Friday, 3/29/19 – Tough Question

What does “Angel of Light” mean?

Scripture gives us some curious and cryptic glimpses into the origins of Satan, the enemy of all God’s people.

When Ezekiel prophesied a lament against the wicked king of Tyre he spoke beyond the physical king to address the sinister spirit which motivated him. This description is our clearest revelation of the history of Satan, or Lucifer, as he was named before being cast from Heaven…

You were the seal of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty. You were in Eden, the garden of God; every precious stone adorned you: carnelian, chrysolite and emerald, topaz, onyx and jasper, lapis lazuli, turquoise and beryl. Your settings and mountings were made of gold; on the day you were created they were prepared. You 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. You were blameless in your ways from the day you were created till wickedness was found in you. (Ezek. 28:12-15)

What a glorious, high-ranking creature this must have been! But then, Ezekiel continues, “Your heart became proud on account of your beauty, and you corrupted your wisdom because of your splendor. So I threw you to the earth…” (v.17)

“I saw Satan fall like lightning from Heaven,” echoed Jesus. (Luke 10:18), and in Revelation 12:3-9 we have a further description of this expulsion, adding that he took 1/3 of the angels with him.

Given this origin we learn the devil is well acquainted with beauty… with an alluring beauty intended to hide (“masquerade”) his wicked intent. See how he entices Eve right from the beginning. At that time the serpent must have been an erect, perhaps tail dancing creature, or possibly a hovering airborne entity, alluring indeed! It was only after God’s curse it became the squirmy ground crawler we know today, “You will crawl on your belly and you will eat dust all the days of your life.” (Gen. 3:14b)!

Jesus warned His disciples: “Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves” (Matt. 7:15).

Paul warned the believers in Corinth about those who taught of a way of salvation other than by trust in the sacrifice of Christ Jesus. He called them “false apostles”, “deceitful workers,” and said they were “masquerading as apostles of Christ.” That such people should look good on the outside but be filled with lies on the inside should be no surprise, Paul taught. “…for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light.” (see 2 Cor. 11:13-15)

He is the “fake news” of the gospel, the “spam mail” enticing you to sin, and the “cyber bully” attempting to erode your spirit. Jesus ‘cut to the chase’ in describing him: “He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.”

Truth is found only in Jesus. “I am… the truth…,” He said (John 14:6). If you want to dodge the devil’s deceptions you must grow ever more deeply in knowing Him Who is True.

Jesus likewise strictly warned,

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’” (Matt. 7:21-23)

How can you be free of mistakening masqueraded light for the True Light? “… know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (John 8:32).

“God is light; in him there is no darkness at all.” (1 John 1:5)

Press on…

Got a question? Use the Contact page and send It to me. We’ll search the Word for God’s answer.