Isaiah Roman

Whom He May Devour

The Lord neither minces, nor parses words. Neither is he given to wasteful disposal of words. It is only necessary for Him to say a thing once for it to be important. His people should listen and heed. Therefore, when he repeats a message it should receive more attention. As a matter of fact, when he says a thing twice it will surely come to pass. If He says a thing three or more times it is not for His own benefit. It is for our good and it should be heeded immediately.

There is a living spirit of evil who stalks the earth. He had a beginning and will have an end in hell and the lake of fire. He thought to rebel against God, overthrow His throne and rule over God’s creation. In the end, he along with all those who rebel against God and refuse to subject themselves to His sovereignty, will find themselves in a place where there is nothing but hatred and strife eternally.

“How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground [earth], which didst weaken the nations! (Isaiah 14:12).” Satan was cast out of heaven. He lost everything he had been given authority over.

Lucifer was the highest of the created beings called agelos [angels, messengers]¹ in the Greek. They are referred to as mal-ach [messengers] in the Hebrew. They are spirit beings who are able to take on human appearance and other forms to perform their mission on the earth. They have been characterized falsely in media over the years. They are not deceased persons given wings. They do not have names like “Clarence” nor are they attractive female actresses in filmy gauze-like gowns throwing white doves heavenward. Their heavenly appearance is frightening to humans.² Those who have seen them require help from the Holy Spirit of God to recover from the shock.³

Satan appeared to human beings first in the form of a serpent. That form was chosen because “the serpent was more subtle than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made.” Adam and Eve had seen and named all the living creatures therefore he was familiar with serpents and had no reason to fear them. That of course changed as it is prophesied in Genesis 3:15. That stigma is still attached to serpents. They are able to charm their prey through a form of hypnosis using fear, body language and a forked tongue.

The rebellion of Lucifer against God⁴ changed him into Satan; the Adversary⁵. He was also cast out of heaven to walk the face of the earth⁶ until the final judgment. He will then take up residence in hell and the lake that burns with fire and brimstone. To his utter anger and dismay, this will be his eternal domain⁷.

“Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walks about, seeking whom he may devour” – I Peter 5:8 The adverb “may” is there for a reason. Through human choice he may not!

Satan has no power, but rather receives the power of human beings as he lures them into his service through deceit and lies. To obtain power over humans it is not necessary for those humans to actively serve Satan. It is only necessary for them to refuse to serve and worship God. Satan is incapable of overcoming the human will. He can not force his will on mankind. Satan is a master of deceit and works on the heart of humankind which is “deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked…⁸”

See, I have set before thee this day life and good, and death and evil;” – Deuteronomy 30:15 “I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live:” – Deuteronomy 30:19 “Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried…be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life” – Revelations 2:10

God will not force the human will either. Since the fall of man, He has lain a choice between good and evil, life and death before mankind. He has condescended to mankind to make covenants which give men access – while in the flesh – to His righteousness. The last covenant has come with the Testament of Jesus, the Christ; a Messiah/Mediator between Himself and mankind. The Messiah (Jeshuah Ha’amashia; Jesus, the Christ) is God’s own sacrifice to take the place of sinful men who deserve to die, in order to redeem them. It is the purchase price required of God, paid by God, to bring men out of slavery to sin and death.

The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is long suffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance”(II Peter 3:9). As with all covenants God has declared that if we believe on Jesus, we will be saved. It is through repentance from the worship of self, acceptance of Jesus as Savior, God as Lord, that we receive the free gift of redemption. But the opposite of repentance is eternal death. This is not eternal oblivion. This is not the absence of being. It is the eternal being in the state of death. It is the burning fire of the absence of good in a death that never ends.

How sad that so many will find themselves in a place they were never meant to be. How tragic that they will be in that place of their own choice.

I doesn’t have to be this way.

1. “[God] makes his angels spirits; his ministers a flaming fire:” – Psalms 104:4
2. “…out of the midst thereof came the likeness of four living creatures. And this was their appearance; they had the likeness of a man. And every one had four faces, and every one had four wings. And their feet were straight feet; and the sole of their feet was like the sole of a calf’s foot: and they sparkled like the colour of burnished brass. And they had the hands of a man under their wings on their four sides; and they four had their faces and their wings. Their wings were joined one to another; they turned not when they went; they went every one straight forward. As for the likeness of their faces, they four had the face of a man, and the face of a lion, on the right side: and they four had the face of an ox on the left side; they four also had the face of an eagle. Thus were their faces: and their wings were stretched upward; two wings of every one were joined one to another, and two covered their bodies” – Ezekiel 1:5-11.
3. Daniel 10:8,16-17
4. “Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee.” – Ezekiel 28:15 “How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! For thou hast said in thine heart, 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, in the sides of the north: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.” – Isaiah 14:13-14
5. Job 38:7
6. “The Lord said unto Satan, From whence comest thou? And Satan answered the Lord, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it” – Job 2:2 ”and the great dragon was cast forth–the old serpent, who is called `Devil,’ and `the Adversary,’ who is leading astray the whole world–he was cast forth to the earth, and his messengers were cast forth with him.” – Revelation 12:9
7. “and the Devil, who is leading them astray, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where are the beast and the false prophet, and they shall be tormented day and night–to the ages of the ages.” – Revelation 20:10
8. Jeremiah 17:9