Satan/Lucifer

Lucifer was the covering cherub during his time in heaven. This was the highest position an angel could have; he was next to Christ in heaven. He led the heavenly choir in song and praise to God. He would raise the first note then all the angelic host would follow in praising the Lord. The Spirit of Prophecy writes, “Lucifer in heaven, before his rebellion, was a high and exalted angel, next in honour to God’s dear Son. His countenance, like those of the other angels, was mild and expressive of happiness. His forehead was high and broad, showing a powerful intellect. His form was perfect; his bearing noble and majestic. A special light beamed in his countenance and shone around him brighter and more beautiful than around the other angels; yet Christ, God’s dear Son, had the pre-eminence over all the angelic host. He was one with the Father before the angels were created. Lucifer was envious of Christ, and gradually assumed command which devolved on Christ alone.” –The Story of Redemption, p. 13

How was sin created? No one knows, not even God. All we know is that it started with one angel, Lucifer. It started with jealousy. Lucifer wanted to be included when God the Father, Jesus and the Holy Spirit would commune together, alone. Lucifer felt that as the covering cherub he should be included in these all-important meetings. Lucifer became jealous and envious of Jesus and all of His power.

Sister White writes that, “Lucifer was envious and jealous of Jesus Christ. Yet when all the angels bowed to Jesus to acknowledge His supremacy and high authority and rightful rule, he bowed with them; but his heart was filled with envy and hatred. Christ had been taken into the special counsel of God in regard to His plans, while Lucifer was unacquainted with them. He did not understand, neither was he permitted to know, the purposes of God. But Christ was acknowledged sovereign of heaven, His power and authority to be the same as that of God Himself. Lucifer thought that he was himself a favourite in heaven among the angels. He had been highly exalted, but this did not call forth from him gratitude and praise to his Creator. He aspired to the height of God Himself. He gloried in his loftiness. He knew that he was honoured by the angels. He had a special mission to execute. He had been near the great Creator, and the ceaseless beams of glorious light enshrouding the eternal God had shone especially upon him. He thought how angels had obeyed his command with pleasurable alacrity. Were not his garments light and beautiful? Why should Christ thus be honoured before himself?” –The Story of Redemption, p. 14

Lucifer began to rally angels to his cause. Nearly one half of the angels went to his side. Thus Lucifer’s name was changed to Satan which means “the adversary.” Then there was a war in heaven. It was the highest crime to rebel against the government of God. It ended with Satan and his followers being cast out from the paradise they called home. Now in despair Satan saw what he had drawn himself and the other angels into. They would never again be allowed to live in heaven with all the other angels.

Satan and his angels watched as God created the Earth. Satan thought of a plan that was sure to bring Adam and Eve into sin. He thought that if the first beings on Earth were to fall into sin then God wouldn’t punish him and his followers for their wrong doings. He and his angels could unite with Adam and Eve, for when once they should transgress the law of God they would be subjects of God’s wrath, like themselves. Their transgression would place them, also, in a state of rebellion, and they could unite with Adam and Eve, take possession of Eden, and hold it as their home. And if they could gain access to the tree of life in the midst of the garden, their strength would, they thought, be equal to that of the holy angels, and even God Himself could not expel them. He also felt that they should partake of his misery in sin. Thus Satan tempted our first parents and the human race fell into sin. But God had a plan of redemption in case any beings fell into sin. His own dear Son would take all the sins upon His back and die.

In heaven we will all have our name changed, just like Satan, but instead of it being changed because of our sins, they will be changed because we have overcome sin. So it is my wish and prayer that we may realize that God loves everyone and that we may be forgiven of all our sins which will happen only if we realize that our sins were the ones that put Jesus on the cross. Amen.

Michael Cyrus Newby

Haman

In Haman’s life he had done many bad things, but the worst was plotting to kill all of God’s people in one day. Let me tell you the whole story. It started when Esther, the Israelite became the new queen of Medo-Persia. Then king Xerxes made Haman the new prime minister. There was a law that everyone must bow down to him when he passed by. Mordecai the Jew did not obey that law.  Haman got angry and went to the king to make a law that all the Jews would be killed on the 13th day of the 12th month. But Haman did not tell the king EXACTLY that. Let us read in Esther 3:8, 10. It says “And Haman said to King Ahasuerus, There is a certain people scattered abroad and dispersed among the people in all the provinces of thy kingdom; and their laws are diverse from all people; neither keep they the king’s laws: therefore it is not for the king’s profit to suffer them. And the king took his ring from his hand, and gave it unto Haman son of Hammedatha the Agagite, the Jews’ enemy.”

The king did not know that one of these people was his gatekeeper and his queen. Mordecai told Queen Esther she was made queen for a purpose—to save her people from destruction. She knew what to do. She went to the king and asked him and Haman to come and have a banquet. The king came with Haman to her apartment. The king asked what she wanted. Esther said to come tomorrow and she would tell him tomorrow at another banquet. Haman came home after the banquet and was overjoyed. He told Zeresh his wife about it, but he was still angry about Mordecai. So his wife suggested he make a gallows and to ask the king to hang Mordecai. He made the gallows 86 feet high. Then he went to the banquet. The king asked Esther what she wanted. She asked for him to spare the life of her and her people. The king was shocked. He did not know who would want to do this. Esther said it was Haman. The king was furious. He called his chamberlains and guards to arrest Haman. They did not know where to put him. Then one suggested the gallows he had made for Mordecai. So the king said to put him there. Let us pray that we do not become like Haman—envious and full of hatred. This is my wish and prayer. Amen.

Stephen Newby

Delilah

Delilah was a Philistine woman who fell in love with a man named Samson from God’s church.  Samson knew he was not supposed to marry a Philistine woman.

One day, Delilah saw Samson and asked him what was the secret of his strength.  Samson told her, “If you bind me with seven wet ropes then I will be weak,” so Delilah put seven wet ropes around him, then she woke Samson up. He ripped off the seven wet ropes and Delilah asked, “Why did you lie to me?”

The next time Delilah asked him and he said, “If you bind me with new ropes I will be weak as other men.” Then she woke Samson and he broke them also. He then told her, “if you bind my seven locks of hair I would lose my strength;” this did not work either.

Delilah was a wicked, world-loving woman who loved money and her church religion. Samson was blinded by his love for her and did not want to face the truth about her wickedness. Samson disobeyed God and obeyed Delilah when God told him never to tell the secret of his strength to anyone.

Satan brings people who cause us to do the wrong things. These people can be our family, friends or those whom we like.

It is my wish and prayer that we will obey God, no matter what.

AMEN

Sarah Newby