KNOW YOUR ENEMY: LUCIFER
(This is blog 5 in the series “Names of Satan.”)
Lucifer was Satan’s name while he was an angel, before he fell. It is used in Isaiah 14:12: “How you have fallen from heaven, O Morning Star, Son of the Dawn.” The Hebrew word translated “Morning Star” is “helel” which in Latin is “Lucifer.” It is variously translated “Bright One,” “Shining One,” “Morning Star,” “Light Bringer” or “Day Star.” Isaiah is referring to the king of Babylon in his pride and fall, but the passage goes beyond him and refers to Satan who is the present power of all the world-systems. This passage looks at him as an angel before his fall (Job 38:7; Isaiah 14:12-15; Ezekiel 28:11-19). Jesus refers to this event as well in Luke 10:18 “I saw Satan fall from heaven like lightening…”
While Lucifer no longer retains his angelic glory, it seems he is still able to counterfeit himself as light. 2 Corinthians 11:13-14 says: “For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, masquerading as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light.” Satan tries to become as much like God as he can so he can counterfeit God and deceive us. He always falls short so he distorts, perverts, substitutes or leaves out key ingredients of truth in order to pass off his lies as truth.
Ezekiel 28:11-19 also refers to Lucifer’s creation and fall. Verse 12 describes him in his perfect condition: “You were the model of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty.” Three features are listed about him: perfection, wisdom and beauty. He was “perfect,” not some evil, flawed monster from the start. He had God’s perfection, but also a free will which he used to rebel against God. He had great “wisdom,” something he now uses to trick and deceive us. He’s had thousands of years practice so is very accomplished at it. Also, he was “beautiful.” He was the perfection of beauty.
Satan isn’t an ugly, monstrous Halloween-type apparition. He tries to come across as beauty and light. We’d run from a horrid, scary creature. After all, he wants people to be attracted to him, not appalled by him. He’s much more successful, even with Christians, that way.
His purpose is to deceive, for he is the one “who deceives the whole world” (Revelation 12:9). He does this by replacing the truth with lies. “He is a liar and the father of lies” (John 8:44). Lies originated with him as we see in his lying to Eve in Eden (Genesis 3:1-5). He only speaks the truth when it will bring about his desired outcome – deception and control of others.
Satan is a liar and the father of lies (John 8:44). Demons do this work for him (1 Kings 22:22-23; 2 Chronicles 18:20-23). He is characterized by any kind of falsehood and deceit (1 John 4:16) and is not above mixing in some truth to make the lies more quickly accepted. Like any good counterfeiter, he knows the importance of making his false product appear as much like God’s original as possible. He is very good at lying and deception (Revelation 12:9) and even tries to make it seem like he is bringing light instead of darkness (2 Corinthians 11:13-15).
In fact, Satan also deceives the demons who follow him. He has convinced many of them he is greater than God and will be victorious in the end. It has been my experience several times, when praying against demons who claimed access to someone, to have to educate them by reading Bible verses proclaiming their ultimate defeat. What agony they express when they realize they have been lied to and will spend eternity in hell! It just shows how good Satan is at deceit and lying.
He denies the truth (Genesis 3:1; 2 Timothy 4:3-4) and promotes false teaching (1 Timothy 4:1-2; 2 Thessalonians 2:9). As is true of any good counterfeiter, he tries to make his deceptions as close to the truth as possible so as to deceive more. The authority of the Scriptures, the person and work of Jesus and salvation by grace are areas he especially tries to obscure so make sure anything you believe has these at its heart and core.
In the next blog well see how Satan presents his truth as “light” in liberal Christianity, the LGBTQ movement AND New Age thought.
Are there any truths about God or His Word that you are struggling with? Could it be Satan, through his demons, is planting lies in your mind about God’s goodness and love for you? If so, confess anything you are believing that doesn’t line up with Scripture and ask God to reveal His truth to you.
cto Rev. Dr. JERRY SCHMOYER
Christian Training Organization
Jerry@ChristianTrainingOrganization.org
(India Outreach, Spiritual Warfare, Family Ministries, Counseling, World View)
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