ZIONISM AND JUDAISM - DIFFERENCES IN MEANING AND ORIGIN

ZIONISM AND JUDAISM

DIFFERENCES IN MEANING AND ORIGIN

Stes de Necker

ZIONISM

The term "Zionism" itself is derived from the word Zion (Hebrew: ציון, Tzi-yon‎), referring to Jerusalem. Throughout Eastern Europe in the late 19th century, there were numerous grassroots groups promoting the national resettlement of the Jews in what was termed their "ancestral homeland", as well as the revitalization and cultivation of Hebrew. These groups were collectively called the "Lovers of Zion."

The first use of the term is attributed to the Austrian Nathan Birnbaum, founder of a nationalist Jewish students' movement Kadimah, who used the term in 1890 in his Journal ‘Selbstemanzipation’ (Self Emancipation). 

Readings of the founders of Zionism shows that they lived in the same Europe which spawned fascism and Nazism, and they adopted the anti-Jewish view that Jews did not belong in Europe as the core of their ideology.

Zionism is the belief that the Jewish people have a right to a political state whose territory they occupied in Biblical times, i.e. the Promised Land.

It doesn't imply any religious beliefs. 

Also, not all religious Jews are Zionist. Some of them believe the state of Israel won't exist until after the Messiah comes. However, there is a big overlap between the religious and the political beliefs.

ZIONISM AND THE APARTHEID SYSTEM OF SOUTH AFRICA

In December 1973, the UN passed a series of resolutions condemning South Africa and included a reference to an "unholy alliance between Portuguese colonialism, Apartheid and Zionism."

At the time there was little cooperation between Israel and South Africa, although the two countries would develop a close relationship during the 1970s. Parallels have also been drawn between aspects of South Africa's apartheid regime and certain Israeli policies toward the Palestinians, which are seen as manifestations of racism in Zionist thinking.

In 1975 the UN General Assembly passed Resolution 3379, which said "Zionism is a form of racism and racial discrimination". According to the resolution, "any doctrine of racial differentiation of superiority is scientifically false, morally condemnable, socially unjust, and dangerous."

The resolution named the occupied territory of Palestine, Zimbabwe, and South Africa as examples of racist regimes. Resolution 3379 was pioneered by the Soviet Union and passed with numerical support from Arab and African states amidst accusations that Israel was supportive of the apartheid regime in South Africa.

The resolution was robustly criticized by the US representative, Daniel Patrick Moynihan, as an 'obscenity' and a 'harm ...done to the United Nations'. 

“The United States ...does not acknowledge, it will not abide by, it will never acquiesce in this infamous act… The lie is that Zionism is a form of racism. The overwhelmingly clear truth is that it is not.”  (Moynihan 1975)

In 1991 the resolution was repealed with UN General Assembly Resolution 46/86, after Israel declared that it would only participate in the Madrid Conference of 1991 if the resolution were revoked.

Arab countries sought to associate Zionism with racism in connection with a 2001 UN conference on racism, which took place in Durban, South Africa, which caused the United States and Israel to walk away from the conference as a response. 

The final text of the conference did not connect Zionism with racism. A human rights forum arranged in connection with the conference, on the other hand, did equate Zionism with racism and censured Israel for what it called "racist crimes, including acts of genocide and ethnic cleansing".

The problem with the Zionist ideology, as in the case of South Africa’s apartheid system, idea is twofold:

1) Most Jewish people are thoroughly intermingled with other races and cultures. So much so, that Israel requires only proof of one Jewish grandparent.

2) Zionism inevitably means that the native peoples of the holy land, the Palestinians, are displaced even though they have more of a right to be there in the first place.

JUDAISM

Judaism (from the Latin Iudaismus), is derived from the Greek Ἰουδαϊσμός, and ultimately from the Hebrew יהודה, Yehudah, "Judah".

Yahadut, the distinctive characteristics of the Judean ethos, is the religion, philosophy and way of life of the Jewish people.

Judaism is a monotheistic religion, with the Torah as its foundational text (part of the larger text known as the Tanakh or Hebrew Bible), and supplemental oral tradition represented by later texts such as the Mishnah and the Talmud.

Judaism is considered by religious Jews to be the expression of the covenental relationship God established with the Children of Israel.

JUDAISM AND THE LAWS OF MOSES

The basis of Jewish law and tradition (halakha) is the Torah (also known as the Pentateuch or the Five Books of Moses). According to rabbinic tradition there are 613 commandments in the Torah.

In my article ‘The Laws of Moses’ (My blog dated 30 may 2012) all the Mosaic Laws are listed.

Some of these laws are directed only to men or to women, some only to the ancient priestly groups, the Kohanim and Leviyim (members of the tribe of Levi), some only to farmers within the Land of Israel.

Many laws were only applicable when the Temple in Jerusalem existed, and fewer than 300 of these commandments are still applicable today.

Judaism claims a historical continuity spanning more than 3,000 years.

Judaism has its roots as a structured religion in the Middle East during the Bronze Age.

Of the major world religions, Judaism is considered one of the oldest monotheistic religions.

The Hebrews (Israelites) were already referred to as "Jews" in later books of the Tanakh such as the Book of Esther, with the term Jews replacing the title "Children of Israel".

Judaism's texts, traditions and values strongly influenced later Abrahamic religions, including Christianity, Islam and the Baha'i Faith. Many aspects of Judaism have also directly or indirectly influenced secular Western ethics and civil law.

Jews are an ethno-religious group and include those born Jewish and converts to Judaism. 

SUMMARY

Nowadays the deliberate blurring of the distinction between Zionism and Judaism, which includes a re-writing of ancient as well as modern history, is exploited to stifle any criticism of Israel's policies and actions, however extreme and inhuman they may be. This, incidentally, also plays directly into anti-Semitic prejudices by equating Israeli arrogance, brutality and complete denial of basic human rights to non-Jews with general Jewish characteristics.

JUDAISM is a religion and a tradition.

ZIONISM is a political ideology.

Judaism refers to the values, rites and beliefs of the Jewish people.

Zionism refers to the idea that the Jewish people must relocate from the Diaspora to their ancestral homeland. 

