Your satan is a myth

As agreed in the comments I am arguing that my satan, as shown in the Old Testament, is not a myth. I’ll for the most part agree with Con’s arguments and suggest that satan is normally a noun translated adversary or and briefly used as a metaphor for the adversity adversaries or God may cause/allow. In the context of the Old Testament satan is clearly not a myth. A. The usage of the word adversary (satan) in the bible is not used in any way that would fit a definition of a myth. Con essentially conceded the debate in round one. Con has rejected my round one definitions again reiterating that the debate is about the satan as seen in the Old Testament and I will not contest that this in this round. He and concedes that satan is not a literal being in the Old Testament. I will site Con’s bible references from round two. In the modern definition of adversary the devil is mentioned (modern synonym for Satan) being the personification of ‘the adversary’ as seen in the first google result for adversary. From Google (Con agreed to allow additional resources for definitions): noun noun: adversary; plural noun: adversaries 1. one's opponent in a contest, conflict, or dispute. "Davis beat his old adversary in the quarterfinals" synonyms: opponent, rival, enemy, antagonist, combatant, challenger, contender, competitor, opposer; More opposition, competition, foe "once his devoted comrade at West Point, Arthur was now his adversary at Bull Run" antonyms: ally, supporter the Devil. noun: the Adversary adjective adjective: adversary 2. another term for adversarial. "the confrontations of adversary politics" per·son·i·fi·ca·tion pərG6;sänəfəG2;kāSH(ə)n/ noun noun: personification the attribution of a personal nature or human characteristics to something nonhuman, or the representation of an abstract quality in human form. a figure intended to represent an abstract quality. plural noun: personifications "the design on the franc shows Marianne, the personification of the French republic" synonyms: embodiment, incarnation, epitome, quintessence, essence, type, symbol, soul, model, exemplification, exemplar, image, representation "Foote is the personification of heroism" a person, animal, or object regarded as representing or embodying a quality, concept, or thing. "he was the very personification of British pluck and diplomacy" -Con’s Biblical references 1) – 9) In these references the adversaries are translated from the exact same Hebrew word is used to reference a personification of ‘the adversary’ in Con’s later references. In context of the first 8 references sited are men taking the form of an adversary often against the Israelites. That man normally being referenced as an adversary against God and Israel. Reference 9) was likely simply David making a bad call and not trusting God becoming an adversary. This is a major theme in the OT if this comes up later. -An explanation for Con’s Biblical references 10) - 20) and Satan as the personification of God’s inflicted adversity. Note that Con concedes satan is not a name or a literal being. I would say that in context it is a reference to ‘the adversary,’ as a symbol of the adversity in the world. I’m concluding this since it is a book of poetry and all other references do not have anything to do with a literal being. I would disagree with Con here a little even though his interpretation supports my case quoting Con, “Considering that Job attributed his adversity to other men and Father Yah…” this only adds weight to the argument that the OT satan is a metaphor for earthly adversity which God clearly does not have a problem with and uses it repeatedly as a teaching tool such as the tower of babel, the plagues sent to Egypt, the 40-year march through the desert etc. -Job as a book of poetry In this book Satan is the personification of the adversary or the large amount of adversity that the God’s people go through. There may be other interpretations but satan is only used in a proper noun in the first two chapters of this book of wisdom poetry (not a work meant to be interpreted literally). As Con points out the word used for satan is adversary and not a name. God is initially protecting Job’s property but stops and states, “Behold, all that he has is in your powe; only do not lay a hand on his person,” (Job 1). Con concedes that, “Job attributed his adversity to other men and Father Yah.” This removal of protection is expressed as a series of tragedies such as Job’s loss of all his family, livestock, servants (we call them slaves now) and agonizing boils on his skin as if he wasn’t low enough already. Throughout the rest of the OT events like this are attributed to God with no mention of satan. The