Author's Note: The devil is referred to in scripture by the following names:
Adversary, 1 Nephi 15:24D&C 82:5, 1 Peter 5:8;
Beelzebub, Matthew 12:24;
Belial, 2 Corinthians 6:15; 1 Samuel 2:12;
Dragon, Revelation 12:7-9;
Destroyer, 1 Corinthians 10:10D&C 61:19;
Father of all lies, Moses 4:4Ether 8:25, 2 Nephi 2:18;
Lucifer, (meaning, torchbearer, see CHMR1:281) D&C 76:25-26Isaiah 14:12-15;
Perdition, D&C 76:26;
Prince of Devils, Matthew 9:34; Mark 3:22;
Prince of the power of the air, Ephesians 2:2
Satan, Moses 4:4D&C 76:28Revelation 12:9;
Son of the Morning, D&C 76:25-27Isaiah 14:12-15;
Tempter, Matthew 4:1-3;
That old serpent, D&C 76:28D&C 88:110, 2 Nephi 2:18.
155. There is a spirit personage known as the devil.
156. In the premortal existence the devil was an angel of God in a position of authority with God.
160. There is a place prepared for the devil and his followers called hell.
161. The devil seeks to destroy our souls.
162. The devil has power that in certain circumstances can be exerted upon our physical bodies.
163. The devil is the author of all sin, the source of all evil on earth.
164. The devil attempts to deceive us by appearing at times as an angel of light.
165. The devil is the father of all lies.
166. The devil attempts to beguile us so that he may drag our souls down to hell.
167. The devil authors false doctrines.
168. The priesthood of God has power over the devil.
169. The devil will be bound when he is no longer needed.
170. Satan tempts us to worship him instead of God.
155. There is a spirit personage known as the devil.
We have had occasion to refer frequently to the author of evil among men. This is Satan, the adversary or opponent of the Lord, the chief of evil spirits, called also the Devil, Beelzebub, or the Prince of Devils, Perdition, and Belial. The figurative appellations dragon and serpent are applied to Satan when reference is made to his fall. We learn from the revealed word that Satan was once an angel of light, then known as Lucifer, a Son of the Morning; but his selfish ambition led him to aspire to the glory and power of the Father. . . . AF:56-57
translating the Book of Moses
Wherefore, because that Satan rebelled against me, and sought to destroy the agency of man, which I, the Lord God, had given him, and also, that I should give unto him mine own power; by the power of mine Only Begotten, I caused that he should be cast down;
4. And he became Satan, yea, even the devil, the father of all lies, to deceive and to blind men, and to lead them captive at his will, even as many as would not hearken unto my voice. (Revelation received 1830, Moses describes the fall of Satan) Moses 4:3-4
quoted by John A. Widtsoe
There was a devil in heaven, and he strove to possess the birthright of the Savior. He was a liar from the beginning, and loves those who love and make lies, as do his imps and followers here on the earth. (In Tabernacle, June 3, 1860, JD8:279) DBY:68
And this we saw also, and bear record, that an angel of God who was in authority in the presence of God, who rebelled against the Only Begotten Son whom the Father loved and who was in the bosom of the Father, was thrust down from the presence of God and the Son,
26. And was called Perdition, for the heavens wept over him—he was Lucifer, a son of the morning.
27. And we beheld, and lo, he is fallen is fallen, even a son of the morning 28. And while we were yet in the Spirit, the Lord commanded us that we should write the vision; for we beheld Satan, that old serpent, even the devil, who rebelled against God, and sought to take the kingdom of our God and his Christ— (Vision to Joseph and Sidney Rigdon, Feb. 16, 1832) D&C 76:25-28
And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels,
8. And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven.
9. And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. (John sees the War in Heaven) Revelation 12:7-9
For it cometh to pass that whoso buildeth it up seeketh to overthrow the freedom of all lands, nations, and countries; and it bringeth to pass the destruction of all people, for it is built up by the devil, who is the father of all lies; even that same liar who beguiled our first parents, yea, even that same liar who hath caused man to commit murder from the beginning; who hath hardened the hearts of men that they have murdered the prophets, and stoned them, and cast them out from the beginning. (Moroni writes for the benefit of the Gentiles, about A.D. 419-420) Ether 8:25
156. In the premortal existence the devil was an angel of God in a position of authority with God.
And this we saw also, and bear record, that an angel of God who was in authority in the presence of God, who rebelled against the Only Begotten Son whom the Father loved and who was in the bosom of the Father, was thrust down from the presence of God and the Son,
26. And was called Perdition, for the heavens wept over him—he was Lucifer, a son of the morning.
27. And we beheld, and lo, he is fallen is fallen, even a son of the morning 28. And while we were yet in the Spirit, the Lord commanded us that we should write the vision; for we beheld Satan, that old serpent, even the devil, who rebelled against God, and sought to take the kingdom of our God and his Christ— (Vision to Joseph Smith and Sidney Rigdon, Feb. 16, 1832) D&C 76:25-28
Just what authority Lucifer held before his rebellion we do not know, but he was an angel of light, his name, Lucifer, meaning torchbearer. Agency was given unto the spirits of men, and they had their talents and individual traits of character there as they do here. It was due to this fact that Lucifer, who was proud and ambitious, rebelled against the Father when his plan for the salvation of fallen man was rejected. (See Moses 4:1-4 and Abraham 3:27-28.) CHMR1:281
Related Witnesses:
quoted by his son Nephi
And I, Lehi, according to the things which I have read, must needs suppose that an angel of God, according to that which is written, had fallen from heaven; wherefore, he became a devil, having sought that which was evil before God. (Lehi teaches his sons, between 588-570 B.C.) 2 Nephi 2:17
Satan . . . is the foremost of the angels who were thrust down, and the instigator of the ruin of those who fall in this life; AF:57
157. In the premortal existence the devil was ambitious and sought to exalt himself to the glory and honor of God.
We have had occasion to refer frequently to the author of evil among men. This is Satan, the adversary or opponent of the Lord, the chief of evil spirits, called also the Devil, Beelzebub, or the Prince of Devils, Perdition, and Belial. The figurative appellations dragon and serpent are applied to Satan when reference is made to his fall. We learn from the revealed word that Satan was once an angel of light, then known as Lucifer, a Son of the Morning; but his selfish ambition led him to aspire to the glory and power of the Father. . . . AF:56-57
How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations 13. For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north:
14. I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High. (Lucifer is cast out of heaven for rebellion) Isaiah 14:12-14
I do not know whether Satan was offering a new plan or whether he had offered it before, but it sounded as if he thought it was a new plan. Satan offered the Father to take over all the spirits in the great council and save them all. Nobody was going to be lost, and all he asked of the Father was that the Father abdicate. He did not use that word. Maybe it is not used up in heaven, but we know what it means down here. The Father was to turn all of his power over to Satan, was to disappear, get out of the picture.