QUILT HOLES - The ragged pieces of our lives

QUILT HOLES

The ragged pieces of our lives

                                                                                                  Stes de Necker

As I faced my Maker at the last judgment, I knelt before the Lord along with all the other souls.

Before each of us laid our lives like the squares of a quilt in many piles; an angel sat before each of us sewing our quilt squares together into a tapestry that is our life.

But as my angel took each piece of cloth off the pile, I noticed how ragged and empty each of my squares was. They were filled with giant holes. Each square was labelled with a part of my life that had been difficult, the challenges and temptations I was faced with in everyday life. I saw hardships that I endured, which were the largest holes of all.

I glanced around me. Nobody else had such squares. Other than a tiny hole here and there, the other tapestries were filled with rich colour and the bright hues of worldly fortune.

I gazed upon my own life and was disheartened.

My angel was sewing the ragged pieces of cloth together, threadbare and empty, like binding air.

Finally, the time came when each life was to be displayed, held up to the light, the scrutiny of truth.

The others rose, each in turn, holding up their tapestries. So filled their lives had been. My angel looked upon me and nodded for me to rise.

My gaze dropped to the ground in shame. I hadn't had all the earthly fortunes. I had love in my life and laughter. But there had also been trials of illness and wealth, and false accusations that took from me my world, as I knew it. I had to start over many times. I often struggled with the temptation to quit, only to somehow muster the strength to pick up and begin again. I spent many nights on my knees in prayer, asking for help and guidance in my life. I had often been held up to ridicule, which
I endured painfully, each time offering it up to the Father in hopes that I would not melt within my skin beneath the judgmental gaze of those who unfairly judged me.

And now, I had to face the truth. My life was what it was, and I had to accept it for what it was.

I rose and slowly lifted the combined squares of my life to the light. An awe-filled gasp filled the air. I gazed around at the others who stared at me with wide eyes.

Then, I looked upon the tapestry before me. Light flooded the many holes, creating an image, the face of Christ. Then our Lord stood before me, with warmth and love in His eyes. He said, 'Every time you gave over your life to Me, it became My life, My hardships, and My struggles. Each point of light in your life was when you stepped aside and let Me shine through, until there was more of Me than there was of you.'

May all our quilts be threadbare and worn, allowing Christ to shine through!

God determines who walks into your life...it's up to you to decide who you let walk away, who you let stay and who you refuse to let go.'

When there is nothing left but God, that is when you find out that God is all you need.

DIE GODDELIKE DRIE EENHEID - Waar het die begrip ontstaan

DIE GODDELIKE DRIE EENHEID

Waar het die begrip ontstaan

                                                                                           Stes de Necker

Inleiding

Nêrens in die Bybel staan daar spesefiek dat die Vader, Seun en Heilige Gees, ʼn Drie-eenheid is nie.

Sovêr bekend is die term “Drie-eenheid” die eerste keer gebruik deur Tertullianus (150-225 n.C.), die soge­naam­de vader van die Latynse teologie, maar dit is eers in 350-450 n.C. in die Latynse vertaling van die Bybel (Vulgaat) opgeneem, waarskynlik as gevolg van die St. Jerome manuskripte van die Bybel. (Hy was onder andere ook verantwoordelik vir die skryf van die Vulgaat) Dit was eers tydens die Eerste Ekumeniese Konsilie van Nicéa (325 n.C.), wat die begrip van ʼn Goddelike Drie-eenheid, amptelike teologiese beslag gekry het.

Antwoord 25 van die Heidelbergse Kategismus, gee wel vir ons die antwoord op die vraag: “Terwyl daar maar tog net een, enige Goddelike Wese is, waarom praat jy van drie, naamlik die Vader, Seun en Heilige Gees ?”  (Antwoord: Omdat God Hom so in sy Woord geopenbaar het dat hierdie drie onderskeie Persone die enige, ware en ewige God is), maar die kategismus gee ongelukkig nie vir ons ʼn antwoord op die vraag, hoé, hierdie drie onderskeie Persone as een enkelvoudige “eenheid” verstaan moet word nie!

Eenheid in die Ou Testament

In Deuteronomium 6: 4 lees ons: “Luister, Israel, die Here is ons God, Hy is die enigste Here.”  (“Sh’ma Yis’ra’eil Adonai Eloheinu Adonai echad.” [Echad – Hebreeuse woord vir “een”]  “Hear, Israel, the Lord is our God, the Lord is One.”)

Daar bestaan ʼn siening dat die Hebreeuse woord “echad” in Deuteronomium 6: 4 na ʼn “saamgestelde eenheid” (composite or compound unity) verwys en gevolglik kan die Drie-enigheid van God op hierdie wyse bewys word.

ʼn Saamgestelde eenheid het ʼn pluralistiese betekenis wat beteken dat die geheel uit ʼn verskeidenheid afsonderlik identifiseerbare komponente bestaan wat gesamentlik ʼn eenheid vorm, bv. een tros druiwe. Een druiwe-korrel verwys nie na die tros nie, en net so verwys die woord  tros nie net na een druiwe-korrel nie.

Eenheid in die Nuwe Testament

Die Heidelbergse Kategismus verwys egter na ʼn enkelvoudige eenheid in vraag 25 as dit sê “Terwyl daar maar tog net een, enige Goddelike Wese is, waarom praat jy van drie, naamlik die Vader, Seun en Heilige Gees ?”

Terwyl dit waar is dat die woord “echad” na ʼn saamgestelde eenheid kán verwys, (net soos wat die woord “een” in Afrikaans of “one” in Engels ook na ʼn saamgestelde eenheid kan verwys), bestaan daar geen bewyse vir die siening dat die woord “echad” soos gebruik in Deuteronomium, na ʼn saamgestelde eenheid verwys nie.  

Die laaste persoon in die Drie-eenheid is die Heilige Gees.

Volgens die Nederlandse Geloofsbelydenis is die Heilige gees, net soos God en Jesus, deel van die Drie-eenheid. In Artikel 11 staan daar: Ons glo en bely ook dat die Heilige Gees van ewigheid van die Vader en die Seun uitgaan; dat Hy nie gemaak of geskep of gebore is nie maar van albei slegs uitgaan; dat Hy in orde die derde Persoon in die Drie-eenheid is; dat Hy van een en dieselfde wese, majesteit en heerlikheid as die Vader en die Seun is; dat Hy inderdaad ware en ewige God is, soos die Heilige Skrif ons leer.

