The Devil as Enemy of the Human Race

5.2 The Devil as Enemy of the Human Race

 

In the Exorcism Prayer of the Roman Ritual, the Devil is called "Hostis generis humani" translated in Wellers 1952 edition as "Foe of the Human Race" and in the proposed english version of the Revised Rite of Exorcisms, it is translated as "Enemy of the Human Race". The title speaks eloquently the very nature of the relationship between the human race and the legion of darkness, and it is never sweet no matter what satanists would want us to believe.

The Lord Jesus calls the Devil a murderer from the very beginning.

"He was a murderer from the beginning, and has nothing to do with the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks according to his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies." (John 8:4)

The muderous nature of  the devil and his legions is born out of their envy towards the human race. (CCC 391; Exorcism Prayer --A Supplication and Exorcism which may be used in particular circumstances). They are envious of the following gifts to be bestowed on man by the Almighty:

• to be made in made in His image and likeness (Genesis 1:26-27)
• it pleased the Son of God to dwell in man (Ephesians 1:4; CCC 51)
• made man as adopted sons and daughters (Ephesians 1:5)
• to endow man with every grace and blessing (Ephesians 1:3)
• for the Word to take upon himself our lowly nature (Philippians 2:7)
• and as Man every knee shall bow in heavens, on the earth and under the earth (Philippians 2:9-11)

The very nature that God becoming man in Jesus Christ, meant that man would one day be higher than the angels. This truth of God's plan revealed to the angels was the reason that some of them despised God because they could not accept that a creature made less than them (Psalm 8:5) would rule over them (Psalm 8:6; Hebrews 1:5-6). Hence, envy, pride and hatred entered their heart.

Thus the sin of the fallen angels are:

• Envy - because they considered man as unworthy of what God wants to give them (CCC 391)
• Pride - because they considered themselves worthier of that unique grace where God would become one of them (CCC 392)
• Hatred - because God chose man to be higher than the angels, they were filled with hate against God and man (CCC 394)

Therefore, the purpose of the seduction of man by the serpent in the Garden of Eden, is to prevent the Incarnation from ever taking place. So that God will not become man, because man himself will reject God. (CCC 391)

"Behind the disobedient choice of our first parents lurks a seductive voice, opposed to God, which makes them fall into death out of envy."