The Origin of Satan based upon the Sovereignty of God
The Fallacy of the Fall
by Myrna D. Hughes
Prelude
Illumination as to the essence of God's Sovereignty, will lead us to question some of the "orthodox" beliefs we have been taught, which don't align with this doctrine The foremost one to come to mind is the origin of Satan. Since God's Sovereignty dictates that all things are subject to His rule and domain and that He works all things after the counsel of His own will (Eph 1:11). Where could the misconception that Satan had the ability to rebel against God, therefore exercising his own will have come from? Then it dawned on me that if one lacks the understanding of the sovereignty of God in salvation, one would easily embrace a doctrine which supposes that Satan made a choice between good and evil. However, let me not fail to mention that even for those who do not ascribe to the doctrine of the absolute sovereignty of God in all things, the Bible does not teach the fallacy that Satan "fell from grace" as many attempt to proclaim. So where did this misconception originate. The answer is quite simple, from poor Bible exegesis, or should we say, no Bible exegesis! After much research and examining of the scriptures, it was noted that there are two main passages which most utilize, in order to explain Satan's origin This study is based upon the misapplication of the following 2 verses:
Isa 14:12
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! (KJV)
and
Ezek 28:14
Thou art the anointed cherub that covereth; and I have set thee so: thou wast
upon the holy mountain of God; thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the
stones of fire.
(KJV)
Many quote these verses to supposedly illustrate the fall of Satan from a favored
position in heaven. We will examine what the Word of God actually teaches about
this matter.
The origin of Satan and his "realm of power" is a source of great confusion, not only in the world, but for Christians as well. Sad, but true, many believe that it was Satan's choice to be God’s opponent and that he actually has the power to challenge God. They view him as God's nemesis, good vs. evil. But the Bible teaches that, there is only one sovereign God and Satan is unquestionably His obedient servant, God speaks in a hush, and Satan jumps to accomplish His will. Satan is not the adversary of God. No, not by any means (despite what our churches have taught us), he is our adversary. This is pure unadulterated truth and it is high time some facts concerning Satan and his existence are put into proper balance and into a more appropriate biblical perspective. It is our desire that through the understanding of God’s sovereignty and the illumination of His word rightly divided, that clarity will be gained in regards to this matter. Wouldn't it be wonderful if all followed the guidelines of; "when the Bible speaks, to speak and when the Bible is silent to be silent". Many fail to hold to this policy, they have no problem interjecting their own opinions or personal interpretation into the scriptures. Let us not forget, the Bible is the infallible Word of God, it defines and interprets itself and is the manner by which God chose to reveal Himself and His plans unto us. By His design, He chose to dispense information by the process of progressive revelation. By this we mean that some things were disclosed over a period of time, rather than all at once. Therefore if we only rely on scriptures in the Old Testament to understand certain doctrines (beliefs), the total picture may not be comprehended. It is by the means of progressive revelation, that the Bible reveals who Satan is and the purpose of his creation.
With this said, we return to the topic at hand, which is the origin of Satan. First of all, we begin this study with the establishment that God is sovereign, having absolute authority. to execute His will plan and purpose without challenge, opposition or questions from anyone outside of Himself. God controls not some things but all things, nothing occurs outside of what He has designed. Everything transpiring is based upon His plan and purpose, all of which was established in eternity The Bible teaches that God is omnipresent (being everywhere), omniscience (knowing all things) and He is omnipotent (being all powerful). He is the first cause without a cause and His word declares that all things proceed according to his will (Isa 46:9-10;Eph 1:11).
We have established who God is, so then, who is Satan? One thing of certainty, many have given him entirely far more credit than what is due him. By scripture names and titles: he is called, the dragon, the evil one, the ruler of this world, the prince of the power of the air, the god of this world. The Greek word
Satanas sat-an-as'; translated Satan means the great opposer. or adversary. Satan or the devil are the names most frequently given him. The term devil comes from a Greek word diabolos (dee-ab'-ol-os); meaning "a false witness" or "malicious accuser". We have stated what he is, now let's examine what he is not. Unlike God, he is a created being (Isa 45:7;Col 1:16). The devil can't be present everywhere at all times, thus he is not omnipresent nor is he all powerful or omnipotent. The power he has, was granted to him by God, Satan is merely an instrument of God. Note that he had to have specific permission from God to afflict Job ( Job1: 8-12). Satan most certainly is not omniscience (all knowing). As an example we cite the illustration of Matthew chapter 4, which records the temptation of Christ during His first advent. In verses 8-10, Satan offers Jesus, all the kingdoms of the world in exchange for Christ worshiping him. How absurd when one considers that Christ is the creator of all things (John 1:3; Col 1:16).Satan was ignorant of the fact that he was talking to the one who not only created the world, but himself as well. He most certainly thought he had the victory, when Christ was crucified, because he is not omniscience, he had no idea what the ramifications of the cross would be. Satan had no idea that:
From the Greek text: Colossians 1:14-20
14 In Him we have the redemption, the forgiveness of sins:
15 Who is the image of the invisible God , the first born of all creation.
16 Because all things were created by Him, in heavens and upon the earth, visible and invisible things, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities; all things were created through Him and unto Him
17 And He is before all things and all things are held together by Him.
18 And he is the head of the body, the church who is the beginning, the firstborn out from the dead, that He might be the first one in all things.
19 For He was pleased (God the Father) for all the fullness to dwell in Him.
20 And through Him to reconcile all things unto Himself having made peace through the blood of the cross of Him, (through Him), whether the things upon the earth or things in the heavens.
The devil was only used according to the plan and purpose of God (Col 2:15)
Col 2:15
And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.
Satan is a pawn of God, he was easily used by God, working among man to crucify Jesus. Unbeknownst to him everything was ordained before the world began.
