Evil By Any Other Name...

EVIL BY ANY OTHER NAME...

You know, the devil has been around a really long time.  He was first mentioned in Genesis, and he is mentioned all the way to Revelation, and that's a really long time, but also, while he's been aging through time, he's picked up some other names that he goes by, and I'd like to share them with you, and let you know where you can find them, chapter and verse.  We'll start with his most popular names, and then get to his more obscure ones toward the end.
Satan - This is his most reknowned name, which means adversary.  "Then saith Jesus unto him, 'Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and Him only shalt thou serve.'" (Matt. 4:10)  "And Satan stood up against Israel, and provoked David to number Israel." (1 Chron. 21:1)

Devil - This is another very popular name for him, and the meaning for this name is "slanderer".  "Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them.  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)  "Neither give place to the devil." (Eph. 4:27)

Lucifer - Meaning "the bright one", this name is only given to him one time in the entire bible, by Isaiah: "How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning!  How art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!" (Isa. 14:12) Interestingly enough, you would be hard-pressed to find a number of Christians in one place who do not know him by this name!

Beelzebub - "Lord of the flies", this name was brought up when certain Pharisees were committing the unforgivable sin: "And if I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your children cast them out?  Therefore they shall be your judges." (Matt. 12:27)

Prince of the Power of the Air - This name means "Control of Unbelievers", and it, too, is only found once in the entire bible, used by Paul in his letter to the Ephesians.  "Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:" (Eph. 2:2)

Great Red Dragon - The name given here means "Destructive Creature", and indeed, he seeks to destroy all souls and have them end up in hell with him.  "And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads." (Rev. 12:3)  Again, this is the only reference in the bible using the exact name "Great Red Dragon".

God of This World - Since those who know not the glorious gospel compared to the philosophies of this world are blinded by the devil, so this name means "Controls Philosophy of World".  " In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them." (2 Cor. 4:4)  God's gospel in the New Testament is for holy, orderly, obedient living, as opposed to the devil's philosophies that offer chaos, disobedience, and riotous living.

Old Serpent - This name means "Deceiver in Eden", and rightly so, as this was where his first deception took place.  As he was created before the beginning of the human race, it became right to add "old" to his title of "serpent".  "And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him." (Rev. 12:9)  "And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years," (Rev. 20:2)

Abaddon - Many of his names pop up in Revelation; this one means "Destruction", and he is indeed responsible for much destruction!  "And they had a king over them, which is the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in the Hebrew tongue is Abaddon, but in the Greek tongue hath his name Apollyon." (Rev. 9:11)  Note that he has another of his names mentioned here, "Apollyon", which means "Destroyer".

Roaring Lion - Meaning "Opponent", he made himself God's opponent, and the opponent of all mankind, created in God's image as we are, since his mind corrupted and God found him in iniquity!  "Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: " (1 Pet. 5:8)

Belial - This word means "Worthless", and comes up in the Old testament not only attributed to Satan, but to wicked men as well.  "Certain men, the children of Belial, are gone out from among you, and have withdrawn the inhabitants of their city, saying, Let us go and serve other gods, which ye have not known; " (Deut. 13:13)  "And what concord hath Christ with Belial?  Or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?" (2 Cor. 6:15)

Prince of This World - It means just what it sounds like it means, "Rules World System".  "Jesus answered and said, 'This voice came not because of Me, but for your sakes.  Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out.'" (John 12:30 - 31)

Enemy - Has the same meaning as "Roaring Lion" - "Opponent".  "But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way. " (Matt. 13:25)

Tempter - Quite naturally, it means "Entices People To Sin".  We are never tempted by God, "Let no man say when he is tempted, 'I am tempted of God': for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man:" (James 1:13).  But the devil wants us to sin, because he knows it displeases God!  "And when the tempter came to him, he said, 'If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread.'" (Matt. 4:3)  "For this cause, when I could no longer forbear, I sent to know your faith, lest by some means the tempter have tempted you, and our labour be in vain." (1 Thess. 3:5)  "But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.  Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death." (James 1:14 - 15)

Murderer - Now this one draws out a bit in meaning, but is quite logical: "Solicits People To Eternal Death".  The devil wants you to end up where he will, the lake of fire!  "Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do.  He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him.  When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it." (John 8:44).   The devil's other name is in this same verse; Liar - Meaning "Perverts The Truth".

Accuser - "This name is associated for the activity he is involved in when believers pass from this life in the material world. It means "Accuses Believers Before God".  "And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, 'Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.'" (Rev. 12:10)

And so here we have some names you can rightfully call the devil.  He has earned them by his behavior, and what he is all about.  We will know of him for quite some time, until God's appointed day in which He renders him a memory, and nothing more, and that appointed day is the one in which Jesus has him thrown in the lake of fire!