Devil, according to many religions, is an evil spirit that opposes God or good spirits. The Devil tempts people to be wicked. He is the chief Tempter and may command many lesser devils. In Judaism and Christianity, the Devil is also known as Satan. In Islam, the religion of the Muslims, the Devil is known as Iblis.
Sometimes the religious belief in devils is combined with folklore about ghosts and demons. Most Asian religions do not accept a single supreme Devil, such as Satan or Iblis. These religions teach that countless devils of somewhat equal rank try to harm human beings.
In the Old Testament, the Devil is a satan, a Hebrew word that means adversary. The Devil serves as a kind of accuser or prosecutor in God’s heavenly court. In the Book of Job, which dates from about the 600’s to the 400’s B.C., God permits the Devil to test the faith of Job by overwhelming him with misfortunes. Through the centuries, the Devil has been perceived as an evil angel. By the time of the New Testament, he was seen as the opponent of God and one who had been expelled from heaven. Since then, the Devil has been portrayed as tempting humanity to turn against God. According to medieval thought, the Devil is one who rules hell, where he and his followers punish the damned.
In many works of art and literature, Satan and other devils are portrayed with animal features, particularly bat’s wings, split hoofs, and a barbed tail. These features probably symbolize the Devil’s beastly lust and passion. Many modern theologians consider the Devil to be a symbol of the power of evil, of the worst qualities of human nature, or of the destructive forces in the universe.
