War begin in heaven move down to our world
The Bible tells us that “war broke out in heaven. Michael
and his angels fought with the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought,
but they did not prevail, not was a place found for them in heaven any longer.”
Revelation 12:7-8
How did this war begin, and what was it all about?
The answer to these questions reveals the reason behind
the unrest plaguing planet earth, as well as human heart. The prophet Ezekiel
provides insight into this first war and Satan’s rebellion against God. Lucifer,
described as “the anointed cherub who covers,” was “perfect” when he was
created until “iniquity was found” in him. (Ezekiel 28:14-15) This position of
covering cherub reveals much about Lucifer’s rebellion. In the Old Testament,
God had given Israel a miniature model of His throne room in Heaven called the
sanctuary. (see Exodus 25:8) Paul writes that this sanctuary was a pattern or blueprint
of “heavenly things” (Hebrew 8:5) Inside was a special room called the Most
Holy Place which contained the Ark of the Covenant holding the Ten
Commandments. On top of this ark was a “mercy seat,” and on either side of the
mercy seat was a “cherub” “covering the mercy seat” and covering the ark. (see
Exodus 25:16-22,and 1King 8:7) This shows that God’s throne is a seat of mercy and the
foundation of it and His kingdom is His law. Lucifer, who was once a “covering cherub”,
was responsible to uphold and protect or “cover” this law. However, rebellion
began because “iniquity” or sin was found in Lucifer. And what is sin? “Sin is
lawlessness.” (1John 3:4) Lucifer, who was supposed to defend the law of God,
the very foundation of the government of heaven, rebelled against it. As a result,
there was war in heaven.
But what was Lucifer’s argument against the law?
Notice another powerful insight into this controversy
given by the prophet Isaiah. “How you are fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of
the morning….. For you have said in your heart: “I will ascend into heaven, I will
exalt my throne above the stars of God…I will be like the Most High” (Isaiah
14:12-14)
Lucifer posed an argument that he could be “like God,”
that is in righteousness, without a need to obey God’s law. He thought he could
determine himself what was right and what wrong. In other words, Lucifer’s
rebellion was one based upon self-righteousness. He was arguing that the law
was restrictive and that free, intelligent angels needed no such rule. This argument
deceived a great number of angels. These angels and Lucifer were cast out of
Heaven, along with their anti-law sentiments.
With this insight we can better understand why earth and
the human heart so often experience unrest. Satan today is a hater of the law
of God, which is the foundation of God’s government. God is seeking subjects
for His kingdom, but they must be willing to abide by the laws of Heaven. The
same is true for any government.
When Satan approached Adam and Eve in the garden, he
tempted them with the same deception. You can be “like God” without obeying
Him. (Genesis 3:1-4) The same deception that led to the fall of angels in
heaven led to the fall of Adam and Eve in the garden. And just as angels were
cast out of heaven, so Adam and Eve were removed from the Garden of Eden. “So
he drove out the man; and He placed cherubim at the east of the Garden of Eden,
and a flaming sword which turned every way, to guard the way to the tree of
life. (Genesis 3:23-24) Adam and Eve had their minds perverted by Satan. They now
had “carnal mind” which as Paul wrote, “Because the carnal mind is enmity against
God; for it is not subject to the law of God. (Roman 8:6-7)
But God would not leave man to perish. He would send His
Son into the world. Man would have second chance. In order enter the kingdom of
heaven; man must once again be subject to its law. Paul writes, “But the Holy Spirit also
witnesses to us; for after He had said before, “This is the covenant that I will
make with them after those days, says the Lord: I will put My law into their
hearts, and in their minds I will write them, then He adds, “their sins and
their lawless deeds I will remember no more.” (Hebrew `10:15-17)
All unrest on earth and in the human heart is a result of
buying into Satan’s lie that man need not obey the law of God or that he can be
righteous without God’s influence. Satan has gone as far as to push this lie
under an appearance of righteousness; this is shown through professed
Christians teaching that the law of God is obsolete, that grace somehow cancels
the need to obey God’s commandments. John warns against this deception of
self-righteousness when he writes, “Now by this we know that we know Him, if we
keep His commandments. He who says, “I know Him” and does not keep His
commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.” (1John 2:3-4)
Satan is angry with those who do not fall for this
deception. He goes “to make war with the rest of her offspring, who keep the
commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.” (Revelation 12:17)
The Bible reveals how Satan will work to deceive people concerning the law of
God. The prophet Daniel records Satan’s attempt to “change law” (see Daniel
7:25)
Why?
Because Satan knows that to disregard one commandment is
to be guilty of breaking them all. (see James 2:10-12) Indeed Satan has
cunningly changed one of the Ten Commandments and few people seem to realize
it. He has done this right from within the church. We encourage you to read
prayerfully the Ten Commandments as recorded in Exodus 20 and try to discover
which commandment has been replaced by tradition of men. If Satan can lead
Christians to disregard any of God’s commandments, he is effect leading them to
adhere to his own anti-law sentiments.
In the end there will be a people who withstand the devil’s
deceptions and prove themselves loyalists to the kingdom of heaven. They will
not deviate from God’s law. The first war ever fought was over the law of God. The last
war on earth will be over the same. John writes of his victorious group. “Blessed
are those who do His commandments that they may have the right to the tree of
life, and may enter through the gates into the city.” (Revelation 22:14)
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