The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1917-02-16
is THERE A PERSONAL DEVIL?
by j. M. Boyce.)

erful, watchful. and crafty, has large
ly vanished from the minds of men.
Some regard the devil as simply a
principle of evil. having no personal
form. Others picture him as some
hideous, uncouth monster, possessing
hoofs and horns. But neither con-
ception is correct. Satan is a real
Icing, once a beautiful unfallen an
gel. He is an angel still. God made
him ar angel, and he must so remain /;
but he is an angel fallen. The Bible
refers to Satan many times under
such titles as Satan" 'the devil"
"Beelzebub," the "old serpent" and
"the tempter."
As God is the maker of all things.
He. of course, created Satan; but
lie did not create him a devil. He
made him an angel pure and holy.
Satan sinned. and made himself a
demon. God is no more responsible
COR Satan's actions than for those Of
sinful men. God made man and an
gels upright, and gave them power to
remain so. But all were free moral
agents. God takes no pleasure in
forced obedience, but desires that
all should serve Him from love. To
ali, therefore, He grants freedom of
will, that the service may be volun-
tary. Man chose to disobey and be-
came a sinner. So with Lucifer. He
was as pure as any angel around
the throne. He was a shining cherub.
In the most holy apartment of the
earthly sanctuary, on either end of
the mercy seat hat coverd the ark
containing the Ten Commandments,
was a cherub wrought of gold. From
between these two cherubim, God
met and communed with His people.
Exodus 1922. This sanctuary SER
vice was typical of the temple in
heaven. There God dwells between
two living cherubim. Says David:
THE Lord reigneth; let the people
tremble. He stitch between the
cherubim." Psalm 99:1; SO:l. Sa-
tan was Of these, entrusted with
this high and holy position, one of the
1.-TWO anointed ones, that stand by the |
Lord of the whole earth" Zachariah |
4:14. His dwelling place was near
that of the eternal God-in light un-
approachable. Glory and splendor
from Gods immediate presence rest-{
ed upon him. He was next to Christ.
Gods only-begottcn Son alone stood
rtove him, and entered more fully
into the infinite counsels of the God
head. Pride came into his heart.
looked at himself. admired his
and wisdom, forgot that he
was dependent on God for all that
he had, cherished discomfort in his
bosom, instigated rebellion and war,
and was cast, with all his
sympathizers, out of heaven.
But says one, was Satan once in
heaven? He certainly was. When
The seventy apostles returned, re-
that the devils were subject
to them. Jesus said to them, 81 be-
held Satan as lightning fall from
;eaven"; Luke 1918. Then note
carefully the following scriptures:
"Son of Man, take up a lamenta-
ion upon the King of Tyrus, and
'ay unto him; thus saith the Lord
iod; thou ~sealest up the sum. full
If wisdom. and perfect in beauty.
Thou hast been in Eden, the garden
God; every precious stone was thy
covering " Thou art the
lnointed cherub that covereth; and
have set thee so; Thou vast upon
he holy mountain of God; thou hast
walked up and down in the midst of
he stones Of fire. |,
Thou vast perfect in thy ways
rom the day that thou vast created. ,
i'll iniquity was found in thee. BY ,
he multitude of thy merchandise {
hey have filled the midst of thee with j
iolence. and thou hast sinned; there t
ore. | will cast thee as profane out q
f the mountain of God; and | will
estroy thee, o covering cherub, from &
he midst of the stones of fire. Thine @
cart was lifted up because of thy I
eauty, thou hast corrupted thy wis 5
ON by reason of thy brightness;
nil cast thee to the ground, | will g
ny thee before kings, that they may Il
ehold thee; Ezekiel 2%S:l2-17. Il
All can readily see that Satan is il
ne one described under the symbol .
+ the king of Tyrus." The place !.
hence he came, and how he became II
devil. are definitely stated. He is n
escribed as "full of wisdom, and per- is
oct in beauty" and as having been in
m Eden, the garden of God" What Ii,