Satan Is Real

"Satan Is Real"

Author: Dr. Neal Gray

Passage: Ezekiel 28:1-19, KJV

Purpose: Just like in war, a Christian needs to know who the enemy is, and something about the characteristics and habits of the enemy. Then develop a strategy for fighting and staying alive. The enemy for the Christian is Satan. The winning strategy is to take complete refuge in the Lord Jesus.

INTRODUCTION

Opening

With a sermon message titled, "Satan Is Real," I must BEGIN WITH A SHOUT OF PRAISE TO OUR GREAT ALMIGHTY GOD, and recognition to Him for all that He has done, and is doing for us. SO LET’S TOGETHER PRAISE GOD WITH...

* Thanks be unto God for His unspeakable gift! (2 Corinthians 9:15), and,

* Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of His knowledge by us in every place. (2 Corinthians 2:14)

==> Our God leads us "to triumph in Christ" in the battles we face on earth!

But you know, as a Christian, that you struggle against temptations, against trials and doubts--all of them coming from "the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places," (Ephesians 6:12b). WE HAVE AN ENEMY, an enemy of the soul. He is a person, and he has real power. You need to know something about the enemy in order to make it through. Yes, SATAN IS REAL.

Structure of the Book of Ezekiel

Our Scripture today comes from the Book of Ezekiel. It was written during the time of the Israelite’s 70-year bondage to Babylon under Nebuchadnezzar’s rule, about 6 centuries before Christ Jesus was born.

The first half of the book, (chapters 1-24), warns of God’s judgment upon the people if they did not change, if they did not revive the genuine worship of God.

The middle eight chapters, (chapters 25-32), deal with God’s judgment upon the Gentile nations. If God did not spare His own people because of their sin, how could the nations around her hope to escape God’s judgment? The passage today is in this section.

The last major division of the book, (chapters 33-48), focuses on Israel being restored. God would again bless Israel and her people.

Judgment on Tyre

Through the prophet Ezekiel, God speaks clearly about the judgment and downfall of the city of Tyre. Tyre was a city/nation to the north of Israel.

==> So fierce would God’s judgment be upon Tyre, that she would never again exist; Tyre would be utterly destroyed by God, (cf. Ezekiel 26:19-21).

You can read about the destruction of Tyre in chapters 26-27.

Scripture

But we’re interested today in the personages of Tyre. There are two:

1. The leader, a prince or ruler, who is a mere man; and,

2. The king of Tyre, who is none other than Satan himself.

In the first half of our Scripture, Ezekiel 28:1-10 tells us something about the man who has been influenced by Satan. And then verses 11-19 tell us something about Satan himself. Let’s look together.

IN HEAVEN

Introduction

It is so very important to know something about the enemy, don’t you think?

Just recently, (in early October, 2000), one of our Navy ships, the U.S.S. Cole, was seriously damaged; and 17 men and women were killed by some men on a suicide mission. We still don’t know for sure who was responsible; we don’t know who the enemy is. So the U.S. cannot take action.

But with the "attack on America" on September 11, 2001, our government officials WERE ABLE TO DETERMINE who was responsible. And so the U.S. can take action, and, in fact, is taking action.

==> Yes, knowing who the enemy is, and something about him helps. So let’s see what EZEKIEL TELLS US ABOUT SATAN, WHO IS OUR ENEMY.

Satan’s Creation

Satan is a created being, an angel. All angels, including the one we know as "Satan," were created by God through His Son, the Lord Jesus. The Bible makes this very clear, (see John 1:3; Colossians 1:16-17).

SATAN WAS CREATED BY GOD, wonderfully made, beautiful and holy. God describes him in our passage:

"Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee." (Ezekiel 28:15)

Satan was called by God, "the anointed cherub" and "covering cherub," (cf. vv. 14, 16). Cherub angels speak to God’s presence, glory, holiness, and sovereignty. They were created for this exalted ministry. A CHERUB IS THE HIGHEST CLASS OF ANGELIC BEINGS.

==> So, Satan, before his fall, was a high-stationed guardian for God. HE HAD been "full of wisdom and perfect in beauty." HE HAD.

Satan’s Sin

But perversion occurred in this most wonderful and high angel of God.

Without explanation as to how or why or when it happened, God says, "iniquity was found in thee," (v. 15). Iniquity and wickedness rose up from within this exalted angel of the morning.