THE
CREATION AND SIN OF SATAN
1. HIS CREATION
A. The
Satan were not created being than he must be eternal or self existent, a
dualism that is incompatible with monotheism. The scriptures declare that all
things were created by God through Christ, and there is nothing that was not
made by Him (John 1:3, Col. 1:16-17). The time of his creation is not specific.
If Ezekiel 28:13 refers to Satan and to the earthly garden I n Eden, then, of
course, he had to have been created before God planted the Garden in Eden (Gen.
2:8).
B. The
Characteristics of It; many debate whether or not Ezekiel 28:11-19 has Satan in
view, but if it does, then it provides us with a number of descriptive details
as to the characteristics of Satan’s original condition and condition at his
creation. All agree that the subject of verses 1-9 is judgment on Tyre and its
leader. But the question is, do verses 11-19 go beyond the human leader to
reveal things about something or someone else? The candidates for that
something or someone else called the king of Tyre are:
a) A
symbol drawn from pagan mythology
b) A primal
being who lived in the Garden of Eden and was driven our through pride.
c) A
mythological, unreal being presented in Phoencian mythology and incorporated
and applied in this story to the king of Tyre
d) An “ideal”
though unreal, person
e) The ideal
man, the same as the historical first man. Adam, whose histories (initial
privileges and subsequent sin) are analogous;
f) The sinister
being Satan
g) Satan’s
masterpiece. Antichrist.
View (a) through (d) is incompatible with the
principles of normal interpretation, for there is no justification for
introducing such mythology into the text. View (e), though possible, seems to
fall short of fulfilling the totality of the sinister nature of the figure
behind the king of Tyre. Views (f) and (g) can be combined; i.e. Satan is the
one behind it all, including being behind antichrist who will be the climax of
all people whom Satan has indwelt throughout history. The king of Tyre was one
the indwelt in the past, as Antichrist will be the final one he will indwell in
the future.
To understand the prophecy including
references to Satan does not mean that Ezekiel did not also have a historical
leader of tyre in mind in his denunciations. The question is, did he only have
the historical human leader in view, or did he also have a greater being,
Satan, in mind? The flowery and highly figurative language can argue for either
conclusion. Those who feel that only the human leaders is in view understand
the language as a typical, exaggerated way an oriented ruler might be referred
to. Those who also see Satan in the passage argue that such language includes
too many superlative and figures to be true of only an earthly king no matter
how great he was. It would seem difficult to apply verses 14 and 15, for
example, to any earthly king. It would, of course, not be unusual for a
prophetic passage to refer both to a local personage and also to someone else
who fully fulfills it. This is true of many passages that relate both to king
David and Jesus Christ. It is also true of the reference to the prince of the
kingdom of Persia in Daniel 10:13, a reference that must include a superhuman
being related to the kingdom of Persia. So for Ezekiel 28 to refer both to the
then – reigning king of tyre as well as to Satan would not be a unique
interpretive conclusion; the historic king of tyre was simply a tool of Satan,
possibly indwelt by him. And in describing the king, Ezekiel also gives up
glimpses of the superhuman creatures, Satan, who was using, it not indwelling
him.
Assuming, then that Satan is in the picture
in these verses what do we learn about his original characteristics at the
creation? Whatever specific these verses teach, they convey the clear idea that
Satan was highly privileged, the epitome of God’s creation, who had an
un-paralleld position in the universe.
1. Satan had
unparalleled wisdom and beauty (Ezekiel 28:12). Satan stood at the Zenith of
God’s creatures filled with wisdom and perfect in beauty.
2. Satan had an
unparalleled habitation (v.13). This may refer to a heavenly Eden or to the
earthly Eden. In either case, it was before sin entered a unique place.
3. Satan had an
Unparalleled Covering (v. 13). The dazzling description of his dress or robe
indicates something of the glory bestowed on him.
4. Satan had an
Unparalleled Function (v.14). He belonged to the order of angelic creature
designed cherubim. They are associated with guarding the holiness of God (Gen.
3:24), with the throne of God (Ezek. 1:5), and here apparently with the actual
presence of God. Satan was on the holy mountain of God, and he walked in the
midst of the stones of fire, likely references to the presence of God Himself.
Apparently Satan was the Chief guardian of God’s holiness and majesty.
5. Satan had
unparalleled perfection (Exek. 28:15). He was perfect in the sense of being
completely sound and of having total moral integrity. Here, as well as in verse
13, we are reminded that Satan was created and as a creature, he must someday
answer to his Creator. In every way Satan was the epitome of God’s Creation.
He awoke in the first moment of his existence
in the full-orbed beauty and power of his exalted position; surrounded by all
the magnificence which God gave him. He saw himself as above all the hosts in
power, wisdom, and beauty. Only at the throne of God itself did he see more
than he himself possessed, and it is possible that even that was in some sense
not fully visible to the eyes of the creature … Before his fall he may be said
to have occupied the role of prime minister for God, ruling possibly over the
universe but certainly over this world.