1 Cor 2:7-8
7 But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory:
8 Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.
*Special note* One of the most popular names for Satan is " Lucifer" (found only in Isaiah 14:12) .Since this is a Latin proper name, one must wonder how did this word allegedly originate from Hebrew manuscripts, from which the Old Testament was translated? The answer is simple, it's origin is not Hebrew, but rather Latin. The name "Lucifer" was originally used around 405 in Jerome's Latin Vulgate This word , which means light bringer is never used in the Jewish faith, but Christians use it regularly to refer to the devil. The Authorized King James Version of (1611) brought over the Latin word Lucifer rather than translate the Hebrew word helel correctly (the New KJV also persists in this error).
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! KJV
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! NKJV
The modern versions and translations carry a more accurate rendering:
How art thou fallen from heaven, O
day-star, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, that didst
lay low the nations! ASV
How you have fallen from heaven, O morning star, son of the dawn! You have been cast down to the earth, you who once laid low the nations! NIV
"How you are fallen from heaven, O Day Star, son of Dawn! How you are cut down to the ground, you who laid the nations low! RSV
How hast thou fallen from the heavens, O shining one, son of the dawn! Thou hast been cut down to earth, O weakener of nations. YLT
. When Isaiah
14:12 is correctly translated, the Hebrew word helel rendered;
shining star, shining one, light-bearer/day star
(see the other translations above) is used. Originally, in classical
mythology, Lucifer referred to the morning star as it appears above the eastern
horizon prior to daylight and actually introduces that period of time we call
dawn. In ancient times the planet Venus was termed
Lucifer. In 1667, shortly after the KJV
was published, the classic book Paradise Lost by John Milton
was released. This book depicted Lucifer as an angel of God cast out of heaven.
Milton made the apparent final connection between Satan and the planet Venus and
his popular work was read and believed by millions and still is! A
quick, surface reading of Isaiah 14 and Ezekiel 28
(especially with reference to Luke 10:18 and Revelation 12:7-10)
would seem to be conclusive evidence to justify the common belief that Satan was
once a perfect angel of God, an "anointed cherub," who "walked in Eden the
garden of God," on "stones of fire," and who was eventually cast out from the
presence of "the holy mountain." Millions simply accept this proposition because
they have been taught to do so. In actuality
when the proper aspects of bible study are used (contextual, grammatical and
historical), one will find that these passage could not possibly be referring to
the devil. This gross
misconception was also made popular by a theologian named Origen (185-254 AD) somewhere in the second or third century.
He made the connection
between Satan and Lucifer by bringing together various Old Testament
references from Job, Ezekiel and Isaiah. He argued that the King of
Babylon (Isa 14:12), the Prince of Tyre (Ezk 28:14) and the Leviathan (Job
41:1)were all in reference to
Satan. This has lead to the
faulty belief that Satan was originally created
good, a beautiful angelic being, who became overcome with conceit believing
himself equal with God and thus being expelled from heaven. The theologian
Tertullian (155-220 AD also aided in fostering this erroneous belief which
continues to be accepted even today. Tradition has for centuries
taught that Satan "fell" from a position of favor with God, This idea has been perceived
mainly
from the misinterpretation of 2 passages; Isaiah 14:3-23 and Ezekiel 28:1-19.
(We will examine these passages in detail shortly.)
The belief that the devil was created good, is extremely contradictory to what the Word of God teaches. Consider John 8:44 and 1 John 3:8.
John 8:44
Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do.
He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there
is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a
liar, and the father of it. (KJV)
Now from the Greek
You of the father the devil are and the desires of the father of you, you want to do. That one was a manslayer from the beginning and in the truth has not stood, because truth is not in him. Greek Text
1 John 3:8 (KJV)
8 He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the
beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy
the works of the devil.
Now from the Greek text
The one practicing sin of the devil is, because from the beginning the devil
sins for this cause was manifested the son of God that he might destroy
the works of the devil.
These verses teach that from the beginning Satan was both a murderer and a liar. Since the Bible does not contradict itself, we must determine where the incongruence lies. Is the popular belief that Satan was the most beautiful angel ever created, with musical instruments in his wings, the truth or was he a liar and a murderer from the beginning? For a brief moment we will deviate slightly to discuss the topic of angels. We know that the bible refers to angels as" sons of God" (Gen 6:2,4: Job 1:6, 2:1; 38:7). Job, which is one of the oldest books in the Bible, gives us insight into these beings. When they were created is not revealed, however the Word of God does teach us that angels were present at the creation of the earth (Job 38:1-7). The bible describes angels as messengers (Heb. mal`ak; Grk. angelos, both meaning "messenger"). They also function to minister (Matt 4:11). Please note that the image that we have of angels is grossly incorrect. As an example of this, for just a moment, close your eyes and imagine an angel. Most likely, the first images to come to mind are either a female with long flowing hair, she undoubting has a halo over her head and large expansive wings or you imagined a chubby half-clothed child-like figure also with wings holding a bow and arrow flying in mid air. The bible teaches us that angels are always male (note they are referred to as son's of God). There are no references in the Bible to denote that angels could possibly be female, as most are lead to believe. The mythical image most have come to recognize as angels has lead many to name their little girls "Angel or Angela". The only angels named in the Bible are Gabriel and Michael.
Here's a serious question to consider, excluding the 2 aforementioned misinterpreted passages found in Isaiah 14:12 and Ezekiel 28:14, was Satan really described as an angel in the Bible? The answer is no!
Note the verse found in Corinthians which
teaches that he transforms himself into an angel of light
2 Cor 11:14
And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.
(KJV)
From the Greek Text
And no wonder, for Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light.
