Lucifer's Rebellion
Evil did not originate on planet earth. Before God created earth,
he had already populated the universe with other rational beings.
The Bible calls these beings "angels," and names several different
orders. Angels have often been made to appear as fantasy by those
seeking to discredit their existence. Many artists have
intentionally or inadvertently supported this by their inaccurate
illustrations. Children have often seen the little angels and
devils on the shoulders of cartoon characters, made ridiculous in
appearance and action. One result of all this is that many people
who believe that life exists elsewhere in the universe (even some
with superior intelligence to mankind) reject the existence of
angels because of their association with fantasy roles. But the
angels are not creatures of fantasy. They are simply another form
of living creature that has come from the hand of God. The angels,
like mankind, were created with free will, and were subject to the
same conditions regarding their eternal life. The most prominent
of these chose to rebel against God. In order to understand the
conditions in which we live today, we need to understand this angel
and how he came to rebel against God.
1. |
What did Lucifer hope to accomplish in his rebellion against
God? Isaiah 14:12-14
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Helps and hints: Years ago, as the story goes a
great organist performed a piece on a pump organ. After the well
received performance, the man who pumped the air commented to the
organist, "That sure was a fine job we did, wasn't it?" "WE ?"
replied the organist. "You may have operated the machinery, but I
made the music all by myself." At their next performance, in the
middle of the finale, the helper came out and sat on the front row.
As the organ wound down to silence, the organist turned and
shouted, "What are you doing out here. Get back in there and
PUMP!" The other man calmly replied, "I just wanted to see how you
were doing out here all by yourself."
Lucifer became so infatuated with himself that he forgot that he
was dependent on God for his very life. Lucifer has not life in
himself. He gets it from the same place we do, GOD. He is also
subject to God's judgement and will have no more power than we do
to escape God's decision.
This passage is the most complete "biography: of Lucifer in the
Bible. The passage is outwardly addressed to the "King of Tyrus,"
an earthly king, but the language indicates that more than earthly
realities are represented. Lucifer has used human agents whenever
possible in his war against the kingdom of god. Ezekiel, with
prophetic insight, sees through this human agent to the real
source of activities against God's people. Questions 2-5 highlight
some of the information given by Ezekiel.
2. |
What privileges did Lucifer enjoy as a loyal servant of his
Creator? Ezekiel 28:13,14
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3. |
Did God create Lucifer with the seed of sin in his heart, so
that it was only a matter of time before he became a "devil?" Ezekiel
28:15
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Helps and hints: This is a very important
question. Sin
originated in the heart of Lucifer, as indicated by this passage.
But did God therefore "create sin" because He created Lucifer? God
DID NOT create sin. But He did create his creatures with the
freedom of choice. God could never be content with mere robots.
Free will means the power to choose for or against something.
Lucifer had the choice to remain loyal to God, or to rebel against
Him. He was created with no taint of maliciousness. His rebellion
was not the fault of god, but the result of his own free choice.
4. |
What was the cause of Lucifer's desire to rebel against God? Ezekiel 28:16,17
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Helps and hints: The same thing that caused the
first of God's creatures to rebel against Him continues to hold men
and women in rebellion against Him today - PRIDE.
Helps and hints: The final destruction of Lucifer
will not be the result of a whimsical or vindictive decision by
God. Lucifer will be the author of his own destruction. His
intentional misuse of the gift of free will undercut the peace and
safety of every other creature in the universe.
6. |
What two sins did Christ say originated in the heart of
Lucifer? John 8:44
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7. |
What was the result of Lucifer's effort to seize the throne
of God in heaven by force? Revelation 12:7-9
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8. |
Where was Satan confined when he was cast out of heaven?
Revelation 12:9
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Helps and hints: In the book of Revelation, stars
are used to symbolize angels. It would indicate that Satan was
able to turn a third of God's angels against Him in his effort to
gain the throne.
10. |
After he was expelled from heaven, whom did Satan seek to
deceive? Genesis 3:1-6
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Helps and hints: Satan's rebellion i heaven had
failed. But it must have surprised him to find that he still had
access to some of God's unfallen creatures. God would allow the
loyalty of ALL of His free-will beings to be tested. Although Adam
and Eve were forewarned of the consequences of disobedience, Satan
was still able to entice them to disregard the warning.
