> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://sbms.gitbook.io/know-jesus-and-resist-the-devil/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://sbms.gitbook.io/know-jesus-and-resist-the-devil/chapter-2-the-origin-of-the-devil.md).

# Chapter 2: The Origin of the Devil

> You were the anointed cherub who covers; I established you; you were on the holy mountain of God; you walked back and forth in the midst of fiery stones. You were perfect in your ways from the day you were created, till iniquity was found in you. (Ezekiel 28:14-15)

Some students of Berea Academy study because they want to learn how to cast out demons. Berea Academy does not teach how to cast out demons. Its purpose is to teach the word of God. The power to cast out demons automatically manifests itself as the word of God is properly grasped.

When I was in my youth, every house had items that were passed down from ancestors. Among them were priceless antiques that were stored away for a long time. But the rural people did not know the value of those antiques. So the antique collectors would buy them for pennies on the dollar and sell them in the city market for the highest price.

Our family had a brassware set passed down from our ancestors. It was too cumbersome to save because it constantly needed cleaning to maintain its luster. I guess my mother was tired of the antique set. One day, she exchanged it for a stainless steel set. The antique collectors tricked the uninformed country people and made them exchange their valuable collection with cheap kitchenware.

We also had a three-hundred-year-old Korean traditional folding screen. The art on the screen was a historically rare masterpiece. We had kept the folding screen while escaping from one place to another during the Korean War. But one day, the folding screen was gone. When I asked my mother about it, she said that she gave it away to a scrap collector. To her, it was a useless, worn-out junk, which took up much space in the house. She gave it away because she did not understand the value of the precious antique.

Likewise, if we do not understand the Bible, then we cannot experience the power of God that He has promised to all Christians. We are not here to only learn the techniques to cast out demons. If we could only grasp the authority that has been promised in the Bible, then we would definitely experience amazing wonders.

I believe that a paralyzed can walk if he listens and obeys what I show from the word of God. But in many cases, they fail to listen attentively. Thus, they cannot experience the miraculous signs and wonders. We must understand the spiritual principles that the Bible teaches because everything begins with knowing what God has promised us.

As I have mentioned in the previous chapter, the devilology presented in this book is a sound teaching based on Biblical expositions and the experience founded on those principles. I do not claim that this exposition is one hundred percent complete. But for me, this is the most complete knowledge and systematic teaching on the subject. I am sure that someone else can write a better devilology. It is actually my sincere hope that someone would write a more comprehensive book than mine with more Biblical exposition and greater experiences.

Who is the Devil?

“You were the anointed cherub who covers; I established you; you were on the holy mountain of God; you walked back and forth in the midst of fiery stones. You were perfect in your ways from the day you were created, till iniquity was found in you” (Ezekiel 28:14-15).

This account of a king of Tyre serves as an explanation for the fall of the archangel. This king fell in the same way the Devil did, because the Devil always uses his sin as a pattern to tempt man. Even when the serpent tempted Eve, the same pattern was used.

The Devil used to be an angel. Because of this prior position, he is not in a status to challenge or fight against God. Remember, Jesus did not come into the world to fight the Devil. He came to destroy the works of the Devil. The Devil is not a worthy opponent of Jesus Christ. To say that Jesus fought the Devil is actually honoring the Devil in a same level as Jesus. The Son of God does not stand in the same status as the Devil because this fallen angel is just a creation of God.

The Bible says that the Devil was perfect from the day he was created as an angel (Ezek. 28:15). A cautionary note to consider is that this perfection was not of an absolute being but of a creation. A creation is perfect if it functions perfectly as a creation. No creation can imitate God’s perfection. God is perfect as God and creation is perfect only as creation.

For example, God is omnipresent. No creation can be omnipresent.

And the Lord said to Satan, “From where do you come?” So Satan answered the Lord and said, “From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking back and forth on it” (Job 1:7).

Satan said that he went from one place to another. He is not everywhere at the same time. Likewise, a perfect created being can never be in the same level of God’s perfection.

The angel fell because he was perfect as how creation can be perfect. If he did not have free will, then he would not have fallen. To be a perfect creation, free will is necessary. Likewise, the Devil was originally perfect, but it was a limited perfection because he was an angel. Because the Devil was an angel, he can never surpass the status of an angel.

Yet Michael the archangel, in contending with the devil, when he disputed about the body of Moses, dared not bring against him a reviling accusation, but said, “The Lord rebuke you!” (Jude 1:9).

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 (Rev. 12:7-8).

