THE DEVIL-A ROARING LION

1 Peter 5:8-9 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.

The devil is described in God's word in many ways. Here are just a few. He is referred to as Beelzebub, the prince of the devils (Mat. 12:24), as a serpent and as Satan (Rev. 12:9), as the prince of this world (John 14:30), and as the wicked one (Mat. 13:19). From a good cyclopedic bible index, you will find the character of the devil described as subtle, fierce, deceitful, wicked, and powerful. His methods of gaining power and control over people include deceiving, troubling, blinding, and ensnaring them.

In the lesson text, the devil is described in a different way. He is your adversary that takes on the character of a roaring lion. He is powerful and his appetite for victims is never satisfied. He is constantly walking about, seeking whom he may devour. When it is said that the devil seeks to devour you, it is not talking about eating you up as a lion does his prey. His desire is, rather, for you to renounce Christianity, quit following Christ, and follow his worldly ways. Instead of being a follower of Christ, the devil wants you to be his disciple. For him to kill a child of God would not accomplish his desire; it would only brings an early death to a true follower of Christ Jesus. Rather than killing a Christian, the devil's desire is to completely consume them, and destroy their desire to remain obedient to God through Jesus Christ. Understand that Peter is writing to Christians. It is Christians that the devil seeks to devour. He isn't seeking non-Christians, because they already are under his power and control. Peter is giving this warning to the Christians to whom he was writing, and, in doing so, gives the same message to Christians today: Be sober, be vigilant to the wiles of the devil, and resist him steadfastly.

It is easy for us to visualize a lion stalking his prey because, at some time or another, we have seen this occur on Wild Kingdom or some other nature television program. The lion remains hidden, as much as possible, while stalking, and only makes its roaring presence known when its victim is within range and not capable of escaping its quick burst of speed, and the power of its shredding claws and mighty jaws.

Unlike preying animals, the bible depicts the devil in a less obvious manner. Notice how Paul describes Satan as having the ability to deceive you away from the simplicity that is in Christ,by corrupting your minds similar to the way the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtlety (2 Cor. 11:3). Further on in this same epistle, Paul says that the devil disguises himself as an angel of God, and uses false teachers and preachers to deceive Christians, by holding themselves out as true ministers of the gospel of Christ. For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore, it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works (1Cor. 11:13-15).

Since the devil takes on many forms and disguises, and uses various deceitful methods to beguile, lead astray, and devour Christians, it is even more important to be sober, be vigilant, recognize, and steadfastly resist the devil and all of his worldly disciples. The devil never gives up attempting to deceive Christians. Even when tempting Christ, the devil only gave up for a season (Luke 4:13). As the lion searches for the weakest of the herd, the devil also seeks out Christians that are the weakest in faith, using this approach to his advantage in order to entrap and devour the followers of Christ.

Peter closes the lesson text with this consolation to all Christians. He assures us that we can resist and overcome all efforts of the devil to turn us away from God and the cause of Christ. We have many biblical, as well as personal, examples of members of the church of Christ that have endured persecutions much greater than we will ever be faced with, yet were faithful to the end. Although the devil is a roaring lion, be assured that God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it (1 Cor. 10:13b).