撒但历史初探

Ich bin der Geist der stets verneint, denn nur was ich sage gilt. Denn ich bin Gott allein, nicht der Gott der im Himmel scheint
哥德•浮士德

引言

借胡马兄导读约伯记的机会，重温圣经旧约，见到德文版中的一些注解，听旧日的神学朋友说了一些完全不同于耶教基要派的说法，思量着应该整理一下撒但的历史演变过程，对理解宗教史上发生的一些事会有所助益，也是我自己学习的一个机会。犹兄曾经提示，希伯来圣经对外人来说犹如天书。我自知这一番整理只能局限于字面意思和宗教史的层次，根本不可能涉及希伯来圣经的实质性内涵，正如同丹门外的人不可能通过周易参同契了解丹门内秘一样。尽管如此，对撒但书面记载的整理可以有助于从另一个方面认识旧约中的上帝，揭示从旧约到新约的变化。能达到这一目的，探究一次撒但的历史也值得了。


撒但的现状

名称：撒但
出生：根本就没出生，是被造的！
住址：第7层地狱，应该是最下边吧……
职业：天使，因晋升机会渺茫，改行当了魔鬼
智力：一方面笨得要命，能让基徒们用再简单不过的招术蒙混，另一方面聪明绝顶，能引诱整个世界
特长：所有恶心、残酷的事情，犯罪
爱好：在地狱火上烤灵魂玩儿，据说还喜欢把小孩子塞到烟斗里当烟叶抽
外形：非常古怪，非常粗野，不对称，拐子……
其他：臭不可闻，喜欢在硫磺里洗澡，呸！

真的还是假的？再奇怪的东东也总得有点来路吧？先说表面的，这个畸形的家伙，是中世纪的教会用古希腊神话中的神的形象拼凑出来的，比如叫作潘的神，好象就是瘸腿的。而真正的来路是圣经，只是旧约中撒但的含义完全不同于新约。


圣经旧约中的撒但

1、 撒但这个词

撒但这个词在希伯来语中有不同的意思。

作动词：攻击，与……为敌或作对
如
诗篇38:20： 以恶报善的与我作对，因我是追求良善。
诗篇109:4： 他们与我为敌以报我爱。但我专心祈祷。

作名词：
1） 一般意义上的对手，对头，控告者。如
诗篇：71:13 愿那与我性命为敌的，羞愧被灭。愿那谋害我的，受辱蒙羞。
诗篇：109:20 这就是我对头，和用恶言议论我的人，从耶和华那里所受的报应。
诗篇：109:29 愿我的对头，披戴羞辱。愿他们以自己的羞愧为外袍遮身。

2） 战场上的对手，敌人。如
撒母耳记上：29:4 非利士人的首领向亚吉发怒，对他说，你要叫这人回你所安置他的地方，不可叫他同我们出战，恐怕他在阵上反为我们的敌人。他用什么与他主人复和呢。岂不是用我们这些人的首级吗？
列王记上： 11:14 耶和华使以东人哈达兴起，作所罗门的敌人。他是以东王的后裔。

3） 法庭上的对手。如
诗篇：109:6 愿你派一个恶人辖制他，派一个对头站在他右边。109:7 他受审判的时候，愿他出来担当罪名，愿他的祈祷反成为罪。

4） 阻挠者，挡路者
民数记：22:22 神因他去就发了怒。耶和华的使者站在路上敌挡他。他骑着驴，有两个仆人跟随他。
民数记：2:32 耶和华的使者对他说，你为何这三次打你的驴呢，我出来敌挡你，因你所行的，在我面前偏僻。

5） 在上帝面前无情地对人提出控告并刺激人犯罪的一个天使或上帝的使者。如
撒迦利亚：3:1 天使（原文作他）又指给我看，大祭司约书亚，站在耶和华的使者面前，撒但也站在约书亚的右边，与他作对。 3:2 耶和华向撒但说，撒但哪，耶和华责备你，就是拣选耶路撒冷的耶和华责备你。这不是从火中抽出来的一根柴麽。
历代志上：21:1 撒但起来攻击以色列人，激动大卫数点他们。

2、 魔鬼这个词
魔和鬼在中文里本来是两个概念，也可以合起来作一个词用。基督教所说的魔鬼在德文里是Teufel，在英文里是devil，虽然是两种写法，但词源可能是同一个，即希伯来语的Top(h)el。这个词的本意是刷、增加、涂抹、弄赃，引伸：

tapalu - 怀疑，指责某人撒谎
taskirtu tapiltu - 陷害人的谎言

如
诗篇：119:69 骄傲人编造谎言攻击我。我却要一心守你的训词。

也可以引伸为捏造谎言者，如
约伯记：13:4 你们是编造谎言的，都是无用的医生。

总之，仅仅看旧约，撒但和魔鬼根本就挂不上钩，旧约根本就没有魔鬼的概念！


3、用新约撒但观看旧约的困境

从基督教的宣传来看，能和撒但挂上钩的最古老的故事就是旧约里的失乐园了：诱惑夏娃吃那果子的蛇——创世纪第3章还是引出来，尽管大家都很熟悉：

3:1 耶和华神所造的，惟有蛇比田野一切的活物更狡猾。蛇对女人说，神岂是真说，不许你们吃园中所有树上的果子麽。 3:2 女人对蛇说，园中树上的果子，我们可以吃， 3:3 惟有园当中那棵树上的果子，神曾说，你们不可吃，也不可摸，免得你们死。 3:4 蛇对女人说，你们不一定死， 3:5 因为神知道，你们吃的日子眼睛就明亮了，你们便如神能知道善恶。 3:6 于是女人见那棵树的果子好作食物，也悦人的眼目，且是可喜爱的，能使人有智慧，就摘下果子来吃了。又给她丈夫，她丈夫也吃了。 3:7 他们二人的眼睛就明亮了，才知道自己是赤身露体，便拿无花果树的叶子，为自己编作裙子。 3:8 天起了凉风，耶和华神在园中行走。那人和他妻子听见神的声音，就藏在园里的树木中，躲避耶和华神的面。 3:9 耶和华神呼唤那人，对他说，你在哪里。 3:10 他说，我在园中听见你的声音，我就害怕。因为我赤身露体，我便藏了。 3:11 耶和华说，谁告诉你赤身露体呢，莫非你吃了我吩咐你不可吃的那树上的果子麽。 3:12 那人说，你所赐给我，与我同居的女人，她把那树上的果子给我，我就吃了。 3:13 耶和华神对女人说，你作的是什么事呢。女人说，那蛇引诱我，我就吃了。 3:14 耶和华神对蛇说，你既作了这事，就必受咒诅，比一切的牲畜野兽更甚。你必用肚子行走，终身吃土……


基徒们总说那蛇就是魔鬼，是撒但，可从前后描写来看，那只是一条蛇，一条地地道道的蛇。用肚子行走、终身吃土，而且，“惟有蛇比田野一切的活物更狡猾”，这能是撒但吗？显然不是。终生吃土，大概是石器时代的人对蛇的观察。要想从这种描写中看到古蛇魔鬼撒但，除非是半文盲或者体温太高烧得产生了幻觉。创世纪里描述的蛇的原型，可能来自于苏美尔人的传说，不过这话题绕得太远，这里就不多说了。

