撒但曆史初探

Ich bin der Geist der stets verneint, denn nur was ich sage gilt. Denn ich bin Gott allein, nicht der Gott der im Himmel scheint
哥德•浮士德

引言

借胡馬兄導讀約伯記的機會，重溫聖經舊約，見到德文版中的一些注解，聽舊日的神學朋友說了一些完全不同於耶教基要派的說法，思量著應該整理一下撒但的曆史演變過程，對理解宗教史上發生的一些事會有所助益，也是我自己學習的一個機會。猶兄曾經提示，希伯來聖經對外人來說猶如天書。我自知這一番整理隻能局限於字麵意思和宗教史的層次，根本不可能涉及希伯來聖經的實質性內涵，正如同丹門外的人不可能通過周易參同契了解丹門內秘一樣。盡管如此，對撒但書麵記載的整理可以有助於從另一個方麵認識舊約中的上帝，揭示從舊約到新約的變化。能達到這一目的，探究一次撒但的曆史也值得了。


撒但的現狀

名稱：撒但
出生：根本就沒出生，是被造的！
住址：第7層地獄，應該是最下邊吧……
職業：天使，因晉升機會渺茫，改行當了魔鬼
智力：一方麵笨得要命，能讓基徒們用再簡單不過的招術蒙混，另一方麵聰明絕頂，能引誘整個世界
特長：所有惡心、殘酷的事情，犯罪
愛好：在地獄火上烤靈魂玩兒，據說還喜歡把小孩子塞到煙鬥裏當煙葉抽
外形：非常古怪，非常粗野，不對稱，拐子……
其他：臭不可聞，喜歡在硫磺裏洗澡，呸！

真的還是假的？再奇怪的東東也總得有點來路吧？先說表麵的，這個畸形的家夥，是中世紀的教會用古希臘神話中的神的形象拚湊出來的，比如叫作潘的神，好象就是瘸腿的。而真正的來路是聖經，隻是舊約中撒但的含義完全不同於新約。


聖經舊約中的撒但

1、 撒但這個詞

撒但這個詞在希伯來語中有不同的意思。

作動詞：攻擊，與……為敵或作對
如
詩篇38:20： 以惡報善的與我作對，因我是追求良善。
詩篇109:4： 他們與我為敵以報我愛。但我專心祈禱。

作名詞：
1） 一般意義上的對手，對頭，控告者。如
詩篇：71:13 願那與我性命為敵的，羞愧被滅。願那謀害我的，受辱蒙羞。
詩篇：109:20 這就是我對頭，和用惡言議論我的人，從耶和華那裏所受的報應。
詩篇：109:29 願我的對頭，披戴羞辱。願他們以自己的羞愧為外袍遮身。

2） 戰場上的對手，敵人。如
撒母耳記上：29:4 非利士人的首領向亞吉發怒，對他說，你要叫這人回你所安置他的地方，不可叫他同我們出戰，恐怕他在陣上反為我們的敵人。他用什麽與他主人複和呢。豈不是用我們這些人的首級嗎？
列王記上： 11:14 耶和華使以東人哈達興起，作所羅門的敵人。他是以東王的後裔。

3） 法庭上的對手。如
詩篇：109:6 願你派一個惡人轄製他，派一個對頭站在他右邊。109:7 他受審判的時候，願他出來擔當罪名，願他的祈禱反成為罪。

4） 阻撓者，擋路者
民數記：22:22 神因他去就發了怒。耶和華的使者站在路上敵擋他。他騎著驢，有兩個仆人跟隨他。
民數記：2:32 耶和華的使者對他說，你為何這三次打你的驢呢，我出來敵擋你，因你所行的，在我麵前偏僻。

5） 在上帝麵前無情地對人提出控告並刺激人犯罪的一個天使或上帝的使者。如
撒迦利亞：3:1 天使（原文作他）又指給我看，大祭司約書亞，站在耶和華的使者麵前，撒但也站在約書亞的右邊，與他作對。 3:2 耶和華向撒但說，撒但哪，耶和華責備你，就是揀選耶路撒冷的耶和華責備你。這不是從火中抽出來的一根柴麽。
曆代誌上：21:1 撒但起來攻擊以色列人，激動大衛數點他們。

2、 魔鬼這個詞
魔和鬼在中文裏本來是兩個概念，也可以合起來作一個詞用。基督教所說的魔鬼在德文裏是Teufel，在英文裏是devil，雖然是兩種寫法，但詞源可能是同一個，即希伯來語的Top(h)el。這個詞的本意是刷、增加、塗抹、弄贓，引伸：

tapalu - 懷疑，指責某人撒謊
taskirtu tapiltu - 陷害人的謊言

如
詩篇：119:69 驕傲人編造謊言攻擊我。我卻要一心守你的訓詞。

也可以引伸為捏造謊言者，如
約伯記：13:4 你們是編造謊言的，都是無用的醫生。

總之，僅僅看舊約，撒但和魔鬼根本就掛不上鉤，舊約根本就沒有魔鬼的概念！


3、用新約撒但觀看舊約的困境

從基督教的宣傳來看，能和撒但掛上鉤的最古老的故事就是舊約裏的失樂園了：誘惑夏娃吃那果子的蛇——創世紀第3章還是引出來，盡管大家都很熟悉：

3:1 耶和華神所造的，惟有蛇比田野一切的活物更狡猾。蛇對女人說，神豈是真說，不許你們吃園中所有樹上的果子麽。 3:2 女人對蛇說，園中樹上的果子，我們可以吃， 3:3 惟有園當中那棵樹上的果子，神曾說，你們不可吃，也不可摸，免得你們死。 3:4 蛇對女人說，你們不一定死， 3:5 因為神知道，你們吃的日子眼睛就明亮了，你們便如神能知道善惡。 3:6 於是女人見那棵樹的果子好作食物，也悅人的眼目，且是可喜愛的，能使人有智慧，就摘下果子來吃了。又給她丈夫，她丈夫也吃了。 3:7 他們二人的眼睛就明亮了，才知道自己是赤身露體，便拿無花果樹的葉子，為自己編作裙子。 3:8 天起了涼風，耶和華神在園中行走。那人和他妻子聽見神的聲音，就藏在園裏的樹木中，躲避耶和華神的麵。 3:9 耶和華神呼喚那人，對他說，你在哪裏。 3:10 他說，我在園中聽見你的聲音，我就害怕。因為我赤身露體，我便藏了。 3:11 耶和華說，誰告訴你赤身露體呢，莫非你吃了我吩咐你不可吃的那樹上的果子麽。 3:12 那人說，你所賜給我，與我同居的女人，她把那樹上的果子給我，我就吃了。 3:13 耶和華神對女人說，你作的是什麽事呢。女人說，那蛇引誘我，我就吃了。 3:14 耶和華神對蛇說，你既作了這事，就必受咒詛，比一切的牲畜野獸更甚。你必用肚子行走，終身吃土……


基徒們總說那蛇就是魔鬼，是撒但，可從前後描寫來看，那隻是一條蛇，一條地地道道的蛇。用肚子行走、終身吃土，而且，“惟有蛇比田野一切的活物更狡猾”，這能是撒但嗎？顯然不是。終生吃土，大概是石器時代的人對蛇的觀察。要想從這種描寫中看到古蛇魔鬼撒但，除非是半文盲或者體溫太高燒得產生了幻覺。創世紀裏描述的蛇的原型，可能來自於蘇美爾人的傳說，不過這話題繞得太遠，這裏就不多說了。