The word transforms is from the Greek word metaschematizo {met-askh-ay-mat-id'-zo}, it means to transform, transfer in a figure or to change the figure of. This passage infers that Satan has been given the capacity to disguise himself. The context of this passage relates to false apostles (2 Cor 11:13-15),not that Satan is or ever was an angel.
We also reference the passage found in Job:
Job 2:1
1 Again there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before
the LORD, and Satan came also among them to present himself before the LORD.
(KJV)
Job 2:1 And the day is, that sons of God come in to station themselves by Jehovah, and there doth come also the Adversary in their midst to station himself by Jehovah. YLT
In the original Hebrew language, this passage teaches that in addition to the sons of God coming before the Lord, the Satan came also. Notice the definite article "the", most English translations have ignored this, with the exception of the Youngs Literal Translation. This verse does however infer that Satan is a celestial being (existing in the heavenlies).
We again refer to the saying, when the bible speaks we speak and when the Bible is quiet we are quiet. So let us examine what the Word of God teaches in regards to the matter of Satan's origin.
We must begin by utilizing proper techniques in bible interpretation, this would be to examine a passage based upon it’s context, grammar and historical aspects. Let’s interpret the verses which supposedly teach that Satan was once a good angel.
Isaiah 14:1-23 from the King James Version. { } denotes italicized words which were not a part of the original manuscripts.
Isa 14:1-23
1 For the LORD will have mercy on Jacob, and will yet choose Israel, and set
them in their own land: and the strangers shall be joined with them, and they
shall cleave to the house of Jacob.
2 And the people shall take them, and bring them to their place: and the house
of Israel shall possess them in the land of the LORD for servants and handmaids:
and they shall take them captives, whose captives they were; and they shall rule
over their oppressors.
3 And it shall come to pass in the day that the LORD shall give thee rest from
thy sorrow, and from thy fear, and from the hard bondage wherein thou wast made
to serve,
4 That thou shalt take up this proverb against the king of Babylon, and say, How
hath the oppressor ceased! the golden city ceased!
5 The LORD hath broken the staff of the wicked, {and} the sceptre of the rulers.
6 He who smote the people in wrath {with} a continual stroke, he that ruled the
nations in anger, is persecuted, {and} none hindereth.
7 The whole earth is at rest, {and} is quiet: they break forth into singing.
8 Yea, the fir trees rejoice at thee, [and} the cedars of Lebanon, {saying}, Since
thou art laid down, no feller is come up against us.
9 Hell from beneath is moved for thee to meet {thee at
}thy coming: it stirreth up
the dead for thee, {even} all the chief ones of the earth; it hath raised up from
their thrones all the kings of the nations.
10 All they shall speak and say unto thee, Art thou also become weak as we? art
thou become like unto us?
11 Thy pomp is brought down to the grave, and the noise of thy viols: the worm
is spread under thee, and the worms cover thee.
12 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!
13 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:
14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.
15 Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit.
16 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;
17 {That}
made the world as a wilderness, and destroyed the cities thereof; {that}
opened not the house of his prisoners?
18 All the kings of the nations, {even} all of them, lie in glory, every one in
his own house.
19 But thou art cast out of thy grave like an abominable branch, {and as} the
raiment of those that are slain, thrust through with a sword, that go down to
the stones of the pit; as a carcase trodden under feet.
20 Thou shalt not be joined with them in burial, because thou hast destroyed thy
land, and slain thy people: the seed of evildoers shall never be renowned.
21 Prepare slaughter for his children for the iniquity of their fathers; that
they do not rise, nor possess the land, nor fill the face of the world {with}
cities.
22 For I will rise up against them, saith the LORD of hosts, and cut off from
Babylon the name, and remnant, and son, and nephew, saith the LORD.
23 I will also make it a possession for the bittern, and pools of water: and I
will sweep it with the besom of destruction, saith the LORD of hosts.
Careful study of these passages in Revelations will reveal a future event not one which occurred in the past. These verses are prophetic and refer to the nation Israel during the Tribulation Period when God will allow Satan to wreck havoc upon the earth. Let us deviate again slightly to examine this.
Revelation Chapter 12:1-17
1 And a great sign was seen in the heaven, a woman arrayed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars,
2 and being with child she doth cry out, travailing and pained to bring forth.
3 And there was seen another sign in the heaven, and, lo, a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his head seven diadems,
4 and his tail doth draw the third of the stars of the heaven, and he did cast them to the earth; and the dragon did stand before the woman who is about to bring forth, that when she may bring forth, her child he may devour;
5 and she brought forth a male child, who is about to rule all the nations with a rod of iron, and caught away was her child unto God and His throne,
6 and the woman did flee to the wilderness, where she hath a place made ready from God, that there they may nourish her -- days a thousand, two hundred, sixty.
7 And there came war in the heaven; Michael and his messengers did war against the dragon, and the dragon did war, and his messengers,
8 and they did not prevail, nor was their place found any more in the heaven;
9 and the great dragon was cast forth -- the old serpent, who is called 'Devil,' and 'the Adversary,' who is leading astray the whole world -- he was cast forth to the earth, and his messengers were cast forth with him.
10 And I heard a great voice saying in the heaven, 'Now did come the salvation, and the power, and the reign, of our God, and the authority of His Christ, because cast down was the accuser of our brethren, who is accusing them before our God day and night;
11 and they did overcome him because of the blood of the Lamb, and because of the word of their testimony, and they did not love their life -- unto death;
12 because of this be glad, ye heavens, and those in them who do tabernacle; woe to those inhabiting the land and the sea, because the Devil did go down unto you, having great wrath, having known that he hath little time.'
