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Home » What Does the Bible Say About the Origins of Angels, Demons, and Lucifer?
What Does the Bible Say About Lucifer, Demons, and the Nephilim? Understanding the Origins of Evil

What Does the Bible Say About the Origins of Angels, Demons, and Lucifer?

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In This Article:

What Are Demons?
Who Do Demons Work For?
What Do Demons Do?
Origins of the Nephilim
Good News About Demons
What Can I Do About Demons?

C.S. Lewis wrote, “There are two equal and opposite errors into which our race can fall about the devils. One is to disbelieve in their existence, and the other is to believe, and to feel an excessive and unhealthy interest in them.”1

If our society struggles to keep God’s angels in their rightful place, then the struggle to properly understand demons is no less real. Sincere students of the Bible cannot ignore demons, for the term is mentioned over eighty times in the New Testament. On the other hand, dwelling on demonic activity is unhealthy and unnecessary. Let me tell you that you don’t need to know every word about demons. You just need to know the Word about demons, and that’s what we’ll study here.

In part one of this series, we learned that angels are God’s messengers who minister to God’s people. They are real spirit beings with constraining limitations. We know that they were created early in the Creation week, likely on day two. When we study Scripture’s record of Creation, Genesis 1:31 reveals God’s opinion of His handiwork: “Then God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good.” If angels are part of God’s “very good” Creation, then what are demons, and where did they come from? Who do they work for? How do they interact with humans? What does this have to do with me?

What Are Demons?

Considering that the totality of Creation was “very good” and God’s nature is the very essence of goodness, we can logically conclude God did not create demons. They slinked onto the scene sometime after the world was created. Scripture does not elaborate much upon their origins, but something curious happened between the glorious goodness of Genesis chapter 1 and the appearance of a cunning serpent who would forever change the course of human history in Genesis chapter 3. We must understand God neither invented nor inspired evil; it grew apart from Him.

Meme: God neither invented nor inspired evil, it grew apart from Him.

At the tail end of Scripture, we find a disturbing metaphor in Revelation 12 that provides insight into the origins of demons and evil itself. There is a woman laboring to give birth to a child, and there is a seven-headed dragon. I won’t spend a lot of time on the woman, but I’ll tell you she is symbolic of the nation of Israel. Her child is none other than Jesus Christ. It is the dragon that informs us of the origins of evil. Focusing only on the dragon and his minions, here is what the passage says:

Behold, a great, fiery red dragon having seven heads and ten horns, and seven diadems on his heads.  His tail drew a third of the stars of heaven and threw them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman who was ready to give birth, to devour her Child as soon as it was born....And war broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels fought with the dragon; and the dragon and his angels fought, but they did not prevail, nor was a place found for them in heaven any longer. So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.

Revelation 12:3-4, 7-9

Here, in our mind’s eye, we observe a third of the stars of heaven being thrown to the earth by the dragon as it threatens the woman and her child. Our studies in part one acquainted us with the biblical connection between angels and stars. So, it shouldn’t surprise us to see the metaphor unveiled in verse 8 where we are told that the great dragon represents Satan and the stars are his angels. Evil entered our world when Satan and his angels determined in their hearts to oppose the plans of Almighty God.

Who Do Demons Work For?

Allow me to state it plainly: demons are fallen angels. They are Satan’s servants committed to his plan to thwart the plan of God.

During the interlude between Genesis 1 and Genesis 3, Scripture indicates God continued to be intimately involved with his creation, lovingly appointing the earth in exquisite detail. Genesis 2:8 says He planted a garden, which might be thought of more as an orchard because it contained every tree that is “pleasant to the sight and good for food.” This garden was watered by a river that parted into four riverheads. These rivers flowed into lands full of gold and onyx (Genesis 2:9-14). For all these splendid features, God did not adorn earth with gardens and rivers and jewels for His own benefit. With His throne room in heaven, earth is merely God’s footstool (Matthew 5:35). Rather, earth is man’s abode, and God designed it for man’s enjoyment. Scripture emphasizes this truth by stating twice that God placed man in this lush garden (Genesis 2:8,15).

Most of God’s created angels rejoiced at His outpouring of loving kindness to man; however, there was one who despised it. There was one angel who resented God’s power and plan and authority. His name was Lucifer. Ezekiel 28:12 describes this angel as “the seal of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty.” The passage reveals that Lucifer (also referred to as the King of Tyre) had been in Eden and had been the “anointed cherub who covers” with access to the holy mountain of God (verse 14). Verse 13 suggests Lucifer was created as an instrument of praise with “timbrels” and “pipes.” He had been given a special, distinct commission from God to minister unto Him and cover His glory with music through worship and praise. Lucifer was a walking orchestra. What’s more, this spectacular angel was brilliantly ornamented with every precious stone. In all his radiance, however, Lucifer developed a fatal flaw: he became prideful. Ezekiel’s account explains, “You [Lucifer] were perfect in your ways from the day you were created, till iniquity was found in you…You became filled with violence within, and you sinned” (Ezekiel 28:15-16).

Meme: In all his radiance, however, Lucifer developed a fatal flaw: he became prideful.

