I was recently asked a very unusual question. The question was "did Satan really sin, and if he did what was his sin?" I surmise that such a question has to do with the misconceptions and deception of shows like Lucifer, books that make people sympatric to the devil like Milton's Paradise Lost, and the fact that people are becoming Biblically illiterate. In further reflection I realized I should probably share here what the devil's sins, and dark deeds are. For one it will help combat the sympathy for Satan rising in the media, and secondly it will help brothers and sisters in Christ identify in their own lives some deadly sins.
Here are the Sin's of Satan/The devil/Lucifer/ the Dragon/Tyre/the Evil One/Mammon/Baal [all of these are his names]:
Pride
"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!
13 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;
14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds,
I will be like the Most High.’
15 Yet you shall be brought down to Sheol,
To the lowest depths of the Pit." (Isaiah 14:12-15).
The Prophet Isaiah records the fall of Lucifer/Satan. In this account the prophet mentions the Five I Wills, which Lucifer professes including "I will be Like the Most High." Here we see the direct deception Satan/the devil in Garden did to Adam and Eve, "The serpent was the shrewdest of all the wild animals the Lord God had made. One day he asked the woman, “Did God really say you must not eat the fruit from any of the trees in the garden?”Of course we may eat fruit from the trees in the garden,” the woman replied. “It’s only the fruit from the tree in the middle of the garden that we are not allowed to eat. God said, ‘You must not eat it or even touch it; if you do, you will die. You won’t die!” the serpent replied to the woman. “God knows that your eyes will be opened as soon as you eat it, and you will be like God, knowing both good and evil.The woman was convinced. She saw that the tree was beautiful and its fruit looked delicious, and she wanted the wisdom it would give her. So she took some of the fruit and ate it. Then she gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it, too. 7 At that moment their eyes were opened, and they suddenly felt shame at their nakedness." (Genesis 3:1-7). It was Lucifer's desire to be like God (Isaiah 14:14), and so he deceived mankind with same desire, and it lead to Paradise Lost, with Adam and Eve being thrown out of the Paradise of Eden into a world full of harshness, cruelty, and difficulty. For those being deceived to sympathize with devil, be mindful that all your heart ache, pain, sufferings, injustices, and harshness of world is because of the devil who deceived your ancestors. In contrast Christ promises an end to these hurts if you believe in Him and stay close to Him, "He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever." (Revelation 21:4).
Wrath
" Then there was war in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon and his angels. 8 And the dragon lost the battle, and he and his angels were forced out of heaven. 9 This great dragon—the ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, the one deceiving the whole world—was thrown down to the earth with all his angels." (Revelation 12:7-9).
The War in Heaven was lead by Lucifer/Tyre/Satan and his angels. For this reason I have come to conclusion that all Baals (war gods) such as Ares, Mars, Oiden, Thor, Saturn, and even Allah are Satan himself who started the first war. For there had been no war prior to Lucifer and his angels rebellion. The reason for Satan's rebellion is mentioned by Prophet Isaiah, he wanted to take God's place, "But you said in your heart,‘I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God; I will sit on the mount of assembly In the remote parts of the north. I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High." (Isaiah 14:12-14). The "Game of Thrones", empire building, and conquest of the earth to gain seats of Power is thus revealed to be Luciferian, because it was Satan who wanted greater position and power, and waged a war for it.
Greed
"Then this further message came to me from the Lord: 12 “Son of man, sing this funeral song for the king of Tyre. Give him this message from the Sovereign Lord:
“You were the model of perfection,
full of wisdom and exquisite in beauty.
13 You were in Eden,
the garden of God.
Your clothing was adorned with every precious stone[—
red carnelian, pale-green peridot, white moonstone,
blue-green beryl, onyx, green jasper,
blue lapis lazuli, turquoise, and emerald—
all beautifully crafted for you
and set in the finest gold.
They were given to you
on the day you were created.
14 I ordained and anointed you
as the mighty angelic guardian (Cherubim who Covereth).
You had access to the holy mountain of God
and walked among the stones of fire.
full of wisdom and exquisite in beauty.
13 You were in Eden,
the garden of God.
