Can Satan mimic mythical creatures?

You nailed it!

It took me a long time to learn that Satan cannot create, he can only destroy. He can certainly mimic, however.

 

Not sure I completely agree. My wife and I are created "things"...and we created 3 other "things" (sounds like Cat-in-the-hat) :) Didn't satan also create the calamities that struck Job with God's permission?

 

That is not anywhere near the same as creating mythological creatures.

 

True, but if it can be shown he can create anything the idea becomes plausible.

 

There is no evidence it has ever happened. We would not accept a new doctrine that cannot be verified in scripture. We should not accept this for the same reason.

 

He turned a staff into a snake (and the rest of the duplicate plagues), he created a storm that killed job's children, he created boils on Job's skin, not sure it is a "new" doctrine as much as it is going off of what we do know from Scripture.

 

Satan using mythological creatures has no presidence in scripture and would be a new doctrine.

 

Nothing says an example must be in Scripture to be valid. There is no reason Satan could not mimic mythical creatures. There is also no example is Scripture of someone driving drunk and killing another person. Bet it is still wrong.

 

So what other doctrines would you allow that are not found in scripture? This is no different.

 

It is not a doctrine. It is the ability to perform an act.

 

Not to be argumentative but do you know the meaning of "doctrine"? it is any idea or principle that is being taught.

However, doctrine or not if it is not taught in scripture then why would we hold to it? This idea that Satan can and does create and use mythological creatures cannot be exegeted from scripture.

 

Actually, to "create" means to make something out of NOTHING. No one but God can do that. What humans do is to use what God has given us to make "not create" more--whether children or possessions.

I cannot create a tree, but I can plant a seed that God created and grow one. Parents-to-be use what God has given them to make babies, but that is not creating--just reproducing.

Satan did turn the staffs of false prophets into snakes, and Moses' staff/snake ate them. Don't underestimate Satan and what he can do; that's how people become deceived by him--by underestimating him. He's not all-powerful, all-knowing, all-wise, or capable of being everywhere at once, but he can mimic God in many ways and uses those ways to deceive people.

 

,cre·ate - /krēˈāt/
Verb:
1. Bring (something) into existence
2. Cause (something) to happen as a result of one's
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Not sure why my follow up comments were replaced by commas...but I don't see ex nihlo being a requirement in creating.

 

The Devil is a liar and a deceiver, is he not? As such, he doesn't need to create but make us believe that the thing exists. I see it as being similar to someone running a ponzi scheme. The wealth isn't really there, but as long as people believe it is, they will act accordingly.

 

I think Arbo has hit on it correctly.

Satan seeks to mimic the power of God in order to decieve as many as possible away from the true power. And the best lie as we all know is the one closest to the truth. Truth here to be defined as what humans hold to be truth/reality.

The workman in this case, believed fully in the possibility of mermaids. How easy was it for Satan to work a lie that simply underscored what the poor men already believed was possible?

 

I'm not sure it is an "either / or" proposition. Did Pharaoh's sorcerers really turn their staffs into snakes, or was it merely an illusion? We do know that the storm that killed Job's kids was real and not an illusion.

 

Neither do I. The best lies are built on truth and mixed with fact.

Re: staffs to snakes- Without looking it up, if I remember correctly they were eaten by Moses' and Aaron's. This tells me they were real and not illusory.

 

satan became a talking snake, and he also could turn sticks into snakes!

Think he has and can work with matter/energy, but cannot create it from scratch!

 

And my point still stands.