13 And when the dragon saw that he was cast forth to the earth, he pursued the woman who did bring forth the male,
14 and there were given to the woman two wings of the great eagle, that she may fly to the wilderness, to her place, where she is nourished a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent;
15 and the serpent did cast forth after the woman, out of his mouth, water as a river, that he may cause her to be carried away by the river,
16 and the land did help the woman, and the land did open its mouth and did swallow up the river, that the dragon did cast forth out of his mouth;
17 and the dragon was angry against the woman, and went away to make war with the rest of her seed, those keeping the commands of God, and having the testimony of Jesus Christ. Youngs Literal Translation
Since this chapter begins with a conjunction,
we note that it is a continuation of the previous passages. Contextually, these
passages apply to Israel's prophetic calendar of the 70th week of Daniel (the
Tribulation Period). This study does not to go into any detail of this,
for time does not permit, however we focus on verses 7-13 which make
it clear that the event of Satan's expulsion from heaven along with his
angels (messengers). Ever wonder where the number of Satan's angels
supposedly originated? Verse 4 of chapter 12, the passage which
states; his tail swept a third of the stars out of the sky and flung them to the
earth (paraphrased). The Bible does not reveal how many angels Satan has.
It does state that the number of God's angels is innumerable (Heb 12:22).
Just as God has an elect of mankind, He also has an elect group of angels (1 Tim
5:21). Contrary to what most have been taught,
there was no event before the creation of the world, when Satan decided to rebel
against God, ultimately resulting in his expulsion from heaven. His expulsion
from the heavens is yet to occur during the Tribulation period,
Prior to this the Bible makes reference to him having access to the heavens, in
Job, the devil presents himself before God and when asked where he has been he
answers "From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it
(Job 1:6,2:2).
Therefore examination of the passage in
Isaiah 14:12 using proper bible exegesis, totally
eliminates the possibility of this verse being interpreted to illustrate the
fall of Satan in the past, but rather the destruction of Babylon and the
fulfillment of God’s promise to Israel (Gen 12).
The second passages used to foster the belief of Satan's departure from his original state is found in the 28th chapter of Ezekiel.
Beginning contextually, we note the writer is identified as Ezekiel, a prophet of God. Again in order to properly exegete (biblically interpret) a passage, it must line up contextually, grammatically and historically. .Many do not recognize that in order to get the context of these passages, which is the prophecy against Tyre. One must begin in Ezekiel chapter 26:1 and continue through to Ezekiel 28:19 It is vital to see the entire prophecy as a whole, and not separate 19 verses located in Ezek 28 from it's prophetic setting. Sound exegesis demands this precaution!
Chapter 26, begins with the prophet Ezekiel giving the proclamation from God against Tyre/Tyrus (Ezek 26:2-3).
Ezekiel 26:2-6
2 Son of man, because that Tyrus hath said against Jerusalem, Aha, she is broken
{that was} the gates of the people: she is turned unto me: I shall be replenished,
{now} she is laid waste:
Tyre rejoices over the fall of Judah to the Babylonians. and Nebuchadnezzar's conquering of Jerusalem. Ezekiel records that Tyre celebrated and hoped to benefit as a result, for they were now free of any tolls they may have had to pay in the past to Jerusalem or Israel when conducting business on the Middle East trade routes. Fortunes and money was all that seemed to guide Tyre. The misfortunes of others made no difference to them as long as their economy was great. Joel and Amos record that Tyre through her slave trading was directly involved in the suffering of the people of Judah after 586 BC (Joel 3:2-6; Amos 1:9-10).
3 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I {am }against thee, O Tyrus, and
will cause many nations to come up against thee, as the sea causeth his waves to
come up.
4 And they shall destroy the walls of Tyrus, and break down her towers: I
will also scrape her dust from her, and make her like the top of a rock.
5 It shall be {a place for} the spreading of nets in the midst of the
sea: for I have spoken {it}, saith the Lord GOD: and it shall become a spoil to
the nations.
6 And her daughters which are in the field shall be slain by the sword; and they
shall know that I am the LORD.
The prophecy of the destruction of Tyre takes place in 2 parts. Let's
examine this, note the first is when king Nebuchadnezzar besieged the
mainland city of Tyre:
Ezek 26:7-11
7 For thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will bring upon Tyrus
Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, a king of kings, from the north, with horses,
and with chariots, and with horsemen, and companies, and much people.
8 He shall slay with the sword thy daughters in the field: and he shall
make a fort against thee, and cast a mount against thee, and lift up the buckler
against thee.
9 And he shall set engines of war against thy walls, and with his axes he
shall break down thy towers.
10 By reason of the abundance of his horses their dust shall cover thee:
thy walls shall shake at the noise of the horsemen, and of the wheels, and of
the chariots, when he shall enter into thy gates, as men enter into a
city wherein is made a breach.
11 With the hoofs of his horses shall he tread down all thy
streets: he shall slay thy people by the sword, and thy strong garrisons
shall go down to the ground.
(KJV)
We know from verse 7 that the he refers to king Nebuchadnezzar. Now
note the change in the following verses.
12 And they shall make a spoil of thy riches, and make a prey of thy
merchandise: and they shall break down thy walls, and destroy thy
pleasant houses: and they shall lay thy stones and thy timber and thy
dust in the midst of the water.
(KJV)
Did you notice that the words of this prediction change from singular to plural?
If you think that this means something important then you're absolutely right!
It means that the destruction of Tyre was going to be something undertaken by
more than one and history tells us that this is exactly what happened.
Ezekiel's prophecy of the destruction of Tyre occurs in several episodes and
over a period of hundreds of years .