Your clothing was adorned with every precious stone[—
red carnelian, pale-green peridot, white moonstone,
blue-green beryl, onyx, green jasper,
blue lapis lazuli, turquoise, and emerald—
all beautifully crafted for you
and set in the finest gold.
They were given to you
on the day you were created.
14 I ordained and anointed you
as the mighty angelic guardian (Cherubim who Covereth).
You had access to the holy mountain of God
and walked among the stones of fire.
15 “You were blameless in all you did
from the day you were created
until the day evil was found in you.
16 Your rich commerce led you to violence,
and you sinned.
So I banished you in disgrace
from the mountain of God.
I expelled you, O mighty guardian,
from your place among the stones of fire.
17 Your heart was filled with pride
because of all your beauty.
Your wisdom was corrupted
by your love of splendor.
So I threw you to the ground
and exposed you to the curious gaze of kings.
18 You defiled your sanctuaries
with your many sins and your dishonest trade.
So I brought fire out from within you,
and it consumed you.
I reduced you to ashes on the ground
in the sight of all who were watching.
19 All who knew you are appalled at your fate.
You have come to a terrible end,
and you will exist no more (Revelation 20:10)." (Ezekiel 28:11-18).
from the day you were created
until the day evil was found in you.
16 Your rich commerce led you to violence,
and you sinned.
So I banished you in disgrace
from the mountain of God.
I expelled you, O mighty guardian,
from your place among the stones of fire.
17 Your heart was filled with pride
because of all your beauty.
Your wisdom was corrupted
by your love of splendor.
So I threw you to the ground
and exposed you to the curious gaze of kings.
18 You defiled your sanctuaries
with your many sins and your dishonest trade.
So I brought fire out from within you,
and it consumed you.
I reduced you to ashes on the ground
in the sight of all who were watching.
19 All who knew you are appalled at your fate.
You have come to a terrible end,
and you will exist no more (Revelation 20:10)." (Ezekiel 28:11-18).
The Prophet Ezekiel gives a lengthy description of all the devil lost when he rebelled against the One True God. In this message we find a very interesting point, "Your rich commerce (trade) led you to violence, and you sinned." (Ezekiel 28:16). According to Ezekiel's vision and revelation, Tyre/Satan led worship in Eden (verse 13) which then connects to Genesis 3, that Satan was serpent in Eden. The point about commerce is interesting because the fact is that Ezekiel is recording events before Adam and Eve, and so the inventor of trade and money is the devil. Through this understand we finally know why Jesus Christ says, "one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Mammon (god of money)." (Matthew 6:24). Mammon is thus another name for the devil, who has imposed on this earth a system of trade that enslaves man to money, and creates evils like greed, avarice, and poverty. Hence why Jesus says, "Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. 21 Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be," (Matthew 6:19-21), "but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful," (Mark 4:19), and Apostle Paul says, "For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows," (1 Timothy 6:10) indeed money made Satan sin long ago (Ezekiel 28:16).
Murder and Liar
"For you are the children of your father the devil, and you love to do the evil things he does. He was a murderer from the beginning. He has always hated the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, it is consistent with his character; for he is a liar and the father of lies. 45 So when I tell the truth, you just naturally don’t believe me!" John 8:44-45).
Our Lord and God Jesus tells us that Satan, the devil, and Lucifer is a murderer. That serpent of old seeks to destroy. A pastor once said, "Satan doesn't want to trip you up, he wants to destroy you." The devil uses many methods to murder, sometime this is literal by killing a person, though Jesus holds the keys to death (Revelation 1:18) so the kind of murder the devil does now is murder a person's reputation, life, work, family relationships, friendships, and etc. The devil lives by the famous quote, "death is too good for them, they must suffer..," and "Killing you is too easy, I am going to make you wish your were dead by taking everything you love." This murder goes hand and hand with accusation, for Satan accuses the saints night and day, "Then I heard a loud voice shouting across the heavens, "It has come at last--salvation and power and the Kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Christ. For the accuser of our brothers and sisters has been thrown down to earth--the one who accuses them before our God day and night," (Revelation 12:10), we can affirm this Accuser of Brethern is the devil by fact that Isaiah and Ezekiel said he was thrown down, and by this verse, "And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him, And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night." (Revelation 12:9-10). Accusation is murder, see how Bill Cosby has been murdered, even if it was remotely possible he is innocent (I am not saying he is), we will never know, the accusation sticks. And see what an age of accusation we are in? With people calling people names, labeling people snowflakes and xenophobic. Interestingly, Satan's name in Greek is Catigorica, "the one who categorizes."