Lucifer Became Satan

A careful reading of Scripture helps us understand Lucifer’s downfall. He was created perfectly; however, inner iniquity and violence led him to sin. Isaiah describes what happened in Lucifer’s heart when he decided it was no longer good enough to be a perfect angel created in the beauty of God. Notice the five “I will” statements of Lucifer found in Isaiah 14:12-15 (emphasis added):

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!

For you have said in your heart:

"I will ascend into heaven,

I will exalt my throne above the stars of God;

I will also sit on the mount of the congregation on the farthest sides of the north;

I will ascend above the heights of the clouds,

I will be like the Most High."

Yet you shall be brought down to Sheol, to the lowest depths of the Pit.

You may be wondering how could a perfect, holy being fall? How could the first unholy affection arise in his angelic being? I’m convinced the answer to these hard questions lies in the fact that Lucifer was created by God with one attribute exactly like you and I have—he had freedom to choose. Lucifer could have chosen humble obedience; instead, he chose prideful rebellion. Proverbs 16:18 warns us, “Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.” Indeed. Pride turned an angel into a devil—pride.

What Do Demons Do?

Jumping back to John’s description of the dragon in Revelation 12 who threw a third of the stars of heaven to earth, we recall that these stars are fallen angels who chose to submit to Satan’s rule rather than God’s. Prior to their fall, the fallen angels would have shared all the common characteristics of God’s faithful angels; however, upon joining Satan’s rebel army, demons perverted their created purpose. They knew God as their Creator, but they defied His authority. They were given boundaries, but they did not keep their proper domain. They were ordained to be God’s messengers, but they chose to obstruct His message instead. Equipped with our investigation of faithful angels, let us seek to understand the dark world of demons and their efforts to intervene in the affairs of mankind.

Meme: Fallen angels were ordained to be God's messengers, but they chose to obstruct His message instead.

Within the world of demons, there are two categories. I’ll refer to them as “fallen and imprisoned” and “fallen and free.”

Fallen and Imprisoned Angels

Scripture and modern experience both point to demonic activity within our world, yet not all demons are free to roam. Peter makes passing reference to imprisoned angels in the context of warning false teachers, “God did not spare the angels who sinned, but cast them down to hell and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved for judgment” (2 Peter 2:4). In his brief epistle, Jude refers to “angels who did not keep their proper domain, but left their own abode” for whom God “has reserved in everlasting chains under darkness for the judgment of the great day” (Jude 6). The key to understanding imprisoned angels is the phrase “who did not keep their proper domain.”

Origins of the Nephilim

At this point, it’s not news when I say that angels are distinctly different from humans. They were created on a different day and for different purposes. Angels have certain characteristics, one of which is that they are invariably masculine. They have clearly defined roles, which we’ve studied. We’ve learned that angels are permitted to materialize selectively and strategically if it suits God’s purposes. However, Scripture indicates a portion of Satan’s fallen angels failed to keep their proper domain by materializing and interacting with humans in ways angels were never meant to do. Genesis 6:1-2, 4 provides a glimpse of this interaction:

Now it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born to them, that the sons of God saw the daughters of men, that they were beautiful; and they took wives for themselves of all whom they chose....There were giants on the earth in those days, and also afterward, when the sons of God came in to the daughters of men and they bore children to them. Those were the mighty men who were of old, men of renown.

At first glance, it is not obvious that there is angelic (or demonic) involvement here. However, a passage in Job provides greater understanding. In chapter 38, God is describing His omnipotence to Job by recounting His power over creation:

Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Tell Me, if you have understanding. Who determined its measurements? Surely you know! Or who stretched the line upon it? To what were its foundations fastened? Or who laid its cornerstone, when the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?

Job 38:4-7, emphasis added

Now, we’ve learned already that the morning stars are best interpreted as angels. We also know that mankind was not yet created when God laid the cornerstone of the earth, so this reference to “sons of God” is another reference to angels, which means the sons of God in Genesis 6 are also angels. Most Bible teachers will skip over this topic because it’s too hot to handle. But I’ve always been a brave soul, and I want to tell you what I believe this means. The sons of God were fallen angels. When these masculine beings saw the daughters of men, they were filled with lust, and the angels cohabitated with the women. This resulted in offspring that were half angelic and half human who were also known as Nephilim.

God’s Judgment of Nephilim and Their Unholy Heritage

This violation of God’s prescribed boundaries grieved Him so deeply that He decided to immediately send a flood to destroy the whole earth and all traces of these unholy unions. You know this story. It’s the flood of Noah’s day in which God saved only eight souls through the ark, eight souls who were from a godly line and not a product of angelic debauchery. The other part of the story is that the offending angels were cast down to hell and delivered into chains of darkness (2 Peter 2:4). God judged the earth and the aberrant angels to permanently remove them from man’s domain.

Fallen and Free Angels

Earth is free from the influence of fallen and imprisoned angels, but fallen and free angels prowl around as demons, creating havoc in our world today. We can identify three key objectives of demons in Satan’s subversive plan: Demons deceive people. Demons tempt people. Demons destroy people.