The rest of chapter 26 goes into great detail regarding the physical destruction of the city and how the other nations will witness this devastation and mourn for this great city. God makes a proclamation concerning Tyre, summed up in the following prophesy:
- Many nations would come against her (Ezek. 26:3)
- The walls of Tyre would be broken down (Ezek. 26:4)
- Dust would be scraped from her, and she would be left like a bare rock (Ezek. 26:4)
- She would be a place for the spreading of nets (Ezek. 26:5)
-Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, would build a siege wall around the city (Ezek. 26:8)
- Nebuchadnezzar would plunder the city (Ezek. 26:7-11)
- The stones, timber and soil of the city would be cast into the sea (Ezek. 26:12)
- The city would never be rebuilt (Ezek. 26:14)
Historically,
Tyre (Hebrew name for rock) was an ancient
Phoenician seaport, located 20 miles south of Sidon on the
Mediterranean coast , the
city of Tyre was unique in the fact that it was a dual city,
consisting of a mainland metropolis and a small Island that
stood about half a mile offshore. This city was justly entitled the 'Queen
of the Sea,' that element bringing to it the tribute of all nations. She boasted
of having first invented navigation, teaching the art of braving the winds and
waves. The optimal situation of Tyre, at the
upper end of the Mediterranean; the conveniency of its ports, which were both
safe and large allowed her to
dominate commerce, becoming both
wealthy and famous. The inhabitants included
merchants from all parts of the globe.
Nebuchadnezzar was one of the major military commanders of his time. As leader of the Babylonian Empire, he conquered many of the surrounding areas (including the nation of Israel) during his reign(605 to 562 BC). The prophecy mentioned in Ezek 26:7-11 regarding mainland Tyre was fulfilled under Nebuchadnezzar. During the course of his conquests, just as the prophet Ezekiel prophesized he eventually came up against the city of Tyre. History tells us that Nebuchadnezzar was so determined to capture Tyre that he and his troops hammered the city for 13 years, from 585-572 BC, before they were finally able to break through and get inside. Once they got into the city they found that most of the people inside the mainland city had escaped to the island portion of Tyre, however the king and the royal family were deported to Babylon. Since the majority of Tyre's inhabitants were habitants of the island portion of Tyre, this presented a real problem for Nebuchadnezzar. While he had a tremendous army, one thing that he lacked was a navy that could sail out to the island city of Tyre and continue the fight. Thus, without a fleet of fighting ships, Nebuchadnezzar was forced to give up his attack against Tyre. Before returning to Babylon, he flattened the mainland city and left its remains as debris. It is noted the city would be reduced to ruins (26:2; Isa. 23:1, 11) and be void of merchandising for seventy years, after that it would be allowed to return to its trading (Isa. 23:15-18).
So now the mainland city of Tyre was gone but the island nation still existed so
God's Word through the prophet must have been wrong, right? Well, not so fast-
there's more to the story! Verses 12-14 record the completion of Ezekiel's
prophecy.
Ezek 26:12-14
12 And they shall make a spoil of thy riches, and make a prey of thy
merchandise: and they shall break down thy walls, and destroy thy pleasant
houses: and they shall lay thy stones and thy timber and thy dust in the midst
of the water.
13 And I will cause the noise of thy songs to cease; and the sound of thy harps
shall be no more heard.
14 And I will make thee like the top of a rock: thou shalt be {a place} to spread
nets upon; thou shalt be built no more: for I the LORD have spoken {it}
saith the Lord GOD.
(KJV)
.For two and-a-half centuries (572
-332 BC), these
ruins appeared to be a mute contradiction of the Bible.
The Island located half a mile off shore had walls on the landward side
150 feet high. The channel between Tyre and the mainland was over twenty feet
deep, and frequently lashed by violent south-west winds. The city-walls
stood high above the sea: an army without ships could not scale them and shore
based artillery was useless at such a range, the city was heavily fortified.
Let's now jump ahead about 240 years into the future. The year is now 332 BC and
Nebuchadnezzar's Babylonian Empire has long since faded into history. In it's
place has emerged a new leader on the world scene- the powerful Greek Empire led
by Alexander the Great. During this time, Alexander was in the
process of conquering the world. In fact, Alexander had such a great
reputation as a military leader that some cities simply
opened up and let him come in and take over rather than try and fight against him.
Every city up and down the Mediterranean coast came under Alexander's control
except for one, Tyre.
When Alexander's armies reached Tyre, he sent messengers to discuss peace terms.
Making a request to enter their city (supposedly to worship Hercules). He was
denied access, a decision that is said to have made Alexander extremely angry.
The Tyrians, then murdered the envoys who were sent by Alexander
with terms of peace. Because of their walls (said to be 45 meters high),
the Tyrians felt safe, and confident and were prepared for a battle.
Tyre's navy ruled the ocean in that area of the world and Alexander lacked the naval resources that were
required to fight against this worthy opponent
which was located 1/2-mile (1100 m) out in the ocean. So what was the
solution? Well, a difficult but brilliant plan was conspired. Alexander ordered his troops to build a causeway to the
Tyrian island. He instructed his
soldiers to start picking up the rubble that was left over from Nebuchadnezzar's
earlier destruction of the mainland city. The soldiers were then told to start
dumping that rubble -piece by piece- into the ocean. Slowly but surely
Alexander's army began to build a causeway from the mainland out to the island
city of Tyre- a thoroughfare that could be used by his soldiers to attack the
city! The causeway is said to have been at least 200 feet wide. The very
foundation stones, timbers and dust of the city was cast "in the midst of the
water" (Ezek. 26:12). This debris was used to create access into the
city, thus fulfilling the prophecy.
At first, the Tyrians seemed to underestimate the threat and the causeway was
well on its way before they began attacking the work by sea and sending raiding
parties to attack the workers carrying the stones from the old ruined city.
Frustrated by the slow work, Alexander took a detachment of his army into
Arabia. When Alexander returned, he found the causeway in ruins. The Tyrians had
beached a fire ship into the work and destroyed two wooden towers that had been
build to protect the soldiers as they worked. Alexander had the work started
again, this time, building, into the wind, a causeway wide enough to have towers along the
center. The Tyrians countered with new tactics; such as, sending divers to drag
away the logs that supported the stones and soil. The turning point came when
Alexander received a fleet consisting of 224 ships from various states
(including 80 from the other Phoenician cities and 120 from Cyprus) The Tyrians
lost their superiority of the sea and began evacuating their wives and children.