Satan is also guilty of attempted murder of God,
"Then I witnessed in heaven another significant event. I saw a large red dragon with seven heads and ten horns, with seven crowns on his heads. 4 His tail swept away one-third of the stars in the sky, and he threw them to the earth. He stood in front of the woman as she was about to give birth, ready to devour her baby as soon as it was born. She gave birth to a son who was to rule all nations with an iron rod. And her child was snatched away from the dragon and was caught up to God and to his throne. 6 And the woman fled into the wilderness, where God had prepared a place to care for her for 1,260 days." (Revelation 12:3-6). This is spiritual vision of what happen with Herod the Great, " he got up, took the Child and His mother by night, and withdrew to Egypt and they stayed there until Herod's death. This fulfilled what the Lord had spoken through the prophet: "I called my Son out of Egypt."When Herod realized that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was furious, and he gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had learned from the Magi." (Matthew 2:14-16). Herod wanted to kill Jesus, but was unable because Christ was taken to Egypt because Josephus had dream about the dangers in Bethlehem and was told by angel to flee to Egypt (Matthew 2:13). The devil through Herod and his soldiers was trying to kill Jesus, but was unable.
The devil is the Father of Lies, for he convinced one third of the angels to follow his insurrection in heaven (Revelation 12), he convinced Adam and Eve to sin against God with the lie, "you shall become like God," (Genesis 3:3:5) ironically the same words he proncounced over himself, "I make myself like the Most High." (Isaiah 14:14).
Vainglory (Worship)
Worse still Satan wants worship and so tempted the One True God Jesus Christ:
"Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. 2 And after fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. 3 And the tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.” 4 But he answered, “It is written,
“‘Man shall not live by bread alone,
but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”
but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”
5 Then the devil took him to the holy city and set him on the pinnacle of the temple 6 and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down, for it is written,
“‘He will command his angels concerning you,’
and
“‘On their hands they will bear you up,
lest you strike your foot against a stone.’”
lest you strike your foot against a stone.’”
7 Jesus said to him, “Again it is written, ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.’” 8 Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. 9 And he said to him, “All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.” 10 Then Jesus said to him, “Be gone, Satan! For it is written,
“‘You shall worship the Lord your God
and him only shall you serve.’”
and him only shall you serve.’”
11 Then the devil left him, and behold, angels came and were ministering to him." (Matthew 4:1-11).
Here the devil's vainglory, his desire for self worship is exposed, for he foolishly asks the Lord Jesus to bow down and worship Him, his own creator (John 1:3, Colossians 1:16, Genesis 1:1-10). Here the hubris of HaSatan is exposed, that he reveals what he desires above all else. His pride and ego is so titanic that he can't even fathom, "The creator is greater than the created, the creator can unmake the creation." Here it is clear the devil has deceived himself, believing he could ever rise to an heights of glory. Here Satan adds to his many sins, tempting God Incarnate. For Jesus is God (Titus 2:13, Colossians 2:9, John 1:1-18, John 167:20-23).
All of the Sins Combined
3 I saw that one of the heads of the beast seemed wounded beyond recovery—but the fatal wound was healed! The whole world marveled at this miracle and gave allegiance to the beast [Satan copies God's power to do miracles 1 Corinthinas 12:4-11]. 4 They worshiped the dragon for giving the beast such power, and they also worshiped the beast. “Who is as great as the beast?” they exclaimed. “Who is able to fight against him?”
5 Then the beast was allowed to speak great blasphemies against God. And he was given authority to do whatever he wanted for forty-two months. 6 And he spoke terrible words of blasphemy against God, slandering his name and his dwelling—that is, those who dwell in heaven. 7 And the beast was allowed to wage war against God’s holy people and to conquer them. And he was given authority to rule over every tribe and people and language and nation. 8 And all the people who belong to this world worshiped the beast. They are the ones whose names were not written in the Book of Life that belongs to the Lamb who was slaughtered before the world was made.
