Satanology--Part 1

Satan was not created in his present, corrupt form. He was created finitely perfect. His original creation is described in Ezekiel 28. Satan is included as one created by Jesus Christ, because he is one of the invisible powers who owe their existence to the Son of God (Col. 1:16, 17).

Satan’s appearance to Eve in the garden of Eden was not his origin. Satan originated when Lucifer, his former name, rebelled against God and became what he is. God, the Creator of all things, did not create Satan as Satan. He created Lucifer as the bright and shining one. Lucifer surpassed the other heavenly beings except Michael and Gabriel. The order of the angels was subject to him. Unlike God, who is Spirit (John 4:24), Lucifer was a created spirit being. He is neither self-existent nor eternal.

No reference is made in the first chapters of Genesis to the creation of this angelic creature. Both Isaiah and Ezekiel recorded the original state of Lucifer before his fall and the sin that caused his fall (Is. 14; Ezek. 28). Although the primary reference may be to the fall of the proud king of Babylon and the leader or prince of Tyre, the message goes beyond them. Who filled the king of Babylon and the leader of Tyre with pride and self-confidence? These rulers were nothing more than puppets under the control of Satan. When Lucifer was an unsinning angel, he was perfect: “You were blameless in your ways From the day you were created, Until unrighteousness was found in you” (Ezek. 28:15 NASB). Such language as “created” and “blameless in your ways” could not apply to the leader of Tyre. However, the expression does apply to Lucifer before his fall.

In his prophetic vision, Ezekiel stood on the threshold of angelic history and saw in prospect the end of Satan’s career. In his prophetic vision, Isaiah stood at the end of history and saw in retrospect what he recorded. In order to make the identity sure, Satan was directly addressed: “How you have fallen from heaven, O star of the morning, son of the dawn...” (Is. 14:12 NASB). The scene then turned back to the beginning of his fall. His original position and his declaration of independence are recorded in Isaiah 14:12-14.

Ezekiel’s lamentation expressed over the prince of Tyre, while addressed to an earthly potentate, goes beyond the earthly prince and applies to one of greater power and wickedness (Ezek. 28). The real, earthly ruler of Tyre was Satan working through the prince. The person described here under the title of “leader [prince] of Tyre” is discovered to be the chief among the angels, Lucifer. The language employed in Ezekiel 28 could never apply to a heathen leader during the time of Ezekiel or any other time, except as he is a type of the Antichrist. The leader of Tyre was a type of the Antichrist in his relation to the greatest of angels, Lucifer, in his fallen state.

The answer to two questions should suffice to disprove the theory that Ezekiel was comparing the leader of Tyre with Adam and what happened to him: (1) Was the leader of Tyre created, or was he propagated by human parents? He was propagated by human parents, but the one of whom Ezekiel wrote was created. (2) Was the leader of Tyre perfect? He was not perfect. Ezekiel spoke of one who was created finitely perfect; but by his own sin, he became Satan.

Before Lucifer’s fall, a region was committed to his rule; but his rulership was subordinate to God: “You were the anointed cherub who covers, And I placed you there. You were on the holy mountain of God; You walked in the midst of the stones of fire” (Ezek. 28:14 NASB). No one should doubt that Lucifer at one time held a responsible position in the heavens. This anointed cherub had access to the throne of God.

There was a time before man when the world prince of God renounced his allegiance to the most High, and thereby the bright and shining one became the great adversary of God. He remains that adversary until he shall be put in his place in the bottomless pit for eternity.

Speculation must be avoided and ignorance shunned concerning Lucifer’s fall. We are not to be wise above what is written, but we are to be wise in what has been written. (1) That heaven was Lucifer’s original abode cannot be denied (Luke 10:18). (2) The reason for his fall is given (I Tim. 3:6; Is. 14:13, 14). (3) Since God prepared for Adam, the representative head of mankind, an abode—the garden of Eden—suitable for his highest enjoyment, did He not do the same for Lucifer, the head of the angelic beings? (4) Satan came as a fallen creature to the garden of Eden. There is no Biblical proof that the Eden of Ezekiel 28 and the Eden of Genesis 2:8 occupied the same place. (5) The Eden in Genesis is never called the garden of God, but the Eden of Ezekiel 28 is called the garden of God. The garden of Eden in Ezekiel was a mineral garden; whereas, the garden of Eden in Genesis was a vegetable garden. Since Lucifer was a spirit being without a body, the mineral garden of Eden was his abode. Adam was taken from dust in the vegetable garden of Eden to which he would return at death.

