|
Interfaith >>
general articles >>
theology of satan (the devil)
george e. davison
PART 1
The word DEVIL is used only four times in the Old Testament. It was translated twice from the Hebrew word 'SAIR' which literally means: a goat, a kid or a hairy one (Leviticus 17:7; 2 Chronicles 11:15) and twice from the Hebrew word 'SHED' meaning: a spoiler, a destroyer (Deuteronomy 32:17; Psalm 106:37). The context of the four citations indicate a form of worship and sacrifice which was contrary to and against God's commands. The devils mentioned therein referred to idols. Paul says that an idol is nothing, although sacrifices are offered to such (1 Corinthians 8:4). The devil of popular opinion (the demigod of the lower region) cannot be found in the Hebrew Old testament writings.
In the New Testament, the word DEVIL is derived from the Greek word 'diabolos' which literally means a slanderer, a false witness, or a liar, which can only apply to mankind and not to one of God's heavenly hosts. This will be better understood as we proceed with our investigation. Another Greek word that has been translated DEVIL in the English is 'daimon' which also has been designated DEMON; this word denotes a person having a mental or nervous disorder; an illness. In Greek mythology such persons were claimed to be possessed by a devil (demon). This pagan doctrine is exemplified by Paul in his letter to Timothy, showing the mental attitude of hypocritical men toward the true faith (1 Timothy 4:1-2; 2 Peter 2:1, 3:3).
SATAN is a Hebrew word that has been transferred to the New Testament and to the English. It denotes an adversary, an opponent or an enemy. It has been translated seven times: "adversary"; five times: "be an adversary"; once each: "resist" and "to withstand"; nineteen times: "satan" (as in Numbers 22:22; Matthew 15:23).
The foregoing literal definitions indicate certain characteristics applicable to mankind and NOT to a superhuman evil god of the lower regions.
Let us examine other divine definitions of facts related to our subject - LUST, TEMPTATION, and SIN: the origin, the sources, and the effects.
To discover the origin (the beginning) of LUST, we must first determine its source (place of origin). It is written:
"When LUST hath conceived, it brings forth SIN and sin when complete brings forth DEATH" (James 1:15).
"A person is tempted when he is drawn away by HIS OWN LUST and enticed" (James 1:14).
"SIN is the transgression of law [divine law]" (1 John 3:4).
Now Jesus tells us that: "out of the abundance of the HEART the mouth speaketh" (Matthew 12:34, 15:18). Also: "For out of the HEART proceeds evil thoughts, imaginations, desires, lusts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witnesses, blasphemies" (Matthew 15:19; Mark 7:21-23).
Paul expresses it thus: "For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit and the Spirit against the flesh; and they are contrary the one to the other" (Galatians 5:17). He continues: "Now the works of the flesh are manifest; which are these: fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, lust, idolatry, witchcraft, etc." (Galatians 5:19-21).
The attributes here listed, of the FLESH, Jesus testifies that they are from the HEART. So we conclude that the Source is from the Heart; therefore the origin is in MAN. Paul further states: "For he that soweth to his Flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption" (Galatians 6:8). Again: "For to be carnally minded is death ... because the MIND of the flesh is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law [commandments] of God; neither indeed can be" (Romans 8:6-7).
Again we conclude that the SOURCE of all enmity against God is from the HEART (mind) of flesh; therefore the Origin is in MAN.
So it is written: "by one MAN sin entered the world and death by sin" (Romans 5:12)
and: "by one MAN's offense death reigned by ONE" (Romans 5:17-19).
However: "Sin is not imputed where there is no law" (Romans 5:13).
"For where no law is, there is no transgression" (Romans 4:15).
So it is written: "Sin is the transgression of law" (1 John 3:4).
And: "the DEVIL sinneth FROM THE BEGINNING" (1 John 3:8).
We see from the above that the 'devil' must have had a law to transgress in order to sin.
However: the only creature in the beginning TO WHOM A LAW WAS GIVEN, was ADAM, the one MAN, who brought sin and death into the world.
Therefore: the word 'devil' can only apply to ADAM.
Now, the Spirit through Moses testifies: "that every imagination of the thoughts of his [man's] heart was only evil continually" (Genesis 6:5). Also: "for the imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth [origin]" (Genesis 8:21). It is evident that the origin of sin was the MAN. The source was imagination of his HEART, as shown by the words of Jesus and Paul.
"Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaketh" and when evil imaginations of a man's heart proceed out of his mouth it is signified by the Spirit as "a deadly poison." "The TONGUE can no man tame, it is an unruly evil, full of DEADLY POISON" (James 3:8).
The Psalmist testifies: "Deliver me,O Lord, from the evil MAN ... which imagine mischief in their HEARTS. They have sharpened their TONGUES like a SERPENT: Adder's poison is under their LIPS" (Psalm 140:1-3).
Paul's testimony: "They are all gone out of the way ... with their TONGUES they have used deceit: the poison of ASPS is under their LIPS" (Romans 3:12-13).
Thus, a MAN who is a false witness, a liar, a deceiver, a DEVIL: and who is an opponent, an adversary, an enemy, a SATAN, is designated a SERPENT. Both John the Baptist and Jesus used this definition and applied it to the Jews (Matthew 3:7, 12:34, 23:33; Luke 3:7; John 8:44).
The Angel, in revealing things to John on Patmos, identifies the SERPENT as the DEVIL and SATAN (Revelation 12:9, 20:2). God used the word "serpent" in the same manner in Genesis 3. "For the DEVIL sinneth from the beginning" (1 John 3:8) and: "He was the ORIGINAL liar and MURDERER from the beginning" (John 8:44). ADAM was the original transgressor from the beginning (Romans 5:12, 17-19).
Therefore: the old serpent, that devil, and satan, MUST have been ADAM in the beginning.
From the above we conclude that the DEVIL and SATAN are characteristics which are symbolized by the word SERPENT, because the operations and results of these characteristics in mankind, have the effects of the venom of a serpent and are FATAL. These characteristics can be found only in MAN. Therefore, MAN is the enemy of God and MAN is the devil and satan.
When we fully realize this and that "Jesus took part of the same" we can readily understand how he "put to death him that had the power of death, that is the DEVIL" (Hebrews 2:14).
HAVING DEFINED FROM THE SCRIPTURES that DEVILS, SATANS and SERPENTS are descriptive names primarily applied to ungodly MEN, we wish to invite your attention to a few facts relative to the Lord's actions in the beginning:
Now, Moses was a prophet of God (Deuteronomy 34:10). God, in narrating his creative work relative to mankind through Moses, reveals nothing about creating a TALKING SERPENT. Yet, the Spirit tells us that: "Surely, the Lord will do nothing but he revealeth his secret unto his servants, the prophets" (Amos 3:7).
God's prevailing method, when using an agent to accomplish his plans, invariably names the agent and states the purpose for which that agent is appointed. Here again God says nothing about appointing a TALKING SERPENT to test Eve through deception, an abomination that God hates (Proverbs 6:16-19).
God did provide the 'tree of knowledge of good and evil' prohibiting Adam to eat of it. He turned the Garden of Eden over to Adam, to dress and to keep. Then he left Adam and Eve alone "to prove [test] them, that they might demonstrate what was in their hearts, whether they would keep his commandments or no" - in the same manner that he proved Israel (Deuteronomy 8:2) - yet God provided the "tree of life" so that Adam might eat and have LIFE, thus indicating that life and death depended upon Adam's behavior, though no information has been revealed that Adam knew about the tree of life.
"Whom the Lord loveth he chastens [disciplines] and he scourgeth every son whom he receiveth" (Hebrews 12:6).
Adam was no exception to this rule any more than Jesus was. "With God there is no variableness" (Malachi 3:6; James 1:17).
The record shows that God placed only two intelligent creatures - Adam and Eve - in the Garden. They must have spoken the language of the Elohim, who instructed them. Since Eve was DECEIVED and Adam was NOT (1 Timothy 2:14) then Adam must have been the deceiver, thereby becoming the original liar (devil) and by eating WITH Eve (Genesis 3:6) he became God's Adversary (satan). HE, ADAM, was the serpent by divine definition as pointed out above.
The Lord had warned Adam that the penalty for eating of the tree of knowledge of good and evil would be DEATH. But when passing sentence upon Adam, the Lord said: "Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife ... cursed is the ground for thy sake; in toil shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life."
Here was an added penalty because Adam attempted to shift the blame onto Eve (verse 12). Yet, nowhere in the scriptures can be found an accusation against Eve, other than: "Eve was deceived and was in the transgression" (1 Timothy 2:14). But Adam was not deceived and the Spirit places all the responsibility for the transgression (sin and death) upon Adam.
The Lord continued to say to Adam: "In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken; for DUST THOU ART, and UNTO DUST SHALT THOU RETURN."
This is the curse of the SERPENT: "Dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life (verse 14) and "dust [death] shall be the Serpent's meat" (Isaiah 65:25).
Moses was the historian who recorded this narrative some 2500 years later. God had instructed Moses to make a bronze serpent and place it on a pole. Moses, a man and prophet of God, certainly understood its significance and therefore used the word serpent in a figure of speech to record the original transgression, which is in perfect accord with the Spirit's style of expressing the TRUTH in a DARK SAYING, a PARABLE.
We conclude that the SERPENT, the DEVIL, and SATAN, do NOT pertain to a superhuman demigod, but are descriptive WORDS denoting certain characteristics applicable to mankind.
PART 2
DEVIL AND SATAN - SPECIAL CASES
A. SATAN, WHO TRANSFORMED HIMSELF INTO AN ANGEL OF LIGHT.
B. SATAN, WHOM JESUS BEHELD "AS LIGHTNING FALL FROM HEAVEN."
C. THE HEAVEN OUT OF WHICH THE DRAGON WAS CAST, AND FROM WHICH SATAN FELL.
D. "LUCIFER, SON OF THE MORNING" (Isaiah 14:12).
NOTE: "Satan" and "devil" are words that can apply to individual persons or to a GROUP of persons collectively, as an organization, a system.
