THE CAUSE OF REBELLION

Have you read words like these recently?

Mid-East Talks Break Down

Riot Breaks Out in College Campus

Guerrillas Strike Against Government Again

Rebellious Youths Break Up Local Dance

Police Unable to Control Protest Rampage

 

I’m sure you are tired of opening your paper and seeing such headlines. As I have traveled from country to country in recent months, in Australia, Europe, United States, South America, and up through the countries of the Orient, this has been the regular pattern of newspaper comment. Regardless of language used, the message has been the same, rebellion against authority.

There always has been an undercurrent of dissatisfaction in every country, and certain countries have been noted for their occasional uprises and disturbances. But never has there been such a worldwide bursting forth of seething anger and open defiance. Countries that once looked down from their pinnacles of peace upon the sporadic outbursts of lesser nations have been toppled and humbled into shame as they, too, have been torn with acts of violence.

This rebellion is proving now to be widespread in every area of human relationship. On the international level we behavior between nations that in previous years would have been classed as war. Attacks made, lives lost, damage done in what can be described only as defiance of agreements once mutually agreed upon.

The national daily life of many countries is being torn by acts of destruction from within. At the city level protests and demonstrations come with bewildering suddenness.

I have never seen such internal strife as is evident now in some leading church denominations, even down to the local churches.

Home life in most of the leading and affluent nations is nothing less than stark tragedy. There seems to be an insidious destruction of national life at home level. Deteriorated husband-wife relationships plus the tangle of parent-children relationships have reduced much of family life to minor war fare or sporadic guerrilla attacks.

These conditions always have existed in a lesser degree, but never before has there been such a worldwide boiling up of near madness in human relations.

The purpose of this book is to trace the source and the cause of all rebellion, using the Bible for reference and instruction. Then we shall see what means God has provided to meet such situations, finding how it is possible to handle the real root area of rebellion—the human heart.

The human heart is the prime source of all such acts, whether international, national, domestic, or personal. ‘Things” do not move into acts of open defiance; they may be involved, but they never originate the acts. Only the action and response of a human heart can bring about these miser able situations. We say, “Great doors turn on little hinges” and how true! Every calamitous confrontation in human history has swung into being on the hinge of human hearts.

No wonder the Bible says, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?” (Jer. 17:9). Incidentally, the word “deceitful” in this verse means crooked or slippery. The words “desperately wicked” mean sick. How true this is, just as we see it around us in the crooked, slippery acts of people who are “sick” to the depths of their beings. And we see this in the sad experiences of our own behavior.

Where did this rebellion first begin? The wildness of to day’s youth or the planned wickedness of communist intrigue are blamed for many of the disturbing situations in the world today; but they are only symptoms of the disease, not the source of the defiance. It comes as a great surprise to many people to learn that rebellion did not begin in any present-day country or in any nation of past history. It did not find its origin in this world at all. This ugly, worldwide situation began in heaven, within the confines of the glory of God!

This challenges us with immediate questions. Why did this situation develop? Didn’t God know? Why did God allow this hideous insurrection? The Bible contains the in lormation to guide us into a better understanding of the subject of rebellion. But we need to realize at the outset that the purpose of the Bible is not to answer the questions of the human heart. The Bible does not tell us what we want to know, but what we need to know in order to find an answer to our heart’s rebellion and to gain peace with God. To all who continue to demand answers to their questions, the Bible maintains the silence of God, except to point out that the demanding heart is a further demonstration of rebellion.

Let us turn to the Word of God and find the cause of this world’s upsurging defiance. Revelation 20:2 gives four names of the one responsible: “The dragon, that old serpent, which is he Devil, and Satan.” He is the one behind the beginning of rebellion and is responsible for seeing it continue and increase

Now notice something very unusual. Not very long ago, Christian speaking to a non-Christian were to mention  belief in a personal devil, he would be a cause for ridicule. The unbeliever would laugh openly at his incredulity or else show amazement that he could believe in myths and fairy tales. It was accepted that no intelligent person maintained this old-fashioned idea. Educated people knew better. Belief in Satan belonged to the middle ages of history, or to ignorant pagans living in a backward culture. But have you noticed over the last few years a quiet, unrecognized change of belief?

When I came to the United States four years ago, the new discovery in theological circles was “God is dead.” Much comment and controversy was raised as a result. But in the last year the ferment has died down—the “God is dead” theory is dead! Instead, something more fearful has come in—”Satan is alive!”

