September 17
THE PURPOSE OF EVIL / PART 9
WHERE DID THE DEVIL COME FROM? / #2
-The following scriptures testify that God is responsible for ALL THINGS, has created ALL THINGS, AND THAT HE
CREATED THE DEVIL, and that the Devil was evil from his beginning:
-Genesis 3:1 states, … Now the serpent was more subtle than any beast of the field which the
LORD God had made …
-Revelation 20:2 states, … And He laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil,
and Satan, … ( Note: THE SERPENT, WHICH THE LORD GOD HAD MADE, WAS THE DEVIL. )
-Job 12:16 states, … With Him is strength and wisdom: the deceived and the deceiver are His …
-Isaiah 54:16 states, … Behold, I have created the smith that blows the coals in the fire, and that brings
forth an instrument for his work; and I have created the waster to destroy … ( Note: Remember … Satan comes
to kill, steal, and to destroy. )
-Colossians 1:16 states, … For by Him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth,
visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by Him,
and for Him: … ( Note: This would of course include Satan, for the words “all things” are all-inclusive.
)
According to J. Preston Eby:
-"Did GOD create the Devil? Well, we know he did not create himself! And he did not "just happen"! The reason
some have held the view that Satan was originally an angel is because it seems to relieve God of the responsibility of evil
and sin in the world. When they are asked if a good God created a bad Devil, they can reply: "No, He did not create the Devil;
He created a beautiful and powerful angel who later became the Devil!" This sounds good on the surface, but
when the Spirit of wisdom and revelation comes from God, this line of reasoning is seen to be but shallow inductions of the
natural mind." ( The Serpent, J. Preston Eby )
-In our next teaching we will define the terms: “Satan”, “Devil”, and “Serpent”.
After defining these terms, we will begin to see that Satan has a definite purpose, and was CREATED BY GOD to perform specific
tasks. We will see that OPPOSITION WAS NECESSARY for God to produce overcomers. How could we, as believers in Christ,
learn to overcome Satan IF THERE WAS NO SATAN TO OVERCOME??? ( THINK ABOUT IT! )
-WHAT AN ALL-WISE GOD!-
