Q: Does God hate the devil?
A: Yes, for our comfort, this is a fact of Scripture. “I will put enmity [hatred] between you and the woman. . .,” said God as he gave the first promise of a Savior who would “crush the serpent’s head” (Genesis 3:15). There is no contradiction to state that God, who is love, has an absolute abhorrence for the devil, a fallen former holy angel. God’s whole plan of salvation for the sin-infected human race was to defeat the powerful hold of Satan upon the lives of everyone. Christ came to “destroy the devil’s work” (I John 3:8), and he successfully rescued sinners with his substitutionary death on the cross. Somewhere between the time of his dying and rising, Jesus even descended into hell to proclaim his victory in the presence of the demons (I Peter 3:l9 and Col. 2:15).
The very fact that our Lord stands in complete opposition to Satan is a boost for all who believe. “The father of lies” has been defeated by the one who is the Truth. Nothing can compromise or jeopardize Christ’s powerful love for us! He has repudiated Satan and his wily schemes. Holding to Christ’s merits alone for our forgiveness, we do not fear Satan’s ravenous “roar”!