The Sneaky Snake
“Why did God create the sneaky snake,” our five-year-old asked. Sneaky snake is what she calls Satan. “He didn't,” I answered. “He created Lucifer, the angel of light, the cherubim. Then, as a result of, what I'm guessing was a series of selfish, pompous, horrible, and just stupid decisions, He became Satan. In all actuality, Satan isn't his name, it's not a name at all, Satan is a title.” “What's a title?” she asked. “A title is a name that describes someone's position or job,” I said. “So, Satan is Lucifer’s job?” “Well, yeah, see Lucifer was magnificent, he was full of wisdom and possessed great honor. He was adorned with precious stones and had glory and splendor above any other angel. Not only was he beautiful but he was a talented musician, singing and playing all types of stringed instruments. He was chief of the cherubim who covered and guarded God’s throne. All of these glorious attributes were given to him by the Creator; nevertheless, he became filled with iniquity. His pride and arrogance perverted all the good. Violence and rebellion ensued and he literally fell from grace (Ez. 28:15). Now he has taken the position of adversary and accuser, god of this temporary world, the Satan.
I will never forget a sermon my father, the beloved Rev. E. Phillip Terrell Sr., once preached, “Scotch is better than yeast,” he shouted from the pulpit. My father was very dynamic and bold in his preaching, never one to bite his tongue or care who he offended. This time was no different, “Do you know why the bread we use for communion is unleavened, why it has no yeast,” he asked the congregation? “Because yeast makes the bread rise, yeast puffs up. We, in the church, have been eating too much yeast! It would be better if we took a drink of scotch because it's not the scotch that is going to send us to hell. Yeast is worse than scotch because when you have scotch in you, you can go to the Lord and ask for help to overcome your problems, but when you are puffed up, filled with yeast, you think you don't need God.”
Lucifer was filled with yeast; he had been puffed up by the beauty and honor that God had bestowed upon him. He had everything and all of a sudden, he didn't need God. He even tried to dethrone the Creator! He used his God-given beauty and charm to convince one-third of the angels to join him in rebellion (Rev. 12:4). What was he thinking? Isn’t it something when we take the gifts God has given us and use them against Him? That which Lucifer once used to worship and glorify the LORD, was now his weapon of choice against God.
God had a plan. Create man in His image, a little lower than the angels, served by the angels, and one day honored above the angels (Gen. 1:26; Ps. 91:11-12; Heb. 2:7-8; 1 Cor. 6:3). Satan hated this plan! He was jealous of man. The yeast-infested, fallen angel could not fathom that one-day man would be exalted above him. He waged a personal war against mankind and, with the help of his demons, has attempted to turn man against God ever since. Satan created a godless culture throughout the world to villainize God and glorify sin and rebellion. And what does he get in return? He keeps man from God’s plan and gets plenty of company in hell.
“Pretty is as pretty does,” my mother has always said. Lucifer was a beautiful creature but his actions did not match his physical beauty. He became puffed up by the gifts God had given him. He was ungrateful and filled with pride, weaponizing his gifts in rebellion against God. The once beautiful creature became downright ugly. He was cast from the position of God's own and took the position of the sneaky snake, the Satan.
We are God’s excellent creation, made in His image but we are fully capable of taking on another position, just like Lucifer. A series of selfish, pompous, horrible, and just stupid decisions can lead us down the same pride-filled road that created the Satan. Let's take the road less traveled. Let's thank God for our gifts and use everything He has given us for His glory.
Satan has been trying to sabotage God’s plan for man since his unfortunate exit from heaven, don’t fall for it. God has a plan to exalt man and this plan has never been closer to fruition. Read about it for yourself. Open God’s Word daily and prepare yourself for life, prepare yourself to fulfill His purpose, prepare yourself to be the type of man, woman, boy, or girl, that God can be pleased to place above the angels. Prepare yourself to be exalted.