4、旧约中的撒但作为一种与上帝有直接关系的形象

撒但作为一种形象，首次出现在历代志上21:1，与约伯记和撒迦利亚3:1一道，是旧约中提到撒但这个形象的三个地方。（诗篇109:6提到的是对头，而不是撒但）


那么，撒但在旧约中是一个什么形象呢？作用是什么呢？似乎可以总结为以下几条：

1）撒但是上帝的天使

民数记第22章讲了一个很古怪的故事。这里没有讲到撒但，但是讲到一个挡路的天使，不妨引用来稍微分析一下：

22:1 以色列人起行，在摩押平原，约旦河东，对着耶利哥安营。 22:2 以色列人向亚摩利人所行的一切事，西拨的儿子巴勒都看见了。 22:3 摩押人因以色列民甚多，就大大惧怕，心内忧急， 22:4 对米甸的长老说，现在这众人要把我们四围所有的一概舔尽，就如牛舔尽田间的草一般。那时西拨的儿子巴勒作摩押王。 22:5 他差遣使者往大河边的毗夺去，到比珥的儿子巴兰本乡那里，召巴兰来，说，有一宗民从埃及出来，遮满地面，与我对居。 22:6 这民比我强盛，现在求你来为我咒诅他们，或者我能得胜，攻打他们，赶出此地。因为我知道，你为谁祝福，谁就得福。你咒诅谁，谁就受咒诅。 22:7 摩押的长老和米甸的长老手里拿着卦金，到了巴兰那里，将巴勒的话都告诉了他。 22:8 巴兰说，你们今夜在这里住宿，我必照耶和华所晓谕我的回报你们。摩押的使臣就在巴兰那里住下了。 22:9 神临到巴兰那里，说，在你这里的人都是谁， 22:10 巴兰回答说，是摩押王西拨的儿子巴勒打发人到我这里来，说， 22:11 从埃及出来的民遮满地面，你来为我咒诅他们，或者我能与他们争战，把他们赶出去。 22:12 神对巴兰说，你不可同他们去，也不可咒诅那民，因为那民是蒙福的。 22:13 巴兰早晨起来，对巴勒的使臣说，你们回本地去吧，因为耶和华不容我和你们同去。 22:14 摩押的使臣就起来，回巴勒那里去，说，巴兰不肯和我们同来。 22:15 巴勒又差遣使臣，比先前的又多又尊贵。 22:16 他们到了巴兰那里，对他说，西拨的儿子巴勒这样说，求你不容什么事拦阻你不到我这里来， 22:17 因为我必使你得极大的尊荣。你向我要什么，我就给你什么。只求你来为我咒诅这民。 22:18 巴兰回答巴勒的臣仆说，巴勒就是将他满屋的金银给我，我行大事小事也不得越过耶和华我神的命。 22:19 现在我请你们今夜在这里住宿，等我得知耶和华还要对我说什么。 22:20 当夜，神临到巴兰那里，说，这些人若来召你，你就起来同他们去，你只要遵行我对你所说的话。 22:21 巴兰早晨起来，备上驴，和摩押的使臣一同去了。 22:22 神因他去就发了怒。耶和华的使者站在路上敌挡他。他骑着驴，有两个仆人跟随他。 22:23 驴看见耶和华的使者站在路上，手里有拔出来的刀，就从路上跨进田间，巴兰便打驴，要叫它回转上路。 22:24 耶和华的使者就站在葡萄园的窄路上。这边有墙，那边也有墙。 22:25 驴看见耶和华的使者，就贴靠墙，将巴兰的脚挤伤了。巴兰又打驴。 22:26 耶和华的使者又往前去，站在狭窄之处，左右都没有转折的地方。 22:27 驴看见耶和华的使者，就卧在巴兰底下，巴兰发怒，用杖打驴。 22:28 耶和华叫驴开口，对巴兰说，我向你行了什么，你竟打我这三次呢， 22:29 巴兰对驴说，因为你戏弄我，我恨不能手中有刀，把你杀了。 22:30 驴对巴兰说，我不是你从小时直到今日所骑的驴麽，我素常向你这样行过麽，巴兰说，没有。 22:31 当时，耶和华使巴兰的眼目明亮，他就看见耶和华的使者站在路上，手里有拔出来的刀，巴兰便低头俯伏在地。 22:32 耶和华的使者对他说，你为何这三次打你的驴呢，我出来 敌挡你，因你所行的，在我面前偏僻。 22:33 驴看见我就三次从我面前偏过去。驴若没有偏过去，我早把你杀了，留它存活。 22:34 巴兰对耶和华的使者说，我有罪了。我不知道你站在路上阻挡我。你若不喜欢我去，我就转回。 22:35 耶和华的使者对巴兰说，你同这些人去吧。你只要说我对你说的话。于是巴兰同着巴勒的使臣去了。 22:36 巴勒听见巴兰来了，就往摩押京城去迎接他。这城是在边界上，在亚嫩河旁。 22:37 巴勒对巴兰说，我不是急急地打发人到你那里去召你麽，你为何不到我这里来呢，我岂不能使你得尊荣麽， 22:38 巴兰说，我已经到你这里来了。现在我岂能擅自说什么呢，神将什么话传给我，我就说什么。 22:39 巴兰和巴勒同行，来到基列胡琐。 22:40 巴勒宰了（原文作献）牛羊，送给巴兰和陪伴的使臣。 22:41 到了早晨，巴勒领巴兰到巴力的高处。巴兰从那里观看以色列营的边界。

在22:23里耶和华的使者说“我出来敌挡你”，用的正是l^esatan这个词，阻挡者。
这个故事里最让人感到奇怪的是耶和华的摇摆不定，好象他自己都不知道怎么办才好，最后竟然送出来一个没名没姓的天使来当撒但——阻挡者。明显的是，耶和华在这里利用了一个‘撒但’来阻挠自己的计划的实施，好象这个神长了两个脑袋，一个脑袋说可以，另一个脑袋说别急，咱走着瞧。

长两个脑袋的神比较麻烦，咱试着玄乎一回，很有可能不符合旧约的宗旨，看看能不能玄乎出什么道理来。

从创世纪第一章里最喜欢引申出来的观点是，上帝的话(Logos)就是上帝自己，同时也是上帝的话的实现，这样，一切都是话创造的，咱现在来一个反其道而行之：所有被造的，无非就是上帝的话、上帝的计划、上帝的精神以及上帝自己，也就是说，世界无非是上帝的思想、上帝的话和上帝的经历，更进一步说，世界就是正在创造自己的上帝。而一切正在形成生长的，都必须冲破阻力，然后才能茁壮，冲不破阻力的就死亡。莫非是上帝把撒但看成了给自己打的一个预防针以便能够茁壮成长？异端啊异端，上帝是自有永有的，就是说，上帝不存在成长不成长的问题。但是，自有永有的上帝如果是不变的，那上帝无非是一个死上帝，所以上帝也必须变，世界的变化就是上帝的变化，而任何变化都是一个生长过程，一个冲破阻力的过程。这样，上帝必须是自己的撒但！

古代犹太人所设想或体验到的上帝看来不怎么简单啊！


2）撒但作为上帝旨意的执行者

旧约里有两处看起来相互矛盾，这点有些网友已经指出了。这两处是：

历代志上：21:1 撒但起来攻击以色列人，激动大卫数点他们。 21:2 大卫就吩咐约押和民中的首领说，你们去数点以色列人，从别是巴直到但，回来告诉我，我好知道他们的数目。

和

撒母耳记下：24:1 耶和华又向以色列人发怒，就激动大卫，使他吩咐人去数点以色列人和犹大人。 24:2 大卫就吩咐跟随他的元帅约押说，你去走遍以色列众支派，从但直到别是巴，数点百姓，我好知道他们的数目。

