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A Profile of Public Enemy #1 (Satan) - Part 1

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Why study Satan? 1) The Bible identifies Satan as public enemy #1, the greatest adversary (Heb., Satan = Adversary) of all sentient beings – including God. To fight him we need to know him[1] (2Co 2:11 = Paul’s use of the plural personal pronoun [“we”] when claiming they were “not ignorant” of Satan’s “schemes” implies that he and his pastoral team -and possibly those in the Corinthian church, had received in-depth teaching on Satan’s profile).[2] 2) Satan is no longer incarcerated and mounting a global misinformation and hate campaign against the last vestige of God’s people on earth (Rev 20:1-9). Our ability to prepare ourselves through its identification also demands we endeavor to possess an accurate and thorough profile of his person and history (1Th 2:14-18 w/3:1-4 = Endurance thru diagnosis). The following profile is based on the conclusions that may be drawn about Satan when considering the teachings of Scripture and traditions of the Ancient Near East (ANE).

CREATION AND PRE-CRIME CAREER (Eze 28:12-19; Isa 14:12-15)

1. Satan was a high ranking, highly elite throne-guardian angel who looks like a fiery winged serpent or dragon and existed as one of several types of elohim created not only before human beings but the construction of our entire universe.

1.1. high-ranking: (Rev 9:11 “king [of the demons]”; Mat 9:34, 12:24-27; Mar 3:22 “Beelzebul [compound word meaning “ruler Baal”]…the ruler of the demons”; Eph 2:1-2 “the prince…” [Grk., archon as in archangel – e.g. Michael, Dan 10:13 LXX]). Seeing that God was the first to appoint him to such a high rank (Isa 14:13 “I will raise my throne [of rule]”), we can be sure that God also provided him with those gifts/abilities commensurate to leading or ruling over others (vision, strategy, planning, persuasion, etc.). All things considered, Satan is one of God’s most intelligent, influential and powerful creations (Eze 28:12b “Full of wisdom and beauty”).

1.2. highly elite throne-guardian angel: (Eze 28:14 “cherub”) = Elite class of angel who guards (“who covers” [Heb., sakak = To guard]) sacred people and places (God, priests and the tabernacle/temple: “the cherubim formula” - 1Sa 4:4 w/2Sa 6:2 w/Isa 37:16 w/Eze 10:1-20 //Exo 25:18; Exo 26:1, 31, 36:8, 35; 1Ki 6:23-29). [3] According to (Eze 28:13), Satan’s post was in the “Garden of Eden” (or v16, the “mountain of God”) implying his security detail to be Adam, God’s first high-priest in God’s first temple (Eze 28:16 “stones of fire [on the “mountain of God”]” w/Eze 28:18 “sanctuaries” w/Isa 14:13 “the stars of God…the mount of assembly in the recesses of the north” = In the ANE, all these phrases referred to a divine place, house or temple – the place of God’s divine council or priests). Given their association with sacred things, the ten precious stones mentioned as his “covering” (Eze 28:13) further reinforces his role as a protector of sacred people and places. (v14) “anointed” (Heb., mimsah) is better translated according to its literal understanding, “outstretched” or “expansive” – most likely a reference to his wings (e.g., cherubim on the mercy seat – Exo 25:20). Given this as the bejeweled portion of Satan’s body, his wings served not only for flying but fighting. From a defensive perspective they were heavy armor plating, from the offensive side, they were diamond tipped battle blades.[4] Biblical scholars have demonstrated that “seraphim” (Isa 6:2) is simply a descriptive term referring to a different class of cherubim increasing the possible number of “weapon wings” assigned to Satan to six.[5] Six wings (versus only two) may be the reason Paul refers to him as the “prince of the power of the air” (Eph 2:2). [6]