We see here the beginning of the APOSTASY, Satan the adversary:
A. SATAN, WHO TRANSFORMED HIMSELF INTO AN ANGEL OF LIGHT.
2 Corinthians 11:14 - "But I fear, lest by any means, AS THE SERPENT BEGUILED EVE THROUGH HIS SUBTLETY, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ."
Acts 15:24 - "Forasmuch as we have heard, that CERTAIN WHICH WENT OUT FROM US have troubled you with words, subverting your souls, saying Ye must be circumcised, and keep the law: to whom we gave no such commandment [persons, adversaries of apostles]."
Romans -16:17-18 - "Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offenses CONTRARY to the doctrine which ye have learned; and AVOID them.
18. "For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches DECEIVE the hearts of the simple."
Titus 1:10-11 - "For there are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers, specially they of the circumcision:
11. "Whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole houses, teaching things which they ought NOT, for filthy lucre's sake."
Titus 1:16 - "They PROFESS that they know God; but in works they DENY him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate."
2 Peter 2:1-3 - "But there were false prophets also AMONG THE PEOPLE, even as there shall be false teachers AMONG YOU, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.
2. "And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of.
3. "And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not."
These are examples of adversaries (satans) and liars (devils) to the apostles and their teaching. Paul describes them:
Romans 3:12 - "Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their TONGUES they have USED DECEIT; the POISON OF ASPS IS UNDER THEIR LIPS."
2 Corinthians 11:3 - "But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtlety, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ."
2 Corinthians 11:13-15 - "For such are FALSE APOSTLES, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ.
14. "And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.
15. "Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works."
FALSE "MESSENGERS OF TRUTH" - FALSE TEACHERS:
The false apostles, deceitful workers of whom Paul is writing, are mentioned in:
Acts 15:24 - "Forasmuch as we have heard, that CERTAIN WHICH WENT OUT FROM US have troubled you with words."
Romans 16:17 - "Now I beseech you, brethren, MARK THEM which cause divisions and offenses CONTRARY to the doctrine which ye have learned; and AVOID THEM."
Titus 1:10 - "For there are many unruly and vain TALKERS AND DECEIVERS, specially they of the circumcision."
Galatians 1:6-7 - "I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel:
7. "Which is not ANOTHER; but there be some that trouble you, and would PERVERT the gospel of Christ."
Jesus and John said there would be false christs (saviors), antichrist:
Matthew 24:5, 24 - "For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many....
24. "For there shall arise false christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, IF IT WERE POSSIBLE, they shall deceive the very elect."
2 Thessalonians 2:7-9 - "For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.
8 "And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:
9. "Even him, whose coming is after the working of SATAN with all power and signs and LYING wonders."
2 Thessalonians 2:3-4 - "Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that MAN OF SIN BE REVEALED, the son of perdition;
4. "Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he AS GOD SITTETH IN THE TEMPLE OF GOD, showing HIMSELF that he is God."
Here is Satan (adversary) who fashioneth himself into an angel (messenger) of light (truth distorted).
2 Thessalonians 2:8 - "And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom THE LORD SHALL CONSUME with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming."
B. SATAN, WHOM JESUS BEHELD "AS LIGHTNING FALL FROM HEAVEN"
This statement of Jesus (Luke 10:18) was prompted by the report of the "Seventy" whom he had sent out to teach. They typified the saints in the Day of Our Lord, when the Prince of this World (Satan) will be cast down:
2 Thessalonians 1:8-9 - "In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ:
9. "Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power."
Revelation 19:15, 21 - "And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.
21. "And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth; and all the fowls were filled with their flesh."
... by the operation of Jesus and the saints. For Jesus said:
Luke 10:19 - "Behold, I give unto you POWER TO TREAD ON SERPENTS AND SCORPIONS, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you."
Revelation 2:26 - "And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations."
"Behold, I give you power to tread on serpents and scorpions [men in whose mouth is the VENOM of DEATH: LIES!] and over all the authority of the enemy."
The MYSTERY OF INIQUITY began when the certain individuals strayed from the apostles' teachings, culminating in an organized system under the authority of ONE, signified by Paul as "The Man of Sin", who is the Satan (enemy) that is impersonating an angel of light whom Jesus beheld like lightning fall from heaven (the place of authority among the nations) which (of course) will occur at the Day of Judgment.
TESTIMONY REGARDING THE WORLD AT LARGE:
Ephesians 4:17-18 - "This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their MIND,
18. "Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the IGNORANCE that is in them, because of the BLINDNESS OF THE HEART [mind]."
Romans 12:2 - "And be not conformed to this WORLD: by the RENEWING OF YOUR MIND that ye may prove acceptable, and perfect will of God."
Ephesians 2:1-3 - "And you hath he quickened, who were sins;
2. "Wherein in time past ye walked according to the according to the PRINCE [ruler in authority] of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of DISOBEDIENCE:
3. "Among whom also we ALL had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our FLESH, fulfilling the desires of the FLESH and of the MIND; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others."
James 4:4 - "Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the WORLD IS THE ENEMY OF GOD."
Colossians 2:8 - "Beware lest any MAN SPOIL YOU through philosophy and vain deceit, AFTER TRADITION OF MEN, after the rudiments of the WORLD, and NOT CHRIST."