The Devil and the archangel Michael fought because they were on the same status. The Devil was an angel before he fell. So whatever authority or power the Devil has does not exceed that of an angel. Also, though the Devil is wicked, his power still remains on the same level as Michael’s. Wickedness does not give more power or authority. For example, gang members fight and oppress people because they are wicked. Likewise, as a fallen angel, the Devil’s power still does not exceed that of an angel.

To explain how an angel could fall, it is important to underscore that angels are not self-existing beings. Only God is the self-existing Being (Ex. 3:14). Angels are spiritual beings. Created spiritual beings are permanent beings like God, but they do not possess the ability to exist by themselves. They need the life-giving spirit to empower them to live. Jesus said that His word is the spirit that gives life (John 6:63). Spiritual beings live because they are being sustained by the word of God. Therefore, both angels and man need the life-giving spirit to live.

Let us digress for a moment and examine the difference between angel, man, and Christ’s spirit. Angels and man are both living, spiritual beings. Mankind is from one spirit, but the number of angels’ spirit is numerous according to their creation. Angels were all created at one time. Jesus said that angels do not marry one another and thus, do not procreate (Matt. 22:30). The current number of the angels is the set number that was created from the beginning. However, man is different.

God gave one spirit to man (Mal. 2:15). He breathed into Adam once but not separately into Eve. The same spirit from Adam transferred and still does to all in his lineage. As a result, millions of people in this world all come from one spirit called, Adam. It is like a cluster of squash that comes from one seed. Everyone became sinners not because of their own personal sins. They were all condemned to eternal death because they each received the spirit from Adam that was already separated from God’s word.

Anyone can be saved if they accept the spirit of Christ. A question might arise, “Shouldn’t a believer’s child be sinless since the father’s spirit is transferred?” But everyone is born as a sinner. This is because Adam’s spirit transmits to the next generation by birth, but not the spirit of Christ. The spirit of Christ is nontransferable by birth. As a result, every person must receive the spirit of Christ separately on his own in order to be saved.

One important thing to note is that the forgiveness of sins through Christ does not mean that sin has been completely eliminated from our spirit. Actually, the forgiveness of sins means that *we have the promise* that we will not be judged when Jesus returns. If the forgiveness of sins is a complete eradication of sin from our spirit, then our children should be born without sin. However, everyone is born with sin.

Again, the forgiveness of sins is receiving the promise of no judgment at the end. For example, a bond is always in effect, but it cannot be liquidated until the maturation date. The forgiveness of sins is like a bond. When Jesus returns, we will receive the fulfillment of the promise of eternal life. Every believer has a promise of eternal life. That is why a believer can still fall away and forfeit his salvation.

To summarize, everybody born in this world is a sinner because he or she branches out from the spirit of Adam. So everyone must accept the spirit of Christ to live eternally in Heaven, especially because the spirit of Christ is not transmittable by birth. Neither does the angel’s spirit transmit. For this reason, God created a fixed number of angels all at once.

From this line of reasoning, we can understand that the status of man and angels is different. For man, millions of personalities are all connected by one spirit. If ten angels are sent to assist each person, then the angels must be innumerable! Angels filled the heavens at creation, but man was created to procreate and fill the earth. Angels were created to minister to the spirits that have been transmitted from Adam. This confirms that man’s status is much greater than the angels.

Just as it was mentioned before, man and angels need the life-giving spirit to have eternal life since they are both spiritual beings. The word of God is the life-giving spirit. In order for God’s word to be applied to man, they must be in the form of a command. Do this! Do that! Without this method, His words cannot be applied to man’s spirit.

To receive a command, one must have the ability to choose. Without free will, one cannot respond to a command. The response is in two forms: acceptance and rejection. These two responses are like the two sides of a coin; one cannot exist without the other. Having both allows one to exercise free will. Therefore, in order for a command to carry any weight, the receiver must have the freedom to choose.

Giving a command to someone who does not have the freedom to choose is the same as giving commands to a rock that has no ability to move. So God gave spiritual beings the free will to choose. However, we must not misunderstand; God gave us the free will so that we may choose to receive the life-giving spirit, not reject it.

Both angels and man must receive the life-giving spirit to have eternal life. However, the way angels receive the life-giving spirit is different from the way man does. Man lives by obeying the word of God. But angels live by keeping their positions. God prohibited man to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. But God called angels to faithfully serve in their positions as servants. Disobeying the prohibition is the fall for man. Leaving their post is the fall for angels. To the angels, their position is the life-giving spirit. They live as long as they keep their place.