1.3. fiery winged serpent or dragon: Identifying Satan as seraphim agrees with the other titles used to describe Satan: a fiery winged serpent or dragon able breathe fire on his enemies (Isa 6:2 “seraphim” [Heb., serap = To burn][7]; Eze 28:18b “I brought fire from the midst of you”; Rev 12:3-13:11, 16:13, 20:2 “the great red [Grk., purros ~ pryro, fire] dragon”]).[8] Satan as a dragon or fiery serpent is further supported by: 1) his identification as a serpent (Gen 3:1 w/Rev 12:9 and 20:2; See also Rev 2:13 [“Pergamum…where Satan dwells” = Temple of Asclepius [pagan god intertwined with a talking snake who teaches him the secrets of healing]; Job 26:12-13 [Rahab] and Isa 27:1 [Leviathan] = Appropriation language: Satan is identified with the multi-named mythical sea creature of the ANE - and is conquered by Yhwh). 2) the other Hebrew word associated with the term seraphim (sarap = Serpent. In this case, a fiery serpent).[9] 3) the possible mention of a serpent in the Ezekiel text (Eze 28:12 “seal” may be “serpent” as in “serpent of perfection”).[10]

1.4. The chances that such descriptions were meant to be taken literally are high given the multiple examples of throne-guardians in ANE tradition depicted as serpent-like humanoid beings. In Mesopotamia, this was the Snake-Dragon, in Egypt, Uraeus the snake-god.

“That a divine Mesopotamian keribu might be depicted as a ‘snake dragon’ is striking. Other divine throne guardians, such as those in the Egyptian religion, might also be cast as serpentine. Bernard Batto describes the Edenic rebel this way: ‘The serpent [was] a semi-divine creature with wings and feet like the seraphs in Isa 6:2, whose function was to guard sacred persons and sacred objects such as the tree of divine wisdom.’ [Philippe] Provencal shows that ‘the Egyptian Uraeus serpent, drawn from two species of Egyptian cobras, fits all the elements of the supernatural seraphim who attend Yahweh’s holy presence in Isaiah 6. The relevant cobra species spit burning venom, can expand wide flanges of skin on either side of their bodies – considered wings in antiquity – when threatened, and are (obviously) serpentine.’[11] Karen Joines adds that ‘a function of the Uraeus is to protect the pharaoh and sacred objects by breathing out fire on his enemies.’[12] – Michael Heiser (Demons).

1.6. Satan possessed his snake-dragon form as his physical body during his time in the Garden of Eden and his deception of Eve (Gen 3:1 “beast [Heb. hayeh = Living flesh/physical being] of the field [v14 “cattle” [Heb., behemoth = Large animal] which the LORD God had made”) = Satan possessed the physical body (living flesh) of a large animal (think of a mythical dragon). What we know of serpents today are the remains of God’s curse after the Fall. As such, snakes are not a part of what God originally created and called “good” (Gen 1:31). They are instead a perversion, God’s curse on His original design, the sentient snake-dragon cherub (Eze 28:12b w/17,19 – the physical flesh that once represented you in the natural world will no longer represent wisdom and beauty but the perversion of evil).

1.7. Lastly, scholars of ancient tradition also link Satan (“Azazel” – Lev 16:10) and the cherubim to those angels identified as “Watchers” (Dan 4:13, 17, 23) [13] who in addition to their role as warriors or guardians also functioned as intelligence officers – which included imparting wisdom to the world’s sacred leaders (e.g., king Nebuchadnezzar - Dan 7:13-24 [w/2:37-38 and Jer 27:6]). Considering that Satan’s appointment as a throne-guardian in the Garden of Eden is unique in Scripture – i.e., he is the only one ever mentioned occupying this post, also demands that we view him as an “elite among the elite” in this rare class of angels.[14]

1.8. elohim ([Heb.] = God/god[s]): 1) All divine being(s) or those beings whose primary residence is the supernatural realm including but not limited to God (Yhwh) who possess divine authority and/or supernatural power (e.g., Exo 20:3 w/Deu 32:17; 2Co 4:4). 2) All non-divine being(s) – or those beings whose primary residence is the natural realm (i.e., humans, those made in God’s image – Gen 1:26) who possess divine authority and/or supernatural power (e.g., Psa 82:1-7 w/Joh 10:34).[15]

