{"author":null,"backreferences":[{"context_html":"<p class=\"c005\">1. We have now to notice, agreeably to the statements\r\nof Scripture, how the opposing powers, or the devil himself,\r\ncontends with the human race, inciting and instigating men\r\nto sin. And in the first place, in the book of Genesis,<a id=\"r600\"></a><a class=\"c007 pginternal\" href=\"#f600\"><sup>[600]</sup></a> the\r\nserpent is described as having seduced Eve; regarding\r\nwhom, in the work entitled <i>The Ascension of Moses</i><a id=\"r601\"></a><a class=\"c007 pginternal\" href=\"#f601\"><sup>[601]</sup></a> (a little\r\ntreatise, of which the Apostle Jude makes mention in his\r\nepistle), the archangel Michael, when disputing with the\r\ndevil regarding the body of Moses, says that the serpent,\r\nbeing inspired by the devil, was the cause of Adam and\r\nEve’s transgression. This also is made a subject of inquiry\r\nby some, viz. who the angel was that, speaking from heaven\r\nto Abraham, said, “Now I know that thou fearest God, and\r\non my account hast not spared thy beloved son, whom thou\r\nlovedst.”<a id=\"r602\"></a><a class=\"c007 pginternal\" href=\"#f602\"><sup>[602]</sup></a> For he is manifestly described as an angel who\r\nsaid that he knew then that Abraham feared God, and\r\nhad not spared his beloved son, as the Scripture declares,\r\nalthough he did not say that it was on account of God that\r\nAbraham had done this, but on his, that is, the speaker’s\r\naccount. We must also ascertain who that is of whom it is\r\nstated in the book of Exodus that he wished to slay Moses,\r\nbecause he was taking his departure for Egypt;<a id=\"r603\"></a><a class=\"c007 pginternal\" href=\"#f603\"><sup>[603]</sup></a> and afterwards,\r\n<span class=\"pageno\" id=\"Page_223\">223</span>also, who he is that is called the destroying<a id=\"r604\"></a><a class=\"c007 pginternal\" href=\"#f604\"><sup>[604]</sup></a> angel, as\r\nwell as he who in the book of Leviticus is called Apopompæus,\r\n<i>i.e.</i> Averter, regarding whom Scripture says, “One lot\r\nfor the Lord, and one lot for Apopompæus, <i>i.e.</i> the Averter.”<a id=\"r605\"></a><a class=\"c007 pginternal\" href=\"#f605\"><sup>[605]</sup></a>\r\nIn the first book of Kings, also, an evil spirit is said to\r\nstrangle<a id=\"r606\"></a><a class=\"c007 pginternal\" href=\"#f606\"><sup>[606]</sup></a> Saul; and in the third book, Micaiah the prophet\r\nsays, “I saw the Lord of Israel sitting on His throne, and\r\nall the host of heaven standing by Him, on His right hand\r\nand on His left. And the Lord said, Who will deceive\r\nAchab king of Israel, that he may go up and fall at Ramoth-gilead?\r\nAnd one said on this manner, and another said on\r\nthat manner. And there came forth a spirit, and stood before\r\nthe Lord, and said, I will deceive him. And the Lord said\r\nto him, Wherewith? And he said, I will go forth, and I\r\nwill be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets. And\r\nhe said, Thou shalt deceive him, and prevail also: go forth,\r\nand do so quickly. And now therefore the Lord hath put\r\na lying spirit in the mouth of all thy prophets: the Lord\r\nhath spoken evil concerning thee.”<a id=\"r607\"></a><a class=\"c007 pginternal\" href=\"#f607\"><sup>[607]</sup></a> Now by this last quotation\r\nit is clearly shown that a certain spirit, from his own\r\n[free] will and choice, elected to deceive [Achab], and to\r\nwork a lie, in order that the Lord might mislead the king to\r\nhis death, for he deserved to suffer. In the first book of\r\nChronicles also it is said, “The devil, Satan, stood up against\r\nIsrael, and provoked David to number the people.”