When the archangel abandoned his position, he was completely separated from what gave him life. Spiritual death is when the life-giving spirit no longer sustains the spiritual being. Death does not mean extinction. Since angels are permanent beings, they continue to exist forever though they are separated from the life-giving spirit. The question is would they be forever in Heaven or hell? True life is living with God eternally in Heaven. Death is living apart from God eternally in hell. Without the life-giving spirit, spiritual beings do not have true life. It is the same case with man. Spiritual death does not mean nonexistence; it means that his spirit lacks the ability to be with God.

As stated in the previous chapter, true life is light (John 1:4). This light is called, the glory of God. True light is in the word of God (John 1:1-4). This word is truth (John 17:17). God’s light, truth, and life are all one. The angel who abandoned his position was cut off from this life, being also devoid of the light and truth.

God imprisoned the angel who abandoned the light, truth, and life. So He kept him under darkness. Since light did not exist, there was no life. Because there was no life, there was no truth. God gave the Devil the authority to rule over this darkness. This actually limited his reign only to darkness. There, the Devil became the ruler of darkness, death and lies.

Remember that the light, truth, and life are one (John 1:1-4). Then, who is the light? Who is the truth? Who is the life? Jesus! He said that He Himself is the way, the truth and the life (John 14:6)!

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2He was in the beginning with God. 3All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. 4In Him was life, and the life was the light of men (John 1:1-4).

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me” (John 14:6).

These verses are one in meaning. The *way* and the *light* carry the same meaning. In this world, there is nothing faster than the light that God has created. Yet, it still takes billions of years for light to travel through the universe. If prayers traveled through space into Heaven by the created light, then it would take thousands of years to receive an answer from the throne in Heaven. But if prayers are offered by the glory of God, then answers can come in a moment of time. Every spiritual being must come before God by His glory in order to establish communication with Him. Therefore, the *glory* of God is the *way* to come before God.

The fallen angel can never see or use the glory of God since he has voluntarily left his domain. Since he has no glory, he has no life. He only possesses death. Thus, he is called *the one who has the power of death* (Heb. 2:14). Since he has no life, he has no truth; he only embraces lies. The Devil is called the father of lies (John 8:44).

The same pattern applies to man. The moment man disobeyed, he departed from the word of truth. Then, lies sprung forth from man and he became a child of the father of lies. Death ruled over man because he did not possess life. He was enslaved to the Devil, the one who possessed the power of death. Since man forfeited the true light, darkness overruled him. Hence, man became the child of darkness.

There is another important matter to discuss here. Why does the Devil overrule man when they both fell in the same way? Why did the Devil have the authority of death, darkness and lies when man was just a slave to them? The reason is because the Devil fell on his own as iniquity was found in him. But man was deceived by the Devil. For by whom a person is overcome, by him also he is brought into bondage (2 Pet. 2:19). Man became the Devil’s slave because he fell through his deception. But no one deceived the Devil. He was deceived on his own and iniquity was found in him.

You were perfect in your ways from the day you were created, till iniquity was found in you (Ezek. 28:15).

The Devil was the sinner from the beginning. To whom was the Devil initially against? He sinned against God from the beginning. God gave him a position to faithfully serve as an angel, but he abandoned that role.

He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning (1 John 3:8a).

This originator of sin came into the world and also became the first murderer. The first recorded manslaughter was the murder of Abel by Cain. But the Bible shows that the one manipulating Cain was the Devil.

Not as Cain who was of the wicked one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his works were evil and his brother’s righteous (1 John 3:12).

More so, the Devil was the first liar. He deceived Eve. The Devil lied that eating from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil would make Eve just like God. That is why the Bible says that the Devil is the *father of lies*. The word *father* here means an originator. The Devil is the originator of sin, murder, and lies because he committed all three from the beginning. Man sins, murders, and lies because he is of the Devil.

The Devil was perfect as an angel. But iniquity was found in him when he abandoned his position. Originally, God created the angel to be His servant. He gave the angel the free will to stay in his position so that he can continue to be God’s servant. To the angel, being God’s servant itself is eternal life. Free will has two functions: acceptance and rejection. This ability to reject was not given so that one can freely reject God but so that free will might be completely established in this rational being. Yet, the Devil wickedly misused his free will and abandoned his role as God’s servant.

The angels’ position as servants is the spirit that allows them to live eternally in Heaven. Therefore, no matter what happens, angels must never leave their posts. Because their status will always be that of servants, the angels can never be God’s children. An angel also cannot be man’s savior or an object of man’s worship. Angels will always be God’s servants.

Man is different from the angels. Man can come before the throne of God and even become His child. The key difference is this: What gives life to man is not a position but the word of God. If man obeys God’s word, then there is no limit to where God can take him. Angels received a position that cannot be changed, but man received God’s word.

