What is sin? How does sin start? Does sin have to be intentional? Can one sin in ignorance? Where can sin lead to? Why are hate and ill will so dangerous? How does one sin deliberately, presumptuously, maliciously or willfully? What is the unpardonable sin? Isn’t it God’s Will to forgive everybody?
Satan
What does the Bible say about Iran’s future?
The Bible contains numerous passages, dealing with the future of Iran, which was formerly known as Persia. Most commentaries and encyclopedias are in agreement that the modern-day Iranians are descendants of the ancient Elamites. For instance, Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible equates Elam with Persia. Genesis 10:22 and 1 Chronicles 1:17 state that Elam was a son of Shem—and therefore a brother of ancient Asshur or Assur. The city of Sushan or Susa was one of the capitols of the Elamite or Persian empire, and Esther, Daniel and Jeremiah resided there at times. Susa is today known as Shush—a city in modern-day Iran.
In biblical times, the Medes and the Persians conquered the Babylonian Empire. Famous King Cyrus of Persia permitted captured Jews to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the city and the temple. Subsequent Persian kings, such as King Xerxes, had a more or less friendly relationship with the Jewish people, specifically because of his wife, the Jewish Queen Esther. In time, that friendly relationship would change, and presently, Iran is viewed as one of the arch enemies of the modern house of Judah.
The Bible predicts that the Jewish people and the modern house of Israel (which is not Jewish, but comprised of the peoples of Great Britain, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the USA) will be conquered and enslaved by the final European revival of the ancient Roman Empire, under Assyrian or German leadership, called modern “Babylon” in Scripture. When Jesus Christ returns, He will free the survivors of that captivity and bring them into the Promised Land. Note from what countries the modern descendants of the houses of Israel and Judah will be freed.
Isaiah 11:11 states:
“It shall come to pass in that day [a reference to the time when God will begin to intervene in human affairs, but also including the time AFTER Jesus Christ has begun to establish the Kingdom of God on this earth] That the LORD shall set His hand again the second time To recover the remnant of His people who are left, From Assyria and Egypt, From Pathros and Cush (Ethiopia), From Elam (Persia or Iran) and Shinar, From Hamath and the islands of the sea.”
In this context, we should note that in the near future, Iran will participate in fighting against the state of Israel.
Isaiah 22:6 prophesies, in the context of the future enslavement of the inhabitants of the city of Jerusalem (compare verses 1-4):
“Elam [Iran] bore the quiver With chariots of men and horsemen, and Kir uncovered the shield.”
The timing is again the day of the Lord or “in that day” (verses 8, 12), when God has “removed the protection of Judah” (verse 8), since they looked to their armor or military, rather than to God (verses 8, 11). We note, from Ezekiel 27:10, that at one time, “Those from Persia, Lydia and Libya Were in [mystical “Tyre’s” or modern Babylon’s] army as men of war.” So it appears that at least some modern Iranians will participate, perhaps as mercenaries, in the military attack of modern Babylon against the state of Israel.
Focusing on other passages in the Bible, we are told that apparently sometime after that attack, the relationship between modern Babylon and Iran will deteriorate, and Elam or Iran will form an alliance with the Medes or Russia against “Babylon.”
Isaiah 21:2 states:
“A distressing vision is declared to me; The treacherous dealer deals treacherously. And the plunderer plunders. Go up, O Elam! Besiege, O Media!”
Continuing in verse 9 we read that “Babylon is fallen, is fallen!” The repetitious curse shows the dual application of this prophecy to ancient as well as modern times.
A future alliance between Russia and Iran (which is already developing today) is not surprising, given the fact that these two powers were allied in the past, as the “Medo-Persian Empire.”
Placing all the pieces of biblical prophecy in the overall puzzle, we note that in the future, Iran will be enslaved and subsequently freed from their captivity. We are not specifically told who will enslave them, and when exactly this will occur, nor, when exactly the captivity will end, but in light of the Scriptures discussed so far, it appears that after their mutual attack on Jerusalem, modern Babylon—a confederacy of many nations–will turn against Iran and enslave the Iranian people; but that then Russia will intervene and free the Iranians; and that Russia and Iran (Media and Elam) will together attack modern Babylon.
