Are Demons Red With Horns And Long Tails?
Answer: Sometimes cartoons and Halloween costumes show the devil and demons as red creatures with horns and long tails.
But that idea of what Satan looks like came out of someone’s imagination, not from the Bible.
The devil is a bad angel, and angels don’t have physical bodies, so no one knows what Satan looks like.
Like other angels, the devil can take different forms if he wants to.
But he’s not a red-clothed lizard with a pitchfork. He’s a real being, living in the spiritual realm.
Satan is God’s enemy, but Satan is not as powerful as God.
When Satan was created, he was good. But he later rebelled against God and was kicked out of heaven.
Jesus called him “a liar and the father of lies.” The Bible says he is an “angel of light.”
So we see that Satan can be very tricky- he tries to make bad look good. His main way of doing this is to lie to us and accuse us, not scare us with the way he looks.
Key verse: I remind you of the angels who were pure and holy. But they turned to a life of sin.
Now God has them chained up in prisons of darkness. They are waiting for the Judgment Day. (Jude 1:6)
Related verse: 1 Peter 5:8
Related questions: Who is the devil? Can demons look like angels like Satan can? Did God actually kick the devil out of heaven?
Note to parents: Kids have the idea that the devil is God’s equal, like a villain in a superhero cartoon.
But the devil is no match for God. God is infinite and all-powerful, while Satan is a created being with limited power.
Why Did God Make Satan If God Knew Satan Would Make Sin?
Answer: God created all people and all angels with the ability to choose to obey him.
God knew that some would choose to obey and some would choose to disobey.
Still he created them because he knew it was a good thing to do.
God makes everything good, and that includes the people and angels, who had the choice of whether or not to serve God.
Also, Satan did not invent sin, but he tries to get people to choose it.
God has allowed Satan to have freedom now, but in the end God will defeat Satan and punish him.
Key verse: I [Jesus] saw Satan falling from Heaven like a flash of light! (Luke 10:18)
Related verses: Revelation 20:7-10
Related questions: If heaven was so perfect and Satan lived there before he sinned, why did he sin?
Why didn’t God stop Adam from eating the apple off the tree? Why did God make a bad tree in the Garden with Adam and Eve?
Does The Devil Have Power Like God Does?
Answer: The devil has great powers, but he is not even close to being as powerful as God.
Satan can perform fake miracles, lie, accuse, twist the truth, tempt, and trick people into doing what is wrong.
But he also has many limits: He cannot be everywhere at the same time; he cannot create anything; he is not all-powerful; he cannot read your mind; and he has no power over Jesus.
Key verses: Dear friends, don’t be afraid of these who want to murder you. They can only kill the body. They have no power over your souls. But I’ll tell you whom to fear! Fear God who has the power to kill you and then put you into hell. (Luke 12:4-5)
Related verses: Job 1:6-12; 2:1-7; John 14:30
Related questions: Is Satan as powerful as God? Does Satan ever get hurt? What is Satan’s kingdom made up of? Why was Satan a snake when he tempted Eve?
Note to parents: You can assure your child that the devil has no power over Jesus (John 14:30). That’s just one reason it’s so great to be Jesus’ friend.