This has been interesting reading the posts. I agree with many thoughts being shared here.
We really do not know the reason why God created the angels or what caused them to rebel. The bible is fairly silent on this subject so it leaves for much speculation.
What we do know is that God did create the Angels with Free Will. Satan got really upset with God for some reason to cause him to rebel against Him. Satan was entrusted over the Earth and after the fall even Jesus said that Satan was the "ruler of this world". At least for the time being until Christ returns. God gives Satan a certain amount of freedom to raise havoc as well as his followers the fallen Angels that are now called demons. We have to keep in mind that Satan is just one creature, one angel...fallen...who has no attributes of God. He cannot be everywhere at the same time. He has his demons working for him to do that.
I agree that we give Satan too much credit for when we sin and say like Flip Wilson said..." The Devil made me do it". lol The reality is that the demons including Satan cannot make us do anything. They can however influence us and they are determined to destroy God's children and cause the Saints to forfeit their salvation by falling back into a state of unbelief. Once that occurs then there is no return, no hope for the former Christian.
Now let us also keep in mind that God can and does allow Satan and the demons to cause injury to us like someone had mentioned JOB situation. Sometimes God will turn us over to Satan in order to chastise us. It's like letting us from under a sphere of protection until we learn and repent. I do seek God's Grace and Mercy and do not wish God's punishments. But I know God is just!
I also agree with Leon in that none of us have the power to rebuke Satan or any demon. The chaos of the Charismatic and Pentecostal movement has taken passages of scriptures totally out of context that did not apply to us today and use them to support their erroneous beliefs which a few of you had mentioned.
Ii do look forward to the day Satan and all the demons are bound and away from us.
If demons are all basically fallen Angels then why are they protrayed as having a bulls head and such like in the "War in Heaven" painting. Where there's a minitaur like demon pulling someone away. Wouldn't they basically look the same as Angels just I dunno, have ripped wings or something?lol
I don't know of any scripture that describes fallen angels to look any different than other angels. Do you know of any? Please list them so we can investigate this further.
Remember Satan is not some ugly creature. He is known for his beauty. He doesn't have horns and a pitchfork. Satan and the rest of the devils would love for us to think of them as physically ugly when they are not. Remember when angels appear to men they are usually in the form of man. Would Satan tempt a man with ugliness or beauty to seduce him?
How is it that we agree on a doctrinal issue? That has to be a first for us. LOL. Just kidding, I agree with you on most things. I did figure you would come after me on us not having power to rebuke Satan. It is not a very common opinion nowadays.
I think if I ever come face to face with Satan, I am going to search him for rope burns, as many times as he has been bound. LOL.
Blessings,
Leon
P.S. Many liberties have been taken by painters over the years, you can not go by a painting to develop doctrine, you have to stick to the scriptures, and some would say tradition as well. Like the one with Michael and Satan....read the book of Jude and see if you think that is likely.
There is a good program on now, Sunday, 2/01/09, from 7PM to 9PM on the History channel, titled God vs. Satan. It is covering Satan in his attempt to destory man starting with Adam, Job, and through the Bible to Revelation.
Hope you are able to catch it, but I'm sure it will repeat if you should miss it. Or maybe you can find it online at: www.History.com
Its covering the topic and answering the questions you have asked... Hope you watch it...
God actually created Lucifer.... son of the morning (Isaiah 14:12) God didn't create Satan... Satan technically made himself the Father of Lies by rejecting God and calling himself god as he is still doing today.
God created Lucifer with a free will, Lucifer was the archangel and chose to attempt to dethrone God. In doing so he (Lucifer) was cast out of heaven as lightning to his temporary home... the face of the earth ... to eat dust. Lucifer's permanent home is The Lake of Fire along with all the other fallen angels (devils) and unbelievers aka those who've rejected Christ. :devil:
