Questions - Why Did God Create Satan

Introduction:

There has been a theme we’ve been discussing over the latest few weeks about the battle we’re in.

It is a battle for our souls.

We know that the enemy is relentless and we must stand firm, putting on the whole armor of God.

We have talked about who the enemy is and his strategy. We’ve also talked about our weapons of warfare and how they are not like earthly ones. We know that Satan is our enemy and not people, but we live in a world where we see evil perpetrated every day.

On the heels of such tragedies like the Charlie Kirk assassination, another school shooting in Colorado and the senseless killing of a young, Ukrainian woman on a train in Charlotte, NC, many questions arise. Like you, I also have questions.

These tragedies remind us that there is evil in this world and it makes us cry out for justice but it also exposes just how differently people think. Social media has been ablaze with thoughts and opinions from liberal and conservative voices. Over the next few weeks, I want to share a biblical perspective on two main questions.

Today the question is:

Why did God create Satan, if He knew he would rebel? (Slide)

If God knew Satan would rebel, why did He create him in the first place? Wouldn’t it just be better if he had never been created? This seems like a fair question but it does have some flaws and we have to lay some ground work to actually attempt to answer it.

The Question before the Question (slide) DO NOT READ THIS TITLE

The first question one has to answer is whether or not God knew Satan would rebel. It is the question before the question.

While there may be many thoughts and opinions, let’s look at what the Bible, which is the authority on the subject says.

Scripture makes it clear that God is omniscient. That simply means He knows everything. It means He is literally “all-knowing.”

Job 37:16 “Do you understand how he moves the clouds with wonderful perfection and skill?”

Psalm 139:1–6 “O Lord, you have examined my heart and know everything about me. You know when I sit down or stand up. You know my thoughts even when I’m far away. You see me when I travel and when I rest at home. You know everything I do. You know what I am going to say even before I say it, Lord. You go before me and follow me. You place your hand of blessing on my head. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too great for me to understand!”

Isaiah 40:13–14 “Who is able to advise the Spirit of the Lord? Who knows enough to give him advice or teach him? Has the Lord ever needed anyone’s advice? Does he need instruction about what is good? Did someone teach him what is right or show him the path of justice?”

Isaiah 46:9–10 “Remember the things I have done in the past. For I alone am God! I am God, and there is none like me. Only I can tell you the future before it even happens. Everything I plan will come to pass, for I do whatever I wish.”

Romans 11:33–34 “Oh, how great are God’s riches and wisdom and knowledge! How impossible it is for us to understand his decisions and his ways! For who can know the Lord’s thoughts? Who knows enough to give him advice?”

Scripture makes it clear, God knows everything. (slide)

If He didn’t know everything, He would not be God. He has to know everything to be God!

So, we must answer “Yes,” God knew Satan would rebel.

So, then, why did God create him, if he was going rebel?

WHY? (slide)

I think it wise to caution people to be careful in asking “WHY” questions.

Children go through a “WHY” stage. They will wear you out. You know how it goes:

Child: “Daddy, why is grass green?”

Daddy: “because grass has chlorophyll throughout the leaves and stems.”

Child: “Oh!” “But why”

Daddy: “Uh, uh, uh, where is your mother? lol”

This line of questioning is innocent enough because the child is learning and wants to know things.

However we sometimes question “WHY” because we don’t like things the way they are and question God Himself.

We think maybe we could do it better.

Doing this is dangerous because it destroys faith and sets up our knowledge or one’s own judgements as lord. We end up attempting to put ourselves in God’s place.

We must determine the motivation of our questions. Are we trying to understand how God works or are we questioning whether God could be real since this situation exists.

Let me be clear: If you have made a decision to follow Christ as Lord of your life, and take your questions to God in prayer, He can handle all of your “WHY’s!” (SLIDE)

God’s Knowledge vs. God’s Causing (slide) DO NOT READ THIS TITLE

In attempting to answer our question, it is important to distinguish the difference between God knowing Satan would rebel and making him do so. God did not make Satan rebel.

God created everything good!

LOOK AT:

Genesis 1:31 “Then God looked over all he had made, and he saw that it was very good! And evening passed and morning came, marking the sixth day.”

Lucifer was a created being, an angel that had a good purpose. He was created to serve God as an angel.

