What if adversity is not evidence that Yehovah has abandoned you, but one of His most powerful tools to strengthen your faith, shape your character, and keep you on the path He has prepared for you?
If you grew up in the Christian faith, you are probably familiar with the concepts of heaven and hell, as well as the idea of “God versus the Devil.” It is a worldview many people absorb from childhood—through family, church, school, books, movies, and television.
From a distinctly Hebrew and scriptural perspective, however, the picture is broader than many people realize. Countless believers view Satan as God’s archenemy, constantly trying to frustrate the Almighty’s plans and plunge the world into chaos and destruction. This often raises an unspoken question when people think about biblical prophecy: Who will ultimately win the final battle?
As believers in the Creator, we naturally assume that everything associated with light, goodness, and holiness comes from Him, while darkness, evil, and adversity come from His enemy. Yet notice how the prophet Isaiah describes Yehovah Himself:
“I am Yehovah, and there is none else, there is no God beside me… I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create adversity: I Yehovah do all these things.” (Isaiah 45:5–7)
For many readers, these words come as a surprise—even a disappointment. How can the Creator, from whom every good gift proceeds, also claim responsibility for darkness and adversity?
By the end of this article, I hope that question will have a different answer.
Perhaps the greatest difference between the popular Christian understanding of “Satan” and the way the Hebrew Scriptures first present haSatan is that the Hebrew word satan simply means an adversary, an opponent, or one who resists. In its earliest biblical usage, it describes a role or function rather than serving primarily as a personal name. In fact, the word can even function as a verb.
There is an important principle in biblical study often called the law of first mention. The first time a word appears in Scripture frequently establishes the foundation for understanding how it is used throughout the rest of the Bible.
The first occurrence of satan appears in the account of Balaam:
“…the angel of Yehovah stood in the way for an adversary against him…” (Numbers 22:22)
Here, the very angel of Yehovah is described as a satan. This does not identify the angel as the being commonly called Satan in Christian tradition. Rather, it describes the role he was performing. He stood in Balaam’s path to oppose him and prevent him from continuing down a dangerous course. For that reason, most English translations simply render the word adversary.
A few verses later the angel explains:
“…behold, I went out to withstand thee…” (Numbers 22:32)
The Hebrew literally expresses the idea of coming out as a satan—to oppose, resist, or stand in someone’s way.
The same pattern appears elsewhere. In 1 Samuel 29:4, the Philistines fear David may become a satan—an adversary—against them in battle. In 2 Samuel 19:22, David calls the sons of Zeruiah his adversaries. Later, in 1 Kings 11:14, Yehovah Himself raises up an adversary against King Solomon.
These examples reveal a consistent pattern. The word satan describes opposition or resistance. That resistance is not necessarily evil in itself. Rather, it represents the opposing force that serves a purpose within Yehovah’s sovereign plan.
Think of electricity. Current cannot flow without both positive and negative polarity. Or consider strength training. Muscles grow only because they encounter resistance. The very force pushing against us is what makes us stronger.
If the Creator established this principle we call satan, it was not so that we would suffer without purpose. Adversity exists because it develops perseverance, character, and faith.
Left to ourselves, we would gladly choose a life without hardship, imagining that comfort produces happiness. Yet it is often in seasons of adversity that we seek Yehovah most earnestly. It is there that we discover courage we never knew we possessed, learn to trust Him more deeply, and grow into the people He created us to become.
In the end, resistance is not always our enemy. Sometimes it is one of the Creator’s greatest instruments for shaping His children.