Terwyl ons dus glo dat God Drie-eenig is, bely ons terselfdertyd dat Jesus opgevaar het na die Hemel, “en sit aan die regterhand van God” ….? Hoe verduidelik ons aan ʼn jongmens, of ʼn nie-christen, hierdie ooglopende paradoks?

Waar het die belydenis van ʼn Goddelike Drie-eenheid ontstaan

In die Nederlandse Geloofsbelydenis staan daar in Artikel 9: “Want daar is drie wat getuig in die hemel: die Vader, die Woord en die Heilige Gees, en hierdie drie is een; en daar is drie wat getuig op die aarde: die Gees en die water en die bloed, en die drie is eenstemmig.” 

Hierdie belydenis was hoofsaaklik geskoei op 1 Joh. 5: 7-8 van die Nederlandse State Bybel (1637) : (7) “Want drie zijn er, die getuigen in den hemel, de Vader, het woord, en de Heilige Geest; en deze drie zijn een. (8)  En drie zijn er, die getuigen op de aarde, de Geest, en het water, en het bloed; en die drie zijn tot een.”

Ons vind ook dieselfde bewoording in die King James Bybel, (1 John 5 :7-8) : (7) ”For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.” en (8) “And there are three that bear witness on earth, the spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these Three agree in one.” 

Terwyl dieselfde bewoording ook in die ou vertaling van die Afrikaanse Bybel (1953) voorkom, staan daar egter in die nuwe vertaling van die Afrikaanse Bybel (1983): (7)“Daar is dus drie wat getuig: (8)die Gees en die water en die bloed, en die drie se getuienis stem ooreen.”

In die ou vertalings, was vers 7 van 1 Joh. 5, een van die belangrike verse van die Bybel aangesien dit die enigste vers in die Bybel was op grond waarvan die bestaan van die Goddelike Drie-eenheid, teologies beslag gekry het. 

Die verwysing na die drie “getuies in die hemel”, verskyn egter ook nie in enige van die oorspronklike manuskripte van die Griekse Bybel (Vulgaat) nie. Volgens Bybelse historici is hierdie gedeelte moontlik bygevoeg in die Latynse manuskripte van St. Jerome in die jare 350-450 n.C.

Dit was hoofsaaklik as gevolg van hierdie dwaling dat die Heidelbergse Kategismus in vraag 25, vra: “Terwyl daar maar tog net een, enige Goddelike Wese is, waarom praat jy van drie, naamlik die Vader, Seun en Heilige Gees ?” en dan antwoord:  “Omdat God Hom so in sy Woord geopenbaar het dat hierdie drie onderskeie Persone die enige, ware en ewige God is.”

Die weglating van “en hierdie drie is een” in vers 7 van 1 Joh. 5 in die nuwe vertaling van die Afrikaanse Bybel is, histories, die mees korrekte weergawe van wat die apostel Johannes oorspronklik in 1 Joh. 5: 7 geskryf het.

Die historiese dwaling rondom vers 7 van 1 Joh, 5. maak egter nie ons belydenis en geloof in die Goddelike 'Drie-eenheid' vals nie. 

Die vraag ontstaan bloot of dit nie miskien meer korrek sou wees om van n 'Drie-ledige' Godheid te praat nie?

Daar bestaan immers voldoende verwysings in die Bybel dat die Godheid 'Drie-ledig' is:  

Joh. 1: 1 en 14: (1) “In die begin was die Woord daar en die Woord was by God en die Woord was God self.”  (14) “Die Woord het mens geword en onder ons kom woon.”

Hand. 2: 17 “Ek sal my Gees uitstort op alle mense.”

Fil. 2: 6 “Hy wat in die gestalte van God was...”  het aan mense gelyk geword.

Jes. 42: 1 “Hier is My dienaar, Ek stel hom aan. Ek laat my Gees op hom kom ...’

Die mens as beelddraers van God   

Is dit moontlik dat ons die “Beeld-draers van God” is vanweë die feit dat daar nie nog ʼn maaksel soos ons bestaan wat op enige wyse, enige ooreenstemming of gelykenis met die “Beeld” van God het nie, of is ons, soos wat die Afrikaanse verklarende Bybel sê: Die mens verteenwoordig God, letterlik soos ʼn beeld of afbeelding van Hom, hier op aarde.

In die antieke Romeinse tyd het die Keiser dikwels standbeelde van homself in die afgeleë gebiede van die Romeinse Ryk laat oprig om die bevolking daaraan te herinner dat hy die keiser is; die een wat regeer. Dit is teen hierdie agtergrond dat die Afrikaanse verklarende Bybel sê dat, net soos die beeld van iemand gegeld het as sy verteenwoordiger (alter ego) in ʼn sekere gebied, net so verteenwoordig die mens God, as Heerser oor die skepping.

Alhoewel die Pentateug geskryf is tydens die ballingskap, nagenoeg 550 jaar voor Christus, het die skrywers van die Pentateug in werklikheid net die mondelings oorgedraagde geskiedenis, te boek gestel.  Die grootste gedeelte van hierdie teboekstelling, was die kopiëring of óórskryf, van die Tien Gebooie en die Mosaïese wette, wat nóg ʼn verdere 900 jaar voor die ballingskap reeds beskryf is. 

Hierdie wette was, onder andere,  baie spesifiek en verbiedend oor die maak, bestaan en gebruik van enige beelde.  

(1)  Eks. 20:4 ”Jy mag nie vir jou ʼn beeld of enige afbeelding maak van wat in die hemel daarbo of op die aarde hieronder of in die water onder die aarde is nie. Jy mag hulle nie vereer of dien nie ….” en in:

(2)  Deut. 7: 25 “…. die afgodsbeelde is afskuwelike goed in die oë van die Here jou God.” en in:

(3)  Lev. 18: 3 “Julle mag nie maak soos die Egiptenaars by wie julle gewoon het, of soos die Kanaäniete na wie se land toe Ek julle bring nie. Julle mag hulle gebruike nie navolg nie.” en verder in Lev. 20: 23 “Julle mag nie die gebruike van die nasies wat ek voor julle gaan uitdryf, navolg nie.”