Note the following passage in this context:
Jeremiah 49:35-39 tells us:
“Thus says the LORD of hosts: ‘Behold, I will break the bow of Elam, the foremost of their might. Against Elam I will bring the four winds From the four quarters of heaven, And scatter them towards all those winds; There shall be no nations where the outcasts of Elam will not go. For I will cause Elam to be dismayed before their enemies And before those who seek their life. I will bring disaster upon them, My fierce anger [a reference to the coming day of the Lord’s great wrath or fierce anger],’ says the LORD; ‘And I will send the sword after them until I have consumed them. And I will set My throne in Elam, And will destroy from there the king and the princes,’ says the LORD. ‘But it shall come to pass in the latter days [a clear reference to the end times]; I will bring back the captives of Elam,’ says the LORD.”
Modern Iran will be captives [apparently of the modern Babylonian system], but they will be freed—apparently by the Medes or Russians, as both will together attack modern Babylon. Note too that the context is related to a time when God will set His throne in Elam or rule over Elam. Today, as well as in ancient times, God does not and did not rule this world; the rulers of this world are and were Satan and his demons. It is true, of course, that Satan cannot do anything that God does not allow—but still, generally, God is not ruling this world at this point. [However, He is willing to rule His disciples—those who have spiritually “come out” of this world and who look forward to a better world to come.]
And so, we read in Daniel 10:13 and 20 that at the time of Daniel, Persia or Iran was ruled by a demon—the prince of Persia. The angel Gabriel and the archangel Michael fought with this demon to carry out God’s directives. And we read that in the end time, just prior to the beginning of the Great Tribulation, Satan and his forces will try for a second time to overthrow God in heaven, and Michael and his angels will again fight against and defeat Satan and his demons in an outright spiritual war (Revelation 12:7-12).
Russia’s and Iran’s hatred against the modern descendants of the ancient houses of Israel and Judah will not easily disappear. Even shortly after Christ’s return, when Christ will have set His throne in Jerusalem, Iran will be a part of a great confederacy of hostile nations, under Russian and Chinese leadership, in an attempt to invade the Promised Land and to conquer those who are left from the modern houses of Israel and Judah.
Ezekiel 38 reports about this future futile event, and in describing the military leader of that hostile army (“Gog, the prince of Rosh, Meshech and Tubal,” verses 2-3), Ezekiel 38:5 says specifically that “Persia, Ethiopia and Libya are with them, all of them with shield and helmet.” We read in Ezekiel 38 and 39 that God will supernaturally intervene and totally destroy that great army.
Jeremiah 25:15-38 describes God’s all-encompassing judgment on all God-defying nations of this earth, and verse 25 mentions the judgment on “all the kings of Elam, and all the kings of the Medes.” Again, in verse 29, God gives us the approximate time setting, when His punishment on all the nations will commence:
“’For behold, I begin to bring calamity on the city which is called by My name [Jerusalem], and should you be utterly unpunished? You shall not be unpunished, for I will call for a sword on all the inhabitants of the earth,’ says the LORD of hosts.”
As we have seen, the punishment of Iran will be carried out, mainly and ultimately, when God will destroy the great hostile army, as described in Ezekiel 38 and 39.
Another reference to Iran’s punishment is given in Ezekiel 32. In verses 11 and 12, God speaks first of the destruction of (ancient and modern) Egypt through modern Babylon–the “most terrible of the nations.” This same expression, “most terrible of the nations,” describing modern Babylon, is used in Ezekiel 30:11-12; Ezekiel 31:12; and Ezekiel 28:7. In Ezekiel 7:24, the phrase “worst of the Gentiles” is applied to modern Babylon invading the land of Israel (For more information on modern Babylon, please read our free booklet, “The Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord,” especially pages 42 to 46.)
Returning to Ezekiel 32:24, the destruction of Elam and all her multitudes is described in figurative and allegorical ways. The point is that no country will escape God’s judgment, and so He also mentions this in the context of the fate of Assyria (verse 22) and of Meshech and Tubal (verse 26). Remember that Gog was described in Ezekiel 38 as the hostile prince of Rosh [Russia], Meshech [Moscow] and Tubal [Tobolsk].
But there is hope for everyone, because God is not a respecter of person. He accepts all of those, regardless of what race, nation or ethnic group they might belong to, if they seek God with all their heart and mind and soul. In Acts 2:9, Elamites (modern-day Iranians) were peacefully assembled in Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit was given to the New Testament Church. And when Christ rules this world from Jerusalem, all nations, including Elamites, will ultimately flow to Him to learn God’s ways (Isaiah 2:1-4).
