Satan's Relationship With God

Being true to form, I have come up with another controversial idea. There are probably some commentaries available where some author has said something similar. After all, this is the Bible. And I have found that it makes sense. Therefore, someone, if not many have probably preceded my line of thinking, which by the way, does not make me correct. (This is an opinion I had. I am in no way encouraging anyone to believe it is true).

What I want to do here, is preface the ideas I am writing about. I want to tell you what my conclussions are, then give you the facts I used to draw these conclussions.

God has demonstrated that He will destroy what ever there may be that does not honor Him. He will destroy those things that will not meet the purpose for which He created it. And I will say there is certainly a destruction that awaits Satan. However, my conclussion is not that Satan is going to be destroyed for his rebellion, alone. I think there are some factors relating to God's judgement on those creations that fail to be what they were intended to be.

Satan appears to have been created as an instrument of God. And, there are indications in scripture that Satan's occupation was his second function in the Kingdom of Heaven. He was origionally known as Lucifer - The morning star. Possibly, Lucifer was given the job of proving man's love for God. Therefore, to the Hebrew people, his name becomes the description of his occupation, Satan - Temptor.

What I am giving you to consider is this:
Was Satan given the occupation to prove man by tempting man?
Did Satan rebell because he felt that his purpose would come to an end, and God would destroy him? (As one of the readers of this blog pointed out, it would be ungracious of God to destroy Satan for not having an occupation that God Himself brought to an end).

My conclussion is not that Satan is going to be destroyed because he fails to have a function. I think that may have been Satan's understanding. I think Satan rebelled for fear that he would be destroyed for no longer having the role of tempter.

I believe, as I alwasys have believed that God is going to destroy him.

Isaiah 14:12-15 (New International Version)
12 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!
13 You said in your heart, "I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God; I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly, on the utmost heights of the sacred mountain.
14 I will ascend above the tops of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High."
15 But you are brought down to the grave, to the depths of the pit.



Now, here is where my questioning begins.
Satan, is an Old Testament name given to Lucifer as he was known by man as the ‘Tempter of Man’. Obviously Satan served in a high position to God. Since the Bible also recognizes him as Lucifer, The Morning Star. http://www.answers.com/topic/lucifer
http://www.elook.org/dictionary/lucifer.html
So, what happened to cause God to recognize Lucifer and grant him a high position among the angels in Heaven, Only to end with Lucifer being cast out of Heaven?

Job 2:1-9
1 On another day the angels [a] came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came with them to present himself before him. 2 And the LORD said to Satan, "Where have you come from?" Satan answered the LORD, "From roaming through the earth and going back and forth in it."
3 Then the LORD said to Satan, "Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil. And he still maintains his integrity, though you incited me against him to ruin him without any reason."
4 "Skin for skin!" Satan replied. "A man will give all he has for his own life. 5 But stretch out your hand and strike his flesh and bones, and he will surely curse you to your face."
6 The LORD said to Satan, "Very well, then, he is in your hands; but you must spare his life."
7 So Satan went out from the presence of the LORD and afflicted Job with painful sores from the soles of his feet to the top of his head. 8 Then Job took a piece of broken pottery and scraped himself with it as he sat among the ashes.
9 His wife said to him, "Are you still holding on to your integrity? Curse God and die!"

1 Kings 22:19-23 (American Standard Version)
American Standard Version (ASV)
Copyright © 1901 Public Domain

19 And Micaiah said, Therefore hear thou the word of Jehovah: I saw Jehovah sitting on his throne, and all the host of heaven standing by him on his right hand and on his left.
20 And Jehovah said, Who shall entice Ahab, that he may go up and fall at Ramoth-gilead? And one said on this manner; and another said on that manner.
21 And there came forth a spirit, and stood before Jehovah, and said, I will entice him.
22 And Jehovah said unto him, Wherewith? And he said, I will go forth, and will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets. And he said, Thou shalt entice him, and shalt prevail also: go forth, and do so.
23 Now therefore, behold, Jehovah hath put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these thy prophets; and Jehovah hath spoken evil concerning thee.

In the above passages from Job and First Kings, we clearly see Satan having access to the Throne of God; but why? From our limited perspective, this would seem a mystery of God to allow this guy, who tempted His creation to fall out of a functional relationship with God to still continue to approach the Throne of God. And yet, here he is.

