1. # A minister who was fighting superstition had a horoscope cast to prove that they don’t work. Because the horoscope was so detailed, he had to pay a large fee. Then he waited confidently to demonstrate that the horoscope would not be fulfilled. To his amazement, the prophecies fulfilled themselves. For eight years he observed all predictions come true, even to the smallest details. He grew increasingly uneasy. Finally, he repented and asked God for protection. After his repentance, he discovered that his horoscope was no longer correct. # A young man began using a fortune teller’s pendulum to find out the prices of his competitors. A later price list confirmed his results. He influenced his clients with a magic mirror that forced their orders. They he moved to healing the sick. His diagnoses were affirmed by medical doctors. Through magic charming, he healed toothache, stopped bleeding, cured rheumatism, and conducted healings even at a distance. When a lost object was to be located, his pendulum always proved true. For example, one day a transport plane crashed into the mountains. The government offered a reward to anyone who found the plane. He took an atlas, and the pendulum stopped at the foot of Piz Duan. He repeated his findings. His information was not accepted. Later the wreckage was found exactly where he had told them.
This man considered that his ability with the pendulum was a gift of God. However, a Christian, concerned for his soul, gave him a book that responded to the demonic. As he read it, Deut 18:10-12 stood out: “For all who do these things are an abomination to the Lord.” An inward battle began. He threw away his books on the occult but kept his pendulum. For 15 months he was in a spiritual battle, as he encountered deep depression. Finally he threw away his pendulum and great peace was experienced in his life. He felt the assurance that all of his sins were forgiven. Jesus Christ became the centre of his life. Is God responsible for evil? Where did Satan come from? Was Satan always bad? What made Satan what he is today?
These questions, and many like them, plague the minds of Christians and the unchurched alike. There is only one place to look for answers to ultimate questions such as these, and that is God’s word.
2. Two passages lift the lid on such questions, Ez 28 and Isa 14. Ez 28 was written from the perspective of the creation of all things and looking forwards. Isa 14 was written from the perspective of the recreation of all things and looking backwards.
3. The two passages are timely for us today, as many of us could easily head down the same path.
Before moving into Ez 28 and Isa 14, it must be recognised that some theologians question that both texts refer to Satan.
My response is to turn to hermeneutics, the science of interpretation. Prophecy often has two fulfilments, a local and an ultimate fulfilment. The local fulfilment is often only partial. When this occurs, the complete fulfilment awaits an ultimate event, usually the first or second comings of Christ.
For example, Isa.7:14
Immediate prophecy: a virgin having a baby referred to Isaiah’s holy wife having a baby, Isaiah’s son
Ultimate prophecy: represents a virgin having a baby, God’s Son. The term, “virgin” could not be fulfilled by Isaiah’s holy wife. This prophecy looks beyond her to the birth of Jesus Christ.
Using the same principle, we look at Ezek.28:11-17:
In the immediate prophecy, the king of Tyre is referred to.
However, the words of the prophecy go far beyond an earthly ruler. The ultimate prophecy refers to Satan, who controlled the king of Tyre. Similarly in Isa.14:12-17:
The immediate prophecy refers to the king of Babylon.
However again, this does not nearly fulfil the passage. There is an ultimate prophecy in view, Satan, who controlled the king of Babylon is being portrayed.
In fact, Jesus used v. 12 to describe Satan’s fall (Luke 10:18; cf. Rev. 12:8– 10).
I SATAN’S FALL (Ez 28:11-27)
Moving then to Ez 28.More is said about this one angel, Satan, than all of the other angels put together.
In Ez 28:1-10, Ezekiel pronounces judgment upon the prince of Tyre, Ithobel II. Riches and power so fed his pride that he claimed to be divine. In Ez 28:11-17, it is my belief that the prophet moves on pronounce God’s judgment on the one who controls the prince of Tyre, Satan himself. The words go far beyond a description of any human ruler.
1. Satan as God made him
V13: “On the day you were created.” So Satan was created by God out of nothing. He did not exist forever.