Dit is gevolglik uiters onwaarskynlik dat, toe die skrywers van Genesis in Gen. 1: 27 geskryf het : ”God het die mens geskep as Sy verteenwoordiger, as beeld van God … ” hulle daarmee bedoel het dat die mens, God letterlik (soos ʼn standbeeld van die keiser) op aarde moet verteenwoordig. Dit sou in werklikheid beteken dat hierdie skrywers ʼn suiwer heidense gebruik, wat allerweë deur die wet van Moses en die Tien Gebooie verbied was, in die Ou Testament sou invoer.

Die King James vertaling van Gen. 1: 27 lees: “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.”

Die begrip “verteenwoordiger”, as sinoniem met die woord beeld of standbeeld, kom nêrens in die Engelse of die Hebreeuse tekste van Gen. 1: 27 voor nie.

Die Hebreeuse woord vir “beeld” (image) wat in Gen. 1:27 gebruik word is tselem (צלם) wat beteken “skaduwee” of “afbeelding”.  M.a.w. dit beteken nie dat ons soos God lýk nie, maar dat ons ʼn skaduwee van die aard en wese van die Godheid is. (Gen. 3: 22 “Die mens het nou soos een van Ons geword …” )

In 1 Kor. 3: 16 sê Paulus: “Weet julle nie dat julle die tempel van God is en dat die Gees van God in julle woon nie?” en verder in 1 Kor. 6: 19  “Of besef julle nie dat julle liggaam ʼn tempel van die Heilige Gees is nie?”

Die Tempel het ook uit drie  dele bestaan: die Voorhof, die Heilige en die Allerheiligste. Die voorhof was die enigste gedeelte waar die gewone mense kon ingaan.

Die Heilige en Allerheiligste gedeeltes van die tempel was nie vir die gewone mens toeganklik nie en was van die Voorhof geskei deur die “voorhangsel”. Net die priesters kon in die Heilige gedeelte binnegaan en slegs die Hoë-priester kon net één maal per jaar, op versoeningsdag (Yom Kippur), die Allerheiligste binnegaan.

Met Jesus se versoenings-dood skeur die voorhangsel in twee, en kry die mens toegang tot God (die Heilige en Allerheiligste) deur Jesus Christus.

Indien ons die Bybel se beskrywing van “na die beeld van God” eerder sien as die figuratiewe ooreenkoms met die Drie-enige aard van die Godheid, (die “beeld” van God) dan kry die versinnebeelding van die mens, as beeld-draer van hierdie Goddelike Drie-eenheid, vir ons ʼn totaal nuwe betekenis.

Na Sy opstanding het Jesus nog steeds op die aarde vertoef sodat Hy homself aan Sy dissipels en geliefdes kon openbaar as opgestane Heiland, maar nou met ʼn verheerlikte liggaam, en dit was in hierdie verheerlikte vorm wat Jesus ook opgevaar Hemel toe. Ons glo dat die mens ook sal opstaan in ʼn verheerlikte liggaam, waarin die siel en die Gees van God nog altyd sal wees.

In Matt. 10: 28 skryf die apostel: “Moenie bang wees vir dié wat die liggaam doodmaak, maar die siel nie kan doodmaak nie. Nee, vrees Hom eerder wat sowel die liggaam as die siel in die hel kan laat vergaan.”  

Dit bring ons terug by Gen. 3: 22 naamlik, “Die mens het nou soos een van Ons geword ….”, en dan bied die Ou Testament vir ons, weereens, daardie ryke agtergrond waarteen ons die inhoud en betekenis van die Nuwe Testament, soveel meer sinvol en prakties kan verstaan.

“Het algemeen geloof nu is, dat wij één God in de drieheid en de drieheid in de eenheid aanbidden, zonder de Personen te vermengen of het Wezen te delen.” en dan verder in paragraaf 35: “Want zoals een redelijke ziel met het lichaam één mens is, zo is ook God en mens (Jesus in Sy menslike voorkoms) één Christus.”  (Gedeelte tussen hakies eie byvoeging.)


Sou graag meer opinies wou hoor.....

SATAN - THE RISE AND FALL OF SATAN

SATAN

THE RISE AND FALL OF SATAN

Stes de Necker

Who is Satan

The devil (from Greek: διάβολος or diábolos = slanderer or accuser) is believed in many religions, myths and cultures to be a supernaturalentity that is the personification of evil and the archenemy of God and humankind. The nature of the role varies greatly, ranging from being an effective opposite force to the creator god, locked in an eons long struggle for human souls on what may seem even terms (to the point ofdualistic ditheism/bitheism), to being a comical figure of fun or an abstract aspect of the individual human condition.

In the Septuagint, the Hebrew ha-Satan in Job and Zechariah is translated by the Greek word diabolos (slanderer), the same word in theGreek New Testament from which the English word devil is derived. Where satan is used of human enemies in the Hebrew Bible, such asHadad the Edomite and Rezon the Syrian, the word is left untranslated but transliterated in the Greek as satan, a neologism in Greek.

While mainstream Judaism contains no overt concept of a devil, Christianity has regarded the devil as a rebellious fallen angel that tempts humans to sin, if not committing evil deeds himself. In Christianity  – particularly during periods of division or external threat – the devil has assumed more of a dualistic status commonly associated with heretics, infidels, and other unbelievers. As such, the devil is seen as an allegory that represents a crisis of faith, individualism, free will, wisdom and enlightenment

God and the devil are usually portrayed as fighting over the souls of humans. The devil commands a force of evil spirits, commonly known as demons. The Hebrew Bible (or Old Testament) describes the Adversary (ha-satan) as an angel who instigates tests upon humankind. Many other religions have a trickster or tempter figure that is similar to the devil. Modern conceptions of the devil include the concept that he symbolizes humans' own lower nature or sinfulness

Satan’s original position

Two Old Testament passages (Isaiah 14:12-15 and Ezekiel 28:11-19) furnish a picture of Satan's original position and the reasons for his loss of that position. They tell of an exalted angelic being, one of God's creatures, who became too proud and ambitious. He determined to take the throne of God for himself. But God removed him from his position of great dignity and honor. As a result of his original status and authority, Satan had great power and dignity. So great is his strength that Michael the archangel viewed him as a foe too powerful to oppose (Jude 9).

