Monday: Lucifer’s Fall
Although the Bible does not explicitly tell us the issues involved in the controversy between God and Satan, they can be inferred from some pertinent scriptural passages, such as Isaiah 14:4-21 and Ezekiel 28:12-19.
Image © Lars Justinen from GoodSalt.com
In their original settings, these passages represented pagan kings of Tyre and Babylon; but, when read carefully, they provide details that go beyond these ancient near eastern rulers. Indeed, they point to the origin, position, and fall of Satan.
In 1 Timothy 3:6 Paul warns against ordaining a new convert, cautioning that such an act might cause the person to become conceited and fall under the same judgment as the devil. How does Paul’s statement throw light on the two passages above, and in what way do these three passages together help us to understand some issues in the controversy?
At least three issues are raised in the texts cited above: pride, autonomy, and independence. The Old Testament portrays a created, dependent being aspiring to be self-sufficient and independent. But independence is always independence from something or somebody. First John 3:8 says that the devil has sinned from the beginning; 1 John 3:4 defines “sin” as lawlessness. It follows, then, that Satan’s sin – which manifested itself as a quest for independence and autonomy – represented a desire to be freed from the “restraints” of God and His laws. Thus, by refusing to allow himself to be brought under the authority of God’s law, Satan showed that he wanted to live under a different set of conditions. This rebellion would also imply that the system of laws in heaven was not ideal, that something was, indeed, wrong with it. But because God’s law is a reflection of God’s character, a defect in the law would amount to a defect in God’s character. In short, Satan’s rebellion was as much against God Himself as it was against anything else.
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I live in Malawi and currently there are strikes going on in various places. people are crying for "better" conditions to their employers. To some extent I understand because costs of living are increasing here. but I want to imagine a situation where the conditions are best and that the employer is the source and sustainer of life himself, to do this would be a grave mistake. In patriachs and prophets chapter 1 we are told that Lucifer was warned for his desires of "better" conditions but he did not listen "The time had come for a final decision; he must fully yield to the divine sovereignty or place himself in open rebellion. He nearly reached the decision to return, but pride forbade him. It was too great a sacrifice for one who had been so highly honored to confess that he had been in error, that his imaginings were false, and to yield to the authority which he had been working to prove unjust. {PP 39.1} Pride is extremely dangerous and let's not entertain it. Let us all learn of the humility of Christ.
Lucifer has been an enigma throughout the ages. He ain't a puzzle but we try to piece him up to see who he really is? He makes his lies pleasant to human and truth is his dilemma. How God threw him out of heaven, made earth his temporary abode and afterwards create man and a woman in the same place where lucifer is? Is there something amiss? No, God in His infinite love, simply planned for sinners' redemption through His son's blood.
My son and I once asked the question, are we humans became like an experimental ground on earth about what sin can do if permitted unchecked? It seems like it, but God has a plan, in due time God the Son wore the garb of humanity and became one like us to save us, he became our brother. He was tempted and experienced every temptation we had and yet without sin. He showed mankind how to live, He became the ladder for humanity so we can climb and ascend to heaven. By His stripes we are healed. My son said we seemed better than the angels because Jesus became our brother.
I can't understand why God would put us in danger of sin/satan in the first place. He has/had the power to do with earth whatever he wanted to and he chose this!! WHY?? I don't get it.
God gave us and all his created beings free will choice , that is we had the choice to obey him , when he said do not eat of the tree or we could chose to listen to satan who said eat the fruit and there will be no consequences . God does not force his will on man , though he knows everything , his love compells him to allow man to chose to obey or disobey .
To Billboo in response to your question about why was sin permitted please read the content of this link, hope this help...http://www.whiteestate.org/books/pp/pp1.html
In my walk with Jesus and raised non Adventist in Pleasant Hill CA I pray that the PH conversance eyes will be opened. The struggle for independent mined woman is so difficult in today's world. That seed of Satan to be Equal in this world is very hard to overcome. Do as God says because in this world you will find you're self flat on your face or being stubborn will cost you eternal life. I wish that I could of shared my witness. The burden we place upon our self, to be politically correct in this world is from a dark place. If you don't understand your will, God will explain it in Heaven. If God says it we must trust it. For some a gut wrenching battle Pride, independence is extremely hard for today's women. Wake up woman and accept what God says.
Thanks for your comment, Cynthia. Believe it or not but the battle with pride and independence is just as strong for men as it is for women. It is not a gender problem. It is a human problem. If these are reasons to rebuke someone then we all stand rebuked. However, rather than rebuke, perhaps we should remember the words of Jesus when he said, "“Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone..." John 8:7. I would not presume to claim to be without sin. I surely need all the grace that Jesus provides.
