2nd June 2026 Question box

OK, today’s question is a question that comes out of the EMU music training day which some of you went to last week. So I thought I should got onto this question while its fresh. I wasn’t there, but I understand that one of the speakers made a comment something like: “God created Satan, meth and weed.” But then went onto another topic and didn’t quite unpack it. But the question is:

“is that right? Did God create Satan?”

It’s a question that many people have, because when they look around and see the evil in our world, they say: How can you Christians possibly believe in a good creator? Because when God finished creating the world, the bible says: God saw all that he had made, and it was very good (Genesis 1:31). Does that include Satan?

And I think the answer is “yes” We don’t get a detailed explanation of the origins of Satan in the bible, the bible is really the story of God and humanity, it only mentions Satan when he affects us. But piecing together a few things that are mentioned along the way, it does seems that Satan was created good, as some kind of angel, who then rebelled against God. For example in Job 1:6 Satan seems to be among the angels: “One day the angels came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came with them.” And then there’s comments in the New Testament like: “Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light.” (2 Corinthians 11:14). So not super clear, but it does seems like he was an angel. Which means that He is not eternal, he is not all-powerful, he is not all-present or all-knowing like God is.

Where Satan’s place get clearer is when his he convinces humanity to join him in his rebellion. This is what happened with Adam and Eve in the garden. And when humanity joined the rebellion against God, one of the results is that we began to misuse the good things that God created. And so meth and weed are actually drugs that have legitimate medical uses in very specific situations, but they are abused & misused with very destructive results.

The good news is that God sent his Son, to enter into this world, and by his death and resurrection to break the hold that Satan has on this world. As Jesus’ messengers go out with the good news of his’ victory, this good news has the power “to open …eyes and turn [people] from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith.” (Acts 26:17–18).

And so the Christian hope is a world that this transformed in line with Jesus’ victory over Satan. A world restored to its original goodness. Where Satan deceives no more, and where the things of the world are no longer misused for destructive purposes.

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This question was originally answered in our evening service on 15 March 2026. I’ll aim to post another question and answer next week. You can read about how our question box works here.