4、舊約中的撒但作為一種與上帝有直接關係的形象

撒但作為一種形象，首次出現在曆代誌上21:1，與約伯記和撒迦利亞3:1一道，是舊約中提到撒但這個形象的三個地方。（詩篇109:6提到的是對頭，而不是撒但）


那麽，撒但在舊約中是一個什麽形象呢？作用是什麽呢？似乎可以總結為以下幾條：

1）撒但是上帝的天使

民數記第22章講了一個很古怪的故事。這裏沒有講到撒但，但是講到一個擋路的天使，不妨引用來稍微分析一下：

22:1 以色列人起行，在摩押平原，約旦河東，對著耶利哥安營。 22:2 以色列人向亞摩利人所行的一切事，西撥的兒子巴勒都看見了。 22:3 摩押人因以色列民甚多，就大大懼怕，心內憂急， 22:4 對米甸的長老說，現在這眾人要把我們四圍所有的一概舔盡，就如牛舔盡田間的草一般。那時西撥的兒子巴勒作摩押王。 22:5 他差遣使者往大河邊的毗奪去，到比珥的兒子巴蘭本鄉那裏，召巴蘭來，說，有一宗民從埃及出來，遮滿地麵，與我對居。 22:6 這民比我強盛，現在求你來為我咒詛他們，或者我能得勝，攻打他們，趕出此地。因為我知道，你為誰祝福，誰就得福。你咒詛誰，誰就受咒詛。 22:7 摩押的長老和米甸的長老手裏拿著卦金，到了巴蘭那裏，將巴勒的話都告訴了他。 22:8 巴蘭說，你們今夜在這裏住宿，我必照耶和華所曉諭我的回報你們。摩押的使臣就在巴蘭那裏住下了。 22:9 神臨到巴蘭那裏，說，在你這裏的人都是誰， 22:10 巴蘭回答說，是摩押王西撥的兒子巴勒打發人到我這裏來，說， 22:11 從埃及出來的民遮滿地麵，你來為我咒詛他們，或者我能與他們爭戰，把他們趕出去。 22:12 神對巴蘭說，你不可同他們去，也不可咒詛那民，因為那民是蒙福的。 22:13 巴蘭早晨起來，對巴勒的使臣說，你們回本地去吧，因為耶和華不容我和你們同去。 22:14 摩押的使臣就起來，回巴勒那裏去，說，巴蘭不肯和我們同來。 22:15 巴勒又差遣使臣，比先前的又多又尊貴。 22:16 他們到了巴蘭那裏，對他說，西撥的兒子巴勒這樣說，求你不容什麽事攔阻你不到我這裏來， 22:17 因為我必使你得極大的尊榮。你向我要什麽，我就給你什麽。隻求你來為我咒詛這民。 22:18 巴蘭回答巴勒的臣仆說，巴勒就是將他滿屋的金銀給我，我行大事小事也不得越過耶和華我神的命。 22:19 現在我請你們今夜在這裏住宿，等我得知耶和華還要對我說什麽。 22:20 當夜，神臨到巴蘭那裏，說，這些人若來召你，你就起來同他們去，你隻要遵行我對你所說的話。 22:21 巴蘭早晨起來，備上驢，和摩押的使臣一同去了。 22:22 神因他去就發了怒。耶和華的使者站在路上敵擋他。他騎著驢，有兩個仆人跟隨他。 22:23 驢看見耶和華的使者站在路上，手裏有拔出來的刀，就從路上跨進田間，巴蘭便打驢，要叫它回轉上路。 22:24 耶和華的使者就站在葡萄園的窄路上。這邊有牆，那邊也有牆。 22:25 驢看見耶和華的使者，就貼靠牆，將巴蘭的腳擠傷了。巴蘭又打驢。 22:26 耶和華的使者又往前去，站在狹窄之處，左右都沒有轉折的地方。 22:27 驢看見耶和華的使者，就臥在巴蘭底下，巴蘭發怒，用杖打驢。 22:28 耶和華叫驢開口，對巴蘭說，我向你行了什麽，你竟打我這三次呢， 22:29 巴蘭對驢說，因為你戲弄我，我恨不能手中有刀，把你殺了。 22:30 驢對巴蘭說，我不是你從小時直到今日所騎的驢麽，我素常向你這樣行過麽，巴蘭說，沒有。 22:31 當時，耶和華使巴蘭的眼目明亮，他就看見耶和華的使者站在路上，手裏有拔出來的刀，巴蘭便低頭俯伏在地。 22:32 耶和華的使者對他說，你為何這三次打你的驢呢，我出來 敵擋你，因你所行的，在我麵前偏僻。 22:33 驢看見我就三次從我麵前偏過去。驢若沒有偏過去，我早把你殺了，留它存活。 22:34 巴蘭對耶和華的使者說，我有罪了。我不知道你站在路上阻擋我。你若不喜歡我去，我就轉回。 22:35 耶和華的使者對巴蘭說，你同這些人去吧。你隻要說我對你說的話。於是巴蘭同著巴勒的使臣去了。 22:36 巴勒聽見巴蘭來了，就往摩押京城去迎接他。這城是在邊界上，在亞嫩河旁。 22:37 巴勒對巴蘭說，我不是急急地打發人到你那裏去召你麽，你為何不到我這裏來呢，我豈不能使你得尊榮麽， 22:38 巴蘭說，我已經到你這裏來了。現在我豈能擅自說什麽呢，神將什麽話傳給我，我就說什麽。 22:39 巴蘭和巴勒同行，來到基列胡瑣。 22:40 巴勒宰了（原文作獻）牛羊，送給巴蘭和陪伴的使臣。 22:41 到了早晨，巴勒領巴蘭到巴力的高處。巴蘭從那裏觀看以色列營的邊界。

在22:23裏耶和華的使者說“我出來敵擋你”，用的正是l^esatan這個詞，阻擋者。
這個故事裏最讓人感到奇怪的是耶和華的搖擺不定，好象他自己都不知道怎麽辦才好，最後竟然送出來一個沒名沒姓的天使來當撒但——阻擋者。明顯的是，耶和華在這裏利用了一個‘撒但’來阻撓自己的計劃的實施，好象這個神長了兩個腦袋，一個腦袋說可以，另一個腦袋說別急，咱走著瞧。

長兩個腦袋的神比較麻煩，咱試著玄乎一回，很有可能不符合舊約的宗旨，看看能不能玄乎出什麽道理來。

從創世紀第一章裏最喜歡引申出來的觀點是，上帝的話(Logos)就是上帝自己，同時也是上帝的話的實現，這樣，一切都是話創造的，咱現在來一個反其道而行之：所有被造的，無非就是上帝的話、上帝的計劃、上帝的精神以及上帝自己，也就是說，世界無非是上帝的思想、上帝的話和上帝的經曆，更進一步說，世界就是正在創造自己的上帝。而一切正在形成生長的，都必須衝破阻力，然後才能茁壯，衝不破阻力的就死亡。莫非是上帝把撒但看成了給自己打的一個預防針以便能夠茁壯成長？異端啊異端，上帝是自有永有的，就是說，上帝不存在成長不成長的問題。但是，自有永有的上帝如果是不變的，那上帝無非是一個死上帝，所以上帝也必須變，世界的變化就是上帝的變化，而任何變化都是一個生長過程，一個衝破阻力的過程。這樣，上帝必須是自己的撒但！

古代猶太人所設想或體驗到的上帝看來不怎麽簡單啊！


2）撒但作為上帝旨意的執行者

舊約裏有兩處看起來相互矛盾，這點有些網友已經指出了。這兩處是：

曆代誌上：21:1 撒但起來攻擊以色列人，激動大衛數點他們。 21:2 大衛就吩咐約押和民中的首領說，你們去數點以色列人，從別是巴直到但，回來告訴我，我好知道他們的數目。