Lead Writer: Norbert Link
Sabbath PPF
A look at the origin of the Sabbath and what it points to, as part of the creation week. Also, how Christ and the apostles kept the Sabbath and how we will keep it in the millennium since it is a perpetual covenant between God and His people forever, and points to the true God of the Bible.
Why Are We Here?
A look at events leading up to the return of Christ and the challenges facing us at the beginning of the millennium.
The Act of Giving
Giving is an characteristic that we must develop to enter in the Kingdom of God. God gives to us freely. He gave His only Son for our sins. Giving shows love. We must come to the point where we love all people.
If Satan cannot heal, how do you explain "miraculous healings," which apparently do not originate with God?
In our last Q&A, we explained that God did not give Satan or his demons the power to heal human beings. In this Q&A, we want to explain “miraculous healings,” “caused” by Satan, which, upon further scrutiny, prove to be not true healings at all.
In our free booklet, “Angels, Demons and the Spirit World,” we wrote the following in Part 2, “The World of Demons,” on pages 42-44, 51:
“We must not underestimate the power and influence of Satan and his demons. The Bible tells us that Satan ‘deceives the whole world’ (Revelation 12:9). His biggest deception, no doubt, is to convince unsuspecting man that he does not even exist. He deceives others by pretending that he is an ‘angel of light’ (2 Corinthians 11:14). Many preach as ‘his ministers,’ transforming themselves ‘into ministers of righteousness’ (verse 15).
“John later said that ‘many deceivers have gone out into the world’ (2 John 7), and he warned us in 1 John 4:1 to ‘…test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world.’ Christ prophesied for the end time that ‘…false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect’ (Matthew 24:24).
“Satan and his demons can show great signs and wonders. It is prophesied that Satan will ultimately give his power to a religious leader who will work ‘signs… by which he deceived’ the people (Revelation 19:20). False religious teachers, inspired by demons, might even be able to accurately foretell the future (Deuteronomy 13:1–4; Acts 16:16–19).
“Satan has the power to inspire people to go to war (Job 1:9–15; Revelation 16:13–14; Revelation 20:7–10). He has the power to throw down fire to consume man and beast (In Job 1:16, people felt that God brought this fire, but the context shows that Satan was the power behind it). As the ‘prince of the power of the air’ (Ephesians 2:2), he can bring destruction through mighty winds…
“There are many Scriptures that prove that Satan or demons can possess animals and people, forcing them to do terrible things (Luke 22:3; John 13:27). Demon-possessed people can be extremely violent (Matthew 8:28) and self-destructive (Mark 5:2–5). They lose all sense of decency (Luke 8:27).
“The Bible also shows that demons can possess or influence people to make them spiritually, psychologically, and physically sick. Even Paul was sick because ‘a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me’ (2 Corinthians 12:7). Through the influence of demons, people can be mute, deaf and dumb (Mark 9:17, 25), epileptic (Matthew 17:15–18), and infirm (Luke 13:11, 16). When a demon leaves such a person, it may appear as if the person has been healed from a physical sickness…
“Sorcery, witchcraft, hypnosis, and certain meditation practices are further methods of Satan to overpower the mind of a human being and to make him or her into a helpless victim…
“In Job 2:1–7, we are told that Satan obtained permission from God to bring terrible sickness upon Job, but he was not allowed to kill him. Again, we see that Satan must act within the limits given to him by God.”
Based on these comments, we should be able to see that even though Satan does not have the power to heal, it might appear that sick people are “healed” when Satan removes sicknesses from them with which he had inflicted them in the first place. But this has nothing to do with true godly healing.
It is also explained in Scripture that such Satanic or demonic withdrawal (leading to the perception of “healing”) might be very temporary. When Jesus Christ cast out demons, He would give the command to that demon not to return into the human being, and the healing of the sickness, initially caused by Satan or that demon, would be permanent. Compare, for example, Mark 9:25:
“… Jesus… rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, ‘Deaf and dumb spirit, I command you, come out of him and enter him no more!'”
On the other hand, when a demon voluntarily departs or goes out of a person, he may return together “with other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter and dwell there; and the last state of that man is WORSE than the first” (Matthew 12:43-45; compare Luke 11:24-26). These kinds of “voluntary departures” are not permanent “exorcisms,” nor do they constitute physical healing.
