Thursday, May 16, 2002
Okay, as I understand it, Lucifer "The Light-bringer" was a cherub, and was in fact the wisest, most beautiful of the angels (I'm not sure if this is all angels or just cherubim). When man, who was inferior to angels was given dominion over the earth, Lucifer became jealous and started a slander campaign, eventually winning over 1/3 of the angels to his cause. He also tricked Eve into disobeying God, hoping to prove to God that Man was unfit to rule, and that he (perhaps angels in general, and not just Lucifer) should be given control of the world. There was a war in heaven, Lucifer and his followers fell, and because Man had sinned, Satan was given temporary custody of the world until Man could be put back into a state of Grace. Basically, while Satan didn't deserve to rule, he was/is more capable after Man sinned than Man was/is. I'm going to toss around a few thoughts now, but don't worry; I'm not going New Age on you.
1. Angels are often referred to as morning stars. Lucifer is the light-bringer (the Hebrew makes it clear that this light is the color of "shining brass," and thus yellowish). Did the Hebrews identify Satan with the sun (the star Sol which the planet Earth orbits), and other angels with other stars they saw? Is it conceivable that this may even be true (my understanding is that angels have at least some physical form)?
2. As all the angels are immortal spirits, would it be the case that Satan and his followers are not redeemable since they made their own choice as to disobeying God, while Man after Adam and Eve is given a chance for salvation because we were born with original sin and thus have to work with the corruption we've been given? I'm not sure if this would mean that Adam and Eve could be saved, but I think it would depend if they were really tricked or if some malice on their own part caused them to disobey God.
3. Satan's followers are described as fallen, and man is also often described as fallen. This may just be a metaphor, but is it possible that God, in his mercy, is allowing these angels who followed Satan to have a chance at redemption? This would mean that all humans are really the angels who fell from God and must use this life to attempt to regain a state of Grace.
I don't know the answers to these, I have a lot more thinking to do.
UPDATE: A further thought: Satan continued to have access to God in the Old Testament, and slandered Man (see the Book of Job). After Jesus rose, however, war arose and Satan and his followers were cast out. Now, why should it be at this moment that the war occurs? It seems to me that the purpose of God coming as a man was to show that the flesh doesn't require a person to sin (if it did, then God, who is all-good, couldn't have successfully been a man without changing the flesh into something not-man). With Satan thus proved wrong, his trial was concluded and his punishment was to be banished from God's company (which is what Hell is considered to be).
1. Angels are often referred to as morning stars. Lucifer is the light-bringer (the Hebrew makes it clear that this light is the color of "shining brass," and thus yellowish). Did the Hebrews identify Satan with the sun (the star Sol which the planet Earth orbits), and other angels with other stars they saw? Is it conceivable that this may even be true (my understanding is that angels have at least some physical form)?
2. As all the angels are immortal spirits, would it be the case that Satan and his followers are not redeemable since they made their own choice as to disobeying God, while Man after Adam and Eve is given a chance for salvation because we were born with original sin and thus have to work with the corruption we've been given? I'm not sure if this would mean that Adam and Eve could be saved, but I think it would depend if they were really tricked or if some malice on their own part caused them to disobey God.
3. Satan's followers are described as fallen, and man is also often described as fallen. This may just be a metaphor, but is it possible that God, in his mercy, is allowing these angels who followed Satan to have a chance at redemption? This would mean that all humans are really the angels who fell from God and must use this life to attempt to regain a state of Grace.
I don't know the answers to these, I have a lot more thinking to do.
UPDATE: A further thought: Satan continued to have access to God in the Old Testament, and slandered Man (see the Book of Job). After Jesus rose, however, war arose and Satan and his followers were cast out. Now, why should it be at this moment that the war occurs? It seems to me that the purpose of God coming as a man was to show that the flesh doesn't require a person to sin (if it did, then God, who is all-good, couldn't have successfully been a man without changing the flesh into something not-man). With Satan thus proved wrong, his trial was concluded and his punishment was to be banished from God's company (which is what Hell is considered to be).