Lucifer sinned, and the Lord said to him, “By the multitude of your iniquities, In the unrighteousness of your trade, You profaned your sanctuaries. Therefore I have brought fire from the midst of you; It has consumed you, And I have turned you to ashes on the earth In the eyes of all who see you” (Ezek. 28:18 NASB). Lucifer’s position enabled him to traffic with the angels that were under his charge, and the unrighteousness of his trade was manifested. His trafficking suggests slander and may refer to his going among the angels to secure their allegiance to his program of rebellion against God. He was a politician prior to the fall of Adam and Eve.

There was only one will before Lucifer fell, and that was the will of God. Satan brought his will into the world and influenced man to exercise his will. Recorded in Isaiah 14:13-14 are the following phases of Lucifer’s attack against God:

1. Lucifer expressed his first phase of attack against God: “I will ascend to heaven” (Is. 14:13 NASB). He was determined to carry his government into the third heaven, the place of God’s abode (II Cor. 12:1-4). In Christ’s resurrection and ascension, He is seated in heaven “far above all rule, and authority, and power, and dominion” (Eph. 1:20, 21). There are three distinct areas of residence: (1) the eternal realm, which is Divine; (2) the celestial region, which is heavenly; and (3) the terrestrial region, which is earthly. God has a trinity of sons: (1) the eternal, uncreated, unique Son who is co-equal with the Father; (2) the angelic sons (Job 38:4-7); and (3) the sons of God, Christians. The eternal Son created both the celestial sons and the human sons (John 1:1-3; Col. 1:16; Gen. 1:26). The residence of each of the trinity of sons is easily determined. The residence of the eternal Son is the eternal realm; the angelic sons, the celestial realm; and the human sons, the terrestrial realm. Lucifer, “star of the morning, son of the dawn” (Is. 14:12), coveted the Divine realm and was unwilling to live in his realm where God had placed him. He had a place of authority, but he was dissatisfied with his delegated authority. His knowledge of God’s purpose caused him to rebel. He wanted the place where God is. After his fall, he put into the hearts of our first parents the desire to be like God. Therefore, what happened to Lucifer has been brought into the human stream. All the unregenerate desire independence from God.

2. Lucifer expressed his second phase of attack against God: “I will raise my throne above the stars of God” (Is. 14:13 NASB). Stars are used two ways in Scripture: (1) They are used to refer to the stars in the stellar system, and (2) they are used to designate messengers (Job 38:7; Dan. 12:3; Jude 13; Rev. 1:16, 20; 12:4). Our text refers to messengers of God. Those who think Lucifer made his second attack after God created the earth and made it habitable for man, and then God created man to have dominion over the earth, have the wrong concept of the origin of sin. Lucifer’s rebellion against God was the origin of sin. He was already in the garden of Eden to tempt Adam as soon as God created him.

3. Lucifer expressed the third phase of his attack against God: “I will sit on the mount of assembly In the recesses of the north” (Is. 14:13 NASB). The mount is a symbol of Divine government. The assembly refers to Israel; therefore, Lucifer’s determination aims at rulership in the kingdom, because Israel and the kingdom are inseparable. Israel’s foes come from the north (Ezek. 38), and attacks on the Christian faith come from the hidden region.

4. Lucifer expressed his fourth phase of attack against God: “I will ascend above the heights of the clouds” (Is. 14:14 NASB). The significance of this phase of attack is discovered in the meaning of the word “cloud.” Jehovah, the covenant God, appeared in the clouds (Ex. 16:10). He rides on a swift cloud (Ps. 104:3; Is. 19:1). Jesus Christ ascended in a cloud (Acts 1:9). When He returns, He will come in a cloud (Rev. 1:7; I Thess. 4:17). Lucifer’s intention was to rise above Jehovah.

