THE MORNING STARS (PART #8)

by Pastor Jeromy John Visser

(Introduction:)

Beloved, this is the final part of The Morning Stars series. While there's literally thousands of additional examples from scripture confirming the reality of the heavenly host, hopefully this lengthy study has shed some additional light on the strategies of those who wish to claim themselves as lowercase "gods" just as Satan suggests (Genesis 3:5). Still, two more important aspects of the spiritual realm must be covered before this eight-part investigation can be considered complete - rebellious angels and the conclusive downfall of the beast.

(Angels' Rebellion:)

There are several examples in the Bible of angels that rebelled against Yahweh and we've covered numerous illustrations in this same series. Such creatures often do the warring of God and other miraculous works but (fallen or not) they are all bound in Yahweh's service. These facts refute those who wish to claim cherubim are Christian "pastors" that teach Christian Identity doctrine. While it does happen, scripture infrequently equates "messengers" to mortal men so these few statements alone do not prove that angels are mere humans.

Dismissing the spiritual realm is uneducated. To elaborate, we've already covered the angels that took “from among the daughters of Adam” in Genesis 6 and Enoch's descriptions of their imminent fate for such rebellion. Naturally, this is all part of Yahweh's grand design because it's a way for Him to harden the hearts of the disobedient and in the process “multiply His signs and wonders” (Exodus 7:3). We've covered the Apocrypha's teachings on angels and even proved the early church fathers never taught against their reality (1a).

The term “Lord of Hosts” or “Lord of the Sabaoth” refers to Yahweh being head of the militant cherubs because there are numerous ranks and positions within the hierarchy of angels (2b). Naturally, man's artistic representations of cherubim all vary and are usually no more reliable than their interpretations of Jesus. Scripture undoubtedly claims that these creatures have the ability to fly, destroy entire cities, war against Satan, speak for Yahweh and do all manner of miracles. Of them all, Seraphim are the highest ranking of the heavenly host.

For example, Isaiah explained the appearance of the Seraphim; “In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also Yahweh sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple. Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly. And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is Yahweh of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory” (Isaiah 6:1-3). Angels do involve themselves in the affairs of men but are rarely described as mortal.

The worst rebellion against Yahweh recorded in the Bible is forthcoming and committed during the the war of Gog and Magog. During this victorious event, Satan and his iniquitous children declare war against Christ and His saints but are bound for a thousand years for their transgression. They're ultimately released after the millennial reign (3c) for the critical Judgment of Yahweh and their concluding overthrow. All of these Biblical teachings shatter preterist myths because degeneracy still remains on earth and is yet to be conquered.

(Satan Vanquished:)

In scripture, another name for Satan is Death (Revelation 6:8) or The Son of Perdition because he's "marked" for destruction from the dawn of man (Genesis 3:15) in addition to Isaiah's prophecies against fallen Lucifer (14:12-15). Here he's directly condemned; “Thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit.” In this death sentence the Hebrew term "pit" means “a hole or dungeon” (#H953) which can mean the grave however "hell" is sheôl which is unmistakably “the world of the dead or a subterranean retreat” (#H7585) (4d).

“I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the fowls that fly in the midst of heaven, Come and gather yourselves together unto the supper of the great God; That ye may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of captains, and the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses, and of them that sit on them, and the flesh of all men, both free and bond, both small and great. And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse, and against his army” (Revelation 19:17-19).

Ridiculously attempting to make war with Christ on the white horse, Satan and his worldly children sit in opposition against the moral army of Christ but are immediately overpowered. One of the greatest aspects of Satan's definitive overthrow is that the false prophets who intentionally taught contrary to God's eternal Word are cast in with him after the millennium. Nevertheless, it's during this millennial reign where the Zadok are able to again teach those that have ears to hear (Ezekiel 44:23) but sadly many will still deny Jesus and His Word.

This concept is not hard to understand as one can look at history and see where the world stood a thousand years after the death and resurrection of the Messiah. This is why the angel who “stands in the Sun” states that during the supper of Yahweh it is the flesh that's "served." It's this tissue that separates man from Yahweh and the desires of that flesh leads one into temptation (I John 2:16). Christians are taught to bring their flesh under subjection (II Corinthians 10:3) because Satan entices through the lust of the flesh (James 1:14).

“The beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone. And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh” (Revelation 19:20-21).

These events take place before the millennium thus this “lake of fire burning with brimstone” is more a holding chamber for the beast and his false prophet (5e). Satan is imprisoned for 1,000 years (Revelation 20:1-3) while the Kinsman Redeemer reigns during “the day of the Lord” (II Peter 3:8). After this sentence Satan is released and the final battle commences before his ultimate and irreversible conclusion (Revelation 20:7-15). At last, the tempter is irrevocably defeated and no longer able to allure through man's flesh and petty vanities.

Christ confirms this impending overthrow in His "Parable of the Tares and Wheat" as found in Matthew 25:41; “Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels.” Notice that Jesus teaches the devil and his angels will be cast into everlasting, eternal, and endless fire? So much for Hell being a regular grave where the wicked are freed from any accountability for their degenerate acts - there is simply no evading our actions whether they be moral or immoral.

(Intention:)

My intention with this entire series is to show the double-mindedness of makeshift "pastors" who push their false belief that Satan and angels aren't factual. Such insects are unstable in all their ways (James 1:8) and their denial of the supernatural realm frequently leads others into dismissing the resurrection or heaven itself. Ironically, such teachings are the creeds of Sadducees (Acts 23:8) which Christ taught so adamantly against during His ministry (6f). We must all be on guard against dishonest teachers that twist the Word of God.

I pray that these works have been a blessing to you and your family. While this series will be published in book form, feel free to distribute and reproduce these studies as you deem fit or use them in your individual study. The audio files for all eight sermons will be released concurrently and can be obtained as a special collector's set on four compact discs (each containing two forty minute sermons). If these materials are something you feel led to support, be sure to contact this ministry or visit the forum thread for additional information.

Angels and demons are real, heaven and hell are factual and the Bible is correct in every regard. Either man stands as the liar he is as confirmed in scripture (Romans 3:4) or the ceaseless Word of God is truth as Christ teaches (John 17:17). It always boils down to man going his own way as a "god" of his own making or following “the King of Kings” Jesus Christ who knows what's best for creation. Let's not fall into the trap of following extra-Biblical tripe put forth by godless men that will never see the Kingdom. War for Christ! Amen.

(+-alt-notes-+)

[ Date: Wednesday, January 16th, 2008 ]
(Last Page Update: March 28, 2010)
Covenant People's Ministry
Box 256, Brooks, GA 30205