The Son apparently had been organizing worlds before, interpreting the passage in the Book of Moses, where the Father said to Moses : "Worlds without number had He created; by His only Begotten Son had He made them."
What Satan wanted, quite evidently, was the full possession, ownership, of this creation of spirits that is involved in the peopling of this earth; so he tried to get them by gift, and that being denied, he is following along and trying to get us through the commission of sin. If we sin sufficiently we become his subjects.
As I read the scriptures, Satan's plan required one of two things: Either the compulsion of the mind, the spirit, the intelligence of man, or else saving men in sin. I question whether the intelligence of man can be compelled. Certainly men cannot be saved in sin, because the laws of salvation and exaltation are founded in righteousness, not in sin. CR1949Oct:192-93
translating the Book of Moses
Wherefore, because that Satan rebelled against me, and sought to destroy the agency of man, which I, the Lord God, had given him, and also, that I should give unto him mine own power; by the power of mine Only Begotten, I caused that he should be cast down; (The record of Moses : the Lord describes Satan's rebellion in the premortal world) Moses 4:3
receiving the Word of the Lord
And it came to pass that Adam, being tempted of the devil—for, behold, the devil was before Adam, for he rebelled against me, saying, Give me thine honor, which is my power: and also a third part of the hosts of heaven turned he away from me because of their agency; (Revelation received Sept. 1830) D&C 29:36
158. In the premortal existence the devil's plan was to destroy the agency of the spirit sons and daughters of God.
The Lord gave to man his free agency in the pre-existence. This great gift of agency, that is the privilege given to man to make his own choice, has never been revoked, and it never will be. It is an eternal principle giving freedom of thought and action to every soul. No person, by any decree of the Father, has ever been compelled to do good; no person has ever been forced to do good; no person has ever been forced to do evil. Each may act for himself. It was Satan's plan to destroy this agency and force men to do his will. There could be no satisfactory existence without this great gift. Men must have the privilege to choose even to the extent that they may rebel against the divine decrees. Of course salvation and exaltation must come through the free will without coercion and by individual merit in order that righteous rewards may be given and proper punishment be meted out to the transgressor. (Answers to Gospel Questions, 2:20) TLDP:10
translating the Book of Moses
Wherefore, because that Satan rebelled against me, and sought to destroy the agency of man, which I, the Lord God, had given him, and also, that I should give unto him mine own power; by the power of mine Only Begotten, I caused that he should be cast down;
4. And he became Satan, yea, even the devil, the father of all lies, to deceive and to blind men, and to lead them captive at his will, even as many as would not hearken unto my voice. (Revelation received 1830, Moses describes the fall of Satan) Moses 4:3-4
We learn from the revealed word that Satan was once an angel of light, then known as Lucifer, a Son of the Morning; but his selfish ambition led him to aspire to the glory and power of the Father, to secure which he made the pernicious proposition to redeem the human family by compulsion; and, failing in this purpose, he headed an open rebellion against the Father and the Son, drawing a third of the hosts of heaven into his impious league. These rebellious spirits were expelled from heaven, and have since followed the impulses of their wicked natures by seeking to lead human souls into their own condition of darkness. They are the devil and his angels. The right of free agency, maintained and vindicated by the war in heaven, prevents the possibility of compulsion being employed in this fiendish work of degradation; but the powers of these malignant spirits to tempt and persuade are used to the utmost. Satan tempted Eve to transgress the law of God; it was he who imparted the secret of murder for gain to the fratricide, Cain.
Satan exerts a mastery over the spirits that have been corrupted by his practices; he is the foremost of the angels who were thrust down, and the instigator of the ruin of those who fall in this life; he seeks to molest and hinder mankind in good efforts, by tempting to sin; or it may be by imposing sickness, or possibly death. Yet in all these malignant doings, he can go no farther than the transgressions of the victim may enable him, or the wisdom of God may permit; and at any time he may be checked by the superior power. . . . AF:56-57
Satan offered the Father to take over all the spirits in the great council and save them all. Nobody was going to be lost, and all he asked of the Father was that the Father abdicate. He did not use that word. Maybe it is not used up in heaven, but we know what it means down here. The Father was to turn all of his power over to Satan, was to disappear, get out of the picture. . . .
. . . . What Satan wanted, quite evidently, was the full possession, ownership, of this creation of spirits that is involved in the peopling of this earth; so he tried to get them by gift, and that being denied, he is following along and trying to get us through the commission of sin. If we sin sufficiently we become his subjects.
As I read the scriptures, Satan's plan required one of two things; Either the compulsion of the mind, the spirit, the intelligence of man, or else saving men in sin. I question whether the intelligence of man can be compelled. Certainly men cannot be saved in sin, because the laws of salvation and exaltation are founded in righteousness, not in sin. CR1949Oct:193
159. The devil and his followers failed to keep their First Estate (in the premortal life); hence, they were denied the privilege of being born into the world and receiving mortal bodies.
The punishment of Satan and the third of the host of heaven who followed him, was that they were denied the privilege of being born into this world and receiving mortal bodies. They did not keep their first estate and were denied the opportunity of eternal progression. The Lord cast them out into the earth, where they became the tempters of mankind—the devil and his angels. (Doctrines of Salvation, 1:65) DGSM:15
The spirits in the eternal world are like the spirits in this world. When those have come into this world and received tabernacles, then died and again have risen and received glorified bodies, they will have an ascendancy over the spirits who have received no bodies, or kept not their first estate, like the devil. The punishment of the devil was that he should not have a habitation like men. The devil's retaliation is, he comes into this world, binds up men's bodies, and occupies them himself. When the authorities come along, they eject him from a stolen habitation. (In the Nauvoo Temple, from a discourse on the first chapter of Second Peter, May 21, 1843) HC5:403
quoted by Joseph Smith
Now the Lord had shown unto me, Abraham, the intelligences that were organized before the world was; and among all these there were many of the noble and great ones;
23. And God saw these souls that they were good, and he stood in the midst of them, and he said: These I will make my rulers; for he stood among those that were spirits, and he saw that they were good; and he said unto me: Abraham, thou art one of them; thou wast chosen before thou wast born.