Ephesians 6:12 - "For we WRESTLE not against flesh and blood, but AGAINST PRINCIPALITIES, against powers, against the RULERS OF DARKNESS [superstitions and error] OF THIS WORLD, AGAINST SPIRITUAL DARKNESS IN HEAVENLY PLACES [ruling thrones, governments]."
These quotations show that the WORLD and the THINGS of the WORLD constitute the ENEMY of God, and rightfully belong in the category of SATAN and the DEVIL. but be ye transformed what is that good and DEAD in trespasses and course of THIS WORLD
WE CONCLUDE: that MANKIND, those who do not become children of God through Christ Jesus, is the DEVIL and SATAN as defined by the Word of God, and that he (the devil and satan) is confined to the things of the world. Nowhere in the scriptures do we find him as a demagogue inhabiting God's holy Heavens or presiding over a lower region called HELL. We do see him however, sitting in the SEAT OF AUTHORITY (ecclesiastical heavens) under the DISGUISE of Christianity, CLAIMING to be an apostle of Christ: "the angels [messengers] of light [truth]."
C. THE HEAVEN OUT OF WHICH THE DRAGON WAS CAST, AND FROM WHICH SATAN FELL:
DRAGON: Since God has defined the devil and Satan as applying exclusively to HUMAN NATURE, then we can deduce that the dragon must represent some form of human INSTITUTION.
Revelation 1:1: - "The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to shew unto his servants things which must SHORTLY come to pass; and he sent and SIGNIFIED it by his angel unto his servant John" (signifies something pertaining to "things which must SHORTLY come to pass").
One definition of the dragon symbolism is in Ezekiel 29:3 where Pharaoh, king of Egypt, is termed by God as "the great dragon that lieth in the midst of his river, which has said My river is my own and I have made it for myself." Here God uses "the great dragon" to signify a kingdom whose king made a false claim in opposition to God. Previously it was disclosed that the "serpent" indicates an INDIVIDUAL exhibiting the subtil and cunning characteristics of HUMAN deceit.
THEREFORE: A DRAGON represents a GROUP of individuals (a kingdom or system) with similar attributes.
The "Great Red Dragon" of Revelation 12, signifies a particular system holding dominion over all the EARTH as indicated by his being in HEAVEN (seat of authority). It has been generally accepted by noted commentators that this "Great Red Dragon" represented the Roman Empire in its PAGAN phase. The system ruled over the people (earth) and therefore was indicated by the Spirit as a "dragon in heaven" where he fought (for political power) with Michael (one like God). This "Michael" was Constantine, the first "Christian" emperor, who cast the dragon (paganism) out of (the Roman) heaven into the earth (ruled by heaven.) The events fulfilling this prophecy were the removal of paganism from power in Rome by the rise of Christianity.
SO WE CONCLUDE: that the HEAVEN where John saw the dragon was SYMBOLIC of authority and power over the people.
REMEMBER: The "dragon phase" was only PART of the Revelation of Jesus, which God gave unto him to show his SERVANTS. THEREFORE: The Satan whom Jesus beheld "as lightning fall from heaven" (Luke 10:18) is not relevant nor applicable to the Dragon being cast out of the Roman heaven (seat of authority), but it has to do with the grand finale at Christ's SECOND advent. A careful examination of the incident of Jesus sending out the "Seventy" discloses that Luke was the only one to record it. In the opening verse of the tenth chapter, Jesus gives the "Seventy" similar instructions as he gave to the "Twelve" in chapter nine. Certain power and authority was given to them and certain instructions pertaining to their duties and conduct. Here is given a preview of the 'MODUS OPERANDI' of the saints at Christ's coming.
The report of the "Seventy" on their return, saying "Lord, even the devils are subject to us through thy name", (thus disclosing that God was working in concert with them), provided the basis for Jesus' statement: "I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven." This statement is a prophecy of the downfall of all WORLDLY EVIL. Since, as pointed out: the WORLD is an Enemy of God.
Isaiah 65:17 - "For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind."
2 Peter 3:5-7, 13 - "For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water:
6. "Whereby the WORLD THAT THEN WAS, being overflowed with water, perished.
7. "But the HEAVENS and the EARTH [world] which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire.
13. "Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for NEW HEAVENS and a NEW EARTH, wherein dwelleth righteousness."
These prophecies will be accomplished by the operation of Jesus and his saints as exemplified by the "Seventy" sent out (Luke 10:1). The NEW heavens typifies Christ and his saints ruling over the NEW earth (the conquered nations). Jesus saw this transformation from old to new as: "Satan falling from heaven." We fight against spiritual wickedness in heavenly places.
HOW? It is written:-
2 Thessalonians 2:8 - "And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall CONSUME with the spirit of his MOUTH, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming."
He (The Word of God) and his army (Christ Jesus and his saints), shall smite the nations with "the sword that goeth out of his MOUTH" (Revelation 19:14-15). "The sword of the spirit ... is the word of God" (Ephesians 6:17). "For he cometh to judge the EARTH: he shall judge the WORLD with righteousness, and the PEOPLE with his TRUTH" (Psalm 96:13). "Thy WORD is truth" (John 17:17).