Angels’ abandonment of their position and man’s rebellion against God’s word both brought the same result, separation from the life-giving spirit. This separation led to the complete loss of light, truth, and life. The hopeless result is nothing but darkness, lies, and death. In the strictest sense of the word, ‘the fall’ of the angels describes their abandonment of their position, and ‘the disobedience’ of man describes his rejection of God’s word. The angel fell and became the possessor of the power of darkness, death, and the father of lies. Mankind disobeyed and became a people of darkness, children of lies, and slaves to death.

And the angels who did not keep their proper domain, but left their own abode, He has reserved in everlasting chains under darkness for the judgment of the great day (Jude 1:6).

For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but cast them into hell and committed them to pits of darkness, reserved for judgment (2 Peter 2:4, NASB).

These two verses are in agreement; the everlasting chains under *darkness* is the same as *pits of darkness*. Death and lies exist in the pit of darkness. God created man in this pit of darkness.

From Genesis 1:27, the creation of man is recorded after the creation of the beasts of the earth. God created male and female in His likeness and gave them seed-yielding vegetation and fruits for consumption. There is a different account of creation of the spiritual being (Adam) in Genesis 2:7. He created Adam first and later took his rib and formed a woman. God did not command them to be fruitful and multiply but to manage the Garden of Eden. God did not give all the seed-yielding vegetation and fruits of the land for consumption but only the fruits of the trees in the garden. He also prohibited them from eating from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

Genesis 1:27 and 2:7 creation accounts are different. The former is the creation of male and female who are not given a spirit. The words, *male and female*, are used in the Bible to indicate the gender of animals. These male and female would be in the same status as animals because they did not have a spirit.

The man from Genesis 1 is just a creation from dust. Dust cannot escape darkness. Therefore, God put a spirit in the man and he became a living soul, namely a spiritual being (Genesis 2:7 KJV). A spiritual being needs the life-giving spirit. So God gave the command not to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. God’s very words are spirit and life (John 6:65). The light, truth, and life are in the word of God. Since Adam was created in a place of darkness, death, and lies, God’s command was given to sustain him spiritually. And Adam became the unique being out of all creation to receive God’s light, truth, and life.

The Devil became jealous of Adam’s connection with God. So he tempted Adam to disobey God’s word and severed the relationship between God and him. When Adam joined the Devil to oppose God’s word, man immersed himself into the darkness, lies, and death. But when Jesus Christ came into the world, man was able to receive God’s word again. The fallen angel never received the second chance to obey God’s word again. Only man received that second chance, which was none other than Jesus Christ that God sent. For this reason, Jesus said that He is the way to the Father (John 14:6).

“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 (Is. 14:12-15).

Again, the devil took Him up on an exceedingly high mountain, and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. And he said to Him, “All these things I will give You if You will fall down and worship me.” Then Jesus said to him, “Away with you, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve’” (Matthew 4:8-10).

The Devil’s motive was clear from the beginning; he wanted to be like God. He then challenged God by attacking His Son. The Devil tried to lure Jesus into sin by offering all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. The kingdoms of the world belong to the Devil because he had the authority over the world. The Devil dared to tempt Jesus to worship at his feet by offering the world to Him. Only God receives worship, but the Devil tried to receive what belonged to God.

God commanded Israel not to make any idols because creation cannot become an object of anyone’s worship. But the Devil wanted the worship for himself. Abandoning his position was not enough for him, for the Devil challenged God even after he was imprisoned under darkness.

The Bible teaches that the angel that challenged God is called *Satan*, which means a *traitor* and an *enemy*. He became Satan because he deserted his position by denying God’s unique self-existence. Rather than humbly serving God as his master, the Devil tried to be like Him.

Of course, God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone (Jas. 1:13). God does not accept challenges from anybody either, even from a glorious angel. God does not fight with anyone, but rather unilaterally punishes him. Therefore, when the Devil abandoned his position to challenge God, he was already fallen before God.

The name *Satan* was given to the illegal one who abandoned his position. Even before he was imprisoned in the darkness, the fallen angel was called Satan. The name *Devil* was given to the same angel who obtained the legitimate authority under darkness. The name Devil, or *Diabolos* in Greek, means *the one who causes division*, especially between God and man. Therefore, *Satan* and *Devil* are names of the same fallen angel, used according to the way he operates. When he rebels against God, he is called *Satan*. When he attacks man, he is called the *Devil*.

But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and keep back part of the price of the land for yourself?” (Acts 5:3).

In the stated verse, Peter says that Satan has filled Ananias’ heart, not the Devil. This is because Ananias lied to God, the Holy Spirit.