和

撒母耳記下：24:1 耶和華又向以色列人發怒，就激動大衛，使他吩咐人去數點以色列人和猶大人。 24:2 大衛就吩咐跟隨他的元帥約押說，你去走遍以色列眾支派，從但直到別是巴，數點百姓，我好知道他們的數目。

從這兩處可以看出，“撒但”和耶和華的“發怒”實際上是一回事。也可以這麽說，“撒但”所體現的是耶和華性格中暴燥的一麵。而上帝發怒如果是因為中了撒但的魔的話，那撒但的威力也就太大了，更有可能的反倒是，撒但是上帝執行自己的旨意的力量的“人格化”顯現。


3）撒但作為懷疑之父或耶和華的檢察官

對撒但描寫最詳細的當數《約伯記》了。這一篇可以說是舊約中最古老的文字，其中素材很明顯是來自更古老的蘇美爾人的傳說，後人整理、改編的痕跡非常多，最終成型估計是在公元前4到3世紀。學術界現在比較統一的看法是，這篇文字講的不是一個真實發生過的故事，而是一個古老的傳說的改編，一個童話故事。

撒但在這個故事裏以上帝的對手的麵目出現，被加了一個定冠詞（這裏有一些很難辦的問題：撒但是不是耶和華的兒子？出場的究竟是神的兒子還是眾神之子？說這些神的眾子是天使，從原文看說不過去，因為，這些神的兒子和約伯的兒子都被稱為b^ene^y，——另外，在爭議很大的創世紀6:2提到的神子們用的也是這個詞；看來撒但還保留了創世紀裏神子的習慣，喜歡到地上人間閑逛——顯然，在這裏的神子們是神親生的兒子，那麽，耶和華是跟什麽人/神生的這些兒子呢？而撒但和神的兒子同列，不是神的兒子會是什麽呢？）。按照所謂的自由派神學的解釋，約伯記對神與眾子聚會的描述反映了古人對天庭的想象，就是，天上的製度如同人間一樣，是一個家族統治，父親是國王，孩子們是臣子，每個神子都有自己的任務，撒但的任務是驗證事實並提出起訴，職位類似於現在的檢察官。這樣我們才可以理解，為什麽撒但會堂而皇之和神子們一道來到神的麵前，而且神還要問起仆人約伯的情況：想要確信仆人是否虔誠，除了問檢察官還能問誰呢？

而撒但這個檢察官可能是出於職業習慣吧，對一切都表示懷疑，馬上就想到了約伯虔誠敬神可能的動機，就要進行一番‘調查’，查出真相。奇怪的是，好象耶和華自己對仆人約伯也同樣不放心，竟然放手讓撒但去考察；更奇怪的是，約伯麵對災難，根本就不提撒但的名，而是直接把災難歸於神的考驗。這樣我們就麵臨了提到過的問題：耶和華與撒但究竟是一還是二？

或許耶和華也覺得撒但這種不依不饒的懷疑精神難以忍受，於是，我們就又看到了撒迦利亞書裏奇怪的一幕：

3:1 天使（原文作他）又指給我看，大祭司約書亞，站在耶和華的使者麵前，撒但也站在約書亞的右邊，與他作對。
3:2 耶和華向撒但說，撒但哪，耶和華責備你，就是揀選耶路撒冷的耶和華責備你。這不是從火中抽出來的一根柴嗎？
3:3 約書亞穿著汙穢的衣服，站在使者麵前。
3:4 使者吩咐站在麵前的說，你們要脫去他汙穢的衣服。又對約書亞說，我使你脫離罪孽，要給你穿上華美的衣服。
3:5 我說，要將潔淨的冠冕戴在他頭上。他們就把潔淨的冠冕戴在他頭上，給他穿上華美的衣服，耶和華的使者在旁邊站立。

耶和華自己撿選出來的仆人，同樣受到了撒但的質疑。應該說，撒但這個檢察官對工作很負責。隻是他的這種認真精神最讓人憎恨——誰願意讓自己的老底被揭呢？所以，把‘撒但’完全同神對立起來，然後再加以魔鬼化，就是順理成章的事了。

然而，撒但被妖魔化在舊約裏還沒有痕跡，猶太教沒有保留下來的偽經裏已經有了端倪，在新約裏已經完成，盡管新約裏的撒但還保留了舊約撒但的一些特性和功能，比如通過誘惑對獨處荒漠四十天的耶穌進行考驗。從上帝的一個使者甚或檢察官變成上帝的對頭甚至這個充滿罪惡的世界的統治者，還需要對舊約上帝（至少是部分）的否定，需要從舊約的一神論/一元論發展出一個善惡絕對對立的二元論。這個演變過程中有波斯和巴比倫宗教的影響，這其中的故事有時間再探吧。

[鄉人進城]

回複meager的評論:

看來，我的原帖你沒怎麽看懂：原帖的核心內容就是，舊約沒有和耶和華作對的那麽一個超級魔鬼，舊約中提到的撒旦根本就不是魔鬼。原帖末尾特別指出，“從上帝的一個使者甚或檢察官變成上帝的對頭甚至這個充滿罪惡的世界的統治者，還需要對舊約上帝（至少是部分）的否定，需要從舊約的一神論/一元論發展出一個善惡絕對對立的二元論”。但是你在給我的回帖中繼續用新約的神-鬼/善-惡二元論來看舊約，這隻能說是繼續歪曲舊約的上帝——這不就是硬讓秦始皇的政策符合毛澤東思想的做法的基督教版嗎？

鑒於這種情況，以下僅就約伯記和約伯記中的撒旦簡單回複一下（恕不考慮你的回帖中的其他部分）：

關於約伯記及其中的撒旦
約伯記的雛形是蘇美爾泥版中的所謂“蘇美爾約伯”，這一點近年來在德語新教神學界和宗教學界雖然還有爭論，但從宗教史的角度看已經很難排除這種可能，而“蘇美爾約伯”也已經成為神學界和宗教學界的一個固定概念。

據學者估計，“蘇美爾約伯”的故事產生於公元前3000左右，考古界於上世紀40年代在nippur（今巴格達東南方的nuffar）發現的6件泥版殘片大約寫成於公元前1800年，是舊有文字的“抄本”，經 s.n. kramer 辨認整理，故事梗概已經清楚：一個無名的年輕男性莫名其妙地經受一連串的厄運打擊，但是他不抱怨自己的神，而是謙卑地禱告祈求，最終被神拯救加恩。其中提到的帶來南風的撒謊者也很容易讓人想到舊約中的撒旦。（見beyerlin, religionsgeschichtliches textbuch（宗教史文編）, 164-165；杜伊斯堡大學新教神學院的網頁http://www.uni-essen.de/ev-theologie/courses/course- stuff/meso-sumijob.htm；另見：柏林工業大學古代史文獻網頁：http://www.tu-berlin.de/fb1/agiw/orium/s5.htm）

約伯記裏的故事隻是一個故事，是一個傳說，和曆史沒有關係，就是說：不是發生在曆史上的事實。你說“有的學術界還一直認為約伯記從來就不是童話，而是真實的故事”，不知道是指什麽學術界？在現在稱得上學術研究的神學研究中，我還從來沒見過這樣的說法，我周圍學（過）神學的朋友中也沒有這樣說的。正相反，路德版聖經（1984年！）的約伯記導讀就已經明說，約伯記這個故事的框架在中近東屬於古代許多民族共有的故事素材，即使天主教神父 joerg sieger 在其解經網頁也明說這個故事來源於古老的傳說。所以我很奇怪：你讀到的都是什麽樣的學術著作？

