Saturday, August 02, 2008

Planet in Rebellion

PLANET IN REBELLION !

Destruction's Fountainhead

Down through the years millions have cried out, "If God is a God of Love--why all this cruel suffering?"

And God looking down responds: "An enemy hath done this!" Matthew 13:28

Lucifer the most privileged of God's angels rebelled against God in heaven - before our planet was even created! He had a special place near the throne, but it was not enough. He wanted to be GOD!

God did everything He could to reconcile him but he hardened his heart and became Satan, the Adversary! He used lies and insinuations to influence many to join him in rebellion.

The loyal angels and the Son of God plead with Satan to turn from his evil course before it was too late! But he hardened his heart and finally declared WAR in heaven! He and his rebel host were cast out!

And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels,
8 And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven.
9 And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. Revelation 12:7

Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time. Revelation 12:12

God knew where the ideas of Satan would lead - But for the sake of His created ones - he allowed him to try and work out his plans.

If God had just un-created him on the spot, God's subjects would have served Him out of fear. FEAR is Satan's form of government! It has no place in God's universe.

When Man was created he was warned about the rebel leader and Satan was only allowed to tempt Adam and Eve at the one tree in the whole world they were told to leave alone!

The "TREE OF THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOOD AND EVIL"

Well the sad story is that Eve fell into disobedience and Adam followed her suggestion. Man had chosen to join the rebellion that began in heaven against the just and Holy Law of God

They had to leave EDEN. Before they had had all the GOOD- now indeed they had the EVIL as well. They had sold out to the enemy. They lost their holy robes of light.

But there was hope! As soon as there was sin-

There was a Savior!

Their own Creator, the Son of God, stepped in to pay the price so man could have a second chance to be loyal to God and thus someday be returned to fellowship with the unfallen universe and the Holy angels and above all - with their Creator!

He would come to earth as a human, laying aside His own divine power he would live dependent on His Father's power by faith as man must do if he is to overcome.

He would live a sinless and obedient life through the power of the Father - and then He would pay the terrible price of sin. Experiencing the worse that Satan could throw at Him, He would stay true to His Father's Law !

In Gethsemane His humanity shrank from the terrible ordeal and He pleaded for the cup to be withdrawn - but as He saw there was no other way to save you and I from the claws of the merciless master we had chosen, he agreed to pay the cost - even if He died for eternity!

Finally He experienced the 2nd death - the one that will finally be the lot of the wicked who reject all God's efforts to save them. While on the cross, His humanity could not see beyond the darkness of separation from His Heavenly Father - eternal separation loomed before Him as it will for those who are finally lost.

His heart was broken by the hiding of the Father's face but He clung by FAITH to His Father's promises and with a great cry of triumph "IT IS FINISHED" He bowed His dear head and died.

Satan was unmasked before the universe as the cruel tyrant that he really is!