To get the full view of Satan’s career we need to look to events prior to Genesis Chapter 1. B’resheet, of course, means “in the beginning” but that is the creation of the earth and the atmospheric heavens (the sun, moon and stars etc.)
Prior to this Adonai had created the angels. Satan, of course, was one of them; a created being. To delve into Satan’s early career requires a bit of detective work (and a grasp of the Hebraic concept of prophecy would also help!)
Let us begin in Ezekiel 28: 1 – 19.
Here we see Ezekiel, in his vision, being commanded to condemn the (human) king of Tyre. But there is also condemnation for the spirit behind him. And, in keeping with the Hebraic concept of prophecy, information about Satan himself and why he fell. We see here the importance of the concept of repeated patterns in Hebraic prophecy.
The information concerning Satan is found in verses 12 – 15.
“You were the seal of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty. You were in Eden, the garden of God; every precious stone was your covering: the sardius, topaz, and diamond, beryl, onyx, and jasper, sapphire, turquoise, and emerald with gold. The workmanship of your timbrels and pipes was prepared for you on the day you were created. You were the anointed cherub that covers; I established you; you were on the holy mountain of God; you walked back and forth in the midst of fiery stones. You were perfect in your ways from the day you were created, till iniquity was found in you.”
Let’s begin to unpick these verses.
Satan was created “the seal of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty”. Therefore, he was created quite perfect for his designated role of high prestige and honour. So, how could it all go wrong?
The short answer is that Satan (like Adam – more of this later) was given an ability that not even Adonai has; the ability to act contrary to the perfect nature with which he was created. Adonai, in contrast, cannot lie or act contrary to His perfect, holy nature. Not so with Satan. In the fullness of time, “iniquity was found in (him)”.
Concerning Satan (verse 13), it is stated that “You were in Eden”. This must refer to a period before Genesis Chapter 3. It may be the case that Satan was to have some sort of superintendent role on the earth before the garden had been created and man placed in it.
A magnificent position and situation were created for Satan to do his allotted task. Musical instruments and precious stones (verse 13) were created in readiness for him. He was “the anointed cherub” on “the holy mountain of God.” In scripture a “mountain” usually symbolises a kingdom or a throne.
As a cherub, Satan belonged to the highest order of angels. Whilst cherubim were the bearers or the carriers of the shekinah glory and closest to the throne of God, Satan was at some point elevated by Adonai to become the one who was the canopy over the throne, whilst other cherubim were under the throne.
The cause of Satan’s fall is outlined in Ezekiel 28:16 and 17.
“By the abundance of your trading you became filled with violence within, and you sinned; therefore I cast you as a profane thing out of the mountain of God; and I destroyed you, O covering cherub, from the midst of the fiery stones. Your heart was lifted because of your beauty; you corrupted your wisdom for the sake of your splendour; I cast you to the ground, I laid you before kings that they might gaze at you.”
These verses, of course, describe Satan’s wrongdoing.
The phrase “by the abundance of your trading” may well refer to Satan going from one angel to another slandering Adonai to win their allegiance (he would use a similar tactic with Eve – trying one argument and then another). Presumably as this went on, his venom against Adonai grew and grew.
Eventually he convinced one-third of the angels to rebel (Revelation 12:4 “His tail drew one-third of the stars of heaven and threw them to the earth.”) In this way Satan originated lying. Thus, he could be referred to as “a liar and the father of it” in John 8:44.
This action of going from one angel to another bad-mouthing Adonai led to a violent revolt against Him in heaven. And angelic conflict continues to this day, between good angels and demons, and will continue until the middle of the Tribulation when it will finally end (Revelation 12:7 – 12).
Satan performed a “multitude of iniquities”. He sinned and completely missed the mark. This was the first sin, and it preceded that of Adam who was yet to be created. The sin of pride (inner corruption) led to a multiplication of corruption in his character. The corruption of his character led to deeds of corruption and he, in turn, corrupted one-third of the angels by convincing them of his case against Adonai by continuous argument.
