Did a Good God Make a Bad Devil

Text Ezekiel 28:12-14

The Problem

The Subject Tonight Is:

“Why So Much Suffering?”

● Have you ever wondered, if God is so good...

why is there so much suffering sickness and war.

Around the world tonight many deny that God exists. if you asked them why, they might give you a variety of reasons.

But one reason they reject God and religion

is that they know if they accept that God exists, they would have to worship and obey Him.And they don’t want to submit to God the Creator of the universe. They prefer to do as they please. For this reason, many parts of the world are becoming more and more secular and atheistic. But despite this trend, millions in every part of the world tonight also believe not only in God but in heavenly beings called angels. I n 2001 major news organization surveyed Americans to find out what they thought of angels. Amazingly 77 percent that was polled said they believe angels exist and one out every five said they had personally seen an angel

or knew someone who had. What does the Bible teach about angels?

Bible mentions angels many times In Genesis 32 different appearances of angels. Angels are real, not make believe. Bible says–Psalm 103:20, 21:

“Bless the Lord, you His angels, Who excel In strength, who do His word, Heeding the voice of His word. Bless the Lord, all you his hosts [or angels], you ministers [the angels] of His, who do His pleasure.”

● 2nd Angels were created to worship and praise God.

● 3rd to experience joy in worship.

● 4th They are beings of dazzling brightness

excel in strength. In 2 Cor. 11:14 the Bible describes good and evil angels.

“And no wonder! For Satan himself t transforms himself into an angel of light.”

The Bible describes the battle in the universe

The Battle for the Throne of heaven the battle between good and evil. Did a good God make a bad devil? No, The Bible teaches that God did not create evil angels. the Bible describes origin of an angel named Lucifer. The Name Lucifer means “light bearer” He was heaven’s light bearer.

Bible says in –Ezekiel 28:12-14, RSV:

“You were the model of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty. You were in Eden, the garden of God;...” “...every precious stone adorned you... You were anointed as a guardian cherub, for so I ordained you.”

God created a perfect angel dazzling in beauty the perfection of angelic leadership.

● This being of majestic glory coveted the authority that he did not have . This is The story of a fallen angel it is more amazing than any movie drama of the ages.

● Bible describes Lucifer (Isa. 14:13, 14): “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.’”

God created a being that placed his eyes on God’s throne and rejected God’s authority and God’s law. He wanted to be his own God

and placed his opinion above God’s sovereign will .

The reason for wars on earth is because of the first a war in Heaven. War on earth is the same as it was in heaven.

Like Lucifer we sin when we live apart from God’s will. We sin when we place our opinions and wills above God’s will.

Why would God create a being, like Lucifer,

with the capacity to choose to rebel? Why didn’t God program Lucifer to never rebel? If you take away the power of choice you take away the ability to love. Love can never be forced, it must be chosen.

● If you take away the ability to love, you take away opportunity to be happy. Happiness is based on choice .

God created angels as models of perfection

One angel coveted God’s throne and chose to rebel against God. The Bible describes the results of that rebellion.

Bible says in Revelation 12, verse 7:

“And war broke out in Heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon and his angels fought.”

●There was a battle in Heaven and some angels sided with Lucifer.

Bible describes conflict–Revelation 12:9:

“So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world…”“…he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.”

Satan is described as a serpent because he deceives, and a dragon because he destroys.

● Satan deceived one third of the Heavenly angels Bible says that one third of the stars of Heaven were cast out.

If one third of the angels were deceived are you strong enough to fight the devil alone?

● In this conflict, Jesus cast Satan out of Heaven

● Good News, Every time Jesus meets Satan

Jesus (Michael) wins and Satan (the dragon) loses.

And ultimately, Michael will slay the dragon.

How did earth get involved in the great conflict between good and evil?

Bible says, (Luke 10:18)

“...I saw Satan fall like lightning from Heaven.”

Some people imagine Satan has horns, a tail, pitchfork breathing out fire.

● Satan did not originate from hot spot in the

center of the earth. He was a beautiful being dazzling brightness.Satan the deceiver and destroyer was cast out of Heaven to this earth. Revelation 12:12 warns us...

“Therefore rejoice, O heavens, and you who dwell in them! Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and the sea! For the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, because he knows that he has but a short time.” Devil is cast out from Heaven to this earth.

Did God create earth as a dumping off place for Satan? What does the Bible say? Nothing is further from the truth. Bible says–the earth created–perfect air was fresh and clean and waters were pure ..

Genesis 1:28 says–Adam and Eve would...

“...have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”

Adam, not Satan, was given authority over this earth. Adam was the prince of this earth.

Satan was an intruder and came to the garden as the great deceiver.

● Why did not God program Adam’s and Eve’s minds against the deceiver? Satan charged the government of God was unjust and he said God was unfair, restrictive, arbitrary.

● If God did not allow Satan too tempt Adam/Eve

Satan would have said God is afraid He knows my way is better. A loving God gave Adam/Eve the freedom to choose. God allowed Satan to come to the garden, but limited Satan to one tree in the whole world. God warned Adam and Eve to stay away from the tree of knowledge of good and evil. God did all he could protect Adam and Eve.

Eve entered Satan’s ground and there he tempted and deceived her.

Satan said “...Has God indeed said, ‘You shall not eat of every tree of the garden?’” (Gen 3:1)

Hasn’t God given you the fruit of every tree?

and Eve responded with these words in

(Gen. 3:2, 3):

She said, “...We may eat the fruit of the trees of the garden;...”

