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XI.
Life Only In Christ
Chapter 109
:
Origin, History, And Destiny of Satan
1. HAVE any others than
the human family sinned?
"God spared not the angels that
sinned, but cast them down to hell, and
delivered them into chains of darkness, to be
reserved, unto judgment." 2 Peter 2:4.
2. What is the name of
the one who led the angels to sin?
"Depart from Me, ye cursed, into
everlasting fire, prepared for the devil
and his angels." Matt. 25:41.
3. By what other names
is he known?
"And the great dragon was cast
out, that old serpent, called the Devil,
and Satan, which deceiveth the whole
world." Rev. 12:9. See also Isa. 14:12, where he
is called "Lucifer."
4. What was Satan's
condition when created?
"Thou wast perfect in thy ways
from the day that thou wast created, till
iniquity was found in thee." Eze. 28:15.
5. What description is
given of him by the prophet Ezekiel?
"Thus saith the Lord God; Thou
sealest up the sum, full of wisdom, and perfect
in beauty. Thou hast been in Eden the garden
of God; every precious stone was thy covering, .
. . the workmanship of thy tabrets and of thy
pipes was prepared in thee in the day that thou
wast created. Thou art the anointed cherub that
covereth; and I have set thee so: thou wast upon
the holy mountain of God; thou hast walked up
and down in the midst of the stones of fire."
Verses 12-14.
NOTE.-From this it is evident that Satan was
a high and exalted angel before he fell, a
masterpiece of wisdom and beauty. From the
reference to his "tabrets" and "pipes" it
seems probable that he was chorister of
heaven, and led the angelic host in song. In
the earthly sanctuary the cherubim
overshadowed the mercy-seat. Ex. 25:16-22;
Heb. 9:3-5; Ps. 99:1.
6. What unholy,
ambitious spirit took possession of Satan, and
led to his fall?
"For thou hast said in thine heart, I will
ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above
the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount
of the congregation, in the sides of the north:
I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I
will be like the Most High." Isa. 14:13,14.
7. Did pride also
contribute to his fall?
"Thine heart was lifted up because
of thy beauty, thou hast corrupted thy
wisdom by reason of thy brightness." Eze.
28:17.
8. What does Solomon
say precedes destruction and a fall?
"Pride goeth before
destruction, and an haughty spirit before
a fall." Prov. 16:18.
9. How does the prophet
Isaiah describe Satan's fall?
"How art thou fallen from heaven, O
Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut
down to the ground, which didst weaken the
nations!" Isa. 14:12.
10. Why was Satan cast
from his high position?
"By the multitude of thy merchandise
they have filled the midst of thee with
violence, and thou hast sinned: therefore
I will cast thee as profane out of the mountain
of God: and I will destroy thee, O covering
cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire."
Eze. 28:16.
11. When cast out of
the mountain of God, to what place were Satan
and his angels banished, to be kept till the
judgment?
"For if God spared not the angels
that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and
delivered them into chains of darkness, to
be reserved unto judgment." 2 Peter 2:4.
NOTE.-This, we understand, is the darkness
surrounding this world, and is symbolic of
the darkness of utter hopelessness and
despair in rebellion and sin. When Satan led
man to sin, darkness was brought upon this
world. But God did not leave man to
hopelessness. In His mercy and great love He
caused "the light of the glorious gospel of
Christ" to shine, to call men "out of
darkness into His marvelous light." That
Satan and the angels who fell with him had a
period of probation and opportunity to
repent, there can be no doubt. Their fate is
the result of stubborn rebellion and
persistence in sin in spite of the overtures
of mercy and the offers of pardon. For this
they were cast out of heaven. The wicked
angels are kept in everlasting chains of
darkness.
12. How is the conflict
which took place in heaven between Christ and
Satan described by the revelator?
