Where is, and recognizing the devil

[nobspeople]

How can one recognize the devil?
"Be careful! Watch out for attacks from the devil, your great enemy. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for some victim to devour. Take a firm stand against him, and be strong in your faith" (I Peter 5:8-9)
There it's said he's a like a roaring lion, but here
"Satan can disguise himself as an angel of light. So it is no wonder his servants can also do it by pretending to be godly ministers" (II Corinthians 11:14-15).
it says he can be like an angel of light.

So which is it? A roaring lion or light angel? Contradictory much? Or maybe, the devil can be both things, at which point we're right back to the first question, how can one recognize him.

"Humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you" (James 4:7).
This seems to say if you're humble before god, you can resist the devil and he will leave you. But it still doesn't say how to recognize him.
This:
"He was a murderer from the beginning and has always hated the truth. There is no truth in him. When he lies, it is consistent with his character; for he is a liar and the father of lies" (John 8:44).
doesn't seem to help recognizing him, either - just tells you what it claims the devil is.

Seems the devil is more of a spirit and less of a legitimate 'thing' (though some claim it's a very real person - see link below*, which seems odd to use the term 'person'), so maybe, to recognize it, when need to know where it lives today.
Pergamum was said to be “where the throne of Satan is” and “where Satan is dwelling.” (Revelation 2:13). However, some think this refers more to the satanic worship than an actual residence. Odd that god would let some think this and others think something else, but that's another story to address elsewhere.
The Bible says that the Devil rules over “all the kingdoms of the inhabited earth,” so he does not dwell in any one physical location on earth but is confined to the vicinity of the earth.​—(Luke 4:​5, 6).

For discussion: How does one recognize the devil? Or does that even matter? And where is the devil today?

* https://www.focusonthefamily.com/family ... the-devil/

[theophile]

[Replying to Miles in post #129]

No mention of "limbs" in Genesis 3:14 whatsoever. Moreover:

The implication is clearly there in that the Garden God is attributed in Genesis 3:14 with punishing the Serpent with a curse which makes the serpent a belly-crawler.
You appear to be arguing that it was always a belly-crawler, which is not following the storyline, and therefore your argument cannot be accepted as valid.

ser·pent
/ˈsərpənt/

noun: serpent; plural noun: serpents
1. literary a large snake.
source: Oxford Languages Dictionary
___________________

Genesis 3:14
So the Lord God said to the snake, “You did this very bad thing, so bad things will happen to you. It will be worse for you than for any other animal. You must crawl on your belly and eat dust all the days of your life.

Snakes don't have legs.

Nor do they speak human languages.

Look at this little guy! Maybe something like this used to be the serpent's natural mode -- shuffling along with no legs required. (I actually think that is the idea, and is indicative of the biblical concept of uprightness. After the curse the serpent is no longer upright...)

[Avoice]

Separate entities. Yes, that is how Christians see it. Never thought of it that way. Yeah .good observation.!

[William]

[Replying to theophile in post #131]

So cute.

This little guy can't seriously be connected with Dragons, no matter how much he puffs he wee upstanding chest out.

Perhaps the author of the story never meant to imply craftiness but cuteness and that is what tripped the woman - perhaps the serpent had a voice like that of Kermit the frog, but with an cultured charming English accent.
Perhaps too, the author never meant to imply that the serpent had limbs when mentioning the association with the beasts of the field in verse 1 and 14 - for we all understand the beasts of the field have limbs.

[Miles]

[Replying to Miles in post #129]

No mention of "limbs" in Genesis 3:14 whatsoever. Moreover:

The implication is clearly there in that the Garden God is attributed in Genesis 3:14 with punishing the Serpent with a curse which makes the serpent a belly-crawler.
You appear to be arguing that it was always a belly-crawler, which is not following the storyline, and therefore your argument cannot be accepted as valid.

And as I read it the serpent was already a belly crawler, as is depicted in the artwork concerning his deception of Eve, which preceded Genesis 3:14.

ser·pent
/ˈsərpənt/

noun: serpent; plural noun: serpents
1. literary a large snake.
source: Oxford Languages Dictionary
___________________

Genesis 3:14
So the Lord God said to the snake, “You did this very bad thing, so bad things will happen to you. It will be worse for you than for any other animal. You must crawl on your belly and eat dust all the days of your life.

Snakes don't have legs.

Nor do they speak human languages.

But the Bible does mention the snake speaking---it would have to have been a human language---whereas it never mentions it having legs

I would caution anyone not to accept that because nowadays 'Serpent' means 'snake' [according to some dictionaries] that this means one can rightfully manipulate the story to align with the modern day meaning of the word.

But centuries old images of the apple incident all depict the "serpent" as a snake, an animal without legs. So this is no "modern day meaning of the word."

The word used in the garden story was "Serpent" and what it is described as prior to the Gods curse upon it - is definitely NOT a snake.

Genesis 3:14 (XXX = Bible version)

CEB
The Lord God said to the snake, “Because you did this, you are the one cursed out of all the farm animals, out of all the wild animals. On your belly you will crawl, and dust you will eat every day of your life.

ERV
So the Lord God said to the snake, “You did this very bad thing, so bad things will happen to you. It will be worse for you than for any other animal. You must crawl on your belly and eat dust all the days of your life

EXB
The Lord God said to the ·snake [serpent], “Because you did this, a curse will be put on you. You will be cursed as no other animal, ·tame [beasts; livestock] or ·wild [L of the field], will ever be. You will ·crawl [go] on your ·stomach [belly], and you will eat dust all the days of your life.

CEV
So the Lord God said to the snake: “Because of what you have done, you will be the only animal to suffer this curse— For as long as you live, you will crawl on your stomach and eat dirt.

NOG
So Yahweh Elohim said to the snake, “Because you have done this, You are cursed more than all the wild or domestic animals. You will crawl on your belly. You will be the lowest of animals as long as you live.

GNT
Then the Lord God said to the snake, “You will be punished for this; you alone of all the animals must bear this curse: From now on you will crawl on your belly, and you will have to eat dust as long as you live.

etc.

etc.


.

[William]

[Replying to Miles in post #134]

And as I read it the serpent was already a belly crawler, as is depicted in the artwork concerning his deception of Eve, which preceded Genesis 3:14.

As the photograph posted prior - also preceding Genesis 3:14 -



it has been shown me that the Serpent never had limbs and cannot be confused with the Dragon. Thanks for your obvious careful and well supported effort with the paintings, anyway.

What would interest me would be any recordings of the sound of the serpents voice, preceding Genesis 3:14 - so if you come across those, please post them as well.