In addition, Satan or his demons could make someone physically or mentally sick, without actually possessing a person. In the case of King Saul, the demon would plague him at times, coming and leaving, but while the wicked spirit severely influenced him, King Saul acted irrationally and with extreme violence.
Satan wants to deceive people, and he is a liar and the father of lies, as well as the destroyer. He does not really have the welfare of people in mind. He would not truly heal people, even if he HAD the power to do so, except for the purpose of deception. Since he does not have the power to heal, he deceives mankind by pretending that he heals people. He and his demons will “cooperate” with religious preachers, giving the appearance that these false ministers have power to heal, by voluntarily withdrawing from sick people whom they had made sick in the first place.
As we read above, Satan is pretending to be an angel of light, and “his ministers” are transforming themselves into ministers of righteousness. Satan gives power to his servants and ministers to show great signs and wonders to deceive. They will be working LYING wonders, including apparent healings and exorcisms. It may appear as if God had used those ministers to heal a person or cast out a demon, but in reality, these “signs and wonders” by satanic ministers are LIES.
We read in Luke 13:11-16, that Satan, through a “spirit of infirmity,” had inflicted a woman for eighteen years with a sickness, causing her to bend over and being unable to raise herself up. But since Satan and his demons are inferior to God, Jesus cured the woman by casting out the demon, and that spiritual and physical healing was permanent.
On the other hand, demons may not always cooperate with those who pretend to work miracles by using the name of Christ, without having obtained godly authority to do so. This is especially true for those unordained persons who claim to be followers of Christ and think they can cast out demons. You might want to read what happened to some who tried to do this, as described in Acts 19:13-16.
We also need to state that some people may think they were healed while they were not, and others, claiming, testifying and “witnessing” their healing, are just simply frauds, being in conspiracy with fraudulent “faith healers,” whose goal it is to draw a paying following after themselves.
It is true, of course, that the mind of a person can have such a powerful influence on the body that a person may in fact experience physical improvement. God has put in motion automatic laws, pertaining to sickness and healing. The body can regenerate itself to an extent. When we cut ourselves with a knife, the wound will heal after a while. The same is true for psychosomatic symptoms, which might cause physical problems. Envy and jealousy can make us sick, quite literally. Once these wrong feelings are being dealt with, a revival of the body may be the automatic consequence.
But these are laws that are set in motion by God–they have nothing to do with the working of Satan or his demons. If, however, a person who is experiencing a natural improvement attributes the same to some kind of a healing power caused by “miracle-working holy water” or actions by a minister who is in reality a minister of Satan, then that person has inadvertently fallen into the trap of Satan’s deceptions.
We do take note of the fact that God has intervened to heal people in different ways and in different circumstances. For instance, He healed Naaman who followed the instructions of Elisha and dipped himself seven times in the Jordan (compare 2 Kings 5). In John 5 we read about the Pool of Bethesda that existed in Jerusalem and that was used by God in similar fashion to point to Himself as the true Healer (Psalm 103:3). In fact, Jesus came to this location and healed a man who had been infirm for thirty-eight years, showing that the Father had given to Him the power to heal–something He did for many sick people during His ministry, and the very thing that He commissions and empowers His true ministers to continue (Please see our free booklet, “Sickness and Healing–What the Bible Tells Us”).
We don’t want to deny the fact that God, in His mercy, might heal sick people who pray to Him, even though they do not really know Him. Or, true servants of God may pray for someone who is sick, and although the sick person might not know God, God might hear the prayers of His servants and heal the sick person. But in any case, such healing would be of God, not of Satan. Sadly, in far too many cases, people who were healed by God don’t give God the glory, but attribute their healing to false gods, “saints in heaven,” the “Virgin Mary,” far-Eastern powers or other such sources.
In addition, it appears likely that Satan or his demons may give the ability to some persons not to feel pain (we might think of certain gurus who walk on fire with their bare feet or who pierce themselves with spears or cut themselves with knives), or who, through the influence of satanic forces, appear to be able to make others sick by pronouncing a curse on them (we might think of the horrible practice of Voodoo sorcery and witchcraft, etc.).