2 Corinthians 10:3-5 - "For though we walk in the flesh, we do not WAR after the flesh:
4. "(For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)
5. "Casting down IMAGINATIONS, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ."
Psalm 149:5-9: "For this honor hath ALL the saints ... to execute the judgments written."
In these testimonies are disclosed the method and means by which Satan will be caused to fall. The power, the method and results of the procedure against Satan (the adversary) are disclosed by the following:
Jeremiah 23:29 - "Is not my word like as a fire? saith the LORD; and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces?"
Jeremiah 5:14 - "Wherefore thus saith the LORD God of hosts, Because you speak this wordy behold, I will make my words in thy mouth FIRE, and this people wood, and it shall devour them."
Isaiah 10:17 - "And the light of Israel shall be for a FIRE and his Holy One for a flame: and it shall burn and devour his thorns and his briers in one day."
Malachi 3:2-3 - "But who may abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appeareth? for he is like a refiner's FIRE ...
3. "And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver."
Zechariah 13:9 - "I will bring a third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried."
Isaiah 33:14-15 - "Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire? ... with the everlasting burnings?
15. "He that walketh righteously; he that despiseth the gain of oppressions, that shaketh his hands from holding of bribes, that stoppeth his ears from hearing of blood, and shutteth his eyes from seeing evil."
Isaiah 4:4 - "When the Lord shall have washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion, and shall have PURGED the blood of Jerusalem from the midst thereof by the spirit of judgment and by the spirit of BURNING."
Psalm 68:1-2 - "Let God arise, let his enemies be scattered; let them also that hate him flee before him.
2. "As smoke is driven away, so drive them away: as wax melteth before the FIRE, so let the wicked perish at the PRESENCE of God."
In that day:
1 Corinthians 3:13-15 - "Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by FIRE and the FIRE shall try every man's work of what sort it is.
14. "If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.
15. "If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by FIRE."
This FIRE is THE WORD of GOD, the Spirit of TRUTH. For our God is a Spirit (John 4:24). And He is a consuming FIRE (Hebrews 12:29; Exodus 24:17; Deuteronomy 4:24). And his tongue is a devouring FIRE (Isaiah 30:27).
Peter draws attention to these things thus:
2 Peter 3:10-13 - "But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in which the heavens [the ruling classes] shall pass away with a great noise [a rushing of hissing sound] and the elements [of unrighteousness] shall melt with fervent heat, the earth [subject classes] also, and the works that are therein shall be burned up ...
12. "Earnestly desiring the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat. [These are the heavens and earth wherein dwelleth Unrighteousness.]
13. "Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for NEW heavens and a NEW earth, wherein dwelleth RIGHTEOUSNESS."
These NEW HEAVEN and NEW EARTH will be the KINGDOM OF GOD as outlined by the Gospel.
A better comprehension of the heavens and earth, as used by these quotations, may be gleaned from the following testimonies:
Genesis 1:14 - "And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for SIGNS and for seasons, and for days and years."
WHAT ARE THEY TO SIGNIFY?
Joseph's dream of the SUN, MOON and Eleven STARS making obeisance to him disclosed that they (the heavenly luminaries) SIGNIFIED Jacob and his family:
Genesis 37:9-11 - "And he dreamed yet another dream, and told it his brethren, and said, Behold, I have dreamed a dream more; and, behold, the sun and the moon and the eleven stars make obeisance to me.
10. "And he told it to his father, and to his brethren: and his father rebuked him, and said unto him, What is this dream that thou hast dreamed?
11. "Shall I and thy mother and thy brethren indeed come to bow down ourselves to thee to the earth? And his brethren envied him; but his father observed the saying."
Also see:
Leviticus 26:18-19 - "And if ye will not yet for all this hearken unto me, then I will punish you seven times more for your sins.
19. "And I will break the pride of your POWER; and I will make your HEAVEN as iron, and your EARTH as brass."
Jeremiah 2:12-13 - "Be astonished, O ye HEAVENS, at this, and be horribly afraid, be ye very desolate, saith the LORD.
13. "For my people have committed two evils; they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water."
Isaiah 34:1-4 - "Come near, ye NATIONS, to hear: and hearken, ye PEOPLE let the EARTH hear, and all that is therein; the WORLD, and all things that come forth of it.
2. "For the indignation of the LORD is upon all NATIONS, and his fury upon all their armies: he hath utterly destroyed them, he hath delivered them to the slaughter.
3. "Their slain also shall be cast out, and their stink shall come up out of their carcasses, and the mountains shall be melted with their blood.
4. "And all the host of HEAVEN shall be dissolved, and the HEAVENS shall be rolled together as a scroll: and all their host shall fall down, as the leaf falleth off from the vine, and as a falling fig from the fig tree."
Isaiah 24:23 - "Then the MOON shall be confounded, and the SUN ashamed, when the LORD of hosts shall reign in mount Zion, and in Jerusalem, and before his ancients gloriously."
Isaiah 65:17-18 - "For, behold, I create NEW heavens and a NEW earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind.