1.9. Several biblical clues indicate that the created elohim - including Satan, were created by God (Eze 28:15 “you [Satan] were blameless from the day you were created”) before He created the material (or natural) world: 1) (Gen 1:1-8) The fact that “heavens” are mentioned before “earth” in the creation order of verse one indicates that what is being referred to by this word (“heavens”) is different than what we find in verse eight where the creation of heaven comes after the existence of the earth (v2). The former refers to the supernatural world and residence of divine beings whereas the latter refers to the sky above the earth or natural world. The point then not to miss is that the creation of this supernatural world precedes the creation of the natural world (“God created the heavens and [then] the earth”). Though we don’t know how quickly the natural world was created after the supernatural, both the biblical evidence and ANE tradition suggests it was not simultaneous.[16] Given what we already know about the superposition of our two worlds, this means it was the natural world which was superimposed on theirs (not the other way around). 2) Satan’s was not only already present in the Garden of Eden at the time of Adam and Eve’s creation (Rev 12:9, 20:2) but earth in its primordial and chaotic form (Isa 14:12 w/Job 38:4-7 [“Star of the morning”/“Son of the dawn”/“morning stars” = Stars visible at the beginning of a new day of creation –a metaphor for the new creation itself [first or second - See Rev 2:28 and 2Pe 1:19]) = All of God’s created elohim including Satan, were there to witness the beginning of God’s new creation - the natural world (when He “laid the foundations of the earth…[when] its bases [were] sunk…[when God] laid its cornerstone”[Job 38:4,6] = when God created order and life from the chaos of raw materials – Gen 1:2ff See Fn A on verse 2, “a waste and emptiness”; also consider the term “deep” [Heb., tehom = Place of chaos]).

“The biblical writers affirmed the existence of multiple elohim – that is, the populated spiritual world. Since the biblical writers identify a range of entities as elohim that they explicitly differentiate from Yahweh and emphasize as lesser than Yahweh, it is clear that the term elohim is not a label for only the one Supreme Being [God]…A biblical writer would use elohim to label any entity that is not embodied by nature and is a member of the spiritual realm. This ‘otherworldliness’ is an attribute all residents of the spiritual world possess. Every member of the spiritual world can be thought of as elohim since the term tells us where an entity belongs in terms of its nature…The term elohim simply means divine beings – residents of the supernatural realm…This broad-stroked worldview put[s] supernatural causation…on the table [IOW: Because of their superposition, what happens in the elohim world affects what happens in our world – e.g., Dan 10:10-13].” – Heiser (ibid)

Important Takeaways:

1) Satan (or cherubim in general) are not the plump winged babies of Renaissance art (or plump little tomatoes you put on salads).

2) Satan’s level of intelligence, influence and power (Eze 28:12-14) and time of existence (6k + years?) of studying us and our world means we should never act as though his schemes can be easily discerned or resisted (2Co 11:4; The corruption and confusion caused by our overwhelming exposure to information and experience can only be neutralized by a deep understanding of the complexities of God and His cosmic creation presented in Scripture).

3) Without the protection that only comes from our affection for, trust of and faithfulness to God [His ways, His Word], we are the easy and eventual prey of Satan (Psa 34:7; Eph 6:11-17; 2Th 2:8-11 [w/Heb 11:6 and 1Jo 2:14b w/Mat 7:24-27 and Mat 13:19-22] 1Pe 5:8-9 “Be of sober spirit, be on the alert [sufficiently convinced and mentally equipped so as not to be captured], firm in your faithfulness”; Luk 22:31; why Christians can lack affection/trust for God = They don’t spend time seeking Him relationally [He is a stranger to them].

4) Like Cain who bore God’s curse, the snake also bears God’s curse (they represent evil) and should be avoided (1Th 5:22).

5) Satan’s speed of travel as an elite (and rare) class of angel could explain not only his ability for global impact (Rev 12:9, 20:3) but why he is the only fallen angel that is incarcerated (Rev 20:2).

6) Christians who live as though nothing exists – or affects us outside the natural world, are inspiring others to become atheists (e.g., parents w/their children).

