Question: "God vs. Satan - if God is all-powerful, why does He not just kill Satan?"Answer: One of the mysteries of the Christian life is why God didn’t just throw Satan into the lake of fire immediately after he sinned. We know that God will one day destroy Satan once and for all by throwing him into the Lake of Fire where he will be tortured day and night forever (Revelation 20:10), but sometimes we wonder why God has not destroyed Satan already. Perhaps we will never know God’s reasoning in this particular situation, but we do know certain things about God.First, we know He is absolutely sovereign over all creation, and this includes Satan, who is “on a very short leash.” Certainly, Satan and his demons wreak havoc in the world, but they are only allowed to go so far and no farther. We also know that God has planned everything from the beginning of time to the end. Nothing can thwart His plans and things are proceeding exactly on schedule. “The LORD of hosts has sworn: ‘As I have planned, so shall it be, and as I have purposed, so shall it stand’” (Isaiah 14:24).Second, “we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28). Whatever God has planned for Satan, that plan will be the best one possible, resulting in God’s perfect wrath and justice being satisfied and His perfect righteousness being glorified. Those who love Him and who wait for His plan to be fulfilled will be thrilled to be part of that plan and will praise and glorify Him as they see it unfold.Third, we know to call into question God’s plan and its timing is to call into question God Himself, His judgment, His character and His very nature. It is not wise to question His right to do exactly as He pleases. The Psalmist tells us “As for God, His way is perfect” (Psalm 18:30). Whatever plan comes from the mind of the Almighty is the most perfect plan possible. It is true that we can’t expect to understand that mind perfectly, as He reminds us “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, says the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts” (Isaiah 55:8-9). Nevertheless, our responsibility to God is to obey Him, to trust Him, and to submit to His will, whether we understand it or not.
Recommended Resource: The Serpent of Paradise by Erwin Lutzer.
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Friday, August 3, 2007
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Jenny, you know that if it had been us we would have done some foot-stompin on that wicked fallen angel that deceived our dear "mom" Eve! But he is so cunning and even stole away some of God's beautiful angels with him! How sad but also how odd. Why in the world would angels turn on God and make our lives miserable??
One thing I've pondered about this has to do with God's character. Now like I said, WE would have done some foot-stompin and sleeper holds on this evil angel. But God has given him some strange freedom for an unknown reason.
Could God possibly need to prove He is Just AND Merciful for some reason? This GRACE that He has poured out all over me because I have believed on His Son Jesus makes me think that possibly He IS proving something to all creation.
He is more than power and justice. He is merciful. He is full of grace. When judgement comes...it is after He has done all He can to save us from eternal punishment.
Grace paints a beautiful picture to all of creation. And it is painted with all of us in the canvas. And standing over us is a God who IS full of Grace. He is a JUST God, too.
Could God be proving His character of Grace and Mercy to His accuser...the evil enemy?
I wonder.
I choose to let God's Grace cover me. It is such a beautiful and holy covering. I am awestruck by it every day. I choose good over evil. I thank God for my salvation. Not because I am good but because I believe on Jesus. HIS SON!
I guess we'll understand it better by and by.
Consider the following, reader, while keeping in mind that I am not given over to any delusion that would cause me to have sympathy for that wretched creature. It is possible that He, our LORD, did not simply chuck Satan into the fire because we are not the only ones being taught, here.
Despite the fact that the LORD is God, and there is nothing beyond Him; that He knew that Lucifer would eventually make the decision to betray Him, it stands to reason that He did love that particular cherub, at one time. The Word even talks about how beautiful he (Lucifer) was, prior to the betrayal. The Word is God, so these details are from Him.
Is that to say that the LORD is a liar, and secretly still loves Satan? Certainly not. The LORD is good, and He can do no evil, nor can He bear any love for iniquity. Rather, it's possible that the love the LORD used to have for the highest of cherubim He created is a factor in His motivations. In other words, it's a very... very... very personal matter; the gravity of which we can't even begin to understand.
Basically, what I'm saying is that simply casting the devil down as we do with a clump of lint from our pockets is not sufficient enough a punishment. To go immediately into the agony of separation from the LORD is not good enough. Remember, Lucifer was cast out and condemned (became Satan) because of unfathomable pride; pride so great that he ACTUALLY BELIEVED HE COULD CONTEND WITH GOD. If the LORD had put him where he belongs, right away, then he would spend eternity thinking there was hope in his hopeless endeavors.
In other words, the LORD is giving him another chance. Not a chance to redeem himself, but another chance to do what he set out to do in the first place: Overthrow the Throne of God. The pain of realizing, again, that he's a failure tears down his pride. He'll even be allowed to try again at the end of the millennial reign of Christ Jesus, when he will fail, AGAIN, and then be put back in his proper punishment of hellfire. At this point, his punishment will be complete. His pride stripped from him, he will know that there was never any hope to accomplish what he set out to, and he will live with the knowledge of it in torment, forever and ever, without end. Amen.
Of course, it's also possible that the agony of the anticipation that leads up to hellfire is even more agonizing than hellfire, itself, to some degree. Maybe this is his time to reflect on just how badly he screwed up, and see how ugly he has become; to know that his punishment is deserved, and inescapable.
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