Part 37 (1/2)

[Ill.u.s.tration: CHRIST AND NICODEMUS

”Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of G.o.d.” John 3:3.]

In the pride and self-exaltation of Tyre, of old, the Lord saw manifested the spirit of the G.o.d of this world; so, in declaring His message of rebuke to the prince of Tyre, the Lord describes the cause and history of Satan's fall:

”Thou hast been in Eden the garden of G.o.d.... Thou art the anointed cherub that covereth; and I have set thee so: thou wast upon the holy mountain of G.o.d; 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.... Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty, thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness.” Eze. 28:13-17.

Likewise, in the swelling pride of Babylon the Lord recognized the spirit of the leader of the rebellious angels. In one of the messages to Babylon is this reference to the vaulting ambition of Lucifer in heaven:

”How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer [”day-star,” margin], 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 G.o.d: 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.” Isa.

14:12-14.

Lucifer, his powers now perverted to evil, deceived many of the angels, persuading them to join him in rebellion against the government of G.o.d; with the result that Satan and all his host were cast out. Christ said, ”I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven.” Luke 10:18.

”Him the Almighty Power Hurled headlong flaming from the ethereal sky.”

The Earth as the Battle Ground

Then the great controversy which began in heaven was transferred to this earth, and now centers around man. For ”that old serpent,” the leader of the fallen angels, deceived man, and persuaded him to distrust G.o.d and to choose his own way in preference to G.o.d's way. Thus came sin and death into the world. And Satan, who had overcome man at the forbidden tree, became by his own usurpation and by man's perfidy, ”the prince of this world.”

But Christ gave himself to save man, to deliver him from the bondage of sin, and to restore him to the glorious liberty of the sons of G.o.d. The same mighty power that overcame Satan and his angels in heaven is able to overcome his power in human hearts and lives. The controversy is still between Christ and Satan, and man's salvation or destruction is the aim of the contending forces.

[Ill.u.s.tration: THE REDEMPTION PRICE

”That through death He might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil.” Heb. 2:14.]

There is no neutral ground. Every soul must choose as to which side he will yield allegiance. In this choice lies his eternal destiny.

”Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?” Rom. 6:16.

Therefore the Lord pleads with men, ”Choose life.” Every soul that chooses life has the promise of it, for Christ ”is able ... to save them to the uttermost that come unto G.o.d by Him.” Heb. 7:25.

The Judgment upon Satan

From the time of Satan's rebellion it was a.s.sured, by the very omnipotence of G.o.d, that there would come a last judgment when evil would be destroyed from the universe. This execution of judgment upon the fallen angels is thus referred to by Jude:

”The angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day.” Verse 6.

The evil spirits themselves know that this day is coming. When Christ was about to cast certain of them out of one who was possessed, they cried out, ”Art Thou come hither to torment us before the time?” Matt.

8:29.

Though the judgment of that last day was originally set for Satan and his angels, unrepentant men will have a part in it, because they have joined Satan in his lawless rebellion. To the wicked it will be said:

”Depart from Me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels.” Matt. 25:41.