18. "But be ye glad and rejoice for ever in that which I create: for, behold, I create Jerusalem a rejoicing, and her people a joy."
Here indicates JERUSALEM as CENTER OF NEW HEAVENS and NEW EARTH:
Revelation 20:11 - "And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the EARTH and the HEAVEN fled away; and there was found no place for them."
Isaiah 66:22 - "For as the NEW HEAVENS and the NEW EARTH, which I will make, shall remain before me, saith the LORD, so shall your seed and your name remain."
Revelation 21:1 - "And I saw a NEW HEAVEN and a NEW EARTH: for the first HEAVEN and the first EARTH were passed away, and there was no more sea."
The heavens and earth, the sun, moon and stars, mentioned in the foregoing, do not relate to God's heaven, HIS THRONE; but are symbolic, signifying the RULING and SUBJECT classes of nations systems and/or organizations of MEN.
The SUN signifies a political head; the MOON, an ecclesiastical head; and STARS the co-rulers; the EARTH signifies the people ruled over. Such heavens and earth wherein is exhibited UNrighteousness are the dwelling places of the devil and satan, since the devil and satan is the personification of UNrighteousness among mankind and in their hearts.
These are the heavens from which Jesus beheld satan falling. These are the heavens and the earth which will be dissolved by unquenchable and eternal FIRE, and are to be replaced by a new heaven and a new earth wherein will dwell righteousness. This will be the KINGDOM OF GOD on Earth.
Matthew 3:11-12 - "I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than 1, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with FIRE:
12. "Whose fan is in his hand and he will thoroughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will BURN UP THE CHAFF WITH UNQUENCHABLE FIRE."
Luke 3:16-17 - "John answered, saying unto them all, I indeed baptize you with water; but one mightier than I cometh, the ratchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with FIRE:
17. "Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and will gather the wheat into his garner; but the chaff he will BURN WITH FIRE UNQUENCHABLE."
Matthew 25:41 - "Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me ye cursed, into EVERLASTING FIRE, prepared for the devil and his angels."
Mark 9:48-49 - "Where their worm dieth not, and the FIRE IS NOT QUENCHED.
49. "For every one shall be salted with FIRE, and every sacrifice shall be salted with salt."
Isaiah 47:13-14 - "Thou art wearied in the multitude of thy counsels. Let now the astrologers, the stargazers, the monthly prognosticators, stand up, and save thee from these things that shall come upon thee.
14. "Behold, they shall be as stubble: the FIRE SHALL BURN THEM; they shall not deliver themselves from the POWER OF THE FLAME there shall not be a coal to warm at, nor fire to sit before it."
An analysis of these quotations with the context of each discloses that the FIRE therein mentioned is NOT literal, but symbolic. It is a figure of speech imparting God's truth hid in a secret. For it is written: "Our God is a consuming fire" (Hebrews 12:29). "His [God's] tongue is a devouring fire" (Isaiah 50:27). "Is not my word like as a fire?" (Jeremiah 23:29). "Behold, I will make my words in thy mouth FIRE" (Jeremiah 5:14).
Christ Jesus tells us that he spoke only the words of his Heavenly Father (John 14:10) and that the words he spoke are Spirit (John 6:63). And God defines his word as FIRE. Since this Fire is Spirit and proceeds from the tongue of God, it becomes the medium for refining his loved ones as gold and silver, at the same time destroying the works of the enemy (the devil and satan), reducing them to ashes under the feet of God's chosen. This fire is the Spirit of Judgment and the Spirit of Burning; and since it is the Spirit of God, it is Eternal and Unquenchable.
D. "LUCIFER, SON OF THE MORNING" (Isaiah 14:12)
"Lucifer" literally means "shining one, offspring of dawn." It is part of a Proverb taken up against the king of Babylon (verse 4) recorded over one hundred years before the fulfillment of the prophecy here spoken. The reason for this descriptive speech being used in a proverb by God as applying to the King of Babylon can be better understood when a consideration is given to the basis for this title. The proverb contains in part the following statements:
Isaiah 14:11-12, 16 - "Thy pomp is brought down to the grave, and the noise of thy viols: the worm is spread under thee, and the worms cover thee.
12. "How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! ...
16. "They that see thee shall narrowly look upon thee, and consider thee,
saying, Is this the MAN that made the earth to tremble, that did shake kingdoms."
These facts identify Lucifer as a MAN fallen from heaven (the place of authority of a king) and cut down to the ground and worms covered him. However, this does not explain why God designated the king of Babylon as "shining one, son of the morning."
The reason for God's direct actions relative to the king of Babylon is due primarily to God's covenants with Israel. In the twenty-sixth chapter of Leviticus, God repeatedly warned Israel of the results from disobedience and disrespect of his commandments. The LORD, through Jeremiah, reminded Judah (Jerusalem) that they had not hearkened unto him:
Jeremiah 7:23-28 - "But this thing commanded I them, saying, Obey my voice, and
I will be your God, and ye shall be my people: and walk ye in all the ways that I have commanded you that it may be well unto you.
24. "But they hearkened not, nor inclined their ear, but walked in the counsels and in the imagination of their evil heart, and went backward, and not forward.