"And there was war in heaven: Michael
and His angels
fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought
and his angels, and prevailed not; neither was
their place found any more in heaven. And the
great dragon was cast out, that old serpent,
called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the
whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and
his angels were cast out with him." Rev. 12:7-9.
13. In what terms did
Christ refer to Satan's fall?
"And He said unto them, I beheld
Satan as lightning fall from heaven." Luke
10:18.
14. Has Satan ever
appeared before God since his fall?
"Now there was a day when the sons of
God came to present themselves before the Lord,
and Satan came also among them." Job 1:6.
See also chapter 2:1.
15. When asked whence
he came, what was Satan's reply?
"Then Satan answered the Lord, and
said, From going to and fro in the earth, and
from walking up and down in it." Job 1:7.
See Job 2:2.
NOTE.-By tempting man to sin, Satan usurped
man's dominion over the earth. Rom. 6:16; 2
Peter 2:19. This he now claims as his
kingdom (Luke 4:6); hence the temptation in
offering the kingdoms of this world to
Christ. As the "god" and ruler of this
world, Satan, for four thousand years before
the crucifixion of Christ, appeared before
God among the representatives of other
worlds, as the representative of this world.
After accomplishing the death of Christ, the
Son of God, the sinless One, Satan was cast
out of this council, or assembly, and has
not been permitted to enter it since. This
was his second fall, and the one doubtless,
to which Christ, just before His
crucifixion, alluded when he said, "Now is
the judgment of this world: now shall the
prince of this world be cast out." John
12:31. His final fall and destruction are
still future.
16. What has been the
character of Satan since his fall?
"He that committeth sin is of the
devil; for the devil sinneth from the
beginning." 1 John 3:8.
17. Was he ever in the
truth?
"Ye are of your father the devil, and
the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a
murderer from the beginning, and abode not in
the truth, because there is no truth in
him." John 8:44.
NOTE.-The expression "abode not in
the truth" implies that Satan was once in
the truth, but that he did not remain
there.
18. What is the only
"beginning" of which we have record?
"In the beginning God created the
heaven and the earth." Gen. 1:1.
19. What besides a
murderer did Christ say Satan is?
"When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh
of his own: for he is a liar, and the father
of it." John 8:44.
20. What did God tell
Adam and Eve would be the result if they
transgressed by partaking of the forbidden
fruit?
"Thou shalt surely die." Gen.
2:17.
21. What did Satan say
to Eve concerning this?
"And the serpent said unto the woman,
Ye shall NOT surely die." Gen. 3:4.
NOTE.-This, as far as the record shows, was
the first lie,- a direct denial of
the word of God. By persuading Eve to accept
and believe it, Satan led our first parents
to commit sin; and, as "the wages of sin is
death," by it, also, he caused their death,
and so became, in reality, the first
murderer. A lie, therefore, is a twin
brother to murder, and one of the most
hateful things to God, the "God of truth."
See Prov. 6:16-19. "The lip of truth shall
be established forever: but a lying tongue
is but for a moment." Prov. 12:19. "All
liars shall have their part in the lake
which burneth with fire and brimstone." Rev.
21:8. See also Rev. 21:27; 22:15.
22. What has been the
result of sin's entrance into the world?
"By one man sin entered into the
world, and death by sin." Rom. 5:12. "By
one man's disobedience many were made
sinners." Verse 19. "The whole world
lieth in wickedness." 1 John 5:19. "In Adam
all die." 1 Cor. 15:22.
23. When Christ came to
redeem man, what did Satan do?
"And immediately the Spirit driveth
Him into the wilderness. And He was there in the
wilderness forty days, tempted of Satan."
Mark 1:12,13. See also Matt. 4:1-11.
24. How severely was
Christ tempted of Satan?
"For we have not an High Priest which
cannot be touched with the feeling of our
infirmities; but was in all points tempted
like as we are, yet without sin." Heb. 4:15.
25. What has the church
suffered since the days of Christ?
