6
October 2015 SR
G
od created the heavens and the
earth and it was “very good.” Part of that
creation was a “world” of spirit beings. It was a “spirit
world” of perfection and beauty. However, one of those
beautiful angelic beings led a rebellion in heaven which
would drastically change everything. The leader of this
angelic revolution was Lucifer, who then became Satan.
Scripture does not lay out for the reader a systematic
theology of Satan. It is necessary to develop this theology
by seeing Satan interact with both God and man in
Scripture.
Very little is told to the reader of Scripture about the origins
of Satan. He enters the Biblical drama at the beginning of
human history in the Garden of Eden. Without introduction,
he appears as a serpent in all his evil and deceitful ways
to tempt Adam and Eve into rebellion against God.
The Bible suggests that Satan was not created in the evil
state in which we see him in the Bible. Isaiah 14:12 calls
him “the star of the morning” from the Hebrew word,
“Lucifer.” Lucifer is his pre-rebellion name.
Ezekiel 28:12-15 describes Satan in terms of the King of
Tyre. The clue that this passage may also be referring to
Lucifer/Satan is, “You were in Eden, the garden of God.”
God created Satan, as he also created
man—in perfection and beauty.
Lucifer is described in Ezekiel as
“the model of perfection,” “anointed
as a guardian cherub,” “full of wisdom,”
and “blameless.” But he was also
created with the variable factor of
choice. Lucifer’s evil and deceitful
nature was not part of God’s creation
but the result of his own perversion.
Lucifer became Satan because he chose evil.
You were blameless in your ways from the day you were
created till wickedness was found in you. Through your
widespread trade you were filled with violence, and you
sinned. So I drove you in disgrace from the mount of
God, and I expelled you, O guardian cherub, from
among the fiery stones. Your heart became proud on
account of your beauty, and you corrupted your wisdom
because of your splendor. So I threw you to the earth;
I made a spectacle of you before kings. Ezekiel 28:15-17
Satan’s beauty warped and corrupted his wisdom,
becoming his downfall. Isaiah 14:12-15 gives more help
in understanding the corruption and rebellion of Satan.
How you have fallen from heaven, O morning star, son of
the dawn! You have been cast down to the earth, you
who once laid low the nations! You said in your 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.” But you are brought down to the grave, to
the depths of the pit. Isaiah 14:12-15
From Lucifer to Satan
