Introduction: Understanding the Ancient Conflict
One of the greatest mistakes Christians make today is looking at world events as though they are merely political, economic, military, or social problems. We watch the evening news and see wars, violence, corruption, deception, moral confusion, religious division, and growing hostility toward God. Many people try to explain these things through politics, education, psychology, or economics. While those things certainly play a role, they do not tell the whole story.
The Bible reveals there is a deeper conflict taking place.
Behind every kingdom of man stands a spiritual battle.
Behind every false religion stands a spiritual battle.
Behind every attack upon God's truth stands a spiritual battle.
The Apostle Paul reminded believers:
"For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places." (Ephesians 6:12 KJV)
Notice Paul did not say we wrestle against Democrats or Republicans. He did not say we wrestle against nations, races, or political parties. He said our struggle is against spiritual forces.
Many Christians understand the story of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, but few stop to ask an important question. Where did the serpent come from?
Who was this being that appeared in the garden?
Why was he already in rebellion against God?
Why did he desire to destroy God's creation?
To answer those questions, we must go back before Adam.
We must look at the creation of Lucifer, the anointed cherub.
We must examine the pride that filled his heart.
We must consider his rebellion against God and his fall from glory.
Only then can we fully understand why the world is the way it is today.
Now I want to make something very clear at the beginning of this study.
There are truths clearly revealed in Scripture, and there are areas where sincere Bible students hold different views. Throughout this study we will examine what the Bible plainly teaches and also discuss some theories and possibilities that have been considered by Bible scholars through the years, including what is commonly called the Gap Theory.
I will do my best to distinguish between what Scripture clearly states and what is inferred from Scripture.
The purpose of this study is not to create controversy. The purpose is to better understand God's Word and the spiritual conflict that has existed from the beginning.
When we open the Bible, we discover that sin did not begin in the Garden of Eden.
Before Adam ever took his first breath, rebellion had already entered God's creation.
Before Eve listened to the serpent, the serpent himself had already rebelled.
Before mankind fell, another created being had already chosen pride over obedience.
Many Bible students believe this rebellion may help explain mysteries surrounding creation itself. While we must be careful not to go beyond Scripture, we should not be afraid to examine what God's Word reveals.
As I look at our world today, I see many of the same attitudes that led to Lucifer's fall.
Pride has replaced humility.
Self-rule has replaced submission to God.
Truth has been exchanged for deception.
Men seek to become their own gods, deciding for themselves what is right and wrong.
The spirit that motivated Lucifer's rebellion is still alive in our world today.
That is why understanding this ancient conflict is so important.
The battle is not merely between nations.
It is not merely between political ideologies.
It is not merely between religions.
At its heart, the conflict is between the Kingdom of God and the kingdom of darkness.
The Bible is the story of that conflict.
It begins with a perfect creation.
It continues with a great rebellion.
It unfolds through the fall of mankind.
It reaches its climax at Calvary.
And it concludes with the final victory of Jesus Christ and the restoration of all things.
As we begin this journey together, we will start where every good Bible study should begin—with God.
Before there was a devil.
Before there was an angel.
Before there was an earth.
Before there was a universe.
There was God.
The first words of Scripture remind us of that eternal truth:
"In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth." (Genesis 1:1 KJV)
Everything else begins there.
In the next chapter, we will examine the greatness of God before creation and explore the heavenly realm before the first rebellion ever occurred.
May the Lord give us wisdom, discernment, and a greater understanding of His Word as we study together.
