# Satan as the roaring lion seeking whom he MAY devour



## Pergamum

Quick question while I am multi-tasking here....

Does this MAY refer to permission. Satan does not eat those he COULD but those that he MAY? i.e. those that he has permission to eat, i.e. the unbeliever.

Anyone have any good quotes on this?


Also, anyone have any good quotes on how Satan must ask God's permission before he harms any of God's children?

(Frederick Leahy's Satan Cast Out is good)


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## Wannabee

Similarly in 2 Corinthians 12:7-10 Paul explains how Christ
refused to take away his suffering because of a better purpose than
pain-free existence.
To keep me from being too elated by the surpassing greatness of the
revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan
to harass me, to keep me from being too elated. Three times I pleaded
with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. But he said to me,
“My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weak-
ness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses,
so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ,
then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions,
and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.​This thorny “messenger of Satan” was designed by God for
sanctifying, gospel purposes well beyond the reach of Satan. *Satan
becomes the lackey of the risen Christ.* What was Christ’s purpose
in Paul’s suffering? “My power is made perfect in weakness.” Now
this is unintelligible to those who define love as helping us get out
of pain quickly. It is also unintelligible to those who say that Christ
cannot be loving if he is letting Paul suffer to magnify his own glory.
But that is exactly what he is doing. This is why the love of God in
the gospel looks so foolish to people. How can this be love?

God is the Gospel - Piper, 128 - my emphasis


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## larryjf

1 Pet 5:8
νήψατε γρηγορήσατε ὁ ἀντίδικος ὑμῶν διάβολος ὡς λέων ὠρυόμενος περιπατεῖ ζητῶν τινα καταπιεῖν

really doesn't have the "may" in it.
More along the lines of "seeking any one to devour" or "any thing"


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## staythecourse

Larry, can you give us the tense of the "own" ending?


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## satz

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.

I think that in the context those whom Satan "may" devour are lazy and/or carnal christians who are more suspectible to his temptations. The point of Peter telling his readers about Satan wandering about was to exhort them to action, namely "Be sober, be vigiliant....resist...". In other words to be on their guard in their christian lives because the devil is on the hunt.


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## larryjf

staythecourse said:


> Larry, can you give us the tense of the "own" ending?


I presume you are wanting to know the tense of "ζητῶν"

If so, it's present tense.


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## Wannabee

An interesting note - a lion does not roar when it hunts. It roars when it's eating/devouring.


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## Pergamum

So Christians may be devoured?

John Piper says, “The only thing that will fit down the lion's throat is an unbeliever.”


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## satz

Pergamum said:


> So Christians may be devoured?
> 
> John Piper says, “The only thing that will fit down the lion's throat is an unbeliever.”



I think the context shows that Peter is addressing, and warning christians.

Unless you define "devoured" strictly as going to hell, I do not see why a christian could not be devoured.


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## Wannabee

I would say that those devoured aren't Christians, but reminders of the tenaciousness of the adversary. We are called to fight the good fight as believers. Warnings to believers to persevere abound in Scripture; but that doesn't negate perseverance. Those who fail to persevere reveal who they belong to and are devoured.

10 But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.


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## staythecourse

larryjf said:


> staythecourse said:
> 
> 
> 
> Larry, can you give us the tense of the "own" ending?
> 
> 
> 
> I presume you are wanting to know the tense of "ζητῶν"
> 
> If so, it's present tense.
Click to expand...


Thanks.

I was being lazy and looked up the parsing of seeking and devour. "to devour" is an infinitive and not a subjunctive and "seeking" is a participle. So you are right, "seeking anyone to devour" 

I was looking for a subjunctive to get a "may" in there somewhere.

Thanks


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## MW

The statement makes better sense when Diabolos is understood to be a Slanderer. It is the Christian witness of anyone he is seeking to devour. See also chap. 2:12, 3:16, and 4:15, for the strong emphasis throughout the epistle on giving no occasion to the enemy to slander the good name of Christianity.


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## Pergamum

Below is a one paragraph summary of spiritual warfare. Is this paragraph well-written and true?



*How are we to wage spiritual warfare?*_

We are to make our calling and election sure
John Piper reminds us, “The only thing that will fit down the lion's throat is an unbeliever.” We need to make sure that we are inedible. Seeing the personality of Satan in its full fury through these three Old Testament texts, the best defense is to ensure that we are God’s children. The slogan, “Smile, God has a wonderful plan for your life” only applies to those who are saved. Happiness and comfort in this present life is never promised to the child of God, yet we know that our momentary light afflictions here on earth work for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory (II Corinthians 4:17)._



Does this paragraph ring true?


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## Wannabee

I would wholeheartedly agree with Piper on this.


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