Again, when these demonically inspired or possessed sorcerers “lift their curse,” the sick person may recover due to the fact that the demonic influence, which caused the “curse” of sickness, might cease, at least for a while. It should be clearly seen, however, that none of these evil practices have anything to do with the workings of the Holy God of the Bible.
We are to test the spirits whether they are of God. “Healing waters” are not of God, and neither are false ministers (pretending to be servants of God). Even though they might offer to pray for the sick (sometimes right over television) or they misappropriate the biblical concept of an anointed cloth and offer to send a “healing cloth,” they are in truth ministers of Satan, and any ensuing “healings” are neither genuine, nor are they of godly origin.
The Bible tells us how we can distinguish a servant of God and a servant of Satan. For one, he must understand and teach the truth about who and what God was, is and will be; as well as who and what Jesus Christ was and what He did; what He is doing today; and what He will do in the future (John 1:1-2, 5, 14; Hebrews 1:1-4; 1 John 2:22-23; 4:2-3, 14-15; 5:6; 2 John 7; Hebrews 2:17-18; 4:14; 2 Peter 3:1-12). In addition, he must understand and teach the righteous law of God (Isaiah 8:16, 20; 1 John 2:4; 3:10). Otherwise, there is no light and godly power in such a person, and whatever he or she may do in regard to “healing” is tantamount to ungodly deception.
Christ warned, however, that some of the lying miracles and signs shown by the human instruments of Satan, claiming to be godly “teachers,” “preachers,” “ministers,” “priests,” “faith healers,” “evangelists,” “prophets” or “apostles,” will appear so real that even God’s very elect could be deceived, if it were possible. We must be careful not to fall for such deception, and reject any and all kinds of fellowship with Satan and his evil works of darkness (2 John 9-11; Ephesians 5:8, 11; 2 Corinthians 6:14, 17).
Lead Writer: Norbert Link
Does the Bible teach character development in angels?
In our last Q&A, we discussed the fact that God is creating His holy and righteous character in man, as it is His purpose to reproduce Himself in man–to enlarge His God Family through man. The same cannot be said about angels.
There is no indication in Scripture that it is–or has ever been–God’s purpose to enlarge the Family of God–presently consisting of God the Father and God the Son, Jesus Christ–through angels. Rather, angels are created beings; they are all “ministering spirits sent forth to minister for those who will inherit salvation” (Hebrews 1:14).
God tells us that He “has not put the world to come, of which we speak, in subjection to angels” (Hebrews 2:5); rather, this potential is given to man (verses 6-9). And so, we read that Christ did not take on the nature of angels, but He took on the nature of man (Hebrews 2:16; compare Authorized Version and margin of New King James Bible), to be made like His brethren in everything (verse 17), so that His brethren could be made like Him in everything. As we point out in our booklet, “The Gospel of the Kingdom of God,” Jesus Christ–who was God since all eternity–became man, to make it possible for man to become God.
None of this can be said about angels. They are not to become God–in fact, we read that man–made immortal–will judge or rule over angels. A mighty and powerful angel had to tell John twice not to worship him, stating: “See that you do not do that. For I am your fellow servant, and of your brethren the prophets, and of those who keep the word of the book. Worship God” (Revelation 22:9; compare Revelation 19:10). But we also read that true Christians, made immortal, will be worshipped–and that with Christ’s approval–so they will be GOD at that time (Revelation 3:9).
And still, the Bible indicates character development in angels. Again, NOT for the purpose of becoming members of the God Family in a literal sense. But, we need to realize that God created angels with free moral agency–as men are free moral agents–and that every free moral agent has the power of choice. He has to DECIDE whether or not to accept and live by the truth. And the Bible tells us that about one-third of the angels whom God had created, DECIDED to SIN–while the remaining two-thirds of the angels DECIDED NOT to SIN (compare Revelation 12:4).
We discussed in a previous Q&A that the great archangel and cherub Lucifer sinned–and that his name was changed to Satan, which means, “adversary.” We also pointed out that the angels under his control likewise sinned and are known today as “demons.” We showed that Lucifer and his demons attempted a coup to throw God off His throne in heaven; but that they were defeated by God’s righteous angels and thrown back to this earth.
