The Shrewd Deceiver
HIS METHOD
Satan’s overarching purpose is to cause wreck and ruin and since he knows he cannot hurt God himself he goes about hurting him by attacking God’s darling creation – humans. Milton saw so much truth and in that marvelous way great poets have he opens our eyes to greater depths and wider ramifications of the truth we think we know.
In his “Paradise Lost”, Book 2, the demonic council admits they cannot harm God directly but rather than sit and nurse their eternal wounds in the dark, Beelzebub tells of a new world where God’s darling children live and advises that the evil hosts should attack Him by attacking them. It would even be better if the inhabitants of the new world were seduced into joining ranks with them since this would add bitterness to God’s pain when He punished the darling newcomers for their satanic rebellion.
Though Heaven be shut,
And Heaven's high Arbitrator sit secure
In his own strength, this place may lie exposed,
The utmost border of his kingdom, left
To their defense who hold it: here, perhaps,
Some advantageous act may be achieved
By sudden onset – either with Hell-fire
To waste his whole creation…or, if not drive,
Seduce them to our party…This would surpass
Common revenge, and interrupt His joy
In our confusion…when his darling sons,
Hurled headlong to partake with us, shall curse
Their frail original, and faded bliss...
That is Satan’s agenda and seducatio is to be his weapon so he works to seduce humans to turn against God because from his own experience he knows full well, “Who overcomes by force hath overcome but half his foe.” In seducing the humans he gives grief to God and by his satanic attack he interrupts God’s pleasure which comes as the result of the satanic defeat. If he, Satan, must suffer then God will suffer also by the loss of His children as they join in the satanic rebellion. This is the Dragon’s agenda and he goes about it in many ways that include the suggestions that will follow.