V14 “You were the model of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty.” 1. Wisdom. Satan had a perfection of wisdom. He was the highest being
regarding wisdom. He was not omniscient (all-knowing) as is God, but none can match the mental genius of Satan.
2. Beauty. Satan had a perfection of beauty. However beautiful everything was in all of creation, nothing could match the beauty of Satan. Is Satan still beautiful? I sincerely doubt it.
3. Privilege. V13: “You were in Eden, the garden of God.” It doesn’t matter whether this was the earthly Garden of Eden or a heavenly Garden of Eden. Satan was in both.
So Satan was given the greatest of privileges, permanent access into the very presence of God. V 14: “You were on the holy mount of God;
you walked among the fiery stones.” “Stones of fire” speak of God’s holy
presence.
4. Honour. Satan was given the greatest honour: V13: “Every precious
stone adorned you,” and then nine precious stones are listed. There are
only two similar lists in Scripture: Ex 28, the high priest’s breastplate, which represents God’s glory among His people Israel; and Rev 21, the beautiful New Jerusalem, where all Christians will live for eternity. Satan was most honoured by God.
Can you imagine the sparkle of colour. However, a gemstone doesn’t have light of its own. A gemstone in a dark room does not shine any colour. The beauty is not in itself. Its beauty is to reflect light from without. When God created Satan, Satan was given a greater capacity to reflect God’s glory than any other created being.
5. Responsibility. The greatest of God’s privileges is stated in V14: “You
were anointed as a guardian cherub, for so I ordained you.” The
cherubim were the highest created order of being. But, beyond this the original Hebrew states: “You were anointed as a cherub who leads, for
so I ordained you.” The words “anointed” and “ordained” are the same
word as the word “Messiah.” The angels of heaven are organised into an army, and Satan was the commander-in-chief of them. What a privilege!
(1. Satan as God made him)
2. Satan as pride made him.
His fall
V15 describes Satan’s fall briefly: “You were blameless in your ways from
the day you were created till wickedness was found in you.”
What caused the sin in Satan: V17: “Your heart became proud because of
your beauty and you corrupted your wisdom because of your splendour.”
Pride was the cause of Satan’s fall. In addition, the pride of the King of Tyre was truly Satanic.
Satan reacted as though his perfections and privileges were from himself and not a gift of God.
His restlessness
V16 speaks of Satan’s activity: “Through your widespread trade, you were
filled with violence and you sinned.” The word “trade” means “going about.”
In Job 1:7: Satan described his activity as: “roaming through the earth and
going back and forth in it.”
He moved among the angels to lure them away form allegiance to their Creator.
The result
In v 17: His wisdom became perverted. For example, it was a dumb thing to send the Lord Jesus to the cross as it was there that Satan was defeated. Imagine sending yourself to eternity in hell! That’s dumb!
V 16: He was filled with violence. One of Satan’s names means destruction. He is violent and destructive.
His banishment
So God banished Satan from permanent access to His presence: V16: “So
I drove you in disgrace from the mount of God, and I expelled you, O guardian cherub, from among the fiery stones.” Satan began in the fires of
Paradise and will finish in the fires of Perdition.
From Job 1 and 2 and Lk 22:31, we know that he may enter God’s presence with other angels. But his home was removed from heaven: V 17: “So I threw
you to earth.”
After v 17, where Satan is thrown on to the earth, the prophecy blends the characteristics of Satan with those of the King of Tyre.
Application
God has privileged us.
Wisdom: But wisdom can become a source of pride and unconsciously make us feel that we aren’t fully dependent upon God.
Beauty: They say that beauty is skin deep. But when it becomes a source of pride, it is sin deep.
Honour – as symbolised by gems. But possessions and positions can easily make us slip from our Lord.
Privilege: We are God’s chosen people. Do we take that for granted? Responsibility: Are we fulfilling the responsibilities that God has
But that isn’t all! God reveals his reaction to Satan’s fall: V12: “Son of man, take
up a lament against the king of Tyre.” Grief is a love word: we grieve for people
and things that we love. God grieved for Satan. Despite all of Satan’s rebellion and destruction, God loves Satan.