25. "Since the day that your fathers came forth out of the land of Egypt unto this day I have even sent unto you all my servants the prophets, daily rising up early and sending them:
26. "Yet they hearkened not unto me, nor inclined their ear, but hardened their neck: they did worse than their fathers.
27. "Therefore thou shalt speak all these words unto them; but they will not hearken to thee: thou shalt also call unto them; but they will not answer thee.
28. "But thou shalt say unto them, This is a nation that obeyeth not the voice of the LORD their God, nor receiveth correction: truth is perished, and is cut off from their mouth."
THEREFORE:
Jeremiah 20:4-6 - "For thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will make thee a terror to thyself, and to all thy friends: and they shall fall by the sword of their enemies, and thine eyes shall behold it: and I will give all Judah into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he shall carry them captive into Babylon, and shall slay them with the sword.
5. "Moreover I will deliver all the strength of this city, and all the labours thereof, and all the precious things thereof, and all the treasures of the kings of Judah will I give into the hand of their enemies, which shall spoil them, and take them, and carry them to Babylon.
6. "And thou, Pashur, and all that dwell in thine house shall go into captivity: and thou shalt come to Babylon, and there thou shalt die, and shalt be buried there, thou, and all thy friends, to whom thou hast prophesied lies."
And to Zedekiah, King of Judah:
Jeremiah 23:3-10 - "And I will gather the remnant of my flock out of all countries whither I have driven them, and will bring them again to their folds; and they shall be fruitful and increase.
4. "And I will set up shepherds over them which shall feed them: and they shall fear no more, nor be dismayed, neither shall they be lacking, saith the LORD.
5. "Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth.
6. "In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely: and this is his name whereby he shall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.
7. "But, The LORD liveth, which brought up and which led the seed of the house of Israel out of the north country, and from all countries whither I had driven them; and they shall dwell in their own land.
8. "Mine heart within me is broken because of the prophets; all my bones shake; I am like a drunken man, and like a man whom wine hath overcome, because of the LORD, and because of the words of his holiness.
9. "For the land is full of adulterers; for because of swearing the land mourneth; the pleasant places of the wilderness are dried up, and their course is evil, and their force is not right."
God designated Nebuchadnezzar (Nebuchadrezzar) as his "servant", his "instrument", in this matter:
Jeremiah 25:8-12 - "Therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts; Because ye have not
heard my words,
9. "Behold, I will send and take all the families of the north, saith the LORD, and Nebuchadrezzar the king of Babylon, MY SERVANT and will bring them against this land, and against the inhabitants thereof, and against all these nations round about, and will utterly destroy them, and make them an astonishment and an hissing, and perpetual desolations.
10. "Moreover I will take from them the voice of mirth and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride, the sound of the millstones, and the light of the candle.
11. "And this whole land shall be a desolation, and an astonishment; and these nations shall serve the king of Babylon seventy years.
12. "And it shall come to pass, when seventy years are accomplished, that I will punish the king of Babylon, and that nation, saith the LORD, for their iniquity, and the land of the Chaldeans, and will make it perpetual desolations."
... and the LORD gave unto him all the nations:
Jeremiah 27:6-11 - "And now have I given all these lands into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon MY SERVANT; and the beasts of the field have I given him also to serve him.
7. "And all nations shall serve him, and his son, and his son's son, until the very time of his land come: and then many nations and great kings shall serve themselves of him.
8. "And it shall come to pass, that the nation and kingdom which will not serve the same Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, and that will not put their neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon, that nation will I punish, saith the LORD, with the sword, and with the famine, and with the pestilence, until I HAVE CONSUMED THEM BY HIS HAND.
9. "Therefore hearken not ye to your prophets, nor to your diviners, nor to your dreamers, nor to your enchanters, nor to your sorcerers, which speak unto you, saying, Ye shall not serve the king of Babylon:
10. "For they prophesy a lie unto you, to remove you far from your land; and that I should drive you out, and ye should perish.
11. "But the nations that bring their neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon, and serve him, those will I let remain still in their own land, saith the LORD; and they shall till it, and dwell therein."
Nebuchadnezzar was cognizant of this at the outset of his conquest of Judah, and gave his captain of the guard instructions to show favor and free from prison Jeremiah, whom he knew was a prophet of THE GOD OF ISRAEL:
Jeremiah 39:11-14 - "Now Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon gave charge concerning Jeremiah to Nebuzar-adan the captain of the guard, saying,
12. "Take him, and look well to him, and do him no harm; but do unto him even as he shall say unto thee.
13. "So Nebuzar-adan the captain of the guard sent and Nebushasban, Rab-saris, and Nergal-sharezer, Rab-mag, and all the king of Babylon's princes
14. "Even they sent, and took Jeremiah out of the court of the prison, and committed him unto Gedaliah the son of Ahikam the son of Shaphan, that he should carry him home: so he dwelt among the people."
Jeremiah 40:1-5 - "The word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD after that Nebuzar-adan the captain of the guard had let him go from Ramah, when he had taken him being bound in chains among all that were carried away captive of Jerusalem and Judah, which were carried away captive unto Babylon.
