From the Palace to the Pit | Part 2

Did God create something or someone evil?

Here's Adrian Rogers with the answer. God did not create a devil. He created a holy angel, and He gave that angel the power of choice between good and evil. And this angel chose to do evil. And Lucifer, the son of the morning, became Satan, the father of night. And verse 17 tells us that his wisdom and his beauty are corrupted. But now listen carefully.

Corrupted or not, traces of them still remain. Welcome to Love Worth Finding, featuring profound yet practical biblical messages from pastor, teacher, and author, Adrian Rogers. As Christians, we know our war is not against flesh and blood. Behind all wickedness and oppression in the world is Satan, beating the drums of diversion to drown the truth. Satan's origin story in Ezekiel 28 is one of riches to rags. It's important to learn about his descent from the palace to the pit, because we are pawns in this battle. But never forget, God has done something about the devil.

Let's find out about it. If you have your Bible, turn to Ezekiel chapter 28, as Adrian Rogers teaches the lesson, From the Palace to the Pit. Now, the king of ancient Tyre that we see described here in Ezekiel 28 is used in the Bible as an illustration of Satan himself. And as you read Ezekiel 28, you find God speaking to the king of ancient Tyre, a wicked, malevolent, terrorist king. But God goes right on through the king of Tyre, and God addresses Satan himself, who is the power behind the throne. There are four things out of this passage here in Ezekiel chapter 28 that I want to lay upon your heart, many more things, but four things I want you to see about the devil himself.

Now, remember, this involves you. First of all, Satan was created in perfection. People ask this question, why did God ever make the devil to begin with? Friend, God did not create a devil.

Satan, who became the devil, was created in perfection. Look, if you will, now beginning in verse 11, Moreover, the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, Son of man, take up a lamentation upon the king of Tyrus, and say unto him, Thus saith the Lord God, Thou sealest up the sum full of wisdom and perfect in beauty. Thou hast been in Eden, the garden of God. Now, right away, we know he was not talking about the literal king of Tyre, because the king of Tyre was not full of wisdom and perfect in beauty.

The king of Tyre had never been in Eden. God is speaking through the king of Tyre to someone else. But now notice verse 15, Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day thou wast created till iniquity was found in thee. Now, verse 15 tells us that Satan was the noblest, the most beautiful of angelic beings. Satan was surpassing in beauty.

He was superlative in wisdom. Originally, his name was Lucifer, which means light bearer. There was a time when this created being dwelt in a place called heaven. He was like the high priest of heaven, and it was his responsibility to orchestrate the worship and the praise to God the Father. But remember that he was a created being. Never get the idea that Satan somehow was co-equal and co-eternal with God. Satan had a beginning. He was created by Almighty God.

God did not create a devil. God created a perfect being, absolutely totally perfect. So the first thing I want you to learn about this sinister minister of evil is that he was created in perfection.

Now here's the second thing. Not only was he created in perfection, but number two, he was corrupted through pride. Now here was this Lucifer, this son of the morning, who is absolutely beautiful, wise, having all of the attributes and accouterments that God could give to him. But then he was infected with pride. He came to believe, I'm too good, I'm too wise, I'm too holy, I'm too great to be anything less than God. The counterpart of this passage is found in Isaiah chapter 14, where the Bible says that he was lifted up with pride and said, I will be like the most high. Now look, if you will, in verse 17. Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty. Thou has corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness.

Now get it down plain because some people stumble over this fact. God did not create a devil. He created a holy angel and he gave that angel the power of choice between good and evil. And this angel chose to do evil. And Lucifer, the son of the morning, became Satan, the father of night. And verse 17 tells us that his wisdom and his beauty are corrupted.

But now listen carefully, corrupted or not, traces of them still remain. So when you think of the devil, don't think of some repulsive monster, some scaly beast. The Bible tells us that he is a master of camouflage and he has been transformed as an angel of light.

