The King of Tyre (and the King of Babylon)

DAY 61
Ezekiel 23:20 - 35:15

Focus Passges
Ezekiel 28:11-19 and Isaiah 14:12-17
(Illustration of the Devil provided for Paradise Lost by Gustave Dore)

The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis
"There are two equal and opposite errors into which our race can fall about the devil. One is to disbelieve in their existence. The other is to believe, and to feel an excessive and unhealthy interest in them."

As a result, we tread lightly on this subject with God's direction and protection.

The Hebrew word for Satan comes from a verb that means adversary, which is one of the ways he is portrayed. The most common Greek word is diabolos which means devil, adversary, or accuser. He is referred to as the tempter (Matt 4:3), Beelzebub (Mark 3:22), enemy (Matt 13:39), evil one (1 John 2:13), adversary (1 Peter 5:8), deceiver (Rev 12:9), great dragon (Rev 12:3), and father of lies (John 8:44). (Christian Theology, Millard Erickson)

On purpose, God chose to reveal only a little information concerning Satan, or the devil, and the fallen angels in the Bible. So far in our reading he has appeared in the Garden of Eden as the serpent and in the book of Job in the presence of God. Although not all theologians agree, a considerable number believe that the King of Tyre in Ezekiel 28:11-19 and the King of Babylon in Isaiah 14:12-17 are references to Satan.

From these two passages we might infer that Satan was created perfect in beauty and wisdom, in the garden of Eden, adorned with precious stones, a guardian cherub angel, walked in God's presence, and blameless from the day he was created. We know that his beauty and wisdom were his downfall. That he was consumed with pride and wanted to take the place of the Most High God. And because of that he and his followers were cast out of heaven.

Satan's fall and mankind's fall aren't much different. They are both the result of pride. Adam and Eve believed that their wisdom was better than God's wisdom. They essentially tried to take God's place by making decisions that were against His will. They two were cast out of God's presence and away from Eden.

And so the same result happens with each person. We in essence believe that we can make decisions better that God. We allow our pride to consume us and attempt to take the throne... at least in our own lives. The sin of pride is the foundation of all other sins. And each of us are cast out of God's presence because of it.

But as we seen through scripture, God created a plan to allow us back in His presence. That while we were still His enemies, He sent His Son to die on a cross for our pride and sin. That whosoever believes in Him would not perish, but have eternal life. That by faith his blood is applied to a believer's life. And the Holy Spirit writes the will of God on our hearts and minds so that we are able to follow Him.

May we take a lesson from the King of Tyre, the King of Babylon. Pride is the fall, God through His Son is the answer and deliverer.