In desperation, they even tried human sacrifice to their gods, however they
continued to fight. A final navy engagement resulted in the loss of nearly all
the Tyrian fleet and two days later Alexander led his main assault against the
city and breached the walls. The Tyrians had held out against Alexander for 7
months. Alexander besieged the city in 332 BC. When he finally took the
city he was so enraged that he destroyed half the city, massacred over 2000
inhabitants crucifying them along the wall and sold 20,000 into slavery.
Tyre lost its control of trade.
So the combination of Nebuchadnezzar's destruction of the mainland city and
Alexander's conquest of the island city finished Tyre as a major force in that
area of the world although people continued to reside there for some
time. In fact, Acts 21:3-4 tells us that there were even some Christians living
there in the first century A.D. However, Tyre later fell under the rule of the Romans, the
Crusaders and the Moslems, the ultimate end for Tyre eventually came in
1291 AD when it was finally destroyed for the last time. Today what remains of
what used to be Tyre is just a little fishing village - a place for fishermen to
spread their nets as we're told in Ezekiel 26:5.
Continuing in the desire to provide
clarity in regards to the context of Ezekiel's prophecy of Tyre, we
move on to the next chapter.
Ezek 27:1-4
1 The word of the LORD came again unto me, saying,
2 Now, thou son of man, take up a lamentation for Tyrus;
3 And say unto Tyrus, O thou that art situate at the entry of the sea, {which
art }a merchant of the people for many isles, Thus saith the Lord GOD; O
Tyrus, thou hast said, I (am of) perfect beauty.
4 Thy borders {are} in the midst of the seas, thy builders have perfected
thy beauty. (KJV)
Tyre boasted in itself.
In chapter 27, the lament for Tyre/Tyrus continues.
The Bible gives great detail of the coastal cities that enjoyed commercial trade with Tyre, facilitating its prosperity. See example below:
Tyre's Trading Partners
Ezekiel 27:12-25
NAME
LOCATION
MERCHANDISE
1. Tarshish
Spain (?)
Silver, iron, tin, lead
2. Greece Modern Greece Slaves, bronze implements
3. Tubal Eastern Turkey Slaves, bronze implements
4. Meshech Central Turkey Slaves, bronze implements
5. Beth Togarmah Eastern Turkey Work horses, war horses, mules
6. Rhodes Modern Rhodes Ivory tusks, ebony
7. Aram (or Edom)
Syria (or Jordan)
Turquoise, purple fabric,
embroidered work, fine linen,
coral, rubies
8. Judah
Palestine
Wheat, olive oil, balm,
confections, honey
9. Israel
Palestine
Wheat, olive oil, balm,
confections, honey
10. Damascus Syria Wine, wool
11. Danites
Aden (?)
Wrought iron, cassia (a bark
for perfume), calamus (an herb)
12. Greeks from
Yemen (or south-
Wrought iron, cassia, calamus
Uzal
eastern Turkey)
13. Dedan Arabia Saddle blankets
14. Arabia Arabia Lambs, rams, goats
15. Kedar Arabia Lambs, rams, goats
16. Sheba Southern Arabia Spices, precious stones, gold
17. Raamah Southern Arabia Spices, precious stones, gold,
18-23. Haran,
Mesopotamia Blue fabric,
embroidered work,
Canneh, Eden,
multicolored rugs
Sheba, Asshur,
Kilmad
Taken from: Charles H. Dyer, "Ezekiel", The Bible Knowledge Commentary
Ezek 27:35-36
35 All the inhabitants of the isles shall be astonished at thee, and their kings
shall be sore afraid, they shall be troubled in their countenance.
36 The merchants among the people shall hiss at thee; thou {shalt be} a terror,
and never shalt be any more. (KJV)
Chapter 28 is the conclusion of the prophecy against Tyre/Tyrus ,in this chapter
the lament is unto the leaders of Tyrus. From the King James
Version. Note where you see { } in the text, this denotes an
italicized word. This means that the word is not found in the original
Hebrew manuscripts.
Also it must be noted that English only has one word for God, however the Hebrew language has several words.
1.Yahweh {yeh-ho-vee'} , • Jehovah - used primarily in the , combination 'Lord Jehovah
2.Adonay (ad-o-noy');am emphatic form of the Lord (used as a proper name of God only):
3. 'el (ale); strength; as adjective,
mighty; especially the Almighty (but used also of any deity):
4. 'elohiym (el-o-heem');{ plural of 'eloahh (el-o'-ah) a deity or the Deity}:
gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically used (in the plural thus,
especially with the article) of the supreme God; occasionally applied by way of
deference to magistrates; and sometimes as a superlative.
In the KJV no distinction is made, which would denote a difference in the words for God. (See the definitions of the Hebrew words above)
Ezek 28:1-2
1 The word of the LORD (Yahweh)
came again unto me, saying,
2 Son of man, say unto the prince of Tyrus, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Because
thine heart {is} lifted up, and thou hast
said, I {am} a God, I sit {in}
the seat of God, in the midst of the seas; yet thou {art
}a man, and not God, though thou set thine heart as the heart of God: (KJV)
Because the word prince of Tyrus is used in verse
2, and king of Tyrus is used in verse 12. Many scholars attempt to
interpret these verses as a type or shadow characteristic of Satan. Some would
like to infer that the prince referred to an actual man whereas king referred to
Satan. To this we say absolutely preposterous!
The English word prince in verse 2 is from the Hebrew word nagiyd
(naw-gheed)-
and is also rendered in other parts of the scripture as governor, captain,
noble, leader and ruler. The rulers of Tyrus were actually, historical personages, and the
destruction of their magnificence is a matter of public record.
