The Devil (theology)

All these and more will be yours if you bow down and worship me. ~Satan

Satan is regarded by the Church and various religious groups as the supreme overlord of the hierarchy of Hell or alternatively as a living embodiment of evil whose power is second only to that of God and faith - although Satan is a Christian concept almost all orthodox religions have an evil godlike (or semi-godlike) figure that can be said to be connected to Satan in their mannerism and purpose.

To some Satan is almost all-powerful while others limit his power to only corrupting mankind - some religions do not regard Satan as pure evil and instead believe he is granted the ability to corrupt humanity in order to test faith - though in the popular mind Satan will always embody raw evil and demonic possession.



Origins of Satan
Satan was originally called Lucifer. He was a Seraphim (angel) in heaven. Eventually, he grew jealous of God's power and attempted to overthrow him, gathering up legions of followers and revolting against God. He was defeated by Michael the Archangel and cast into Hell as punishment... it is said that on the Day Of Judgement Satan shall rise to power again and lead another war against Heaven, this time he and his followers will be cast down by God himself and sent to a lake of burning fire (Hell) as an eternal punishment for their many sins.

Description of Satan
A description of Satan is found in the Old Testament. Ezekial 28:12-19

"...You were the perfection of wisdom and beauty. You were in Eden, the garden of God. Your clothing was adorned with every precious stone – red carnelian, chrysolite, white moonstone, beryl, onyx, jasper, sapphire, turquoise, and emerald – all beautifully crafted for you and set in the finest gold. They were given to you on the day you were created. I ordained and anointed you as the mighty angelic guardian. You had access to the holy mountain of God and walked among the stones of fire. You were blameless in all you did from the day you were created until the day evil was found in you. Your great wealth filled you with violence, and you sinned. So I banished you from the mountain of God. I expelled you, O mighty guardian, from your place among the stones of fire. Your heart was filled with pride because of all your beauty. You corrupted your wisdom for the sake of your splendor. So I threw you to the earth and exposed you to the curious gaze of kings. You defiled your sanctuaries with your many sins and your dishonest trade. So I brought fire from within you, and it consumed you. I let it burn you to ashes on the ground in the sight of all who were watching. All who knew you are appalled at your fate. You have come to a terrible end, and you are no more."

Symbolism
Satan is the embodiment of pure evil. In the story of Adam and Eve, Satan is represented as a serpent. He tricks Eve into eating the forbidden fruit through deception and manipulation. It is said that sin is caused by temptation, which, in turn is caused by Satan. Thus, Satan was responsible for mankind's first sin.

Role in Heaven
Before his fall, Satan held the position of Accuser, which was a position much like a prosecuter in modern human courts.

Satanism
Throughout history, there have been many people who worshipped Satan. Long ago, a segment of the Catholic Church, called the Inquisition, searched for Witches, who they believed worshipped Satan. During this time, many people were falsely accused of witchcraft, leading them to be brutally tortured by the Inquisition. Nowadays, Satan worshippers are called Satanists.