Bible Readings for the Home Circle Part 140

11. When cast out of the mountain of G.o.d, to what place were Satan and his angels banished, to be kept till the judgment?

"For if G.o.d spared not the angels that sinned, but _cast them down to h.e.l.l, and delivered them into chains of darkness_, to be reserved unto judgment." 2 Peter 2:4.

NOTE.-This, we understand, is the darkness surrounding this world, and is symbolic of the darkness of utter hopelessness and despair in rebellion and sin. When Satan led man to sin, darkness was brought upon this world. But G.o.d did not leave man to hopelessness. In His mercy and great love He caused "the light of the glorious gospel of Christ" to s.h.i.+ne, to call men "out of darkness into His marvelous light." That Satan and the angels who fell with him had a period of probation and opportunity to repent, there can be no doubt. Their fate is the result of stubborn rebellion and persistence in sin in spite of the overtures of mercy and the offers of pardon. For this they were cast out of heaven. The wicked angels are kept in everlasting chains of darkness.

12. How is the conflict which took place in heaven between Christ and Satan described by the revelator?

"And there was war in heaven: Michael and His angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, and prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven. And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him." Rev. 12:7-9.

13. In what terms did Christ refer to Satan's fall?

"And He said unto them, _I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven_."

Luke 10:18.

14. Has Satan ever appeared before G.o.d since his fall?

"Now there was a day when the sons of G.o.d came to present themselves before the Lord, _and Satan came also among them_." Job 1:6. See also chapter 2:1.

15. When asked whence he came, what was Satan's reply?

"Then Satan answered the Lord, and said, _From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it_." Job 1:7. See Job 2:2.

NOTE.-By tempting man to sin, Satan usurped man's dominion over the earth. Rom. 6:16; 2 Peter 2:19. This he now claims as his kingdom (Luke 4:6); hence the temptation in offering the kingdoms of this world to Christ. As the "G.o.d" and ruler of this world, Satan, for four thousand years before the crucifixion of Christ, appeared before G.o.d among the representatives of other worlds, as the representative of this world. After accomplis.h.i.+ng the death of Christ, the Son of G.o.d, the sinless One, Satan was cast out of this council, or a.s.sembly, and has not been permitted to enter it since. This was his second fall, and the one, doubtless, to which Christ, just before His crucifixion, alluded when he said, "Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be _cast out_." John 12:31. His final fall and destruction are still future.

16. What has been the character of Satan since his fall?

"He that committeth sin is of the devil; for _the devil sinneth from the beginning_." 1 John 3:8.

17. Was he ever in the truth?

"Ye are of your father the devil, and the l.u.s.ts 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." John 8:44.

NOTE.-The expression "_abode_ not in the truth" implies that Satan was once _in_ the truth, but that he did not _remain_ there.

18. What is the only "beginning" of which we have record?

"In the beginning G.o.d _created the heaven and the earth_." Gen. 1:1.

19. What besides a _murderer_ did Christ say Satan is?

"When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for _he is a liar, and the father of it_." John 8:44.

20. What did G.o.d tell Adam and Eve would be the result if they transgressed by partaking of the forbidden fruit?

"Thou shalt _surely die_." Gen. 2:17.

21. What did Satan say to Eve concerning this?

"And the serpent said unto the woman, _Ye shall __NOT__ surely die_." Gen.

3:4.

NOTE.-This, as far as the record shows, was _the first lie_,-a direct denial of the word of G.o.d. By persuading Eve to accept and believe it, Satan led our first parents to _commit sin_; and, as "the wages of sin is _death_," by it, also, he caused their _death_, and so became, in reality, _the first murderer_. A lie, therefore, is a twin brother to murder, and one of the most hateful things to G.o.d, the "G.o.d of _truth_." See Prov. 6:16-19.

"The lip of truth shall be established forever: but a lying tongue is but for a moment." Prov. 12:19. "All liars shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone." Rev.

21:8. See also Rev. 21:27; 22:15.

22. What has been the result of sin's entrance into the world?

"By one man sin entered into the world, and _death by sin_." Rom. 5:12.

"By one man's disobedience _many were made sinners_." Verse 19. "_The whole world lieth in wickedness._" 1 John 5:19. "In Adam _all die_." 1 Cor. 15:22.

23. When Christ came to redeem man, what did Satan do?

"And immediately the Spirit driveth Him into the wilderness. And He was there in the wilderness forty days, _tempted of Satan_." Mark 1:12, 13.

See also Matt. 4:1-11.

24. How severely was Christ tempted of Satan?

"For we have not an High Priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was _in all points tempted like as we are_, yet without sin." Heb. 4:15.

25. What has the church suffered since the days of Christ?

"And when the dragon [Satan] saw that he was cast unto the earth, _he persecuted the woman_ [_the church_]." Rev. 12:13.

NOTE.-Many millions of the people of G.o.d have been put to death since the beginning of the Christian era, under pagan and papal persecutions, all of which have been instigated by Satan. See Buck's Theological Dictionary, any commentary or church history on the subject of persecution, and the readings on pages 218, 264, 268, 491.

26. Is the remnant church to feel his wrath, and why?

"And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of G.o.d, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ." Verse 17.

27. How will Satan deceive men in the last days?

"And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth _by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast_." Rev. 13:14.

NOTE.-This, we understand, refers to Spiritualistic manifestations and miracles to be wrought to fasten men in error and deception.

See readings on pages 530, 533.