Tuesday, September 27, 2011

Flattery Can Get You Kicked Out of Heaven

     A little over a year ago I read a book entitled Demon: A Memoir by by Tosca Lee.  While I understand it was a fictional account of the fall of Satan, it did connect the dots for me.  Now only that, it was a page turner (as opposed to Paige Turner, the head cheerleader from my old high school).  But seriously...the book does purport that it was flattery that lead to Satan's downfall (Pun intended).

     Isaiah 14:12 says this about that legendary downfall: "How you have fallen from heaven, O morning star, son of the dawn! You have been cast down to the earth, you who once laid low the nations!"

     Did you pick up on his titles?  Morning Star....Son of the Dawn.  Now I don't know the exact rank structure of the Angels but these sound like pretty impressive titles, especially since we use that first title to refer to Jesus himself: “I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you this testimony for the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, and the bright Morning Star.” (Revelation 22:16)

     So get this scenario:  Satan is way up there in rank among the angels being the morning star and all.  Another angel who, for a split second took her (or her) eyes off of God Almighty and turned to Lucifer (Back then it was a good name) and said something like, "Wow, you are beautiful."
   
     What happened next is only speculation but it seems that this whole scene took place because one angel took his/her eyes off of God for a split second -- just long enough to give a little flattery -- just being honest.  This led Lucifer to take his eyes off of God and onto himself.
   
     The same things still happens today.  Bad things happen to us when we take our eyes off of Jesus and onto ourselves or our circumstances.  It happens to everyone. Even if you are walking on water -- it can cause you to sink. (Matthew 14:27-29)

     So the next time you are doing something for God and someone wants to give you a little glory, don't absorb it, reflect it to God.  When you do you will avert your own downfall. 

   

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