24. And there stood one among them that was like unto God, and he said unto those who were with him: We will go down, for there is space there, and we will take of these materials, and we will make an earth whereon these may dwell;
25. And we will prove them herewith, to see if they will do all things whatsoever the Lord their God shall command them;
26. And they who keep their first estate shall be added upon; and they who keep not their first estate shall not have glory in the same kingdom with those who keep their first estate; and they who keep their second estate shall have glory added upon their heads for ever and ever.
27. And the Lord said: Whom shall I send? And one answered like unto the Son of Man: Here am I, send me. And another answered and said: Here am I, send me. And the Lord said: I will send the first.
28. And the second was angry, and kept not his first estate; and, at that day, many followed after him. (Abraham learns about the creation of the earth and the second estate of man) Abraham 3:22-28
Those among these unembodied spirits who, as Jude says, "kept . . . their first estate," (v. 6) were given the opportunity to experience mortal life whereby their spirits were clothed in bodies of flesh consisting of earthly elements, or as stated in Genesis, made of the dust of the earth. (See Gen. 2:7.) The others who, with their leader, "kept not their first estate" (Jude 6), became the devil and his angels and were permanently denied the privilege of mortal existence, which is prerequisite to exaltation and eternal life. (CR 1965Apr; Second Day—Morning Meeting, p.41 – 42)
Related Witnesses:
We do know their [the evil spirits] curse is to be denied tabernacles, and we surmise that the desire for such tenancy is so great that they, when permitted, even enter the bodies of beasts. [Matthew 8:31-32(The Mortal Messiah, 2:282) TLDP:645
quoted by John A. Widtsoe
The spirits of devils have been deprived of bodies, and that constitutes their curse, that is to say, speaking after the manner of men, you shall be wanderers on the earth, you have got to live out of doors all the time you live.
That is the situation of the spirits that were sent to the earth, when the revolt took place in heaven, when Lucifer, the Son of the Morning, was cast out. Where did he go? He came here, and one-third part of the spirits in heaven came with him. (In Bowery, June 22, 1856, JD3:368-69) DBY:68
According to our teachings, Satan and an army of supporters were cast down to earth from the premortal spirit world. They are spirit brothers of ours, and are real persons having spirit bodies. CR1941Apr:49
For . . . God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment; (In letter to members of the Church, about A.D. 60 to 64) 2 Peter 2:4
160. There is a place prepared for the devil and his followers called hell.
receiving the Word of the Lord
And it came to pass that Adam, being tempted of the devil—for, behold, the devil was before Adam, for he rebelled against me, saying, Give me thine honor, which is my power; and also a third part of the hosts of heaven turned he away from me because of their agency;
37. And they were thrust down, and thus came the devil and his angels;
38. And, behold, there is a place prepared for them from the beginning, which place is hell. (Revelation received Sept. 1830) D&C 29:36-38
[T]he devils know their eventual destiny is to be cast out into the eternal hell from whence there is no return. . . . (Doctrinal New Testament Commentary, 1:311) TLDP:645-46
quoted by Nephi
And assuredly, as the Lord liveth, for the Lord God hath spoken it, and it is his eternal word, which cannot pass away, that they who are righteous shall be righteous still, and they who are filthy shall be filthy still; wherefore, they who are filthy are the devil and his angels; and they shall go away into everlasting fire, prepared for them; and their torment is as a lake of fire and brimstone, whose flame ascendeth up forever and ever and has no end. (Jacob teaches the people of Nephi, 559-545 B.C.) 2 Nephi 9:16
recorded in Matthew
Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: (Jesus gives the parable of the sheep and the goats; the sheep are placed on his right hand at the Lord's Second Coming) Matthew 25:41
But behold, I say unto you, the kingdom of God is not filthy, and there cannot any unclean thing enter into the kingdom of God; wherefore there must needs be a place of filthiness prepared for that which is filthy.
35. And there is a place prepared, yea, even that awful hell of which I have spoken, and the devil is the preparator of it; wherefore the final state of the souls of men is to dwell in the kingdom of God, or to be cast out because of that justice of which I have spoken. (Nephi interprets his father Lehi's dream to his brothers, between 600-592 B.C.) 1 Nephi 15:34-35
161. The devil seeks to destroy our souls.
Satan stirreth them up, that he may lead their souls to destruction. . . .
27. And thus he goeth up and down, to and fro in the earth, seeking to destroy the souls of men. (Revelation in respect to the lost 116 manuscript pages, 1828) D&C 10:22,27
(First Presidency)
Satan is making war against all the wisdom that has come to men through their ages of experience. He is seeking to overturn and destroy the very foundations upon which society, government and religion rest. He aims to have man adopt theories and practices which he induced their forefathers, over the ages, to adopt and try, only to be discarded by them when found unsound, impractical, and ruinous. He plans to destroy liberty and freedom—economic, political, and religious, and to set up in place thereof the greatest, most widespread, and the most complete tyranny that has ever oppressed men. He is working under such perfect disguise that many do not recognize either him or his methods. There is no crime he would not commit, no debauchery he would not set up, no plague he would not send, no heart he would not break, no life he would not take, no soul he would not destroy. He comes as a thief in the night, he is a wolf in sheep's clothing. Without their knowing it, the people are being urged down paths that lead only to destruction. Satan never before had so firm a grip on this generation as he has now. ("The Message of the First Presidency to the Church") IE1942Nov:761
Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: (Peter to the churches in modern Asia Minor, about A.D. 60) 1 Peter 5:8
[T]he evil one knows where to attack. He is going to attack the home. He is going to try to destroy the family. That is what he wants to do. And you will see that all these workings of Satan . . . have a final result of destroying the family, the parents, the loved ones. That is what this Satan would like to do. Let us make up our minds he will not do it in our families. CR1975Oct:165
For the kingdom of the devil must shake, and they which belong to it must needs be stirred up unto repentance, or the devil will grasp them with his everlasting chains, and they be stirred up to anger, and perish;
20. For behold, at that day shall he rage in the hearts of the children of men, and stir them up to anger against that which is good.
21. And others will he pacify, and lull them away into carnal security, that they will say: All is well in Zion; yea, Zion prospereth, all is well—and thus the devil cheateth their souls, and leadeth them away carefully down to hell. (Nephi foretells of the last days, 559-545 B.C.) 2 Nephi 28:19-21
According to our teachings, Satan and an army of supporters were cast down to earth from the premortal spirit world. They are spirit brothers of ours, and are real persons having spirit bodies. As surely as we live they live also. They are trying to handicap and thwart the work of the Lord. Wherever the Saints are found there the devil is also. If Satan can overcome the Saints, he will have all the world subject to him. He is a deceiver, the father of lies, the source of evil, the enemy of all righteousness.
