Misconceptions concerning the
devil
There
exist many misconceptions concerning the devil.
One of the biggest misconceptions is that God originally gave him a
name. It was not a name that is above
every name but it was a name that resided as probably the chief name of all the
angels. Isaiah 14:12 states, “14:12 How
art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut
down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!” Isaiah informed the reader that the devil’s
original name was Lucifer. “Lucifer” is
a noun and it means “day star” or “brilliant star.” The name “Lucifer” occurs only once in all of
Scripture and it refers to the devil before he was cast out of heaven. All the other names attributed to him are all
adjectives that describe his actions (ie. accuser of the brethren or
adversary). Not only is the name of the
devil unknown but also what he looks like.
Most
people picture the devil with a pitchfork, tail, horns, and a red appearance
but this is a misconception. The devil
is nothing more than a fallen angel.
Some theologians regard him as being one of three original archangels
but Scripture never declares this. The
devil is actually a cherub. Ezekiel
28:14 confirms this fact by declaring, “Thou art the anointed cherub
that covereth; and I have set thee so: thou wast upon the holy mountain of God;
thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire.” In order to fully understand what the devil
looks like in his original form, one must investigate the Scriptures concerning
the appearance of Cherubim.
A
compilation of information of Cherubim from Ezekiel and John the Beloved lends
to the following depiction. They contain
the appearance of brass.[1] They also possess four wings with a hand under
each wing.[2] God created Cherubim with a total of six
wings combined. While, Ezekiel only seen
four of the six wings,[3]
John the Beloved saw all six wings of the Cherubim.[4]
They possess hoof feet like that of a calf[5]and
they have the appearance of polished brass.[6]
Revelation 4:6 revealed that they possess eyes before, behind, and within. This revealed that the Cherubim’s
intelligence and spiritual insight of things past, present, and future remain
limitless.[7]
The
devil is not the king of hell, but king over them in hell. Revelation 12:9 informs the reader that the
devil and his followers were cast to the earth.
Ephesians 2:2 confirms this when it states, “Wherein in time past ye
walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince
of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of
disobedience.” John 16:11 refers to him
as the “prince of this world.” Abaddon
Apolyon
The devil is not omnipotent. God is more powerful than the devil and his
minions. Jude 1:9 states, “Yet Michael the
archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses,
durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke
thee.” Luke 4:12 states, “And Jesus
answering said unto him, It is said, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God. 13 And when the devil had ended all the
temptation, he departed from him for a season.”
Job 1:12 “And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold, all that he hath is in
thy power; only upon himself put not forth thine hand. So Satan went forth from
the presence of the LORD.” God is not
only more powerful than the devil and his minions but His word is more powerful
than the devil and his followers.
The
church is supposed to be more powerful than the devil and his minions. Luke 9:1 states, “Then he called his
twelve disciples together, and gave them power and authority over all devils,
and to cure diseases.”
The devil is not omnipresent. I Peter 5:8 “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary
the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:” Job 1:7 And the LORD said unto Satan, Whence
comest thou? Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, From going to and fro in
the earth, and from walking up and down in it.
The devil is not omniscent. Matthew 24:36 declares, “But of that day and
hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.” Job
2:3-4 “And the LORD said unto Satan,
Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth,
a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil? and
still he holdeth fast his integrity, although thou movedst me against him, to
destroy him without cause. 4 And Satan
answered the LORD, and said, Skin for skin, yea, all that a man hath will he give
for his life. 5 But put forth thine hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh,
and he will curse thee to thy face.”
[1]Ezekiel 1:7 “And their feet were
straight feet; and the sole of their feet was like the sole of a calf's foot:
and they sparkled like the colour of
burnished brass.”
[2]Ezekiel 1:6 “And every one had
four faces, and every one had four wings.”
Ezekiel 1:8 “And they had the hands of a man
under their wings on their four sides; and they four had their faces and
their wings.”
[3]Ezekiel 1:6 “And every one had
four faces, and every one had four wings.”
[4]Revelation 4:8 “And the four
beasts had each of them six wings about him; and they were
full of eyes within: and they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy,
Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come.”
[5] Ezekiel 1:7 “And their feet were
straight feet; and the sole of their feet was like the sole of a calf's foot:
and they sparkled like the colour of burnished brass.”
[6] Ezekiel 1:7 “And their feet were
straight feet; and the sole of their feet was like the sole of a calf's foot:
and they sparkled like the colour of burnished brass.”
[7] Clarence Larkin, The Book of Revelation: A Study of the Last
Prophetic Book of Holy Scripture (Glendale, Pennsylvania: Rev. Clarence Larkin Estate, 1919) 41.
No comments:
Post a Comment