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Ezekiel 28
Satan is not who you think he is: there is no devil in the Old Testament
Forgetting God: the sanctity of simplicity
Christian fictions
Christians like to make things up.
For instance:
o We don’t want to live for others so we reinterpret passages like giving our only
cloak and turning the other cheek. That can’t be it, that so un-American. So we
make up ways to lighten it.
o We don’t want to actually attend church faithfully so we make up things like “we
live under grace, not under the law” and then we assume that somehow lets us off
the hook.
o We like having a book that is perfect and somewhat magical so we make up
things like autographas and completely ignore textual transmission and author
redactor problems. (That’s my own pet peeve, please ignore)
How about this one? We are so entrenched in our democratic, dualistic world that we make up
ideas about an angelic opponent of God who was cast out of heaven.
You know this story don’t you? It’s the origin of Satan story that every good Christian has heard
all of his life.
I take my version here from confidentchristian.com, a perfectly fine Christian site.
“God created Lucifer, now known as Satan, as one of the three top angels in Heaven.
Lucifer had responsibility for the angels assigned to worship, while Michael leads the
warrior angels who oppose evil and unrighteousness, and Gabriel guides the angels
assigned to bring God’s messages to people.
As part of his creation, God gave angels a certain amount of free will. They didn’t get as
much freedom as the humans God created, but they got some.
It’s not news that letting people–and angels–make their own decisions means some
dreadful decisions get made. And so it was with Lucifer. His position went to his head.
As he led his angels in worshiping God, Lucifer decided some of that worship should be
coming his way. As he saw it, he was as good as God and deserved equal honor. In fact,
he decided, he should be God.
That decision cost Lucifer everything.
Now, cut to the idyllic Garden of Eden, paradise on earth and God’s gift to Adam and
Eve. The Garden included every possible delight–without the need for hard work to
maintain it. And God walked with Adam and Eve each evening.
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Adam and Eve had only one restriction: They couldn’t eat the fruit from a single tree in
the middle of the Garden. Since they were surrounded by miles and miles of trees and
plants bearing every imaginable delicacy, it wasn’t a burdensome limitation.
One day, as Adam and Eve eyed the forbidden tree with interest, Lucifer, now Satan,
showed up. Eternally angry at his loss of position–for no good reason, as far as he could
see–Satan embarked on his lifetime quest: Turning people against God.
Whenever you deal with temptation, you realize Satan is a smoothy. And shrewd. He
makes disobeying God and doing the wrong thing seem logical, even attractive–not to
mention wise, clever and sophisticated. That last one gets to a lot of people.
Appearing as a beautiful angel of light, Satan engaged Eve in a conversation. He
persuaded her that eating the forbidden fruit would be a good thing. It would, Satan
purred, give her all knowledge and make her like God. How could it possibly be wrong to
be as wonderful and as wise as God? Satan neglected to mention the fearsome price he’d
paid for that idea.
Convinced, Eve bit into the fruit, then told Adam to eat it, too.”
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Did Lucifer get kicked out of heaven over pride?
Okay, I think you get the idea.
Satan used to be Lucifer and his pride meant that he and a third of the angels were kicked out of
heaven to roam the earth and make life miserable for us down here.
It’s all about pride. If Satan hadn’t been proud, where might we be now?
Except, these stories aren’t in the Bible. They are later explanations taken from various myths
and applied to the Biblical story line to try to come up with an answer that might make sense.
Is Satan (the devil) ever mentioned in the Old Testament?
In fact, let me go a step further and attempt to blow your mind.
Satan, as an evil personality opposed to God, does not exist anywhere in the whole Bible.
I know you don’t believe me. Go ahead, pull out your Strongs Concordance and look up the
word Satan. . . . . The Precept people are already done and their NASB is filled with little red
pitchforks on the 27 verses that have the word Satan.
And they already know that of those 27, because they looked it up in the Strongs numbers, only
ten of those have only the word Satan as opposed to “the Satan.” Seventeen verses (at least) refer
to an adversary, not an angelic presence in a battle for the throne of God. Of the ten that are left,
seven refer to specific people that are named and they are obviously adversaries of some sort.
Two refer to the Angel of the Lord – that’s a bit scary if this is the Satan guy we all love to hate.
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The only one that differs is found in 1 Chronicles 21:1. It is the only one that might refer to
Satan, bad guy opposed to Jesus, God, and all things good. It says that Satan tempted David to
take a census. The problem is that the parallel passage in 2 Samuel 24:1-25 says that Yahweh
provoked the census.