2. "And the captain of the guard took Jeremiah, and said unto him, The LORD thy God hath pronounced this evil upon this place.
3. "Now the LORD hath brought it, and done according as he hath said: because you have sinned against the LORD, and have not obeyed his voice, therefore this thing is come upon you.
4. "And now, behold, I loose thee this day from the chains which were upon thine hand. If it seem good unto thee to come with me into Babylon, come; and I will look well unto thee: but if it seem ill unto thee to come with me into Babylon, forbear: behold, all the land is before thee: whither it seemeth good and convenient for thee to go, thither go.
5. "Now while he was not yet gone back, he said, Go back also to Gedaliah the son of Anikam the son of Shaphan, whom the king of Babylon hath made governor over the cities of Judah, and dwell with him among the people: or go wheresoever it seemeth convenient unto thee to go. So the captain of the guard gave him victuals and a reward, and let him go."
In addition to this information available to the King of Babylon, God revealed through Daniel his purpose with the earth and man upon it (Daniel 2). Also, God augmented this knowledge by demonstrating his power to the-King through two great miracles:
(1.) By delivering Daniel's three friends from the fiery furnace (Daniel 3).
(2.) By depriving the king of all reason and driving him from men to eat grass with the beasts until seven times passed over him, after which God restored his reason (Daniel 4:25-34).
God chose this king of Babylon as a servant (instrument) to punish the Jews for their iniquity and made him a king of kings to rule over all other kings in the whole earth:
Daniel 2:37-38 - "Thou, O king, art a king of kings: for the God of heaven hath given thee a kingdom, power, and strength, and glory.
38. "And wheresoever the children of men dwell, the beasts of the field and the fowls of the heaven hath he given into thine hand, and hath made thee ruler over them all. Thou art this head of gold."
"... and revealed to the king his purpose in the earth, and demonstrated his power by the miracles mentioned above; thus was the king of Babylon informed and exalted to a position warranting the title "bright one, son of dawn." This was the dawn of a NEW era: THE BEGINNING OF GENTILE TIMES. Nebuchadnezzar being the first Gentile king to rule over the whole world, including God's people (the Israeli heaven and earth, whose sun, moon and stars were eclipsed by their captivity).
Thus Nebuchadnezzar was appointed by God to be the supreme ruler in the Babylonian heavens.
There were other national heavens who served Nebuchadnezzar (Jeremiah 27:6-11, quoted above) from whence he fell by seeking unto "astrologers, magicians, sorcerers, and soothsayers":
Daniel 2:2, 10, 27 - "Then the king commanded to call the magicians, and the astrologers, and the sorcerers, and the Chaldeans, for to shew the king his dreams. So they came and stood before the king ...
10. "The Chaldeans answered before the king, and said, There is not a man upon the earth that can shew the king's matter: therefore there is no king, lord, nor ruler, that asked such things at any magician, or astrologer, or Chaldean ...
27. "Daniel answered in the presence of the king, and said, The secret which the king hath demanded cannot the wise men, the astrologers, the magicians, the soothsayers, shew unto the king."
... and by resorting to the worship of idols contrary to God's revelation to him:
Daniel 3:1-5 - "Nebuchadnezzar the king made an image of gold, whose height was threescore cubits, and the breadth thereof six cubits: he set it up in the plain of Dura, in the province of Babylon.
2. "Then Nebuchadnezzar the king sent to gather together the princes, the governors, and the captains, the judges, the treasurers, the counselors, the sheriffs, and all the rulers of the provinces, to come to the dedication of the image which Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up.
3. "Then the princes, the governors, and captains the judges, the treasurers, the counselors, the sheriffs, and all the rulers of the provinces, were gathered together unto the dedication of the image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up; and they stood before the image that Nebuchadnezzar had set up.
4. "Then an herald cried aloud, To you it is commanded, O people, nations, and languages,
5. "That at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, dulcimer, and all kinds of musick, ye fall down and worship the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king hath set up."
Also:
Daniel 4:30: "The king spake, and said, Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for the house of the kingdom by the might of my power, and for the honour of my majesty?"
This statement was an outright DENTAL of Daniel's statement to this king
(Daniel 2:37-38, quoted above).
Daniel 4:30-32 - "The king spake, and said, Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for the house of the kingdom by the might of my power, and for the honour of my majesty?
31. "While the word was in the king's mouth, there fell a voice from heaven saying, O king Nebuchadnezzar, to thee it is spoken: The kingdom is departed from thee.
32. "And they shall drive thee from men, and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field: they shall make thee to eat grass as oxen, and seven times shall pass over thee, until thou know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will."
The final downfall of the king of Babylon came when he "made a great feast" and used the vessels of God's house to drink wine unto his idols and filling up his cup of iniquity, at which time he encountered the "handwriting on the wall." That night he was slain and Babylon fell to Cyrus of the Aledes and Persians. Babylon never again arose from the "dust of the ground."
THUS: was LUCIFER, THE KING OF BABYLON, FALL FROM HEAVEN, for the same reason and after the similitude of the Nation of Israel: Because of their disbelief of God's word and seeking recourse from false prophets and idols.
|
JESUS AND HELL
