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Satan And His Dawning Series
Contributed by Mark Hodges on Jun 16, 2001 (message contributor)
Summary: The beginning or the fall of Satan as Scriptures reveal.
Satan And His Dawning
Sermon by: Mark D. Hodges
Introduction:
Many famous military strategists have pointed out that if you want to win a victory it is essential to know your enemy.
Being able to predict what your enemy will do is very important.
That principal is no less true in the spiritual realm.
The better we understand our adversary, the better we will recognize his weaknesses.
Only then does he become vulnerable to us.
That is why it is important that we allow God¡¦s Word to reveal the truth about Satan. On the one hand we don’t want to glorify him, but on the other hand we want to expose him so that we can see him as he is:
„h A diluted being,
„h A defiled being, and
„h A defeated being.
To totally understand the subject of ¡§Satan,¡¨ we will begin by addressing, ¡§Satan and his Dawning.¡¨
I. THE CONCEPTION OF SATAN
Col. 1:16 For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:
We know that God created all things ¡V all things were made by God, including beings.
These created beings are categorized as either:
„h Beings from the ¡§Natural¡¨ world or
„h Beings from the ¡§Spirit¡¨ world.
The first creatures that God created to inhabit His kingdom were an order of intelligent spirit beings called angels.
God had created all spirit beings as good, but with a will to choose.
Among the Spirit World God created three great leaders:
„h Michael
Referred to the Archangel in Jude 9.
„h Gabriel
Is associated with the redemptive work of God.
Luke 1:19 I am Gabriel, that stand in the presence of God¡K
„h Lucifer
A. He was Perfect.
This was an awesome creature that was perfect in all his ways from the day he was created.
He was a creature that was blameless, or perfect in all of his ways.
Ezekiel 28:15 Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee.
B. He Was Pleasing.
He was pleasing to look upon because of his beauty.
He was the most glorious of the angels as the Bible says he was ¡§perfect in beauty.¡¨
His appearance was magnificent and it was further enhanced by his dress.
His splendid personal adornment indicated that he possessed the most elevated position of God¡¦s creatures.
Ezekiel 28:13 Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God; every precious stone was thy covering, the sardius, topaz, and the diamond, the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the emerald, and the carbuncle, and gold: the workmanship of thy tabrets and of thy pipes was prepared in thee in the day that thou wast created.
C. He Was Prudent.
Lucifer was an intelligent creature, the Bible calling him, ¡§full of wisdom.¡¨
Wisdom in the Bible is not simply extensive academic knowledge, but the ability to apply that intelligence skillfully to produce excellent art that glorifies God.
No other of God¡¦s creatures has matched his intelligence, understanding, and skill.
D. He Was Powerful.
Not only was he beautiful and intelligent above all other created beings, he also possessed great power.
Ezekiel 28:14 says about Lucifer, ¡KThou art the anointed cherub that covereth¡K
The word anointed means ¡§one who is set apart to God for a special task.¡¨
In the Bible we find three groups of people who were anointed: prophets, priests, and kings.
„h Prophets speak God¡¦s Word to people
„h Priests carry the worship of people to God
„h Kings rule over subjects
Lucifer was the first creature ever designated as ¡§the anointed one.¡¨
He functioned as a prophet, priest, and king, leading the angels in their worship and praise of God.
II. THE CONFUSION OF SATAN
Job 38:7 When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?
When Lucifer was created he was given the glorious title of ¡§Son of the Morning.¡¨
God had given Lucifer position, power, and purpose.
With his brilliance, beauty, and power, you would think that he had it made.
What brought about his destiny of confusion?
A. Self-Exaltation.
Lucifer began to desire for himself the honor and glory that belonged only to God.
That is when he began to try to elevate himself higher than Almighty God.
Isaiah 14:12-13 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! For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God¡K
Even though Lucifer was a beautiful, brilliant, and power creature, he failed to recognize that he was not:
