In the biblical narrative, antagonists serve as individuals or groups who oppose the purposes of God, His people, or His anointed leaders. These figures often embody resistance to divine will and serve as instruments through which the faith and perseverance of God's people are tested. The presence of antagonists in Scripture highlights the ongoing spiritual battle between good and evil, underscoring the necessity of faith, obedience, and reliance on God's power.

Old Testament Antagonists

1. Satan: Known as the adversary, Satan is the quintessential antagonist in the Bible. His role as the tempter in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3) sets the stage for humanity's fall into sin. In the Book of Job, Satan challenges the integrity of Job, questioning his faithfulness to God (Job 1:6-12).

2. Pharaoh: The Egyptian Pharaoh during the time of Moses is a prominent antagonist who opposes God's command to let the Israelites go free. His hardened heart and refusal to heed God's warnings through Moses and Aaron lead to the ten plagues (Exodus 7-12).

3. Goliath: The Philistine giant who defies the armies of Israel and challenges them to single combat is an antagonist who embodies the physical and spiritual opposition to God's chosen people. David's victory over Goliath (1 Samuel 17) demonstrates God's power to deliver His people through faith.

4. Jezebel: The wife of King Ahab, Jezebel is a notorious antagonist who promotes idolatry and persecutes the prophets of Yahweh. Her opposition to Elijah and her eventual downfall (1 Kings 18-21; 2 Kings 9) illustrate the consequences of defying God.

New Testament Antagonists

1. Herod the Great: Known for his role in the massacre of the innocents, Herod the Great is an antagonist who seeks to destroy the infant Jesus, perceiving Him as a threat to his throne (Matthew 2:1-18).

2. The Pharisees and Sadducees: These religious leaders frequently oppose Jesus, challenging His authority and teachings. Their antagonism is evident in their attempts to trap Jesus with questions and their eventual role in His crucifixion (Matthew 23; Mark 12:13-17).

3. Judas Iscariot: As one of the twelve disciples, Judas becomes an antagonist through his betrayal of Jesus for thirty pieces of silver (Matthew 26:14-16). His actions fulfill prophetic Scripture and set in motion the events leading to the crucifixion.

4. Saul of Tarsus: Before his conversion, Saul is a fierce antagonist of the early Church, persecuting Christians and seeking to destroy the nascent movement (Acts 8:1-3). His dramatic encounter with Christ on the road to Damascus (Acts 9) transforms him into the Apostle Paul, a pivotal figure in the spread of the Gospel.

Spiritual Antagonists

The Bible also speaks of spiritual forces that act as antagonists to God's purposes. Ephesians 6:12 states, "For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this world's darkness, and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms." These forces represent the broader cosmic conflict between God's kingdom and the realm of darkness.

Throughout Scripture, antagonists serve as reminders of the reality of opposition to God's will. They challenge believers to remain steadfast in faith, relying on God's strength and guidance to overcome adversity.

Natural Evil, or Suffering, and Especially the Suffering of ...
... Thus, says Dr. Dick: "If our antagonists will change the meaning of words, they
cannot alter the nature of things. ... If our antagonists," &c. ...
/.../a theodicy or vindication of the divine glory/chapter ii natural evil or.htm

From the Death of Bishop Asbury to the Close of the General ...
... It is not saying too much to affirm, that he vanquished all his antagonists, cleared
the field of controversy of the thorns and briers of error, and at the ...
/.../chapter 3 from the death.htm

The Hallowing of Work and of Rest
... If we do these things, whatever obstacles may arise in our paths, we may be sure
that these are God's antagonists, because they are antagonists to God's work ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture k/the hallowing of work and.htm

The Gnostics, the Montanists, and the Manichaeans.
... The three great antagonists of the gospel were the Grecian philosophy, the heathen
mythology, and a degenerate Judaism; and Gnosticism may be described as an ...
/.../killen/the ancient church/chapter iv the gnostics the.htm

The Old Faiths and the New
... circumcision was the only gateway to baptism." With the first class of Jews it was
not so difficult to deal, for they were out and out antagonists, but the ...
/.../sell/bible studies in the life of paul/study viii the old faiths.htm

Later Greek Versions.
... passed into the hands of the Church and was used in controversy with Jewish antagonists,
the Jews not unnaturally began to doubt the accuracy of the ...
/.../chapter ii later greek versions.htm

Victory Over Death.
... And the apostle brings together all the believer's antagonists"the law's power,
sin, and death the chief antagonist of all; and then, as it were on a ...
/.../robertson/sermons preached at brighton/xvii victory over death.htm

Textual Condition of the Lxx. , and Problems Arising Out of It.
... which were favourable to their Christian antagonists (dial.71 pollas graphas teleon
perieilon apo ton exegeseon ton gegenemenon hupo ton para Ptolemaio ...
/.../chapter v textual condition of.htm

Editor's Preface
... Against these antagonists he vindicates the teaching of the Apostles, by appealing
to the utterances of the Prophets, and by showing that the God of Israel was ...
/.../augustine/our lords sermon on the mount/editors preface.htm

A Treatise on Re-Baptism by an Anonymous Writer.
... been written and replied on this new question, wherein both sides endeavoured with
the greatest eagerness to demolish what had been written by their antagonists ...
/.../a treatise of novatian concerning the trinity/a treatise on re-baptism by.htm

Antagonists (1 Occurrence)
... Multi-Version Concordance Antagonists (1 Occurrence). Philippians 1:28 Never
for a moment quail before your antagonists. Your fearlessness ...
/a/antagonists.htm - 6k

Omen (6 Occurrences)
... enterprise. Multi-Version Concordance Omen (6 Occurrences). Philippians
1:28 Never for a moment quail before your antagonists. Your ...
/o/omen.htm - 8k

Impending (2 Occurrences)
... threatening. Multi-Version Concordance Impending (2 Occurrences). Philippians
1:28 Never for a moment quail before your antagonists. Your ...
/i/impending.htm - 7k

Fearlessness (1 Occurrence)
... Multi-Version Concordance Fearlessness (1 Occurrence). Philippians 1:28 Never
for a moment quail before your antagonists. Your fearlessness ...
/f/fearlessness.htm - 6k

Distance (75 Occurrences)
... interval, which is measured from right to left. 5. (n.) Space between two
antagonists in fencing. 6. (n.) The part of a picture which ...
/d/distance.htm - 29k

Antagonistic (1 Occurrence)

/a/antagonistic.htm - 7k

Quail (5 Occurrences)
... Gene Stratton-Porter. Multi-Version Concordance Quail (5 Occurrences). Philippians
1:28 Never for a moment quail before your antagonists. ...
/q/quail.htm - 13k

Moment (71 Occurrences)
... blessing to the hearers. (WEY NAS). Philippians 1:28 Never for a moment
quail before your antagonists. Your fearlessness will be ...
/m/moment.htm - 29k

Sure (142 Occurrences)
... also out of good will. (See NAS). Philippians 1:28 Never for a moment quail
before your antagonists. Your fearlessness will be to ...
/s/sure.htm - 40k

Antediluvian

/a/antediluvian.htm - 35k

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