Diabolos is the Devil’s name. In Revelation 12:9 we read, “And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil (Diabolos), and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.” Why is the old serpent called the Devil? The next verse tells us he is the Devil because he is “the accuser of our brethren.” (Rev 12:10). He engages in malicious slanders against the saints, falsely accusing them before God, distorting the truth and manufacturing lies.

Satan our Adversary is working overtime to destroy the witness and testimony of the saints, especially those who preach the gospel and earnestly contend for the faith. He does all this to thwart God’s Word and Work of salvation. You will see this again and again if you study the Book of Acts. When God works Satan also works! But we know that Satan is already a defeated foe; his end has already been determined and announced. Revelation 20:10 says, “And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night” (Rev 12:10). He is already cast down.

Accuser at Work

How does Satan go about falsely accusing the saints? A clear example of how Satan does it can be found in the book of Job. In Job 1:1, 6, 8 we read, “There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed evil. … Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them.

… And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil?” God was telling the truth about Job. Truly Job was such a believer, one who was “perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed evil.”

But Satan being who he is always seeks to oppose the truth. “Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, Doth Job fear God for nought? Hast not thou made an hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side? thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land. But put forth thine hand now, and touch all that he hath, and he will curse thee to thy face” (Job 1:9-11). Here he falsely accused Job by suggesting that Job had believed in God for less than pure reasons, with an ulterior motive because he wanted to be wealthy and not because he feared God. By so suggesting, the Devil was also effectively accusing God, that God had tempted or bribed Job to become a believer, that God had either lied about Job or was wrong about Job.

And the LORD said unto Satan, “Behold, all that he hath is in thy power; only upon himself put not forth thine hand. So Satan went forth from the presence of the LORD” (Job 1:12). With God’s permission, Satan went all out to take away all of Job’s precious possessions, his property and his children—all gone in a single day. Job must have known that this was not something natural but supernatural, it was the hand of God. He did not blame God. Knowing deeply that God was in control and in charge of everything, he humbled himself before the Lord and worshipped Him, “Then Job arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped, And said, Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return thither: the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD. In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly” (Job 1:20- 22).

“Again there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them to present himself before the LORD. … And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil? and still he holdeth fast his integrity, although thou movedst me against him, to destroy him without cause” (Job 2:1, 3). God knew Job, and spoke the truth about him—“a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweith evil.” The first test showed Satan to be a liar, a false accuser, for what he had said about Job was proven to be entirely wrong. Did not the Devil tell God that if He were to take away all of Job’s wealth, Job would curse Him to His face? Despite all that had happened, Job still blessed the Lord and did not sin against Him.

But Satan would not give up but kept on falsely accusing Job and tempting God, “And Satan answered the LORD, and said, Skin for skin, yea, all that a man hath will he give for his life. But put forth thine hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse thee to thy face” (Job 2:4-5).

Of course God was certain of the truth that Job was totally faithful and loyal to Him. So He granted Satan permission to afflict Job but on one condition, “And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold, he is in thine hand; but save his life” (Job 2:6).

“So went Satan forth from the presence of the LORD, and smote Job with sore boils from the sole of his foot unto his crown. And he took him a potsherd to scrape himself withal; and he sat down among the ashes. Then said his wife unto him, Dost thou still retain thine integrity? curse God, and die. But he said unto her, Thou speakest as one of the foolish women speaketh. What? shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil? In all this did not Job sin with his lips” (Job 2:7-10). Job was vindicated, and Satan indicted.

Confessors or Accusers?

It is easy for us to confess God when times are good, but when times are bad, will we still confess Him or will we curse Him? Will we become like the Devil, to blame God for all the bad things and bad times in life? If we do this without feeling guilty at all, and we keep doing it, finding fault with God, doubting Him and denying Him, it might just reveal that we have not been born again, not saved in the first place; God is not our Father, and we are not His children. We may claim to be Christians, but we are hypocrites, no different from the scribes and Pharisees, who have “a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof” (2 Tim 3:5). That was why Jesus rebuked the scribes and Pharisees with these words, “Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it” (John 8:44).

Dear friends, let us never become and behave like the Devil. Only and always believe that God is holy, and good, and just, and righteous, and no matter what, this one thing is true—God can do no wrong. As Romans 3:4 says, “let God be true, but every man a liar.” Are you a good confessor of Christ or are you a false accuser like the Devil? May we always speak the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. May God help us!