[1] “If you know the enemy and you know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. If you know yourself, but not the enemy, for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat…The opportunity for defeating the enemy is provided by [knowing] the enemy himself…Force him to reveal himself, so as to find his vulnerable spots.” – Sun Tzu (The Art of War)

[2] “Trying to grasp the darkest of the dark and understand it is a way to ensure we never become it (or its victim)…You don’t want to be fooled; you don’t want to become a victim, so what can you learn to avoid it." – Anne Burgess (criminal forensics nurse, founder of the FBI’s criminal profiling program; agent responsible for the capture of America’s most notorious serial killers).

[3] The Hebrew term kerub (translated “cherub”) is a derivative of the Akkadian word, keribu which means “throne guardian.” The Old and New Covenant Levites (deacons) are the human version of the cherubim.

[4] In the ANE, one’s armor and weaponry reflected also their rank – or how close they were to sacred people or places. The closer you were, the more ornate your armor and weaponry. For further study see Precious Stones: Nature, Art, And Literature by S.M. Burnham

[5] The term translated “anointed” (NAS, Eze 28:14) could also be implying this ([Heb., mimsah] = Expansive – meaning more than a few).

[6] In Jewish thought the “air” represented the lower spiritual realm (below heaven) in close proximity to humanity and the abyss (e.g., 2 Enoch 29:4-5 “And I threw him out from the height with his angels, and he was flying in the air continuously above the abyss.”); See also (Rev 12:4 and 9). The lower spiritual realm where Satan and his angels are placed is identified as the earth. If the cosmology of Jewish tradition is correct, then Hades (i.e., the abyss) and humanity share the same geographical space (e.g., ANE idiom “beneath the earth” = A reference to the “upside down”, the 4th dimensional space bearing the same coordinates as earth and the home of demons and the dead [ghosts]). Given God’s design principle of “form fits function,” we can assume He created certain angels w/more wings (Satan or seraphim) for the possible purpose of attaining greater speeds. As a result, Satan is able to move through space much quicker than the conventional angel (possessing only two wings), increasing his scope of influence and impact from local to global. In this light, consider Satan’s words in (Job 1:7 and 2:2 “roaming about the earth and walking around it” = Figure of speech intended to communicate the comprehensive nature of one’s travels. No place on earth remained untouched or undiscovered). The short timeframe that existed between the first and second time Satan makes this unique claim suggests he can travel at extremely high speeds or cover large areas in a very short period of time.

[7] Assuming this designation to be correct, Isaiah’s identification of the angels in 6:2 was (once more) functional rather than formal. He called them according to what he saw (angels on fire or projecting fire). This understanding lends itself nicely to what follows: Isaiah’s purification by fire (Isa 6:6-7).

[8] Considering that the fiery seraphim of Scripture may be one and the same as those elsewhere identified as cherubim, Ronald Hendel raises the possibility that the flaming sword in Gen 3:24 is a reference to the cherubim themselves. See “The Flame of the Whirling Sword.”

[9] See Philippe Provencal, “Regarding the Noun [sarap] in the Hebrew Bible”

[10] See H.J. van Dijk, Ezekiel’s Prophecy

[11] Provencal, (ibid)

[12] See Karen R. Joines, “Winged Serpents In Isaiah’s Inaugural Vision”

[13] In the Dead Sea Scrolls Azazel is said to be the leader of the Watcher angels who sinned (4Q 180, 1:8).

[14] This may also be the reason Satan looked so different from the other cherubim mentioned in Scripture (Eze 10 = 4 faces [none of a serpent] and 4 wings; Eze 41= two faces [none of a serpent]; Exo 25, 37 and 1Ki 6 = 1 human face and 2 wings). Only the most elite throne guardians were created as awe-inspiring dragons (“full of beauty” – Eze 28:12b).

[15] See sermon, Stranger Things: Divine Council

[16] e.g., Life of Adam and Eve

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Manage episode 459491952 series 2785517
Treść dostarczona przez Christ Covenant Church of Colorado. Cała zawartość podcastów, w tym odcinki, grafika i opisy podcastów, jest przesyłana i udostępniana bezpośrednio przez Christ Covenant Church of Colorado lub jego partnera na platformie podcastów. Jeśli uważasz, że ktoś wykorzystuje Twoje dzieło chronione prawem autorskim bez Twojej zgody, możesz postępować zgodnie z procedurą opisaną tutaj https://pl.player.fm/legal.