He has great power in the earth. He has deceived and is deceiving, some people who have been and may now be members of the Church, but members in grave danger. One of his schemes is to give them a type of revelation, inducing them to believe that these come from heaven instead of from the devil. It is these people that are in urgent need of a warning. CR1941Apr:49
quoted by his son Nephi
And now, my sons, I would that ye should look to the great Mediator, and hearken unto his great commandments; and be faithful unto his words, and choose eternal life, according to the will of his Holy Spirit;
29. And not choose eternal death, according to the will of the flesh and the evil which is therein, which giveth the spirit of the devil power to captivate, to bring you down to hell, that he may reign over you in his own kingdom. (Lehi to his sons, between 588-570 B.C.) 2 Nephi 2:28-29
Lucifer leads the armies of hell against all men, and more especially against those who are instrumental in furthering the Lord's work. (The Mortal Messiah, 2:282) TLDP:645
The conflict between the forces of good and the forces of evil persists in the world today—with Jesus persevering in striving to save souls, and Satan striving to destroy them. (CR 1987Oct; Never Give Up, Ensign, November 1987, p.8)
Related Witnesses:
quoted by Mormon
But Amulek stretched forth his hand, and cried the mightier unto them, saying: O ye wicked and perverse generation, why hath Satan got such great hold upon your hearts? Why will ye yield yourselves unto him that he may have power over you, to blind your eyes, that ye will not understand the words which are spoken, according to their truth? (Amulek answers the lawyers and the people in Ammonihah, about 82 B.C.) Alma 10:25
And thus we see the end of him who perverteth the ways of the Lord; and thus we see that the devil will not support his children at the last day, but doth speedily drag them down to hell. (Korihor, a disciple of the devil, is killed by his people, about 74 B.C.) Alma 30:60
162. The devil has power that in certain circumstances can be exerted upon our physical bodies.
Why did the demons desire to enter the bodies of the swine? or, for that matter, how came they to take up tenancy in the body of the man? We cannot tell and do not know how it is that evil spirits—few or many—gain entrance into the bodies of mortal men. We do know that all things are governed by law, and that Satan is precluded from taking possession of the bodies of the prophets and other righteous people. Were it not so, the work of God would be thwarted—always and in all instances—for Lucifer leads the armies of hell against all men, and more especially against those who are instrumental in furthering the Lord's work.
There must be circumstances of depression and sin and physical weakness that within the restrictions of divine control, permit evil spirits to enter human bodies. We do know their curse is to be denied tabernacles, and we surmise that the desire for such tenancy is so great that they, when permitted, even enter the bodies of beasts. (The Mortal Messiah, 2:282) TLDP:645
You are aware that many think that the devil has rule and power over both body and spirit. Now, I want to tell you that he does not hold any power over man, only so far as the body overcomes the spirit that is in a man, through yielding to the spirit of evil. The spirit that the Lord puts into a tabernacle of flesh, is under the dictation of the Lord Almighty; but the spirit and body are united in order that the spirit may have a tabernacle, and be exalted; and the spirit is influenced by the body, and the body by the spirit.
In the first place the spirit is pure, and under the special control and influence of the Lord, but the body is of the earth, and is subject to the power of the devil, and is under the mighty influence of that fallen nature that is of the earth. If the spirit yields to the body, the devil then has power to overcome both the body and spirit of that man, and he loses both. (In Tabernacle, April 6, 1855, JD2:255-56) TLDP:135
The spirits in the eternal world are like the spirits in this world. When those have come into this world and received tabernacles, then died and again have risen and received glorified bodies, they will have an ascendancy over the spirits who have received no bodies, or kept not their first estate, like the devil. The punishment of the devil was that he should not have a habitation like men. The devil's retaliation is, he comes into this world, binds up men's bodies, and occupies them himself. When the authorities come along, they eject him from a stolen habitation. (In the Nauvoo Temple, from a discourse on the first chapter of Second Peter, May 21, 1843) HC5:403
Related Witnesses:
[T]he devil threw him down, and tare him. (Jesus heals a child from an unclean spirit) Luke 9:42
And in the synagogue there was a man, which had a spirit of an unclean devil, and cried out with a loud voice,
34. Saying, Let us alone; what have we to do with thee, thou Jesus of Nazareth? art thou come to destroy us? I know thee who thou art; the Holy One of God.
35. And Jesus rebuked him, saying, Hold thy peace, and come out of him. And when the devil had thrown him in the midst, he came out of him, and hurt him not.
36. And they were all amazed, and spake among themselves, saying, What a word is this for with authority and power he commandeth the unclean spirits, and they come out. (Jesus casts out a devil) Luke 4:33-36
And when he was come to the other side into the country of the Gergesenes, there met him two possessed with devils, coming out of the tombs, exceeding fierce, so that no man might pass by that way.
29. And, behold, they cried out, saying, What have we to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God? art thou come hither to torment us before the time?
30. And there was a good way off from them an herd of many swine feeding.
31. So the devils besought him, saying, If thou cast us out, suffer us to go away into the herd of swine.
32. And he said unto them, Go. And when they were come out, they went into the herd of swine: and, behold, the whole herd of swine ran violently down a steep place into the sea, and perished in the waters.
33. And they that kept them fled, and went their ways into the city, and told every thing, and what was befallen to the possessed of the devils. (Jesus casts out devils) Matthew 8:28-33
I was seized upon by some power which entirely overcame me, and had such an astonishing influence over me as to bind my tongue so that I could not speak. Thick darkness gathered around me, and it seemed to me for a time as if I were doomed to sudden destruction. (Vision to Joseph of the Father and the Son, spring of 1820) JS-H 1:15
It may seem strange to us, but it is the fact that Satan exercises dominion and has some control over the elements. This he does by powers which he knows, but which are hidden from weak mortal men. We read in the book of Job that when the sons and daughters were celebrating in the eldest brother's house, there came a great wind and it smote the four corners of the house, killing them all. Again there came down fire and burned Job 's sheep. This was the work of the adversary. Paul speaks of Satan as the "prince of the power of the air." (Ephesians 2:2) CHMR2:225
163. The devil is the author of all sin, the source of all evil on earth.
And behold, it is he who is the author of all sin. And behold, he doth carry on his works of darkness and secret murder, and doth hand down their plots, and their oaths, and their covenants, and their plans of awful wickedness, from generation to generation according as he can get hold upon the hearts of the children of men. (Mormon abridges the records of Helaman, 24 B.C.; the Gadianton Robbers' secret oaths and covenants came from Satan who is responsible for sin from the beginning of time) Helaman 6:30
We have had occasion to refer frequently to the author of evil among men. This is Satan, the adversary or opponent of the Lord, the chief of evil spirits, called also the Devil, Beelzebub, or the Prince of Devils, Perdition, and Belial. The figurative appellations dragon and serpent are applied to Satan when reference is made to his fall. AF:56
Wherefore, all things which are good cometh of God; and that which is evil cometh of the devil; for the devil is an enemy unto God, and fighteth against him continually, and inviteth and enticeth to sin, and to do that which is evil continually.
