Lesson No. 26 

Lesson No. 26 A Fallen Cherub, Devil and Satan

 As the promoter and champion of the rebellion and sin of the fallen angels, reference is made in the Holy Bible to a celestial being of a higher order than the angels, known as cherubim. Let us see what the following passage tells us:

Ezekiel chapter 28: verses 12 to 18: “Son of man, take up a lamentation upon the king of Tyrus, and say unto him, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Thou sealest up the sum, full of wisdom, and perfect in beauty. 13Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God; every precious stone was thy covering, the sardius, topaz, and the diamond, the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the emerald, and the carbuncle, and gold: the workmanship of thy tabrets and of thy pipes was prepared in thee in the day that thou wast created. 14Thou 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. 15Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee. 16By the multitude of thy merchandise they have filled the midst of thee with violence, and thou hast sinned: therefore I will cast thee as profane out of the mountain of God: and I will destroy thee, O covering cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire. 17Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty, thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness: I will cast thee to the ground, I will lay thee before kings, that they may behold thee. 18Thou hast defiled thy sanctuaries by the multitude of thine iniquities, by the iniquity of thy traffick; therefore will I bring forth a fire from the midst of thee, it shall devour thee, and I will bring thee to ashes upon the earth in the sight of all them that behold thee”.51

This biblical reference alludes to the creation of that illustrious, beautiful, and radiant cherub who enjoyed many honors until the day he was found with wrongdoing.

According to the concept of some Christian thinkers, it has been assumed that after Christ the Son, that cherub had been the most honored by God and the most exalted in honor and glory among celestial beings. It is assumed that he should also stand as the principal in authority over them. But everything seems to indicate that one of the causes of his rebellion originated from his coveting supremacy. For, although he enjoyed all those honors and privileges, he was, nevertheless, inferior to the Son, the Only Begotten of God, who was one with the eternal Father and therefore was allowed to enter into all God's counsels and designs, while he was denied such privilege. Thus, his illicit and excessive aspiration for greatness and a glory that did not belong to him, as was his pretending to be equal to God, led him to conspire against the sovereignty of his own Creator. From then on, he ceased to be that prestigious figure and became Devil and Satan, due to the work of evil. Therefore, God cast him out of the Heavenly Kingdom. Let us recall the passage from Revelation chapter 12: verses 7 to 9: And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, 8And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven. 9And 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.51

This biblical passage provides clear evidence of the activity of the Devil and Satan as the promoter and leader of the rebellion of the angels who sinned against God and of the expulsion from the Kingdom Celestial, both of the one and of the others jointly. From then on, the Devil and his angels began their new activity as enemies of God, opposing Him and trying to frustrate his plans for humanity.

The word Devil comes from the Greek "διάβολος" (diábolos: ["gossip"]).1 It is also interpreted as a murmurer, slanderer, and false accuser. The term Satan, however, comes from the Hebrew word "שָׂטָן" (Sátan: [“adversary, rival; accuser”]).2

Similarly, based on the translation of the Latin Vulgate,24 the name “Lucifer” [“light-bearer”] was adopted—translated from the Hebrew "הִלֵּל" (hilel: 7 [“Bright star”]),3  according to Isaiah 14:12—where it refers to the being in question.(trans.)

The activities of the Devil and Satan, contrary to God's work and purposes, can be described, according to their main characteristics, as follows:

First: Denying God and deceiving his children:

Genesis chapter 3: verses 1 to 5: “Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden? 2And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: 3But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die. 4And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: 5For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil”.51

Because he manifested himself in the form of a serpent in his temptation of the woman from the first couple, the Devil is called the ancient serpent, as we read in Revelation chapter 12: verse 9.51

Second: Tempting the Son of God:

Luke chapter 4: verses 5 to 8: And the devil, taking him up into an high mountain, shewed unto him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. 6And the devil said unto him, All this power will I give thee, and the glory of them: for that is delivered unto me; and to whomsoever I will I give it. 7If thou therefore wilt worship me, all shall be thine. 8And Jesus answered and said unto him, Get thee behind me, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve”.51

Through this biblical passage, we know that Satan tempted Jesus Christ himself, the Son of God. Surely, the enemy of God and our souls thought that just as he had managed to deceive the human race, he would also manage to deceive the Redeemer of humanity, finding Him in the human condition. In this case, he unleashes his concealed fury, resentment, envy, and hatred against God and his only Son. He intended to subject Him to the same base passions and lusts into which he had fallen and to which he had subjected humans. To finally also make Him his worshiper, in order to thus thwart his work of redemption for humanity.

Third: Sowing lies and greed in the human heart:

Acts chapter 5: verses 3 and 4: “But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land? 4Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God”.51

This biblical passage declares that Satan tempts Christians to sin against God. Temptation is an incitement to sin, and sin is disobedience to God's command. Therefore, it has been considered that, just as every good feeling and every good deed are intuitive virtues given by God to man, every bad feeling and every deceptive work like lying and fraud, are placed in his heart by the evil influence of Satan.

Fourth: Afflicting the faithful:

Job chapter 1: verses 8 to 12: “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? 9Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, Doth Job fear God for nought? 10Hast not thou made an hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side? thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land. 11But put forth thine hand now, and touch all that he hath, and he will curse thee to thy face. 12And 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”.51

The verses 13 to 22 that follow this passage narrate how Satan afflicted Job by killing all his livestock, his servants, and his own children. Despite all this, Job did not blaspheme against God but remained upright. But the story does not end with this account, because the enemy of God and our souls presented himself again before the Creator, and the Lord said to Satan: 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. 4And Satan answered the LORD, and said, Skin for skin, yea, all that a man hath will he give for his life. 5But put forth thine hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse thee to thy face. 6And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold, he is in thine hand; but save his life. 7So went Satan forth from the presence of the LORD, and smote Job with sore boils from the sole of his foot unto his crown. 8And he took him a potsherd to scrape himself withal; and he sat down among the ashes. (Job chapter 2: verses 3 to 8).51

Let us now consider the following passage:

Luke chapter 22: verse 31 and 32: “And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: 32But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren”.51

Satan transfigures himself: Second Corinthians chapter 11: verse 14: “And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light”.51

Despite the oppositions of Satan to God's purposes, faithful believers hold a firm hope in the fulfillment of the Holy Scriptures, which assert that the works of the Devil will have an end and that his fate and ruin are certain. This is confirmed by the following passages:

Matthew chapter 25: verse 41: “Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels”.51

Revelation chapter 20: verse 10: “And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever”.51

Nevertheless, the Bible itself teaches us how to defend ourselves against the onslaughts of this terrible enemy and I quote:

James chapter 4: verse 7: “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you”.51