Meme: Demons deceive people. Demons tempt people. Demons destroy people.

Fallen and Free Demons Deceive People

Demons have sought to deceive people since the Garden of Eden. Genesis 3 tells the familiar tale of Satan, cloaked as a serpent, duping Eve into eating fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. The serpent effected this deception by challenging God’s goodness and purposes: “You will not surely die. For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil” (Genesis 3:4-5). Did you notice the first sentence? Satan directly denied God’s truth, and He made disobedience seem desirable. From the very creation of man, fallen angels have been hellbent on dragging as much of mankind to the pits of hell as they possibly can.

Demons, masquerading as God’s faithful angels, have even given rise to false religions. In the year 610, the oppressive religion of Islam was born when Muhammad received the contents of the Koran in a series of visions from someone he believed to be the angel Gabriel. Twelve centuries later, the deceptive cult of Mormonism arose when an angelic being called Moroni supposedly connected Joseph Smith with the Book of Mormon. You see, humans were created for worship, and demons understand that. Therefore, they don’t try to prevent us from worshiping; instead, they try to change the object of our worship to something other than Almighty God.

Meme: Demons try to change the object of our worship to something other than Almighty God.

Fallen and Free Demons Tempt People

Returning to the serpent and Eve in Eden, we can discern Satan’s deception was coupled with temptation. Not only did he deceive her about the outcome of disobeying God’s command, he enticed her with the suggestion that eating the fruit would make her more like God. When we recall the five “I wills” of Satan recorded in Isaiah 14, we are reminded that Satan’s sin was rooted in a desire to “be like the Most High.” Satan knows the tempting power of pride.

In fact, demons are strongly associated with idolatry and immorality throughout Scripture. At least five times the Bible describes demon worship that goes so far as to include the people of Israel sacrificing their sons and daughters to demons (Leviticus 17:7; Deuteronomy 32:17; 2 Chronicles 11:15; Psalm 106:37; Zechariah 13:2).

Repeatedly, the book of Proverbs juxtaposes the wisdom of God and obedience to God with immorality that leads to destruction, particularly chapters 2 and 5. Ezekiel 23:7-9 uses “harlotry” as a metaphor for Israel’s idolatry that caused God to deliver the nations into the hands of the Assyrians:

Thus she committed her harlotry with them, all of them choice men of Assyria; and with all for whom she lusted, with all their idols, she defiled herself. She has never given up her harlotry brought from Egypt, for in her youth they had lain with her, pressed her virgin bosom, and poured out their immorality upon her. Therefore I have delivered her into the hand of her lovers, into the hand of the Assyrians, for whom she lusted.

You see, the essence of idolatry is loving something, whatever it may be, more than loving God. Idolatry is lusting after something apart from God. Just as a husband or wife expects fidelity from their spouse, God expects our faithfulness.

The temptation associated with idolatry and immorality is so strong that they are the only two sins in the New Testament from which we are told to flee. 1 Corinthians 6:18 says, “Flee sexual immorality.” 2 Timothy 2:22 says, “Flee youthful lusts.” 1 Corinthians 10:14 says, “Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry.”

Fallen and Free Demons Destroy People

Demons attempt to deceive and tempt us for one reason: they want to destroy us. Their end game is to keep us from enjoying eternity in heaven.

One alarming tactic fallen angels use to keep people in bondage is demon possession. In the New Testament, there are many accounts of such possession. Here is a quick overview of the effects as recorded by Scripture:

  • Deafness and mutism (Luke 11:14; Mark 9:25)
  • Convulsions (Mark 1:26)
  • Fierceness (Matthew 8:28)
  • Falling into fire and water (Matthew 17:15)
  • Foaming at the mouth (Luke 9:39)
  • Gnashing of teeth (Mark 9:18)
  • Extraordinary strength (Mark 5:4)

I’ve talked with missionaries who have shared experiences they’ve had with demon-possessed people in India, Africa, and China. They have affirmed that sometimes the incredible power a demon has over that person transforms them into a totally different kind of person with great strength and fierceness. It’s frightening what can happen when a demon possesses a person.

Good News About Demons

Well, I’ve painted a bleak picture, but now I have good news for you: I don’t believe any Christian can ever be possessed by a demon, and I’ll give three reasons why.

First, the Spirit of God permanently indwells every believer.

As Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 6:19:

Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?

Now, watch this. The Holy Spirit lives inside everyone who knows Christ. The moment a person accepts Christ, the Holy Spirit takes up residence in them. That person is permanently indwelt by the Spirit of God. 1 John 4:4 helps us understand why demon possession is scripturally impossible for a Christian:

You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.

The Holy Spirit is stronger than any demonic being, including Satan himself. It’s just that simple.

Meme: The Holy Spirit is stronger than any demonic being, including Satan.

Second, there is not a single instance of a Christian being described as demon-possessed in the New Testament.

Not one! In fact, there are no instructions given to believers for casting out Satan. Instead, we are instructed to resist him—and guess what? He will flee from us. According to James 4:7:

Resist the devil and he will flee from you.

