The Beginning of Evil

Wow what a great start on our reading and discussion!


Billy Graham wrote a book called Angels that I used as a foundation to create a study about angels. The study is 22 questions that we want to know about angels. How does this fit into the discussion? The serpent in the garden was Satan. The term serpent and/or dragon is used throughout the Bible to refer to Satan. I don't know if it was Satan disguised as a serpent, or embodied in a serpent or exactly what physical form Eve saw.

The short version is: God create angels and mankind and they were both good. Because of God’s love He gave us free will, He didn’t create robots. Along with Michael, Satan (Lucifer) may have been one of the two archangels. Ezek. 28: 12 – 17 tells of Lucifer’s beauty. Isaiah 14: 11- 15 tells of Lucifer’s pride in desiring to be God. He led a rebellion against God, lost the battle and was thrown out of heaven. 1/3 of the angels joined him in this rebellion; Rev 12: 3 – 4. From that point on Satan’s goal has been to keep mankind from knowing and loving God.

The difference between angels and mankind is that, Satan sinned by his choice, his free will. No one else tempted him. His own pride caused him to sin. Mankind was tempted by Satan into sin. It did not come from within but was produced by the lies of Satan. But because of God's love for us He gave Jesus - the One who is above the angels and all created things - as a sacrifice for the sin of mankind. The Glorious creator was give for the humble creation and through Him we become joint heirs with Him in His heavenly home.

We live in both a physical and spiritual world. Angels (both good and bad) are part of that spiritual world. We have an impact on the spiritual world through our prayers, our obedience and our resistance to Satan. The spiritual world has an impact on our lives as the battle rages, but we do not need to fear. He who is for us is greater - much greater than he who is against us.

If you would like to see more details the study is posted at:
http://www.pamnoelstudio.com/Angels%20-%20expanded%20study.pdf
The above starts with Question 16.