13. But behold, that which is of God inviteth and enticeth to do good continually; wherefore, every thing which inviteth and enticeth to do good, and to love God, and to serve him, is inspired of God. . . .
17. But whatsoever thing persuadeth men to do evil, and believe not in Christ, and deny him, and serve not God, then ye may know with a perfect knowledge it is of the devil; for after this manner doth the devil work, for he persuadeth no man to do good, no, not one; neither do his angels; neither do they who subject themselves unto him. (Mormon preaches in the synagogue, prior to A.D. 384) Moroni 7:12-13,17
Verily, verily, I say unto you, that Satan has great hold upon their hearts; he stirreth them up to iniquity against that which is good;
21. And their hearts are corrupt, and full of wickedness and abominations; and they love darkness rather than light, because their deeds are evil; therefore they will not ask of me.
22. Satan stirreth them up, that he may lead their souls to destruction.
23. And thus he has laid a cunning plan, thinking to destroy the work of God; but I will require this at their hands, and it shall turn to their shame and condemnation in the day of judgment.
24. Yea, he stirreth up their hearts to anger against this work.
25. Yea, he saith unto them: Deceive and lie in wait to catch, that ye may destroy; behold, this is no harm. And thus he flattereth them, and telleth them that it is no sin to lie that they may catch a man in a lie, that they may destroy him.
26. And thus he flattereth them, and leadeth them along until he draggeth their souls down to hell; and thus he causeth them to catch themselves in their own snare.
27. And thus he goeth up and down, to and fro in the earth, seeking to destroy the souls of men. (Revelation in respect to the lost 116 manuscript pages, 1828) D&C 10:20-27
quoted by Mormon
For they are carnal and devilish, and the devil has power over them; yea, even that old serpent that did beguile our first parents, which was the cause of their fall; which was the cause of all mankind becoming carnal, sensual, devilish, knowing evil from good, subjecting themselves to the devil. (Abinadi preaches to King Noah and his people, about 148 B.C.) Mosiah 16:3
Yielding to the illicit enticements of the flesh is the basest of human instincts, also the cause of much sorrow, unhappiness, and the loss of the clean inward feeling of peace men should strive to obtain. Those who sin deny their God and accept Satan, the author and the father of all sin. (CR 1963Apr; Afternoon Meeting, p.35)
Related Witnesses:
The devil is the author of false religions. He is perfectly willing that men should worship something and in some manner. He makes them think they are worshipping Jesus Christ and his Father but sees to it that many false doctrines contrary to the plan of salvation are introduced among men. He is the author of confusion and laughs at the divided condition existing among the religious denominations. (Man: His Origin and Destiny, pp. 292-93) TLDP:138
And it must needs be that the devil should tempt the children of men, or they could not be agents unto themselves; for if they never should have bitter they could not know the sweet— (Revelation received Sept. 1830) D&C 29:39
He is the author of sophistry and degrading skepticism, and of the whole foul mass of the philosophy and science "falsely so called," by which mankind are led to doubt the word of God, to becloud the Scriptures with vain imaginings and private interpretations, and to narcotize the mind with the poison of human invention as a substitute for revealed truth. (The Vitality of Mormonism, p. 347) TLDP:138-39
translating the Book of Moses
And there came generation upon generation; and Enoch was high and lifted up, even in the bosom of the Father, and of the Son of Man; and behold, the power of Satan was upon all the face of the earth.
25. And he saw angels descending out of heaven; and he heard a loud voice saying: Wo, wo be unto the inhabitants of the earth.
26. And he beheld Satan; and he had a great chain in his hand, and it veiled the whole face of the earth with darkness; and he looked up and laughed, and his angels rejoiced. (Revelation to Moses regarding Enoch's view of earth) Moses 7:24-26
And many more things did the people imagine up in their hearts, which were foolish and vain; and they were much disturbed, for Satan did stir them up to do iniquity continually; yea, he did go about spreading rumors and contentions upon all the face of the land, that he might harden the hearts of the people against that which was good and against that which should come. (The unbelievers say it is not reasonable to believe in Christ and his coming in Jerusalem, about 1 B.C.) Helaman 16:22
164. The devil attempts to deceive us by appearing at times as an angel of light.
It is not every revelation that is of God, for Satan has the power to transform himself into an angel of light; he can give visions and revelations as well as spiritual manifestations and table-rappings. (Millennial Star, March 1857, p. 197) TLDP:134
quoted by Nephi
And our spirits must have become like unto him, and we become devils, angels to a devil, to be shut out from the presence of our God, and to remain with the father of lies, in misery, like unto himself; yea, to that being who beguiled our first parents, who transformeth himself nigh unto an angel of light, and stirreth up the children of men unto secret combinations of murder and all manner of secret works of darkness. (To the people of Nephi, 559-545 B.C.) 2 Nephi 9:9
For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ.
14. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.
15. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works. (Paul's letter to the Church at Corinth in Greece, about A.D. 55) 2 Corinthians 11:13-15
It is obedience, humility and submission to the requirements of heaven and to the order established in the kingdom of God upon the earth that will establish men in the truth. Men may receive the visitation of angels; they may speak in tongues; they may interpret; they may prophesy; they may heal the sick by the laying on of hands; they may have visions and dreams; but except they are faithful and pure in heart, they become an easy prey to the adversary of their souls, and he will lead them into darkness and unbelief more easily than others. The devil himself can appear like an angel of light. (CR 1900Apr; Afternoon Session, p.40 - 41)
Related Witnesses:
If it be the devil as an angel of light, when you ask him to shake hands he will offer you his hand, and you will not feel anything; you may therefore detect him. (Instructions given at Nauvoo, Ill., Feb. 9, 1843; keys given whereby messengers from beyond the veil may be identified) D&C 129:8
And Korihor put forth his hand and wrote, saying: I know that I am dumb, for I cannot speak; and I know that nothing save it were the power of God could bring this upon me; yea, and I always knew that there was a God.