Third, demon possession is distinctly different from demon influence. I wouldn’t be telling the whole story if I didn’t admit that Satan bothers us. In fact, I don’t know about you, but he’s bothered me just this week. The passage from James 4 (above) reflects this truth. We wouldn’t have to resist Satan if he left us alone. We can be sure he will bother us, but we have confidence in the power of the Holy Spirit to help us resist and overcome our adversary.

While faithful angels minister to us, fallen angels surround us—seeking any opportunity to deceive, tempt, or destroy the unwary. However, God has given his children guidance and encouragement for living victoriously as we wrestle against the rulers of the darkness of this age (see Ephesians 6:12).

What Can I Do About Demons?

Thankfully, God has already done the heavy lifting for us. When Jesus Christ ascended from the grave, He conquered every demon, every scheme, every deception that could assault God’s people. So the first step is to appropriate that power in our lives, which is easier than you might imagine. Romans 10:9-10 assures us:

if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

It’s that simple—confess and believe. You can do it right now. If this is a new concept to you, I’d like to send you a copy of Your Greatest Turning Point, which will guide you through the foundations of Christian faith.

Once salvation is secure in Christ, God’s limitless power is available to sustain each of us.

Here is a simple action plan for God’s children as they deal with demons.

✔ Refuse to give Satan an advantage by being aware of his tactics. 2 Corinthians 2:11 teaches that Satan gains an advantage when God’s people choose prideful retribution over restoration.

✔ Recognize the difference between messages from faithful angels and fallen angels. 1 John 4:2-3 explains how we may recognize the Spirit of God: “Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God.”

Meme: 1 John 4:2-3

✔ Reject the temptation to be preoccupied with demons. Know what the Bible says about demons and walk in that truth. Immersing yourself in their world is just as dangerous as ignorance.

✔ Resist Satan. I’ve already highlighted James 4:7. 1 Peter 5:8-9 illuminates the same truth: “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Resist him, steadfast in the faith.”

✔ Run from every connection with the occult. A lot of people, including some of God’s people, wander off course with this. Do you recall those two sins so closely associated with demons from which we are told to flee? Any occult activity lays the groundwork for idolatry and immorality. Some examples are:

  • Ouija boards
  • Seances
  • Dungeons and Dragons or any similar entertainment
  • Music with occult lyrics
  • Astrology
  • Psychic or other paranormal encounters

✔ Renew your mind daily. Satan’s target is your mind, so you must be vigilant to avoid his mind games. If Satan was able to deceive Eve about God’s truth—the same woman who had walked and talked directly with God in Eden—how much more vulnerable are we who have never had such an opportunity?

✔ Remember who Satan is. He is an angel who was once perfect but now lives in rebellion against his Creator. Satan is not the opposite of God; he is the opposite of Michael. While Satan may be a formidable foe, he is no match for God.

I want to encourage you, friend, Satan and his demons are on a long leash, but they’re doomed. Right now, they have a little power, which has been granted to them under the sovereignty of God. However, they are doomed, judged, and dead in the grass. One of these days, they will be confined forever in the lake of fire. Jesus Christ has won the victory over Satan! As God’s children, we need not be terrorized by demons. Truly, “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit” (Romans 8:1).

As I close this two-part series on Warriors for Eternity, I’d like to invite you to download a useful chart comparing God’s faithful angels with Satan’s fallen angels. May it serve as a reminder of all we’ve studied here.


1Lewis, C.S., The Screwtape Letters (New York: HarperCollins, 2001), IX.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Continue your study of angels, demons, and heaven with these other articles by David Jeremiah:

Angels and Demons Q&A

What Do Angels Look Like?

What Does the Bible Really Say About Guardian Angels?

Who Is Lucifer?

What Does the Bible Say About Angels? Understanding Heaven’s Mighty Warriors

What Does the Bible Say About Lucifer, Demons, and the Nephilim? Understanding the Origins of Evil

Embracing Eternity: Is There Life After Death?

What Kind of Rewards Will Believers Receive in Heaven?

Do I Have a Guardian Angel? And Other Questions Answered About Angels

The Loss of a Loved One: Moving From Grief to Hope

Do Children Go to Heaven? What Happens to the Souls of Little Ones When They Die?

8 Heavenly Truths That Can Change Your Life Today

What Will I Do in Heaven?

Do Dogs Go to Heaven? And Other Questions You’ve Wondered About Heaven

3 Biblical Truths for Handling Grief

What Happens When We Die? 4 Biblical Answers to Common Questions

9 Insider Secrets About Heaven

Pop Quiz: Will I Go to Heaven?

What Does the Bible Say About Heaven? 65 Passages to Get You Started

Am I Going to Heaven?

What happens when we die? Dr. David Jeremiah's landmark study on heaven pulls back the curtain on the most encouraging subject in the Bible: Revealing the Mysteries of Heaven.

Revealing the Mysteries of Heaven

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Creation Care

Then God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”
Genesis 1:28

Marine litter is a huge ecological problem. Many countries’ coastlines are littered with plastic and debris, and there is an “island” of plastic more than the twice the size of Texas in the Pacific Ocean where currents have accumulated the debris. Fish become entangled in discarded fishing nets and lines, with bellies full of plastic debris they have swallowed.

