the first century until not proves just how cruel Satan is.  Satan has shown his cruelty another way. A starving lion does not feel sorry for its prey. It does not feel any compassion before the kill, and it does not feel guilty after the kill. In a similar way, Satan does not feel any compassion for those  whom he attacks. For example, how do you think Satan felt each time he saw the Israelites  give in to sins such as sexual immorality and greed?  Can you picture Satan enjoying his victory as he saw the tragic results of Zimri's immorality and Gehazi's greed? -Numbers 25:6-8, 14,  15;  2 Kings 5:20-27. 

Satan had special reason  to target ancient Israel.  Remember that the Messiah would come from that nation, and he would be the one to crush Satan and prove that Jehovah had the right to rule.  (Genesis 3:15) Satan did no want the Israelites to have God's approval, so he did everything he could to corrupt them with sin.  Do not imagine that Satan felt sorry for David when he committed adultery. Do not think that he had any compassion for Moses when he lost the opportunity to enter the Promised Land.  Satan is actually very happy to see one of God's servants commit a serious sin.  In fact, the Devil uses such victories  to taunt Jehovah. -Proverbs 27:11.

Satan especially hated the family line that the Messiah would come from. For example, think about what happened after Jehovah told Abraham that he would become  "a great nation."  (Genesis 12:1-3) While Abraham and Sarah were in Egypt, Pharaoh brought Sarah to his home and wanted her to become his wife. However, Jehovah protected Sarah and saved her from this difficult situation. (Read Genesis 12:14-20.) Something similar happened in the day of Gerar before Isaac was born.  (Genesis 20:1-7) Is it possible that Satan was responsible  for these situations?  Remember that Sarah had left the rich city of Ur to live in tents. So, did Satan hope to tempt her with  the luxurious palaces of Pharaoh and Abimelech?  Did  Satan think that she would betray her husband and even Jehovah by marrying one of those kings?  The Bible does not say, but it is very likely that the Devil would have been overjoyed  if Sarah has lost the opportunity to become part of the Messiah's family line.  Satan would have felt no guilt at all if that good woman's marriage, reputation, and relationship with Jehovah had been ruined.  How cruel and wicked Satan is! 

Jesus was born hundreds of years after Abraham. Do not imagine that Satan saw this baby as beautiful or adorable. Satan knew that this baby would grow up to become the promised Messiah.   Jesus was the main part of Abraham's  offspring, and he would later "break up the works of the Devil."  (1 John 3:8) Would Satan think that  killing a child was too cruel? No. He does not care about what is right or wrong. And he acted quickly to try to kill the child Jesus. How?

When King Herod heard from the astrologers that the "king of the Jews" had been born, he was very angry and wanted to kill the baby.  (Matthew 2:1-3, 13) So he ordered  the murder of all boys two years old and younger in Bethlehem and its districts.   (Read Matthew 2:13-18.) Jesus survived that terrible slaughter, but what does this tell us about our enemy Satan? The Devil does not value human life. He does not even care about the children.  Satan truly is "a roaring lion."  Never forget how cruel he is!  

Next time: Be Watchful Satan Wants to Devour You! -SATAN IS DECEPTIVE

From the jw.org publications