A Rebel Visits Earth

Back in the remote past, before the creation of the earth, there was in heaven one named "Lucifer," who was known by his fellows as "the son of the morning."

Stranger than fiction is the Bible record of how this exalted angel instituted a rebellion against Yahuwah, led a host of the angels to follow him, and was at last expelled from heaven. Lucifer, transformed into "the devil."

Lucifer, the Devil

1. Does the devil really exist?

"Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour." 1 Peter 5:8.

Answer: Yes, the Bible says he is our enemy. All who seek to follow Yahushua will be brought into conflict with this relentless foe.

2. Was Satan always a devil?

Answer: No, he originally was one of Yahuwah's highest angels in heaven. Yahuwah had created him to be the "anointed cherub" to stand by Yahuwah's throne and cover it with his outstretched wings. He was very beautiful, full of wisdom, and a skillful musician. He was perfect in all his ways. See Ezekiel 28:12-15; 26:13.

Not Created A Devil

3. What changed this beautiful Lucifer into a devil?

Answer: Lucifer became proud because of his beauty (Ezk. 28:15-17) and jealous of Yahuwah; he was determined to take His place as Ruler of the universe (Isaiah 14:12-14).

4. And why did Lucifer sin?

Answer: The sin of Lucifer is unexplainable. To excuse sin is to defend it. Lucifer had everything that Yahuwah could give except Yahuwah's divinity. Many angels joined in the rebellion against Yahuwah and they, with Satan, were cast out to this world (Revelation 12:9). And so will sin make us all outcasts, unless we confess and forsake it and humbly acknowledge the sovereignty of Yahuwah.

5. After Lucifer's rebellion, what happened to him?

"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.

"And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy name. And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven." Luke 10:17-18. [See note below.]

"How art thou fallen from heaven, 0 Lucifer, son of the morning! How art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!" Isaiah 14:12.

Answer: Lucifer won the support of one-third of the angels (Rev. 12:3, 4) and caused an insurrection in heaven. Yahuwah had no choice but to oust Lucifer and his angels. This was the greatest battle, by far, ever fought. Lucifer's aim was to usurp Yahuwah's throne, even if it might eventually lead to murder (John 8:44). After his expulsion from heaven, Lucifer was called Satan (adversary) and devil (slanderer), and his angels were called demons. In Luke 10:17-18, Yahushua saw Satan 'falling' because the disciples had been casting out demons, further demolishing his power and authority.

The Tempter Visits Eden

6. After his fall, what place did Satan visit?

"Thou hast been in Eden the garden of Elohim." Ezekiel 28:13.

Answer: He appeared in Eden, where Yahuwah had placed Adam and Eve.

7. In what form did Satan approach Eve in Eden?

Answer: He used the serpent as a medium and spoke to Eve through it. See Genesis 3:1.

8. In giving man liberty to eat from the garden of Eden, what single reservation did Yahuwah make?

"And Yahuwah Elohim commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: but of the tree of the knowl­edge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die." Genesis 2:16, 17.

Answer: This was to be the test of man's loyalty to his Creator. Yahuwah out of love gave Adam and Eve the choice, whether they wanted to obey Him or not. If He did not give them this choice they would have been forced to obey Him, thus their obedience would be as that of slaves or robots and not an obedience of choice because they love Yahuwah. Death was to be the result in case of disobedience. See Genesis 3:1-3.

Doubting Yahuwah's Word

9. How did Satan challenge Yahuwah's Word?

"And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: for Elohim doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as Elohim, knowing good and evil." Genesis 3:4, 5.

Answer: By casting doubt on Yahuwah’s word. Satan's lies were: (1) you won't die, and (2) eating the fruit will make you wise. Satan, who invented lying (John 8:44), mixed truth with lies to deceive Eve. A little bit of error mixed with a lot of truth has always been Satan's effective method of deception. It was truth they would "know evil" after sinning. In love, Yahuwah had withheld from them the knowledge of heartache, grief, suffering, pain, and death. Satan, as he does today, made the knowledge of evil appear attractive. Satan told lies to misrepresent Yahuwah's character because he knew that no one would ever turn away from such a loving Creator unless he misunderstands His character.

10. After yielding to the voice of the tempter and disobeying Yahuwah, how did Adam and Eve feel?

"And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made them­selves aprons. And they heard the voice of the Yahuwah Elohim walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of Yahuwah Elohim amongst the trees of the garden. And the Yahuwah Elohim called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou? And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself." Genesis 3:7-10.

Answer: They were filled with a sense of shame and terror.

11. As a result of man's sin, what curse did Yahuwah pronounce upon him and upon the earth?

"And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life; thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field; in the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return." Genesis 3: 17-19.

Answer: Yahuwah cursed the ground for his sake.

Consequence of Sin

12. What has the whole human family suffered as a result of Adam’s sin?

“Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned.” Romans 5:12.

Answer: Death.

