|
Pride Comes Before A Fall
by Nellie Shani Where as the book of Ezekiel concentrates more on the privileges that Lucifer had as a guardian cherub, the book of Isaiah concentrates more on what went on in his heart. Lucifer said in his heart, I will ascend to heaven, I will raise my throne above the stars of God; I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly, on the utmost heights of the sacred mountain. I will ascend above the tops of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High (Isaiah 14:13). Five times Lucifer said, I will. He did not think he needed God anymore. He did not know that he only reflected Gods glory and that the glory was not coming from him. He wanted to receive the praise and worship that belonged to God his creator. He acted like a beautiful pot that tells the potter, Look at me! I am beautiful! I dont need you. I dont have to do what you want me to do. I will do what I want to do. It is like a new-born baby on the delivery table turning around and telling his mother, Thank you for giving birth to me, I dont need you anymore! This foolish pride cost Lucifer not only his honored position as a guardian cherub to the throne of God but also his presence in heaven. . . . So I drove you in disgrace from the mount of God, and I expelled you, O guardian cherub, from among the fiery stones . . .so I threw you to the earth; I made you a spectacle of you before kings (Ezekiel 28:16-17). Now we see how and why Lucifer was thrown out of heaven to the earth. Isaiah says, How you have fallen from heaven, O morning star, son of the dawn! You have been cast down to the earth . . . (Isaiah 14:12). This is the first reference that is made of Lucifer as a star. God refers to angels as stars when He speaks to Job in Job 38:7. . . . While the mornings stars sang together and all the angels shouted for joy . . . The story does not end there however. Lucifer led a rebellion in heaven where a third of the angels rallied behind him! His tail swept a third of the stars out of the sky and flung them to the earth (Revelations 12:4). In this passage, Lucifers name changes to dragon. The dragon mobilizes his forces and we are told that there is war between him and his angels, and Gods angels who remained faithful to Him. There was no battle between God and Satan as he was later to be called. Satan fighting against God is like the proverbial pot fighting with the potter! It is like a human being fighting with an ant! Satans fight was against other angels like him. We are told, And there was war in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back. But he was not strong enough, and they lost their place in heaven. The great dragon was hurled down that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him (Revelations 12:7-9). We are told that Satan lost the battle against Michael and his angels because he was not strong enough! Satan was not strong enough against fellow angels so imagining that Satan can fight against God is incredulous. God is way more powerful than Satan! It is no wonder that the Bible says, You dear children are from God and have overcome them (evil spirits), because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world (1 John 4:4). Nellie Odhuno Shani is a Counselor, Conference speaker and writer. Her first books are available on amazon.com, Barnes and Nobles and on her author's websites. Article Source: http://www.faithwriters.com |