53. But behold, the devil hath deceived me; for he appeared unto me in the form of an angel, and said unto me: Go and reclaim this people, for they have all gone astray after an unknown God. And he said unto me: There is no God; yea, and he taught me that which I should say. And I have taught his words; and I taught them because they were pleasing unto the carnal mind; and I taught them, even until I had much success, insomuch that I verily believed that they were true; and for this cause I withstood the truth, even until I have brought this great curse upon me. (Korihor, a disciple of the devil, confesses, about 74 B.C.) Alma 30:52-53
And again, what do we hear? Glad tidings from Cumorah Moroni, an angel from heaven, declaring the fulfillment of the prophets—the book to be revealed. A voice of the Lord in the wilderness of Fayette, Seneca county, declaring the three witnesses to bear record of the book The voice of Michael on the banks of the Susquehanna, detecting the devil when he appeared as an angel of light The voice of Peter, James, and John in the wilderness between Harmony, Susquehanna county, and Colesville, Broome county, on the Susquehanna river, declaring themselves as possessing the keys of the kingdom, and of the dispensation of the fulness of times (Epistle to the Church, Sept. 6, 1842, at Nauvoo, Ill.; all of the keys, powers, and authorities have been restored) D&C 128:20
Knowing that his dominion over the people of the earth is to be broken, and that certain defeat awaits him, he [Lucifer] arrays himself in the livery of Christ, and masquerading as his representative, in the words of Shakespeare, wins the hearts of men by honest trifles which are true, while he betrays them, and leads them away to deepest consequences. CR1934Apr:98
translating the Book of Moses
And it came to pass that when Moses had said these words, behold, Satan came tempting him, saying: Moses, son of man, worship me.
13. And it came to pass that Moses looked upon Satan and said: Who art thou? For behold, I am a son of God, in the similitude of his Only Begotten; and where is thy glory, that I should worship thee?
14. For behold, I could not look upon God, except his glory should come upon me, and I were transfigured before him. But I can look upon thee in the natural man. Is it not so, surely? (The record of Moses : Satan appears to Moses ) Moses 1:12-14 (See verses 12-23.)
165. The devil is the father of all lies.
According to our teachings, Satan and an army of supporters were cast down to earth from the premortal spirit world. They are spirit brothers of ours, and are real persons having spirit bodies. As surely as we live they live also. They are trying to handicap and thwart the work of the Lord. Wherever the Saints are found there the devil is also. If Satan can overcome the Saints, he will have all the world subject to him. He is a deceiver, the father of lies, the source of evil, the enemy of all righteousness. CR1941Apr:49
Wherefore, the Lord commandeth you, when ye shall see these things come among you that ye shall awake to a sense of your awful situation, because of this secret combination which shall be among you; or wo be unto it, because of the blood of them who have been slain; for they cry from the dust for vengeance upon it, and also upon those who built it up. 25. . . . for it is built up by the devil, who is the father of all lies; even that same liar who beguiled our first parents, yea, even that same liar who hath caused man to commit murder from the beginning; who hath hardened the hearts of men that they have murdered the prophets, and stoned them, and cast them out from the beginning. (Moroni writes for the benefit of the Gentiles, about A.D. 419-420) Ether 8:24-25
Let it not be forgotten that the evil one has great power in the earth, and that by every possible means he seeks to darken the minds of men, and then offers them falsehood and deception in the guise of truth. Satan is a skilful imitator, and as genuine gospel truth is given the world in ever-increasing abundance, so he spreads the counterfeit coin of false doctrine. Beware of his spurious currency, it will purchase for you nothing but disappointment, misery and spiritual death. The "father of lies" he has been called, and such an adept has he become, through the ages of practice in his nefarious work, that were it possible he would deceive the very elect. (Gospel Doctrine, p. 376) TLDP:137
translating the Book of Moses
And he became Satan, yea, even the devil, the father of all lies, to deceive and to blind men, and to lead them captive at his will, even as many as would not hearken unto my voice. (Revelation received in 1830; Moses describes the fall of Satan) Moses 4:4
quoted by his son Nephi
And because he had fallen from heaven, and had become miserable forever, he sought also the misery of all mankind. Wherefore, he said unto Eve, yea, even that old serpent, who is the devil, who is the father of all lies, wherefore he said: Partake of the forbidden fruit, and ye shall not die, but ye shall be as God, knowing good and evil. 19. And after Adam and Eve had partaken of the forbidden fruit they were driven out of the garden of Eden, to till the earth. (Lehi explains the fall of Adam to his sons, 588-570 B.C.) 2 Nephi 2:18-19
Related Witnesses:
But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession,
2. And kept back part of the price, his wife also being privy to it, and brought a certain part, and laid it at the apostles' feet.
3. But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land? (Early Saints practice a united order) Acts 5:1-3
quoted by John A. Widtsoe
There was a devil in heaven, and he strove to possess the birthright of the Savior. He was a liar from the beginning, and loves those who love and make lies, as do his imps and followers here on the earth. (In the Tabernacle, June 3, 1860, JD8:279) DBY:68
166. The devil attempts to beguile us so that he may drag our souls down to hell.
quoted by John A. Widtsoe
The adversary presents his principles and arguments in the most approved style, and in the most winning tone, attended with the graceful attitudes; and he is very careful to ingratiate himself into the favor of the powerful and influential of mankind, uniting himself with popular parties, floating into offices of trust and emolument by pandering to popular feeling, though it should seriously wrong and oppress the innocent. (In Tabernacle, June 3, 1866, JD11:238) DBY:69
For the kingdom of the devil must shake, and they which belong to it must needs be stirred up unto repentance, or the devil will grasp them with his everlasting chains, and they be stirred up to anger, and perish;
20. For behold, at that day shall he rage in the hearts of the children of men, and stir them up to anger against that which is good.
21. And others will he pacify, and lull them away into carnal security, that they will say: All is well in Zion; yea, Zion prospereth, all is well—and thus the devil cheateth their souls, and leadeth them away carefully down to hell.
22. And behold, others he flattereth away, and telleth them there is no hell; and he saith unto them: I am no devil, for there is none—and thus he whispereth in their ears, until he grasps them with his awful chains, from whence there is no deliverance. (Nephi foretells the last days, 559-545 B.C.) 2 Nephi 28:19-22
receiving the Word of the Lord
Yea, he saith unto them: Deceive and lie in wait to catch, that ye may destroy; behold, this is no harm. And thus he flattereth them, and telleth them that it is no sin to lie that they may catch a man in a lie, that they may destroy him.
