Attack on God
How did Isaiah describe the true intentions of the rebellious cherub? What was in his heart, his inner being? What was his real motive? Isa. 14:13, 14.
As the strange, selfish feelings and emotions of the cherub gained ascendancy over his higher powers and reason, he became bolder. He perverted and misused the freedom that God had entrusted to him, even to the point where He wanted to usurp God’s own authority.
In Ezekiel 28:15 a contrast is made between the condition of the cherub as a good creature from the hand of his Creator and what he, the creature, had became. He was at first “blameless” (NIV), whole, lacking nothing, but something new was formed within him: The verse says that “iniquity,” or “wickedness” (NIV), was found in him. This term in the Old Testament can be used to mean duplicity, unholy ambition, lying, and apostasy.
Ezekiel also said: “ ‘ “Your heart became proud [Heb. gabah, ‘to be high,’ ‘to be exalted’]” ’ ” (Ezek. 28:17, NIV). To be proud can included perceiving oneself as being more than one really is, or to view oneself as superior to others. It also can lead to behavior that ignores God's will (Ps. 10:4, Jer. 13:15) and that opposes God Himself (Ezek. 28:2). One could easily conclude that the fallen cherub was being disloyal to God, attacking Him, speaking lies and acting deceptively.
How did the serpent misrepresent God to Eve? Gen. 3:4, 5.
In order for Satan to persuade Eve to disobey God, he sought to attack the character of God. He said, basically, that God was fundamentally a selfish being who limits the development of His intelligent creatures, keeping them in a state of involuntary submission through a threat of death. He was not what He claimed to be, a God of love, but was camouflaging His true nature through the appearance of a loving attitude. Satan was projecting onto God His own deceitful nature and the real intentions of his corrupted heart. His attack in heaven against God and God’s loving nature was now being transferred to this planet.
“Had Lucifer really desired to be like the Most High, he would never have deserted his appointed place in heaven; for the spirit of the Most High is manifested in unselfish ministry. Lucifer desired God's power, but not His character.”—Ellen G. White, The Desire of Ages, p. 435.
| How can we avoid falling into this same spiritual trap as these principles are played out around us more and more subtly? |
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