<a id=\"r608\"></a><a class=\"c007 pginternal\" href=\"#f608\"><sup>[608]</sup></a> In the\r\nPsalms, moreover, an evil angel is said to harass<a id=\"r609\"></a><a class=\"c007 pginternal\" href=\"#f609\"><sup>[609]</sup></a> certain\r\npersons. In the book of Ecclesiastes, too, Solomon says,\r\n“If the spirit of the ruler rise up against thee, leave not thy\r\nplace; for soundness will restrain many transgressions.”<a id=\"r610\"></a><a class=\"c007 pginternal\" href=\"#f610\"><sup>[610]</sup></a> In\r\n<span class=\"pageno\" id=\"Page_224\">224</span>Zechariah<a id=\"r611\"></a><a class=\"c007 pginternal\" href=\"#f611\"><sup>[611]</sup></a> we read that the devil stood on the right hand of\r\nJoshua, and resisted him. Isaiah says that the sword of the\r\nLord arises against the dragon, the crooked<a id=\"r612\"></a><a class=\"c007 pginternal\" href=\"#f612\"><sup>[612]</sup></a> serpent.<a id=\"r613\"></a><a class=\"c007 pginternal\" href=\"#f613\"><sup>[613]</sup></a> And\r\nwhat shall I say of Ezekiel, who in his second vision prophesies\r\nmost unmistakeably to the prince of Tyre regarding\r\nan opposing power, and who says also that the dragon\r\ndwells in the rivers of Egypt?<a id=\"r614\"></a><a class=\"c007 pginternal\" href=\"#f614\"><sup>[614]</sup></a> Nay, with what else are the\r\ncontents of the whole work which is written regarding Job\r\noccupied, save with the [doings] of the devil, who asks that\r\npower may be given him over all that Job possesses, and over\r\nhis sons, and even over his person? And yet the devil is\r\ndefeated through the patience of Job. In that book the Lord\r\nhas by His answers imparted much information regarding the\r\npower of that dragon which opposes us. Such, meanwhile,\r\nare the statements made in the Old Testament, so far as we\r\ncan at present recall them, on the subject of hostile powers\r\nbeing either named in Scripture, or being said to oppose the\r\nhuman race, and to be afterwards subjected to punishment.</p>","headings":["The Writings of Origen, Vol. 1 of 2","ORIGEN DE PRINCIPIIS.","BOOK III.","CHAPTER II. ON THE OPPOSING POWERS."],"marker_anchor":null,"paragraph_id":"pg70561-paragraph-243"}],"canonical_references":[],"date_end":null,"date_start":null,"deduplication_fingerprint":"60589c42de0ebde1a43045bf89cd5ee08a4c9c3e15edd756d7a77532e4141b37","edition_title":"The writings of Origen, Vol. 1 (of 2)","edition_translators":["Frederick Crombie"],"edition_year":1869,"explicit_reference_candidates":[],"headings":[],"id":"pg70561-f607","license_url":"https://www.gutenberg.org/policy/license.html","public_import_allowed":false,"record_kind":"original-editor-translator-note","review_required":["work and recension attribution","original-work chronology","Bible reference numbering and citation kind","English edition rights and attribution"],"review_status":"needs_review","rights_evidence":"Project Gutenberg metadata: Public domain in the USA. Existing 1869 English translation; translator died 1889. Electronic transcription subject to Project Gutenberg reuse terms.","source_anchor":"f607","source_ebook":70561,"source_html":"<div class=\"footnote\" id=\"f607\">\n<p class=\"c006\"><span class=\"label\"><a class=\"pginternal\" href=\"#r607\">607</a>. </span>1 Kings <abbr title=\"twenty-two\">xxii.</abbr> 19-23.</p>\n</div>","source_sha256":"de125e213d16053354f22b34a1c8d477ac23f201e660e4f4841b2ed7e05bb367","source_url":"https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/70561/pg70561-images.html#f607","text_sha256":"5b0be72bf27d9282e8bd9150ac28a21fb02df3b8f4e00b9ba646d62fefe442f6","verified":false,"work_id":null}