book follows a literary scheme that would have been familiar to the ancient Hebrews who would have read this text as poetry. The book opens with a Prologue of sorts where God agrees with the adversary that virtually everything Job has should be destroyed (Job1-2 there is no mention of the adversary after this). The following disasters are clearly an exchange between God and Job. This is followed by a monologue, often seen as a bridge to the prose section, where Job describes how awful he feels in his situation (Job 3). In chapter 4-27 the book goes full blown poetry. With three cycles of wisdom poems as speeches between Job’s three friends Eliphaz, Bildad and Zopher with Job’s response to each speech. This by another cycle of three in the form of poetic monologues. First a wisdom poem in Job 28, then Job’s closing monologue in chapters 29-31 followed by Elihu’s (a local frustrated with Job’s stubbornness) speeches in chapters 32-37. At this point God steps in to close with two speeches where Job replies in each case (chpt 38:1-42:8). At this point Job is redeemed to even greater health and and prosperity in a conclusion or epilogue. Job is widely considered as a poetic book as apposed to a literal account and Con agrees that satan is not a literal being and the book of poetry does not portray him like this. He is a personification of the adversity inflicted on good men in a book of poetry which attributes Job’s affliction ultimately to God. -Psalms, Zechariah and Poetry Psalms 109:6 (Cons reference 21) is another poetic book that uses the same word as satan (adversary) as a description of a man as Con concedes. Zechariah is typically regarded as a book of wisdom poetry and He has a series of visions and messages from god (colloquially referred to as schizophrenia). These odd images or or events he interprets as references to events that will occur. For instance, he sees two olive trees and a golden lamp stand in chapter 4 which he interprets as Israel being a light to the nations. He sees a 15x30 flying scroll interpreted as judgment against Israel 5:1-4, a woman in a basket symbolizing the wickedness of Israel and eventual redemption 5:5-11 and four chariots symbolizing wrath. None of his eight visions are interpreted as literal by the angels who assist in interpreting the visions. In Zechariah 3 he sees a vision of God with the accuser at his right side to accuse The High priest Joshua. This is in context of the other metaphorical visions and includes dirty clothes as a symbol of sin and a stone with seven eyes. This is clearly a poetic or metaphorical reference not the announcement of an evil being that does nothing but accuse everyone. Con concedes that Satan here is not a literal reference to a supernatural being. B. Satan is not myth in the OT. The word simply references an accuser either literally or as a metaphor. Satan is normally mentioned in the bible as simply a man that is in an adversarial role. He is personified as a being briefly in the prologue to a poem in the first two chapters of Job and and in one of Zechariah’s 8 metaphorical visions. In the first few centuries boy did the early Christians take these two poetic references literally. The OT Satan is a simply a reference to an accuser as Con has conceded although we disagree a little on the poetic references. This exists as a modern concept and in any court of law or family holiday visit there are always plenty of accusers to go around. If Satan is only a reference to an accuser in a work of fiction than there is no reason to call Satan myth. Satan is a literary device or a reference to an adversary, a noun. C. Alternate arguments If I were to hold Con to the standard dictionary definitions of Satan he has already conceded that he is not portrayed as and adversary of God or mankind, is not the leader of evil spirits, a tempter or even a single literal being and Con has conceded this. Con asked me to prove that ‘your’ Satan is not a myth. This leaves me a room (a loophole) to define Satan as anything I’d like that I can prove is not a myth using the Old testament. Ignorance or perhaps God as a metaphor would make better satans when considering satan in the OT is not the myth popularized by Christianity. - I essentially agree with Con’s case but not the conclusion. Since there are no references to a being called Satan there can be no myth of Satan based in the OT. Con said, “I would like someone to show me satan from the Tanak (OT of your bibles).” I think we both have and Satan is not a myth it is a word. An improper noun that is very rarely personified in poetry. My satan, based on a literal or figurative interpretation of The Bible (as appropriate) is definitely not a myth.