|
The Punishment of the Fallen
Angel
The
origin of Lucifer - His Beauty and Perfection
Ezekiel 28-- is
careful to point out that Lucifer is a created being. He is not eternal, but
limited and finite. Before the fall, Lucifer is perfect... intellectually
and physically.
Ez. 28:13 describes the beauty of Lucifer. "The workmanship of your timbrels
and pipes was prepared for you on the day you were created."
Christian writer
Dwight Pentecost wrote:
"It was not necessary for Lucifer to learn to play a musical instrument in
order to praise God. If you please, he had a built-in pipe organ... Lucifer,
because of his beauty, did what a musical instrument would do in the hands
of a skilled musician...
 Lucifer
didn't have to look for someone to play the organ so that he could sing the
doxology... he was the doxology." His name "serpent" means "The
shining one."
St. Paul also
describes him as "an angel of light".
(II Cor 11:14)
His Place:
He was in Eden, the garden of God, on the holy
mountain of God.
Later Ezekiel remarks, "You defiled your sanctuaries." Ez. 28:18
His Power: Ez 28:14 says, "You were
the anointed cherub who covers." He was one of the cherubs that could look
upon the glory of God and voice praise and thanksgiving directly to Him. The
cherubim were one of the highest orders of the angels and it was over this
class of angels that Lucifer was given authority.
His Pride: Ez. 28:15-18 Iniquity
was found in him -- his heart was lifted up because of his beauty -- He
corrupted his wisdom for the sake of his splendor.
The Fall of
Lucifer - Where he went wrong
The 5 things Lucifer wanted: Isaiah 14:13-14
-
 Lucifer
wanted God's place. "I will ascend into heaven."
He wanted to move God off His throne.
-
Lucifer wanted
God's position. "I will exalt my throne above the stars of God."
"Stars" = angels of God.
Lucifer was never the Commander-in-Chief of the angelic army, but he was a
Five-Star General. He was not happy just being in charge of the cherubim;
he wanted sole authority over all the angels without submitting himself to
the authority of the Creator. He wanted to eliminate God from the scene.
-
He wants to
control all the universe--absolute control. "I will also sit on the mount of
the congregation on the farthest sides of the north."
-
He was no longer
happy to be a reflector of his Creator, he wanted to be the originator. "I
will ascend above the heights of the clouds." Of the 150 references to
clouds in the Bible, over 100 of them are related to the presence and glory
of God. Lucifer was saying he was going to take to himself a greater glory
than the glory of God.
-
He wanted to be
responsible to no one but himself. He wanted total independence. "I will be
like the Most High."
His Punishment
Therefore I cast you as a profane thing
out of the mount of God (28:16). I destroyed you, O covering cherub, from
the midst of the fiery stones" (vs. 16) I cast you to the ground (vs. 17) I
laid you before kings, that they might gaze at you (vs 17) I brought fire
from your midst....it devoured you. (vs. 18) I turned you to ashes upon the
earth (vs 18)
 Lucifer's
proud heart was the reason for his fall, and the Bible tells us he did
indeed fall, and took some of the angels with him. (Rev. 12:7-12)
Some believe that Lucifer's fall to earth took place at Jesus' resurrection
or ascension.
What we must remember is that Christ is victorious, but the devil is not a
symbol or legend, he is very real. He is an angel turned into a devil by
pride. And pride is still a very real temptation that faces us persistently
-- because Lucifer is seeking to reproduce himself -- the most prideful
being of all.
"The Devil sleeps like an animal in the shadow of good works waiting for us
to conceive a secret admiration of ourselves."
How did all
this happen?
-
Did God know the pride that would captivate the heart
of Lucifer when He created him?
Yes, since God is omniscient, He knew.
-
Could God have prevented it?
Yes, since God is omnipotent, He could have.
-
Why didn't He? How could a perfect, holy being fall?
Lucifer had no sinful world to lure him, no tempter to push him and no
innate sinful nature to overpower him. How could the first unholy affection
arise in an angelic being?
The answer lies in the fact that Lucifer was created with a freedom to
choose just as we are. God gave angels and people the choice of good or
evil. But, even though God permits the devil to do his work in this world,
God is still in control.
Jesus has complete power over Lucifer
-- he defeated Lucifer when he died and rose again for the sins of
mankind --.
One day Lucifer will be bound forever,
never again to do his evil work. But until that day, we who belong to Christ
are part of the ongoing battle for our very souls.
Our weapons are the Word of God, being watchful, giving no place to him and
resisting him.
|