Why study Satan? 1) The Bible identifies Satan as public enemy #1, the greatest adversary (Heb., Satan = Adversary) of all sentient beings – including God. To fight him we need to know him[1] (2Co 2:11 = Paul’s use of the plural personal pronoun [“we”] when claiming they were “not ignorant” of Satan’s “schemes” implies that he and his pastoral team -and possibly those in the Corinthian church, had received in-depth teaching on Satan’s profile).[2] 2) Satan is no longer incarcerated and mounting a global misinformation and hate campaign against the last vestige of God’s people on earth (Rev 20:1-9). Our ability to prepare ourselves through its identification also demands we endeavor to possess an accurate and thorough profile of his person and history (1Th 2:14-18 w/3:1-4 = Endurance thru diagnosis). The following profile is based on the conclusions that may be drawn about Satan when considering the teachings of Scripture and traditions of the Ancient Near East (ANE).

CREATION AND PRE-CRIME CAREER (Eze 28:12-19; Isa 14:12-15)

1. Satan was a high ranking, highly elite throne-guardian angel who looks like a fiery winged serpent or dragon and existed as one of several types of elohim created not only before human beings but the construction of our entire universe.

1.1. high-ranking: (Rev 9:11 “king [of the demons]”; Mat 9:34, 12:24-27; Mar 3:22 “Beelzebul [compound word meaning “ruler Baal”]…the ruler of the demons”; Eph 2:1-2 “the prince…” [Grk., archon as in archangel – e.g. Michael, Dan 10:13 LXX]). Seeing that God was the first to appoint him to such a high rank (Isa 14:13 “I will raise my throne [of rule]”), we can be sure that God also provided him with those gifts/abilities commensurate to leading or ruling over others (vision, strategy, planning, persuasion, etc.). All things considered, Satan is one of God’s most intelligent, influential and powerful creations (Eze 28:12b “Full of wisdom and beauty”).

1.2. highly elite throne-guardian angel: (Eze 28:14 “cherub”) = Elite class of angel who guards (“who covers” [Heb., sakak = To guard]) sacred people and places (God, priests and the tabernacle/temple: “the cherubim formula” - 1Sa 4:4 w/2Sa 6:2 w/Isa 37:16 w/Eze 10:1-20 //Exo 25:18; Exo 26:1, 31, 36:8, 35; 1Ki 6:23-29). [3] According to (Eze 28:13), Satan’s post was in the “Garden of Eden” (or v16, the “mountain of God”) implying his security detail to be Adam, God’s first high-priest in God’s first temple (Eze 28:16 “stones of fire [on the “mountain of God”]” w/Eze 28:18 “sanctuaries” w/Isa 14:13 “the stars of God…the mount of assembly in the recesses of the north” = In the ANE, all these phrases referred to a divine place, house or temple – the place of God’s divine council or priests). Given their association with sacred things, the ten precious stones mentioned as his “covering” (Eze 28:13) further reinforces his role as a protector of sacred people and places. (v14) “anointed” (Heb., mimsah) is better translated according to its literal understanding, “outstretched” or “expansive” – most likely a reference to his wings (e.g., cherubim on the mercy seat – Exo 25:20). Given this as the bejeweled portion of Satan’s body, his wings served not only for flying but fighting. From a defensive perspective they were heavy armor plating, from the offensive side, they were diamond tipped battle blades.[4] Biblical scholars have demonstrated that “seraphim” (Isa 6:2) is simply a descriptive term referring to a different class of cherubim increasing the possible number of “weapon wings” assigned to Satan to six.[5] Six wings (versus only two) may be the reason Paul refers to him as the “prince of the power of the air” (Eph 2:2). [6]

