The History of the Devil cleverly unfolds the actions, devices, and evil nature of Satan and his host of devils against God and mankind throughout the history of the world. Defoe divides the book into two parts: Ancient, or the time from before the creation of the universe to the coming of the Messiah, Jesus Christ; and Modern, or from the time of Christ and establishment of the Christian Church to the present day. His style is one that uniquely blends serious biblical principles and history with lighter satirical narrative, especially when dealing with mankind’s many false presuppositions about the Devil, and clearly delineates when each, or both, is applicable to the subject of discussion.
Daniel DeFoe (1660-1731) was a prolific English writer with over 500 works to his name, including his most famous, Robinson Crusoe (1719), Moll Flanders (1722) and Colonel Jack (1722). His resolute faith in God and his Savior, Jesus Christ, and the divine insight the Lord unfolded to him of the operations of good and evil in the history of the world and the society in which he lived, were the motivating factors behind the writing of this timeless work. Defoe’s Christianity aligned closely with the beliefs of the eminent Puritans and the brave reformers of Protestant Reformation, and he was a dissenter from the Church of England.