So it is either 1) a contradiction in the Bible, 2) Yahweh and Satan are the same or 3) perhaps
this isn’t Satan as you normally think of him.
Besides, in this same passage it mentions the Angel is there “with a sword drawn in his hand.”
This phrasing occurs three other times in Hebrew. Twice it refers to the Angel of Yahweh and
once the Satan.
Quite simply this is not the horned, pitchforked bad guy that gives Jesus trouble later.
My goal this morning is several fold
1. I want to teach you a proper biblical understanding of “the Satan.” Highly academic and
super cool.
2. I want to look closely at Ezekiel 28 where one of our prime “Satan” passages appears
3. I want to briefly consider how pride controls us.
4. I want to remind you again of the King who reigns even now and is in the process of
conquering our pride and having his will done on earth as it is in heaven.
Next week I want to strengthen my argument by looking at a few other verses about the Satan
and then again look at pride and humility.
So, where to start today?
Don’t you love it when pastors ask stupid questions? I wonder where I will begin? Like we don’t
know full well where we are going to begin. The manuscript is right in front of us. Steve Austin
has done the power point—it’s pretty much set unless the Holy Spirit rocks all of our worlds.
Remembering Ezekiel
Let me start by reminding us of where we have been and looking at Ezekiel 28.
Recall that Ezekiel is a prophet, exiled in a foreign land who must give the word of God to the
exiles. He has seen some pretty cool things and has dramatized so many messages to the people
and now he is smack dab in the middle of a long diatribe against the nations.
Now remember he spent more than half of the book bemoaning the people of God. They weren’t
cutting it. In fact, he even goes so far as to say that God’s people are worse than “not-God’s
people.” It’s bad and the destruction is upon them. Then he side tracks for a little while into
several chapters about how God’s creation forgets God. Seven ways I pulled out from these 20 or
so chapters.
They forget the sanctity of the soul, of life, of peace at all costs to protect life
They forget that their sexuality is sacred to God
They forget that Sabbath is essential and rest is holy
They forget to serve others in their thinking only about their own election
They forget that they are to be stewards, giving sacrificially of what they have
They forget to be single minded, and instead turn to idols
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And today,
They forget to be simple and lowly, but instead exalt themselves above everything, even
God.
That’s how we understand the “origin” of Satan, isn’t it? Wanting to exalt himself above God.
And where do we get this idea?
Ezekiel 28 as a springboard
Everyone knows that the story of Satan comes from Isaiah 14 (where we read about Lucifer) and
here in Ezekiel 28. Let me just skip quickly through Ezekiel to remind you of why this is
obviously about Satan and his fall from heaven
Verses that “prove” Ezekiel 28 is about Satan
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'Thus says the Lord God, "Because your heart is lifted up And you have said, 'I am a
god, I sit in the seat of gods, In the heart of the seas';
...
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'Will you still say, "I am a god," . . .
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'Because you have made your heart Like the heart of God, . . .
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'Thus says the Lord God, "You had the seal of perfection, Full of wisdom and perfect in
beauty.
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"You were in Eden, the garden of God; . . .
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"You were the anointed cherub who covers, And I placed you there.
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"You were blameless in your ways From the day you were created, Until
unrighteousness was found in you.
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"By the abundance of your trade You were internally filled with violence, And you
sinned; Therefore I have cast you as profane From the mountain of God. And I have
destroyed you, O covering cherub, From the midst of the stones of fire.
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"Your heart was lifted up because of your beauty; You corrupted your wisdom by
reason of your splendor. I cast you to the ground;
So here it is in black and white.
Scholars that prove Ezekiel 28 is about Satan
Website after website agree. Read Lewis Sperry Chafer, Dwight Pentecost, Hal Lindsey, Michael
Green and so many others.
One website (sadly) says that this must refer to Satan since he was in Eden, on the Mountain of
God. Then in an attempt to prove it, the author says “Before his fall, Satan was indeed a beautiful
creature.” 1
Then he cites Ezekiel 28:12-13. You can’t cite the passage to prove your pre understanding of
the passage.
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http://www.gotquestions.org/King-of-Tyre.html#ixzz2ZL58BpDa
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There is nothing here that mentions Satan. Quite literally, the word Satan doesn’t even show up
here. In fact, it tells us what it’s talking about in the first couple of verses:
NAS
Ezekiel 28:1 The word of the LORD came again to me saying,
"Son of man, say to the leader of Tyre, 'Thus says the Lord God, "Because your heart is
lifted up And you have said, 'I am a god, I sit in the seat of gods, . . .