26. And thus he flattereth them, and leadeth them along until he draggeth their souls down to hell; and thus he causeth them to catch themselves in their own snare.
27. And thus he goeth up and down, to and fro in the earth, seeking to destroy the souls of men.
28. Verily, verily, I say unto you, wo be unto him that lieth to deceive because he supposeth that another lieth to deceive, for such are not exempt from the justice of God.
29. Now, behold, they have altered these words, because Satan saith unto them: He hath deceived you—and thus he flattereth them away to do iniquity, to get thee to tempt the Lord thy God. (Revelation in respect to lost 116 manuscript pages, 1828) D&C 10:25-29
Marvin J. Ashton
Satan and his forces were never more strongly arrayed than today. He is cunning. He is successful. One of the most subtle and effective tools he is using among us today is the convincing of some that they have arrived, they have reached their destination, they have earned a rest, they aren't needed anymore, they are out of danger, they are beyond temptation, and they can take pride in their accomplishments. CR1972Apr:61
Related Witnesses:
And he was learned, that he had a perfect knowledge of the language of the people; wherefore, he could use much flattery, and much power of speech, according to the power of the devil. (Jacob refutes the wicked man Sherem, 544-421 B.C.) Jacob 7:4
167. The devil authors false doctrines.
Let it not be forgotten that the evil one has great power in the earth, and that by every possible means he seeks to darken the minds of men, and then offers them falsehood and deception in the guise of truth. Satan is a skilful imitator, and as genuine gospel truth is given the world in ever-increasing abundance, so he spreads the counterfeit coin of false doctrine. Beware of his spurious currency, it will purchase for you nothing but disappointment, misery and spiritual death. The "father of lies" he has been called, and such an adept has he become, through the ages of practice in his nefarious work, that were it possible he would deceive the very elect. (Gospel Doctrine, p. 376) TLDP:137
also quoting Joseph Smith
He will lay temptations in the path of every individual to cause them to commit sin. He has taught the world false doctrines under the guise of truth and many have followed him. He appeared to Moses saying:
". . . Moses, son of man, worship me.
"And it came to pass that Moses looked upon Satan and said : Who art thou? For behold, I am a son of God, in the similitude of His Only Begotten and where is thy glory, that I should worship thee?" [Moses 1:12-13
We should be on guard always to resist Satan's advances. He will appear to us in a person of a friend or a relative in whom we have confidence. He has power to place thoughts in our minds and to whisper to us in unspoken impressions to entice us to satisfy our appetites or desires and in various other ways he plays upon our weaknesses and desires. (Answers to Gospel Questions, 3:81) TLDP:137
The devil is the author of false religions. He is perfectly willing that men should worship something and in some manner. He makes them think they are worshipping Jesus Christ and his Father but sees to it that many false doctrines contrary to the plan of salvation are introduced among men. He is the author of confusion and laughs at the divided condition existing among the religious denominations. He it was who brought to pass the great apostasy from the religion and Church of Jesus Christ in former days. Satan is exercising great power and has led the great majority of mankind away from the commandments of God, even while he makes them think that they are serving him. In these latter days he is extremely busy and dominates the thinking and the philosophies of the world and has led many people into "strong delusion, that they should believe a lie." (Man: His Origin and Destiny, pp. 292-93) TLDP:138
A liar and a murderer from the beginning He it was who beguiled the mother of the race, and that by the most dangerous of all falsehoods, the half-truth, in the use of which he is a past master. . . .
Primordially he and his angels were "cast out into the earth," and here they have since been, going up and down in the world, seeking whom they may deceive.
He is the author of sophistry and degrading skepticism, and of the whole foul mass of the philosophy and science "falsely so called," by which mankind are led to doubt the word of God, to becloud the Scriptures with vain imaginings and private interpretations, and to narcotize the mind with the poison of human invention as a substitute for revealed truth.
He is an adept at compounding mixtures of truth and falsehood, with just enough of the one to inspire a dangerous confidence, and of the other a toxic portion.
Beware of his prescriptions, his tonics and medicaments. Remember that water may be crystal clear, and yet hold in solution the deadliest of poisons.
He it is who has deceived peoples, tribes and races, into servile submission to self-constituted rulers, and made of the masses slaves of autocrats, rather than to assert and maintain their rights as free men, whatever the effort and sacrifice be. (The Vitality of Mormonism, p. 347) TLDP:138
168. The priesthood of God has power over the devil.
Not even Lucifer, the Star of the Morning, the arch-enemy of mankind can withstand the power of the priesthood of God. CR1964Apr:96
I have no fears of anything myself; I do not fear all the devils in hell nor on the earth. I have seen the time, whether in the body or out of it, I do not know, but I saw legions of devils; they came by thousands and tens of thousands, and thousands of men will, no doubt, give way before them and yield the field; but when they came against me and my brethren, we having the priesthood had power to withstand them all, for we were of God. You have heard President Young preach that a man, with the power of God upon him, all the devils in hell could not do anything with him; but if a man enters into the spirit world in his sins, the devil will have power over him to lead him captive at his will. ("Remarks," Deseret News, Aug. 20, 1862, p. 58) TLDP:139
The hatred of the wicked always has and always will follow the Priesthood and the Saints. The devil will not lose sight of the power of God vested in man—the Holy Priesthood. He fears it, he hates it, and will never cease to stir up the hearts of the debased and corrupt in anger and malice towards those who hold this power, and to persecute the Saints, until he is bound. (At St. George, Utah, April 2, 1877, JD19:24) TLDP:139
Related Witnesses:
translating the Book of Moses
And it came to pass that Moses looked upon Satan and said: Who art thou? For behold, I am a son of God, in the similitude of his Only Begotten; and where is thy glory, that I should worship thee?
14. For behold, I could not look upon God, except his glory should come upon me, and I were transfigured before him. But I can look upon thee in the natural man. Is it not so, surely?
15. Blessed be the name of my God, for his Spirit hath not altogether withdrawn from me, or else where is thy glory, for it is darkness unto me? And I can judge between thee and God; for God said unto me: Worship God, for him only shalt thou serve.
16. Get thee hence, Satan; deceive me not; for God said unto me: Thou art after the similitude of mine Only Begotten.
17. And he also gave me commandments when he called unto me out of the burning bush, saying: Call upon God in the name of mine Only Begotten, and worship me.
18. And again Moses said: I will not cease to call upon God, I have other things to inquire of him: for his glory has been upon me, wherefore I can judge between him and thee. Depart hence, Satan.