The previous chapters bear this out in very vivid color. Verse 2 is
referring to the leader of the city of Tyrus during the besiege by
Nebuchadnezzar when the mainland city was destroyed (Ezek 28:7). Note this passage
states clearly that despite the ruler's haughty beliefs that he is a god.
He is not a god, but merely a man. Verse 12 king of Tyrus refers to
the leader during the time of the Alexander the Great's besiege.
Son of man, say unto the prince of Tyrus, Thus saith the Lord (Adonay) GOD (Yahweh); Because thine heart is lifted up, and thou hast said, I am a God ('el ), I sit in the seat of God, ('elohiym) in the midst of the seas; yet thou art a man, and not God, ('el ) though thou set thine heart as the heart of God ('elohiym): Ezek 28:2 KJV
The other English versions including the NKJV (see below) do a better job, however the best clarity is given when the original language of Hebrew is utilized.
"Son of man, say to the prince of Tyre, 'Thus says the Lord GOD: "Because your
heart is lifted up, and you say, 'I am a god, I sit in the seat of gods, in the
midst of the seas,' yet you are a man, and not a god, though you set your heart
as the heart of a god.
(NKJV)
It
must be noted that at times in English, when the word god is used it refers to a deity or
is
used to infer strength of might.
Special note: Unfortunately many of the English version bibles do not merely translate. Extra words have been added, often altering the entire meaning of original scripture. In order to assure the meaning of these passages, an expert in the Hebrew scriptures was consulted, in the person of a Jewish Rabbi. He was familiar with not only the style of Hebrew writing's but the grammatical structure as well.
We note that Ezekiel was prophesying to a pagan gentile
city- and its ego-inflated leaders. For emphasis grammatically, he
used irony as a form of mockery . Irony is a form of ridicule or sarcasm directed against an
opponent, or in a situation that warrants a meaning which is opposite to the
literal sense of the words being utilized. We note that the KJV reads as so:
Ezek 28:3
3 Behold, thou {art} wiser than Daniel; {there is} no secret that
they can hide from thee:
(KJV)
Verse
3 flows along with verse 2.
But you are a man and not a god, though you think you are as wise as a god.
Are you wiser than Daniel? Is no secret hidden from you?
4 With your wisdom and your understanding you have gained riches for yourself,
and gathered gold and silver into your treasuries;
5 By thy great wisdom {and} by thy traffick hast thou increased thy riches, and
thine heart is lifted up because of thy riches:
(KJV)
These verses have been used by some to denote that Satan was of the greatest
intelligence and that he displayed wisdom of the highest heavenly order.
This of course is ludicrous! What this passage does teach is that; the Tyrian ruler was a shrewd
business man (note chapter 27 of Ezekiel) as history declared. He
had wisdom on how to make money, his expertise in international maritime
commerce was unparalleled in the world of his time. Certainly there should
be no doubt whatever that these events occurred right here on planet earth in
the 6th century BC, not somewhere up in heaven, or a pre-Adamic world.
The Tyrian ruler most certainly had a golden touch when it came to his financial and
economic dealings in foreign trade.
Ezek 28:6-10
6 Therefore thus saith the Lord (Adonay
GOD
(Yahweh);
Because thou hast set thine heart as the heart of God
('elohiym)
7 Behold, therefore I will bring strangers upon thee, the terrible of the
nations: and they shall draw their swords against the beauty of thy wisdom, and
they shall defile thy brightness.
8 They shall bring thee down to the pit, and thou shalt die the deaths {of
them that are} slain in the midst of the seas.
9 Wilt thou yet say before him that slayeth thee, I {am} God
('elohiym)?
but thou shalt be a man, and no God
('el), in the hand of him that slayeth thee.
10 Thou shalt die the deaths of the uncircumcised by the hand of strangers: for
I have spoken {it}, saith the
You were in Eden, the garden of God, (note the word here for God is ('elohiym rendered gods) The question is. was the ruler of Tyre, literally in the garden of Eden? Obviously, the answer is no. The poetic/figurative language portrays the king's domain. The Hebrew word "odn" translated as the proper name Eden indicates paradise/luxury. Indeed the king of Tyre lived in luxury. Please refer to the example of Tyre's trading partners and the merchandise obtained from the many cities, included are every precious stone (Ezek 27:22). What does the phrase "every precious stone was your covering" represent? The word covering is the Hebrew word mecukkah (mes-ook-kaw')a covering, i.e. garment. The king of Tyre, wore a heavily decorated robe of jewels, crystals and gold. Tyre was known as a centre of skilled craftsmanship, when it came to setting of stones, they excelled in wisdom. Solomon sought such a craftsman, in order to beautify the Temple of God (1 Kings 7: 13-14). The outward brilliance or decoration of the ruler's robe is further described in the words," "The workmanship of your tabrets and pipes was prepared for you on the day you were created." The Hebrew word bara' (baw-raw');means to create, it can also mean to cut down (a wood), select, feed ,choose, dispatch, and make yourself fat.. There should be little doubt that this creation day refers to the coronation day for the king of Tyre. (The context of this passage certainly does not bear out that this referred to the creation of Satan) Ezekiel uses bara in reference to the birth of the Ammonite nation (Ezek 21:28-30).Thus he refers to the day in which the king of Tyre began to reign. The phrase, the workmanship of your tabrets and pipes was prepared for you, has been misinterpreted For some strange reason, many (translators and preachers alike) have used this passage in an effort to build up Satan as some "beautiful and glorious being", claiming that tabrets and pipes referred to "his pipes and flutes". They claim that Satan supposedly "produced beautiful music". The context has nothing to do with musical instruments, but rather with a technical term relating to jeweler's work. Pipes is translated from the Hebrew word neqeb: A bezel (for a gem)- groove, socket, hole, cavity, settings.