II. HIS SIN
A. The Origin of Satan’s Sin
Sin was found in him (Ezek. 28:15). This is
really the only verse in the Bible that states exactly the origin sin. The
details of Satan’s sin are specified elsewhere, but the origin is only
expressed here. Barnhouse terms it as “spontaneous generation in the heart of
this being in whom such magnificence of power and beauty had combined and to
whom such authority and privilege had been given.
This sin must have been included in the
eternal plan of God. Yet God never assumes the responsibility for the
commission of any sin, including Satan’s J.O. Buswell steers a careful course
in this matter.
According to the Bible, then, sin originated
in an act of free will in which the creature deliberately, responsibly, and
with adequate understanding of the issue chose to corrupt the holy character of
godliness with which God had endowed His creation… Satan sinned necessarily.
God is rightly angry with all sin … The denial of free will seems to be purely
arbitrary philosophical dogmatism contrary to the biblical view.
If God is
rightly angry with sin, then it follows that the sinner is blameworthy –
cosmically, ultimately, absolutely …..Sin must be within God’s eternal decrees in
some sense in which He is not the author of it … within the decrees of God,
there are decrees of the permission of those things of which God Himself is not
the author; This is not mere permission of the unavoidable.
Sin was found in Satan; yet he was created
perfect. God is not the blameworthy cause of Satan’s sin; yet it was included
in His plan.
B. The Nature of Satan’s Sin
The New Testament pinpoints Satan’s
particular sin as arrogance, conceit, or being puffed up (I Tim. 3:6). It is
likened to the conceit a new convert may have when he is either pushed forward
or asserts himself two quickly and begins to take to himself the glory that
belongs to God. Ezekiel 28:16 assigns the cause of Satan’s downfall to the
abundance of his trade. In other words, Satan used his position for personal
profit – to traffic in his own self-promotion.
Isaiah gives more detail of Satan’s sin (14:12-17).
Like the Ezekiel 28:11-19 passage there is a question as to whether or not this
refers at all to Satan;
(1)
Some regard the Isaiah passage as referring
only to the fall of the king of Babylon mentioned in verse 4.
(2)
Others understand the passage to relate only
to the fall of Satan.
(3)
Those who hold views (1) or (2) may also see
the king of Babylon or Satan as prefiguring the fall of the coming Antichrist
(4)
Likely the truth includes all of these
references; i.e. the fall of the king of Babylon is an antitype of the previous
fall of Satan and a type of the future fall of Antichrist. Delitzsch says it
concisely; “A retrospective glance is now cast at the self-deification of the
king of Babylon, in which he was the antitype of the devil and the type of Antichrist”.
The passage transcends anything that can be said of an earthly king and has
been understood from earliest times to also refer to Satan’s fall as described
in Luke 10:18.
Satan is called the morning star in Isaiah
14:12. The Latin equivalent is Lucifer, which, on the basis of this passage,
became a name for Satan. However, the use of morning star with reference to
Satan gives us an indication of the basic character of his plot against God.
Since the same title is used in Rev 22:16 of Christ, we are alerted to the fact
that Satan’s plan was to counterfeit the plan of God, and indeed it was and is.
How he initiated that plan is detailed in the five “I will” phrases in Isaiah
14:13-14.
1.
I will ascend to heaven. As guardian of God’s
holiness Satan had access to heaven, but this expresses his desire to occupy
and settle in heaven on equality with God.
2.
I will raise my throne above the stars of
God. The meaning of this depends on the understanding of “stars”. If they refer
to angels (Job 38:7; June 13; Rev. 12:3-4), then Satan wished to rule over all
the angels. If they refer to the luminous heavenly bodies, then he wished to
rule in the heaven.
3.
I will sit on the mount of assembly in the
recesses of the north. This bespeaks Satan’s ambition to govern the universe as
the assembly of Babylon gods supposedly did.
4.
I will ascend above the heights of the
clouds. He wanted the glory that
belonged to God (clouds are often associated with God’s presence, see Exod.
16:10; Isa. 19:1).
5.
I will make myself like the Most High. Here
his counterfeit is crystal clear. Satan wanted to be like, not unlike, God. The
name Elyon for God stresses God’s strength and sovereignty (Gen. 14:18). Satan
wanted to be as powerful as God. He wanted to exercise the authority and
control in this world that rightfully belongs only to God. His sin was a direct
challenge to the power and authority of God.
Satan’s sin was all the more heinous because
of the great privileges, intelligence, and position he had. His sin was more
damaging because of the widespread effects of it. It affected other angels
(Rev. 12:7); it affects all people (Eph. 2:2); it positioned him as the ruler
of this world, which he uses to promote his kingdom and to counterfeit God’s
(John 16:11); it affects all the nations of the world, for he works to deceive
them (Rev. 20:3).
All sin is serious, and all sin affects
others. But sin in high places is more serious and its ramifications more
widespread. The sin of Satan should serve as a constant reminder and warning to
us.
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