5. Lucifer expressed his fifth phase of attack against God: “I will make myself like the Most High” (Is. 14:14 NASB). This is the climax. Satan told Eve in the garden of Eden that she would be like God if she ate of the forbidden tree. This is the key to the motives and methods of Satanic operations. His purpose is to gain authority over heaven and earth. Of all the names ascribed to God, why did Lucifer choose the title “Most High”? The Most High God is the possessor of heaven and earth, and Lucifer desires to be the possessor of heaven and earth (II Thess. 2:1-12). Satan does not wish to make a hell of earth. He wants it intact for himself.

God determined to permit Satan to run his course in order for the universe of mankind to see what the highest creature, the son of the morning, apart from God can and would do. The spirit of independence will be allowed to expand to its highest fruition. This proves that apart from God there is no life, peace, joy, satisfaction, contentment, etc. People seeking to do the will of God are the most contented. No person saved by grace desires to abrogate to himself authority that he knows belongs to God. In what way could the creature be like the Creator? He can never possess the inherent attributes of God. Satan sought to be like God in independence. This same independence is manifested in all unregenerate persons.

The quality of the heavenly state before the fall was the fact that there was but one will, the will of God. No sooner had time begun when a second will, which opposed the will of God, came into existence. The second will originated in the heart of Lucifer who degenerated into Satan. When Lucifer was unwilling to rule as a subordinate, he became a traitor. Treason is the violation of a subject’s allegiance to his sovereign. This was the beginning of a conflict that will intensify until the coming of Jesus Christ as King of kings and Lord of lords. Since the time Lucifer exercised his will contrary to the will of God, there have been many wills. In the eternal state, there will be only one will. This is the distinguishing characteristic between eternity and time.

Satan’s power and authority today as the fallen one are within the purpose of the sovereign God (Matt. 4:8-10; John 12:31; 14:30; 16:11; Eph. 2:2). There is no power except by God (Rom. 13:1). The sovereignty of God is His absolute and independent right to dispose of all creatures according to His pleasure. The will of God is called His pleasure in opposition to any constraint, restraint, or obligation. Intelligent creatures may do things voluntarily but not according to their pleasure, because there is a degree of restraint in every subject to his sovereign. However, this can never be true of God. God’s will is the first and not the second in every movement in time. No mortal individual is absolutely free. God alone is absolutely free; therefore, what He does is according to the good pleasure of His will (Eph. 1:5).

The earth has always been a reflection of its inhabitants. When Lucifer fell, the garden of God (Ezek. 28:13) became chaotic (Gen. 1:2). When Adam was created upright, the world was a garden of Eden. When he fell, God cursed the ground for man’s sake, and it became the reflection of man’s depravity. An opposing will to God’s will was the cause of the fall of both Lucifer and man. Sin had its origin with Lucifer, not with Adam. The only reference in the Bible to the exact origin of sin is Ezekiel 28:15—“You were blameless in your ways From the day you were created, Until unrighteousness was found in you.” This was the beginning of sin with the angelic host. Sin with mankind began with Adam in the garden of Eden. The sinfulness of Adam’s sin is not discovered by comparing it with the wickedness in the human sphere, but by a due comparison of it with the holiness of God. Satan was not only the first actor in sin, but he was also the first tempter to sin.

As God is the embodiment of good, Satan in his restricted sphere is the embodiment of evil. God being infinite is infinitely good. Satan being finite is evil to the extent of his resources and means. The first sin committed not only bears much on our understanding of the one who committed it, but it is also the pattern of all sin to follow. Satan’s entire career is an unbroken manifestation of self-will. Scripture indicts him for this sin:

1. “How you have fallen from heaven, O star of the morning, son of the dawn! You have been cut down to the earth, You who have weakened the nations! But you said in your heart, I will ascend into heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God, And I will sit on the mount of assembly In the recesses of the north. I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High” (Is. 14:12-14 NASB).

2. “Your heart was lifted up because of your beauty; You corrupted your wisdom by reason of your splendor. I cast you to the ground; I put you before kings, That they may see you” (Ezek. 28:17 NASB).

Pride, which is self-will, self-esteem, conceit, and egotism, is the usual definition of Lucifer’s sin. Lucifer’s self-will prompted him to unholy ambition. He repudiated the Creator and displayed dissatisfaction with the subordinate position to which he had been Divinely appointed. Lucifer proposed by ambition and self-promotion to advance himself to the highest heaven and into the likeness of the sovereign God of the universe.