Lucifer

Yesterday I said God got it right the first time.  I know, someone out there is thinking "Oh, yeah? What about Satan?" Or Lucifer, or the devil – or the angel he once was (and he should be depicted as having six wings, not two as shown here.)

God got it right creating angels, too, until one decided “I will be like the most high” instead of “Thy will be done.” That’s a personal choice, which God allowed.

How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High. (Isaiah 14:12-14 KJV)

Milton put it to poetry:

Here we may reign secure, and in my choice
to reign is worth ambition though in Hell:
Better to reign in Hell, than serve in Heaven.

Reign we will not, though Lucifer thinks it better. Even if there was an even division between heaven and hell, there would be but one ruler in each. For me, ‘tis better to serve in heaven. Content now to serve here on this earth, even though stalked by the adversary condemned to hell:

Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: (1 Peter 5:8 KJV)

I will be sober and vigilant, but I do not fear this adversary. There is but one deserving of such fear:

And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.  (Matthew 10:28 KJV)

Knowing that He has this capability, and knowing that He has given us His commandments, we must all answer the question laid out in Hebrews:

Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip. For if the word spoken by angels was stedfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompence of reward; How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him; (Hebrews 2:1-3 KJV)

That answer is predicated on believing that there is a Creator; that He is described in the Bible as the Lord God; and, believing that the Bible says a choice not only can be but must be made. My Ohio sister-in-law wrote it down long before she died, telling everyone she knew: “I’d rather live my life believing in God and die finding out He isn’t, than to live without believing and find out He is.”

One way or the other, she found out last year. We all will, eventually, won’t we? What does happen when so great a salvation is neglected?