从这两处可以看出，“撒但”和耶和华的“发怒”实际上是一回事。也可以这么说，“撒但”所体现的是耶和华性格中暴燥的一面。而上帝发怒如果是因为中了撒但的魔的话，那撒但的威力也就太大了，更有可能的反倒是，撒但是上帝执行自己的旨意的力量的“人格化”显现。


3）撒但作为怀疑之父或耶和华的检察官

对撒但描写最详细的当数《约伯记》了。这一篇可以说是旧约中最古老的文字，其中素材很明显是来自更古老的苏美尔人的传说，后人整理、改编的痕迹非常多，最终成型估计是在公元前4到3世纪。学术界现在比较统一的看法是，这篇文字讲的不是一个真实发生过的故事，而是一个古老的传说的改编，一个童话故事。

撒但在这个故事里以上帝的对手的面目出现，被加了一个定冠词（这里有一些很难办的问题：撒但是不是耶和华的儿子？出场的究竟是神的儿子还是众神之子？说这些神的众子是天使，从原文看说不过去，因为，这些神的儿子和约伯的儿子都被称为b^ene^y，——另外，在争议很大的创世纪6:2提到的神子们用的也是这个词；看来撒但还保留了创世纪里神子的习惯，喜欢到地上人间闲逛——显然，在这里的神子们是神亲生的儿子，那么，耶和华是跟什么人/神生的这些儿子呢？而撒但和神的儿子同列，不是神的儿子会是什么呢？）。按照所谓的自由派神学的解释，约伯记对神与众子聚会的描述反映了古人对天庭的想象，就是，天上的制度如同人间一样，是一个家族统治，父亲是国王，孩子们是臣子，每个神子都有自己的任务，撒但的任务是验证事实并提出起诉，职位类似于现在的检察官。这样我们才可以理解，为什么撒但会堂而皇之和神子们一道来到神的面前，而且神还要问起仆人约伯的情况：想要确信仆人是否虔诚，除了问检察官还能问谁呢？

而撒但这个检察官可能是出于职业习惯吧，对一切都表示怀疑，马上就想到了约伯虔诚敬神可能的动机，就要进行一番‘调查’，查出真相。奇怪的是，好象耶和华自己对仆人约伯也同样不放心，竟然放手让撒但去考察；更奇怪的是，约伯面对灾难，根本就不提撒但的名，而是直接把灾难归于神的考验。这样我们就面临了提到过的问题：耶和华与撒但究竟是一还是二？

或许耶和华也觉得撒但这种不依不饶的怀疑精神难以忍受，于是，我们就又看到了撒迦利亚书里奇怪的一幕：

3:1 天使（原文作他）又指给我看，大祭司约书亚，站在耶和华的使者面前，撒但也站在约书亚的右边，与他作对。
3:2 耶和华向撒但说，撒但哪，耶和华责备你，就是拣选耶路撒冷的耶和华责备你。这不是从火中抽出来的一根柴吗？
3:3 约书亚穿着污秽的衣服，站在使者面前。
3:4 使者吩咐站在面前的说，你们要脱去他污秽的衣服。又对约书亚说，我使你脱离罪孽，要给你穿上华美的衣服。
3:5 我说，要将洁净的冠冕戴在他头上。他们就把洁净的冠冕戴在他头上，给他穿上华美的衣服，耶和华的使者在旁边站立。

耶和华自己捡选出来的仆人，同样受到了撒但的质疑。应该说，撒但这个检察官对工作很负责。只是他的这种认真精神最让人憎恨——谁愿意让自己的老底被揭呢？所以，把‘撒但’完全同神对立起来，然后再加以魔鬼化，就是顺理成章的事了。

然而，撒但被妖魔化在旧约里还没有痕迹，犹太教没有保留下来的伪经里已经有了端倪，在新约里已经完成，尽管新约里的撒但还保留了旧约撒但的一些特性和功能，比如通过诱惑对独处荒漠四十天的耶稣进行考验。从上帝的一个使者甚或检察官变成上帝的对头甚至这个充满罪恶的世界的统治者，还需要对旧约上帝（至少是部分）的否定，需要从旧约的一神论/一元论发展出一个善恶绝对对立的二元论。这个演变过程中有波斯和巴比伦宗教的影响，这其中的故事有时间再探吧。

[乡人进城]

回复meager的评论:

看来，我的原帖你没怎么看懂：原帖的核心内容就是，旧约没有和耶和华作对的那么一个超级魔鬼，旧约中提到的撒旦根本就不是魔鬼。原帖末尾特别指出，“从上帝的一个使者甚或检察官变成上帝的对头甚至这个充满罪恶的世界的统治者，还需要对旧约上帝（至少是部分）的否定，需要从旧约的一神论/一元论发展出一个善恶绝对对立的二元论”。但是你在给我的回帖中继续用新约的神-鬼/善-恶二元论来看旧约，这只能说是继续歪曲旧约的上帝——这不就是硬让秦始皇的政策符合毛泽东思想的做法的基督教版吗？

鉴于这种情况，以下仅就约伯记和约伯记中的撒旦简单回复一下（恕不考虑你的回帖中的其他部分）：

关于约伯记及其中的撒旦
约伯记的雏形是苏美尔泥版中的所谓“苏美尔约伯”，这一点近年来在德语新教神学界和宗教学界虽然还有争论，但从宗教史的角度看已经很难排除这种可能，而“苏美尔约伯”也已经成为神学界和宗教学界的一个固定概念。

据学者估计，“苏美尔约伯”的故事产生于公元前3000左右，考古界于上世纪40年代在nippur（今巴格达东南方的nuffar）发现的6件泥版残片大约写成于公元前1800年，是旧有文字的“抄本”，经 s.n. kramer 辨认整理，故事梗概已经清楚：一个无名的年轻男性莫名其妙地经受一连串的厄运打击，但是他不抱怨自己的神，而是谦卑地祷告祈求，最终被神拯救加恩。其中提到的带来南风的撒谎者也很容易让人想到旧约中的撒旦。（见beyerlin, religionsgeschichtliches textbuch（宗教史文编）, 164-165；杜伊斯堡大学新教神学院的网页http://www.uni-essen.de/ev-theologie/courses/course- stuff/meso-sumijob.htm；另见：柏林工业大学古代史文献网页：http://www.tu-berlin.de/fb1/agiw/orium/s5.htm）

约伯记里的故事只是一个故事，是一个传说，和历史没有关系，就是说：不是发生在历史上的事实。你说“有的学术界还一直认为约伯记从来就不是童话，而是真实的故事”，不知道是指什么学术界？在现在称得上学术研究的神学研究中，我还从来没见过这样的说法，我周围学（过）神学的朋友中也没有这样说的。正相反，路德版圣经（1984年！）的约伯记导读就已经明说，约伯记这个故事的框架在中近东属于古代许多民族共有的故事素材，即使天主教神父 joerg sieger 在其解经网页也明说这个故事来源于古老的传说。所以我很奇怪：你读到的都是什么样的学术著作？

至于约伯记中撒旦这个形象，在我看到过的学术著作中都是被称为“天上的指控者” (himmlischer ankläger), 1984年版的路德圣经在解释中更明说：撒旦在这里还不是后世所用的专名，也还不是新约中所说的反对上帝的首领，而是可以说是天上的总检察官，其任务是受命于上帝行使某种职能。这样的解说基本上符合宗教史学界对中近东古代宗教研究的结果。

