# 1 Thessalonians 2:18 Thwarted by Satan



## Eoghan (Feb 17, 2010)

I am intrigued that Paul was prevented from visiting the Thessalonians by Satan. This was obviously the "permissive will" allowing Satan to exercise some power.

Had it been the express will of God that Paul visit then surely Satan would have been restrained?

Then...
... it was Paul's desire to visit them at that time not God's. 

I am intrigued why Paul attributes his "blocking" to Satan on this occassion?


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## PuritanZealot (Feb 17, 2010)

I suppose the question is raised 'how much of Satan's power is actually Gods will'? Surely all of it? There are many difficult questions such as this, I think God uses Satan to test believers. Why was the Serpent in the Garden? Why did Jesus go to be tempted in the desert? Why is Satan loosed from his prison?
Also a big one a friend mentioned the other day, in Job, God allows Satan to destroy Job's life, Satan is given control of the wind, he causes boils to come out, he causes all manner of havoc, and all with God's permission. Perhaps this occasion Paul was being tested and it's not that God didn't want him to visit just that Satan managed to prevent it from happening.


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## Eoghan (Feb 17, 2010)

I think the "solution" is that although Satan is permitted some authority he is accountable for what he does. G-d obviously permitted him to stop Paul but that does not let Satan off the hook.

When Pharoh was "hardened" was this G-d's permissive will or a an active hardening? I would probably incline to the former.


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## BobVigneault (Feb 17, 2010)

I wasn't dealing specifically with the Thess. passage but here is a short treatment I wrote on God's use of Satan.

Deliver Us From Evil: Satan, God's agent of discipline


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## py3ak (Feb 17, 2010)

Eoghan said:


> I am intrigued that Paul was prevented from visiting the Thessalonians by Satan. This was obviously the "permissive will" allowing Satan to exercise some power.
> 
> Had it been the express will of God that Paul visit then surely Satan would have been restrained?
> 
> ...


 
Perhaps because it was his "thorn in the flesh", the "messenger of Satan" that prevented him from going to see the Thessalonians. Remember too that the liberty and contingency of second causes is not taken away, but rather established by God's eternal decree. It is only in view of God's sovereignty that we can attribute causality to anything.


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## toddpedlar (Feb 17, 2010)

Lest we think that "permissive will" gets God off the hook for actually decreeing that Satan would thwart Paul, we must remember that God decreed every single thing that ever has happened or will. I really dislike the use of the term "permissive" since it seems as though the person to whom God "permits" to do something is autonomous and could or could not take the action spoken of. God decreed that Paul's desires to visit would be thwarted and that Satan would do it.


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## rbcbob (Feb 17, 2010)

Ok, I'm curious enough to ask. Why *God* in your posts?


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## BobVigneault (Feb 17, 2010)

In Spanish would it be D_os?
In French, D_eu?
Latin, D_i?
Greek, Th_os?




rbcbob said:


> Ok, I'm curious enough to ask. Why *God* in your posts?


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