1.3. fiery winged serpent or dragon: Identifying Satan as seraphim agrees with the other titles used to describe Satan: a fiery winged serpent or dragon able breathe fire on his enemies (Isa 6:2 “seraphim” [Heb., serap = To burn][7]; Eze 28:18b “I brought fire from the midst of you”; Rev 12:3-13:11, 16:13, 20:2 “the great red [Grk., purros ~ pryro, fire] dragon”]).[8] Satan as a dragon or fiery serpent is further supported by: 1) his identification as a serpent (Gen 3:1 w/Rev 12:9 and 20:2; See also Rev 2:13 [“Pergamum…where Satan dwells” = Temple of Asclepius [pagan god intertwined with a talking snake who teaches him the secrets of healing]; Job 26:12-13 [Rahab] and Isa 27:1 [Leviathan] = Appropriation language: Satan is identified with the multi-named mythical sea creature of the ANE - and is conquered by Yhwh). 2) the other Hebrew word associated with the term seraphim (sarap = Serpent. In this case, a fiery serpent).[9] 3) the possible mention of a serpent in the Ezekiel text (Eze 28:12 “seal” may be “serpent” as in “serpent of perfection”).[10]

1.4. The chances that such descriptions were meant to be taken literally are high given the multiple examples of throne-guardians in ANE tradition depicted as serpent-like humanoid beings. In Mesopotamia, this was the Snake-Dragon, in Egypt, Uraeus the snake-god.

“That a divine Mesopotamian keribu might be depicted as a ‘snake dragon’ is striking. Other divine throne guardians, such as those in the Egyptian religion, might also be cast as serpentine. Bernard Batto describes the Edenic rebel this way: ‘The serpent [was] a semi-divine creature with wings and feet like the seraphs in Isa 6:2, whose function was to guard sacred persons and sacred objects such as the tree of divine wisdom.’ [Philippe] Provencal shows that ‘the Egyptian Uraeus serpent, drawn from two species of Egyptian cobras, fits all the elements of the supernatural seraphim who attend Yahweh’s holy presence in Isaiah 6. The relevant cobra species spit burning venom, can expand wide flanges of skin on either side of their bodies – considered wings in antiquity – when threatened, and are (obviously) serpentine.’[11] Karen Joines adds that ‘a function of the Uraeus is to protect the pharaoh and sacred objects by breathing out fire on his enemies.’[12] – Michael Heiser (Demons).

1.6. Satan possessed his snake-dragon form as his physical body during his time in the Garden of Eden and his deception of Eve (Gen 3:1 “beast [Heb. hayeh = Living flesh/physical being] of the field [v14 “cattle” [Heb., behemoth = Large animal] which the LORD God had made”) = Satan possessed the physical body (living flesh) of a large animal (think of a mythical dragon). What we know of serpents today are the remains of God’s curse after the Fall. As such, snakes are not a part of what God originally created and called “good” (Gen 1:31). They are instead a perversion, God’s curse on His original design, the sentient snake-dragon cherub (Eze 28:12b w/17,19 – the physical flesh that once represented you in the natural world will no longer represent wisdom and beauty but the perversion of evil).

1.7. Lastly, scholars of ancient tradition also link Satan (“Azazel” – Lev 16:10) and the cherubim to those angels identified as “Watchers” (Dan 4:13, 17, 23) [13] who in addition to their role as warriors or guardians also functioned as intelligence officers – which included imparting wisdom to the world’s sacred leaders (e.g., king Nebuchadnezzar - Dan 7:13-24 [w/2:37-38 and Jer 27:6]). Considering that Satan’s appointment as a throne-guardian in the Garden of Eden is unique in Scripture – i.e., he is the only one ever mentioned occupying this post, also demands that we view him as an “elite among the elite” in this rare class of angels.[14]

1.8. elohim ([Heb.] = God/god[s]): 1) All divine being(s) or those beings whose primary residence is the supernatural realm including but not limited to God (Yhwh) who possess divine authority and/or supernatural power (e.g., Exo 20:3 w/Deu 32:17; 2Co 4:4). 2) All non-divine being(s) – or those beings whose primary residence is the natural realm (i.e., humans, those made in God’s image – Gen 1:26) who possess divine authority and/or supernatural power (e.g., Psa 82:1-7 w/Joh 10:34).[15]