19. And now, when Moses had said these words, Satan cried with a loud voice, and ranted upon the earth, and commanded, saying: I am the Only Begotten, worship me.
20. And it came to pass that Moses began to fear exceedingly; and as he began to fear, he saw the bitterness of hell. Nevertheless, calling upon God, he received strength, and he commanded, saying: Depart from me, Satan, for this one God only will I worship, which is the God of glory.
21. And now Satan began to tremble, and the earth shook; and Moses received strength, and called upon God, saying: In the name of the Only Begotten, depart hence, Satan.
22. And it came to pass that Satan cried with a loud voice, with weeping, and wailing, and gnashing of teeth; and he departed hence, even from the presence of Moses, that he beheld him not. (Satan appears to Moses ) Moses 1:13-22
169. The devil will be bound when he is no longer needed.
Who is Satan? A being powerful, energetic, deceptive, insinuating; and yet necessary to develop the evil, as there are bitters, to make us appreciate the sweet; darkness, to make us appreciate the light; evil and sorrows, that we may appreciate the good; error that we may by enabled to appreciate truth; misery, in order that we may appreciate happiness. . . .
But again, who is Satan? He is a being of God's own make, under his control, subject to his will, cast out of heaven for rebellion; and when his services can be dispensed with, an angel will cast him into the bottomless pit. Can he fight against and overcome God? verily, No Can he alter the designs of God? verily, No Satan may rage, but the Lord can confine him within proper limits. He may instigate rebellion against God, but the Lord can bind him in chains. (The Government of God, pp. 80-81) TLDP:141
We talk about Satan being bound. Satan will be bound by the power of God; but he will be bound also by the determination of the people of God not to listen to him, not to be governed by him. The Lord will not bind him and take his power from the earth while there are men and women willing to be governed by him. That is contrary to the plan of salvation. To deprive men of their agency is contrary to the purposes of our God. There was a time on this continent, of which we have an account, when the people were so righteous that Satan did not have power among them. Nearly four generations passed away in righteousness. They lived in purity, and died without sin. That was through their refusal to yield to Satan. It is not recorded that Satan had no power in other parts of the earth during that period. According to all history that we have in our possession, Satan had the same power over men who were willing to listen to him. But in this land he did not have power, and he was literally bound. I believe that this will be the case in the millennium. CR1897Oct:65
The hatred of the wicked always has and always will follow the Priesthood and the Saints. The devil will not lose sight of the power of God vested in man—the Holy Priesthood. He fears it, he hates it, and will never cease to stir up the hearts of the debased and corrupt in anger and malice towards those who hold this power, and to persecute the Saints, until he is bound. (At St. George, Utah, April 2, 1877, JD19:24) TLDP:139
Related Witnesses:
The only way Satan can be bound is for people to forsake his temptations and enticements to do evil, and to talk uprightly and circumspectly before the Lord. (See 1 Timothy 6:5-7.) CR1971Oct:101
170. Satan tempts us to worship him instead of God.
quoted by John A. Widtsoe
Who owns this earth? Does the Devil? No, he does not, he pretended to own it when the Savior was here, and promised it all to him if he would fall down and worship him; but he did not own a foot of land, he only had possession of it. He was an intruder, and is still; this earth belongs to him that framed and organized it, and it is expressly for his glory and the possession of those who love and serve him and keep his commandments; but the enemy has possession of it. (In new Tabernacle, April 28, 1872, JD15:5) DBY:68
translating the Book of Moses
Behold Satan hath come among the children of men, and tempteth them to worship him; and men have become carnal, sensual, and devilish, and are shut out from the presence of God. (The record of Moses ; Enoch preaches to the people) Moses 6:49
translating the Book of Moses
And it came to pass that when Moses had said these words, behold, Satan came tempting him, saying: Moses, son of man, worship me. . . .
19. And now, when Moses had said these words, Satan cried with a loud voice, and ranted upon the earth, and commanded, saying: I am the Only Begotten, worship me.
20. And it came to pass that Moses began to fear exceedingly; and as he began to fear, he saw the bitterness of hell. Nevertheless, calling upon God, he received strength, and he commanded, saying: Depart from me, Satan, for this one God only will I worship, which is the God of glory.
21. And now Satan began to tremble, and the earth shook; and Moses received strength, and called upon God, saying: In the name of the Only Begotten, depart hence, Satan.
22. And it came to pass that Satan cried with a loud voice, with weeping, and wailing, and gnashing of teeth; and he departed hence, even from the presence of Moses, that he beheld him not. (Revelation to Joseph Smith, 1830; Satan appears to Moses ) Moses 1:12,19-22
The effrontery of his offer was of itself diabolical. Christ, the Creator of heaven and earth, tabernacled as He then was in mortal flesh, may not have remembered His preexistent state, nor the part He had taken in the great council of the Gods; while Satan, an unembodied spirit—he the disinherited, the rebellious and rejected son—seeking to tempt the Being through whom the world was created by promising Him part of what was wholly His, still may have had, as indeed he may yet have, a remembrance of those primeval scenes. In that distant past, antedating the creation of the earth, Satan, then Lucifer, a son of the morning, had been rejected; and the Firstborn Son had been chosen. Now that the Chosen One was subject to the trials incident to mortality, Satan thought to thwart the divine purpose by making the Son of God subject to himself. He who had been vanquished by Michael and his hosts and cast down as a defeated rebel, asked the embodied Jehovah to worship him. "Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve. Then the devil leaveth him, and behold, angels came and ministered unto him." JTC:132-33
recorded in Luke
And Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost returned from Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness,
2. Being forty days tempted of the devil. And in those days he did eat nothing: and when they were ended, he afterward hungered.
3. And the devil said unto him, If thou be the Son of God, command this stone that it be made bread.
4. And Jesus answered him, saying, It is written, That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.
5. And the devil, taking him up into an high mountain, shewed unto him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time.
6. And the devil said unto him, All this power will I give thee, and the glory of them: for that is delivered unto me; and to whomsoever I will I give it.
7. If thou therefore wilt worship me, all shall be thine.
8. And Jesus answered and said unto him, Get thee behind me, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.
9. And he brought him to Jerusalem and set him on a pinnacle of the temple, and said unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down from hence:
10. For it is written, He shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee:
11. And in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone.
12. And Jesus answering said unto him, It is said, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.
13. And when the devil had ended all the temptation, he departed from him for a season. (Jesus fasts 40 days and is tempted of the devil) Luke 4:1-13
Related Witnesses:
False worship brings damnation. (The Millennial Messiah, p. 435) TLDP:751
