War in Heaven
What would reformation of God’s government entail?
(Gen. 2:16-17; 3:15; Isa. 14:12-14; Eze. 28:12-15; John 8:44; Rev. 12:7-9) Blog Mar. 31 – Apr. 6, 2024
Prepared by Richard A. Marin: <PresentTruthLRI@gmail.com>
INTRODUCTION: Our world is in chaos. Was it always this way? If not, what happened? This quarter we will search the Scriptures for answers to these questions.
War in Heaven
1. What does the Bible tell us about persons who existed before the creation of this earth? Holy Scripture makes clear that God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit, Lucifer, & angels all existed before the creation of this world (Gen. 1:1-3; Job 38:6-7; Prov. 8:1, 22-23; Eze. 28:14-15; John 1:1-2; 17:5).
2. What does the Bible tell us about events before the creation of this earth? Genesis tells us that the earth was without form & empty. Ezequiel tells us that heaven’s brightest angel led a rebellion in heaven & Revelation tells us that war followed & Lucifer, together with 1/3 of heaven’s angels, was cast down to this empty earth (Gen. 1:2; Eze. 28:11-16; Rev. 12:3-9).
3. For God to permit his creatures to start or join a rebellion what ability must God have created in them? God must have created his creatures with the ability to love: the freedom to serve him or to rebel (Gen. 2:15-17; 1 Kings 18:21; Josh. 24:15; Rev. 22:17).
4. What was Lucifer trying to accomplish in his rebellion? Lucifer desired to reform God’s government & place himself at its head (just like “the man of sin” does) (Isa. 14:13-14; Dan. 7:25; 2 Thes. 2:4).
5. What would reformation of God’s government entail? Reformation of God’s government would involve a change in God’s Law of love, for that is the basis of his government (Psa. 19:7-8; John 8:44; Eph. 2:3).
6. Why didn’t God destroy Lucifer immediately before taking his rebellion to this earth? For the universe to understand the nature & results of Lucifer’s rebellion it was necessary for God to allow it to fully demonstrate its principles so that rebellion would never arise again (Nah. 1:9; Matt. 7:17-20; Rom. 2:4).
7. How did God respond to Lucifer’s rebellion? By observing God’s dealing with Cain, we know that God spoke to Lucifer about his defection, that he warned him of where it would lead, & that he told him the remedy (Gen. 4:5-7; Deut. 32:4; Psa. 145:17).
8. When other methods failed to dissuade Lucifer, what course was God forced to take? When Lucifer decided to control heaven by force, God, in the Person of his Son was forced to fight against Lucifer and the angels that sided with him (Eze. 28:16; Rev. 12:7-9).
War on Earth
9. Of what did God warn Adam and Eve on the day they were created? God warned them of a tree whose fruit they should not eat, for if they did, they would experience not only good but evil, for Lucifer had access to that tree (Gen. 2:16-17; 3:1-3).
10. According to Jesus, what two weapons does Satan use which are unavailable to God? Satan uses falsehood & force to accomplish his goals, while these are foreign to God (Gen. 3:4; John 8:44).
11. How did Lucifer’s rebellion take root on this earth? When Adam, the federal head of humanity, ate the forbidden fruit, rebellion became a part of the human existence (Gen. 3:6; Psa. 58:3; Rom. 5:12-14).
12. What became Satan’s special object of attack after hearing God’s curse on him in Eden? Lucifer’s special object of attack became “the seed of the woman” from Abel’s day until Christ’s day (Gen. 3:15; 2 Kings 11:1-3; Matt. 2:13-16; Rev. 12:4).
13. According to Galatians, who was the promised “seed of the woman”? Jesus was the promised “Seed of the woman” (Gal. 3:16).
14. How did Jesus undue the curse of death on humanity? Jesus bore the sins of humanity on the cross & experienced the second death in the place of every human being (2 Cor. 5:21; Heb. 2:9; 1 Pet. 2:24).
15. How did Jesus’ life and death prove that Lucifer’s accusations against God’s government were false? By his perfect life Jesus proved that man, as created, could perfectly fulfill God’s Law & by his death Jesus proved that God’s Law could not be changed & that God was a God of unlimited love for he took humanity’s punishment upon himself (Isa. 53:4-6; Matt. 16:21; John 8:29; Heb. 9:22).
16. Why did Jesus have to die? God’s government required death for transgression, so if humanity was to be rescued there must be death in behalf of every sinner (only infinite God could do this for all the fallen) otherwise humanity would bare their own punishment & be forever lost (Psa. 49:7; Hos. 13:14; Rom. 6:23; 1 Tim. 2:6).
17. To whom did Jesus pay the ransom for humanity? Jesus paid humanity’s ransom to the government of God: to God himself, that his government might be maintained while saving humanity (Psa. 49:7-8; Matt. 5:17; 2 Cor. 5:21; Heb. 9:22; 1 Tim. 2:6; Rev. 5:6).
A Future Hope
18. Since Jesus paid the ransom for every human being, will every human being be saved? No, for we are all born captives of Satan & unless we accept the purchased ransom, we will remain his subjects (destined for destruction) (Psa. 51:5; 58:3; John 3:36; 5:40; 20:31; Rom. 5:17)
19. Will everyone who accepts Jesus as their personal Savior be saved? No, only those who endure in faith unto the end will be saved, for salvation is the end of our faith, not its beginning when we first believe (Eze. 33:13; Matt. 24:13; John 15:6; Heb. 3:6; 1 Pet. 1:9).20. What help do believers in Jesus have in maintaining their faith unto the end? Believers have the indwelling Holy Spirit as a helper on earth, Jesus as their intercessor before the Father in heaven, & a Loving God who so loves us that he sacrificed heaven’s greatest treasure for our salvation. Besides these three persons believers have apostles, pastors, teachers, & fellow saints to encourage them to remain faithful (Luke 10:19; John 3:16; 14:16-17; Rom. 8:11, 26-34; Eph. 4:11-14; Heb. 4:14-16; 10:23-25).