Worship of the Devil
SATANISM is the direct religious worship of Satan the Devil as god. Sects of Satanism have existed as base forms of false religion. Sacred Scriptures admit the fact that Satan by deception has become the god of this present evil system of things. (2 Cor. 4:4) While striving for such a distinction Satan has had the insatiable desire to be worshiped directly as a world god. (Ezek. 28:2) However, he has never succeeded in inducing most of mankind to religiously serve him other than indirectly by means of deceptive devices such as idols or the trinity concept. It is of interest to note that down through the ages glimpses have come to the surface of secluded sects worshiping Satan outrightly as their god. What sort of religious performance do these sects present?
From Nimrod’s time to the present there have been those who have been interested in the occult, dealing with satanic mystical things of the spirit realm. Such ones have become known as sorcerers, magicians and astrologers. Their practices of magic and communicating with the uncanny invisible powers are condemned in the Bible. (Lev. 19:26; Ex. 22:18; 1 Sam. 15:23) Like the fictitious Faust who sold himself to the Devil, so these practicers of divination and demonism are said to bind themselves in secret worship and service to Satan. Many are the exaggerated tales of their witchcraft rites and grotesque antics of Devil worship.
Out of the old pagan Chaldean religion of the past, including Magianism, there exists today a relic of an ancient sect of Satan worshipers known as the Yezidis. They are found mostly in the mountains of modern Iraq, although some of them have been scattered to Turkey and Soviet Armenia. Sir Austin Layard in his excavations of Nineveh in the nineteenth century came across the Yezidis. Of these he writes: “The mysteries of the sect have been traced to the worship introduced by Semiramis, a worship which, impure in its forms, led to every excess of debauchery and lust. . . . They believe Satan to be the chief of the Angelic host, now suffering punishment for his rebellion against the divine will; but still all-powerful, and to be restored hereafter to his high estate in the celestial hierarchy. He must be conciliated and reverenced, they say, for as he now has the means of doing evil to mankind, so will he hereafter have the power of rewarding them.” A report in 1946 said the “Yezidis believe the Supreme Being delegated worldly power to Satan for 10,000 years.”
History records that toward the end of the fourth century after Christ there was a glimpse of a sect by the name of “Satanians.” Among other things it is said that they believed the Devil to be extremely powerful. For this reason it was much wiser to respect and adore him than to curse him. They held that, in view of the power Satan wielded over men, it makes it right for them to pray that he will not exercise it to their harm.
Later, during medieval times, there comes to view “the Sabbat,” a midnight assembly of sorcerers and witches who performed rites of Devil worship. One writer claims human sacrifices of children were made to Satan on such occasions.
Toward the end of the nineteenth century a group called “Luciferians” come to the surface. Says the Encyclopaedia of Religion and Ethics: “They were said to adore Lucifer, the equal and foe of Adonay, or Jahweh. He was in their view the God of light, the good principle, while Adonay was the God of darkness, the evil principle. In short, he was Satan himself.” This blasphemous sect could not more completely copy 2 Corinthians 11:14, which reads: “And no wonder, for Satan himself keeps transforming himself into an angel of light.”
The nineteenth century presents to view another sect designated “Satanists.” The book The Worship of Satan in Modern France has this to say: They [the Satanists] have always existed in Paris. Their temples are in the Rue Jacob, the Rue Rochechouart and within a few yards of the Pantheon. Only the initiated are admitted. The most noteworthy feature of the downright Satanism of today [1896] is that it necessarily symbolises an acceptance of revealed dogma and of a personal devil. The followers actually profess that the being whom they describe as the vanquished foe of the archangels Michael and Raphael actually manifests himself to them on certain occasions.”
What about recent times? In 1922 a press article said the “black mass” was being celebrated again for a short time following World War I. “The new devil worship has more women than men among its devotees. Its high priestess is a woman. The ‘Temple’ where the devil is worshiped is a fair-sized Parisian salon, capable of accommodating perhaps fifty ‘worshipers.’ A place is kept clear on the ‘altar’ on which the devil is supposed to make his incarnate appearance, and it will be easily believed by those familiar with postwar psychology that quite a number of his ‘flock’ profess to have seen and held converse with him. Clothes are not worn either by the ‘celebrant’ or the ‘congregation.’ It is an expensive matter to become a devil worshiper, even allowing for the chaotic state of the exchange. To become a neophyte, it is stated, costs you 100,000 francs. You have to pay as much more for your initiation when you are raised to the degree of actually holding converse with the devil. Every time you attend a service you have to contribute another 1,000 francs to the ‘Temple’ expenses. That the cult will be suppressed in the more or less near Future is certain—as soon, that is to say, as its excesses cease to be a carefully guarded secret in the hands of the few.”
All will agree that these sects of Satanism present performances that are degrading. They reveal the extent of the fallen state of mind of Satan, who inspires such low religions. Furthermore, these sects can have an appeal only to those humans who have become reprobates like their father the Devil. (John 8:44) These glimpses expose the filthy thinking and base mentality of the one who now is worshiped indirectly by most of mankind as their god, namely, Satan, the fool opposer of Jehovah God.