Because Satan is “the god of this world,” many have also assumed that he controls the weather and is the one who causes all natural disasters, such as droughts, floods, hurricanes, earthquakes and so on. But is this what Scripture teaches us? Again, we must be careful that we don’t base our entire theology of Satan upon one scripture that
says that, “the thief comes only to steal, and kill, and destroy” (John 10:10). How often I’ve heard people quote this verse as proof that anything that steals, kills or destroys is from Satan. When we examine more of the Bible, however, we learn that God Himself sometimes kills and destroys. Consider these three passages out of many possible examples:
There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the One who is able to save and to destroy (James 4:12, emphasis added).
But I will warn you whom to fear: fear the One who after He has killed has authority to cast into hell; yes, I tell you, fear Him! (Luke 12:5, emphasis added.)
And do not fear those who kill the body, but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell (Matt. 10:28, emphasis added).
If we say that everything that involves killing or destroying is the work of Satan, we are mistaken. There are scores of examples in the Bible of God killing and destroying.
We should ask ourselves, When Jesus spoke of the thief who comes to kill, steal, and destroy, was He actually speaking about the devil? Again, all we need to do is read His statement contextually. One verse prior to His statement about the thief coming to kill, steal, and destroy, Jesus said, “All who came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them” (John 10:8). When we read Jesus’ entire discourse in John 10:1-15 stating He is the good Shepherd, it becomes even more obvious that His terms thief and thieves are references to false teachers and religious leaders.