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It’s the ngd of Tyre, Prince or leader. Considering the context, most definitely the king.2
He is referred to as super wise (3), super rich (vs 4), super trader (vs 5) and super arrogant (vs 5
and 6—his heart is lifted up, his heart is being made like the heart of God).
Signet rings, precious stones, Eden, God’s mountain and stones aflame
Verses 7-10 mention the destruction that will happen because this king of Tyre is making himself
out to be God.
Then a new section starts, probably originally two different pieces put together here. Again,
verse 11 makes clear it is against the king of Tyre.
Verse 12 says how beautiful he was and that he was a signet ring of God. Zerubabel is called a
signet as is Zedekiah, but both of these are Hebrew kings. This is probably Ezekiel’s way of
saying how exalted this king really is. Just amazing.
Even in Eden (verse 13 says) and surrounded by every precious stone.
There it is, he is in Eden. We all know Satan was in Eden. But how do we know such things? By
verses like this. We can’t read this back on Genesis 3 without good cause. And Genesis 3 doesn’t
talk about Satan. It talks about a talking snake.
Verse 14 has him an anointed Cherub who was on the holy mountain of God, walking in the
midst of the stones of fire.
In mythology, the place God dwells is a mountain. Eden might be seen as a mountain even.
Certainly Zion was a mountain in the literature, although not so much in real life. Cosmic
mountains are where gods dwell. Walking in and out is what Adam does in the Garden as the
gardener and here this cherub, king of Tyre, walks in and out.
Granted no one knows what the stones of fire are, but most see this is as just a beautiful literary
image to go with the whole Eden/luxury/gold/precious minerals location.
If the King of Tyre isn’t the satan or a symbol for the satan, what is he?
You can keep reading if you want to but here is what I want you to take from this passage.
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Pretty much every modern-day non-dispensationalist scholar recognizes that this is referring to the King of Tyre. A
mythical undercurrent may indeed be there however. John Calvin speaks cogently about Isaiah 14 (he never wrote a
commentary on Ezekiel, but it would surely read similarly): “The exposition of this passage, which some have
given, as if it referred to Satan, has arisen from ignorance; for the context plainly shows that these statements must
be understood in reference to the king of the Babylonians [Tyre in our case]. But when passages of Scripture are
taken up at random, and no attention is paid to the context , we need not wonder that mistakes of this kind frequently
arise. Yet it was an instance of very gross ignorance, to imagine that Lucifer [prince/king of Tyre in our case] was
the king of devils, and that the Prophet gave him this name. But as these inventions have no probability whatever, let
us pass by them as useless.” Calvin, Commentary on the Book of the Prophet Isaiah, tr. W. Pringle (Grand Rapids:
Eerdmans, 1948), 1:442.
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The king of Tyre is being compared to someone. And to someone in Genesis 3, but it’s not
Satan.
First, because Satan isn’t there
Second, because all of these things in this passage correlate to Adam.
He is the one who is created by God
He is the one who is set above all other men to image God perfectly. A divine human.
He is the one divinely authorized to rule over the kingdom (remember the naming of animals and
they beings subject to him)
He walks in the garden and cares for it
He is the one not satisfied with the status of Adam and desired for himself to be like God.
He is the one who is punished for his pride (wanting to be like God) with humiliation and death.
The King of Tyre is just like Adam. He is just like everyone who ever lifted themselves up above
their creator.
Now, I really want to get into Job chapter 1 and Isaiah 14, but if I do that then it will be nothing
but academic and no real room for application.
So against everything I hold dear, I want to skip over all the points that will make my argument
hold weight and do another sermon on this next week.
But I simply can’t just jump right to our application.
I have to at least bring it through Jesus, regardless of how briefly that must be.
How does Jesus fit into our theme of humility?
Our theme is humility. I have called it simplicity, lowliness.
The King of Tyre, not Satan, but the King of Tyre has lifted himself up above God.
He thinks that he made his kingdom, that the awesomeness around him is to exalt him. He is all
wise, he is all powerful.
This is what happens to people when they do well for themselves. It’s why Jesus says it harder
for a rich man to go to heaven than for a camel to go through the eye of a needle. And its not
some gate that camels have a hard time getting through.
It’s impossible the verse says. Because the rich rely on themselves they are proud.