Such images are in stark contrast to the pristine beauty and glory of Eden as presented in Genesis. Though mankind was given the mandate to “have dominion over” (that is, to care for) all of creation, we have not done a good job. When God’s mandates go unfulfilled on earth, God’s glory is diminished. And that mandate extends to our personal life as well. Paul writes that we belong to God and we are to glorify Him with our care and use of our body.

When you see opportunities to care for creation—nature or your own body—do so as a way of glorifying the Creator.

The creation is both a monument of God’s power, and a looking-glass in which we may see his wisdom.
Thomas Watson

Steadfast

Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.
1 Corinthians 15:58

Paul’s letter to the people at Corinth was an exhortation to remain steadfast. The church in Corinth was an undisciplined church, and he was letting them know that even though the culture around them was in flux, their faith in Jesus Christ needed to remain focused and sure. It is true for us today also. How can we remain steadfast in our faith and avoid the pressures of this ever-changing world? By devoting time each day to the study of God’s Word.

As we read the Bible and immerse ourselves in God’s truth and character, our lives are changed—we become more like Him. God’s Word is a powerful litmus test for our souls and actions. As our lives center on God, giving priority to hearing His voice and reading His Word, we become bolder in sharing our faith.

Joshua had the confidence and courage to lead God’s people into the Promised Land because He believed in God’s promise and presence. We serve the same God who said: “And the Lord, He is the One who goes before you. He will be with you, He will not leave you nor forsake you; do not fear nor be dismayed” (Deuteronomy 31:8).

You can place your steadfast trust in Him.

When we find a man meditating on the words of God, my friends, that man is full of boldness and is successful.
Dwight L. Moody

Ready and Willing

The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is long suffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.
2 Peter 3:9

A leper approached Jesus and said, “If You are willing, You can make me clean.” Jesus touched the man, saying, “I am willing; be cleansed”—and he was healed (Mark 1:40-42).

That event is a beautiful example of the willingness of God. In fact, there are no instances of Jesus being asked to help or heal and Him answering, “I am not willing.” There is a place where the Bible says God is “not willing,” and that is 2 Peter 3:9. In writing about the timing of the Day of the Lord (the end of the age), Peter says God is waiting for all who will be saved to come to Him. He is “not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.” Said another way, God is willing for any who want to be saved to come to Him (John 6:37; 7:37). The question is never whether God is willing but whether man is willing.

Have you responded to God’s willing invitation to come to Him?

God is far more willing to save sinners than sinners are to be saved.
J. C. Ryle

Treasure!

I rejoice at Your Word as one who finds great treasure.
Psalm 119:162

Earlier this year, a volunteer for a charity in Arizona was going through books donated for a sale. One was an old copy of The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire. The volunteer decided the dilapidated volume wasn’t worth saving and was about to throw it away when she thumbed through it and found a hidden chamber. Someone had used a knife to cut a hole in the middle of the book. Inside was $4,000!

That’s nothing compared to the treasure you’ll find when opening the covers of the Bible. Perhaps it would help to think of it in those terms. Use your imagination to see every word of Scripture turning to gold as you read it. Think of every promise as a precious stone. See the words about Jesus in the Gospels as sparkling like diamonds. Visualize your daily Bible study time like a miser running his hands through a chest of gold.

The treasury of Scripture will enrich your mind, refocus your goals, replace your doubts, and redirect your path—but only if you read it and heed it. Start today!

To get the best use out of [the Bible] for daily life,...Give it the best and freshest, not the most tired and dull, hour of the day.
M. S. Kimber in The Sunday School World, 1893

Hello Heaven!

I think it is right to refresh your memory as long as I live in the tent of this body, because I know that I will soon put it aside.
2 Peter 1:13-14, NIV

Peter wrote his final letter shortly before his execution. He wasn’t discouraged; he was looking forward to the future. He spoke of “looking forward to these things.” and “[looking] for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells” (2 Peter 3:13-14).

Life is full of hardships and heaviness. We have the promises of God to help us in difficult days, and we have the Holy Spirit within us. We have a purpose for being here—to refresh the memory of others regarding the things of the Lord. But we’ll soon put aside the tent of our earthly body, and what a relief! Goodbye hardship and heaviness. Goodbye trials and troubles. Hello Jesus! Hello heaven! Hello golden streets, glorified bodies, endless days, and the fresh air of New Jerusalem!

During difficult times, the hope of eternity gives us strength. If you’re prone to worry yourself to sleep each night, turn your thoughts upward and close your eyes thinking of heaven and its eternal throne.

A tent or a cottage, why should I care? They’re building a palace for me over there.
Harriet Buell, in her hymn “A Child of the King”

Overcoming Temptation

Temptation. Whether we realize it or not, it is part of our past, and it will be part of our future. The moment we resolve to stand strong and walk away is when temptation grows most intense. That is why Scripture is of paramount importance. God's Word contains the answer to resisting temptation before it's too late. Consider these verses:

No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it (1 Corinthians 10:13).

Let no one say when he is tempted, "I am tempted by God"; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone. But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full–grown, brings forth death (James 1:13–15).