1.9. Several biblical clues indicate that the created elohim - including Satan, were created by God (Eze 28:15 “you [Satan] were blameless from the day you were created”) before He created the material (or natural) world: 1) (Gen 1:1-8) The fact that “heavens” are mentioned before “earth” in the creation order of verse one indicates that what is being referred to by this word (“heavens”) is different than what we find in verse eight where the creation of heaven comes after the existence of the earth (v2). The former refers to the supernatural world and residence of divine beings whereas the latter refers to the sky above the earth or natural world. The point then not to miss is that the creation of this supernatural world precedes the creation of the natural world (“God created the heavens and [then] the earth”). Though we don’t know how quickly the natural world was created after the supernatural, both the biblical evidence and ANE tradition suggests it was not simultaneous.[16] Given what we already know about the superposition of our two worlds, this means it was the natural world which was superimposed on theirs (not the other way around). 2) Satan’s was not only already present in the Garden of Eden at the time of Adam and Eve’s creation (Rev 12:9, 20:2) but earth in its primordial and chaotic form (Isa 14:12 w/Job 38:4-7 [“Star of the morning”/“Son of the dawn”/“morning stars” = Stars visible at the beginning of a new day of creation –a metaphor for the new creation itself [first or second - See Rev 2:28 and 2Pe 1:19]) = All of God’s created elohim including Satan, were there to witness the beginning of God’s new creation - the natural world (when He “laid the foundations of the earth…[when] its bases [were] sunk…[when God] laid its cornerstone”[Job 38:4,6] = when God created order and life from the chaos of raw materials – Gen 1:2ff See Fn A on verse 2, “a waste and emptiness”; also consider the term “deep” [Heb., tehom = Place of chaos]).

“The biblical writers affirmed the existence of multiple elohim – that is, the populated spiritual world. Since the biblical writers identify a range of entities as elohim that they explicitly differentiate from Yahweh and emphasize as lesser than Yahweh, it is clear that the term elohim is not a label for only the one Supreme Being [God]…A biblical writer would use elohim to label any entity that is not embodied by nature and is a member of the spiritual realm. This ‘otherworldliness’ is an attribute all residents of the spiritual world possess. Every member of the spiritual world can be thought of as elohim since the term tells us where an entity belongs in terms of its nature…The term elohim simply means divine beings – residents of the supernatural realm…This broad-stroked worldview put[s] supernatural causation…on the table [IOW: Because of their superposition, what happens in the elohim world affects what happens in our world – e.g., Dan 10:10-13].” – Heiser (ibid)

Important Takeaways:

1) Satan (or cherubim in general) are not the plump winged babies of Renaissance art (or plump little tomatoes you put on salads).

2) Satan’s level of intelligence, influence and power (Eze 28:12-14) and time of existence (6k + years?) of studying us and our world means we should never act as though his schemes can be easily discerned or resisted (2Co 11:4; The corruption and confusion caused by our overwhelming exposure to information and experience can only be neutralized by a deep understanding of the complexities of God and His cosmic creation presented in Scripture).

3) Without the protection that only comes from our affection for, trust of and faithfulness to God [His ways, His Word], we are the easy and eventual prey of Satan (Psa 34:7; Eph 6:11-17; 2Th 2:8-11 [w/Heb 11:6 and 1Jo 2:14b w/Mat 7:24-27 and Mat 13:19-22] 1Pe 5:8-9 “Be of sober spirit, be on the alert [sufficiently convinced and mentally equipped so as not to be captured], firm in your faithfulness”; Luk 22:31; why Christians can lack affection/trust for God = They don’t spend time seeking Him relationally [He is a stranger to them].

4) Like Cain who bore God’s curse, the snake also bears God’s curse (they represent evil) and should be avoided (1Th 5:22).

5) Satan’s speed of travel as an elite (and rare) class of angel could explain not only his ability for global impact (Rev 12:9, 20:3) but why he is the only fallen angel that is incarcerated (Rev 20:2).