至於約伯記中撒旦這個形象，在我看到過的學術著作中都是被稱為“天上的指控者” (himmlischer ankläger), 1984年版的路德聖經在解釋中更明說：撒旦在這裏還不是後世所用的專名，也還不是新約中所說的反對上帝的首領，而是可以說是天上的總檢察官，其任務是受命於上帝行使某種職能。這樣的解說基本上符合宗教史學界對中近東古代宗教研究的結果。

但是，這麽一個撒旦，怎麽能是創世紀裏那條“比田野一切的活物更狡猾”、最後被耶和華詛咒“必用肚子行走，終身吃土”的蛇呢？所以，你說耶和華“勸告撒旦要向人間的約伯學習，回頭行善”，“但是撒旦把耶和華的勸導卻作為了對約伯的指控”，這簡直就是無稽之談嘛！這不就是在用今天基督徒的信仰內容來歪解猶太人經書嘛！

最後奉勸你一句：如果你想借這種方式向我傳教[你的原話：同樣今天撒旦也晝夜在我們上帝麵前指控我們的弟兄（啟示錄12：10），或 許就包括你和我，那你能不能象約伯一樣給撒旦一個好的答案，證明他對我們的指控是錯誤的，還是證明撒旦的指控是正確的：遇到苦難就咒罵和歸罪於上帝]，那我可以直截了當告訴你：甭費這勁。基督教對我來說早已經不值得信，更不值得仰，現在不過是一個研究和批判對象罷了。

再有，如果你想實實在在地討論學術或準學術問題，那就不要用今天的信仰內容去曲解古人的文字。如果非要這麽做，那可就是掛羊頭賣狗肉了。

[meager]

撒旦：又名別西卜，在沒變壞以前的名字不詳。
長相：聖經沒有提過，這隻是中古時代一些藝術家幻想出來的。達芬奇這麽著名的畫家不是也把《最後的晚餐》耶穌的位置畫錯了，按照猶太人的習俗，老師不應該坐在中間。所以每個人可能都會有自己對撒旦樣子的想象，如果非要我想象一下的話，他應該是個金玉其外，敗絮其中的靈體.從長相上最初也應該是有著美輪美奐的外形，因為上帝最初所造的一切都完美無暇。（申明記32：4，創世紀1：31）。
本事：可以既上天（約伯記1：6），又下地（約伯記1：7）。
見證人耶穌敘述撒旦變壞的原因：這孩子沒在真理中站穩（約翰福音8：44）。
天父也時不常地老找他談心，還把人類中的典範約伯指給他看，讓他學學約伯，無奈他自己特有主意，就是不肯回頭。
能力：很強，先通過伊甸園事件，帶壞亞當夏娃和人類，又誘惑三分之一的天使跟隨他。
現況和未來預測：不太好，在天上的戰爭失利後（啟示錄12：8），就將其憤怒發泄到地和海，於是地和海就有禍了，因為撒旦大為憤怒，知道自己的時候不多了，（啟示錄12：12）所以地上的苦難就特別的多了。在耶穌和他的大戰中，將要被摔倒深淵去（啟示錄20：1-3）一千年，然後還會被釋放一段時間，迷惑列國，發動戰爭，（啟示錄20：7，8）不過等待他最終的命運將是永遠而徹底的滅亡（啟示錄20：10）。
撒旦的角色和頭銜。
1）蛇：創世紀3：13
2）魔鬼：啟示錄12：9
3）引誘者：馬太4：3
4）說謊者，殺人凶手：約翰福音8：44
5）挑撥離間者（誹謗者）：在亞當夏娃麵前說上帝的壞話（創世紀3：1-5），在上帝麵前說約伯和所有人的壞話。（約伯記1：9，11；2：4-5；啟示錄12：10）
6）邪靈的首領別西卜：馬太福音12：24
7）黑暗世界的王：約翰一書5：19
8）假扮光明的天使：哥林多後書11：14
9）龍：啟示錄20：2
10）獅子：彼得前書5：8

對付撒旦的攻略
1）你要全心信賴和敬畏耶和華，不可依靠自己的聰明，也不要信賴權貴，遠離惡事。（箴言3：5，7；詩篇146：3-5）
2）在你所行的一切事上都要留意他，他必修直你的路。（箴言3：6）
3）用真理束腰，正義做胸甲，和平的好消息做鞋，信心做盾牌，救恩做頭盔，聖靈做劍，祈禱。。。。。。（以弗所書6：10-20）就能站穩，抵擋魔鬼的奸計。
4）不要愛源於世界（撒旦）的事，比如肉體的欲望，眼睛的欲望，炫耀財物的行為（約翰一書2：15-17）
5）追求哥林多前書13：4-8所說的愛。
6）順服上帝，反抗魔鬼，魔鬼就會離開你們逃跑了。（雅各書4：7），不過他還會窺探其他便利的時候再回來引誘。（路加福音4：13）
7）耶和華的名是堅固的高台，義人投奔就得安全。（箴言18：10，詩篇4：8）
8）什麽事都不要憂慮（腓立比書4：6，7；彼得前書5：7）

天使的定義和分類：
4397：希伯來語是：מַלְאָךְ 名詞，使者：如天使的意思。
有名字的天使在聖經裏有三個：米迦勒，加百利，撒旦（別西卜）
有五類天使：1）天使長米迦勒，2）基路伯天使， 3）撒拉弗天使，4）無名的天使，5）反叛的天使如撒旦和其他邪靈。
值得注意的是沒有名字的天使，是因為他們奉上帝的名，把榮耀歸於上帝，所以沒有留下自己的名字，比如創世紀32：29，約書亞記5：14，士師記13：17，18，還有其他天使在執行上帝的任務的時候也沒有留下名字，其中民數記22：22，32的記錄的天使也應該是其中一個，他手裏有出了鞘的劍（民數記22：31），我們沒有從聖經裏得知撒旦也拿劍，那麽就不能理所當然地認為他就是撒旦。這個天使的任務是阻撓巴蘭，從這個意義講他是阻撓者，但是不能因為執行的任務是阻撓，就把他認為是撒旦。“耶和華的天使”在聖經裏多次提到，比如創世紀16：7，所以不能單憑任務是阻撓，對抗就認定民數記22：22的天使是撒旦。

根據啟示錄12：9，於是大龍被摔了下去。大龍就是最初的蛇，叫做魔鬼，又叫撒旦，迷惑了普天下的人。。。。。。鑒於魔鬼=撒旦。新約魔鬼有時也有指誹謗的人(約翰福音6：70)，約翰福音6：70的毀謗者和馬太福音4：1的魔鬼來源於同一個希臘字母διαβολου，它們的strong code都是1228：毀謗者的意思。“魔鬼”這個詞主要是強調誹謗性而被提出來的，而約翰福音8：44指出撒旦就是父，所以他是一切源頭，所以魔鬼=撒旦，而舊約沒有怎麽提到魔鬼，隻提到了山羊魔，比如利未記17：7。所以我和你探討新約和舊約中都提到的相同的撒旦。
聖經舊約中的撒旦：曆代誌上21：1約伯記1：6，2：1-7，撒迦利亞3：1-2，以上三處的撒旦的strong碼是7854。
7854：希伯來語是： שָׂטָן名詞，從詞根7853來：對手，特指撒旦，首要的美好事物的敵人
7853：希伯來語是：שָׂטַן 動詞，詞根：攻擊，控告，敵對，反對
新約中的撒旦一直就是明確指出來的。
馬太福音4：10 （耶穌就對他說：“撒旦，走開！因為經上記著說‘要崇拜耶和華你的上帝，單要敬奉他。’”）的希臘文如下：
ΚΑΤΑ ΜΑΤΘΑΙΟΝ 4:10 (1881 westcott-hort new testament)
10τοτε λεγει αυτω ο ιησους υπαγε σατανα γεγραπται γαρ κυριον τον θεον σου προσκυνησεις και αυτω μονω λατρευσεις
撒旦σατανα的strong 碼是 4567 ，σαταν的strong碼是4566，
4567：satanas, sat-an-as’和4566一致，原告，比如：撒旦。
4566：satan, sat-an’源自希伯來語的7854，撒旦。
所以希臘語的撒旦就是來源於希伯來語的撒旦。此外，舊約中明確指出撒旦的地方都有定冠詞ha特指撒旦，新約中也用定冠詞ho特指撒旦。就是特指他撒旦，不是別的。從希伯來語的發音來看也是發的satan的音。שָׂ 去掉低下ָ 發sin中s的音，底下的 ָ是發元音father中的a的音，所以整個這個字母發sa的音，טָ去掉底下ָ是發的toy中t的音，同理這個字母發ta的音，最後一個字母就是n的結尾表示的方法，當然希伯來語是從右向左看的。所以可以說我們現在讀撒旦的這個詞都是在延續希伯來語的發音。
魔鬼這個詞
馬太福音4：1（那時耶穌被聖靈帶到曠野去，受魔鬼引誘）的希臘文如下
ΚΑΤΑ ΜΑΤΘΑΙΟΝ 4:1 (1881 westcott-hort new testament)
1τοτε [ο] ιησους ανηχθη εις την ερημον υπο του πνευματος πειρασθηναι υπο του διαβολου