Satan's influence in worldly affairs is also clearly revealed (John 12:31). Satan is also extremely intelligent. Through his intelligence he deceived Adam and Eve and took over their rule of the world for himself (Genesis 1:26; 3:1-7; 2 Corinthians 11:3).

His cleverness enables him to carry out his deceptive work almost at will, although his power is subject to God's restrictions (Job 1:12; Luke 4:6; 2 Thessalonians 2:7-8). But he does have certain victories—although within the boundaries God has set for him—and perhaps these victories allow him to continue the illusion that he can have victory over God Himself.

The reins of God on his activities are illustrated by Satan's request to God for permission to afflict Job (Job 1:7-12). Satan is permitted to afflict God's people (Luke 13:16; 1 Thessalonians 2:18; Hebrews 2:14), but he is never permitted to win an ultimate victory over them (John 14:30-31; 16:33). A part of Satan's continuing ambition to replace God is his passionate yearning to have others worship him (Matthew 4:8-9; Revelation 13:4,12). Satan is "the wicked one” (Matthew 13:19,38), while God is "the Holy One” (Isaiah 1:4).

Satan's nature is malicious. His efforts in opposing God, His people, and His truth are tireless (Job 1:7; 2:2;Matthew 13:28). He is always opposed to man's best interests (1 Chronicles 21:1; Zechariah 3:1-2). Through his role in introducing sin into the human family (Genesis 3), Satan has gained the power of death—a power which Christ has broken through His crucifixion and resurrection (Hebrews 2:14-15). He tempted Christ directly, trying to lead Him into compromise by promising Him worldly authority and power (Luke 4:5-8).

Along with his work of tempting mankind, Satan also delights in deception (1 Timothy 3:6-7; 2 Timothy 2:26). His lying nature stands in bold contrast to the truth for which Christ stands (John 8:32, 44). The great falsehood which he uses so frequently is that good can be attained by doing wrong. This lie is apparent in practically all his temptations (Genesis 3:4-5). As the great deceiver, Satan is an expert at falsifying truth (2 Corinthians 11:13-15).

He brings disorder into the physical world by afflicting human beings (Job 1-2; 2 Corinthians 12:7; Hebrews 2:14). Sometimes God allows him to afflict His people for purposes of correction (1 Timothy 1:20).

But not to worry, Satan is destined to fail in his continuing rebellion against God. His final defeat is predicted in the New Testament (Luke 10:18; John 12:31; Revelation 12:9; 20:10).

The death of Christ on the cross is the basis for Satan's final defeat (Hebrews 2:14-15; 1 Peter 3:18,22). This event was the grand climax to a sinless life during which Jesus triumphed over the enemy repeatedly (Matthew 4:1-11; Luke 4:1-13). Here again, Satan probably rejoiced in the death of Christ, believing this to be a victory for him, but like all his victories, this one, too, was short-lived. 

When Jesus rose from the grave, Satan was once again defeated.

Did God create Satan? 

     

The book of Genesis records Satan (which means ‘accuser’) in the guise of a serpent orchestrating this tragedy.  But this raises an important question:  Why would God create a ‘bad’ devil (which means ‘adversary’) to corrupt His good creation?

In fact the Bible records that God actually created a powerful, intelligent, and beautiful angelic being (the chief among all angels) called Lucifer (meaning ‘Shining One’) – and that he was very good. 

But Lucifer also had a will with which he could freely choose.  A passage in Isaiah 14 records the choice before him.

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 raise my throne
above the stars of God;
I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly,
on the utmost heights of the North.
I will ascend above the tops of the clouds;
I will make myself like the Most High.” (Isaiah 14:12-14)

Lucifer, like Adam, had a choice.  He could accept that God was God or he could choose to decide that he would be god unto himself.  His repeated “I wills” show that he chose to defy God and declared himself to be ‘Most High’.  

A passage in Ezekiel gives a parallel account of the fall of Lucifer:

You were in Eden, the garden of God.
…  I ordained and anointed you
as the mighty angelic guardian.
You had access to the holy mountain of God
and walked among the stones of fire.
“You were blameless in all you did
from the day you were created
until the day evil was found in you.
… and you sinned.
So I banished you in disgrace
from the mountain of God.
I expelled you, O mighty guardian,
from your place among the stones of fire.
Your heart was filled with pride
because of all your beauty.
Your wisdom was corrupted
by your love of splendor.
So I threw you to the ground.  (Ezekiel 28:13-17)

Lucifer’s beauty, wisdom and might – all the good things created in him by God – led him to pride.  His pride led to his rebellion and fall, but he never lost (and thus still retains) any of his power and traits.  He is leading a cosmic revolt against his Creator to see who will be God.

 

His strategy was to enlist mankind to join him – by tempting them to succumb to the same choice that he made – to love themselves, become autonomous from God, and defy Him.  The heart of the test of Adam’s will was the same as Lucifer’s; it was just arrayed with a different garb.  They both chose to be ‘god’ to themselves.  This was (and is) the ultimate ‘god delusion’.

So God did not make a ‘bad devil’, but created a powerful and intelligent angelic being who through his pride has led a revolt against God – and in so doing was corrupted (while still retaining) his original splendour. You, I, and all of mankind have become part of the battleground in this contest between God and his ‘adversary’ (devil). 

The strategy on the part of the devil is not to go about in sinister black cloaks like the ‘Black Riders’ in the Lord of the Rings and put evil curses on us, but with his retained splendour he simply seeks to deceive us from the redemption that God has signalled at the beginning of time, through Abraham, through Moses, and then accomplished in the death and resurrection of Jesus. 

As the Bible says:

Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. It is not surprising, then, if his servants also masquerade as servants of righteousness. (2 Corinthians 11:14-15)

Because Satan and his servants can masquerade as ‘light’ we are more easily tricked. 

This is why understanding the Gospel for ourselves is so vitally important.

According to the Bible, Satan is a created being, having been created by God as His most powerful angelic helper. So, Satan is an angel who rebelled against God. Satan was created as a perfect being; a holy Angel. He is described as originally being wise and completely righteous.

