Questions Part 2

Why did God create Satan if he knew he was going to rebel?

Who is Satan? Satan, according to the Bible, is a powerful spiritual being who opposes God and embodies evil. Originally, Satan was an angel created by God, but he rebelled due to pride, seeking to elevate himself above God.

I wanna first answer a different part of the questions that is, did God know Satan was going to rebel?

The answer is yes. God did in fact know that Satan would rebel because God knows all things.

God Knows All and His Plan Will Be Done

Verses to Read: Job 37:16, Isaiah 46:9-10, Ephesians 1:11, and John 8:44

We went through the book of Job in this Church and some of the content we went over was extremely hard and heavy for us. Why is God allowing these things to happen to Job and Job was even starting to doubt towards the end. Elihu, who is more of a bystander and lower in status than the others, shares a wonderful truth to Job. He’s telling Job that God is so much bigger than all of us so much more powerful than us and compares how God knows the balancings of the clouds:

Job 37:16 ESV

16 Do you know the balancings of the clouds, the wondrous works of him who is perfect in knowledge,

A prophet Isaiah in the old testament shares how God’s plan, will be done. Nothing will thwart his plans.

Isaiah 46:9–10 ESV

9 remember the former things of old; for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me, 10 declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose,’

And then in the new testament, it says in:

Ephesians 1:11 ESV

11 In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will,

There has always been a plan for Jesus to come and for the Kingdom of God to be at hand. Look at the last line, according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will.

So yes, God knows all things to come and nothing will thwart His plans. Not even Satan.

In the Gospel of John, Jesus compares the pharisees who claim their father is Abraham. The one who God promised a covenant through and the greatness of him and his descendants and Jesus says, no.

John 8:44 ESV

44 You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies.

Although you could read into the word “beginning” as ever since we’ve known Satan. But I see this being very direct that He was a murderer from the beginning. Before we even knew of the fall, Satan was always going to be a murderer, a father of lies.

Did God know that Satan would rebel? Yes, because God Knows All and His Plan Will Be Done. We also seem to see a direct text referring to this.

If God knew, which he did, why did God create Him knowing Satan would rebel?

1. Satan had a purpose that was beautiful.

Ezekiel 28:12–15 ESV

12 “Son of man, raise a lamentation over the king of Tyre, and say to him, Thus says the Lord God: “You were the signet of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty. 13 You were in Eden, the garden of God; every precious stone was your covering, sardius, topaz, and diamond, beryl, onyx, and jasper, sapphire, emerald, and carbuncle; and crafted in gold were your settings and your engravings. On the day that you were created they were prepared. 14 You were an anointed guardian cherub. I placed you; you were on the holy mountain of God; in the midst of the stones of fire you walked. 15 You were blameless in your ways from the day you were created, till unrighteousness was found in you.

2. Angels had free will, at least before the fall

This is a really interesting point because scripture seems to refer to angels almost as if they don’t have the same free will that you and I can have. However, before the rebellion, Angels did have a choice. Satan chose to be like God and wanted to be more powerful than him. Satan’s influence was great and Revelation mentions that a third of God’s angels joined Satan’s side. God seems to create beings with a choice so that they can choose to obey Him.

In the same way that you are probably grateful in having the ability or for some, perception of free will, is the same way that God has created these angelic beings, at least before the rebellion of Satan. God wants people to choose Him. He doesn’t need us to do so, but He loves us so much that He has given us free will. This does not contradict His sovereignty though. Yes, God’s plan will be done, but God is also so much above us that even in our free will, His plan is done. Some will explain this differently but our Church lands right in the middle of this topic.

Angels are no different and God gave them a choice, Lucifer now known as Satan, has made His choice.

3. Jesus was always the plan

I said this last week when we answered about God creating the Tree or letting Adam and Eve sin, Jesus was always the plan from the very beginning. And yes, Satan was apart of that plan.

If God is real, does He let bad things happen? Why does God allow evil?

1. Free Will and His Love

This first answer, some may disagree with, especially if you don’t really believe we have free will and that God predestines everything to happen. However, my argument for that is God is not the one who tempts. He may be the one who allows it and is over it/in control of it, but scripture says that God is not the one who tempts.

James 1:13–15 ESV

13 Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. 14 But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. 15 Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.

If God is not the one who tempts, who is the one that is tempts? Our sin nature.

In the same way that I mentioned about the power of free will for the angels and the Garden of Eden, this will often lead to sinful choices. These sinful desires, when acted upon, bring about much pain and sadness. So an answer for this question, because God is real and has loved us so much to give us the ability choose, bad things happen and evil exists because many make the wrong choice. Evil is a lack of good. God is the only source of good and unfortunately, many don’t choose Him.

2. Suffering Refines Us

Verses to read: 1 Peter 1:3-9 and James 1:2-4

Now this is a really hard answer, but if you can hold onto this truth, this will help you stand your ground and your roots will be planted on the firm foundation. Although God may not tempt us, He does test us. There are many “bad things” so to say that happen to us, where God is truly refining us. This is a hard, fine line where even though God is not the author of temptation, He is sovereign and often things, especially things that happen without our choices, where God is the one who made it happen.

1 Peter 1:3–9 ESV

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, 5 who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. 6 In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, 7 so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 8 Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, 9 obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

Peter is writing to a group of christians who are getting persecuted by the Romans and are being tortured and killed for their faith. People are losing their friends and families because of them following Jesus. What Peter is sharing in this passage is that these “various trials” are helping you all test your faith. There is a word here, in verse 7, that says is tested by fire. Gold would often be refined through this process where fire is refining us.

James 1:2–4 ESV

2 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, 3 for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. 4 And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

This life, is a not a perfect world. It is broken. Evil things still happen. Your friends and family die, people get hurt, your hearts get broken, anxiety fills every waking moment, wars are still going on, and there is so much sadness. Yes, God created this world, but this is not how it ends. For those that believe Jesus Christ is their Lord and Savior, He offers a place where

Revelation 21:4 ESV

4 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”

Yes, God allows evil and bad things to happen, but he offers hope and freedom.

Does God punish us for bad things?

Short answer, yes.

Now short term, on this earth, the punishment for these bad things, sin, is God letting it play out in our life. This sin, whether you know it or not, is destroying you. Paul mentions a basic principle of cause and effect or you reap what you sow.

Galatians 6:7–8 ESV

7 Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. 8 For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.

Not trusting in God and praying to Him will often lead you to a more anxious lifestyle.

Looking at inappropriate images or videos destroys your mind and perspective of that particular gender.

Giving into envy and jealousy can ruin friendships.

Being addicted to social media and screens will sabotage your friendships and relationships, causing you to feel more and more lonely. look at these statistics: -52% of Americans report feeling lonely. -59% of Americans say they have a best friend, but 12% say they feel they don't have any close friends. -47% of Americans report their relationships with others aren't meaningful. -57% of Americans report eating all meals by themself. -58% of Americans sometimes or always feel like no one knows them well. In an age where we can all connect within seconds, we are in a pandemic that is more lonely than ever. Social media is not true friendship / connection, spend time with people face to face and in person, and notice the drastic difference. yes, it might be scary, but God designed us to be a family, not through a screen.

Now long term, after this earth, the punishment for these bad things is eternal separation from God.

Romans 6:23 ESV

23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

God does judge the wicked and rightfully so. He loves us so much that He doesn’t force us to love Him, but He is still perfect and just that He cannot be with sin and those who disobey Him are guilty. It says at the end of this age, that we will all stand before the throne and be judged.

Romans 2:5–8 ESV

5 But because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed. 6 He will render to each one according to his works: 7 to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life; 8 but for those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury.

This is scary but praise the Lord that Jesus reconciled the world to himself.

2 Corinthians 5:17–19 ESV

17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. 18 All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; 19 that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.

Yes, God punishes us for these bad things but praise the Lord we are saved through Jesus Christ and His grace. However, this is a call to all of us to tell others about Jesus. It is clear, those that don’t have Jesus, don’t have a good fate in store for them. It is our responsibility to share this message of reconciliation.