9 Anyone with ears to hear
should listen and understand.
10 Anyone who is destined for prison
will be taken to prison.
Anyone destined to die by the sword
will die by the sword.
should listen and understand.
10 Anyone who is destined for prison
will be taken to prison.
Anyone destined to die by the sword
will die by the sword.
This means that God’s holy people must endure persecution patiently and remain faithful.
11 Then I saw another beast come up out of the earth. He had two horns like those of a lamb, but he spoke with the voice of a dragon. 12 He exercised all the authority of the first beast. And he required all the earth and its people to worship the first beast, whose fatal wound had been healed. 13 He did astounding miracles, even making fire flash down to earth from the sky while everyone was watching. 14 And with all the miracles he was allowed to perform on behalf of the first beast, he deceived all the people who belong to this world. He ordered the people to make a great statue of the first beast, who was fatally wounded and then came back to life. 15 He was then permitted to give life to this statue so that it could speak. Then the statue of the beast commanded that anyone refusing to worship it must die.
16 He required everyone—small and great, rich and poor, free and slave—to be given a mark on the right hand or on the forehead. 17 And no one could buy or sell anything without that mark, which was either the name of the beast or the number representing his name. 18 Wisdom is needed here. Let the one with understanding solve the meaning of the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man.[c] His number is 666." (Revelation 13, whole chapter).
Here we see all of Satan's sin combined into a major event. The first thing the Dragon/the devil does in Revelation 13 is create for himself a false-trinity, this goes along with his desire, "I will make myself like the Most High." (Isaiah 14:14). You see the devil wants to become totally like the One True God who is Trinity (Matthew 16, Genesis 3, John), because he wants to be God's equal, but cannot. Secondly we see the dragon/devil wants worship, and he gets it (Revelation) which is what he desired from Jesus but was refused (Matthew 4:1-11). Thirdly, the devil lies (blasphemes) God (Revelation) just as he has always done (John 8:44-45). Fourthly the devil murders anyone who won't bow to him (Revelation 13:15) and Jesus tells us that the devil is murderer from beginning (John 8:44). Thus it is apparent in this chapter of Revelation, that the devil and dragon is trying to achieve all his sinful attitudes, desires, and plans. But all of this will be foiled when Jesus Christ returns, "And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will overthrow with the breath of his mouth and destroy by the splendor of his coming./And then that Evil One will be revealed, whom our Lord Yeshua will consume with a breath of his mouth, and will destroy him by the revelation of his coming./Then the man of sin will be revealed and the Lord Jesus will destroy him by what he says. When the Lord Jesus comes, his appearance will put an end to this man," (2 Thessalonians 2:8), and "When the thousand years come to an end, Satan will be let out of his prison. 8 He will go out to deceive the nations—called Gog and Magog—in every corner of the earth. He will gather them together for battle—a mighty army, as numberless as sand along the seashore. 9 And I saw them as they went up on the broad plain of the earth and surrounded God’s people and the beloved city. But fire from heaven came down on the attacking armies and consumed them. Then the devil, who had deceived them, was thrown into the fiery lake of burning sulfur, joining the beast and the false prophet. There they will be tormented day and night forever and ever. And I saw a great white throne and the one sitting on it. The earth and sky fled from his presence, but they found no place to hide. 12 I saw the dead, both great and small, standing before God’s throne. And the books were opened, including the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to what they had done, as recorded in the books. 13 The sea gave up its dead, and death and the grave[b] gave up their dead. And all were judged according to their deeds. 14 Then death and the grave were thrown into the lake of fire. This lake of fire is the second death. 15 And anyone whose name was not found recorded in the Book of Life was thrown into the lake of fire" (Revelation 20:7-15). For Jesus Christ is greater, He is Savior and Creator of all things (John 1:3, Colossians 1:16). Our Lord and God Jesus Christ will destroy the devil forever (Revelation 20:10) and while devil is tormented forever, we will dwell in a city of gold and gems in New Jerusalem, New Earth, and New Heaven (Revelation 21:1-4). Hallelujah! At last the devil will be judged for his crimes against us Christians and we shall dwell in Paradise with Godhead (Trinity: Father, Jesus, Holy Spirit) and the Saints. Amen.
Comments
Post a Comment