And so it's no strange thing if his ministers also be that way, be transformed as the ministers of righteousness. You see, the devil is not against religion. The devil is up to his ears in religion. He is the master of camouflage and Satan works through music. Satan works through art, through literature. He is brilliant, but he's brilliantly stupid. He is beautiful, but he is hideously beautiful and he has blemished beauty.

He has warped wisdom. Satan was created in perfection. Satan was corrupted through pride. By the way, nothing will put you further out of the devil's reach than genuine humility.

Here's the third thing I want to lay upon your heart. Satan continues with power. Now God says that I'm going to cast you out of this holy place. Look if you will in verse 17.

Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty. Thy has corrupted thy wisdom because of thy brightness. I will cast thee to the ground. Satan is cast out of heaven. No sooner had he unsheathed his sword of rebellion than the power of almighty God cast him from his holy place from the holy mountain. Jesus said, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven. Jesus was there when it happened. This was eons before Bethlehem when Satan fell.

But even though he's been cast out of heaven, by the express permission of God, Satan continues with power. Look if you will in verses 16 through 18. By the multitude of thy merchandise they have filled the midst of thee with violence. And thy has sinned therefore I will cast thee as profane out of the mountain of God and will destroy thee, O covering cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire.

That is, you're no longer going to walk up and down here in this holy place. Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty. And thy has corrupted thy wisdom because of thy brightness. I will cast thee to the ground. I will lay thee before kings that they may behold thee.

Thou has defiled thy sanctuaries by the multitude of thine iniquities and by the iniquity of thy traffic. Therefore will I bring forth a fire from the midst of thee, and it shall devour thee, and I will bring thee to ashes upon the earth in the sight of all them that behold thee. Now here God is speaking of a process that begins with Satan's being cast out of heaven and finally brought down to hell. But in the meanwhile, Satan still has power. You see, God gave to Adam and Eve dominion of the earth. Satan, having been cast out of heaven, came as a con artist and conned Adam and Eve out of that dominion.

They turned it over to him. They became slaves of Satan. And all of the progeny of Adam and Eve have become slaves to Satan. The Bible says the whole world lieth in the lap, the bosom of the wicked one. We are by nature now the children of wrath. Adam and Eve turned over the power and the authority on earth to this one called Satan. You say, well, I didn't know that Satan had power and authority on earth.

Yes, he does. Put these scriptures down now. John 14, Jesus said hereafter I will not talk much with you for the prince of this world cometh. The prince of this world, Jesus called him that. The prince of this world cometh and hath nothing in me. What does that mean?

I don't have any itch the devil can scratch. That's what that means. In 2 Corinthians 4, 4, the apostle Paul called him the God of this world. The word God with a little g. He is the God of this world. Ephesians 6, verse 12 speaks of the rulers of darkness. That means that Satan is the commander in chief of a vast number of spirit beings, angels who rebelled with him and are in full sympathy with him and do his bidding. And now Satan has this reign of terror over the earth. You want to know what's wrong with the world today? There is a reign of terror and Satan is the master in chief.

He has principalities and powers. When Satan said to Jesus, fall down and worship me because all these kingdoms have been given to me, Jesus did not argue with him. Jesus did not say it's not yours to give. Jesus knew that Adam had delivered it over to Satan. Satan had usurped it as a con artist, but nonetheless Satan had it. But Jesus refused to worship him, but he did not deny the power that Satan has. Martin Luther, with that great hymn, which is one of my favorite hymns, The Mighty Fortress is Our God, said of Satan, his power and craft are great and armed with cruel hate on earth is not his equal. And he is known now for a multitude of iniquities. Notice in verse 18, the multitude of iniquities.

What's wrong with the world today? Jot these scriptures down. Acts chapter 10, verse 38 speaks of those oppressed of the devil. Luke 13 spoke of one whom Satan has bound. Second Corinthians 12, 7, the messenger of Satan.

Satan has today a reign of terror. He's the chief terrorist, subversion, perversion, diversion. He wants to divide. He wants to depress. He wants to destroy. Depression, oppression, these things come from the devil.

