If God had destroyed Satan even from the beginning, then this world would have been a better place, right? That would be the wisest thing to do! But why would our all-knowing, all-powerful, the God with whom we ask wisdom to, haven’t thought of just destroying Satan? Why does God allow Satan to live?
See how John Piper, a pastor, and famous author, founder of desiringGod.org and chancellor of Bethlehem College & Seminary, answer this question that every one of us may have asked.
For those who believe in God, we all agree that God is all powerful. The Bible reveals that with just a word, He was able to create the world, and with just a breath, all life was able to begin. If you come to think of it, this all-powerful God is able, with just one snap of a finger, to totally remove Satan from the picture. The question is not God’s ability to destroy Satan, the question is why would he not destroy Satan.
What would life look like without Satan in the picture? For sure there’s no chaos, no poverty, no sicknesses, no temptation, anything that the enemy has brought into this world, for sure, there will be none of it. But why does this all-powerful God allow Satan to live?
John Piper answered it with this: “And I think the reason for that—this is my ultimate final answer—is that the glory of God and Christ shines more brightly when we are seen to be supremely satisfied in Christ in spite of Satan’s torments, rather than if we had his torments removed and liked Jesus because of it.”
At the end of the day, it is for His glory to all the more shine in this dark world. The torments that Satan is bringing in our lives are opportunities for us to cry out to God and to all the more have a better understanding of who He is. If life is without chaos, pain, sickness, temptation, or any form of suffering, will we remember that there is actually a God out there? All of these things that Satan has brought about in our lives are a very good platform for God’s glory to be revealed. Those are reminders for us that there is a God out there that can help us go through all of those things that the enemy is throwing at our life. God desires that despite Satan’s torment, we are able to see Him and glorify Him.
“The chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever”― Westminster Shorter Catechism