The UPLOOK (March 2011) edited for Internet
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We were created to be like God!
And, when a man dies??
Solomon's understanding, was limited to this earth . . .
Never does the Lord accept the Enemy's input.
God wants our hearts.
And demons also came out of many, crying out and saying, "You are the Christ, the Son of God!" And He, rebuking them, did not allow them to speak, for they knew that He was the Christ.
Luke 4:41
In the text quoted above, the one trying to shine “light” on the issue of who Jesus is (and was), is silenced. At first glance, it appears the reason the demons are silenced is simply because they “knew that He was the Christ.” Well, of course they did. These are fallen angels, are they not? They’d known of Him before He came to earth. They’d witnessed the angelic celebration when He arrived, on that first Christmas morn—and chaffed, bode their time, and hoped that as Herod flew into a rage to kill the Messiah, coming to earth to deliver us from Death . . . that He, Himself, would be killed by the despot.
But, of course, they failed—that time.
Why was it that they were so willing to say who Jesus was? Perhaps it was because, understanding just who Jesus really is, they also understood-more than anyone—just how powerful He really is. As one spirit begged, when speaking out, “What have we to do with You, Jesus, You Son of God? Have You come here to torment us before the time?” (Matthew 8:29). An interesting admission? Yes. The demons (fallen angels) know why Hell was created.
It was created for them. It is that place of “everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels” (Matthew 25:41). For they were the first to bear God’s image, also being called “sons of God” (Job 1) and, as such, could never be consigned to annihilation; only banishment—is this not so? Oh, you did not know? Think about it a moment, will you? Think, and then remember what God said when creating man, in the garden. What was it that God said, when creating man? Listen, closely.
Then God said, "Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness;”
What does this mean? Come now, think man (woman). What does it imply?? Go ahead, say it.
It says we were created to be like God! Of course, now read the rest of the verse:
“let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth."
Genesis 1:26
Of course! This is similar to what God does: He rules over creation. But when a man dies???
The psalmist had a way of expressing it. The psalm we now quote from was actually referenced by the Lord, Himself, when contending with religious rulers of the day. The psalm reads:
I said, "You are gods, And all of you are children of the Most High.”
But then, the psalmist comes “down to earth” and admits:
“But you shall die like men, And fall like one of the princes."
Psalm 82:6,7
Curious comment, that: about dying like men. Why not say that we would die like God—since we are “gods”?? Have you considered the question? Of course, for God doesn’t die. . . . So what is death, exactly, from Heaven’s perspective?
Wise king Solomon came close to unveiling it, in the Old Testament, before Jesus unraveled the whole mystery in His teaching. Noted Solomon, about that most unpleasant event that now comes to all living upon the earth: Both man and animals all die. In the text that follows, special care must be taken to note who is speaking, and where this commentary is found. It was made by Solomon in the book of Ecclesiastes: Solomon, the man who was so wise that rulers traveled from the ends of the earth, to hear his wisdom (1 Kings 4:29-31). Solomon, a man who thought that he was wise enough . . . to disobey God, and get away with it, for he married foreign wives in a willful disregard to warnings given within the Law, concerning how a king should establish his kingdom (Deut. 17:15-19, 1 K. 10:28-11:2).
Ecclesiastes then, is what remains of Solomon’s wisdom, as he seeks to gain access to God’s hidden secrets without—what shall we say? Without repentance. For his father was a philanderer and finally repented of (and paid for) his sin in this life (see his repentance in Psalm 51). While Solomon . . . simply ploughed his way through, seeking to pluck all the dainties he could while riding the merry-go-round of life to the end. Thus, the key element of Solomon’s writings in Ecclesiastes is found in the statement, “under the sun.”
"Vanity of vanities," says the Preacher; "Vanity of vanities, all is vanity."
What profit has a man from all his labor In which he toils under the sun?