魔鬼διαβολου的strong碼是1228，名詞，從1225（動詞，毀謗）毀謗者，特指撒旦，可和7854對比參考。


你舉的巴蘭的例子非常好！因為據我考察，讓動物開口說話的記載在聖經裏大概也隻有兩處，一處是創世紀3：1-4，撒旦利用蛇開口對女人說話，另一處就是民數記22：28-30耶和華讓驢開口說話，天使的能力比人強，從約伯記撒旦給約伯的種種災難就可以看出來，所以天使有能力讓動物說話，自然上帝更有此能力。

曆代誌上21：1“撒旦起來攻擊以色列人，挑動大衛去統計以色列人的數目。”
撒母耳記下24：1“耶和華再次向以色列人發怒，因為有個惡者挑動大衛，陷害以色列人。。。。。。”（新世界譯本）
有翻譯正確的版本，不過倒是需要認真找一下，因為的確翻譯正確的版本不多見。

約伯記在聖經是很有爭議的一部書，有很多版本的說法，現代的批評家說是成書於公元前6世紀，也有專家認為約伯記是由摩西撰寫的，因為《摩西五經》的寫法和約伯記很相近，另外摩西在米甸呆了40年，米甸這個地方離約伯住的烏斯地並不遠。有人認為約伯是以色列人，也有人認為他不是以色列人，但是他的血統和亞伯拉罕是親戚關係，也有人認為約伯也叫約巴（ jobab），是創世紀 36:33 的約巴, 以掃的後代，以東的王。現在又看到你說的一個版本了。不過約伯記是用希伯來語寫成的，不應該是從阿拉伯語翻譯過來的。舊約裏有一些亞蘭語，和希伯來語很近，不知道和你所說的蘇美爾人是否有什麽關係。不知道你說的是哪個學術界認為約伯記是童話，有的學術界還一直認為約伯記從來就不是童話，而是真實的故事。
約伯的兒子當然是人，耶和華的天使也被稱作兒子（創世紀6：2），當然這裏的眾子是指天使。彼得前書1：12“。。。。這些事已經傳給你們了。連天使也喜歡仔細察看這些事呢”。哥林多前書4：9“。。。。。。因為我們在世人麵前，就像劇場裏的一台戲，讓天使和人類觀看。”就像當初耶和華勸告該隱要去行善一樣（創世紀4：6），耶和華在和天使“開會”的時候，勸告撒旦要向人間的約伯學習，回頭行善。但是撒旦把耶和華的勸導卻作為了對約伯的指控。他指控約伯不會無緣無故地敬畏上帝，認為約伯對耶和華的愛是出於自私的目的，因為耶和華賜福給約伯，所以約伯才敬畏上帝。（約伯記1：9，2：4），就像你說的，要查出真相，怎麽能查出真相？那就是耶和華不再賜福給約伯，否則耶和華任何的介入都可以證明撒旦的指控就是正確的和成立的。當然撒旦和耶和華在天上的這番對話約伯是不知道的，約伯認為“賞賜的是耶和華，收回的也是耶和華”（約伯記1：21），他不大清楚是撒旦給他帶來的各種災難。這點就更難能可貴了，因為在這麽多苦難和患難前，“在這一切事上，約伯並沒有開口犯罪。”（約伯記2：10）同樣今天撒旦也晝夜在我們上帝麵前指控我們的弟兄（啟示錄12：10），或許就包括你和我，那你能不能象約伯一樣給撒旦一個好的答案，證明他對我們的指控是錯誤的，還是證明撒旦的指控是正確的：遇到苦難就咒罵和歸罪於上帝。

鄉下人進城問的撒迦利亞書3：1-5的問題很好，剛看問題的時候，我不知道答案，但是請教了耶和華見證人，給出的英文答案如下（請阿美幫助翻譯一下，謝謝！）。可以幫助你理解第三章從1節-10節。
撒迦利亞書3：2是耶和華的天使對撒旦說，而不是你版本裏的耶和華對撒旦說。這裏的約書亞不是接替摩西的那個，是要重建耶路撒冷的大祭司，也就是哈該書1：12裏的約書亞。曆史發生的背景是：公元前607年耶路撒冷被毀，公元前537年以色列人重返耶路撒冷，重建耶路撒冷。撒迦利亞於公元前519年得此異象：雖然有撒旦的百般阻撓，但是上帝決定重建耶路撒冷的事情他是阻擋不了的，一定會發生的。從我們後人考察曆史來看，這件事情的確也發生了。

