God and mankind, represented by Adam and Eve, enjoyed an agreeable relationship in the Garden of Eden until Satan, an uninvited, obnoxious intruder, a deceiver, accuser, and destroyer, disturbed the peace and ruined paradise. Satan has caused unbelief, fear, distrust, hatred, and division ever since. God, our Host, has prophesied in His Word that He will one day, for a time, throw the intruder out and restore peace to His fellowship with humanity. The being known as Satan the Devil began his life as a glorious cherub covering God's throne. God had also given him the earth to govern, but his greed grew until he conceived thoughts of taking everything for himself, including God's very throne. He deceived himself into thinking he was smart and powerful enough to take over ruling all things. The sins that most describe Satan are vanity, greed, selfishness, self-exaltation, and pride. These sins embittered him until he planned a coup against the throne of heaven and recruited other angels to his cause. God says plainly that Satan would be put down, signaling his ultimate end. Even so, his daily, evil influences must still be resisted. He and his demons remain active, trying to deceive and tempt human beings, especially God's children, since they have been chosen to be part of the Family destined to take over his throne with Jesus Christ. Just after Christ's return, God will break Satan's power over humanity for a thousand years. Two important steps in God's plan will occur in quick succession: the return of Jesus Christ prompting the first resurrection and the binding of Satan. The Devil will be imprisoned for most of the thousand-year reign of Christ with His saints, allowing the earth and its inhabitants to enjoy times of refreshing. Free from the Devil's hateful and rebellious attitudes, people will be much more inclined to choose what is good.

In the great spiritual battle we face, our enemy, satan, operates as a deceptive and powerful adversary. Described as a roaring lion on the prowl, seeking someone to devour, his schemes are crafty and dangerous. Originally named Heylel, an anointed cherub whose wings covered the throne of God, he was created to praise and glorify the Almighty. However, he rebelled, seeking to overthrow God and establish his own throne, leading to his fall from his exalted position. Cast back to earth, he was renamed satan, meaning adversary, reflecting his true nature as the opponent of God and all who stand with Him. Understanding his character and methods is crucial to counter his attacks effectively, as he thrives on remaining hidden and exploiting the unaware.

Jude warns of certain men who have crept in unnoticed, turning the grace of our God into lewdness and denying the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ. Among the examples of such dangerous characters, Balaam stands out as a figure driven by greed, as noted in Jude 11, where these men are said to have run greedily in the error of Balaam for profit. This unrestrained pursuit of personal desire mirrors the description in II Peter 2:15, which states that they have forsaken the right way, following the way of Balaam, who loved the wages of unrighteousness. In the account from Numbers 22:18-21, Balaam initially acknowledges that he cannot go beyond the word of the LORD, yet he ultimately disregards God's conditional permission, interpreting it as absolute approval to pursue his own interests. Blinded by the lure of silver and gold, Balaam employs mental gymnastics to justify his actions, turning God's grace into a license for evil. While material gain was his primary motivation, the reward sought by those Jude warns against might also include influence or prestige, yet the core transgression remains the same: compromising with God's Word for personal gain. Jesus Christ, in Revelation 2:14, refers to this error as the doctrine of Balaam, linking it to placing stumbling blocks before Israel by encouraging idolatry and sexual immorality. Balaam counseled Balak to lead the Israelites astray while outwardly claiming devotion to God, revealing his mercenary nature. Though he spoke what God gave him to say, he manipulated circumstances to secure earthly rewards. The error of Balaam can thus be summarized as compromising with the Word of God for personal gain, in whatever form that gain might take.