I don’t think this is talking about a future world of delight, but the new age that Jesus has brought
in. We enter heaven when we are generous and sacrificial and humble. It means giving
everything away.
I could caveat this with some excellent points on the other side, but Jesus doesn’t, so I am going
to let talk about the rich seep in without another word.
But whatever you think about that, there is no question that pride is the killer that Jesus has come
to conquer.
Turning the other cheek
Giving of your cloak
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Walking the extra mile
Preferring others
Not thinking of yourself as more exalted than you should, rather serving others as better than
yourself.
See Satan, takes on a new role in the NT, an accuser still, but an accuser who seeks to make you
look more at the world’s ways than God’s ways. Who wants you to think that your way is the
best way regardless of what God says.
He is conquered in some sense, but not completely. We will talk about that more next week.
We will talk about him falling like lightning
We will talk about him being thrown into the abyss
We will talk about the accuser of the brethren being hurled down.
But this happens in part as we begin to humble ourselves.
Obviously none of us are as proud as the King of Tyre or Babylon. They had so much more to be
proud about. But our pride still shows doesn’t it.
How might we cast Satan down today?
When our life is focused all on ourselves, that is some major pride.
When apologies rarely come. That is pride.
When serving and preferring aren’t part of your habits. That is pride.
When you assume that others who aren’t doing as well as you are that way because they
didn’t work as hard as you or weren’t as smart as you. That is pride.
We think we aren’t that bad. But then we find out about the destruction that was caused because
we refused to yield our pride.
In the summer of 1986, two ships collided in the Black Sea off the coast of Russia.
Hundreds of passengers died as they were hurled into the icy waters below. News of the
disaster was further darkened when an investigation revealed the cause of the accident. It
wasn't a technology problem like radar malfunction--or even thick fog. The cause was
human stubbornness. Each captain was aware of the other ship's presence nearby. Both
could have steered clear, but according to news reports, neither captain wanted to give
way to the other. Each was too proud to yield first. By the time they came to their senses,
it was too late.
It’s such a little thing. I have the right of way.
I have the right of way in the car.
I am right in the argument.
I have the right to get that job over this person.
I am right and my teacher is wrong
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I have the right to play with the ipad or DS or Wii now, because their turn is up.
We think we are the only one who could be right about something and if we just talk louder and
more often and more aggressively than we will get our way. And you are probably right. And we
never reach heaven.
How about those apologies I mentioned. Do you apologize to people a lot? I mean real apologies.
Humility.
I like this story:
Many years ago, Christian professor Stuart Blackie of the University of Edinburgh was
listening to his students as they presented oral readings. When one young man rose to
begin his recitation, he held his book in the wrong hand. The professor thundered, "Take
your book in your right hand, and be seated!" At this harsh rebuke, the student held up his
right arm. He didn't have a right hand! The other students shifted uneasily in their chairs.
For a moment the professor hesitated. Then he made his way to the student, put his arm
around him, and with tears streaming from his eyes, said, "I never knew about it. Please,
will you forgive me?" His humble apology made a lasting impact on that young man.
This story was told some time later in a large gathering of believers. At the close of the
meeting a man came forward, turned to the crowd, and raised his right arm. It ended at
the wrist. He said, "I was that student. Professor Blackie led me to Christ. But he never
could have done it if he had not made the wrong right."
Source Unknown.
It’s not a matter of doing everything right. It’s a matter of being humble and lowly. Apologizing
when we do wrong, putting other people first.
Philippians 2 and the Table of the Lord
Speaking of humility, let’s turn back to Jesus.
Philippians 2 says that though he was in nature God, he did not consider equality with God
something to be grasped, but made himself a servant and humbled himself, even to death on the
cross.
That is so huge.
He humbled himself.
The God of creation becomes small for us.
Here we have the table of the Lord spread out before us.
The Satan, the accuser may come and accuse us. He may tell you that you are never humble and
that you don’t deserve this meal. He may remind you of your constant failures. Of your
overwhelming sin. Of your mess of a marriage, of your failure kids, of one bad decision after
another. You aren’t worthy of this meal.
He is so right, and it’s so irrelevant.
Of course you aren’t worthy. Of course you are a failure, but the accuser of the brethren has been
cast down, Revelation says, (I think this is an already accomplished fact). The strongman has
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been bound and his house is plundered. He is in chains and his accusations are not allowed to
affect you.
You are a child of God. You are a prince and princess. Not because you deserve it, but because
he made himself low for you.
Christian, this meal is for you.