satan’s failure in resisting the high priest
throughout the earth today there are to be found high priests of various religious cults. the mightiest of such priestly chiefs is the pontifex maximus, the supreme pontiff, located at vatican city. but what the whole world of mankind needs is just one high priest. why so? because there is just the one living and true god, the creator of heaven and earth, the sovereign of all the universe. he needs just one high priest to represent him to the people and to deal with him for the people. this comports with the fact that there is just the one true religion, just the one pure worship of him “with spirit and truth.”—john 4:24.
2 for more than fifteen centuries, from 1512 b.c.e. to 33 c.e., there was just one high priesthood that this living and true god recognized. that high priesthood was established in the line of aaron the brother of moses the prophet, of the tribe of levi. aaron was installed in office on the first day of the lunar month of nisan in the year 1512 b.c.e. during the centuries that followed there was a succession of high priests from among the descendants of aaron, down till sunday, nisan 16, in the year 33 c.e. that was the resurrection day of the lord jesus christ from a sacrificial death. on the fortieth day from then he ascended as a spiritual high priest to enter into the heavenly most holy and there presented the precious value of his perfect human sacrifice to the one living and true god, jehovah.
3 from that time on till now jehovah god has been dealing with just one high priest—not a high priest of the family of aaron the levite, but the one never-dying high priest, jesus christ. to him it was said prophetically: “you are a priest forever according to the manner of melchizedek.”—hebrews 5:5, 6, 10; 6:19, 20; 7:15-17.
4 however, jesus christ, as a sacrificing spiritual high priest, was also prefigured or typified by the aaronic high priest of the ancient nation of israel. just as the high priest of israel on the annual day of atonement entered with sacrificial blood into the most holy of the temple at jerusalem, jesus similarly entered with the value of his own sacrificial blood into the true most holy, heaven itself, of the spiritual temple of jehovah god. consequently, jesus christ was prefigured by the israelite high priest joshua the son of jehozadak, who returned from exile in babylon in the year 537 b.c.e. to jerusalem in order to rebuild the temple of jehovah there. (haggai 1:1) from this standpoint it is intriguing for us to consider the fourth vision of the prophet zechariah, in which this high priest joshua is the principal figure. as if looking into a courtroom zechariah writes:
5 “and he proceeded to show me joshua the high priest standing before the angel of jehovah, and satan standing at his right hand in order to resist him. then the angel of jehovah said to satan: ‘jehovah rebuke you, o satan, yes, jehovah rebuke you, he who is choosing jerusalem! is this one not a log snatched out of the fire?’”—zechariah 3:1, 2.
6 the satan who is pictured here was no mere ecclesiastical “devil’s advocate” who was acting as a prosecuting attorney for jehovah. he was the same satan that appeared at the meeting of the angelic sons of god in heaven in the seventeenth century before our common era and wrongly accused the patriarch job before the face of jehovah god. (job 1:6 to 2:7) but why, in that vision to zechariah in the year 519 b.c.e. was satan the devil trying to resist the high priest joshua before the angel of jehovah? because on the twenty-fourth day of the lunar month of chislev of the preceding year high priest joshua had taken a decisive step for the worship of god. he and governor zerubbabel and the faithful remnant of israel began working at the foundation of the second temple of jehovah in jerusalem. (haggai 2:18, 19) high priest joshua was thus working for his reinstallation in the full service of jehovah at a completed second temple. such taking up of his duties at a completed temple would put joshua in a new light.
7 satan the devil, who fights the true religion, was out to resist high priest joshua on this score, so as to downgrade him and keep him out of his full service to jehovah in behalf of the nation of israel. that would keep joshua in poor appearance because of a major deficiency in his service to god. to that end satan would try to counteract the prophesying of haggai and zechariah and rouse up overwhelming opposition on the part of the enemies of israel against the rebuilding of the temple. in that way he could charge high priest joshua with failure to discharge his full high-priestly duties, and this would result in reproach upon jehovah.
8 satan, however, was too late in his malicious attempt. before he could give force to his resistance and launch his wicked charges against high priest joshua, the angel who was acting as a judge for jehovah said to satan: “jehovah rebuke you, he who is choosing jerusalem!” the most high god was the one high enough to rebuke satan, and not some subordinate angel who was merely representing jehovah. thus the angel was giving due regard to jehovah’s position. (jude 8-10) furthermore, jehovah had already begun action to the magnifying of his own holy name. he was already choosing jerusalem as the city for his temple. satan could not alter this divine choice nor make it an unrealizable choice. he was the one to be frustrated, rebuked by beholding the temple completely rebuilt in the year 515 b.c.e. this rebuke would be from jehovah, for he had successfully accomplished this!
9 why, though, did the angelic judge of jehovah add the question: “is this one not a log snatched out of the fire?” because, after a rescue from the fire not too much was to be expected instantly of a symbolic “log.” “this one” who was pictured by the log snatched out of the fire was the high priest joshua. but, due to his office, joshua represented the whole nation of israel for whom he served as high priest before god. joshua was not the only one who had come back from exile in babylon, where satan the devil had tried to burn to ashes their identity as jehovah’s chosen nation. more than 42,000 other israelites had also come back, along with thousands of servants and singers. so the whole number of the remnant were, all together, like a “log snatched out of the fire.” it was jehovah’s mercy and faithfulness to his promises that snatched them out of the symbolic babylonish “fire” and restored their nationhood on the “holy ground.” since this was so, he was patient toward their long delay in rebuilding his temple, but he stuck to his purpose to have a temple there at jerusalem for which purpose he chose her. hence satan should not be too hasty with his charges.
10 satan’s resistance to high priest joshua was blocked. so what is done with joshua to clear him of anything about him that satan might have used as a ground for bringing charges against him? zechariah describes it for us, saying: “now as for joshua, he happened to be clothed in befouled garments and standing before the angel. then he answered and said to those standing before him: ‘remove the befouled garments from upon him.’ and he went on to say to him: ‘see, i have caused your error to pass away from upon you, and there is a clothing of you with robes of state.’”—zechariah 3:3, 4.
how a change of garments was necessary
11 here a question arises: since joshua the high priest was pictured as clothed with befouled garments, how could he typify or prefigure jesus christ as the heavenly high priest? does not hebrews 7:26, 27 say to true christians today: “such a high priest as this was suitable for us, loyal, guileless, undefiled, separated from the sinners, and become higher than the heavens. he does not need daily, as those high priests do, to offer up sacrifices, first for his own sins and then for those of the people: (for this he did once for all time when he offered himself up)”? yes, this is true. yet it is with the high priest jesus christ as with the ancient high priest joshua. the high priest represents the people for whom he serves in this high office, and their condition reflects upon him. he bears the iniquities of his people.
12 that the priesthood bore the error of the people, the prophet moses indicated, when he said to the two surviving sons of aaron for a failure on their part: “why did you not eat the sin offering in the place that is holy, since it is something most holy and he has given it to you that you may answer for the error of the assembly so as to make atonement for them before jehovah?” (leviticus 10:16, 17) the sanctuary or temple was holy, and if the people touched it this would be committing an error on their part; and so the sanctified priests had to serve at the sanctuary for the people in order to prevent the committing of such an error. to this effect we read, in numbers 18:1: “and jehovah proceeded to say to aaron: ‘you and your sons and the house of your father with you will answer for error against the sanctuary, and you and your sons with you will answer for error against your priesthood.’” so the priests acted as shields against error by the people.
13 now as regards the sanctuary or temple in jerusalem at the time that haggai and zechariah had begun to prophesy, its foundation had lain neglected without a superstructure’s being built upon it for sixteen years. this was due to forcible opposition by surrounding enemies. during that period the repatriated israelites had lapsed into indifference and had turned to materialism. hence, in a dialogue with the priests, when haggai asked what would happen when someone ceremonially unclean touched a part of a sacrifice, they answered: “it will become unclean.” at once haggai came back with this statement: “‘that is how this people is, and that is how this nation is before me,’ is the utterance of jehovah, ‘and that is how all the work of their hands is, and whatever they present there. it is unclean.’”—haggai 2:13, 14.
14 since high priest joshua represented the nation of israel before jehovah, this unclean condition of the people was also attributed to him. as a consequence, it was as if he were clothed with befouled garments. he was trying to officiate without a temple, and for that reason it did not look right. he could not serve with the full dignity and grandeur as in a temple. in leveling charges against high priest joshua, satan the devil would be leveling charges against the entire negligent, unclean nation.
