Indeed, there are evil forces [ Satan, Devil, Demon, all are creatures ] in the world that manifest themselves in various ways, is still valid today, tomorrow, and as long as God, the Creator permit and allow it. Therefore, evil occurs where and when God's will is hindered by human sins.
In the Old Testament, the Book of 1 Chronicles 21:1, the Book of Isaiah 14:12-15 and the Book of Ezekiel 28:11-19 furnish a picture or history of Satan's original condition and the reasons for his loss of that position. These passages were addressed originally to the kings of Babylon and Tyre. They tell of an exalted angelic being, one of God's creatures, who became proud and ambitious. He determined to take over the throne of God for himself. But God removed him from his position of great dignity and honor.
Satan (creature) leads people into sin by various means. Of the various methods used by Satan in carrying out his evil work, none is more characteristic than 'Temptation'. Along with his work of tempting mankind, Satan delights in deception. Satan lying nature stands in bold contrast to the truth for which the Lord Jesus Christ stands. The great falsehood which Satan uses so frequently is that "good can be attained by doing wrong."
As the great 'Deceiver', Satan is an expert at 'Falsifying Truth.' At times Satan opposes the work of God by violent means and brings disorder into the physical world by afflicting human beings. Thus, sometimes God (creator) allows Satan (creature) to afflict His people for the purposes of correction, and perhaps, God allows it to show that evil and wrongdoing do not provide the key to the ultimate meaning of life which human beings so desperately desires.
Nevertheless, Satan is destined to fail in his continuing rebellion against God. Satan final defeat is being told in the New Testament. The death of the Lord Jesus Christ on the 'Cross' is the basis for Satan's final defeat.
This event was the grand climax to a sinless life during which the Lord Jesus Christ triumphed over the enemy, Satan repeatedly. The final victory will come when the Lord Jesus Christ returns [Second Coming] and Satan is cast into the lake of fire.
When the thousand years are over, Satan will be released from his prison and will come out to deceive all the nations in the four quarters of the earth........ Then the devil, who misled them, will be thrown into the lake of fire and sulphur, where the beast and the false prophet are, and their torture will not stop, day or night, for ever and ever.
Then I saw a great white throne and the One who was sitting on it........... The sea gave up all the dead who were in it; Death and Hades were emptied of the dead that were in them; and everyone was judged according to the way in which he/she had lived. Then Death and Hades were thrown into the burning lake. This burning lake is the second death; and anybody whose name could not be found written in the book of life was thrown into the burning lake. - Rev. 20:1-15 -
The serpent was the most subtle of all the wild beasts that Yahweh God had made. It asked the woman, 'Did God really say you were not to eat from any of the trees in the garden?'....... God said, "You must not eat it, nor touch it, under pain of death." Then the serpent said to the woman, 'No! You will not die!' God knows in fact that on the day you eat it your eyes will be opened and you will be like gods, knowing good and evil.'
The woman saw that the tree was good to eat and pleasing to the eye, and that it was desirable for the knowledge that it could give. So she took some of its fruit and ate it. She gave some also to her husband who was with her, and he ate it. Then the eyes of both of them were opened and they realised that they were naked. So they sewed fig-leaves together to make themselves loin-cloths.
The man and his wife heard the sound of Yahweh God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from Yahweh God among the trees of the garden.
But Yahweh God called to the man. 'Where are you?' God asked. 'I heard the sound of you in the garden;' he replied 'I was afraid because I was naked, so I hid.' 'Who told you that you were naked?' God asked 'Have you been eating of the tree I forbade you to eat?' The man replied, 'It was the woman you put with me; she gave me the fruit, and I ate it.' Then Yahweh God asked the woman, 'What is this you have done?' The woman replied, 'The serpent tempted me and I ate it.' - Gen. 3:1-24 -
The Book of Job opens with a brief description of the man, his possessions, and his family. "Blameless and upright" and he owned thousands of sheep, camels, oxen, and donkeys. Job also had seven sons and three daughters. In simple terms, Job considered a wealthy man in the tribal culture of the ancient world.