Well, I think this is what we are missing in our understanding of Satan and his relationship with God. I think we need to rearrange the chronology we have decided to accept as history. We need to continue to see Satan as Lucifer in the beginning. And we should definitely continue to understand Satan will be destroyed. What we need to figure out, is at what point God will decide Satan to be destroyed. And further, at what point did Satan lead a revolt in Heaven?

The popular teaching is Satan revolted prior to the creation of Adam and Eve. This makes sense by itself, as we see Satan as having been successful in corrupting man’s relationship with God. But then what do we do with these verses which discuss Satan’s freedom to come and go in the presence of God? What are we to do with the consulting we see occurring between God and Satan? Take a second look at Job 2:3 –

3 Then the LORD said to Satan, "Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil. And he still maintains his integrity, though you incited me against him to ruin him without any reason."

Satan has just come before the Lord, a second time. His report is that he is roaming the earth. God asks him if he has considered Job. And Satan is revealed to already have failed to tempt Job. So, we are to understand Satan’s “...roaming the earth” is Satan’s occupation to tempt man. And God is sending Satan back for another attempt at causing Job to sin against God. As Job’s wife also does at the end of the second trial, by bitterly instructing Job to curse God and die in verse 2:9. In other words, ‘Die and be gone! Your faith is ruining my life!’

Now look at First Kings 22:19-23. Here we see a meeting in Heaven! God is consulting His Angels for suggestions on how to manipulate the affairs of man to have a beneficial out come for King Jehoshaphat of the Southern Kingdom of Judah. Jehoshaphat allied himself with Ahab. Ahab was the corrupt king of the Northern Kingdom of Israel.

One angel suggests one thing, and another angel suggested another thing. Then, an angel steps forth with his idea to entice Ahab by being a lying spirit in the mouth’s of Ahab’s prophets. The scripture then says, God put a lying spirit in the mouth’s of all of Ahab’s prophets. God did it, by commissioning one of His angels to carry out the task of causing confusion.

Now, I am aware that The Bible says, “God is not the author of confusion”. So, what about this angel? God created this angel who looks very much like the same being we see tempting Job. As this angel in First Kings says he will entice, or tempt Ahab.

So, here is what I think our view of Celestial chronology should be.

God created Heaven and Earth. Within the Heaven’s, He created as well. I believe Satan was created to serve God and when man was created, one of the task Lucifer received, was to prove man. In other words, God gave man a freedom of will. If God was going to be edified by a relationship with man, there would have to be adversity. Because, without adversity, there can not be edification as man would follow after the creator as He is obviously far better than anything on Earth. But, then, this angel comes along and convinces Adam and Eve they are missing out on something. So, they chose to find out what it was. And this sets the stage for God’s contention with man. God seeks to be edified while Satan seeks to do his job, which is to cause adversity. With adversity, there would truly be edification for God in a man’s choosing God in the face of always being enticed to believe there is something better.

So, why does Lucifer make this statement as it is recorded in Isaiah 14:13-14?
13 You said in your heart, "I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God; I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly, on the utmost heights of the sacred mountain.

I believe it is because Lucifer has had a glimpse of what the outcome is for man who reject God, and man who have been atoned for. For those of the human family who do not seek to fulfill the purpose they are created for, they will be destroyed.

Satan has come to the realization that his usefulness will run out with the end of time for Earth and Mankind. And what happens with something that does not serve God’s purposes. It is destroyed. I think that Satan had thought "God will no longer have a need for a ‘lying spirit’ or ‘tempter’. And because of this, I will be destroyed". So, Satan says, "I will lead a revolt. I will prove to God’s creation that I am higher than He. And I will sit on the Throne over all of God’s creation". However, God has already told us what the end will be. And, I do not believe Satan would have been destroyed for no longer having an occupation. But, that he assumed he would be destroyed and therefore revolted in defense of his existance. Falsely assuming his destruction. So, yes. Satan will face destruction for rebellion. But 'rebellion' for a different motive.

Just some thoughts. I realize this is not popular teaching. So, if it does not take, I understand. It is not important to salvation, anyway.