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9 – Understanding your enemy (by Don Dickerman)
What is His Origin?
Genesis 1:1, Exodus 20:11, Nehemiah 9:6, Colossians 1:16
It was God that was in the beginning, not Satan. God made everything, not Satan. God made Satan. Is not the CREATOR always greater than
the creation?
«Son of man, take up a lamentation upon the king of Tyrus, and say unto him, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Thou sealest up the sum, full of wisdom, and perfect in beauty. Thou bast 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. Thou art the anointed cherub that covereth; and I have set thee so: thou wast upon the holymountain of God; thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire. Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee. 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, 0 covering cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire. Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty, thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness: I will cast thee to the ground, I will lay thee before kings, that they may behold thee. Thou hest defiled thy sanctuaries by the multitude of thine iniquities, by the iniquity of thy traffick; therefore will I bring forth a fire from the midst of thee, it shall devour thee, and I will bring thee to ashes upon the earth in the sight of a/- 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.»
(Ezekiel 28:12)
Ezekiel speaks in this passage of the king of Tyrus. However, the passage has a double meaning. It describes the literal king of Tyrus, but also describes Satan. God, the creator made (literally «set») Satan to be full of wisdom and perfect in beauty. He was complete. God also set him in the garden of Eden. This points back to Satan’s origin (see Genesis 3:1).
God covered him with every precious stone. Actually this list is the same as for the stones on the apparel of the high priest with the exception of three stones. The gold is specifically representative of kingly apparel. The Mercy Seat in the temple was made of pure gold. The idea of «workmanship» indicates that God made Satan for a specific service. Satan had tabrets (timbrels) and, pipes (flute or horn) built into his body. The idea of «prepared» indicates these were designed by God with a specific purpose. Satan was to use these to lead the heavenly hosts in worship of God. God designed music for the purpose of worship. Satan was Heaven’s worship leader.
Satan was the anointed cherub that covered. The concept of «anointed» meant to be set apart for service unto God (see Exodus 30:26): The concept of «covered» maybe compared to Isaiah 6:1-3 and Exodus 25:20. God said, «I have set thee so,’ Please notice who is in charge. God said that Satan was upon the holymountain of God. This was the place set apart or exalted for God. Satan was in the presence of God walking up and down in the middle of the stone of fire, What an awesome sight!
Satan was perfect in his ways, his thoughts and ations ‘from his time God created him, Then iniquity was found in him. The word «iniquity» means perverseness, The God bluntly says that Satan has sinned. Note God’s word, «I will cast thee as profane out of themountain of God.» God is still in control. God said, «I will destroy thee.» Why? Satan began to look at his beauty and focus his attention on himself. Once he had seen from God’s perspective (true wisdom), but now thatwisdom has become darkened as he looks at himself.
Again, God declared his sovereignty. «I will cast thee to the ground, I will lay thee before kings, that they may behold thee.» Because of Satan’s pride., God says that He will bring judgment upon Satan Because of Satan’s iniquity (perverseness) and his spreading of that iniquity, God will judge him with fire. Many people who once admired the beauty, power, and work of Satan will be astonished at him. Theywill see the horror of his shame and humiliation. They will see that he will never be as he once was.
«How art thou fallen from heaven, 0 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. 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.» (Isaiah 14:12-14).
Lucifer is the original name given to the devil.
The term «Lucifer» means the «shinning one». This is interesting because we can see that God created Lucifer (Satan) to reflect God’s glory. However, now he only appears as an angel of light, but is the angel of darkness.
The Five «I will»s» of Lucifer
1. «I will ascend into heaven» = he assumes to take the abode of God.
2. «I will exalt my throne above the stars of God» = this may indicate taking authority over the angels (Job 38:7).
3. «I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation» = this may refer to the temple • (Daniel 11:37, II Thessalonians 2:4).
4, «l will ascend above the heights of the clouds» (literally «cloud») = the cloud may be a covering of God (Exodus 13:21),
5 «I will be like the most high» = he assumed to take the place of God.
«Yet thou shall be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit. They that see thee shall narrowly look upon thee, and consider thee, saying, Is this the man that made the earth to tremble, that did shake kingdoms; That make the world as a wilderness, and destroyed the cities thereof; that opened not the house of his prisoners?» (Isaiah 14:15,17).
Who is the speaker? Who is still in control? It is God! God will bring judgment upon Satan. When Satan’s judgement is revealed people will marvel, not at his power, but the deceptiveness in appearing to have power.
The biblical names of Satan
• Enemy = Matthew 13:39
• Evil spirit = I Samuel 16:14
• Father of all liars (a liar) = John 8:44
• God (god) of this world =11Corinthians 4:4
• Great red dragon = Revelation 12:3
• Lucifer = (Roman rendering of morning star) Isaiah 14:12
• Man of sin = II Thessalonians 2:3
• Murderer = John 8:44
• Old serpent = Revelation, 12:9, Revelation 20:2
• Power of darkness = Colossians 1:13 • Prince of this world = John 12:31, John 14:30, John 16:11
• Prince of the power of the air = Ephesians 2:2
• Ruler of darkness = (understood as) = Ephesians 6:12
• Satan = (Hebrew = adversary, Greek = accuser) I Chronicles 21: 1, Job 1:6, John 13:27, Acts 5:3, Acts 26:18, Romans 16:20
• Serpent = Genesis 3:4, 14,11 Corinthians 11:3
• Son of perdition = (destruction, ruin, waste, loss) = John 17:12
• Tempter = Matthew 4:3, I Thessalonians 3:5
• Thief = John 10:10
• Wicked one = Matthew 13:19, 38
• The unholy trinity is the devil, the beast, and the false prophet = Revelation 20:10
Revealed Strategies:
«Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the Devil.» (Ephesians 6:11). «wiles» = from two words: one meaning «traveling over», and the other meaning «travesty» = wile, lie in wait (to overcome). He lies in wait to overcome us.
«Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices.» (II Corinthians 2:10,11). This advantage is from the believers «unforgiveness.» «device» = has to do «a perception», «a purposed disposition» = device, mind, thoughts. Satan tries to get control of out mind, our thoughts.
«The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill and to destroy…» (John 10:10)
His intent for your life is to rob, steal, kill and destroy and is the function of the demonic.
1. He blinds the minds of unbelievers. II Corinthians 4:3-4 On various occasions, I have seen people who said that they could not make a decision for Christ because they were too confusioned. After a spirit of confusion or fear was bound, the individuals readly made the decision to commit their lives to Christ.
2. He assaults believers to get them , to doubt their salvation. Eph 6:12 Zech 3:1, Gal. 3:1-2 Satan tries to get people to believe that they must work for their salvation even after them have committed their lives to Jesus and are saved. I often counsel people who have come to believe that they must live up to a certain standard in order to keep their salvation. This is a trap. A believer who doubts his salvation is further open for demonic torment.
3. He tempts men to sin. Genesis 3:1-6, I Chronicles 21:1, Matthew 4:1 The New Testament word «tempt» means= «to test, to assay, to entice, to temp, to try.»
When a Believer sins, he destroys his witness. Satans wants to destroy the effectiveness of the Believer’s witness.
[:]Rediger