Ezekiel 28:12–19 NLT

“Son of man, sing this funeral song for the king of Tyre. Give him this message from the Sovereign Lord: “You were the model of perfection, full of wisdom and exquisite in beauty. You were in Eden, the garden of God. Your clothing was adorned with every precious stone— red carnelian, pale-green peridot, white moonstone, blue-green beryl, onyx, green jasper, blue lapis lazuli, turquoise, and emerald— all beautifully crafted for you and set in the finest gold. They were given to you on the day you were created. I ordained and anointed you as the mighty angelic guardian. You had access to the holy mountain of God and walked among the stones of fire. “You were blameless in all you did from the day you were created until the day evil was found in you. Your rich commerce led you to violence, and you sinned. So I banished you in disgrace from the mountain of God. I expelled you, O mighty guardian, from your place among the stones of fire. Your heart was filled with pride because of all your beauty. Your wisdom was corrupted by your love of splendor. So I threw you to the ground and exposed you to the curious gaze of kings. You defiled your sanctuaries with your many sins and your dishonest trade. So I brought fire out from within you, and it consumed you. I reduced you to ashes on the ground in the sight of all who were watching. All who knew you are appalled at your fate. You have come to a terrible end, and you will exist no more.”

Isaiah 14:12–15 NLT

“How you are fallen from heaven, O shining star, son of the morning! You have been thrown down to the earth, you who destroyed the nations of the world. For you said to yourself, ‘I will ascend to heaven and set my throne above God’s stars. I will preside on the mountain of the gods far away in the north. I will climb to the highest heavens and be like the Most High.’ Instead, you will be brought down to the place of the dead, down to its lowest depths.

Lucifer was free to make his decisions of his own free will and he chose to rebellion. (SLIDE)

Let us consider the following:

God’s purpose has not changed. God made Lucifer to be good and Lucifer’s rebellion does not eliminate God’s intent.

God is sovereign. Sovereign means possessing supreme or ultimate power. God’s ultimate power is over Satan as well. God can uses Satan’s evil actions to bring about His holy plan.

1 Timothy 1:20 “Hymenaeus and Alexander are two examples. I threw them out and handed them over to Satan so they might learn not to blaspheme God.”

1 Corinthians 5:5 “Then you must throw this man out and hand him over to Satan so that his sinful nature will be destroyed and he himself will be saved on the day the Lord returns.”

God’s plan of salvation was planned in eternity. That means that God planned for the salvation of mankind before Adam and Eve were created and before they fell from grace.

Salvation means that there has to be something that one is saved from

God allowed Satan and the spread of sin, so that we could be saved from it

If there was no Satan, and no sin, we would have no need of salvation and have no need of God

Satan brought suffering but suffering was what made Jesus the perfect Savior.

Hebrews 2:10 “God, for whom and through whom everything was made, chose to bring many children into glory. And it was only right that he should make Jesus, through his suffering, a perfect leader, fit to bring them into their salvation.”

God has always had a plan and He is still working it out.

1 John 3:8 “But when people keep on sinning, it shows that they belong to the devil, who has been sinning since the beginning. But the Son of God came to destroy the works of the devil.”

While we cannot fully understand “WHY,” we have some insight into the situation and ultimately we trust God who knows better than any of us.

Instead of asking WHY, maybe we should just trust God even when we don’t understand. (SEE SONG BY WISECARVERS)

Altar Call

SALVATION / Put your trust in God (fully)

Repent of demanding an answer from God

Bring your questions to God

Don't You Think You Ought to Worship Me by The Wisecarvers

Album: Armor

Seems evertime that we go to His throne We bring petitions but forget our soul Asking questions like "Lord help" or "Why?" Or just complain 'bout how hard we try But if He were to ask this time This might be the question on His mind Don't you think you ought to worship me Don't you think it's time you spend some time With your hands up in the air Offer more that just your prayer And give Me what is rightly Mine Yes it's true I want to hear from you All your questions and your every need Give Me all your doubts and fears But there's more I want to hear It's time for you to worship Me Prayer alone can go so far But mixed with praise He meets us where we are We can't just see Him as a helping hand He's so much more. He's the great I Am For all His kindness He won't ask much He only wants us to show Him our love