But Satan insists that the integrity of this upright man has never been tested. Satan accuses Job of serving God only because God has protected him and made him wealthy. Satan said 'but Job is not God-fearing for nothing, is he? Have you not put a wall round him and his house and all his domain? You have blessed all he undertakes, and his flocks throng the countryside. But stretch out your hand and lay a finger on his possessions: Satan said: I warrant you, he will curse you to your face.'
'Very well,' Yahweh God said to Satan 'all Job has is in your power. But keep your hands off his person.' Satan left the presence of Yahweh God. - Job 1:1-12 -
In other words, God granted permission for the testing to begin or permit and allow it.
The Lord Jesus Christ answered:
If God were your Father, you would love Me,
since I have come here from God; yes, I have come from Him;
not that I came because I chose,
no, I was sent, and by Him.
Do you know why you cannot take in what I say?
It is because you are unable to understand My language.
The devil is your father,
and you prefer to do
what your father wants. - John 8:42-44 -
Never try to suppress the Holy Spirit or treat the gift of prophecy with contempt; think before you do anything - hold on what is good and avoid any form of evil. - 1 Thess. 5:19-22 -
You see, the jealousy that I feel for you is God's own jealousy: I arranged for you to marry Christ Jesus so that I might give you away as a chaste virgin to this one husband. But the serpent, with his cunning, seduced Eve, and I am afraid that in the same way your ideas may get corrupted and turned away from simple devotion to the Lord Jesus Christ. - 1 Cor. 11:2-3 -
To the Godless, Gravely Mistaken:
This is the way they reason, but they are misled,
their malice makes them blind.
They do not know the hidden things of God,
they have no hope that holiness will be rewarded,
they can see no reward for blameless souls.
Yet God did make man imperishable,
God made him/her in the image of His own nature;
it was the devil's envy that brought death into the world,
as those who are his partners will discover. - Wisdom 2:21-24 -
The Destinies of Good and Bad people compared:
But the souls of the virtuous are in the hands of God,
no torment shall ever touch them.
In the eyes of the unwise, they did appear to die,
their going look like a disaster,
their leaving us, like annihilation;
but they are in peace.
If they experienced punishment as people see it,
their hope was rich with immortality;
slight was their affliction, great will their blessings be.
God has put them to the test
and proved them worthy to be with Him;
He has tested them like gold in a furnace,
and accepted them as a holocaust.
When the time comes for his/her visitation they will shine out;
as sparks run through the stubble, so will they.
They shall judge nations, rule over peoples,
and the Lord will be their King for ever.
They who trust in Him will understand the truth,
those who are faithful will live with Him in love;
for grace and mercy await those He has chosen. - Wisdom 3:1-9 -
But the godless will be duly punished for their reasoning,
for neglecting the virtuous person and deserting the Lord.
Yes, wretched are they who scorn wisdom and discipline:
their hope is void,
their toil unavailing,
their achievements unprofitable;
their wives are reckless,
their children depraved,
their descendants accursed. - Wisdom 3:10-12 -
Page 5
Faith . Hope . Love - Welcome donation. Thank You. God bless. By bank transfer/cheque deposit:
Name: Alex Chan Kok Wah
Bank: Public Bank Berhad account no: 4076577113
Country: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Sunday, May 24, 2009
I have through years of reading, pondering, reflecting and contemplating, the 3 things that last; FAITH . HOPE . LOVE and I would like to made available my sharing from the many thinkers, authors, scholars and theologians whose ideas and thoughts I have borrowed. God be with them always. Amen!
I STILL HAVE MANY THINGS TO SAY TO YOU BUT THEY WOULD BE TOO MUCH FOR YOU NOW. BUT WHEN THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH COMES, HE WILL LEAD YOU TO THE COMPLETE TRUTH, SINCE HE WILL NOT BE SPEAKING AS FROM HIMSELF, BUT WILL SAY ONLY WHAT HE HAS LEARNT; AND HE WILL TELL YOU OF THE THINGS TO COME.
HE WILL GLORIFY ME, SINCE ALL HE TELLS YOU WILL BE TAKEN FROM WHAT IS MINE. EVERYTHING THE FATHER HAS IS MINE; THAT IS WHY I SAID: ALL HE TELLS YOU WILL BE TAKEN FROM WHAT IS MINE. - JOHN 16:12-15 -
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