22 And David said, What have I to do with you, ye sons of Zeruiah, that ye should this day be adversaries unto me? shall there any man be put to death this day in Israel? for do not I know that I am this day king over Israel?

"The Satan:" and Demons

SATAN is a Hebrew word from the root sahtan, which signifies, 1. To lie in wait, to be an adversary, to persecute; as in Psal. 109:29, where the Spirit says, 

"Those persecuting me (sotnai, satanizing me) shall be clothed with shame."

 It signifies, 2. To oppose, to resist in the forum; as in Zech. 3:1,

"he showed me the Satan, has-Sahtahn, standing at Joshua's right hand, le-sitno, for to oppose (or satanize) him."

The noun Saktahn, signifies an adversary, e.g., in war, an enemy, as in 1 Sam. 29:4, where the lords of the Philistines say, "lest in the battle David shall become, le-sahtahn, for a Satan, or enemy, against us." It is also used for one who in any way opposes another, as in Numb. 22:22, "the angel of Yahweh stood in the way, le-sahtahn FOR A SATAN, or opponent, to Balaam."

In 2 Sam. 19:22, David inquires of certain retainers who counselled him to put Shimei the traitor to death,

"What have I to do with you, ye sons of Zeruiah, that ye should this day be to me, le-sahtahn, for (a Satan, or) adversary?"

In the New Testament the use of the word is the same as in the Old. We have seen that Moses styles an angel of Yahweh a Satan; we need not therefore be surprised at Jesus styling Peter one.

"And he said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men" (Matt. 16:23).

Peter was a Satan in this instance in offering evil counsel to Jesus, who would have been as effectually ruined if he had followed it, as Judas; and the purpose of the Deity in the redemption of the race through him completely frustrated.

Any counsel that would have persuaded Jesus to stop short of obedience unto death, although it might have emanated from the kindest personal feelings, was satanic; and constituted the counsellor a Satan to him, and to all interested in his welfare.

The reply of Jesus to Peter gives us a hint of what constitutes a Satan in a moral, or spiritual sense. It is this -- that, whatsoever savours of the things of men in opposition to the things of the Deity, is Satan. Thus, if the Gospel of the Kingdom be stated and proved, to a man, or to a company of men and women, and they oppose it as contrary to their views and feelings, by so doing they evince that they savour not of the things of God, and are therefore Satans.

On this principle, those who emigrated from the fellowship of the apostles, and made a new settlement upon the Nikolaitan basis, for themselves; seeing that their teaching was opposed to and subversive of "the truth as it is in Jesus," became Satan. This was the case with the faction in Smyrna. They pretended to be Christians, but were opposed to the doctrine of Christ, and opposed those who were faithful to it; thereby constituting themselves "the Satan" in Smyrna.

Eureka 2.2.3.