Eph 6:12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
In a Galaxy far, far away, in a place called Paradise,
SPACE WARS
Episode I THE LUCIFER PERIL
And there was war in Heaven
The Government ruling the beings, called angels, was ruling with love, justice, security and peace. Everyone did the Government’s bidding without question. As with all governments, it had laws to be a benefit to all living there. Everyone obeyed the Government’s laws without question, and everyone was happy, or were they?
On the surface, everything seemed perfect, but festering underneath was dissatisfaction with how the government, known as the Godhead, was ruling the people.
The highest official, of all creation, Lucifer, who not only was next to the Godhead in position, but also the choir master who directed the worship services for the Godhead.
Festering in Lucifer’s mind, were negative thoughts. He started to house these thoughts in his mind until it became a phobia.
How it all started is what is called the mystery of iniquity, known as “The Dark Side” of the force.
Over time Lucifer began to seduce angels who were loyal to the God- Head, to side with him through the lies that he told about their God.
Jesus when he was here on earth said in John 8: 44 You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desire. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.
ALIEN FEELINGS
Alien feelings started to creep in to Lucifer’s mind, such as pride, selfishness, and visions of grandeur. He wanted to be like the most High. God tried to reason with him, but his pride and selfishness blocked any repentance that he may have experienced.
Ezekiel 28:12 ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: “‘You were the model of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty.
13 You were in Eden, the garden of God; every precious stone adorned you: ruby, topaz and emerald, chrysolite, onyx and jasper, sapphire, turquoise and beryl. Your settings and mountings were made of gold; on the day you were created they were prepared.
14 You were anointed as a guardian cherub, for so I ordained you. You were on the holy mount of God; you walked among the fiery stones.
15 You were blameless in your ways from the day you were created till wickedness was found in you.
16 Through your widespread trade you were filled with violence, and you sinned. So I drove you in disgrace from the mount of God, and I expelled you, O guardian cherub, from among the fiery stones.
He had walked in the garden of God, amongst the fiery stones. He was created perfect, but became an iniquitous being. He was anointed as the guardian Cherub who was in the very presence of God.
“God permitted Satan to carry forward his work until the spirit of disaffection ripened into active revolt. It was necessary for his plans to be fully developed, that their true nature and tendency might be seen by all. Lucifer, as the anointed cherub, had been highly exalted; he was greatly loved by the heavenly beings, and his influence over them was strong. God’s government included not only the inhabitants of heaven, but of all the inhabited worlds that He had created; and Lucifer had concluded that if he could carry the angels of heaven with him in rebellion, he could carry also all the worlds. He had artfully presented his side of the question, employing sophistry and fraud to secure his objects. His power to deceive was very great. By disguising himself in a cloak of falsehood, he had gained an advantage. All his acts were so clothed with mystery that it was difficult to disclose to the angels the true nature of his work. Until fully developed, it could not be made to appear the evil thing it was; his disaffection would not be seen to be rebellion. Even the loyal angels could not fully discern his character or see to what his work was leading.” PP 40.
Lucifer was the exulted cherub next to Christ himself, but that was not enough. He wanted to be like the Most High. And E G White gives us an insight to Lucifer’s or Satan’s changing character.
“Satan was once an honoured angel in heaven, next to Christ. His countenance, like those of the other angels, was mild and expressive of happiness. His forehead was high and broad, showing great intelligence. His form was perfect; his bearing noble and majestic. But when God said to His Son, “Let us make man in our image,” Satan was jealous of Jesus. He wished to be consulted concerning the formation of man, and because he was not, he was filled with envy, jealousy, and hatred. He desired to receive the highest honours in heaven next to God.” {EW 145.1}
“The Son of God had wrought the Father’s will in the creation of all the hosts of heaven; and to Him, as well as to God, their homage and allegiance were due. Christ was still to exercise divine power, in the creation of the earth and its inhabitants. But in all this He would not seek power or exaltation for Himself contrary to God’s plan, but would exalt the Father’s glory and execute His purposes of beneficence and love.
The angels joyfully acknowledged the supremacy of Christ, and prostrating themselves before Him, poured out their love and adoration. Lucifer bowed with them, but in his heart there was a strange, fierce conflict. Leaving his place in the immediate presence of the Father, Lucifer went forth to diffuse the spirit of discontent among the angels.” PP 36,37
Blinded by Satan’s deceptions a third of the angels sided with him as he worked in opposition to God’s law, even denouncing the angels loyal to God as slaves.
But God had to step in and intervene. God in his great mercy bore long with Lucifer, he was offered pardon and forgiveness time and time again. Yet he went deeper and deeper into the dark side and to allow jealousy of Christ to prevail.
The War
In unbelievable circumstances, in an atmosphere of love, peace, harmony, joy and security, War broke out.
We read about this war in Revelation 12: 7-9
7 And there was war in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back.
8 But he was not strong enough, and they lost their place in heaven.
9 The great dragon was hurled down–that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him.
Ellen White gives us this insight to this war
“To the very close of the controversy in heaven the great usurper continued to justify himself. When it was announced that with all his sympathizers he must be expelled from the abodes of bliss, then the rebel leader boldly avowed his contempt for the Creator’s law. He reiterated his claim that angels needed no control, but should be left to follow their own will, which would ever guide them right. He denounced the divine statutes as a restriction of their liberty and declared that it was his purpose to secure the abolition of law; that, freed from this restraint, the hosts of heaven might enter upon a more exalted, more glorious state of existence.” {GC 499.2}
“With one accord, Satan and his host threw the blame of their rebellion wholly upon Christ, declaring that if they had not been reproved, they would never have rebelled. Thus stubborn and defiant in their disloyalty, seeking vainly to overthrow the government of God, yet blasphemously claiming to be themselves the innocent victims of oppressive power, the arch-rebel and all his sympathizers were at last banished from heaven.” {GC 499.3}
Can you imagine? This war was not with enemies from another galaxy that tried to take over Paradise, it was a civil war with heavenly beings that have lived, eaten, fellowshipped and worshipped together from the beginning of time. In this conflict, God was the victor.
With Lucifer thrown out with all his angels loyal to him, They were fully entrenched into the dark side, and Lucifer became “Satan”, the accuser of the brethren.
The war continues on Planet Earth.
End of episode one.
