From ICR, NOV 2021—
“And the Lord said unto Satan, Whence comets thou? Then Satan answered the Lord, and said, from going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it.” (Job 1:7)
This remarkable scene in heaven provides a striking picture of Satanic activity. The devil, in his opposition to God and His program of salvation, evidently never rests. He is not omnipresent like God because he is a finite, though very powerful and brilliant, created being. To accomplish his goal, therefore, he is never at rest but keeps going from place to place and working deception after deception, bringing everyone he can under his influence.
Therefore, God urgently warns us: “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walks about, seeking whom he may devour” (1 Peter 5:8).
The same is true of the demonic spirits who have followed the devil in his rebellion against God. They never rest until they can take possession of some person’s body and mind and then control that person’s behavior. “When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walks through dry places, seeking rest, and finding none. Then he says, I will return into my house from whence I came out” (Matthew 12:43-44).
This restlessness that characterizes the devil and his demons often also manifests itself in the unsaved, and this will be the ultimate state of those who yield to the pressures of these evil spirits. “They have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receives the mark of his name” (Revelation 14:11).
True rest of soul is found only in Christ, with His forgiveness, cleansing, and guidance: “Come unto me, alll you that labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you, and learn of Me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and you shall find rest unto your souls” (Matthew 11:28-39).
- The timeline is important for full understanding.
- In an age prior to earth’s formation, God created multitudes of angels ‘to serve’.
- God’s lead angel was named Lucifer (now Satan) and he was filled with pride and he was jealous of God the Father and Christ His Son. Lucifer LIED to himself, convinced himself that he could BE God.
- In a rage, Lucifer ‘fell from heaven’ and one-third of the angels went with him. They are now called demons—but in Genesis they are also identified as Nephilim (more on that soon).
- Then God created absolute perfection—the universe, sky, planets, stars, firmament, earth, seas, plants, animals. And He made the Garden of Eden for his most beloved creation—humans.
- God told Adam and Eve they could eat of any plant in Eden, but must not eat from the tree of ‘the knowledge of good and evil’, because they would surely die.
- For some length of time, Adam and Eve lived in paradise, attended it, and ‘walked with God’ daily. They SAW Him. They TALKED to Him. They LIVED with Him. They only knew goodness, with zero knowledge of evil. Imagine living without evil…
- When Satan slithered into Eden, disguised as a serpent, he spoke to Eve and deceived her into believing she would not die if she ate the fruit from the knowledge tree. He convinced her that he—not God—was telling the truth about what would happen after she ate. He LIED. He still lies today.
- Eve CHOSE (God created humans with free will) to believe Satan’s lie despite what God had instructed, despite living in perfection, despite being surrounded by goodness.
- At that moment, sin was introduced into Adam and Eve’s relationship with God, and into Eden, and all the earth. At that moment, the couple chose evil over good and God’s creation fell from His flawless paradise into a slow spiral of death. Today earth and its inhabitants continue this decline…
- Adam and Eve did not live forever as God originally intended, and every human since the original sin has died, just as God said.
- Now fast forward to today and understand that God allows Satan access to His throne in heaven. Currently, God allows Satan to speak with Him, but this will not last forever. There will come a time when God will refuse Satan an audience with Him. He will cast Satan from His presence forever and in his rage, Satan will rain destruction upon all the earth. During that same timeframe God will remove Himself from earth. This is a very frightening combination of events that is foretold in Revelation.
- Take heart in understanding that Satan is a finite being. He will not survive God’s wrath.
- But in the mean time, Satan will try to lure and deceive as many humans as possible away from God.
- Do not be deceived.
- God sent His One and Only Son as your salvation.
- Cast away your sin, believe in Him, and become a Child of God.
Amen.