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Satan: The Defeated Foe. Kenneth B. Alexander BSL, JD, Deacon
Читать онлайн.Название Satan: The Defeated Foe
Год выпуска 0
isbn 9781456612139
Автор произведения Kenneth B. Alexander BSL, JD, Deacon
Жанр Дом и Семья: прочее
Издательство Ingram
“And when morning dawned, the angels urged Lot, saying, “Up, take your wife and your two daughters, [the prospective sons-in-law living in the house refused to go] who are here, lest you be swept away in the punishment of the city.” But Lot hesitated. So the men seized his hand and the hand of his wife and the hands of his two daughters, for the compassion of the Lord was upon him; and they brought him out, and put him outside the city. And it came about when they had brought them outside, that one said, “Escape for your life! Do not look behind you, and do not stay anywhere in the valley; escape to the mountains, lest you be swept away” (Gen 19:15-18). Lot and his daughters made their way to Zoar in the mountains.
“The sun had risen over the earth when Lot came to Zoar. Then the Lord rained on Sodom and Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the Lord out of heaven, and He overthrew those cities, and the entire valley, and all the inhabitants of the cities, and what grew on the ground. But Lot’s wife, from behind him, looked back; and she became a pillar of salt for disobeying god’s order. Now Abraham arose early in the morning and went to the place where he had stood before the Lord; and he looked down toward Sodom and Gomorrah, and toward all the land of the valley, and he saw, and behold the smoke of the land ascended like the smoke of a furnace. Thus it came about, when God destroyed the cities of the valley, that God remembered Abraham, and sent Lot out of the midst of the overthrow, when He overthrew the cities in which Lot lived” (Gen 19:23-29). If there had been just 10 righteous men in the city the destruction would have been averted, which shows the extent of the Satanic evil that had grown just since the flood.
In Zoar, where Lot had fled with his daughters, even more evil was prorogated by his daughters. Both daughters, feeling there were no men available to continue their family, did the following: “So they made their father drink wine that night also, and the younger arose and lay with him; and he did not know when she lay down or when she arose. Thus both the daughters of Lot were with child by their father. And the first-born bore a son, and called his name Moab; he is the father of the Moabites to this day. And as for the younger, she also bore a son, and called his name Ben-ammi; he is the father of the sons of Ammon to this day” (Gen 19:35-38). So through this incestuous relationship were born more Satanic enemies of Israel--Moab and Ammon.
The covenants of Abraham are more important than the Levitical Law received by Moses. The Law was brought so mankind could know what sin was and how they were falling short. As Paul said; “But before faith came, we were kept in custody under the law, being shut up to the faith which was later to be revealed. Therefore the Law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ, so that we may be justified by faith. But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor” (Gal 3:23-25). Faith came through Abraham and Christ.
It is for believers to “imitate,” Abraham who received oaths from God, the promise that assured the multiplication of his seed from Jews and gentiles alike. In due time his patience was rewarded in that he (lit.) “received the promise.” Since the reference is to the promise given in Genesis 22:17 after the offering of Isaac, the author may have been thinking of the reception of the promise itself as the reward. In that case the idea is that after Abraham had patiently endured (the test involving Isaac), he obtained the promise. Waiting patiently translates the participle makrothymēsas, related to the noun “patience,” makrothymias in Hebrews 6:12, 6:16-18. At this point Abraham is left behind as a model and the oath made to him is treated as for the benefit of Christians generally. That the promise of Genesis 22:18 had Messianic aspects is clear from these words: “Through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed.” Then the author of Hebrews affirmed that the Messianic hope which the promise entailed was sure, not only to Abraham, but also to the Christian heirs of what was promised. As in human affairs an oath puts an end to all arguments, so too there can be no argument about this expectation since God confirmed it with an oath. If anyone, such as a sectarian, denied this eschatological anticipation, he was flying in the face of the strongest possible divine guarantee. Not only was it impossible for God to lie, but His ever truthful Word was supported in this case by His oath. These are the two unchangeable things, which encourage those who take hold of the hope. The oaths guaranteed by God, conditioned by the people’s obedience, are as sure today as they were in Abraham’s time. The promised by God were eternal and neither obedient believers nor Satan could violate them. The oaths override any law and Christ and the Holy Spirit are further guarantees of its integrity in all cases.
Satan the Religious Spirit
One surprisingly hidden aspect of Satan’s moving and nature is that he is a religious spirit. He creates and hides beneath religion as a way of effectively spreading lies about God and Christ. The Apostle Paul defined him as such. In Colossians 2:16-23 Paul condemned those who were infiltrating the churches with doctrines different from those of the freedom taught by Christ. Many of these infiltrators proposed legalistic doctrines according to the Law such as circumcision, dietary requirements etc. Paul said: “Therefore no one is to act as your judge in regard to food or drink or in respect to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath day—things which are a mere shadow of what is to come; but the substance belongs to Christ. Let no one keep defrauding you of your prize by delighting in self-abasement and the worship of the angels, taking his stand on visions he has seen, inflated without cause by his fleshly mind, and not holding fast to the head, from whom the entire body, being supplied and held together by the joints and ligaments, grows with a growth which is from God [not from works like those described above]. If you have died with Christ to the elementary principles of the world, why, as if you were living in the world, do you submit yourself to decrees, such as, “Do not handle, do not taste, do not touch!” (which all refer to things destined to perish with use)—in accordance with the commandments and teachings of men? which have, to be sure, the appearance of wisdom in SELF-MADE RELIGION and self-abasement and severe treatment of the body, but are of no value against fleshly indulgence” [and do not produce salvation].
Many Jewish sects also preached that circumcision was still a necessary requirement to be part of the Body of Christ. Paul said: “It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery. Behold I, Paul, say to you that if you receive circumcision, Christ will be of no benefit to you. And I testify again to every man who receives circumcision that he is under obligationto keep the whole Law. You have been severed from Christ, you who are seeking to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace. For we through the Spirit, by faith, are waiting for the hope of righteousness. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything, but faith working through love” (Gal 5:1-6). Also: “Those who desire to make a good showing in the flesh try to compel you to be circumcised, simply so that they will not be persecuted for the cross of Christ. For those who are circumcised do not even keep the Law themselves, but they desire to have you circumcised so that they may boast in your flesh...For neither is circumcision anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation” (Gal 6:12-15).
Paul’s point was that, under the New Covenant of Christ, salvation no longer came by doing works demanded by the Mosaic Law but through faith. After Christ he who attempts to live righteously by attempting to do the requirements of the Law will fail because man, without Christ, cannot fulfill the law. He made that clear in Romans 2:12: “For all who have sinned without the Law will also perish without