Why is Satan Called the god of this World?
The Bible, in 2 Corinthians 4:4, calls Satan the god of this world. This statement might seem puzzling at first, considering that Satan is usually seen as an adversary or an enemy of God. However, upon closer inspection, we can see that the label “god of this world” has a more nuanced meaning.
Firstly, it is important to understand that the term “god” in the Bible can refer to various entities, not just the one true God. In fact, the Old Testament often describes pagan gods as “gods” with a lowercase “g.” These gods were typically associated with certain aspects of life or natural phenomena, such as fertility, the sun, or the sea.
Likewise, the New Testament uses the term “god” to refer to entities other than the one true God. For instance, in John 10:34-35, Jesus quotes Psalm 82:6, where the “gods” are said to be children of the Most High. Here, the term “gods” refers to human judges who exercise authority on God’s behalf. So, when we encounter the phrase “god of this world” in 2 Corinthians 4:4, we should not assume that Satan is being elevated to the status of the one true God.
Instead, the phrase “god of this world” suggests that Satan exercises a certain amount of control and influence over the world. This is in keeping with other passages in the New Testament that describe Satan as the “ruler of this world” (John 12:31, 14:30, 16:11) or the “prince of the power of the air” (Ephesians 2:2). In all of these cases, Satan is portrayed as having a measure of power over the affairs of this world.
How did Satan Become the god of this World?
According to the Bible, Satan was originally a high-ranking angel who rebelled against God and was cast out of heaven (Isaiah 14:12-15, Ezekiel 28:12-17, Revelation 12:7-9). Since then, he has been opposed to God’s plan and seeks to thwart it in every way possible.
One way Satan exercises his influence over the world is by tempting people to sin. In the Garden of Eden, he tempted Adam and Eve to disobey God’s command not to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (Genesis 3:1-6). Ever since then, Satan has been tempting humans to turn away from God and follow their own desires.
Another way Satan exerts his influence is by blinding people to the truth. In 2 Corinthians 4:4, the apostle Paul writes that Satan “has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.” This suggests that Satan seeks to prevent people from understanding the truth about God and his plan of salvation.
So, while Satan is not the one true God, he does exercise a measure of control and influence over the world. This should not cause us to fear or worship him, but it should remind us to be vigilant and resist his temptations and deceptions. As the apostle James writes, “Resist the devil, and he will flee from you” (James 4:7).
