When we were last together in this new series we revealed that Lucifer was created by God, described in the Bible as...the anointed cherub who covers...Ez. 28:14. Lucifer was perfect from the day he was created...till iniquity was found in you (him)...Ez. 28:15. What is iniquity? The Bible defines iniquity as perverseness, unrighteousness and wickedness.
When iniquity was found in Lucifer he lost his favored position in Heaven and was cast to the earth. How you are fallen from Heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How you are cut down to the ground...you who weakened the nations...for you have said in your heart: I will ascend into Heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will also sit on the mount of the congregation on the farthest sides of the north, I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the Most High...Is. 14:12-14.
When Lucifer, the created angel, said he would become like God, what did God say to him? ...you became filled with violence within, and you sinned, therefore I cast you as a profane thing out of the mountain of God; and I destroyed you, O covering cherub from the midst of the fiery stones...your heart was lifted up because of your beauty; you corrupted your wisdom for the sake of your splendor...Ez. 28:16-17. Pride is an ugly liability!
God continued...you shall be brought down to Sheol, to the lowest depths of the Pit...Is. 14:15. It is obvious that God had given Lucifer a kingdom to oversee, but the scriptures do not give is more detail. Because of his beauty and splendor, somewhere along his path of power and authority given to him by God, he became deceived into believing he could become God and overthrow the throne of his Creator!
And war broke out in Heaven; Michael and his angels fought with the dragon (Lucifer); and the dragon and his angels fought, but they did not prevail, nor was a place found for them in Heaven any longer...so the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world, he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him...Rev. 12:7-9.
God had one last thing to say to Lucifer, now referred to as Satan, as he cast him into the Pit in the earth...you shall be a terror...Ez. 28:19. As we look around at our modern godless society, we can see how Satan is continuing to terrorize our world. But when God told Satan he would be a terror on the earth, He also prophesied...and you shall be no more forever. When God is finished allowing Satan to test mankind, he will be cast into the Lake of Fire, away from God's family forever...Rev. 20:10.
Jesus anointed 70 of His disciples with His power and authority and sent them into the communities to cast out demons and heal the sick. When they returned they shared with Jesus how astonished they were that the demons were subject to them in the Name of Jesus! Jesus said to them...I saw Satan fall like lightning from Heaven...Luke 10:17-18. Another time Jesus was explaining to them about Hell when He said...the everlasting fire (was) prepared for the devil and his angels...Matt. 25:41.
Jesus saw Satan fall like lightning out of Heaven, as God cast him to the earth to become a terror. The Apostle Peter warned human beings about Satan when he said...be sober, be vigilant, because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour...I Pet. 5:8. If Satan isn't real I wonder why Jesus and His disciples talked about him in the first person?
After Jesus told His disciples that He saw Satan fall to the earth - a terror - He told them not to fear. He assured them when He said...I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you...Luke 10:19. Serpents and scorpions is symbolism for demons and their poisonous darts of destruction directed toward God's kids.
Is it becoming a bit clearer that Satan is a real living being, who lives in the invisible world, but his works are clearly visible in our physical world? He once was a bright and shinning star in God's heavenly kingdom, but he rebelled against God. God had no choice but to cast Satan from His presence - sin cannot live in the presence of God's holiness - His purity.
Since Satan no longer reflected the light and brilliance of the anointing of God, he took on the persona of wickedness, reflecting his nefarious activity hidden in the darkness of the sins of men. He was angry at God, so would relentlessly seek to kidnap God's family and take them to Hell with him. Well...how could that be since Jesus said that Hell was created for the devil and his angels?
I remember a conversation with my Dad who claimed he had read the whole Bible twelve times, so felt rather scholarly. He was telling me there is no Hell. Hell is the life you have to live on the earth. I usually don't challenge someone's emphatic statements, but I may ask a thought-provoking question. So I asked him, "If there is no Hell how does it enlarge itself?" After a brief silence, he snapped, "Where is that in the Bible?" I said, "Isaiah 5:14."
I explained that no human being is forced to follow God and His commandments, because He made human beings with a mind, will and emotions - they can choose whom they will follow. If they choose God, He will usher them into His heavenly kingdom - but - if they choose Satan, Hell will enlarge itself to accommodate their choice to follow him.
Why don't people believe that Satan is real? Stay tuned...
God's sheep question the doctrines of men...sheeple follow without question~~~
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