6) Christians who live as though nothing exists – or affects us outside the natural world, are inspiring others to become atheists (e.g., parents w/their children).

[1] “If you know the enemy and you know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. If you know yourself, but not the enemy, for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat…The opportunity for defeating the enemy is provided by [knowing] the enemy himself…Force him to reveal himself, so as to find his vulnerable spots.” – Sun Tzu (The Art of War)

[2] “Trying to grasp the darkest of the dark and understand it is a way to ensure we never become it (or its victim)…You don’t want to be fooled; you don’t want to become a victim, so what can you learn to avoid it." – Anne Burgess (criminal forensics nurse, founder of the FBI’s criminal profiling program; agent responsible for the capture of America’s most notorious serial killers).

[3] The Hebrew term kerub (translated “cherub”) is a derivative of the Akkadian word, keribu which means “throne guardian.” The Old and New Covenant Levites (deacons) are the human version of the cherubim.

[4] In the ANE, one’s armor and weaponry reflected also their rank – or how close they were to sacred people or places. The closer you were, the more ornate your armor and weaponry. For further study see Precious Stones: Nature, Art, And Literature by S.M. Burnham

[5] The term translated “anointed” (NAS, Eze 28:14) could also be implying this ([Heb., mimsah] = Expansive – meaning more than a few).

[6] In Jewish thought the “air” represented the lower spiritual realm (below heaven) in close proximity to humanity and the abyss (e.g., 2 Enoch 29:4-5 “And I threw him out from the height with his angels, and he was flying in the air continuously above the abyss.”); See also (Rev 12:4 and 9). The lower spiritual realm where Satan and his angels are placed is identified as the earth. If the cosmology of Jewish tradition is correct, then Hades (i.e., the abyss) and humanity share the same geographical space (e.g., ANE idiom “beneath the earth” = A reference to the “upside down”, the 4th dimensional space bearing the same coordinates as earth and the home of demons and the dead [ghosts]). Given God’s design principle of “form fits function,” we can assume He created certain angels w/more wings (Satan or seraphim) for the possible purpose of attaining greater speeds. As a result, Satan is able to move through space much quicker than the conventional angel (possessing only two wings), increasing his scope of influence and impact from local to global. In this light, consider Satan’s words in (Job 1:7 and 2:2 “roaming about the earth and walking around it” = Figure of speech intended to communicate the comprehensive nature of one’s travels. No place on earth remained untouched or undiscovered). The short timeframe that existed between the first and second time Satan makes this unique claim suggests he can travel at extremely high speeds or cover large areas in a very short period of time.

[7] Assuming this designation to be correct, Isaiah’s identification of the angels in 6:2 was (once more) functional rather than formal. He called them according to what he saw (angels on fire or projecting fire). This understanding lends itself nicely to what follows: Isaiah’s purification by fire (Isa 6:6-7).

[8] Considering that the fiery seraphim of Scripture may be one and the same as those elsewhere identified as cherubim, Ronald Hendel raises the possibility that the flaming sword in Gen 3:24 is a reference to the cherubim themselves. See “The Flame of the Whirling Sword.”

[9] See Philippe Provencal, “Regarding the Noun [sarap] in the Hebrew Bible”

[10] See H.J. van Dijk, Ezekiel’s Prophecy

[11] Provencal, (ibid)

[12] See Karen R. Joines, “Winged Serpents In Isaiah’s Inaugural Vision”

[13] In the Dead Sea Scrolls Azazel is said to be the leader of the Watcher angels who sinned (4Q 180, 1:8).

[14] This may also be the reason Satan looked so different from the other cherubim mentioned in Scripture (Eze 10 = 4 faces [none of a serpent] and 4 wings; Eze 41= two faces [none of a serpent]; Exo 25, 37 and 1Ki 6 = 1 human face and 2 wings). Only the most elite throne guardians were created as awe-inspiring dragons (“full of beauty” – Eze 28:12b).

[15] See sermon, Stranger Things: Divine Council

[16] e.g., Life of Adam and Eve

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