Have you ever wondered why there's such a war on little babies? Friends, just open the Bible. Read the ancient God Molech. Molech, who had a fire in his belly with open arms and in order to please this pagan deity, mothers would take their newborn babes and roll them screaming into the fire to please Molech. Then they had the worship of Baal, the fertility god, the god of sex. How did they worship the god of sex, Baal? By the sacrifice of their little babies.

Satan has always hated children. Think of Pharaoh. What did Pharaoh do? He killed the babies.

What did Herod do? He killed the babies. What does Planned Parenthood do? It kills the babies. Abortion is a blood sacrifice to Satan. Satan has a war against the unborn, against the innocents. You see, they're just old gods with new names. Will you say, Pastor, is it hopeless and helpless?

Of course not. That's why Jesus came. Put Hebrews chapter 2 and verse 14 down. For as much then as children are partakers of flesh and blood, as the children, talking about us, the children of God, are partakers of flesh and blood. He, Jesus, also himself, took part of the same. Jesus became flesh and blood.

Why? That through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, the devil. Jesus came to this earth to die in my place, in your place, and through his death destroy him who had the power of death, the devil. Now, the word destroy, kartageo, does not mean to obliterate.

It means to make of none effect. Jesus does not obliterate the devil, but Jesus has taken away the authority of the devil. What Adam gave to Satan legally, what was legally lost, Jesus has legally taken back by his death, burial, and resurrection. When Jesus Christ was on the cross, hell had a holiday. They said he is finished, but he wasn't finished. Satan was finished. The power of Satan was finished. Now, notice, put down Colossians chapter 2 and verse 15. It speaks of Jesus and his death, and it says, in having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it.

In what? In his death. Jesus spoiled principalities and powers. Now, the Bible says we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities and powers.

But those principalities and powers headed up by the devil have been decimated by the death of the Lord Jesus Christ. He has been stripped. That is all of his accoutrements have taken from him. Not only was he stripped, but the Bible teaches that he is shamed. His authority has been taken from him.

Jesus has spoiled principalities and powers. The Christian, therefore, in your life and in my life, Satan has been defeated. He has been vanquished even if he has not vanished. He is present, but he is powerless. If I could only get you to understand this, listen to me, come up close. Satan has no power over you. He doesn't want you to understand that.

You are not a victim. His back was broken at Calvary. He sails a sinking ship. He rules a doomed domain. And Jesus said, I give you authority over all the power of the enemy.

You need to understand that. Our Lord said in nothing, be terrified by your adversaries. You say, does that mean I can't be put to death for Christ?

If you get put to death, it will be Satan's biggest mistake. They overcame him by the blood of the land, by the word of the testimony, and they loved not their lives unto death. Friend, in Jesus, we have conquered.

Thanks be unto God who causes us always to triumph in Christ Jesus. You're not a helpless victim. And quit saying the devil made me do it. He hasn't. He can't. Now you can fail to use the authority that God has given you.

And if you do, then you've got a big problem. But friend, our Lord says, behold, I give you authority over all the power of the enemy. You're not bigger, stronger, wiser, greater than Satan, but Jesus is. And the Bible says, greater is he that's in you than he that's in the world.

Fourth and final thing, I want to lay on your heart today. Satan is consigned to the pit. Satan is consigned to the pit. Look in verse 8, they shall bring thee down to the pit.

Look in verses 18 and 19, thou hast defiled thy sanctuaries by the multitude of thine iniquities, by the iniquity of thy traffic. Therefore will I bring forth a fire from the midst of thee, and it shall devour thee, and I will bring thee to ashes upon the earth in the sight of all them that behold thee. And all they that know thee among the people shall be astonished at thee. Thou shalt be a terror, that is, you're just awful to look at, and never shalt thou be anymore.