15 similarly with the antitypical high priest, who was prefigured by high priest joshua in that year 519 b.c.e. the high priest jesus christ was reflected upon by the spiritual condition of the remnant of the spiritual israelites on earth as these entered into the postwar year of 1919 c.e. because of impediments due to war restrictions, opposition and persecution, the remnant had come short in many respects with regard to the open, courageous worship of jehovah at his spiritual temple. they had yielded to bondage to babylon the great and her political and military paramours. they were in a spiritual state like that of the ancient remnant of israel that had been repatriated. like isaiah, when he had his vision of jehovah at his holy temple, they could say:
16 “woe to me! for i am as good as brought to silence, because a man unclean in lips i am, and in among a people unclean in lips i am dwelling; for my eyes have seen the king, jehovah of armies, himself!”—isaiah 6:5.
17 if one judged the appearance of their high priest by the spiritual appearance of the surviving remnant, their high priest jesus christ would appear to be “clothed in befouled garments.” this was an improper appearance to be attributed to him. the spiritually befouled condition was an improper situation in which the remnant was representing their high priest, and it reflected badly upon the heavenly high priest jesus christ.
18 such a state of affairs deserved to be remedied—promptly. jehovah’s judicial angel saw to that: “remove the befouled garments from upon him.” then he said to joshua: “see, i have caused your error to pass away from upon you, and there is a clothing of you with robes of state.”—zechariah 3:4.
19 how did this occur with high priest joshua? by getting the restored nation of israel whom he represented in holy office out of their unclean state before jehovah. this would be by getting the restored remnant to work again upon the temple of jehovah and completing it, letting everything else be put in a secondary place, in the background. the cleansing of the people in this vital regard would result in a cleansed appearance of their high priest. it would be as if he had had a change of garments. he was meant to be clothed with “robes of state.” he was meant to have a temple in which to serve clothed in those “robes of state.” the completing of the temple and the inaugurating of it would call for him to don those “robes of state” and present a glorious appearance to the praise of jehovah. high priest joshua as the national religious representative took the lead with governor zerubbabel in getting the temple rebuilding started again, and for this reason he deserved a change of garments for the better. in that way his religious appearance would not reflect reproachfully on god.
20 the same was true of the one whom high priest joshua prefigured, namely, the heavenly high priest jesus christ. the remnant of his spirit-begotten, anointed disciples came out of world war i in an “unclean” spiritual condition. they were spiritual israelites, yes, spiritual underpriests of jehovah under his high priest jesus christ. their spiritual garments were befouled by their deportment and deficiencies during world war i. this reflected badly upon their high priest in the heavens and hence misrepresented him. since he bears or answers for the iniquity or error of the nation of spiritual israelites, it was as if he himself were clothed with befouled religious garments.
21 what was needed, then, was for the remnant of spiritual underpriests to repent and return to jehovah and be forgiven by him through christ. this is what actually happened at the beginning of the postwar period. they showed their return or conversion to jehovah by searching the holy ures diligently to determine god’s will and work for the postwar period and then applying themselves whole-souled to these things of first importance.
22 thus the repentant, converted remnant of spiritual underpriests applied themselves whole-souled to jehovah’s worship at his temple and endeavored to purify that worship from any and all babylonish pollution. their efforts at rebuilding the pure, undefiled worship “from the standpoint of our god and father” corresponded with the renewed work of the repatriated israelites in rebuilding jehovah’s temple at jerusalem. (james 1:27) it was the invisible, heavenly high priest, jesus christ, who was taking the lead in this reviving of the remnant of his underpriests in jehovah’s worship and service. so, when jehovah mercifully forgave them and cleansed them, this gave them a clean appearance before him.
23 even the false accusers under satan the devil began to see the difference in the doctrines, the message and the public activity of the remnant of christ’s underpriests. this served to cast due credit upon their heavenly chief priest, jesus christ. he no longer had to bear or answer for such error on the part of his underpriests. the “befouled garments” that were indirectly attributed to him were taken from upon him, and he was given a change of garments. bring forth “robes of state” for him!
24 who would not want to see the high priest of the one living and true god adorned with an official headgear? the prophet zechariah wanted such a thing. either in his mind he thought of such a thing or he even spoke out impulsively for such a thing! he tells us: “at that i said: ‘let them put a clean turban upon his head.’ and they proceeded to put the clean turban upon his head and to clothe him with garments; and the angel of jehovah was standing by. and the angel of jehovah began to bear witness to joshua, saying: ‘this is what jehovah of armies has said, “if it is in my ways that you will walk, and if it is my obligation that you will keep, then also it will be you that will judge my house and also keep my courtyards; and i shall certainly give you free access among these who are standing by.”’”—zechariah 3:5-7.
25 how glad the high priest joshua the son of jehozadak must have been when the prophet zechariah disclosed to him this part of the prophetic vision! joshua could then realize that he had now an acceptable appearance before god and was no cause for reproach upon him. satan’s malicious effort to find continued cause for shaming the high priest of jehovah had failed!
26 joshua surely must have desired to judge jehovah’s “house” of israel according to divine law and to keep the courtyards of god’s temple.
27 hence joshua would take to heart the admonitory witness from the angel and walk obediently in jehovah’s way and conscientiously keep his obligation to jehovah, so as to prove worthy of the privileges mentioned.
28 besides that, joshua would be given “free access among these who are standing by.” it was the heavenly angels who were standing by in the vision; and just as they had access to god in heaven, so joshua as high priest could approach god directly as an intermediary for the house of israel. he would also be honored with the privilege of entering into the most holy of the completed temple of jerusalem on the annual day of atonement.
29 jesus christ is, of course, the ideal high priest for all the world of mankind. the royal priestly turban is placed upon his head as a “high priest according to the manner of melchizedek forever.” (hebrews 6:20; psalm 110:1-4; 21:1-5) he has always walked in god’s way and kept his obligation to god. but after the experiences of his dedicated, baptized disciples on earth during world war i, he sees to it that the remnant of his underpriests learn more clearly god’s way in order to walk in it, and he helps them to discern more fully their holy obligation to jehovah god, so as to keep it completely. his glorious priestly garments are pictured in the revelation that he gave to the apostle john, in which the glorified lord jesus is seen walking among the seven golden lampstands. (revelation 1:12 to 2:1) he faithfully judges the house of spiritual israel according to the law of the new covenant. he guides them in the earthly courtyards of jehovah’s spiritual temple, assigning to them their spiritual duties there.
30 the earthly high priest, joshua the son of jehozadak, began entering the most holy of the temple of jerusalem in the year 515 b.c.e. (ezra 6:15); but the spiritual high priest, the greater joshua, entered into the antitypical, real most holy, heaven itself, in the year 33 c.e. he ascended to heaven and presented the merit of his human sacrifice in the very presence of jehovah of armies. he now being made “better than the angels” and having “inherited a name more excellent than theirs,” he also can have “free access among these who are standing by,” that is, among the angels of heaven. he, above all others, can approach god directly and intercede in behalf of jehovah’s worshipers on earth. as jehovah prophetically said of him: “i will cause him to come near, and he must approach to me.”—jeremiah 30:21.
the “sprout” and “the stone”
31 in the vision to zechariah, the judicial angel of jehovah continued to speak to the high priest in his robes of state: “‘hear, please, o joshua the high priest, you and your companions who are sitting before you, for they are men serving as portents; for here i am bringing in my servant sprout [new growth, by]. for, look! the stone that i have put before joshua! upon the one stone there are seven eyes. here i am engraving its engraving,’ is the utterance of jehovah of armies, ‘and i will take away the error of that land in one day.’”—zechariah 3:8, 9.
32 the message of this part of the vision, the prophet zechariah had to make known, not only to the high priest joshua, but also to his “companions” who were sitting before him, that is to say, the underpriests. why? because these were “men serving as portents.” in this case they would not portend anything bad, but, in view of the divine announcement that they are about to hear, they would portend something good, especially good. they would have to bear witness to what they were told through the judicial angel of jehovah, and on that account they would portend the coming of a greater priesthood in the not too distant future, a priesthood of higher rank than theirs at the temple in jerusalem. it would be a messianic priesthood, and their high priest would be the messiah himself. in harmony with that portentous significance that they as underpriests of the second temple of jerusalem had taken on, their present high priest, joshua the son of jehozadak, was a portent of the messianic high priest. he was a type of that one!
