He was such, and probably is yet. Jude 8, 9—They "speak evil of dignities. Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil, he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee." Daniel 10 shows that Satan has power to oppose one of the chief angels (vv. 12, 13 in particular). In Luke 11:21 Christ calls Satan "a strong man armed." He is "the prince of this world" (John 14:30).
2. PRINCE OF THE POWER OF THE AIR.
Eph. 2:2—"The prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience." Cf. 6:11, 12. He is also prince of the demons or fallen angels, Matt. 12:24; 9:34; Luke 11:14-18. There is doubtless an allusion here to the fact that the world of evil spirits is organized, and that Satan is at its head. 3. THE GOD OF THIS WORLD.
2 Cor. 4:4—"In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not." He is "the prince of this world" (John 12:31; 14:30; 16:11; cf. Eph. 2:1, 2; 1 John 5:19). Satan is not only the object of the world's worship, but also the moving spirit of its godless activities.
4. HE HEADS A KINGDOM WHICH IS HOSTILE TO THE KINGDOM OF GOD AND OF CHRIST.
Acts 26:18—"To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God." Col. 1:13—"Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son." The kingdom of light is headed by a person—Jesus Christ; the kingdom of darkness, by a person—Satan. The one is a person equally with the other.
5. HAS SOVEREIGNTY OVER THE REALM OF DEATH.
Heb. 2:14—"That . . . . he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil." It would seem as if the souls of the unregenerate dead are (or were) to some extent under Satan's dominion.
III. THE CHARACTER OF SATAN.
"We may judge of the nature and character of the evil one by the names and titles ascribed to him."