If I was to ask you to describe what Satan looks like, what would you say? Horns and a forked tail? A scary demonic creature that would make you run in horror? Would you be surprised if I said that Satan is the most beautiful creature God ever created? Let’s look in the book of Ezekiel to see Satan in his creation and then we will look in Isaiah to see him in his fall.
The Origin of Satan Ezekiel 28
In Ezekiel chapter 28, God, through the prophet, begins to speak to the king of Tyre. Tyre was the great commercial center of its day. Tyre is a type of the final Babylon spoken of in the book of the Revelation. Then the prophet begins to speak things that could never be said about a mortal king. Ezekiel begins to speak to the one behind the mortal king, Satan.
Beginning in verse 12, we learn that Satan was the wisest of all of God’s created beings. No other angel, no other being was ever created with the intelligence that God gave to this one. Not only was he perfect in his intelligence, he was also perfect in his beauty. Next to God this creature was the greatest.
Let me give a disclaimer before we move one. Satan was the most intelligent and the most beautiful of all of God’s creations. Don’t lose sight of the fact that he is a creation. Satan is not a god. He pales in comparison when compared to the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.
In verse 13 we see Satan in the Garden of God. This is not the Garden of Eden spoken of in the book of Genesis, although Satan was there too. While in the Garden of God Satan was covered in precious stones. I would like to point out that the only other times you read of stones like this in the Bible are on the breastplate of the high priest, and again in the New Jerusalem. Here in Ezekiel this creature is covered in these stones. He was the highest and most heavenly creature.
Satan was perfect in all of his ways, until the day that iniquity was found in him. God created a perfect being. Perfect in wisdom, perfect in beauty, perfect in position, but I would like for you to know that he was also created with a free will. God created him, as He did with all the angels, with a free will. Even God’s intelligent creations are allowed to make a choice.
The Fall of Satan Isaiah 14
In Ezekiel God allows us to stand next to Satan at the beginning, when he was created. In Isaiah God allows us to stand next to him when he falls. This angel must have done something terrible, something horrible.
Look at verses 12-14. Let me point out first that he was an angel of light. When the angels shouted for the joy at the time of creation, Satan shouted with them. When the angels worshipped at the throne of God, Satan worshipped also. The problem is that he was a hypocrite. The bible says that he was a liar from the beginning.
Notice five “I wills” in these verses
- I will ascend into heaven
- I will exalt my throne
- I will sit on the mount
- I will ascend above the height of the clouds
- I will be like the Most High
It was never Satan’s goal to go to hell. His goal was to ascend above. Satan thought that he would take over, and when he tried he took many angels with him. I wonder how he did it. If he did it anything like he is still doing it today it probably went something like this.
“How do you feel about the way things are being run here in heaven?” “Are you satisfied with your job here in heaven?” “Don’t you feel like you should have a higher position than you have currently?” “Why is it that everyone is leaving you out?”
You say, “I don’t believe that something like that would take place in heaven.” Well it happens every Sunday right in the house of God. “How do you feel about the pastor?” “Don’t you feel like you are being left out?” “They don’t respect you like they should.”
So, Satan goes to the angels and begins to tell them that he is planning on setting up his own kingdom. “If you come with me I will make you ruler.” “God’s not allowing you to live up to your potential, but I will.” “I’m starting a rebellion, come with me.”
And you know some of the angels fell for it. The created intelligence fell for it. Today, man, God’s intelligent being is still falling for it. Most of you will never be tempted to commit some gross sin. Satan will not try to get you to commit adultery, get drunk or commit murder. Instead he will convince you to sit in the church and sow seeds of rebellion. He would rather you do that than to commit murder.
The day that Satan placed his will above the will of God he lost everything. When he rebelled against God he no longer could hold his position in heaven. The same is true of any other creature that decides to place their will above the will of God. One of the most horrible sins is the sin Satan was guilty of, the sin of placing your will above God’s will.
In my next blog I will talk about Satan’s influence in this present world.
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