NOTE: Immortality, promised to man on condition of obedience, has been forfeited by transgression. Adam could not transmit to his posterity that which he did not possess; and there could have been no hope for the fallen race had not Yahuwah, by the sacrifice of His Son, brought immortality within their reach. While "death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned," Yahushua "hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel." Romans 5:12; 2 Timothy 1:10. And only through Yahushua can immortality be obtained. "He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life." John 3:36.

13. Where is Satan's headquarters now and what position does he occupy?

"And Yahuwah said unto Satan, Whence comest thou? Then Satan answered Yahuwah, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it." Job 1:7. See Job 2:2.

"Woe to the inhabiters of the earth, and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time." Revelation 12:12.

"Of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage." 2 Peter 2:19.

Answer: Contrary to popular opinion, Satan's headquarters is the earth. Yahuwah gave Adam and Eve dominion over the earth (Genesis 1:26). When they sinned, they lost it to Satan (Romans 6:16), who then became ruler, or prince of the earth (John 12:31). Satan bitterly hates humans, who were created in Yahuwah's image.

14. What methods does Satan use to cause humans to perish?

There are seven principal avenues of approach by which the enemy works:

A. Through deception. In the Garden of Eden he took the form of a serpent and deceived Eve (Genesis 3:1).

"Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression." 1 Timothy 2:14.

Deception is the devil's main method-first, last, and always. He will deceive every person who does not love Yahuwah and the truth supremely (2 Thessalonians 2:1-12). To be deceived means to think you are right when you are wrong. We should not blame the devil for our own doings, however. We may deceive ourselves (1 Corinthians 3:18; 1 John 1:8).

B. Through people who profess to be Yahuwah's servants."Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light." 2 Cor. 11:14. He works through sinful men, some of whom profess to be Yahuwah's servants.

"Such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of the Anointed. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness." 2 Cor. 11:13-15.

C. Through organizations. "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." Ephesians 6:12.

D. Through miracles. "They are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of Yahuwah Almighty." Revelation 16:14 (2 Thessalonians 2:8-9).

NOTE: Satan wanted to control Peter (Luke 22:31-33). He did capture Judas (Luke 22:33). He got into Ananias' heart and led him to lie to the Holy Ghost (Acts 5: 1-5). Yahushua warned, "Take heed that no man deceive you" (Matthew 24:4). These are the very days when we are to beware, lest any man or any miracle lead us to disbelieve or disobey Yahuwah (Matthew 24:24; 2 Timothy 3:13).

Paul warned of the great falling away of all the churches and denominations, finally to be headed by the "man of sin." This man would claim that he was another deity. Satan did not like Yahuwah's laws, and he wished to exalt his own throne above Yahuwah. On earth he has deceived millions with a religious system by exalting man as a deity, leading him to tamper with the Ten Commandments, and trying to change them; thus he seeks to prove his claim to deity-ship. We must not continue to be deceived by Satan, by man, by organizations, or by ourselves.

E. Through accusations. "Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our Eloah, and the power of his Anointed: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our Eloah day and night." Revelation 12:10.

Satan accused Yahuwah to Eve (Genesis 3:4-5). He accused Job to Yahuwah (Job 1:8-11; 2:4-5). He accused, or resisted, Joshua the high priest (Zechariah 3:1-2). And he will accuse, condemn, and trouble you with many evil condemnations.

He will come to you and tell you that you are unworthy to be saved, that you have failed too many times, or that you are too great a sinner. He will hold up your past sins to discourage you.

F. Through afflictions. "So went Satan forth from the presence of Yahuwah, and smote Job with sore boils from the sole of his foot unto his crown." Job 2:7.

He bound a woman for eighteen years. "This woman, being a daughter of Abraham. .Satan hath bound, lo, these eighteen years." Luke 13:16. He buffeted Paul's flesh (2 Corinthians 12:7-10). Satan afflicts many people, both saints and sinners.

G. Through persecution. When the devil cannot bring people to believe through deception, he will seek to drive them into persecution. He is a mean and ugly master, and stirs up evil against Yahuwah's people. He persecutes the true and faithfuls that are worshipping in their homes. Read Revelation 12. He makes war on commandment keepers (Revelation 12:17).

"He was a murderer from the beginning." John 8:44.

In these last days he will make war upon the true ekklesia, which keep the commandments of Yahuwah (Revelation 12:17). "He was a murderer from the beginning." He sought to destroy man's love for, and obedience to, his Creator; and he has, through the ages, incited false religion to persecute the saints of Yahuwah even unto death. Yahushua died that He might "destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil" (Hebrews 2:14).

Remember, Yahuwah made Lucifer, not Satan. The change from the righteous Lucifer to the sinful Satan was made by Satan himself. Yahuwah could make His creatures in either of two ways with the power of choice or without it. He created them with the power of choice. It is the only intelligent, satisfying way. His beings thus serve Him because they love Him and choose to obey.

As long as Yahuwah gave the power of choice, evil might be chosen, which is the opposite of Yahuwah's way. Of all Yahuwah's creatures, Lucifer had the least excuse to sin because he was highest. But he deliberately chose jealousy.