We have had several discussions about the wicked one we call Satan. We know that the scriptures do not reveal much detail about this entity, but the lack of verifiable facts has not stopped the speculation about him and his existence. We know from our earlier discussion that there are no indications as to when the revolt happened or even when the fall took place. The Bible is somewhat vague about how he became known as Satan and even vaguer about his origins. We know that the scriptures do not reveal much detail about this entity, especially in the Old Testament, mainly because there was not much man could do about him; mankind was sort of at his mercy. The one question that remains unanswered from our previous discussions is “How did he become evil?” Many think or believe God created Satan, but this does not appear to be the case. God created the entity known as “Lucifer, son of the morning, or Day Star” (Isaiah 14:12), who happened to be one of God’s highest angels, created perfect in beauty, wisdom, and morality (Ezekiel 28:11-19). Satan appears to come along later, but the question is when?
“He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning” (I John 3:8). “For the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The earth is given into the hand of the wicked” (Job 9:24). “And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him” (Revelation 12:9).
The above scriptures make it very clear that the devil sinned from the very beginning. However, much of the problem with the entity called Satan is his beginnings. It is not clearly defined in Scripture when Satan actually came into being So, what was Satan’s beginning?
There are several theories in place where people attempt to explain the existence and nature of Satan. Some subscribe to the “Genesis Gap or Ruin-Reconstruction theory.” They believe that something happened between the time when God created the heavens and the earth and when the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. The “Genesis Gap theory” uses the period between the first and second verses of “Genesis” to account for many of those unanswerable questions about “the age of the earth and the age of the universe.” This is and continues to be the biggest hindrance for many as they struggle to accept the truth concerning the Word of God. The evidence for the theory is derived primarily from scientist, who have found through scientific testing, that the earth is billions upon billions of years old. The teachers of this theory use these scientific findings and the biblical teachings to cover the unexplained chronological gaps that exist between the two. In the “Genesis Gap theory” they believe that a catastrophic event, a cosmic war by Satan destroyed the original creation. They believe that because of the fall and the revolt of Satan, led to some type of judgment that befell the earth. There are many theories that exist similar to the “Genesis Gap theory.” Common to all of these theories is the belief that the fall happened before the creation of man because of the serpent approaching Eve. They share in the belief that the fall of Satan had already taken place and he used the serpent to express himself.
One of the biggest problems for us was the word “theory.” By definition, “a theory” is “the formulation of an opinion or a belief about something arrived at based on incomplete and inconclusive facts or information through speculation or conjecture.” The bottom line is that a theory is someone else’s best guess. Now, this does not automatically mean the guess is completely wrong, it just means that one should exercise caution in what is accepted as truth. At this point in our walk, we have left the world of theory and have since tried to live in the world of truth, supported by biblical facts and evidence. However, with what appears to be a lack of verifiable facts pertaining to the origin of Satan and his fall, are we to stop short in our quest for truth by compromising and accepting “the theory?” So often, this is the case. Many believers have searched to find the truth about the God we all claim to serve, only to compromise and accept “the theory.”
Because they compromise, they fail in their efforts to seek wisdom and know-how, to get understanding, to get the ability to use good sense in their thinking, in their judgment, and in their actions, and to get the ability to perceive and to explain the meaning or nature of things (Proverbs 4:5-7). Because they compromise, they remain confused by every wind of doctrine and/or new teaching as they are influenced by those people who trick them with lies so clever that they, the lies, sound like the truth (Ephesians 4:14). The Bible is a mystery book, full of hidden keys that will unlock all of the mysteries contained within, but we really have to diligently and earnestly seek these keys. But once we find the keys, the Bible ceases to be a mystery book and becomes a message book for God’s children. Sometimes the messages are hard to see, “but God has revealed them to us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searches all the things, even the deep things of God” (I Corinthians 2:10). We will have more on the entity known as Satan in a future commentary, where we will revisit the question, “How did he become evil?”
As always, we pray that today’s inspirational message will abundantly bless you, greatly inform you, and that you will be the better for having read it. If blessed by this message, please share so that others may be blessed as well. Amen.
Enjoy your blessings - KW
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