That doesn't mean that he won't exist anymore. It means never will you terrorize people anymore. It's over for you, Satan. Friend, there's coming a time, there's coming a time when we see Satan, and we'll say, that worm? That's the one that made the nations to tremble?

What's it all about? You choose sides carefully, because if you follow Satan, you're going to end up with him. The Bible says that hell was prepared for the devil and his angels.

He wasn't prepared for you. If you go to hell, you'll be an intruder, but all who follow Satan will end up with him. Number two, don't you be terrified by Satan. I don't mean to swagger.

I don't mean to be careless. The Bible says be sober, be vigilant. Your adversary the devil growth about as a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour, but remember that in Jesus you have authority, if you will use it. Number three, understand where the real war is. Our battle is not with flesh and blood.

Our battle is with principalities and powers, and many times we lose the war because we don't show up for the battle. Are you saved? Do you know the Lord Jesus Christ? If not, Satan has you like a plaything, like a puppet on a string. Now, and one of these days, you join him in hell. Pastor, when's the devil going to rule in hell?

Never. The devil doesn't rule in hell. The devil is going to hell to suffer. Don't get the idea that somehow Satan rules hell.

He doesn't rule hell. For a while he's a usurper here on earth, but his back has been broken and he has no power over you, if you trust Jesus. Now, Jesus came to destroy the power of Satan. Jesus came to deliver you. Jesus came to set you free. He came to give you peace and power, forgiveness of sin and a home in heaven, but he will not force it upon you.

The same God that gave to Lucifer the power of choice gives to you the power of choice. Choose you this day whom you will serve. If you'd like to be saved, would you pray a prayer like this? Dear God, I'm a sinner. I need to be saved. I want to be saved. Jesus, you died to save me. You promised to save me, even if I would trust you.

I do trust you, Jesus. I believe you're the Son of God. I believe you paid my sin debt with your blood on the cross. I believe that God raised you from the dead, and I receive you into my life as my Lord and Savior, and I give my life to you to live it out for you till you take me to heaven.

I give you my life, and I receive you as my Lord and Savior. Save me, Jesus. Pray it and mean it. Save me, Lord Jesus. Give me the courage to make it public. In your name I pray.

Amen. If you prayed to receive the forgiveness that Jesus has offered you, would you let us celebrate with you? Go to our website, lwf.org slash radio, and click the tab that says Discover Jesus. There you'll find some answers you might need about your faith, as well as a response section. We'd love to hear how this message has affected your life. Welcome to the family of God.

Let us hear from you today. Again, go to lwf.org slash radio, and click Discover Jesus. Now if you'd like to order a copy of today's message, call us at 1-877-LOVE-GOD and request the title From the Palace to the Pit. This lesson is also part of the powerful series Challenges to the Cross. For the complete collection, all six insightful messages, call that number 1-877-LOVE-GOD. Or go online to lwf.org slash radio.

Or you can write us at Love Worth Finding, Box 38600, Memphis, Tennessee 38183. Adrian Rogers said, God gave Satan a choice, and he became Satan. God gives you a choice, and you can become a saint. Spend time in his word today.

Pray that you may follow him and honor him with all of your life and all your choices. Thanks for joining us in our study of God's word, and be here next time for more profound truth simply stated on Love Worth Finding. A listener in North Carolina wrote us and told us how she's been sharing these powerful messages on Love Worth Finding with others. She said, each week I print the sermon outlines and share them. Dr. Rogers has a unique and powerful delivery for a clearer understanding of God's word. You know, our website's full of free resources available to you to use and share with others. And when you donate to the ministry this month, we'll send you our Critical Issues Booklet Collection. This collection includes popular messages from Adrian Rogers, including Unmasking the New Age, Pro-Choice is No Choice, and Evolution, Fact or Fiction. These booklets are perfect to use in defending your faith or sharing the hope of the gospel with others. Request the bundle when you call with a gift right now at 1-877-LOVEGOD, or you can give online at LWF.org slash radio. And thanks so much for your generous support of Love Worth Finding.