"And when the dragon [Satan] saw that
he was cast unto the earth, he persecuted the
woman [the church]." Rev. 12:13.
NOTE.-Many millions of the people of God
have been put to death since the beginning
of the Christian era, under pagan and papal
persecutions, all of which have been
instigated by Satan. See Buck's Theological
Dictionary, any commentary or church history
on the subject of persecution, and the
readings in Chapters 51., 59., 60. and 108.
of this book.
26. Is the remnant
church to feel his wrath, and why?
"And the dragon ,vas wroth with the
woman, and went to make war with the remnant of
her seed, which keep the commandments of God,
and have the testimony of Jesus Christ." Verse
17.
27. How will Satan
deceive men in the last days?
"And deceiveth them that dwell on the
earth by the means of those miracles which he
had power to do in the sight of the beast."
Rev. 13:14.
NOTE.-This, we understand, refers to
Spiritualistic manifestations and miracles
to be wrought to fasten men in error and
deception.
28. What will influence
the nations to gather for the great battle of
Armageddon?
"They are the spirits of devils,
working miracles, which go forth unto the kings
of the earth and of the whole world, to
gather them to the battle of that great day of
God Almighty." Rev. 16:14.
29. Why will men be
allowed thus to fall under the delusion of
Satan?
"Because they received not the
love of the truth, that they might be saved.
And for this cause God shall send them strong
delusion, that they should believe a lie:
that they all might be damned who believed not
the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness."
2 Thess. 2:10-12. See 1 Kings 22:20-23.
30. For how long is
Satan to be bound at the second advent?
"And I saw an angel come down from
heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and
a great chain in his hand. And he laid hold on
the dragon, that old serpent, which is the
Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand
years." Rev. 20:1,2.
31. What is to take
place at the close of the thousand years?
"And when the thousand years are
expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his
prison, and shall go out to deceive the
nations which are in the four quarters of
the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them
together to battle: the number of whom is as
the sand of the sea." Verses 7,8.
NOTE.-Satan's evil career began in rebellion
against God in heaven, and ends in rebellion
against Him on earth.
32. As Satan and his
host compass the camp of the saints, what will
take place?
"And they went up on the breadth of
the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints
about, and the beloved city: and fire came
down from God out of heaven, and devoured them."
Verse 9.
33. What is to be
Satan's final doom?
"I will bring thee to ashes upon
the earth in the sight of all them that
behold thee. All they that know thee among the
people shall be astonished at thee: thou shalt
be a terror, and never shalt thou be any
more." Eze. 28:18,19.
NOTE.-A gladsome thought! Satan, sin, and
sinners are finally to come to an end, and
be no more. Then God will have a clean
universe.
34. Why did Christ
partake of our nature?
"Forasmuch then as the children are
partakers of flesh and blood, He also Himself
likewise took part of the same; that through
death He might destroy him that had the power of
death, that is, the devil." Heb. 2:14.
35. What exhortations
are given to Christians in view of Satan's
hatred against God and all that is good?
"Be sober, be vigilant;
because your adversary the devil, as a roaring
lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:
whom resist steadfast in the faith." 1
Peter 5:8,9. "Resist the devil, and he
will flee from you." James 4:7.
36. With what weapon
did Christ successfully meet Satan's
temptations?
The Word of God. "It is written, .
. . It is written, . . . It is written."
Matt. 4:4-10.
NOTE.-The Word of God is the "sword of the
Spirit." Eph. 6: 17. If Christ met and
vanquished the enemy with this, so also may
we. But no one can use it who is unfamiliar
with it. How important, then, that we
search, study, and know it! See first
readings in this book, and reading on
"Importance of Sound Doctrine."
GRACIOUS Father, guard Thy children
From the foe's destructive power;
Save, O save them, Lord, from falling
In this dark and trying hour!
Thou wilt surely prove Thy people,
All our graces must be tried;
But Thy Word illumes our pathway,
And in God we still confide. |