Verse 18 states of Satan, “you defiled your sanctuaries”. By committing sinful acts in heaven, he even managed to bring corruption to heaven. The heavens were defiled and corrupted by the action of Satan. It took the blood of the Lord Yeshua to cleanse the heavenly sanctuaries.
The heavenly sanctuaries had to be purified with a “better sacrifice” (Hebrews 9:23 – 26). The Lord Yeshua had to take His blood into heaven to cleanse the heavenly sanctuaries.
We get a powerful insight into the rebellious, pride-ridden attitude of Satan in Isaiah14: 12 –14 with the notorious “I will” statements.
“How you are fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How you are cut down to the ground, you who weakened the nations! For you have said in your heart: I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne, above the stars of God; I will sit on the throne of the congregation on the farthest sides of the north; I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the Most High.”
Each of these statements has a specific significance.
“I will ascend into heaven”: Not satisfied with the very high position which Adonai had already given him as guardian of the throne, Satan desired an even higher position. Of course, there was none higher than that of Adonai Himself.
Here Satan declares his desire to usurp the authority of Adonai. Satan wanted to sit on the throne.
“I will exalt my throne above the stars of God”: in scripture “stars” are usually symbolic of angels. Satan here declares his desire to become the sole authority over the angels whom Adonai had created. He intended to depose Micheal as archangel.
“I will sit on the mount of the congregation on the farthest sides of the north”: these expressions are used elsewhere by the prophets to describe the messianic kingdom.
Satan knew perfectly well of Adonai’s programme for the Jewish people in that Messiah would rule over Israel in the kingdom. Satan is declaring his desire to make himself ruler over Israel.
“I will ascend above the heights of the clouds”: in scripture the term “clouds” is used symbolically of Adonai’s glory; the unique Shekinah glory. This is something which belongs to Adonai alone. Satan desired it for himself.
“I will be like the Most High”: Melchizedek referred to Abram as “Abram of God Most High, possessor of heaven and earth.” Thus, to refer to Adonai as “Most High” emphasises His role as possessor of heaven and earth. Here Satan expresses his desire to become the sole possessor of all that Adonai would create in Genesis 1:1 – 27.
In this way, the “daystar, son of the morning” became Satan, the adversary.
Following the ignominious defeat of his rebellion against Adonai, he set out to despoil what Adonai had created as “indeed … very good”. Satan’s arrogance and wounded pride, his expulsion and loss of his exalted position in heaven, all combined with his destructive attitude to produce his attack on mankind. Somehow the serpent allowed himself to be taken control of by Satan.
The Fall of Man – Genesis 3: 1 – 24.
Prior to the six days of creation, the earth was “without form”, “void” and “in darkness”. Adonai created man on the sixth day and thereafter in Genesis 1:26 – 31 “Then God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good.”
Adonai then placed man in the garden “eastward in Eden” (presumably east of the desert where Moses wrote the five books which bear his name). Eden was in Mesopotamia. The best indications of its location are the River Euphrates and the River Tigris. The “Cush” referred to in Genesis is not Ethiopia as elsewhere in scripture.
When Adonai created man, He gave him authority over the earth which had been removed from Satan. Satan’s plan to bring about the downfall of mankind, would allow him to usurp authority over the earth, setting the stage for his activities in the atmospheric heavens.
The Origin State of Adam and Eve.
Man was created perfect; a state of created holiness.
In Genesis 2:7 we see that Adonai breathed “into his nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living being”
This act brought spiritual understanding.
Job 32:8.
“There is a spirit in man, and the breath of the Almighty gives him understanding”.
The result of this is the moral capacity of man; unique among the creatures of the earth. Herein lies the fact that he has the image of Adonai.
Consequently: –
Man has the capacity to serve Adonai.
Man is responsible to obey the word of Adonai.
Man was given the institution of marriage.
Man was set over the earthly creation.
Man was given a nature like that of Adonai.
Man was given the garden to live in.
Man was given a special work to do; naming the animals.
Man received the provision of Adonai in the garden.
Man had Adonai’s promise not to forsake him.