Herbert W. Armstrong, the late Pastor General of the Worldwide Church of God, wrote the following in, “The Incredible Human Potential,” copyright 1978:
“Lucifer was a super being of awesome, majestic beauty, dazzling brightness, supreme knowledge, wisdom and power — perfect as God created him! But God of necessity created in him the power of choice and decision, or he could not have been a being of individuality and character…
“This superb spirit being filled up the sum total of wisdom, perfection and beauty. He was the supreme pinnacle, the masterpiece, of God’s creation, as an individually created being, the greatest one in the almighty power of God to create! The tragic thing is that he rebelled against his Maker!…
“He had complete knowledge, understanding and wisdom. But he also was given full powers of reasoning, thinking, making decisions, making his choice. And, with all this foreknowledge — even of results and consequences — this superb being, the highest that even God could create by fiat, turned to rebellion against his Maker — against the way that produces every good.”
We read that Lucifer was perfect when he was created–until iniquity, lawlessness or sin was found in him. God did not create him with iniquity–but because Lucifer was a free moral agent, he DECIDED to ALLOW sin to enter his life. Ezekiel 28:14-17 says about Lucifer: “You were the anointed cherub who covers… You were PERFECT in your ways from the day you were created, TILL iniquity was found IN YOU… You BECAME filled with violence within, And you SINNED… Your HEART WAS LIFTED UP because of your beauty; You CORRUPTED your wisdom for the sake of your splendor…”
As mentioned, the angels under Lucifer’s control followed his bad example and participated in his coup. 2 Peter 2:4 states: “For God did not spare the angels WHO SINNED, but cast them down to hell [tartaros in Greek; a state or condition of darkness, rather than a place] and delivered them into [spiritual] chains of darkness, to be reserved for judgment…” Compare, too, Jude 6.
The question might be asked whether the “character development” in all created spirit beings is complete–and whether it was completed at the time when one-third of the angels decided to sin, and two-thirds decided to stay loyal to God. In other words, is it possible that some of the angels could still sin and some of the demons could still repent?
Please note the following excerpts from our booklet, Angels, Demons and the Spirit World:
“When reading about angelic warfare with demons, we might ask ourselves the question: ‘Why does God let these spiritual battles go on?’… We have already discussed the fact that a full one-third of God’s angels sinned in times past, thus becoming demons. God did not prevent them from sinning. He created them as free moral agents and He knew that they could sin…
“Angels were created as free moral agents. God wants them to make a final decision as to whether to sin or to live in righteousness. We know that the angels sinned when they followed Satan. What we don’t know is whether all of them committed the unpardonable sin; in other words, whether or not some of them can still repent. We also don’t know whether all of the angels who did not follow Satan thereby made the irrevocable decision to always stay loyal to God…
“We are told in 1 Peter 3:19–20: ‘… by which [the Spirit] also he [Christ] went and preached unto the spirits in prison; Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water’ (Authorized Version).
“The correct understanding of this passage is that Jesus Christ preached to the spirits in prison—the demons—at the time of Noah, when God was about to protect Noah from destruction. Christ used this example to show that the demons who had sinned ‘sometime’—before the creation of man—were still awaiting their judgment.
“Why did Christ preach to the demons? Was the only purpose to announce to them what they already knew, that they would be punished in the future? Or, was it done in order to bring some of them to repentance so that they could be spared from punishment?
“Proverbs 16:2 tells us that ‘the LORD weighs the spirits.’ If the fate of all spirit beings—good and bad—is sealed, why would God still weigh the spirits?
“We are also told, in 1 Corinthians 6:3, that we will judge angels. This judgment might include demons who are called ‘angels’ in Revelation 12:7. ‘Judgment’ can mean ‘condemnation.’ ‘Judgment’ can also refer to a process of judging, leading, guiding and directing, which requires time, until at the end of the process, the verdict is pronounced. Is the Bible telling us that we are to judge demons, not only in the sense of condemning them for what they did, but also for the purpose of trying to lead some of them to repentance?…
“The Bible sometimes refers to the angels who followed God as being ‘holy.’ This does not necessarily mean that they cannot sin. We who are called by God today are considered ‘holy’ (1 Peter 2:9). Still, we do sin from time to time. ONLY God CANNOT sin. The Bible does not say that the angels who did not follow Satan, could not sin anymore. Since God cannot sin, we have to become God, higher than the angels, to guarantee that we, too, will not sin anymore as born-again members of the God Family. This is why God is in the process of reproducing Himself, through man, not through angels…
“Paul makes this alarming comment in Galatians 1:8: ‘But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed.’ Apparently, Paul felt it might be possible that an ‘angel from heaven’ could sin, by preaching a wrong gospel message…
“Does God allow spiritual battles between angels and demons to go on in order to allow character-building, either good or bad? Actions prove where one’s heart is. An angel who consistently and tenaciously fights for God, and against demons, will not be easily persuaded to deny God and to sin, while a demon who consistently and tenaciously fights against God will not easily repent and accept God and His way of life… Perhaps God is still testing His angels and the demons to see which of the angels might not yet have made a final commitment never to sin, and which of the demons might not yet have made a final commitment to never repent…
“God may not be done yet in determining the ultimate fate of all of His created spirit beings. As free moral agents, they too need to come to the point where their character has been formed and will not change. This has undoubtedly already occurred in many cases, but there might be other cases where God is still testing the spirits to see exactly where they stand.”