Ezek 28:14-15
14 Thou {art the} anointed cherub that covereth; and I have set thee {so}:
thou wast upon {the} holy mountain of God; thou hast walked up and down
in the midst of the stones of fire.
Let's briefly examine the 14th and 15th verses.
The verb "art "in the KJV is italicized (the word was not
present in original manuscripts).
Again we note that the English language is limited.
In the KJV no distinction is made,
which would denote a difference in the words for anointed.
Note the numbers represent the Strong's reference number.
1. 4899 mashiyach (maw-shee'-akh);from 4886; anointed; usually a consecrated
person (as a king, priest, or saint); specifically, the Messiah:
2. 4886 mashach (maw-shakh');a primitive root; to rub with oil, i.e. to anoint;
by implication, to consecrate; also to paint:
3. 4473 mimshach (mim-shakh');from 4886, in the sense of
expansion; outspread (i.e. with outstretched wings):
4. 4888 mishchah (meesh-khaw');or moshchah (mosh-khaw'); from 4886; unction (the
act); by implication, a consecratory gift:
The word for anointed in Ezek 28:14 is the Hebrew. word mimshach (mim-shakh'), which is rendered expansion, (i.e. with outstretched wings). It is not the word mashiyach (maw-shee'-akh) which is rendered consecrated person (as a king, priest, or saint), as many believe it to be. The word cherub (Hebrew- keruwb (ker-oob');of uncertain derivation refers to the cherubim, which are four living beings with expansive wings (5 cubits) equivalent to 7 1/2 feet wide. First mentioned in Genesis 3:24, they were set to guard the entrance of Eden. An example of their physical appearance is noted in Ezek 1:5-13. Images of these beings were associated with the ark of the covenant in the wilderness and the Temple of Solomon. Two cherubim were situated in such a way that their wings were spread across and over the ark, literally covering it. The word "covered" in verse 14 is from the Hebrew cakak (saw-kak');or sakak ;which means to entwine as a screen; by implication, to fence in, cover over, (figuratively) block , stop the approach protect.
Again, Ezekiel uses poetic, rather than literal language to describe, the position that the king of Tyre held. Contrary to popular beliefs, this verse is not describing Satan as an angelic being. When examining the phrase in verse 14 ,"Thou the anointed cherub who covers". This is an allegorical reference to the position of protection that God had placed the king of Tyre in. The phrases, the holy mountain of gods and the fiery stones are also figurative in nature.
15 Thou {wast} perfect in thy ways from the
day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee.
(KJV)
In verse 15,God states, You perfect,
(Hebrew
tamiym (taw-meem'); means complete also (as noun) integrity,
truth). In thy ways is derek (deh'-rek);; a road (as
trodden); figuratively, a course of life or mode of action. From the day
you were created again refers to the day in which the king of Tyre began to
reign. Till iniquity was found in you, .Iniquity is from the Hebrew word
`evel (eh'-vel);or `avel (aw'-vel); and (feminine) `avlah (av-law');
or `owlah (o-law'); or `olah (o-law'); and means evil.
.
Ezek 28:16-19
16 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 ('elohiym):
and I will destroy thee, O covering cherub, from the midst of the stones of
fire.
17 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.
18 Thou hast 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 all them that behold thee.
19 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.
(KJV)
Throughout
this study, much detail has been given which has demonstrates
historically that , Tyre was indeed literal and that God destroyed, the city and
it's leaders, thus verifying that all the prophecies in Ezekiel
chapters 26-28 have been fulfilled.
In conclusion, the idea that Satan was once a beautiful angel of God who fell from grace because he took it upon himself to be equal with God, thus resulting in his expulsion from heaven is not a biblically based doctrine. We note that, with the use of proper bible exegesis, consisting of grammatical, contextual and historical aspects, review of the scriptures which many have used to supposedly validate this erroneous doctrine, certainly did not support this.
Ones acceptance of this false doctrine of Satan's fall is steeped heavily in ones acceptance of the doctrine of Man's Free Will, for, it stands to reason that for those who hold to the belief that man has a free will (the ability to choose between good and evil), then certainly ,one would believe Satan would also . This topic is covered in Salvation: the Sovereignty of God vs. Man's Free Will.
With the illumination of the essence of God's Sovereignty, comes the knowledge that God alone has the absolute power to execute His will based upon His own good pleasure and all things operate according to this principle. One must fully grasp the magnitude of what the Sovereignty of God entails. For in the realm of sovereignty, whatever God does is right, after all He is God. He alone sets the standard and absolutely nothing He does is wrong (Romans 9:14). Who are we as the creatures, to say to the creator why are you doing things this way? God's ultimate goal will culminate in His glory. Ever contemplate that without evil, how is good measured? By God's design, with sin, came damnation, thus the need for grace, mercy and the demonstration of His love. Contrary to what many believe, God is not a spectator nor a passive participator in His own creation. He did not create the universe and then one day things suddenly went awry. Rather according to His will, all things, which have transpired , are transpiring and will transpire were predestined or predetermined in eternity before anything was created. Time is only an increment of space, originated by God for the sole purpose of virtually manifesting all of that, which He had already determined in eternity to occur. Thus Satan choosing to challenge God is a paradox. In other words, this concept is an irony, a contradiction an impossibility, or simply put absurd! Rather, therefore one must conclude that the Bible teaches that Satan did not make the choice to sin, but rather was created by God in the state. of being evil (John 8:44; 1 John 3:8), according to His good pleasure, for the sole purpose of manifesting his will and purpose (Eph 1:11).
It is our prayer that through this study the Holy Spirit may bring illumination into the essence of God's Sovereignty.