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This
Scripture speaks of the "anointed Cherub" that had been in the "Eden
of God" and was "perfect in thy ways" from the time he was created
until "iniquity was found in thee," etc., and the proponents of the
doctrine that the devil was one time a bright angel in heaven apply
this to the devil himself. But a little closer look at these verses
will prove clearly that such could not be a proper interpretation.
The subject under discussion in these verses is introduced in verse
12. "Son of man, take up a lamentation upon the king of Tyros, etc."
Here is a reference to the king of Tyros. The king of Tyros was,
without question, a man and not a spirit such as the devil is. He
was a very considerable and accomplished man above other men or
kings. The courts of Tyre, with its kings, had for a long time been
famous. There is nothing here to even indicate this might or even
could mean Satan.
It is said in verse 13, "Thou hast been in the Eden of God." Eden
stands as a symbol of the paradise of God where man had everything
that was good and was master of it all and had dominion over all.
But that position was given to man by God. So was the position, good
situation and dominion of the king of Tyrus given him by God because
God's Word says that He gives the kingdoms of men to whomsoever He
will. Daniel 4:17.
Verse 14 says, "Thou art the anointed cherub that covereth," etc.
After God had deposed man from his dominion in the garden of Eden,
He placed a cherubim at the gate to guard it lest man should return
and eat of the tree of life and live forever, etc. Gen. 3:22-24.
This cherub stands as a symbol of guardianship or protector of
sacred and precious things. God put him there for that purpose. This
should be the real duty of anointed kings and when they observe this
rule strictly God blesses and owns them. The advancement and
position of kings and rulers is from God. He said, "I have set thee
so." Verse 14.
Verse 15 says, "Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou
wast created, till iniquity was found in thee." The day of his
creation would be the day he was created or made or set up or
anointed as king and ascended the throne. Note it is not just the
man as such but the man as "king of Tyrus" that is under
consideration here. Hence, his creation as referred to would not be
when he was created as a man but when he was created or anointed or
set up as "king of Tyrus."
At the time God set him over this kingdom he prospered in all his
ways and all went well with him until iniquity was found in him.
That is, he became lifted up in his heart with pride and this sin
that was the downfall of our fore-parents in Eden (pride) proved to
be his overthrow.
This is made plain in verse 17 which says, "Thine heart was lifted
up because of thy beauty, thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason
of thy brightness. . ." His heart was lifted up against God because
of pride on account of his very great position, so God decreed his
overthrow just as He did in the case of Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon
and others. His wisdom was corrupted by reason of his brightness.
That is, he was such a bright luminary among men and in the
political or governmental world that he became really a fool in
glorying and thus his wisdom that brought him to this position was
corrupted.
As for the devil or Satan having ever been a good or upright person,
I say he surely was not. In 1 John 3:8 the apostle declares without
reservation that "He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the
devil sinneth from the beginning." And in John 8:44 Jesus said, "Ye
are of your father, the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will
do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the
truth, because there is no truth in him."
Both of these Scriptures refer to what the devil was in the
beginning. One said he sinned from the beginning and the other said
he was a murderer from the beginning. If one wants to go on back of
the beginning where the sacred record begins and speculate on what
might have been there before the beginning I do not consider it safe
nor profitable to do so.
The divinely inspired sacred record going all the way back to the
beginning says he was a sinner and a murderer then and abode not in
the truth. Some may object at this point that he was in the truth at
one time but did not abide in the truth. But the other statements of
this verse in connection with this statement rather carries out the
thought that he never did abide in the truth-was never in the truth
at all. |