In conclusion, as free moral agents, both angels and men must choose to obey God. This requires time. While most created spirit beings have undoubtedly irrevocably decided never to sin or never to repent–so that they have acquired either good or bad character–there could still be those whose character development is not yet complete.
It is clear from Scripture that Satan and most demons are not interested in developing righteous character–they are not able to do so. It is also apparent that most holy angels are not interested in turning from God–in fact, they, too, might not be able to do so. Once spirit beings make an irrevocable decision never to sin or never to repent, they cannot change, as they are unwilling to change. Then, their character development–either for the good or the bad–will have been completed. For instance, as we pointed out in our last Q&A, God, who has always been perfect and righteous character, CANNOT sin, as His perfect WILL and His very nature are opposed to sinning. There was never a time when God’s character needed development–it was always perfect, righteous and good. But as we said, it is possible that some angels or demons may still have to reach the point of making their final irrevocable decision–their character development may still be ongoing towards a final resolution.
Lead Writer: Norbert Link
Why will Satan attempt a second coup to try to overthrow God?
The Bible does not say specifically why Satan will attempt a second coup, but it does give us several hints and indications which we might want to consider.
Prior to the physical creation, God brought into being the spirit world of angels. After God had created the physical universe and the earth, an archangel named Lucifer was placed over one third of the angels here on earth to beautify it. This was long before man was created with the ultimate potential to become a full-fledged member of the God Family. Nothing is said in the Bible that Lucifer or any of the angels had that same potential which would later be given to man.
According to Ezekiel 28:12-16 and Isaiah 14:12-15, Lucifer was perfect as far as his creation was concerned. However, Lucifer made wrong choices–he allowed pride to enter his mind. This pride corrupted his thinking, just like a virus can corrupt a computer. This corruption led him to believe that his abilities were greater than God’s; that he was not rewarded properly by God in accordance with his talents and achievements; and that the way of competition and get was superior to God’s way of give and love and concern for others. He managed to influence the angels under his control to participate in his first rebellion (Revelation 12:4). In resenting God’s government, he did the unthinkable and attempted to overthrow God and take over the rule over the entire universe. Of course, Lucifer, whose name was changed to Satan (meaning enemy or adversary), lost this battle, and he and his angels (now known as demons) were thrown back to this earth where they still rule today.
When God created Adam and Eve, Satan was there to deceive Eve, and he has been deceiving mankind ever since. In fact, Satan has deceived the whole world. He tried to deceive and tempt Christ, but failed. Christ, in defeating Satan, qualified to rule this earth in the near future.
Evidence for the fact that Satan was and is ruling this earth is given at the temptation of Christ, when Satan offered the kingdoms of this world to Him, if He would fall down and worship Satan. All these kingdoms were in and under Satan’s power, and he was able to give them away. Christ never corrected him on that claim, but Christ never fell for Satan’s offer and remained sinless (Matthew 4:8-10). Today, Satan and his demons are still ruling this earth, and they will continue to do so until Jesus Christ–the second Adam–returns to take over all rule. Those whom God has called out of this world must reject Satan’s offer–exactly as Christ did–so they can also qualify to rule under Christ at His return.
It does not seem to make a lot of sense, then, at first sight, as to why Satan would attempt for the second time to overthrow God and to become the supreme ruler of the universe, seeing that his first attempt failed so miserably. Still, the Bible says that he will try again (Revelation 12: 7-9).