But as we have seen with Satan and the angels, man was given an ability that not even Adonai had. That is, the ability to act contrary to the perfect, holy nature which he had been given at Creation when Adonai had considered all that He had created to be “very good.”
Man was given the ability to make unholy and imperfect choices contrary to the perfect and holy nature with which he had been created. It seems likely that man’s testing was to be for a limited period. If he had passed the test, his holiness would have been confirmed, and he would not have had the ability to sin. Just as it will be for us in our resurrected bodies.
How Satan used the Serpent.
I think that we can take it that the serpent was a real snake which allowed Satan to imbue itself with his spirit. The serpent and Satan became in effect one. This seems most likely as the serpent received his separate punishment (Genesis 3:14). This would not have happened had the serpent been an innocent victim.
The serpent is described as being “more cunning than any beast of the field”. The quality here described as “cunning”, need not be a negative characteristic. Alternative translations could be such terms as “subtle”, “shrewd” or even “sensible”. Of course, these are all quite neutral terms. But Satan was able to use these characteristics of the serpent for evil. He saw these characteristics in the serpent and found a way to achieve the connivance of the serpent.
What was Satan’s purpose?
We have looked at Satan’s motivation and his corruption. We see spiteful revenge being sought for the failure of his rebellion and being put out of heaven. He turned his ire to Adonai’s prize creation, mankind. As later he would attempt to destroy Adonai’s chosen people.
As well as such destructive aims, Satan no doubt wanted to regain control of the earth and the atmospheric heavens. Adonai had given dominion over the earth to mankind.
We do not know the time span between Genesis 2:25 (the creation of mankind in holiness and innocence) and the attack by Satan in Genesis 3:1 – 6.
Satan sought to ensure that man failed the test of obedience to Adonai. Had man passed that test he would have had his holiness confirmed removing any ability to commit sin.
The Consequences of the Fall of Mankind.
We will pass over the ins and outs of Satan’s attack on mankind, other that noting the similarity of his tactics as used with the angels in heaven. We will progress to the all-important consequences of the Fall.
Adonai’s warning to Adam and Eve if they ate the forbidden fruit is in Genesis 2:17, “for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die”.
Of course, they did not physically die immediately (Adam lived for over 900 years), but the process of decay leading to physical death commenced; bring death into the world.
The death that did come immediately on the day of violation was spiritual death; separation from Adonai and the loss of holiness and innocence. And this would apply to all their progeny, through the generations. Those born of woman are born spiritually dead.
One’s capacity to sin is inborn. A person is a sinner, separated from Adonai, before they have the opportunity to sin. All have inherited a sin-nature because of Adam’s fall.
Romans 5:12
“… through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned …”
Physical death entered the world but first had come spiritual death.
The Consequences of this Spiritual Death.
They covered their genitals with an apron. They recognised that the very source of human life had been contaminated by sin. Now how the new sin-nature would be transmitted would be through the sexual union.
Nakedness before any other than one’s spouse had become sinful.
Genesis 9:22 – 23.
“And Noah began to be a farmer, and he planted a vineyard. Then he drank of the wine and was drunk and became uncovered in the tent. And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father, and told his two brothers outside. But Shem and Japheth took a garment, laid it on both their shoulders, and went backward and covered the nakedness of their father. Their faces were turned away, and they did not see their father’s nakedness.”
Exodus 20:26. The law concerning the altar.
“Nor shall you go up by steps to My altar, that your nakedness may not be exposed on it.”
In Genesis 3:8 – 13, we get a description of the separation from Adonai cause by spiritual death.
Prior to the Fall, there had been a daily manifestation of Adonai communicating with them. They had fellowship with Adonai in a relaxed visible form. But after they sinned, they only heard His voice. They had lost the fellowship with the visible manifestation of the Shekinah glory.
On hearing the voice of Adonai, they hid. Because the fellowship they had had with Him was no longer possible. A different, negative relationship now existed. Shame, guilt and fear of punishment had come upon them. Having tried to hide their nakedness from each other, they also tried to hide it from Adonai. Before they had innocently appeared naked before Him.