但是，这么一个撒旦，怎么能是创世纪里那条“比田野一切的活物更狡猾”、最后被耶和华诅咒“必用肚子行走，终身吃土”的蛇呢？所以，你说耶和华“劝告撒旦要向人间的约伯学习，回头行善”，“但是撒旦把耶和华的劝导却作为了对约伯的指控”，这简直就是无稽之谈嘛！这不就是在用今天基督徒的信仰内容来歪解犹太人经书嘛！

最后奉劝你一句：如果你想借这种方式向我传教[你的原话：同样今天撒旦也昼夜在我们上帝面前指控我们的弟兄（启示录12：10），或 许就包括你和我，那你能不能象约伯一样给撒旦一个好的答案，证明他对我们的指控是错误的，还是证明撒旦的指控是正确的：遇到苦难就咒骂和归罪于上帝]，那我可以直截了当告诉你：甭费这劲。基督教对我来说早已经不值得信，更不值得仰，现在不过是一个研究和批判对象罢了。

再有，如果你想实实在在地讨论学术或准学术问题，那就不要用今天的信仰内容去曲解古人的文字。如果非要这么做，那可就是挂羊头卖狗肉了。

[meager]

撒旦：又名别西卜，在没变坏以前的名字不详。
长相：圣经没有提过，这只是中古时代一些艺术家幻想出来的。达芬奇这么著名的画家不是也把《最后的晚餐》耶稣的位置画错了，按照犹太人的习俗，老师不应该坐在中间。所以每个人可能都会有自己对撒旦样子的想象，如果非要我想象一下的话，他应该是个金玉其外，败絮其中的灵体.从长相上最初也应该是有着美轮美奂的外形，因为上帝最初所造的一切都完美无暇。（申明记32：4，创世纪1：31）。
本事：可以既上天（约伯记1：6），又下地（约伯记1：7）。
见证人耶稣叙述撒旦变坏的原因：这孩子没在真理中站稳（约翰福音8：44）。
天父也时不常地老找他谈心，还把人类中的典范约伯指给他看，让他学学约伯，无奈他自己特有主意，就是不肯回头。
能力：很强，先通过伊甸园事件，带坏亚当夏娃和人类，又诱惑三分之一的天使跟随他。
现况和未来预测：不太好，在天上的战争失利后（启示录12：8），就将其愤怒发泄到地和海，于是地和海就有祸了，因为撒旦大为愤怒，知道自己的时候不多了，（启示录12：12）所以地上的苦难就特别的多了。在耶稣和他的大战中，将要被摔倒深渊去（启示录20：1-3）一千年，然后还会被释放一段时间，迷惑列国，发动战争，（启示录20：7，8）不过等待他最终的命运将是永远而彻底的灭亡（启示录20：10）。
撒旦的角色和头衔。
1）蛇：创世纪3：13
2）魔鬼：启示录12：9
3）引诱者：马太4：3
4）说谎者，杀人凶手：约翰福音8：44
5）挑拨离间者（诽谤者）：在亚当夏娃面前说上帝的坏话（创世纪3：1-5），在上帝面前说约伯和所有人的坏话。（约伯记1：9，11；2：4-5；启示录12：10）
6）邪灵的首领别西卜：马太福音12：24
7）黑暗世界的王：约翰一书5：19
8）假扮光明的天使：哥林多后书11：14
9）龙：启示录20：2
10）狮子：彼得前书5：8

对付撒旦的攻略
1）你要全心信赖和敬畏耶和华，不可依靠自己的聪明，也不要信赖权贵，远离恶事。（箴言3：5，7；诗篇146：3-5）
2）在你所行的一切事上都要留意他，他必修直你的路。（箴言3：6）
3）用真理束腰，正义做胸甲，和平的好消息做鞋，信心做盾牌，救恩做头盔，圣灵做剑，祈祷。。。。。。（以弗所书6：10-20）就能站稳，抵挡魔鬼的奸计。
4）不要爱源于世界（撒旦）的事，比如肉体的欲望，眼睛的欲望，炫耀财物的行为（约翰一书2：15-17）
5）追求哥林多前书13：4-8所说的爱。
6）顺服上帝，反抗魔鬼，魔鬼就会离开你们逃跑了。（雅各书4：7），不过他还会窥探其他便利的时候再回来引诱。（路加福音4：13）
7）耶和华的名是坚固的高台，义人投奔就得安全。（箴言18：10，诗篇4：8）
8）什么事都不要忧虑（腓立比书4：6，7；彼得前书5：7）

天使的定义和分类：
4397：希伯来语是：מַלְאָךְ 名词，使者：如天使的意思。
有名字的天使在圣经里有三个：米迦勒，加百利，撒旦（别西卜）
有五类天使：1）天使长米迦勒，2）基路伯天使， 3）撒拉弗天使，4）无名的天使，5）反叛的天使如撒旦和其他邪灵。
值得注意的是没有名字的天使，是因为他们奉上帝的名，把荣耀归于上帝，所以没有留下自己的名字，比如创世纪32：29，约书亚记5：14，士师记13：17，18，还有其他天使在执行上帝的任务的时候也没有留下名字，其中民数记22：22，32的记录的天使也应该是其中一个，他手里有出了鞘的剑（民数记22：31），我们没有从圣经里得知撒旦也拿剑，那么就不能理所当然地认为他就是撒旦。这个天使的任务是阻挠巴兰，从这个意义讲他是阻挠者，但是不能因为执行的任务是阻挠，就把他认为是撒旦。“耶和华的天使”在圣经里多次提到，比如创世纪16：7，所以不能单凭任务是阻挠，对抗就认定民数记22：22的天使是撒旦。

根据启示录12：9，于是大龙被摔了下去。大龙就是最初的蛇，叫做魔鬼，又叫撒旦，迷惑了普天下的人。。。。。。鉴于魔鬼=撒旦。新约魔鬼有时也有指诽谤的人(约翰福音6：70)，约翰福音6：70的毁谤者和马太福音4：1的魔鬼来源于同一个希腊字母διαβολου，它们的strong code都是1228：毁谤者的意思。“魔鬼”这个词主要是强调诽谤性而被提出来的，而约翰福音8：44指出撒旦就是父，所以他是一切源头，所以魔鬼=撒旦，而旧约没有怎么提到魔鬼，只提到了山羊魔，比如利未记17：7。所以我和你探讨新约和旧约中都提到的相同的撒旦。
圣经旧约中的撒旦：历代志上21：1约伯记1：6，2：1-7，撒迦利亚3：1-2，以上三处的撒旦的strong码是7854。
7854：希伯来语是： שָׂטָן名词，从词根7853来：对手，特指撒旦，首要的美好事物的敌人
7853：希伯来语是：שָׂטַן 动词，词根：攻击，控告，敌对，反对
新约中的撒旦一直就是明确指出来的。
马太福音4：10 （耶稣就对他说：“撒旦，走开！因为经上记着说‘要崇拜耶和华你的上帝，单要敬奉他。’”）的希腊文如下：
ΚΑΤΑ ΜΑΤΘΑΙΟΝ 4:10 (1881 westcott-hort new testament)
10τοτε λεγει αυτω ο ιησους υπαγε σατανα γεγραπται γαρ κυριον τον θεον σου προσκυνησεις και αυτω μονω λατρευσεις
撒旦σατανα的strong 码是 4567 ，σαταν的strong码是4566，
4567：satanas, sat-an-as’和4566一致，原告，比如：撒旦。
4566：satan, sat-an’源自希伯来语的7854，撒旦。
所以希腊语的撒旦就是来源于希伯来语的撒旦。此外，旧约中明确指出撒旦的地方都有定冠词ha特指撒旦，新约中也用定冠词ho特指撒旦。就是特指他撒旦，不是别的。从希伯来语的发音来看也是发的satan的音。שָׂ 去掉低下ָ 发sin中s的音，底下的 ָ是发元音father中的a的音，所以整个这个字母发sa的音，טָ去掉底下ָ是发的toy中t的音，同理这个字母发ta的音，最后一个字母就是n的结尾表示的方法，当然希伯来语是从右向左看的。所以可以说我们现在读撒旦的这个词都是在延续希伯来语的发音。
魔鬼这个词
马太福音4：1（那时耶稣被圣灵带到旷野去，受魔鬼引诱）的希腊文如下
ΚΑΤΑ ΜΑΤΘΑΙΟΝ 4:1 (1881 westcott-hort new testament)
1τοτε [ο] ιησους ανηχθη εις την ερημον υπο του πνευματος πειρασθηναι υπο του διαβολου

