Nothing Compares With God
Isaiah 14:12-15: "How you have fallen from heaven, O morning star, son of the dawn! You have been cast down to the earth, you who once laid low the nations! 13You said in your heart, 'I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God; I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly, on the utmost heights of the sacred mountain. 14I will ascend above the tops of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.' 15But you are brought down to the grave, to the depths of the pit."
Although Isaiah's words here are specifically addressed to the king of Babylon (Isaiah 14:4: "You will take up this taunt against the king of Babylon..."), Bible interpreters have long seen this passage as descriptive of the fall of Satan. The Hebrew for the expression "morning star" in verse 12 is translated Lucifer in the Latin version of the Old Testament.
As we read this passage, we are reminded that Satan has tricked millions into believing the lie that he is the equal of God. This pagan view of the world places God and Satan as opposites, like the Oriental yin and yang. But they are not equal counterparts. Only God is God. He is the great, uncreated Creator. He is eternal and infinite. He is omniscient (all-knowing), omnipotent (all-powerful), omnipresent (everywhere at all times), and sovereign (having supreme authority). Satan is only a fallen archangel - created, finite, and extremely limited in knowledge, ability, and space. He thinks he can become like God, but it's impossible. He doesn't know everything. He can't do everything. And he can only be in one place at one time.*
Food for thought: Have you ever believed that Satan is more than he really is? What do you believe now?
Futher Reading:
Proverbs 16:18: "Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall."
Ezekiel 28: The word of the Lord came to me: "2Son of man, say to the ruler of Tyre, 'This is what the Sovereign Lord says: " 'In the pride of your heart you say, "I an a god; I sit on the throne of a god, in the heart of the seas." But you are a man and not a god, through you think you are as wise as a god. 3Are you wiser than Daniel? Is no secret hidden from you? 4By your wisdom and understanding you have gained wealth for yourself and amassed gold and silver in your treasuries. 5By your great skill in trading you have increased your wealth, and because of your wealth your heart has grown proud. 6Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: Because you think you are wise, as wise as a god, 7I an going to bring foreigners against you, the most ruthless of nations; they will draw their swords against your beauty and wisdom and pierce your shining splendor. 8They will bring you down to the pit, and you will die a violent death in the heart of the seas. 9Will you then say, "I am a god," in the presence of those who kill you? You will be but a man, not a god, in the hands of those who slay you. 10You will die the death of the uncircuncised at the hands of foreigners. I have spoken, declares the Sovereign Lord.' "
11The word of the Lord came to me: "12Son of man, take up a lament concerning the king of Tyre and say to him: 'This is what the Sovereign Lord says: " 'You were the model of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty. 13You were in Eden, the garden of God; every precious stone adorned you: ruby, topaz and emerald, chrysolite, onyx and jasper, sapphire, turquoise and beryl. Your settings and mountings were made of gold; on the day you were created they were prepared. 14You were anointed as a guardian cherub, for so I ordained you. You were on the holy mount of God; you walked among the fiery stones. 15You were blameless in your ways from the day you were created till wickedness was found in you. 16Through your widespread trade you were filled with violence and you sinned. So I drove you in disgrace from the mount of God, and i expelled you, O guardian cherub, from among the fiery stones. 17Your heart became proud on account of your beauty, and you corrupted your wisdom because of your splendor. So I threw you to the earth; I made a spectacle of you before kings. 18By your many sins and dishonest trade you have desecrated your sanctuaries. So I made a fire come out from you, and it consumed you, and I reduced you to ashes on the ground in the sight of all who were watching. 19All the nations who knew you are appalled at you; you have come to a horrible end and will be no more.' "
20The work of the Lord came to me: "21Son of man, set your face against Sidon; prophesy against her 22and say: 'This is what the Sovereign Lord says: " 'I am against you, O Sidon, and i will gain glory within you. They will know that I an the Lord, when I inflict punishment on her and show myself holy within her. 23I will send a plague upon her and make blood flow in her streets. The slain will fall within her, with the sword against her on every side. Then they will know that I am the Lord. 24No longer will the people of Israel bave malicious neighbors who are painful briers and sharp thorns. Then they will know that I am the Sovereign Lord. 25This is what the Sovereign Lord says: When I gather the people of Israel from the nations where they have been scattered, I will show myself holy among them in the sight of the nations. Then they will live in their own land, which I gave to my servant Jacob. 26They will live there in safety and will build houses and plant vineyards; they will live in safety when I inflict punishment on all their neighbors who maligned them. Then they will know that I am the Lord their God.' "
James 3:13-16: "Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. 14But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. 15Such "wisdom" does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil. 16For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice."
*Sherman, Dean. Spiritual Warfare for Every Christian: How to Live in Victory and Retake the Land: YWAM Publishing, 1990.