There is no doubt that the upsurge of the drug culture with its blasting away of time-honored restraints has encouraged open recognition of Satan as a reality. Suddenly the civilized world is alive to the new developments in Satan worship and the host of other demonic institutions. Witch craft, once hidden because of its unlovely connections, is now a booming movement, in Britain and the United States in particular. Satan is out in the open, vaunting himself with all his pride. Satan is respectable; witches are accepted; in volvement with demons is the latest attraction.

There are colleges in the United States offering courses on witchcraft, sorcery, and demonology; and these courses have an overflow attendance. How strange that it is not permitted to pray, worship God, or discuss the truth of the Bible in public educational institutions, but it is permitted to be in volved with the powers of evil and to learn techniques for corrupting one’s soul.

The full extent of satanic involvement will never be known. Much of it is done in secret vileness, in association with drugs and sexual abandonment. Occasional glimpses come to light in such horrors as the Manson murders and the ugly incident reported in the press in the summer of 1970. The latter was the murder of an innocent victim so that his heart could be cut out and eaten in some devilish orgy. No one who is alert to the world’s present condition laughs today at the mythology of Satan. The whole idea may seem un reasonable and be unwanted; but the stark fact is that Satan is alive, he is out in the open, he is here to stay, and his powers increase daily.

The Bible is the only reliable source book for information concerning this being. Its words have existed for years, but the world has seen no relevance in its warnings. It is good now, in this time of satanic reality, to turn to the Word of God.

Ezekiel 28 is a chapter containing valuable information which is now confirmed in our drug culture. The prophet begins by describing an actual person living at that time, the prince of Tyrus. But soon his inspired words take on a special meaning and application.

The prince of Tyrus is being condemned because: “Thou hast said, I am a God. I sit in the seat of God” (v. 2). Ezekiel reveals an uncanny truth about this person: “Behold, thou art wiser than Daniel; there is no secret that they can hide from thee” (v. 3)

Did you know that Satan knows all your secrets, that you cannot hide anything from him? This is why he can tempt you so successfully. He knows your weak spots; he knows the sin that does so easily beset you. He isn’t all powerful and all knowing, but he knows enough of you and me to be able to bring us into sin and failure if we face him in our own strength.

In verse 13 the allusion to Satan becomes obvious: “Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God.” This is in full accord with the teaching in Genesis 3.

One reason for the previous unbelief in the reality of Satan was the caricatures of his physical appearance. The Middle Ages presented Satan as the epitome of ugliness; he was black, horned, with hoofs for feet, and a forked tail. He was under stood to be repulsive because of this awful ugliness. People were afraid of him for his terrifying appearance. No wonder the educated person scoffed. But this medieval monstrosity isn’t what the Bible teaches. The picture of Satan given in Ezekiel 28 is the very opposite, one of outstanding, unearthly beauty.

Reading further, we find in verse 13 a description of the appearance of Satan. Unusual words are used to describe the colors of this being. The Bible does not refer to colors such as purple or red or green; these are not vivid enough. It lists a series of precious stones as the covering of Satan: the sardius or ruby, topaz, the diamond, the beryl or chrysolite, the onyx, jasper, the sapphire, the emerald or chrysoprase, the carbuncle and gold. The quality of vivid flashing lights, many colored and ever changing with each movement, made the appearance of Satan. How different from the black ugliness of man’s caricature. In keeping with the thought of unusual beauty, verse 17 tells us, “Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty.” This unusual beauty was one of the causes of his destruction.

It is worth pausing here and underlining the truth of these last words. There are many girls who wish they were beautiful, and many young men, and older men too, who wish they were handsome. Each one dreams of how more exciting life would be if only they had that extra quality of physical beauty. To all such, the Bible gives a special word. Beauty can be a curse. It can lead to untold pressures and promote false values. The most beautiful created being was led on into destruction by his beauty. It might be wise to stop and thank God that you are not radiantly beautiful or magnificently handsome. Many who possessed these attributes have found life to be nothing but a snare and a delusion.

We have said that the rise of the modern drug culture is linked with the new emergence of Satan. We will see this in various ways in this first chapter. Notice, for example, the flashing colors of Satan’s appearance, as noted in verse 13.