魔鬼διαβολου的strong码是1228，名词，从1225（动词，毁谤）毁谤者，特指撒旦，可和7854对比参考。


你举的巴兰的例子非常好！因为据我考察，让动物开口说话的记载在圣经里大概也只有两处，一处是创世纪3：1-4，撒旦利用蛇开口对女人说话，另一处就是民数记22：28-30耶和华让驴开口说话，天使的能力比人强，从约伯记撒旦给约伯的种种灾难就可以看出来，所以天使有能力让动物说话，自然上帝更有此能力。

历代志上21：1“撒旦起来攻击以色列人，挑动大卫去统计以色列人的数目。”
撒母耳记下24：1“耶和华再次向以色列人发怒，因为有个恶者挑动大卫，陷害以色列人。。。。。。”（新世界译本）
有翻译正确的版本，不过倒是需要认真找一下，因为的确翻译正确的版本不多见。

约伯记在圣经是很有争议的一部书，有很多版本的说法，现代的批评家说是成书于公元前6世纪，也有专家认为约伯记是由摩西撰写的，因为《摩西五经》的写法和约伯记很相近，另外摩西在米甸呆了40年，米甸这个地方离约伯住的乌斯地并不远。有人认为约伯是以色列人，也有人认为他不是以色列人，但是他的血统和亚伯拉罕是亲戚关系，也有人认为约伯也叫约巴（ jobab），是创世纪 36:33 的约巴, 以扫的后代，以东的王。现在又看到你说的一个版本了。不过约伯记是用希伯来语写成的，不应该是从阿拉伯语翻译过来的。旧约里有一些亚兰语，和希伯来语很近，不知道和你所说的苏美尔人是否有什么关系。不知道你说的是哪个学术界认为约伯记是童话，有的学术界还一直认为约伯记从来就不是童话，而是真实的故事。
约伯的儿子当然是人，耶和华的天使也被称作儿子（创世纪6：2），当然这里的众子是指天使。彼得前书1：12“。。。。这些事已经传给你们了。连天使也喜欢仔细察看这些事呢”。哥林多前书4：9“。。。。。。因为我们在世人面前，就像剧场里的一台戏，让天使和人类观看。”就像当初耶和华劝告该隐要去行善一样（创世纪4：6），耶和华在和天使“开会”的时候，劝告撒旦要向人间的约伯学习，回头行善。但是撒旦把耶和华的劝导却作为了对约伯的指控。他指控约伯不会无缘无故地敬畏上帝，认为约伯对耶和华的爱是出于自私的目的，因为耶和华赐福给约伯，所以约伯才敬畏上帝。（约伯记1：9，2：4），就像你说的，要查出真相，怎么能查出真相？那就是耶和华不再赐福给约伯，否则耶和华任何的介入都可以证明撒旦的指控就是正确的和成立的。当然撒旦和耶和华在天上的这番对话约伯是不知道的，约伯认为“赏赐的是耶和华，收回的也是耶和华”（约伯记1：21），他不大清楚是撒旦给他带来的各种灾难。这点就更难能可贵了，因为在这么多苦难和患难前，“在这一切事上，约伯并没有开口犯罪。”（约伯记2：10）同样今天撒旦也昼夜在我们上帝面前指控我们的弟兄（启示录12：10），或许就包括你和我，那你能不能象约伯一样给撒旦一个好的答案，证明他对我们的指控是错误的，还是证明撒旦的指控是正确的：遇到苦难就咒骂和归罪于上帝。

乡下人进城问的撒迦利亚书3：1-5的问题很好，刚看问题的时候，我不知道答案，但是请教了耶和华见证人，给出的英文答案如下（请阿美帮助翻译一下，谢谢！）。可以帮助你理解第三章从1节-10节。
撒迦利亚书3：2是耶和华的天使对撒旦说，而不是你版本里的耶和华对撒旦说。这里的约书亚不是接替摩西的那个，是要重建耶路撒冷的大祭司，也就是哈该书1：12里的约书亚。历史发生的背景是：公元前607年耶路撒冷被毁，公元前537年以色列人重返耶路撒冷，重建耶路撒冷。撒迦利亚于公元前519年得此异象：虽然有撒旦的百般阻挠，但是上帝决定重建耶路撒冷的事情他是阻挡不了的，一定会发生的。从我们后人考察历史来看，这件事情的确也发生了。