Because of the Fall, man became vulnerable and less protected from a powerful enemy who can blind individuals to the gospel of the Lord Yeshua.
And as we have seen physical death entered the world and Adam and Eve experienced a process of aging and decay albeit over many years. Genesis 3:19, “For dust you are, and to dust you shall return.” Through sin man became mortal. Adam, as we have seen, did not die immediately but the process began and he became subject to the miseries of life, to death and the pains of hell forever.
The Specific Punishments for Men.
Adam failed to exercise the leadership role he had been given. The judgment on Adam became the judgment on humanity. He is responsible for the present human condition of mortality and an inborn sin-nature.
But further (Genesis 3 verse17), “cursed is the ground for your sake”. That which had been under man’s control was also cursed; the result being “in toil you shall eat of it all the days of your life.” In the garden, the earth had provided for all their needs readily and easily. Now hard toil would be required throughout their lives to provide for their needs. The difficulties of cultivation being symbolised by “thorns and thistles”, causing frustration and weariness. Adam sinned by eating, now he would suffer to eat.
Romans 8:20 – 23, declares that the earth also groans for messianic redemption:
“… the creation itself will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groans and labours with birth pangs together until now.”
In Genesis 3 verse 18, we read, “You shall eat the herb of the field”. There will be no more simple provision by Adonai. If man wants to eat, he will have to produce food from the earth (verse 19, “in the sweat of your face you shall eat bread.”) That hard labour is to continue throughout their lives.
The Specific Punishments for Women.
Genesis 3: 16.
“I will greatly multiply your sorrow and your conception; in pain you shall bring forth children; your desire shall be for your husband, and he shall rule over you.”
For women there is to be a multiplication of menstrual pain. Something which did not exist before the Fall. We can assume that Eve had the capacity to conceive before the Fall, but that ability is now increased to once per month. After the Fall, it would be necessary to populate the world in the face of physical death that would limit the human population.
Before the Fall, giving birth would have been painless; the joy without the suffering. In 1 Timothy 2:15, there is mention of women that, “she will be saved in childbearing”. This is not salvation. That would mean salvation by works. Rather it means that woman would be saved from her inferior status by her ability to bear children; continued human existence depends on woman’s ability to give birth.
But (Chapter 3 verse 16), “Your desire shall be for your husband, and he shall rule over you.” The woman was placed in a subordinate role. But she will desire to rule over her husband; she will seek authority over her husband (the battle of the sexes). Man was given headship before the Fall, but now the tendency will be for women to rebel and try to rule over him.
This is the end of the harmonious relationship established before the Fall by Adonai.
Adonai intended male headship. That is to continue after the Fall. Eve led Adam into sin and now woman will be subordinate to her husband, but the new element is woman’s desire to rebel.
The Expulsion from the Garden.
When attacked by Satan, Adam and Eve had to decide who was lying. Tragically, they went with Satan against Adonai and were therefore separated from Adonai: “Without faith it is impossible to please Him” (Hebrews 11:6). Thus, they were expelled from the garden, and their names are not included in the Honour Role of Faith in Hebrews 11:4 – 26.
However, driving them from the garden could be seen, along with their continued existence, as an act of mercy. If they had remained in the garden, they could have been sustained forever in a sinful state had they eaten of the Tree of Life.
We are told (verse 24), that when they had been driven from the garden, a divine guard (a cherub) was placed at the entrance to prevent their return. So it remained until the Flood, when the garden disappeared.
Conclusion.
So, where does this leave us?
Now, we have seen the roots of the evil intent of our powerful adversary Satan. Man separated from Adonai is extremely vulnerable to this enemy who can blind so many to the truth which comes from Adonai through the Lord Yeshua. We are all born with the sin-nature brought into the world by our first parents.
But we have been blessed by the call on our lives by Adonai who calls us to salvation, gives us the gift of faith and the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit. No wonder so many of the Psalms refer to the Lord as a “refuge” or “our defence” or “our rock” or “our strong tower” etc. So, let us cling to the shield, which is the Lord Yeshua, for the good of our eternal souls.
AMEN.