Original Exorcism

Lucifer of Liége, Liége Belgium (Image: Pixabay)

TODAY’S SPECIAL: Isaiah 13-17; Psalm 112

TO CHEW ON: “How you are fallen from heaven,
O Lucifer, son of the morning!
How you are cut down to the ground,
You who weakened the nations!” Isaiah 14:12

Here we have the interesting account of what is believed to be Satan’s casting out of heaven. My Bible’s notes explain the double application:

“These verses … are part of the proverb against the king of Babylon. The language, however, shows that he is a type of Satan” Nathaniel M. Van Cleave, New Spirit-Filled Life Bible, p. 891.

There are several other accounts of Satan’s fall:
- Jesus, when debriefing the disciples on their return from ministering in His name and excited that they could perform exorcisms, told them this was no surprise for Satan was a long-ago defeated foe. He said: “‘I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven’” Luke 10:18.

John in his Revelation vision tells it again:
“So the great dragon was cast out, the serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world, he was cast to earth, and his angels were cast out with him” - Revelation 12:9*

It is interesting to notice the details in Isaiah’s telling. Lucifer’s pride and self-will are on display in his “I will” statements:
“I will ascend to heaven,
I will exalt my throne above the stars of God;
I will also sit on the mount of the congregation…
I will ascend above the heights of the clouds,
I will be like the Most High” - Isaiah 14:13-14.

God responds to him:
He will be brought down
He will be the object of stares
He will be the object of ridicule.
He will be cast out by even the lowest place, the grave.
He will be alone (Isaiah 14:15-20).

What particularly makes me sit up and take notice in this account is the reason for Satan’s fall: pride and self-will, attitudes with which I (and perhaps you too?) am all too acquainted.

PRAYER: Dear Father, by Your Spirit help me to recognize, repent of, and root out the satanic qualities of pride and self-will that so readily take root and flourish in my life.

PSALM TO PRAY: Psalm 112

* Some eschatologists interpret this as a future and final casting out of Satan. different from the one described in Isaiah; others see this as a flashback to that first casting out.

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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

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