16th June 2022

 The mind of Lucifer 

How you have fallen from heaven, morning star, son of the dawn! You have been cast down to the earth, you who once laid low the nations! You said in your heart, ‘I will ascend to the heavens… I will make myself like the Most High.’
Isaiah 14:12-14 (NIVUK)

It is difficult to get a clear picture of the background of Lucifer, as biblical references traditionally associated with Lucifer are also thought to apply to men or kings of the period. Two scriptures fall into this category, the header scripture Isaiah 14:12-14, and Ezekiel 28:12-15, so care needs to be taken with them. The first reference speaks of a being who has fallen from heavenly glory (Lucifer means ‘morning star’ or ‘shining one’);¹  the second appears to state that the same being was ‘in Eden, the garden of God’.

We know that it was in Eden that Satan (which means ‘adversary’, another name of Lucifer) depicted as a serpent, deceived Adam and Eve and caused them to rebel against God by eating the fruit God told them not to eat. This set off a chain of events resulting in the whole world coming under Satan’s sway (1 John 5:19 NKJV), who, as ‘the god of this world’ has ‘blinded the minds of those who do not believe’ (2 Corinthians 4:4).

As a result, the world remains full of evil and wickedness because Satan has influenced the minds of human beings, yet, through Jesus, we have been delivered from that influence, as we read in Ephesians.2:1-2: ‘And you He [Christ] made alive, who were dead…  in sins, in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience…’. 

Paul reminds us that it is by grace that we have been saved, ‘not of ourselves, it is the gift of God’ (Ephesians 2:8 KJV). And the New Testament reveals that Christ will come again and in glory and all those who are in Christ will rise to meet him, the dead in Christ rising first, ‘and so we will be with the Lord forever’ (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 NIV). 

Lucifer, apparently a once-perfect anointed cherub, became a victim of his own pride and vanity and his mind was corrupted. While Jesus gave his life to save mankind, Satan still seeks to destroy humanity, but the victory is Christ’s and ours, not Satan’s and God has promised that ‘…the God of peace will crush Satan under your feet shortly. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen.’ (Romans 16:20 NKJV).

Prayer
Abba Father, God of grace, I thank You that we have been delivered from the sway of Satan and that our ultimate victory is in Jesus, our Lord and Saviour. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

¹ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lucifer#:

About the writer:
Natu Moti is a Deacon in the Birmingham congregation of Grace Communion International.

Local congregation:
Gracecom Birmingham
All Saints Church
George Road
Birmingham B23 7QB

Meeting time:
Saturday 1pm

Local congregational contact:
David Gibbs
Email: birmingham@gracecom.church

Word of Life contact:
wordoflife@gracecom.church