Isaiah 14:12 possibly gives Satan’s pre-fall name as Lucifer. Ezekiel 28:12-14 describes Satan as having been created a cherub, apparently the highest created angel. He became arrogant in his beauty and status and decided he wanted to sit on a throne above that of God (Isaiah 14:13-14; Ezekiel 28:15; 1 Timothy 3:6). Satan’s pride led to his fall. Notice the many “I will” statements in Isaiah 14:12-15. Because of his sin, God permanently removed Satan from his exalted position and role.

Why did Satan revolt against God?

Why would Lucifer want to defy and usurp the rule of the One omniscient and omnipotent Creator?

An important aspect of being ‘smart’ is to know whether or not you can defeat a potential opponent. 

Lucifer may have had (and still has) power, but even his limited creature-power would have been insufficient for a successful revolt against His Creator.  

So why risk all and go for something he could not win? 

I would think that a ‘smart’ angel would have recognized his limitations pitted against Omniscience and Omnipotence combined – and held back his revolt? So why didn’t he?

Lucifer could only accept God’s Word to him that He had created Him and that God himself was eternal and infinite.  And in his pride he chose to believe the fantasy that he had birthed in his own mind.

According to the Bible the angels were already there at the time of the creation.

So for example a creation passage in Job tells us:

Then the LORD spoke to Job out of the storm. He said…
“Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation?
Tell me, if you understand….
while the morning stars sang together
and all the angels shouted for joy? (Job 38:1-7)

You might think it fanciful that Lucifer would believe that both he and God (and the other angels) just ‘popped’ into existence.  But this is the same basic idea behind the latest and greatest of modern cosmology.  There was a cosmic fluctuation of nothing – and then out of this fluctuation arose the universe – that is the essence of modern atheistic cosmological speculations. 

Fundamentally, everyone – from Lucifer to Richard Dawkins & Stephen Hawkings to you and I – must decide by faith whether the universe is self-contained or was brought forth and is sustained by a Creator.

In other words, seeing is not believing.  Lucifer would have seen and conversed with God.  But he still would have had to accept ‘by faith’ that God had created him.  Many people tell me that if God would just ‘appear’ to them then they would believe.  But through the Bible, many people saw and heard God – that was never the issue. 

But the crux of the issue was whether they would accept and trust His Word about Himself and themselves.  From Adam and Eve, to Cain and Abel, to Noah, to the Egyptians at the first Passover, to the Israelite crossing of the Red Sea all the way to those who saw the miracles of Jesus – ‘seeing’ never resulted in trust.  The fall of Lucifer is consistent with this.

However, pride caused Satan to fall, ("your heart was lifted up because of your beauty"), since he wanted to receive the worship due to God alone. At that point there was rebellion in heaven, when Satan convinced one third of the angels to rebel against God.

Michael, an archangel of God, fought with God's angels against Satan and his angels, with Satan losing the battle and being cast from heaven down to earth. It isn't certain when Satan rebelled against God, but a passage from the book of Job (Job 38:4-7) suggests it occurred between the creation of the earth and the creation of Adam and Eve. In describing the creation of the earth to Job and his friends, God said that "all the sons of God shouted for joy." Presumably, "all the sons of God" would have included Satan as well, suggesting he hadn't rebelled at the point the earth was created.

Satan was there before the time of creation

The Bible gives no information of when the Angels were created, or when some of them rebelled against God. It is believed that the Angels were created long before man, and some did fall shortly after their creation.

The Bible tells us that on the 1st day of creation that the Earth was created and that on the 2nd day the Firmament which God called Heaven was created. Where God and the Angels were before that is not told to us, nor are we told how many Heavens there are.

In a previous article I wrote about 'How Many Heavens are there'

In Biblical times, this "sky" was viewed as two parts. Where we are, within the Earth's atmosphere, was regarded as the "first" heaven. In other words, the part where the birds fly (the skies). Gen. 1: 28 "have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air ..."

The "second" heaven refers to that part where the stars are. The cosmos outside the earth's atmosphere or as the Bible describes it, the "heavens".

Gen. 1: 14 says: "And God said: Let there be lights in the firmament to divide the day and night from one another." And in verse 17: "God placed them in the heavens to give light upon the earth ... "

The "third" heaven is what we believe our future home will be, Paradise. The ‘home’ of God.

In Psalm 11: 4 says David, "The Lord is in His holy temple; God is on His throne in heaven. "For the sinner on the cross, Jesus said," Today you will be with me in Paradise. "

When Paul then speaks of the "third heaven", he refers to the spirit world where heaven and hell exist.

Genesis 28:12

And he dreamed, and behold a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven: and behold the angels of God ascending and descending on it.

Heavenly beings often visited the earth. They even found the daughters of ‘man’ beautiful and had intimacy with them!

Genesis 6:2: 'That the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose.'

It is clear however that Satan sinned prior to Adam and Eve sinning but regardless of his initial sin, Satan still had access to the realm where the angels stand before God (which we call "heaven").

Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came among them. -Job 1:6

Again there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came among them to present himself before the Lord. -Job 2:1

It seems clear however that at the time of creation, Satan was still rebelling against God. Satan took on the form of a snake in the Garden of Eden to tempt Eve. He managed to convince Eve that God's instructions against eating from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil were done as a way of keeping something good from her. She believed Satan's lie that she would "become like God." We don't know where Adam was at the time of Satan's temptation, but he followed his wife's lead and also disobeyed God's instructions.

The Book of Job

At the beginning of the book, Job is a good person "who revered God and turned away from evil" (Job 1:1), and has therefore been rewarded by God. When the angels present themselves to God, Satan comes as well. God informs Satan about Job's blameless, morally upright character. 

Between Job 1:9–10 and 2:4–5, Satan points out that God has given Job everything that a man could want, so of course Job would be loyal to God; Satan suggests that Job's faith would collapse if all he has been given (even his health) were to be taken away from him. God therefore gives Satan permission to test Job. In the end, Job remains faithful and righteous, and there is the implication that Satan is shamed in his defeat.

Job 2:2 “And the Lord said unto Satan, from whence comest thou? And Satan answered the Lord, and said, from going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it.”