Some people wonder about the value of the Old Testament in a Christian's life. The apostle Paul addressed that question in 1 Corinthians 10:11—"Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition." To what things was Paul referring? He listed them in verses 7–10. They are idolatry, immorality, infidelity, and disloyalty.

Temptation is not sin; yielding to temptation is.

With that background, Paul exhorted believers not to make the same choices the Israelites made—not to provoke God's discipline by willfully sinning. None of us is above God's discipline if we engage in sin. We must look for and take "the way of escape" God provides in every situation where temptation is found (verse 13). To think our temptation is unique is to believe a lie. "No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man" (verse 13). There are no "new" temptations in life.

The apostle James argued that if temptation becomes serious, it is because we have allowed it to do so. Our own "desires" entice us away from God and desire "gives birth to sin" (James 1:13–15). God doesn't tempt us, but He may allow temptation to enter our lives in order to give us opportunities to make obedient and mature choices.

Jesus was tempted by Satan in the wilderness, and He took the same means of escape that is available to us—obedience to God's Word (Matthew 4:1–11; Hebrews 5:8). Temptation is not sin; yielding to temptation is. There is always a righteous choice to be made if we are willing to seek it.

Victory in Him

But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
1 Corinthians 15:57

To first-century leaders in the Roman world, the imagery was familiar: A victorious Roman general returning from battle leading his soldiers and their captives into the city. Citizens lined the streets applauding while the aroma of celebratory incense filled the air. Paul uses that image to say that Christ leads His followers in a victory procession through every difficulty in life (2 Corinthians 2:14-15).

The Christian’s victory is through Christ. The victory over the world, the flesh, the devil, and sin was won by the Cross and the empty tomb. He did for us what we cannot do for ourselves. We have victory now and for eternity only because of the victory Christ won for us. Therefore, if we are to experience victory in this life, it will come only as we depend on Him. As Paul wrote in Galatians 2:20, the life we now live is the life of Christ in us as we keep our faith in Him.

If you need a victory in your life, begin every day by renewing your faith in Christ in whom all our victories are to be realized.

The spiritual battle, the loss of victory, is always in the thought-world.
Francis Schaeffer

Faithful Fathers: Abraham

And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” And he was called the friend of God.
James 2:23

We can imagine a child writing an appreciative and sentimental memoir about her “perfect father,” understanding that “perfect” was not intended to be taken literally. But how about a book titled The Righteous Father? The patriarch Isaac could have written that book about his father, Abraham.

Righteous doesn’t mean sinless, of course. We know that Abraham wasn’t perfect. But he did manifest some qualities that every father should emulate. First, he believed the promises of God about the future God had planned for him (Hebrews 11:8-12). And when he believed God, “[God] accounted it to [Abraham] for righteousness” (Genesis 15:6). Again, not perfect or sinless, but in a right standing with God. Second, as a result of Abraham’s trust in God, he became a “friend of God” (Isaiah 41:8). Could any father set a more worthy example to his children or grandchildren than that of being friends with God? Living in right standing with God? That means communing with Him, walking with Him, living for Him, and above all, trusting Him and His promises.

Follow Abraham’s example as a faithful father by deepening your friendship with God.

Friendship is the marriage of affections.
Thomas Watson

Modern Idolatry

Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.
Colossians 3:5

Colossians 3:1 tells us to “seek those things which are above, where Christ is.” In verse 5 we’re told to put to death the passions that come from below—"fornication, uncleanness, passion, and evil desire.” Then the Lord added the sin of greed or covetousness to the list, calling it idolatry.

That verse changes our view of idolatry. It’s not just bowing down to a small carved statue or a pagan worshiper offering incense at a shrine to Buddha. It’s the act of becoming too attached to the material things of the world—falling more in love with the things on earth than on things in heaven.

This has nothing to do with how much money you do or don’t have—a poverty-stricken person can covet just as much as a billionaire. It has everything to do with what’s at the center of our affections. Is it Christ? Is it things above? Or is it things below?

Make sure Christ is at the center of your life and that your love for Him eclipses everything else!

You don’t have to go to heathen lands today to find false gods. America is full of them…. Whatever you love more than God is your idol.
D. L. Moody

New Beginnings: Ezekiel

In my thirtieth year, in the fourth month on the fifth day, while I was among the exiles by the Kebar River, the heavens were opened and I saw visions of God.
Ezekiel 1:1, NIV

We often need fresh starts after enduring bitter disappointments. As a young man, Ezekiel had dedicated himself to be a priest. He was from a priestly family, and he undoubtedly looked forward to serving God in Jerusalem’s temple. Priests began their temple duty at the age of thirty. But when he was about twenty-five, Ezekiel was seized and taken to Babylon, and he never saw the temple again. When his thirtieth birthday came, he must have struggled with questions of “why” and “if only.”

That’s just when God appeared to him as he was among the exiles by the Kebar River. Ezekiel looked up and saw remarkable visions of God—the throne of God surrounded by angelic beings. Amid the strange and apocalyptic vision described in Ezekiel 1, God called the thirty-year-old exile to be a powerful prophet.