Thank you for that balanced reply Stephen. I was reading Cynthia's comment and wondering about the plight of women without understanding that this pride problem affects everybody, not just women.
I was saying been there done that as a woman. I'm not without sin. Yes men have struggles I was thinking about Pleasant hill Ca and the struggle some seem to be having and how the conference is bowing to Satan. I pray for all of us including myself. Please don't spin what I say.
Reading through this lesson I just kept going back to how then do we differentiate between ambition and the other three aspects discussed (pride, autonomy and independence). Or would ambition also fall within the ambit of the other three?
If we are not careful, we will be caught up in satan's trickery with deceit of the eyes. We are all born and shapened in iniquity, but by God's grace and mercy we are able to make it through.
The word "autonomy" is used in a number of context, in some cases such as counseling, parenting and husband and wife relationship autonomy shared in right proportion is good. However, with God we must recognize His perfectness and submit to Him completely, trusting in His perfect love. We can not use our imperfectness to judge His perfect law.
In our world today, words like pride, autonomy and independence seem to inspire some motivation to better oneself and show that you are better than people think you are or portray you to be. But alas, the sole purpose is SELF-exhaltation and it has become so normal that it is encouraged even in the church to look to ourselves instead of to God to define who we are and what we represent. May the Lord help us, help me, to shun these subtle tricks of the devil and to live for Jesus and Him alone.
Indeed pride is always dangerous, pride has made families to fall apart, friends to agree to disagree, let us avoid this animal so called pride, everything will be fine.
I have been pondering Lucifer's fall, for months, somehow I keep returning to John 15:18-25...they hated me, they will hate you.... Stay Strong......Lucifer is as present in our lives as air is... lets think about that the next time we take a breath, he studies us, and will consume us if we continue to desire to be independent... it is our human vanity that allows us to journey down that path...not our destiny...Lets continue to A.S.A.P. (Always say a Prayer) I know prayer works.... that is the only reason I am alive today.....Spread love and see how the desire of independence can become a faded memory....
Thank you for your comment, A.S.A.P is the best to do, we can't live in this world without this wonderful strong force source that comes when we pray.
At what point does pride in oneself become dangerous are we not taught in the church to be the best at what we do? If you pray and and work harder what could be the reason if you are not getting results?
dear Tracey, there is no problem with being the best at what you do neither is it a problem to yield results - but to whom goes the glory is the problem. remember in all that we do, it should be for the glory of God. pride is pride be it in English, Germany, Greek or any African language. Pride is pride be it one second old or 1000 years old so never allow pride to exist in your life because you will fall - flat. PRIDE IS DANGEROUS, IT DOES NOT MATTER WHICH STAGE IT IS, STAY AWAY FROM PRIDE. May God be with you.
Dear Tusuubira, I'm sure you are right about pride. But pride is deceitful. We have a hard time recognizing it in ourselves.
I believe that the only antidote to the soul-destroying sin of pride, particularly spiritual pride, is to spend time in the presence of Jesus--praying and meditating on His Word, working with Him to tell others of the Kingdom and generally do the kind of things He wants done in this world.
I agree that pride is dangerous because we become self-centred and do not give the glory to God. But questions keep coming to my mind. Having been socialised to say that I take pride in my appearance, my speech, my conduct and the standard of work I do, am I committing a sin there? Setting goals and achieving them, having high standards and adhering to them despite the many challenges that one faces give one a sense of pride. Feeling proud of someone who has done something successful or pleasing is gratifying. Am I sinning there? Being an independent thinker is laudable. The Bereans were independent thinkers. They listened to Paul's doctrines but went and searched the Scriptures to verify if what he was preaching was scriptural. When as a Christian, one is faithful to God by His grace amid the secularism, the materialism and the tug to be one of the crowd that is independence. I have always regarded autonomy in a different light, but if in a restricted sense it means that I am steadfast in my faithfulness to God and am not easily influenced in serving Him by His grace, I see nothing wrong with it. As long as God is the centre of my life and He controls my life, and by His grace I always give glory to Him for everything in my life, I see nothing wrong with those words. God has made us free moral beings and that indicates that we exercise independence in making decisions about serving God and choosing eternal life under the promptings of the Holy Spirit. Being omnipotent, He could force everyone of us to serve Him.
God created mankind in His image. God saw His work of creation and said “It is very good!”. Does anyone think that He was not “proud” of what He had accomplished? What kind of “pride” was this? This was sanctified pride, the kind of pride that we, who are made in His image are to reflect. The individual who takes no “pride” in his accomplishments is foregoing a God-given pleasure as well as a motivator of life. The key to this attribute of pride as humans is our relation with Jesus Christ. If that relationship is strong, our pride will be sanctified and be directed outward to be a blessing instead of the selfish worldly pride which is directed inward.