"walking"

[heartstrings]

Psalm 119:1,3 Psalm 128:1 Proverbs 2:7 Proverbs 6:12 Proverbs 10:9 Proverbs 19:1 Proverbs 28:18 Ecclesiastes 2:14, 10:7

Walking
Even though they mention a physical act, the verses above are not speaking about physically putting one foot in front of the other. "Walking", in these verses, speaks of the "manner of life" or "manner of conduct". There are many more verses which do this.... Ephesians 2:10, 4:1, 5:2, 5:15. etc. etc.

But here is the one I want to focus on.........
JOB 2:2 And the LORD said unto Satan, From whence comest thou? And Satan answered the LORD, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it.

1. If you cross a desert, can Satan walk along too?
2. If you go skindiving, 100ft down, can you get away from Satan's temptation? Can he "walk" there? Or does he need to put on a tank and some fins?
3. If you confess all your sins, get filled with the Holy Spirit, then suddenly go hang-gliding , How could Satan "walk" up to where you are to tempt you again? Or would he need to fly?

Honestly, is that what it really means? That Satan must physically "walk", to get where he wants to go? Is the verse talking about Satan traversing the atmoshere and outer space from Earth to Heaven by physically "walking"?
Couldn't this verse be talking about Satan's manner of conduct?

To and Fro
Satan speaks in your heart "the earth" (or dwells there if you are unsaved). He comes when he wants and he leaves when you draw nigh to God and resist. Hence, to and fro in the earth (the heart, or mind)
Walking up
The direction "up" is associated with godliness or moving toward God. Satan's MO or "manner of conduct" is that he sometimes "appears as an angel of light". "There is a way that seemth right unto a man.....IN other words, his temptation, in your mind, at the time, seems right.
Walking down
Sometimes Satan's MO is less subtle and unmistakeably evil.

What do ya think?

[Bakershalfdozen]

The angels that visited Abraham walked to Sodom. JacOB physically wrestled with the Angel of the Lord. Daniel saw an angel physically standing on the banks of the river Euphrates. I'm sure Satan can walk too. Not everything has to be devotionalized.

[heartstrings]

Is there any record, in the Bible, where Satan had a physical form, other than the serpent?

[Bakershalfdozen]

Ezekiel 28 comes to mind...

[Bakershalfdozen]

Which, BTW, is a strong indicator to me that Lucifer fell after Creation...

[Jerry]

Right - he can't be in the Garden of Eden before he sinned if he sinned before the Garden was created...

[heartstrings]

Ezekiel 28 comes to mind...

Did he have this physical form after the flood? Or even after the garden of Eden?

[Jerry]

It is literally talking about Satan moving around on earth - not in our minds or hearts. The passage does not state that Satan's only method of moving around was walking; however, it does describe a particular activity of Satan's that was happening around the time of the events recorded.

[trc123]

The whole time / space continuum thing really does make my head spin!

[Jerry]

Angels are able to take on a physical form at times, as we see many times in the Bible.

[Bakershalfdozen]

Did he have this physical form after the flood? Or even after the garden of Eden?

I can't prove that he did, and you can't prove that he didn't.

Like Jerry said, angels can take physical forms when they so choose. If Satan can transform himself into an angel of light (maybe a semblance of his former self), then I'm sure he can take physical form whenever he chooses to.

[John81]

It should also be remembered that Satan is a finite created being and does not have the qualities of God.

Satan does not have access to our hearts and minds. Only God can see the thoughts and intents of our hearts; only God knows what's in our minds. Satan can influence things in an attempt to bring about a desired response from our heart and mind, but he knows not what's in them as he doesn't have access to them.

Satan is one creature, limited to being in one place at a time. Satan can't be influencing Rick Warren in California, tempting Dr. Shelton to sin in Tennessee and attempting to deceive missionaries in Asia at the same time. Satan could have demons working on all three, or two of them as he works on one, but Satan himself is limited to being in one location at a time.

We read that in the end those who look upon Satan will be astounded at his appearance (how he looks).

[heartstrings]

....Satan does not have access to our hearts and minds.

He had access to Judas Iscariot (Luke 22:3, John 13:27) and others in the Gospels and in the Epistles. He 'bound' people and "entered in" to people. He influenced the minds of saved people like Peter (Mark 8:33)Annanias and Saphira(Acts 5:3). Therefore, I disagree.

Only God can see the thoughts and intents of our hearts;

NOBody said otherwise

only God knows what's in our minds.

You ahve a chapter and verse on that?

Satan can influence things in an attempt to bring about a desired response from our heart and mind,

I fully agree

but he knows not what's in them as he doesn't have access to them.

I'm not so sure about that. Can you poiint me to what the Bible says?

Satan is one creature, limited to being in one place at a time. Satan can't be influencing Rick Warren in California, tempting Dr. Shelton to sin in Tennessee and attempting to deceive missionaries in Asia at the same time. Satan could have demons working on all three, or two of them as he works on one, but Satan himself is limited to being in one location at a time.

Maybe so, but does the Bible say so? And how fast can he move? Lightspeed maybe?

[heartstrings]

It is literally talking about Satan moving around on earth - not in our minds or hearts. The passage does not state that Satan's only method of moving around was walking; however, it does describe a particular activity of Satan's that was happening around the time of the events recorded.

The Bible says "In" the earth.
And I can see the "to and fro" part being literal. But how can anything literally "walk up and down" "IN" a planet filled with molten magma. And why would it even WANT to? Unless he was making trips between Hell and the surface and back again...."up and down"

[Bakershalfdozen]

You've never used the phrase, "We walked up the path and then back down"? Or, we were walking IN the park?