Oh, to see the glory of the Lord while in the midst of the disappointments in life. When we think life has collapsed around us, the God of glory appears above us. God always has a plan, and our false starts become His fresh starts.

Ezekiel is the prophet of the glory of the Lord…. Ezekiel looked beyond the sufferings of Christ to the glory that should follow.
J. Vernon McGee

The Conspicuous Hand

The Lord your God cares.
Deuteronomy 11:12

In a letter to Brigadier General Thomas Nelson, George Washington marveled at how God’s hand had protected him and given success to the cause of liberty: “The hand of Providence has been so conspicuous in all this, that he must be worse than an infidel that lacks faith, and… has not gratitude enough to acknowledge his obligations.”

In the middle of life’s battles, we’re tempted to question God’s ordering of our circumstances, but every follower of Christ can look back and see the conspicuous hand of God’s Providence. He is committed to caring for us, watching over us, and giving us strength when we are within His will.

Moses reminded the Israelites that God was taking them into a land of hills and valleys, of water and streams, “a land for which the Lord your God cares; the eyes of the Lord your God are always on it, from the beginning of the year to the very end of the year” (Deuteronomy 11:11-12).

That’s the way He cares for us too—every day, all year long, always.

[The Lord] loves, and cares, and sympathizes, and understands, and seeks, and saves, and forgives, and helps, and encourages, and walks by our side… taking care of us in life when we can’t take care of ourselves.
W. A. Criswell

God of Second Chances

Now the word of the Lord came to Jonah the second time, saying, “Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and preach to it the message that I tell you.”
Jonah 3:1-2

It was not uncommon in the Old Testament for “the word of the Lord” to come to God’s prophets again and again. It happened to Samuel, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Haggai, Zechariah, and others. And it also happened to Jonah: The word of the Lord came to Jonah the first time (Jonah 1:1) and then the second time (Jonah 3:1). With the other prophets, the “second time” meant additional prophetic utterances they were to deliver. But with Jonah, the “second time” was because Jonah had failed to speak God’s word the first time. Jonah was a disobedient prophet.

God commissioned Jonah to go east to Assyria, to the capital of Nineveh and deliver a message of judgment. But Jonah fled west toward Spain because he feared the Assyrians. You know the story—Jonah ended up in the sea where he was swallowed by a great fish. Jonah repented and called on the Lord and was delivered. God gave him a second chance.

Don’t let your past keep you from trusting God for a second (or third, or fourth) chance. The God of grace loves to forgive.

Forgiveness is to be set loose from sins.
G. Campbell Morgan

All You Need Is Love: Forgiveness

When Jesus saw [the friends’] faith, He said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven you.”
Mark 2:5

The hardest part of forgiving another person is acting like the offense never occurred. But that is what forgiving someone means—restoring relationships to the status they enjoyed before the offense took place. It’s one thing to say, “I forgive you,” but it’s another to act like all the effects of an offense are completely erased. After all, according to Paul in 1 Corinthians 13, love is known by its actions more than its words.

Jesus faced this dilemma when He healed a paralytic man. When He told the man that his sins were forgiven (and by extension, he was healed), He was criticized. He was accused of blaspheming by saying He had the authority to forgive sins—something only God can do. So, Jesus proved He had the authority to say, “I forgive you,” by doing something harder. He healed the man’s paralysis. After all, as Jesus explained, actions speak louder than words (Mark 2:8-11).

We cannot go through life without being hurt by others, so we should learn to forgive. Even more, we should practice demonstrating our forgiveness by our acts of lovingkindness. Look for opportunities to do both.

Forgiveness is to be set loose from sins.
G. Campbell Morgan

A Whole Person

In all things showing yourself to be a pattern of good works; in doctrine showing integrity, reverence, incorruptibility.
Titus 2:7

In mathematics two of the basic kinds of numbers are integers and fractions: 2, 100, and 56 are integers, while ½, ¼, and 2.5 are fractions. Integers, from a Latin root meaning “whole” or “entire.” The word integrity comes from the same root; a person with integrity cannot be divided in beliefs or morality based on varying circumstances.

When the apostle Paul wrote to his young pastoral protégé, Timothy, he told him to show “integrity” in doctrine, to be incorruptible in belief and in actions. Paul wanted Timothy to hold fast to the truth of God, not allowing himself to be divided. A person of integrity obeys the whole counsel of God every day, in every circumstance. Daniel’s three friends in Babylon demonstrated integrity when they were threatened with being burned alive (Daniel 3:16-18). They told the king they would not divide their allegiance, that they would maintain their faith in God and His promises. That is integrity.

Are you a whole person or a fractioned person today? If your beliefs, and therefore your actions, have become divided, gather them back together as you commit to God and His Word.

Integrity of heart is indispensable.
John Calvin

New Earth

Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away.
Revelation 21:1

A great misconception carried by many Christians has to do with the location of heaven. The word heaven itself implies that our eternal destiny is somewhere “up there” in the heavens. But the Bible says our eternal destiny is earthly, not heavenly. As Peter wrote, we look for a “new earth in which righteousness dwells” (2 Peter 3:13).