satan’s failure in resisting the high priest
throughout the earth today there are to be found high priests of various religious cults. the mightiest of such priestly chiefs is the pontifex maximus, the supreme pontiff, located at vatican city. but what the whole world of mankind needs is just one high priest. why so? because there is just the one living and true god, the creator of heaven and earth, the sovereign of all the universe. he needs just one high priest to represent him to the people and to deal with him for the people. this comports with the fact that there is just the one true religion, just the one pure worship of him “with spirit and truth.”—john 4:24.
2 for more than fifteen centuries, from 1512 b.c.e. to 33 c.e., there was just one high priesthood that this living and true god recognized. that high priesthood was established in the line of aaron the brother of moses the prophet, of the tribe of levi. aaron was installed in office on the first day of the lunar month of nisan in the year 1512 b.c.e. during the centuries that followed there was a succession of high priests from among the descendants of aaron, down till sunday, nisan 16, in the year 33 c.e. that was the resurrection day of the lord jesus christ from a sacrificial death. on the fortieth day from then he ascended as a spiritual high priest to enter into the heavenly most holy and there presented the precious value of his perfect human sacrifice to the one living and true god, jehovah.
3 from that time on till now jehovah god has been dealing with just one high priest—not a high priest of the family of aaron the levite, but the one never-dying high priest, jesus christ. to him it was said prophetically: “you are a priest forever according to the manner of melchizedek.”—hebrews 5:5, 6, 10; 6:19, 20; 7:15-17.
4 however, jesus christ, as a sacrificing spiritual high priest, was also prefigured or typified by the aaronic high priest of the ancient nation of israel. just as the high priest of israel on the annual day of atonement entered with sacrificial blood into the most holy of the temple at jerusalem, jesus similarly entered with the value of his own sacrificial blood into the true most holy, heaven itself, of the spiritual temple of jehovah god. consequently, jesus christ was prefigured by the israelite high priest joshua the son of jehozadak, who returned from exile in babylon in the year 537 b.c.e. to jerusalem in order to rebuild the temple of jehovah there. (haggai 1:1) from this standpoint it is intriguing for us to consider the fourth vision of the prophet zechariah, in which this high priest joshua is the principal figure. as if looking into a courtroom zechariah writes:
5 “and he proceeded to show me joshua the high priest standing before the angel of jehovah, and satan standing at his right hand in order to resist him. then the angel of jehovah said to satan: ‘jehovah rebuke you, o satan, yes, jehovah rebuke you, he who is choosing jerusalem! is this one not a log snatched out of the fire?’”—zechariah 3:1, 2.
6 the satan who is pictured here was no mere ecclesiastical “devil’s advocate” who was acting as a prosecuting attorney for jehovah. he was the same satan that appeared at the meeting of the angelic sons of god in heaven in the seventeenth century before our common era and wrongly accused the patriarch job before the face of jehovah god. (job 1:6 to 2:7) but why, in that vision to zechariah in the year 519 b.c.e. was satan the devil trying to resist the high priest joshua before the angel of jehovah? because on the twenty-fourth day of the lunar month of chislev of the preceding year high priest joshua had taken a decisive step for the worship of god. he and governor zerubbabel and the faithful remnant of israel began working at the foundation of the second temple of jehovah in jerusalem. (haggai 2:18, 19) high priest joshua was thus working for his reinstallation in the full service of jehovah at a completed second temple. such taking up of his duties at a completed temple would put joshua in a new light.
7 satan the devil, who fights the true religion, was out to resist high priest joshua on this score, so as to downgrade him and keep him out of his full service to jehovah in behalf of the nation of israel. that would keep joshua in poor appearance because of a major deficiency in his service to god. to that end satan would try to counteract the prophesying of haggai and zechariah and rouse up overwhelming opposition on the part of the enemies of israel against the rebuilding of the temple. in that way he could charge high priest joshua with failure to discharge his full high-priestly duties, and this would result in reproach upon jehovah.
8 satan, however, was too late in his malicious attempt. before he could give force to his resistance and launch his wicked charges against high priest joshua, the angel who was acting as a judge for jehovah said to satan: “jehovah rebuke you, he who is choosing jerusalem!” the most high god was the one high enough to rebuke satan, and not some subordinate angel who was merely representing jehovah. thus the angel was giving due regard to jehovah’s position. (jude 8-10) furthermore, jehovah had already begun action to the magnifying of his own holy name. he was already choosing jerusalem as the city for his temple. satan could not alter this divine choice nor make it an unrealizable choice. he was the one to be frustrated, rebuked by beholding the temple completely rebuilt in the year 515 b.c.e. this rebuke would be from jehovah, for he had successfully accomplished this!
9 why, though, did the angelic judge of jehovah add the question: “is this one not a log snatched out of the fire?” because, after a rescue from the fire not too much was to be expected instantly of a symbolic “log.” “this one” who was pictured by the log snatched out of the fire was the high priest joshua. but, due to his office, joshua represented the whole nation of israel for whom he served as high priest before god. joshua was not the only one who had come back from exile in babylon, where satan the devil had tried to burn to ashes their identity as jehovah’s chosen nation. more than 42,000 other israelites had also come back, along with thousands of servants and singers. so the whole number of the remnant were, all together, like a “log snatched out of the fire.” it was jehovah’s mercy and faithfulness to his promises that snatched them out of the symbolic babylonish “fire” and restored their nationhood on the “holy ground.” since this was so, he was patient toward their long delay in rebuilding his temple, but he stuck to his purpose to have a temple there at jerusalem for which purpose he chose her. hence satan should not be too hasty with his charges.
10 satan’s resistance to high priest joshua was blocked. so what is done with joshua to clear him of anything about him that satan might have used as a ground for bringing charges against him? zechariah describes it for us, saying: “now as for joshua, he happened to be clothed in befouled garments and standing before the angel. then he answered and said to those standing before him: ‘remove the befouled garments from upon him.’ and he went on to say to him: ‘see, i have caused your error to pass away from upon you, and there is a clothing of you with robes of state.’”—zechariah 3:3, 4.
how a change of garments was necessary
11 here a question arises: since joshua the high priest was pictured as clothed with befouled garments, how could he typify or prefigure jesus christ as the heavenly high priest? does not hebrews 7:26, 27 say to true christians today: “such a high priest as this was suitable for us, loyal, guileless, undefiled, separated from the sinners, and become higher than the heavens. he does not need daily, as those high priests do, to offer up sacrifices, first for his own sins and then for those of the people: (for this he did once for all time when he offered himself up)”? yes, this is true. yet it is with the high priest jesus christ as with the ancient high priest joshua. the high priest represents the people for whom he serves in this high office, and their condition reflects upon him. he bears the iniquities of his people.
12 that the priesthood bore the error of the people, the prophet moses indicated, when he said to the two surviving sons of aaron for a failure on their part: “why did you not eat the sin offering in the place that is holy, since it is something most holy and he has given it to you that you may answer for the error of the assembly so as to make atonement for them before jehovah?” (leviticus 10:16, 17) the sanctuary or temple was holy, and if the people touched it this would be committing an error on their part; and so the sanctified priests had to serve at the sanctuary for the people in order to prevent the committing of such an error. to this effect we read, in numbers 18:1: “and jehovah proceeded to say to aaron: ‘you and your sons and the house of your father with you will answer for error against the sanctuary, and you and your sons with you will answer for error against your priesthood.’” so the priests acted as shields against error by the people.
13 now as regards the sanctuary or temple in jerusalem at the time that haggai and zechariah had begun to prophesy, its foundation had lain neglected without a superstructure’s being built upon it for sixteen years. this was due to forcible opposition by surrounding enemies. during that period the repatriated israelites had lapsed into indifference and had turned to materialism. hence, in a dialogue with the priests, when haggai asked what would happen when someone ceremonially unclean touched a part of a sacrifice, they answered: “it will become unclean.” at once haggai came back with this statement: “‘that is how this people is, and that is how this nation is before me,’ is the utterance of jehovah, ‘and that is how all the work of their hands is, and whatever they present there. it is unclean.’”—haggai 2:13, 14.
14 since high priest joshua represented the nation of israel before jehovah, this unclean condition of the people was also attributed to him. as a consequence, it was as if he were clothed with befouled garments. he was trying to officiate without a temple, and for that reason it did not look right. he could not serve with the full dignity and grandeur as in a temple. in leveling charges against high priest joshua, satan the devil would be leveling charges against the entire negligent, unclean nation.