God has been good He has given to us abundance He has given us all the earth and all the trees. Then she goes on,

“...but the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God has said,...” “...‘You shall not eat it, nor shall you touch I it, lest you die.’”

This is the only simple choice. A tree in the center of the garden. This is not a difficult test.

● God said ye may freely eat of all the trees, but

don’t eat of the tree in the center of the Garden.

That one is mine. God’s selection of this tree was arbitrary. No rational basis for His command. This tree wasn’t poisonous. God’s test was one of loyalty, obedience. And allegiance.Eve was stunned and she listened to the serpent who contradicted God’s word. Through–the serpent, Satan said: (verses 4, 5):

“And the serpent said to the woman, ‘You will not surely die.’”

“For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”

● Lucifer wanted to be like God, and to usurp God’s throne to make his own law and not to not obey the law

Satan contradicted God saying, “You will NOT surely die” He said to Eve you can make your own rules. I’m like a god to do what I please. You can be your own God too. Do what you want . If you want to eat of that tree, go ahead.

Some think that Eve’s sin was eating the forbidden fruit. Oh no! It was far deeper.

Eve’s sin rejecting God the supreme authority.

Her sin was rebellion against God. Placing her desires above God’s will, and rejecting God’s authority .

The Devil is surly a Deceiver He promised joy

Sin does not bring joy. Sin brings guilt, shame, and fear. Jesus calls Satan the father of all lying.

John 8: 44 says:

“...he is a liar and the father of it.”

He Lied to Adam/Eveand he is lying to men and women today.Romans 6:16 says:

“Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one’s slaves whom you obey,…” “… whether of sin to death, or of obedience to righteousness. (Rom. 6:16) When they sinned they became slaves to another master to sin. Their nature was changed and all humanity with him. Adam/Eve had to leave the Garden guilty, shamed, and sorrowful.Joy, gladness, and happiness was replaced with sorrow, pain, tears, disappointment, and death. A magnificent world that God created Perfect and holy, now is in deep trouble. Earth is a planet in rebellion. Reason there is death on earth is that our planet is separated from the source of life.

Reason why we cry is that our planet is separated from God.

●All have sinned and come short of the glory of God Jesus’ disciples wondered, and perhaps we do to, If God is so good, why is the world so bad? In response Jesus told a story of the sower.

Jesus said, the sower sowed only good seed.

–Jesus said–tares, sprung up in the field .

Then Jesus added–Matthew 13:27, 28:

“So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, ‘Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field?

From whence then hath it tares?’ He said unto them, ‘An enemy has done this...’”

● J esus is the householder who sowed the good seed. He created a perfect planet.

Would God destroy this rebel planet?

–No! God had a plan

The Solution

Jeremiah 31:3–tells us about our God. He says:

“...I have loved you with an everlasting l love; Therefore with lovingkindness I have drawn you.”

The Earth–was wrapped–in the dark shadow of the–death penalty

–Wages of sin–rebellion–is death

What would God do?

God said, I have a plan. God said I will win you back. What was His plan?

God said to Satan in Genesis While you have bruised the heel of this woman, One of her descendant will bruise your head. The first

The Promise of the messiah was given here in Genesis 3.. When Adam and Eve sinned

–God said–I will not abandon this planet

–But I will promise a Savior

●He promised–a way of escape

–Jesus’ grace–always greater than our sin

–When Adam and Eve sinned–God had a plan. Appointed time

The Messiah would come and be born out of the womb of Mary. Due to Adam’s/Eve’s sin the whole human race

was placed under guilt, condemnation, and under a the death penalty.

Christ came to take this death penalty, by dying on the cross, and restore hope of eternal life to the human race.

Jesus faced Satan’s temptations head on.

Jesus succeeded where Adam failed

Jesus resisted where Adam yielded

Jesus overcame the temptations of Satan. Jesus had “99 worlds” loyal to Him and Jesus reached out too the one lost world, the

one lost sheep.

● Remember the story Jesus told

Remember the story Jesus told the shepherd having 100 sheep, and one was lost.

What will the shepherd do? He would search and find the one lost sheep .

He wouldn’t destroy the one lost, rebellious world. Justice demanded it be destroyed.

The love of God redeem this one rebellious planet Luke 19:10:

“For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.”

Sin is unredeemable, for the wages of sin is death.

Christ lived the perfect life we should have lived.

He became sin for us and faced Satan for you and me, and on the cross of calvary He died by death.

The Bible says in John 3:17:

“For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.”

● Jesus did not come to save one or two people but a planet doomed for eternal destruction.When Jesus died it was to redeem this planet

The greatest act of love in the universe.

Shouting I love you too much to let you go!

Notice, the Bible says, (Heb. 2:14):

“Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself l likewise shared in the same,...” “...that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil.” Power of death has been broken by the death of Jesus Christ. The earth has been redeemed in Jesus Christ. Devil would do anything to

keep you from knowing that!Christ’s ultimate victory was settled on the cross He completed the work of our Justification and Sanctification.it is sealed for eternity. He offers salvation to all who come to accept by faith the death of Christ on the cross.

Notice, Isaiah 49:15:

“....Surely they may forget, Yet I will not forget you. See, I have inscribed you on the palms of My hands.”

Even though a mother may forget her child

Jesus said I will never forget you. I’ve inscribed you on the palms of my hands

The Transformation