In his vision of the future, the apostle John saw that “new heaven and a new earth,” our new domain being pictured as the New Jerusalem “coming down out of heaven from God” (Revelation 21:1-2). Somehow, at the end of the age, when Christ has returned to reign and inaugurate the eternal state, this earth will be renovated and a new earth will be the result—a new earth full of righteousness in which pain and sorrow will be absent. The beautiful imagery of the New Jerusalem in Revelation 21 lets us know that the new earth will be a place that reflects the glory of God throughout.

Jesus said He was going to prepare a place for you if you belong to Him (John 14:1-4). The New Jerusalem, on the new earth, is that place.

Let thy hope of heaven master thy fear of death.
William Gurnall

The Conspicuous Hand

The Lord your God cares.
Deuteronomy 11:12

In a letter to Brigadier General Thomas Nelson, George Washington marveled at how God’s hand had protected him and given success to the cause of liberty: “The hand of Providence has been so conspicuous in all this, that he must be worse than an infidel that lacks faith, and… has not gratitude enough to acknowledge his obligations.”

In the middle of life’s battles, we’re tempted to question God’s ordering of our circumstances, but every follower of Christ can look back and see the conspicuous hand of God’s Providence. He is committed to caring for us, watching over us, and giving us strength when we are within His will.

Moses reminded the Israelites that God was taking them into a land of hills and valleys, of water and streams, “a land for which the Lord your God cares; the eyes of the Lord your God are always on it, from the beginning of the year to the very end of the year” (Deuteronomy 11:11-12).

That’s the way He cares for us too—every day, all year long, always.

[The Lord] loves, and cares, and sympathizes, and understands, and seeks, and saves, and forgives, and helps, and encourages, and walks by our side… taking care of us in life when we can’t take care of ourselves.
W. A. Criswell

The Need for Prayer

Now it came to pass in those days that [Jesus] went out to the mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God.
Luke 6:12

Officially, church historians recognize seven ecumenical church councils held between A.D. 325 and A.D. 787. The first, the First Council of Nicaea, met to agree on the nature of Jesus of Nazareth as both Son of God and Son of Man, as both fully divine and fully human.

The humanity of Christ, while at the same time divine, is hard to understand. But thankfully, Scripture gives us illustrations: Like us, Jesus suffered, experienced hunger, required sleep, ate food, and had limits on His knowledge (Mark 13:32). One of the most striking and helpful illustrations of Jesus’ humanity was His prayer life. We might think that, if Jesus was truly divine, He would have had no need to pray for knowledge, guidance, or help. Yet He did, following the example of godly men like Daniel in Babylon (Daniel 2:16-18). Jesus repeatedly said that He only did what the Father showed Him to do (John 5:19), and prayer was His means.

If Jesus, the Son of God, needed to go to His Father in prayer for strengthening and guidance, how much more do we (Psalm 32:6)?

Prayer and a holy life are one.
E. M. Bounds

What Is Humility?

All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.”
1 Peter 5:5, NIV

What is humility? Is it the opposite of pride? If pride expands one’s importance, does humility deflate one’s importance? That’s the view given by most English dictionaries—a deemphasis on one’s own importance. But what is the biblical view of humility

If someone compliments you on a job well done, do you refuse to take credit or receive their compliment? Or do you graciously say, “Thank you,” in a spirit of genuine appreciation and humility? In Romans 12:3 Paul exhorts the believers not to think of themselves pridefully but rather to think of themselves “soberly”—that is, realistically or accurately. Paul’s topic is the grace given by God to each Christian to serve in the Body of Christ. We should neither overestimate the gift of God’s grace or underestimate it. Rather, we should think of it soberly and realistically—humbly—and minister accordingly. To think less of God’s gift would be to devalue it; to think realistically about it allows one to serve humbly.

How do you view yourself? With pride? With false humility? Or soberly and realistically according to the grace of God in your life?

A really humble man…will not be thinking about humility, he will not be thinking about himself at all.
C. S. Lewis

The Power of Confession

For day and night Your hand was heavy upon me; my vitality was turned into the drought of summer.
Psalm 32:4

California is a dry state that needs water to be transported over many miles to population and agricultural centers. Snowfall in the winter and melting snow in the spring are critical factors in replenishing shrinking reservoirs. In periods of modern droughts, aerial photographs document the receding water levels in reservoirs around the state—shorelines growing wider and drier as water levels fall.

Such is the picture David paints with his words in Psalm 32—a drought of spiritual vitality brought on by his own sin. When he failed to confess his sin to God, his “bones grew old” and he groaned “all the day long” (verse 3). It was like his soul was being evaporated by the heat of his own guilt and shame. But then the rains of grace came and David confessed his sin and God forgave him (verse 5). And he encouraged his readers not to make the same mistake he had made (verses 9-10).

Confession and repentance reveal the access to restoration. Hiding sin does not remove it from God’s sight; but when we seek God’s forgiveness, the refreshing living water from the Father is poured out on us and we are restored—that is the power of confession.

The way to cover our sin is to uncover it by confession.
Richard Sibbes