33 there was need for a better priesthood, particularly a better high priest, one like ancient melchizedek. (genesis 14:18-20) in explanation of that fact it was later written, in hebrews 7:15-22, to hebrews who had accepted the promised messiah:
34 “and it is still more abundantly clear that with a similarity to melchizedek there arises another priest, who has become such, not according to the law of a commandment depending upon the flesh, but according to the power of an indestructible life, for in witness it is said: ‘you are a priest forever according to the manner of melchizedek.’ certainly, then, there occurs a setting aside of the preceding commandment on account of its weakness and ineffectiveness. for the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in besides of a better hope did, through which we are drawing near to god. also, to the extent that it was not without a sworn oath, (for there are indeed men that have become priests without a sworn oath, but there is one with an oath sworn by the one who said respecting him: ‘jehovah has sworn (and he will feel no regret), “you are a priest forever,”’) to that extent also jesus has become the one given in pledge of a better covenant.”
35 the underpriests who were companions of high priest joshua and who sat before him to receive instructions from him had to be “men serving as portents” of something better, forasmuch as jehovah by his judicial angel went on to say: “for here i am bringing in my servant sprout!” (zechariah 3:8) “my servant,” jehovah’s servant, was not to be a branch of the priesthood of aaron’s family. as far as priesthood was concerned, he was shooting up out of entirely different soil, from a different root. jeremiah 23:5, 6 indicates of whom the messianic high priest would be the sprout, saying: “‘look! there are days coming,’ is the utterance of jehovah, ‘and i will raise up to david a righteous sprout [a new growth of david coming right, by]. and a king will certainly reign and act with discretion and execute justice and righteousness in the land. in his days judah will be saved, and israel itself will reside in security. and this is his name with which he will be called, jehovah is our righteousness.’” god brought in this sprout in the year 33 c.e.
36 what, now, about that “stone” that god would put before high priest joshua? in a literal way, it would be the stone with which the temple then under construction would be given its finishing touch and be made complete. the foundation of that second temple had already been laid, and so this “stone” would serve as a headstone. so jehovah’s putting this stone before joshua was a sign guaranteeing that the temple would be completed, despite any resistance on satan’s part. that stone, too, was symbolic of the messiah, the anointed one. picturing the messiah as a stone, psalm 118:22, 23 (by) said: “a stone that the builders had rejected has become the head of a corner. this was from jehovah, it is a wonder to our eyes.” in the year 33 c.e., jesus, when speaking to the jews who rejected him as the promised messiah, applied this ure to himself and said to them:
37 “did you never read in the ures, ‘the stone that the builders rejected is the one that has become the chief cornerstone. from jehovah this has come to be, and it is marvelous in our eyes’? this is why i say to you, the kingdom of god will be taken from you and be given to a nation producing its fruits.”—matthew 21:42, 43. see also 1 peter 2:4-9.
38 this symbolic “stone” was to be given full divine attention. as confirmation of this the high priest joshua and his companion priests were to be told, “upon the one stone there are seven eyes.” (zechariah 3:9) not that seven eyes were to be carved upon that stone, to give the idea that those beholding the stone were being looked at in a sevenfold way. with the eyes we fix our attention upon something. also, as the number seven urally symbolized perfection, the seven eyes upon that one stone mean to say that jehovah fixes his perfect attention upon that symbolic stone, his promised messiah. others might overlook that symbolic stone. or, they might ignore it, reject it, but not so jehovah. because of such full attention from him, it must be something most precious to him.
39 consequently, in showing the complete attention that he gives to this symbolic stone and its outstanding position and appearance, jehovah goes on to say: “here i am engraving its engraving.” in glorious fulfillment of this promise, jehovah the heavenly engraver gave the symbolic stone, his beloved son jesus christ, distinguishing marks of beauty such as he conferred upon no one else. consequently, hebrews 1:1-3 speaks of the outstanding son of god as being the one who is the “exact representation [greek, kharaktér, meaning ‘impress’] of his very being,” that is, of god’s being. as the symbolic engraved headstone, the messianic high priest, jesus christ, is given the highest and most responsible position of service in jehovah’s spiritual temple of worship. this betokened something most beneficial for all mankind.
40 with the topstone in place and the temple all completed for the full-scale worship of the one living and true god, what could we expect logically to follow? blessings, blessings, blessings! nothing would now be in the way of such blessings, for, as jehovah went on to say, “i will take away the error of that land in one day.” (zechariah 3:9) because of the long interruption that the repatriated israelites had allowed to take place in the rebuilding of the temple at jerusalem, the whole land of judah was lying in “error.” its inhabitants were looked upon as unclean and the work of their hands in materialistic things was unclean. (haggai 2:13, 14) but now, come 515 b.c.e., with the triumphant completion of the second temple at jerusalem the erroneous course of the land of judah was entirely corrected. so jehovah was pleased, and he took away the error of inhabitants of the land in the special “one day,” the day when the temple stood complete, with its engraved headstone, and pure worship was inaugurated therein.
41 what a stimulus this should give to us today to put the worship of the true god at his spiritual temple in the first place in our lives! we should not let ourselves be delayed in doing this. we should not let interruptions take place in this effort.
42 the faithful remnant of spiritual underpriests of the messiah know what blessings have come to them for doing this more and more determinedly during the now more than fifty years since that restoration year of 1919 c.e. they have come to appreciate more and more deeply that, like the underpriest companions of high priest joshua, they are “men serving as portents” for this “time of the end” of this worldly system of things. they portend the best of good things for all those who devote themselves to the pure, undefiled worship of the one living and true god.
43 they are not deceived by any false messiahs or false messianic organizations of today. they have identified the one whom jehovah calls “my servant sprout.” he is the one whom jehovah of armies installed in the messianic throne in the heavens at the close of the gentile times in 1914 c.e. and who has now begun his messianic reign, namely, jesus christ. they have identified also the one symbolized by the stone that was laid before high priest joshua and upon which stone there were “seven eyes.” they admire how jehovah has engraved this symbolic stone with a beauty that befits the high position given to that stone, and they rejoice that this one has been made the symbolic headstone or topstone, the highest and most responsible one in jehovah’s system of worship. they are happy to be underpriests under that symbolic engraved stone, jesus christ. they see from the holy ures that as “men serving as portents” they are under divine command to serve as witnesses to this exalted stone, jehovah’s one high priest, jesus.
spiritual prosperity leading to endless life
44 what was to be expected after jehovah fulfilled his promise given through zechariah: “i will take away the error of that land in one day”? nothing else but divine favor, expressed in material and spiritual blessings for the israelites worshiping at their completed second temple in jerusalem. most appropriately, then, that promise was followed up by this divine prophecy: “‘in that day,’ is the utterance of jehovah of armies, ‘you will call, each one to the other, while under the vine and while under the fig tree.’”—zechariah 3:10.
45 in this day when all false religions are crumbling and are about to be destroyed in the world’s worst trouble, that prophecy meant spiritual prosperity to sincere god-fearing persons who give themselves wholeheartedly to divine worship at the one true spiritual temple where jehovah’s one approved high priest serves. it means the fulfillment of the companion prophecy of micah 4:1-4 (by):
and in the future days the mountain of jehovah’s house shall be set at the head of the mountains, lifted above hills, and peoples shall stream to it. and many nations shall go and say “come and let us go up to jehovah’s mountain, to the house of the god of jacob, to have him instruct us in ways of his that we may go in his paths,” because from sion instruction shall go out and jehovah’s word from jerusalem. and he shall give judgment between many peoples and pronounce verdicts for numerous nations to a great distance, and they shall pound their swords into hoes and their spears into pruning-hooks; nation shall not take up sword against nation, and they shall never again learn war. and they shall sit each man under his grape-vine or his fig-tree with no one to alarm them, for the mouth of jehovah of armies has promised it.
46 even so today, when nuclear warfare threatens the world, jehovah’s christian witnesses reside on their god-given spiritual estate in spiritual prosperity. they maintain loving peace among themselves, absolutely taking no part in the wars of this world. satan has failed in resisting their high priest jesus christ!