15 similarly with the antitypical high priest, who was prefigured by high priest joshua in that year 519 b.c.e. the high priest jesus christ was reflected upon by the spiritual condition of the remnant of the spiritual israelites on earth as these entered into the postwar year of 1919 c.e. because of impediments due to war restrictions, opposition and persecution, the remnant had come short in many respects with regard to the open, courageous worship of jehovah at his spiritual temple. they had yielded to bondage to babylon the great and her political and military paramours. they were in a spiritual state like that of the ancient remnant of israel that had been repatriated. like isaiah, when he had his vision of jehovah at his holy temple, they could say:
16 “woe to me! for i am as good as brought to silence, because a man unclean in lips i am, and in among a people unclean in lips i am dwelling; for my eyes have seen the king, jehovah of armies, himself!”—isaiah 6:5.
17 if one judged the appearance of their high priest by the spiritual appearance of the surviving remnant, their high priest jesus christ would appear to be “clothed in befouled garments.” this was an improper appearance to be attributed to him. the spiritually befouled condition was an improper situation in which the remnant was representing their high priest, and it reflected badly upon the heavenly high priest jesus christ.
18 such a state of affairs deserved to be remedied—promptly. jehovah’s judicial angel saw to that: “remove the befouled garments from upon him.” then he said to joshua: “see, i have caused your error to pass away from upon you, and there is a clothing of you with robes of state.”—zechariah 3:4.
19 how did this occur with high priest joshua? by getting the restored nation of israel whom he represented in holy office out of their unclean state before jehovah. this would be by getting the restored remnant to work again upon the temple of jehovah and completing it, letting everything else be put in a secondary place, in the background. the cleansing of the people in this vital regard would result in a cleansed appearance of their high priest. it would be as if he had had a change of garments. he was meant to be clothed with “robes of state.” he was meant to have a temple in which to serve clothed in those “robes of state.” the completing of the temple and the inaugurating of it would call for him to don those “robes of state” and present a glorious appearance to the praise of jehovah. high priest joshua as the national religious representative took the lead with governor zerubbabel in getting the temple rebuilding started again, and for this reason he deserved a change of garments for the better. in that way his religious appearance would not reflect reproachfully on god.
20 the same was true of the one whom high priest joshua prefigured, namely, the heavenly high priest jesus christ. the remnant of his spirit-begotten, anointed disciples came out of world war i in an “unclean” spiritual condition. they were spiritual israelites, yes, spiritual underpriests of jehovah under his high priest jesus christ. their spiritual garments were befouled by their deportment and deficiencies during world war i. this reflected badly upon their high priest in the heavens and hence misrepresented him. since he bears or answers for the iniquity or error of the nation of spiritual israelites, it was as if he himself were clothed with befouled religious garments.
21 what was needed, then, was for the remnant of spiritual underpriests to repent and return to jehovah and be forgiven by him through christ. this is what actually happened at the beginning of the postwar period. they showed their return or conversion to jehovah by searching the holy ures diligently to determine god’s will and work for the postwar period and then applying themselves whole-souled to these things of first importance.
22 thus the repentant, converted remnant of spiritual underpriests applied themselves whole-souled to jehovah’s worship at his temple and endeavored to purify that worship from any and all babylonish pollution. their efforts at rebuilding the pure, undefiled worship “from the standpoint of our god and father” corresponded with the renewed work of the repatriated israelites in rebuilding jehovah’s temple at jerusalem. (james 1:27) it was the invisible, heavenly high priest, jesus christ, who was taking the lead in this reviving of the remnant of his underpriests in jehovah’s worship and service. so, when jehovah mercifully forgave them and cleansed them, this gave them a clean appearance before him.
23 even the false accusers under satan the devil began to see the difference in the doctrines, the message and the public activity of the remnant of christ’s underpriests. this served to cast due credit upon their heavenly chief priest, jesus christ. he no longer had to bear or answer for such error on the part of his underpriests. the “befouled garments” that were indirectly attributed to him were taken from upon him, and he was given a change of garments. bring forth “robes of state” for him!
24 who would not want to see the high priest of the one living and true god adorned with an official headgear? the prophet zechariah wanted such a thing. either in his mind he thought of such a thing or he even spoke out impulsively for such a thing! he tells us: “at that i said: ‘let them put a clean turban upon his head.’ and they proceeded to put the clean turban upon his head and to clothe him with garments; and the angel of jehovah was standing by. and the angel of jehovah began to bear witness to joshua, saying: ‘this is what jehovah of armies has said, “if it is in my ways that you will walk, and if it is my obligation that you will keep, then also it will be you that will judge my house and also keep my courtyards; and i shall certainly give you free access among these who are standing by.”’”—zechariah 3:5-7.
25 how glad the high priest joshua the son of jehozadak must have been when the prophet zechariah disclosed to him this part of the prophetic vision! joshua could then realize that he had now an acceptable appearance before god and was no cause for reproach upon him. satan’s malicious effort to find continued cause for shaming the high priest of jehovah had failed!
26 joshua surely must have desired to judge jehovah’s “house” of israel according to divine law and to keep the courtyards of god’s temple.
27 hence joshua would take to heart the admonitory witness from the angel and walk obediently in jehovah’s way and conscientiously keep his obligation to jehovah, so as to prove worthy of the privileges mentioned.
28 besides that, joshua would be given “free access among these who are standing by.” it was the heavenly angels who were standing by in the vision; and just as they had access to god in heaven, so joshua as high priest could approach god directly as an intermediary for the house of israel. he would also be honored with the privilege of entering into the most holy of the completed temple of jerusalem on the annual day of atonement.
29 jesus christ is, of course, the ideal high priest for all the world of mankind. the royal priestly turban is placed upon his head as a “high priest according to the manner of melchizedek forever.” (hebrews 6:20; psalm 110:1-4; 21:1-5) he has always walked in god’s way and kept his obligation to god. but after the experiences of his dedicated, baptized disciples on earth during world war i, he sees to it that the remnant of his underpriests learn more clearly god’s way in order to walk in it, and he helps them to discern more fully their holy obligation to jehovah god, so as to keep it completely. his glorious priestly garments are pictured in the revelation that he gave to the apostle john, in which the glorified lord jesus is seen walking among the seven golden lampstands. (revelation 1:12 to 2:1) he faithfully judges the house of spiritual israel according to the law of the new covenant. he guides them in the earthly courtyards of jehovah’s spiritual temple, assigning to them their spiritual duties there.
30 the earthly high priest, joshua the son of jehozadak, began entering the most holy of the temple of jerusalem in the year 515 b.c.e. (ezra 6:15); but the spiritual high priest, the greater joshua, entered into the antitypical, real most holy, heaven itself, in the year 33 c.e. he ascended to heaven and presented the merit of his human sacrifice in the very presence of jehovah of armies. he now being made “better than the angels” and having “inherited a name more excellent than theirs,” he also can have “free access among these who are standing by,” that is, among the angels of heaven. he, above all others, can approach god directly and intercede in behalf of jehovah’s worshipers on earth. as jehovah prophetically said of him: “i will cause him to come near, and he must approach to me.”—jeremiah 30:21.
the “sprout” and “the stone”
31 in the vision to zechariah, the judicial angel of jehovah continued to speak to the high priest in his robes of state: “‘hear, please, o joshua the high priest, you and your companions who are sitting before you, for they are men serving as portents; for here i am bringing in my servant sprout [new growth, by]. for, look! the stone that i have put before joshua! upon the one stone there are seven eyes. here i am engraving its engraving,’ is the utterance of jehovah of armies, ‘and i will take away the error of that land in one day.’”—zechariah 3:8, 9.
32 the message of this part of the vision, the prophet zechariah had to make known, not only to the high priest joshua, but also to his “companions” who were sitting before him, that is to say, the underpriests. why? because these were “men serving as portents.” in this case they would not portend anything bad, but, in view of the divine announcement that they are about to hear, they would portend something good, especially good. they would have to bear witness to what they were told through the judicial angel of jehovah, and on that account they would portend the coming of a greater priesthood in the not too distant future, a priesthood of higher rank than theirs at the temple in jerusalem. it would be a messianic priesthood, and their high priest would be the messiah himself. in harmony with that portentous significance that they as underpriests of the second temple of jerusalem had taken on, their present high priest, joshua the son of jehozadak, was a portent of the messianic high priest. he was a type of that one!