I said earlier that Satan's nature is malicious. His efforts in opposing God, His people, and His truth are tireless (Job 1:7; 2:2;Matthew 13:28). He is always opposed to man's best interests (1 Chronicles 21:1; Zechariah 3:1-2).

So we can assume safely that Satan’s wondering on earth was also with malicious intent!

In Gen 6:5-7 we read, “The Lord saw how great the wickedness of the human race had become on the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time. 

The Lord regretted that he had made human beings on the earth, and his heart was deeply troubled. 

So the Lord said, “I will wipe from the face of the earth the human race I have created—and with them the animals, the birds and the creatures that move along the ground—for I regret that I have made them.”

God totally wiped out the seed of Satan that was present in the human race at the time.

In Gen 6:13 we read, “So God said to Noah, “I am going to put an end to all people, for the earth is filled with violence because of them. I am surely going to destroy both them and the earth.”

Noah was a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time, and he walked faithfully with God and Noah and his family were the only ones to survive the flood.

We can thus safely assume that after the Great Flood, the heavenly beings were not allowed on earth anymore.

At the time of Job then, Satan and many of the other fallen Angels have not yet been cast out of heaven. See Job 1:6, and 2:1 where Satan presents himself before God with the other Angels. (It is believed by many that Job and Abraham lived about the same time.) They will be cast out of heaven during the Tribulation period. See Mat. 25:41, for their punishment to come in the hell that was made for them; and Rev. 12:7-9 where Satan and his fallen angels will be cast out of heaven during the middle of the tribulation period.

When was Satan cast out of Heaven?

The bible does not tell us when Satan rebelled against God. It does tell us why Satan rebelled. It was for Pride. See Isa. 14:12-16 which tells of his pride, and Ezek. 28:12-19 which describes Satan and compare with Job 41 which gives additional description of Satan.

Satan was already in rebellion when he led Eve to rebel against God in the Garden of Eden, by eating of the forbidden fruit. This would indicate that Satan's rebellion against God was probably before the Heavens and Earth (as we know them) was created.

Sometime after their creation, and most certainly after the sixth day when everything was declared “very good” (Genesis 1:31), Satan rebelled and was cast out of heaven. “How you have fallen from heaven, O morning star, son of the dawn! You have been cast down to the earth, you who once laid low the nations!” (Isaiah 14:12). When Lucifer sinned, Jesus said, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven” (Luke 10:18), and in the book of the Revelation Satan is seen as “a star that had fallen from the sky to the earth” (Revelation 9:1).

We are also told that one third of an “innumerable company of angels” (Hebrews 12:22) chose to rebel with him. John saw this great wonder in heaven, “…an enormous red dragon…His tail swept a third of the stars out of the sky and flung them to the earth…the great dragon was hurled down—that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him” (Revelation 12:3-9). 

Since Satan is referred to as a star which fell or was cast down to earth, and Revelation 12:4 says a third of the stars were cast out with him, then the conclusion is that the stars in Revelation 12 refer to fallen angels, fully one third of the heavenly host. If the one-third number is in fact accurate, what assurance that is! Two thirds of the angels are still on God's side, and for followers of Christ, they are on our side as well.

Rev. 12:4 indicates that Satan himself brought one third of his fallen angels to the earth just before Jesus was born. That Satan brings them to earth would indicate that these stars are part of his fallen Angels. Note the symbolism used. The woman (verse 12:1) is the Israelite nation, shown by the crown of 12 stars (the 12 tribes). The male child who will rule (verse 12:5) is Jesus who was raised from the dead, ascending into heaven to take His position on His Throne.

(See also: Zechariah 3:1) I also linked a passage from Luke in which Jesus says that He was watching Satan falling from heaven when "the seventy" were rebuking demons. If he is still "falling from heaven" in Jesus' day, it seems logical to think he still had access to heaven, and must not have yet been banished in any ultimate sense.

The seventy returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name.” And He said to them, “I was watching Satan fall from heaven like lightning." -Luke 10:17-18

The passage from Revelation 12 seems to be describing a much more ultimate banishment in which he is forced out of heaven by Michael's armies, there is "no longer a place found for them in heaven", and he is "thrown down to the earth", resulting in "woe to the earth" because once Satan realizes what has happened, he has "great wrath, knowing that he has only a short time." 

The context of this passage, which I was explaining in my answer seems to be about the End Times, and the casting down seems to happen after the ascension, since the resulting proclamation includes a description of how the "brethren" overcame Satan by the blood of Jesus. It seems unnatural to interpret this as describing an event that happened back in Genesis 1-3.

2 Pe. 2:4, and Jude 6, indicates that some of the fallen Angels were cast into hell and some of them are being held in chains of darkness until the judgement day. 

In Luke 4:2 we read how Jesus was tempted by Satan in the desert. 'Being forty days tempted of the devil. And in those days he did eat nothing: and when they were ended, he afterward hungered.’

John 12:31 seems to indicate that the Prince of this world (Satan) was not cast out or could not be cast out before Jesus died. 

Satan was cast out of Heaven when Jesus died on the cross and ultimately will be cast into the lake of fire when Jesus returns. 

Verse 6 shows a time in the future when part of the Jewish nation will flee from Jerusalem to a place that will keep them safe during the last half of the tribulation period.

Jesus replaced Satan as prosecutor to become our mediator with God

By looking at Rev. chapter 12, Satan our adversary , who stood before the throne accusing us day and night (example ; Job) as an adversarial prosecutor was cast out of Heaven and replaced by our mediator, Jesus Christ.    

In the first few verses of Rev. chapter 12 we see Satan has drawn on all his resources bringing them out of Heaven to earth ,in an all out attempt to kill the Messiah from birth. He was unsuccessful , and when Jesus was about to go to the cross it could be that he took his resources back to Heaven to accuse Jesus for ordaining 70 plus ministers to go out and preach the gospel as well as empowering them to perform miracles (in what might have been seen as unlawful by God's law on earth and an opportunity to accuse Jesus before the throne of Heaven , my thinking is "finally we got Jesus on a technicality!").

In other words Satan's contention was that Jesus did not have legal authority to send them out or empower them for spiritual service, and when they stormed Heaven to make their case they were met by resistance, a war breaks out and Satan and his followers have no more place in Heaven.