And God loves us. He has privileged us greatly! May we not grieve Him. I SATAN’S FALL
II SATAN’S FOLLY
Isaiah 14:12-17 was written to describe the actual sin of Satan. Ez 28 informs us how Satan sinned, and Isa 14 explains why Satan sinned.
Older versions use the word “Lucifer” in this passage. “Lucifer” is Latin for Venus, the brightest light in our sky other than the sun and the moon. It also means the “light-bearer.” Lucifer lived in light and reflected it in purity. He was also called “the son of dawn.” Isa 14 begins with Satan’s great privilege.
As there are 5 great privileges in Ez 28, there are 5 “I wills” in Isa 14.
V 13: “You said in your heart:” Satan thought his rebellion was a secret, but God knows our thoughts. This same pride filled the King of Babylon’s heart. This colossal pride will eventually fill the heart of the final Babylonian king, Antichrist (Rev 13:8). Pride made Lucifer, the shining one, become Satan the deceiver.
1. “I will ascend to Heaven.”
Lucifer was a cherub. He already had permanent access to God’s throne. But he wanted the right to ascend to heaven in his own right, not as a right granted by God.
2. “I will raise my throne above the stars of God.”
As we heard in the sermon on angels, “the stars of God” are the angels. But Lucifer already had authority over the angels! However, when Lucifer gave orders, the angels knew that the order originated from God. Satan wanted to usurp God’s authority over the entire angelic creation.
3. “I will sit on the mount of assembly in the sides of the north.” Mountains and hills refer to authority. Satan sought world conquest. 4. “I will ascend above the top of the clouds.”
Two thirds of the references to clouds in the Bible refer to God’s glory. In the symbolic text of Isa 14, there can be little doubt that that is the meaning here.
Although Lucifer already had great glory, but it was a reflected glory. He grasped for glory greater than God’s.
5. “I will make myself like the Most High.”
Satan, despite the blindness caused by pride, must have known that he couldn’t become omnipresent, omnipotent and omniscient. So how could he be “like the
Most High?” Nothing makes a being less like God than the urge to be His equal.
It appears that, like God, he would be accountable to no one outside of himself. He desired to be totally independent on any authority outside of himself.
Later, when Satan tempted Adam and Eve, it was with that passion that grasped him, they could “be as God.” It was the 5th “I will” of Isa 14.
Notice that Christ’s life on earth was totally opposite to Satan’s 5 “I wills.” Regarding unlimited access to God
1. “I will ascend to heaven,” boasted Satan.
Jesus Christ left heaven and came to earth so that we may enter heaven (John 1:10-12).
Regarding relationship with angels
2. “I will raise my throne above the stars of God,” he bragged.
“Heb 2:9 says of the Lord Jesus: “But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels.”
Regarding sitting of God’s throne
3. Satan asserted: “I will sit on the mount of assembly in the sides of the
north.”
On the sides of the north of Jerusalem, wearing a crown of thorns, Jesus hung on a cross.
Regarding possessing greater glory than God
4. “I will ascend above the tops of the clouds,” boasted Satan as he grasped for God’s glory.
The Lord Jesus Christ set aside His glory when He came to earth and washed the disciples’ feet.
Regarding equality with God
5. “I will make myself like the Most High,” Satan declared.
The Saviour, by contrasted demonstrated absolute humility: Phil 2:6-7: Christ Jesus, who being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made Himself nothing.”
Spiritual formation
God gave Satan a will, an ability to choose. He chose to rebel.
Jesus stated in Gethsemene, “Nevertheless, not what I will, but what You will.”
God has given us a will. Let us submit our will to God’s will.
Conclusion
# Dr F Huegel was in Mexico where there were no traffic lights on a busy road. A policeman was directing the busy traffic.
A powerful truck could have killed the policeman, but the policeman showed no fear. He wasn’t standing in his own strength. All of the authority of the Mexican government was behind him. There was delegated power.
That is how we respond to the devil. We stand because of delegated power. Jesus Christ said, “All authority in heaven and earth has been given to me” (Mt 28:18).
