ROK-32
131117AM
As we open to Isaiah 14 this morning, we are viewing the spiritual realm beyond our physical world. Above all the vast reaches of the cosmos, above all the swirling galaxies, shining stars, and circling planets God made some special creatures, fashioned for His own service—the angels.
And in this angelic host of the Almighty God in heaven, above the super-powerful archangels, above the fiery seraphim, and above the mighty cherubim, there was one angel that God chose to be the crown prince of them all.
His name was Lucifer. He was designed as the star of the morning. He was made the leader of the host of heaven. He was set up as the guardian of the throne of God.
Into Lucifer’s hands was committed all that the Lord God had made and all of the angels that He had created. He was beautiful. He was perfect. But in his God-given beauty, his God-given perfection, there arose some self-generated pride as Lucifer first thought, and then said, “I will be like the Most High God!”
The Origin of Satan
The Bible does not explain how Lucifer could fall into sin, as a perfect being in a perfect environment—God’s Word just declares that he did.
Ezekiel also gives us the description of what took place in Lucifer’s heart (Ezekiel 28:17) when he records “Your heart was lifted up because of your beauty; you corrupted your wisdom by reason of your splendor.” Lucifer became enamored with his beauty instead of God’s. Lucifer focused upon his splendor, not God’s, and that produced in him the sin of pride, which led to his rebellion.
The Old Testament Hebrew prophet Isaiah describes even more clearly how completely pride drove Satan’s downfall.