BS6A - THE FALL OF LUCIFER
Every one of us was put here on earth to fulfill a purpose for which we were created. And when it comes to Jesus, we could say that He was born to die.
I know that’s pretty startling but let’s step back and try to understand the reason for his coming.
God created the first humans, Adam and Eve, in his own image and likeness.
Genesis 1:26-27
This meant that man was given a spirit so he could relate to God --- It’s the deepest part of us. Man was given a soul --- which is his mind, will, and emotions --- with these he could relate to other men as well as himself. And finally, he was given a body which housed his soul and his spirit.
Unlike any of the other created things -- like animals and plants, -- man’s spirit became the home of God’s Spirit. It’s truly remarkable that God would even think of aligning himself with us in that way, but he did. And so, with God’s spirit indwelling man’s we had a direct link with Almighty God.
Genesis 2:7
That “breath of life” is God’s Holy Spirit which only God can give us. What will His Spirit do for us?
Ezekiel 37:5
The “breath of life makes us alive to God. Without His Spirit within us we are dead to God. We might believe in Him, but without His Spirit we can have no relationship.
God created us with a spirit because it was always his plan that we would walk together in a partnership with Him-- filling the earth and subduing it -- together. But God didn’t want us to be like robots who had to love him. Therefore, he gave Adam and Eve free-will. They could choose to walk with him in love and obedience – or not.
At the time that God created man and the earth, evil was already in the universe. God had created angels to serve Him (before he created man) and like man, God created them with free-will. Evil began through the rebellion of some of the angels led by the chief angel named Lucifer (Morning star) whose name later changed to Satan (adversary). They were created to serve God but some decided they wanted to be God instead. In the form of prophesy God tells us what Lucifer was like, and why he fell. There are two main sections of scripture that talk about this. The first is through a prophesy in Ezekiel. He speaks about the King of Tyre, whom scholars believe was symbolic of Satan or else a human king empowered by Satan. After God created him what was “the King of Tyre” like?
Ezekiel 28:12-15
At verse 15 there is a sharp turn. He was perfect until iniquity or wickedness was found in him. What was his wickedness?
Ezekiel 28:16-17
The reference in verse 16 to his widespread “trade” has to do with his persistent plotting and slander as he gathered his band of rebels around him. But pride was what lurked behind his “trade”. Lucifer became so impressed with his beauty, intelligence, wisdom, power, and position that he began to covet for himself the glory and honor that belonged to God alone. This was the first sin in the universe. Since Lucifer had been created with free-will, he had full knowledge of the consequences, and still chose to rebel against the Creator of the universe. What happened as a result?
Ezekiel 28:18
Satan was cast out of God’s heavenly government and his place of authority and who witnessed it?
Luke 10:18
Another Old Testament passage that may refer to the fall of Satan is in:
Isaiah 14:12-17
Some scholars feel this passage only speak of men whom have fallen from great political heights. Others feel that is only speaks of the fall of Satan. But there is a third interpretation that is perhaps preferable. Isaiah 14:4-11 may deal with the actual King of Babylon. Then in verses 12-17 it may have a dual reference to the actual king as well as a typological description of Satan. This third interpretation fits what we find in Ezekiel 28 where first a human king is described and then a dual reference to a man and to Satan. The same underlying sin of pride is described in Isaiah as it was in Ezekiel.
Isaiah 14:13-14
Through these scriptures we see that one of the highest-ranking angels was the chief rebel who became a liar and master deceiver. Once God had finished His creation, Satan went right to work.
Next Study: BS6B - The Fall of Man