What one has to bear in mind is that Satan does not think straight. We might want to consider some humans who keep making the same foolish mistakes and who do not seem to learn from the errors they make. Satan is unwilling and therefore incapable of learning from his mistakes. His mind has been corrupted beyond any hope of change. He does not want to repent and submit to the government of God; therefore, he cannot repent.
This is very similar to “the dog in the manger” syndrome. A vicious dog which does not, of course, eat the straw in the manger, will prevent other animals from eating it. We may have experienced or seen a similar phenomenon in an uncooperative and selfish child who has a toy and doesn’t want to share it with a friend. Rather than following our insistence to share it, he might rather want to destroy it, so the other child cannot play with it. Satan is of the same mindset. He would rather see humankind destroyed completely than turning over his rule to Jesus Christ and those who will rule with and under Him (Revelation 5:10; 20:4, 6).
It is also interesting to consider the behavior of some rats. If a strong animal chases rats into a corner and there is no escape route for them, they will actually turn on each other or on the animal which is chasing them.
The same can be said regarding Satan. Although it is clearly prophesied in Revelation 12 that his second attempt to overthrow God will fail, that fact doesn’t seem to register in his corrupted and twisted mind. Even though Satan knows the Bible, perhaps he does not believe the Bible, thinking he is more powerful than God and what God says, so he can try that second coup and still win. We could see a parallel in certain people today, who know what the Bible says but think they don’t need to obey God and can go about life in a different way.
It is also possible that Satan will launch his second coup because he just does not care. Even though he understands that the Bible predicts that he will lose, he is the destroyer and murderer, and his whole goal in life is to destroy and to kill and to bring pain and suffering to others. The Bible reveals that his demons behave that way too–on one occasion at the time of Christ, a demon tried to kill his human “host”–which would lead to his having to lose the body he possessed and looking in despair for another body–but he just did not care, as he was set on destroying his “host” (Mark 9:17-22). His urge to destroy was too powerful and could not allow him to make a “reasonable” decision–even for himself. There is also another example when Christ allowed demons whom He cast out of men to possess a herd of swine–with the result that the swine threw themselves over the cliff and were killed (Mark 5:11-13).
Satan, the prince of the rulers of darkness, cannot control his urge to destroy and fight God all the way–and so he is trying again to knock God off His throne–even though he knows that God’s Word says that he will fail–rather than wanting to voluntarily transfer to Christ and man his rule over this earth.
We know that the whole world will soon enter the terrible and unprecedented time of the Great Tribulation. That time is also referred to as “Satan’s wrath.” This world will come to the brink of total annihilation, which will be caused by Satan and his demons. If God would not intervene by sending Jesus Christ just at the right time, no flesh would be saved alive (Matthew 24:22). No human or animal flesh would survive. So we see the mindset of Satan exposed here: He would rather see all mankind perish than turn his office and position over to Christ at His return. His demons will participate in that last coup, as they know that their positions will be given to Christ’s disciples who have qualified in this life to rule in the coming Kingdom of God.
Satan and his demons hate God’s Church. They will persecute it in the future (compare Revelation 12:13). Satan is described as a roaring wild lion walking around to see whom he can devour (1 Peter 5:8). Being compared to a vicious animal–like a poisonous untamable snake–he cannot control himself. He and his demons will try, whenever they can, to destroy God’s people. Paul warns us not to be indifferent about this fact, and he tells us in Ephesians 6:11-12: “Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the RULERS of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.”
To summarize, Satan and his demons will attempt another coup against God because they know or at least consider the possibility that their reign of terror will end in the near future. Filled with wrath and a desire to destroy, and thinking perhaps that they still can avert the certainty of their fate and not having learned anything from their previous failed attempt, they will try again and be defeated once more.
Lead Writers: Rene Messier and Norbert Link
The Millennium
A look at what leads up to the millennium and also the conditions and challenges during the millennium.
The Purpose of Fasting
We are commanded to “afflict our souls” on the Day of
Atonement. Does this really mean that we must fast for 24 hours? And if so, do
we fast by just abstaining from solid food during that time, or do we also have
to abstain from liquids? What are some of the reasons and purposes for
fasting? On the other hand, what are some of the motives which we should not
have when we fast? Does fasting have rewards? Can we fast in vain? And what is
the connection between reconciliation or at-one-ment and fasting?