Now consider one of the popular occupations in the drug culture: blaring hard-rock bands playing in a room where psychedelic colors are made to whirl and flash. The whole exper ience bombards the ears with sounds too loud and blinds the eyes with lights too vivid, overwhelming the senses.

In such circumstances the individual exposed to this two-fold attack is literally forced to give in to a stronger power. Powers of resistance and rational understanding are steadily crushed under the force. The mind is left cracked and open to the invasion of super stimulating suggestions. Moral values disappear, and the listener is swallowed up in a new world and sensation. This sensual bombardment, plus the use of drugs, however simple, leads to a disintegration of the character. All this is part of the plan of Satan in this present age.

We know that Jesus is the Light of the world. This is what He said in John 8:12. Now we have this distraction—Satan is the psychedelic, blinding light of the world. The contrast is between purity and perdition.

Further information concerning the person of Satan is found in verses 14 and 15 of this chapter of Ezekiel. The whole emphasis here is that he was a created being, perfect in his ways from the day that he was created until iniquity was found in him.

He held high office in the economy of God. He was higher than the angels, greater than the archangels. There is an amazing verse in Jude, verse 9, which tells of a contention between Michael the archangel and Satan. They were disputing about the body of Moses, but even Michael dared not deal with the enemy. Even he had to commit the issue to the Lord whose power alone is sufficient to deal with the matter.

Ezekiel thus informs us about the person and power ol the one who initiated rebellion. If we turn to Isaiah 14, we can find further details of the act which precipitated the whole tr agedy of world rebellion.

Isaiah 14:12 begins: “How art thou fallen from heaven, 0 Lucifer, son of the morning!” Here again the name Lucifer tells of his brightness. This name means the bright shining one. Here is a comment on a recorded fact in heaven’s history, the fall of Satan. When we take the information and put it alongside the words of our Lord in Luke 10:18, we have a phenomenal statement. From out of the depths of His heavenly experience, Jesus, speaking to the returning seventy disciples, said, “I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven.” This is a glimpse into the hidden history of heaven. Jesus was there when it happened—think of that! He saw the arrogant rebel flung out of the place of grace and obedience. His eyes took in the whole scene. Consider the purpose of the Holy Spirit in recording these words for us, just a simple remark of Jesus in reply to the seventy. They had just returned from their mission with joy, and their comment had been one of amazement: “Even the devils are subject unto us through thy name.” They spoke of the lesser demons, and Jesus spoke of the leader, the prince of hell.

Isaiah 14:13-14 then reveals the sin for which Satan was rejected from heaven: “For thou hast said in thine heart.” We do not know when this took place; it is not recorded in human history. We simply know the facts as they are given to us. Somehow there was a working in the heart of this beautiful, created being. He had great power and authority, but this did not satisfy him. “Much wanted more.” Once again we want to ask questions: “Why did God allow it?” “Didn’t God know?” “Why didn’t God stop him?” But again we find no answers. Once more the Bible tells us what we need to know, not what we want to know!

It is worth comparing the words quoted above with the opening words of Psalm 14: “The fool hath said in his heart, there is no God.” Again there is an attitude of heart leading to an act of rebellion. Notice that Satan’s opening attitude of heart has echoed down the years of human experience.

Then follows in Isaiah the words spoken in the heart of Satan If we examine these phrases, we find a series of five statements each beginning with the words “I will.” Every word in his heart was in opposition to God. Previous to this outburst, he had been perfect in his ways. His life had been tie of true obedience to God. His very will had been subject to the will of God. But now the rebellion broke forth. He wanted to ascend, to exalt his throne, to sit; and, finally, he spoke the ultimate blasphemy: “I will be like the most High.”

The five “I wills” are the cry of the rebel seeking to move ut of dependence on God to complete independence. This is where rebellion began, in heaven itself. The rebellion actually was a determination to step into independence, to be Free from the authority of God and to move into opposition against God.

For this rebellion, Jesus saw Satan as lightning fall from heaven. There were lesser angelic beings who supported him and went with him. We read of these in Jude 6: “And the angels which kept not their first estate [or their proper place], but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day.”

This then was the first day of independence, the day when an opposition arose which was to set itself in full battle array against God. This was the seed which grew and blossomed and reproduced itself a million, million times in the human hearts to come. This one seed was to lead to all the sins, the sufferings, the wars, the miseries, the tragedies, the loneliness, the heartaches that have stained and saturated the broken hearts of humanity down the ages.