11. |
What did Satan lay claim to as a result of mankind's fall? Luke
4:5,6
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Helps and hints: God originally created mankind
as overseers of planet earth. He gave them "dominion over the fish
of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living
thing that moveth upon the earth." Genesis 1:28. The apostle Paul
said, "Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to
obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto
death, or of obedience unto righteousness?" Romans 6:16. Adam and
Eve gave their obedience to Satan, and he was quick to proclaim his
dominion over planet earth. Form this geographical location he
would continue his war against God. The apostle Paul later
described him as the 'god of this world." 2 Corinthians 4:4.
Helps and hints: God could have destroyed Satan
when he first rebelled. But the rest of His creatures would not
have understood, not having seen the consequences of Lucifer's
course of action. Instead, God allowed Satan to demonstrate what
the universe would be like under his authority. The results are
written across the pages of human history. When the demonstration
is complete, God will safely be able to eliminate Satan without
running the risk that His other creatures will serve Him out of
fear. Satan is a defeated foe. He knows that he will soon be
destroyed, and the universe cleared of the effects of his
rebellion. It is sheer desperation that causes him to continue to
fight against God. Sin has so thoroughly warped Satan's character
that he is beyond the point of no return as far as repentance is
concerned. Bitterness, hatred, and selfishness are the only plants
that grow in his heart. His hatred for mankind is intensified as he
sees men and women return to God and receive the forgiveness that
he too at one time could have received.
14. |
What is one place on earth that Satan was unable to
penetrate? John 14:30
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Helps and hints: Satan was never able to
penetrate the mind of Christ. From the temptations in the
wilderness (Matthew 4:1-11), to the final attempt to persuade
Christ to come down off the cross, Satan dogged the steps of
Christ's earthly ministry. Not even by a thought did Christ yield
to the rebel angel.
Helps and hints: When Satan caused the death of
Christ on the cross, he not only lost his power over those he held
captive in death, but he also demonstrated the extent to which sin
had corrupted him. He was willing to murder the source of health
and strength for all mankind to accomplish his selfish purposes.
In this he lost any sympathy he might have had from all who had
remained faithful to God. He proved himself worthy of eternal
destruction.
Why Does God Permit Suffering?
It was not God who introduced suffering into the universe. It was
Lucifer, who became Satan; the devil. It is for the sake of
those who will inhabit the universe for all eternity that God
allows Satan to demonstrate sufficiently what the true course of
sin really is. But you ask, "Isn't it enough? Haven't we seen
enough?" Let me ask you: "Has mankind learned their lesson? Is
war obsolete? Has crime ceased?" One of the sad facts of life is
that some will never learn the lesson! Following in the footsteps
of Satan himself, they will carry their rebellion against God to
the bitter end. Only God knows when it will be safe to eliminate
sin and those who perpetrate it from the universe without allowing
cause for it to ever return again. Remember, sin can only enter
the universe through the mind of a rational being. It is the
result of the misuse of the freedom of choice. God's creatures
will retain their free will, but none will ever choose rebellion
against God again. The prophet Nahum says, "affiliation shall not
rise up the second time."
God will gain and hold the voluntary allegiance of His loyal
children for all eternity. He will not do this through fear. He
will do it through love. It will yet be proven that every act of
God, even the destruction of the wicked, will be an act of love.
One indication of God's love is the suffering that He Himself has
endured through the entire great controversy begun by Lucifer's
rebellion. Even with modern inventions like television, we see
only a tiny portion of the suffering in the world. God sees it
all, every second, every hour, night and day, without holidays or
vacations! It is Satan who enjoys watching people suffer, and not
because of his hatred for us. Satan knows how much it hurts God to
watch His children suffer, and God is the object of his hatred. To
Satan, we are merely pawns in his game. To God, we are the objects
of His supreme affections. Even the destruction of Satan can bring
no joy to the heart of God. He remembers him as he once was, and
as he could have been.
The day is coming when peace, genuine peace, will reign throughout
the entire universe. The Bible is the guide to how this peace will
be established and how it will be maintained. When God's plan of
restoration is completed, the effects of Lucifer's rebellion will
be forever gone. The universe will be no better for it. God would
have preferred that it never have had to happen. But the universe
will be safe from the danger of it ever happening again.
"And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the
tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and
they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and
be their God.
And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes: and there shall
be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there
be any more pain: for the former things are passed away."
Revelation 21:3,4