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Wicca is a modern, syncretic Neopagan religion, [243] whose practitioners many Christians have incorrectly assumed to worship Satan. [243] In actuality, Wiccans do not believe in the existence of Satan or any analogous figure [243] and have repeatedly and emphatically rejected the notion that they venerate such an entity. [243]
In reaching the New Testament we are struck by the unitariness, clearness, and definiteness of the outline of Satan." [58] The New Testament Greek word for the devil, satanas, which occurs 38 times in 36 verses, is not actually a Greek word: it is transliterated from Aramaic, but is ultimately derived from Hebrew. [52]
The term Satan has evolved from a Hebrew term for "adversary" or "to oppose", into the Christian figure of a fallen angel who tempts mortals into sin. The word Satan was not originally a proper name, but rather an ordinary noun that means "adversary". In this context, it appears at several points in the Old Testament. [23]
In the Book of Exodus, the staves of Moses and Aaron are turned into serpents, a nāḥāš for Moses, a tannin for Aaron. In the New Testament, the Book of Revelation makes use of ancient serpent and the Dragon several times to identify Satan or the Devil [3] (Revelation 12:9; 20:2).
An Old English poem called "The Harrowing of Hell" describes Christ breaking into Hell and rescuing the Old Testament patriarchs. [77] The Harrowing is not the only explanation that Christians have put forth for the fate of the righteous who died before Christ accomplished the atonement.) [ 78 ]
Belial (/ ˈ b iː l i. ə l /; [1] Hebrew: בְּלִיַּעַל , Bəlīyyaʿal) is a term occurring in the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament which later became personified as the devil [2] in Christian texts of the New Testament. [3] Alternate spellings include Baalial, Balial, Belhor, Beliall, Beliar, Berial, Bylyl and Beliya'al.
Following the canonical Christian narrative, Satan convinces other angels to live free from the laws of God, thereupon they are cast out of heaven. [149] The epic poem starts with the fallen angels in hell. The first portrayal of God in the book is given by fallen angels, who describe him as a questionable tyrant and blame him for their fall. [151]
Christians traditionally divide the Old Testament into four sections: [3] the first five books or Pentateuch (which corresponds to the Jewish Torah); the history books telling the history of the Israelites, from their conquest of Canaan to their defeat and exile in Babylon; the poetic and wisdom literature, which explore themes of human ...