Key Scriptures
"How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning!" (Isaiah 14:12 KJV)
"Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty." (Ezekiel 28:17 KJV)
There are moments in history that change everything.
The attack on Pearl Harbor changed a nation.
The signing of the Declaration of Independence changed a nation.
The crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ changed the eternal destiny of mankind.
But long before Adam walked in Eden and long before sin entered the human race, another event occurred that changed the course of creation.
It happened in heaven.
It happened in the heart of Lucifer.
As we saw in our last chapter, Lucifer was not created as the devil. He was created perfect. He was full of wisdom and perfect in beauty. He was the anointed cherub that covered. He occupied a position of honor and authority among the heavenly host.
Yet despite all that God had given him, something began to grow in his heart.
It was not murder.
It was not theft.
It was not adultery.
It was pride.
The first sin in God's creation was pride.
Before there was a serpent in the garden, there was pride in heaven.
Before there was rebellion on earth, there was rebellion in heaven.
Before Adam ever said "yes" to temptation, Lucifer had already said "no" to God's authority.
The Sin That Changed Heaven
Ezekiel tells us:
"Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty."
Notice where the problem began.
It did not begin in his hands.
It did not begin in his actions.
It began in his heart.
Lucifer began looking at himself instead of looking at God.
He began admiring the gifts instead of the Giver.
He began focusing on his beauty, his wisdom, his position, and his authority.
The very blessings God had given him became the source of his downfall.
I have seen this happen many times in life.
A young preacher starts out humble and dependent upon God. Then God blesses his ministry. The church grows. People praise his sermons. Before long, he begins believing his own press clippings.
A singer starts out singing for the glory of God. Then people begin complimenting their voice. Applause becomes more important than worship.
A church experiences God's blessing and begins to think its success comes from its programs rather than God's presence.
The danger is not the blessing.
The danger is forgetting where the blessing came from.
Lucifer forgot.
The Five "I Wills"
Isaiah gives us a glimpse into Lucifer's heart.
Five times he says:
"I will ascend into heaven."
"I will exalt my throne above the stars of God."
"I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation."
"I will ascend above the heights of the clouds."
"I will be like the most High." (Isaiah 14:13-14)
Notice something important.
The focus is no longer upon God.
The focus is now upon self.
Five times Lucifer says, "I will."
Pride always begins with self.
My will.
My plans.
My desires.
My way.
Lucifer's problem was not that he wanted to serve God better.
His problem was that he wanted God's position.
He was no longer content to be a servant.
He wanted the throne.
He wanted the worship.
He wanted the glory that belongs only to God.
Every sin contains a measure of that same attitude.
Whenever we reject God's authority and choose our own way, we are repeating Lucifer's rebellion.
The First Coup in History
If we were to describe Lucifer's actions in modern terms, we might call it a coup.
He attempted to overthrow the rightful King.
Can you imagine such madness?
A created being attempting to seize the throne of the Creator.
The finite challenging the Infinite.
The servant challenging the Master.
The creature challenging the Creator.
Yet pride has a way of blinding us.
Pride convinces a person they know better than God.
Pride convinces a person they deserve more than God has given them.
Pride convinces a person they can succeed without God.
The same pride that deceived Lucifer still deceives people today.
The Fall of Lucifer
The rebellion did not succeed.
Isaiah records God's response:
"Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit." (Isaiah 14:15)
Lucifer aimed for the throne.
Instead, he fell.
He sought exaltation.
Instead, he received judgment.
He sought glory.
Instead, he received disgrace.
The higher a person climbs in pride, the farther they fall.
The Bible repeatedly warns:
"Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall." (Proverbs 16:18)
Lucifer became the first example of that truth.
His story stands as an eternal warning to every generation.
Pride Still Destroys
Some people read about Lucifer's fall and think this has little to do with their daily lives.
Nothing could be further from the truth.
The same sin that brought down Lucifer is still destroying lives today.
Every church split usually has pride somewhere at its root.
Someone refuses to forgive.
Someone refuses to yield.
Someone insists on getting their own way.
Every broken marriage often has pride at its center.
One spouse refuses to admit they are wrong.
The other refuses to forgive.
Both become more concerned about winning the argument than saving the relationship.
Every rebellion against authority can usually be traced back to pride.
Nations rise in pride.
Leaders rise in pride.
Churches rise in pride.
Individuals rise in pride.
And eventually pride brings them down.
I have never met a person who destroyed their life while walking humbly with God.
But I have known many who ruined their lives because they thought they knew better than God.
A Lesson From the Barnyard
Years ago, I watched two young roosters in a barnyard.
One rooster was content to peck around the yard and mind his own business.
The other strutted around as if he owned the farm.
He puffed out his chest.
He crowed louder than the others.
He chased every rooster that came near him.
One day he picked a fight with a rooster much bigger than himself.
By the time it was over, he was missing feathers and hiding behind the barn.
As I watched that foolish bird, I thought about how many people act the same way.
Pride puffs us up.
Humility keeps us grounded.
God can use a humble servant.
But He resists the proud.
The Path Back to God
The opposite of pride is humility.
Lucifer said:
"I will."
Jesus said:
"Not my will, but thine, be done." (Luke 22:42)
Lucifer sought to exalt himself.
Jesus humbled Himself.
Lucifer wanted a throne.
Jesus accepted a cross.
Lucifer was cast down.
Jesus was exalted.
That is why Christ is our example.
The road to destruction begins with pride.
The road to blessing begins with humility.
James reminds us:
"God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble." (James 4:6)
Notice that word grace.
This study is called The Fall From Grace.
Lucifer fell from a position of favor because pride filled his heart.
Adam would later fall because of disobedience.
Yet God's grace is available to all who humble themselves before Him.
Final Thoughts
The first sin was not committed in a garden.
The first sin was committed in a heart.
It was the moment a created being looked at himself and desired what belonged only to God.
Pride turned an anointed cherub into the devil.
Pride turned worship into rebellion.
Pride turned heaven's most beautiful creature into God's greatest enemy.
And if we are not careful, pride can still destroy our homes, our churches, and our walk with God.
May we learn from Lucifer's fall.
May we remember that every blessing comes from God.
May we walk humbly before the Lord.
And may we never allow "I will" to become more important than "Thy will be done."
In our next chapter, we will examine the great rebellion itself and the war that followed in heaven as Lucifer sought to challenge the authority of God.
No comments:
Post a Comment