Ecclesiastes 1:2,3 *
You see it, don’t you? Solomon’s vision, and understanding, was limited to this earth, within his lifetime. He could only see what went on, “under the sun” (see also vss. 1:9, 14, 2:11, 17 . . .). Which now gives us pause, as he attempts to describe what death is, from this perspective. Note, carefully what he tries to say—and then admits.
For what happens to the sons of men also happens to animals; one thing befalls them: as one dies, so dies the other. Surely, they all have one breath; man has no advantage over animals, for all is vanity.
All go to one place: all are from the dust, and all return to dust.
Who knows the spirit of the sons of men, which goes upward, and the spirit of the animal, which goes down to the earth?
Ecclesiastes 3:19-21*
(*emphasis added: see also 12:7)
You see, we are not allowed to simply “vanish” from the scene, at death. Solomon wanted to believe that. His statement starts out by saying that we die like animals—but then he admits that there is a difference (vs. 21). After death we must then stand before God, and give account (Eccl. 12:7, Heb. 9:27). Why is this? Because we were made in God’s image. As such, annihilation is out of the question. Our very existence is a divine statement. So, Hell is the reward of those who rebel against Him. Only, in Hell, the full reality of our dependence upon God, is completely exposed. For as the apostle James notes, “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.” (James 1:17).
In Hell, you exist, but without God’s Light to guide you. You might say that in Hell, the Night never ends: either inside, or out.
“cast the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”
Matthew 25:30
Which brings us back to our original question about truth (Truth), and light (Light). For wherever you see an encounter between Jesus and demons, the Lord is always the master. Further, Christ never accepts “advertising” from the enemy of our souls. Never. Never, ever. It matters not whether the info being offered is “good” or apparently correct. Never does the Lord accept the Enemy’s input. This was true, as well, with the apostles. You may recall that the apostle Paul spent a night in prison, for silencing a fortune teller, who had (what many today would call) a “spirit guide.” Do you recall what she said, that so offended the apostle?
Read the story for yourself.
Now it happened, as we went to prayer, that a certain slave girl possessed with a spirit of divination met us, who brought her masters much profit by fortune-telling.
This girl followed Paul and us, and cried out, saying, "These men are the servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to us the way of salvation."
Acts 16:16,17
Well, you say, what is wrong with that comment? Wasn’t she telling the truth?
Was she? Or was she mocking them, with the “truth”? Maybe, the spirit that was in her realized that an outright lie would have been silenced, immediately; so he sought to gain traction by “telling the truth.” —No matter how painful that might have been to the demon, itself.
It was about to get even more painful.
this she did for many days. But Paul, greatly annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, "I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her." And he came out that very hour.
Acts 16:18
As for the main reason the Savior silenced the demon, in our opening text? Jesus came largely incognito, to our planet. And why was that? He came to die for our sins. The Jewish nation had received the Law, and were quite legalistic in following its tenets. Simply demanding homage (mechanical obedience), on their part was exactly what the Lord did not want. As the prophet Isaiah wrote:
"Inasmuch as these people draw near with their mouths And honor Me with their lips, But have removed their hearts far from Me, And their fear toward Me is taught by the commandment of men,
Therefore, behold, I will again do a marvelous work Among this people, A marvelous work and a wonder; For the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, And the understanding of their prudent men shall be hidden."
Isaiah 29:13, 14
In other words, the Lord Jesus wanted to allow the religious leaders to fumble all over themselves, as they puzzled about His identity—while touching the heart of His listeners. God so loved the world, that He provided us with a way of redemption: through His blood (Acts 20:28). This was too high a price to pay, to have mere lip service from these people! Is it any wonder that Christ said the same thing to Peter, when he also declared that Jesus was the Christ (Matt. 16:16-21)?
God wants our hearts.
It is necessary, therefore, that all who partake of this very special treasure: Eternal Life, and re-entry into Paradise through the blood of the Lamb—do so by free will, and from the heart.
While doing so,
without giving any
of the credit
to the devil.
"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”
John 3:16
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