Satan and the powers of the world 

    

At some point in the near future, when more and more people's eyes become opened to what is really going on, there will be an upsurge of people who will take courage and recognize the Father's Kingdom for what it truly is and they will stand in the face of whatever obstacles are necessary to stand fast in the liberty the Father's Kingdom gives them. In due time, all those who are in governance above these people shall cast out the spirit of Lucifer and provide godly leadership or they will be removed from their offices of authority.

Casting Lucifer from "heaven" to "earth" simply means that this spirit of force, control, tyranny, etc. shall be removed from the realms of governance. Thus, the fall of Lucifer takes place upon Adam's redemption when He regains the dominion God gave to Him in victory.

God put that subtle serpent, that Satan/Sin/He, outside of the Garden of Eden with Adam and Eve, at the same time and the same place, upon earth and upon his belly he goes to eat dust all the days of his life. When is it that this serpent, that lying tongue, supposedly went up to Heaven after the garden as everyone thinks? This tendency of Satan (or Lucifer) to position himself behind or through someone else is consistent.

Throughout the bible, we see how God has repeatedly used men, and nations, who were evil, men and nations, controlled by Satan, to test man, and to bring judgement upon man.

But we also see in the Book of Job how God allowed Satan to bring evil upon Job, only to show that Job will not turn away from God.

Man fell, and that serpent fell with him as they were released outside the garden. This Satan of Job 1:7 came to present himself before God from walking to and fro in the earth.

Satan's continued rebellion

Satan continues in his rebellion today, since he hates God and His plans. He wants people to worship him and follow his evil ways. 

Revelation 12:13 “And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth, he persecuted the woman which brought forth the man child.”

Satan's persecution was now (today) directed at the Church of Jesus. Satan will do anything to destroy the church.

He opposes Jesus Christ—God who took on the form of a man to redeem humanity from their sin, and restore their relationship with Him. 

A comparison between Jesus and Satan is given in the table below.

Comparison between Jesus and Satan:

Characteristic          Jesus                                                      Satan

Purpose                    Lead people to salvation                  Lead people into rebellion

Methods                   Tell people the truth                         Tell people lies

Motivation               Love                                                  Hate

Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness,

faithfulness, gentleness and self-control                         Sexual immorality, impurity, debauchery,                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, discord, jealousy,                                                                                           fits of rage, selfish ambition,                                                                                                                     dissensions, envy,                                                                                                                                       drunkenness, orgies 

      

Following leads to  Freedom from sin                               Enslavement to sin

Satan's ultimate fate

The Bible says that Satan will continue in his rebellion against God until the very end

Near the end, a "beast" (world ruler) will arise from the "sea" (the gentile nations), having been

given power by Satan to perform signs and wonders for the world. In addition, a false prophet, a religious leader empowered by Satan will deceive people into worshipping him. The beast and the false prophet will convince the leaders of the earth to follow them into war against God and His people

However, the armies of the leaders of the world will be destroyed at the battle of Armageddon and the beast and false prophet will be thrown into the Lake of Fire. At this point, Satan will be locked up for 1,000 years, while Jesus Christ rules the earth with His saints

At the end of that period, Satan is released for a short period of time, deceives the leaders of the world again, and convinces them to attack Jesus and His rule on the earth. The battle is short as fire from heaven consumes the rebels. Satan is then thrown into the Lake of Fire (hell) to "be tormented day and night for ever and ever."

 Following Satan's demise, the saints of Jesus Christ will judge the angels who joined him in rebellion.

Overcoming Satan

The apostle John says that believers can overcome Satan when "the word of God abides in you."

When Jesus was tempted by Satan, He cited scripture to him (Matthew 4:1-1037). In addition, Paul tells us that the sword of the spirit, which is the word of God, is our only offensive weapon against the Satan (Ephesians 6:13-1738). In the parable of the sower, Jesus said that there were those who heard the word of God, but failed to take it in, and so were led astray by the devil (the seed that fell by the side of the road). So Christians resist the devil by knowing and memorizing scripture so that we cannot be deceived by the lies of Satan. 

The Bible gives believers the following instructions about resisting the devil:

• Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. (James 4:7)
• "In your anger do not sin": Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold. (Ephesians 4:26-27)
• In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. (Ephesians 6:16)
• Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. But resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brethren who are in the world. (1 Peter 5:8-9)

Conclusion

Even though Satan was cast out of heaven, he still seeks to elevate his throne above God.

He counterfeits all that God does, hoping to gain the worship of the world and encourage opposition to God's kingdom. Satan is the ultimate source behind every false cult and world religion. Satan will do anything and everything in his power to oppose God and those who follow God.

Satan became the ruler of this world and the prince of the power of the air (John 12:31; 2 Corinthians 4:4;Ephesians 2:2). He is an accuser (Revelation 12:10), a tempter (Matthew 4:3; 1 Thessalonians 3:5), and a deceiver (Genesis 3; 2 Corinthians 4:4; Revelation 20:3). His very name means “adversary” or “one who opposes.” Another of his titles, the devil, means “slanderer.”

It’s hard to imagine a being who was as close to God as Lucifer (Satan) was coming to believe that he could even do battle with God, much less defeat Him. Even the most depraved mind should be able to see that the creature cannot possibly contend with the Creator. And yet Satan attempted to dethrone God and strives to this day to defy His authority, thwart His plans and harass His people. 

But the good news is, strength for a Christian's victory over sin has also been provided through the death of Christ. We have the assurance that "the God of peace will crush Satan under your feet” (Romans 16:20).

But such personal victory depends on God’s grace and power in our lives and our will to offer resistance to Satan's temptations (Ephesians 4:25-27; 1 Peter 5:8-9).

To help Christians win this battle against Satan, God has provided the power of Christ's blood (Revelation 12:11), the continuing prayer of Christ in heaven for believers (Hebrews 7:25), the leading of the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:16), and various weapons for spiritual warfare (Ephesians 6:13-18).

However, Satan’s destiny is sealed— the final victory will come when Jesus returns and Satan is cast into the lake of fire (Revelation 20:1-15).

Jesus said: "I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you. However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven."  (Luke 10:18-20)