33 there was need for a better priesthood, particularly a better high priest, one like ancient melchizedek. (genesis 14:18-20) in explanation of that fact it was later written, in hebrews 7:15-22, to hebrews who had accepted the promised messiah:
34 “and it is still more abundantly clear that with a similarity to melchizedek there arises another priest, who has become such, not according to the law of a commandment depending upon the flesh, but according to the power of an indestructible life, for in witness it is said: ‘you are a priest forever according to the manner of melchizedek.’ certainly, then, there occurs a setting aside of the preceding commandment on account of its weakness and ineffectiveness. for the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in besides of a better hope did, through which we are drawing near to god. also, to the extent that it was not without a sworn oath, (for there are indeed men that have become priests without a sworn oath, but there is one with an oath sworn by the one who said respecting him: ‘jehovah has sworn (and he will feel no regret), “you are a priest forever,”’) to that extent also jesus has become the one given in pledge of a better covenant.”
35 the underpriests who were companions of high priest joshua and who sat before him to receive instructions from him had to be “men serving as portents” of something better, forasmuch as jehovah by his judicial angel went on to say: “for here i am bringing in my servant sprout!” (zechariah 3:8) “my servant,” jehovah’s servant, was not to be a branch of the priesthood of aaron’s family. as far as priesthood was concerned, he was shooting up out of entirely different soil, from a different root. jeremiah 23:5, 6 indicates of whom the messianic high priest would be the sprout, saying: “‘look! there are days coming,’ is the utterance of jehovah, ‘and i will raise up to david a righteous sprout [a new growth of david coming right, by]. and a king will certainly reign and act with discretion and execute justice and righteousness in the land. in his days judah will be saved, and israel itself will reside in security. and this is his name with which he will be called, jehovah is our righteousness.’” god brought in this sprout in the year 33 c.e.
36 what, now, about that “stone” that god would put before high priest joshua? in a literal way, it would be the stone with which the temple then under construction would be given its finishing touch and be made complete. the foundation of that second temple had already been laid, and so this “stone” would serve as a headstone. so jehovah’s putting this stone before joshua was a sign guaranteeing that the temple would be completed, despite any resistance on satan’s part. that stone, too, was symbolic of the messiah, the anointed one. picturing the messiah as a stone, psalm 118:22, 23 (by) said: “a stone that the builders had rejected has become the head of a corner. this was from jehovah, it is a wonder to our eyes.” in the year 33 c.e., jesus, when speaking to the jews who rejected him as the promised messiah, applied this ure to himself and said to them:
37 “did you never read in the ures, ‘the stone that the builders rejected is the one that has become the chief cornerstone. from jehovah this has come to be, and it is marvelous in our eyes’? this is why i say to you, the kingdom of god will be taken from you and be given to a nation producing its fruits.”—matthew 21:42, 43. see also 1 peter 2:4-9.
38 this symbolic “stone” was to be given full divine attention. as confirmation of this the high priest joshua and his companion priests were to be told, “upon the one stone there are seven eyes.” (zechariah 3:9) not that seven eyes were to be carved upon that stone, to give the idea that those beholding the stone were being looked at in a sevenfold way. with the eyes we fix our attention upon something. also, as the number seven urally symbolized perfection, the seven eyes upon that one stone mean to say that jehovah fixes his perfect attention upon that symbolic stone, his promised messiah. others might overlook that symbolic stone. or, they might ignore it, reject it, but not so jehovah. because of such full attention from him, it must be something most precious to him.
39 consequently, in showing the complete attention that he gives to this symbolic stone and its outstanding position and appearance, jehovah goes on to say: “here i am engraving its engraving.” in glorious fulfillment of this promise, jehovah the heavenly engraver gave the symbolic stone, his beloved son jesus christ, distinguishing marks of beauty such as he conferred upon no one else. consequently, hebrews 1:1-3 speaks of the outstanding son of god as being the one who is the “exact representation [greek, kharaktér, meaning ‘impress’] of his very being,” that is, of god’s being. as the symbolic engraved headstone, the messianic high priest, jesus christ, is given the highest and most responsible position of service in jehovah’s spiritual temple of worship. this betokened something most beneficial for all mankind.
40 with the topstone in place and the temple all completed for the full-scale worship of the one living and true god, what could we expect logically to follow? blessings, blessings, blessings! nothing would now be in the way of such blessings, for, as jehovah went on to say, “i will take away the error of that land in one day.” (zechariah 3:9) because of the long interruption that the repatriated israelites had allowed to take place in the rebuilding of the temple at jerusalem, the whole land of judah was lying in “error.” its inhabitants were looked upon as unclean and the work of their hands in materialistic things was unclean. (haggai 2:13, 14) but now, come 515 b.c.e., with the triumphant completion of the second temple at jerusalem the erroneous course of the land of judah was entirely corrected. so jehovah was pleased, and he took away the error of inhabitants of the land in the special “one day,” the day when the temple stood complete, with its engraved headstone, and pure worship was inaugurated therein.
41 what a stimulus this should give to us today to put the worship of the true god at his spiritual temple in the first place in our lives! we should not let ourselves be delayed in doing this. we should not let interruptions take place in this effort.
42 the faithful remnant of spiritual underpriests of the messiah know what blessings have come to them for doing this more and more determinedly during the now more than fifty years since that restoration year of 1919 c.e. they have come to appreciate more and more deeply that, like the underpriest companions of high priest joshua, they are “men serving as portents” for this “time of the end” of this worldly system of things. they portend the best of good things for all those who devote themselves to the pure, undefiled worship of the one living and true god.
43 they are not deceived by any false messiahs or false messianic organizations of today. they have identified the one whom jehovah calls “my servant sprout.” he is the one whom jehovah of armies installed in the messianic throne in the heavens at the close of the gentile times in 1914 c.e. and who has now begun his messianic reign, namely, jesus christ. they have identified also the one symbolized by the stone that was laid before high priest joshua and upon which stone there were “seven eyes.” they admire how jehovah has engraved this symbolic stone with a beauty that befits the high position given to that stone, and they rejoice that this one has been made the symbolic headstone or topstone, the highest and most responsible one in jehovah’s system of worship. they are happy to be underpriests under that symbolic engraved stone, jesus christ. they see from the holy ures that as “men serving as portents” they are under divine command to serve as witnesses to this exalted stone, jehovah’s one high priest, jesus.
spiritual prosperity leading to endless life
44 what was to be expected after jehovah fulfilled his promise given through zechariah: “i will take away the error of that land in one day”? nothing else but divine favor, expressed in material and spiritual blessings for the israelites worshiping at their completed second temple in jerusalem. most appropriately, then, that promise was followed up by this divine prophecy: “‘in that day,’ is the utterance of jehovah of armies, ‘you will call, each one to the other, while under the vine and while under the fig tree.’”—zechariah 3:10.
45 in this day when all false religions are crumbling and are about to be destroyed in the world’s worst trouble, that prophecy meant spiritual prosperity to sincere god-fearing persons who give themselves wholeheartedly to divine worship at the one true spiritual temple where jehovah’s one approved high priest serves. it means the fulfillment of the companion prophecy of micah 4:1-4 (by):
and in the future days the mountain of jehovah’s house shall be set at the head of the mountains, lifted above hills, and peoples shall stream to it. and many nations shall go and say “come and let us go up to jehovah’s mountain, to the house of the god of jacob, to have him instruct us in ways of his that we may go in his paths,” because from sion instruction shall go out and jehovah’s word from jerusalem. and he shall give judgment between many peoples and pronounce verdicts for numerous nations to a great distance, and they shall pound their swords into hoes and their spears into pruning-hooks; nation shall not take up sword against nation, and they shall never again learn war. and they shall sit each man under his grape-vine or his fig-tree with no one to alarm them, for the mouth of jehovah of armies has promised it.
46 even so today, when nuclear warfare threatens the world, jehovah’s christian witnesses reside on their god-given spiritual estate in spiritual prosperity. they maintain loving peace among themselves, absolutely taking no part in the wars of this world. satan has failed in resisting their high priest jesus christ!