“How you are fallen from heaven,
O
Day Star, son of Dawn!
How you are cut down to the ground,
you
who laid the nations low!
You said in your heart,
‘I will
ascend to heaven;
above the stars of God
I will set my throne on high;
I will sit on the mount of assembly
in
the far reaches of the north;
I will ascend above
the heights of
the clouds;
I will make myself like the Most High.’
But you are brought down to Sheol,
to
the far reaches of the pit. Isaiah 14: 12-15
This week we look at Isaiah 14, which speaks
of the downfall of a Babylonian king. The words of this prophecy speak of the king
of historical Babylon who shined brightly among the men of his day, and fell as
hard and completely as if a man were to fall from heaven. But the language of Isaiah 14 describes
something much more than the fall of a mortal man. It describes a more brightly shining being
who inhabited heaven, and fell even more dramatically. Isaiah is speaking of the king of spiritual
Babylon, Satan.
This week we will be see Satan’s initial fall
from heaven. We will be reminded of his
earthly defeat through the work of Christ.
And we will we see in Revelation the hosts of heaven rejoicing over the ultimate,
final judgment of Satan. With exuberant
words of praise and worship they declare: Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our
God” (Rev 19:1).
What brought about this fall from heaven? Pride.
It is the sin that led to the initial downfall of Satan from heaven to
earth. Pride is the weapon Satan used to
recruit the first man and women into his rebellion against God. And in Isaiah (and throughout Scripture) we
see pride is the sin against which God continually declares his opposition and
fierce judgment. “The haughty looks of man shall be brought low, and the lofty pride of
men shall be humbled, and the Lord alone will be exalted…” (Is 2:11).
God opposes the proud (Ja. 4:6). Yet when we
draw near to God in humility, He will draw near to us (Ja 4:8). So as we prepare to come into His presence
for worship it would be appropriate for us to ask God to show us where pride
may have raised its ugly rebellious head or where it may be lurking in our
lives.
From a human
perspective the cross of Christ is the place where the most heinous and
contemptible act of injustice ever took place.
Yet from God’s perspective it is the place where true justice took
place, where injustice and sin and Satan were defeated at their own
game.
In his book The
Cross of Christ[1], John
Stott explained six stages of Christ’s victory over Satan as it’s unfolded
throughout Scripture. As you prepare for
worship I encourage you to read these passages and come prepared Sunday to
celebrate the victory we have in Christ our Lord.
In his prideful ambition Satan desired to
receive what God alone deserves: worship.
This Sunday in our singing we will declare to God, ‘You are Worthy’!
Worthy of worship worthy of praise,
worthy of honor and glory;
Worthy of all the glad songs we can sing,
worthy of all of the off'rings
we bring.
Chorus: You are worthy Father Creator,
You are worthy Savior Sustainer,
You are worthy, worthy and wonderful,
worthy of worship and praise.
Worthy of reverence, worthy of fear,
worthy of love and devotion;
Worthy of bowing and bending of knees,
Worthy of all this and added to
these; (Chorus)
Almighty Father, Master and Lord,
King of all kings and Redeemer;
Wonderful Counselor, Comforter, Friend,
Savior and Source of our life
without end. (Chorus)
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