Now after the piece of bread, Satan entered him. Then Jesus said to him, “What you do, do quickly” (John 13:27).

Even in the reference above, Judas Iscariot went against God, the Son; thus, the name *Satan* was used. They both were engaged in satanic works. Again, the same fallen angel was called *Satan* when he rebelled against God and the *Devil* when he opposed man. They are two names for the same being.

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

The Bible says that Jesus was led by the Holy Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the Devil. This is after Jesus presented Himself as the Son of Man (Matt. 4:1). So the *Devil* took Him up into the holy city and set Him on the pinnacle of the temple (Matt. 4:5). The *Devil* took Jesus up on an exceedingly high mountain to show Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory (Matt. 4:8). But when Jesus rebuked him, He called him Satan, not Devil, because he tried to receive the worship that belongs to God (Matt. 4:10). The tempter was trying to stop all worship from going to God.

The moment the angel deserted his position, he could no longer see the glory of God. He was imprisoned in everlasting chains under darkness. It is in this darkness where God created the physical light (Genesis 1:3). This light was not the glory of God but a created light. The Devil could only see a created, physical light and never the light of God. One day, even this physical light will pass away and the Devil will be thrown into utter darkness forever.

The Devil does not possess any glory. Today, we all receive the glory of God through His words. God’s glory is His life. His words, glory, and life are one. Jesus is the only one who brought the glory of God into this world. Whoever receives Jesus Christ has already received this glory. This glory is not an applause or aura. God’s glory is a reality. As a result, darkness, lies, and death exist where the glory is absent.

Demons are cast out in the power of that glory. Prayers are offered through that glory. There is no authority greater than God’s glory; there is no clearer way than His glory. The Devil pretends to be the angel of light and deceives man by offering to give the light he does not possess (2 Cor. 11:14). He is a liar, and no truth exists in him.

The world considers its own knowledge as the truth. Yet, worldly knowledge always changes. But God’s truth never changes; it never passes away. Sad to say, people use the knowledge of the world to deny God.

Some people seek light from religions. But there is no true light in religions. Our faith is not a religion, but many people try to make Christianity a religion. Religion pretends to give light to mankind. The Devil’s attempt to make himself an angel of light can be seen in every religion. He ultimately uses man to set up these false religions so that man does not believe the word of God.

Man lives by faith alone in the word of God. Without faith, obedience is impossible. And without obedience, life cannot be obtained. Therefore, sin is the lack of faith in the word of God.

Angels can live only through humility. A servant can be faithful in his position as long as he is humble. The angel fell because of his pride. In other words, Satan abandoned his position because of his arrogance. Because of his beauty and glory, he thought he could be equal to God. Haughtiness was his fall. The Bible shows that out of all the sins, pride cannot be forgiven because God resists the proud (James 4:6).

Pride is Satan’s nature. He thought in his heart, “I will asend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God” (Isa. 14:13).

Your heart was lifted up because of your beauty; you corrupted your wisdom for the sake of your splendor; I cast you to the ground, I laid you before kings, that they might gaze at you (Ezek. 28:17).

The Bible makes it clear that Satan was indeed arrogant. Pride was the cause of his fall. He abandoned his position as God’s servant because of his pride.

Even in the church today, many believers forsake their roles and duties because of their pride. When they are humble, they diligently serve God. But the moment pride sets in their hearts, they ignore the order that God has established in the church.

The fall of angel began with pride. It is what made the angel abandon his position. He who falls from the faith always elevates his position above others. Likewise, Satan was initially a servant. A servant must be humble to serve. But he wanted to steal the worship that belonged to God alone.

The angel is never an object of worship. Christians have already fallen in their faith when they begin to worship or honor angels.

Let no one cheat you of your reward, taking delight in false humility and worship of angels, intruding into those things which he has not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind (Col. 2:18).

Although they think that rewards are secured in Heaven, believers who worship angels could lose them. These days, some people claim that they had an out-of-the-body experience. But while in their “spiritual experience,” they call out to angels as to seek their help. They have already fallen in their faith.

To the angels, the position to serve is their life. The moment they take one step away from that role, they fall into perdition. Angels are supposed to serve God, not receive honor. When they stand to receive any honor and glory, they have already fallen.

Now I, John, saw and heard these things. And when I heard and saw, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel who showed me these things. Then he said to me, “See that you do not do that. For I am your fellow servant, and of your brethren the prophets, and of those who keep the words of this book. Worship God” (Rev. 22:8-9).

In the two verses above, this particular angel shows his humility before John. If the angel had accepted John’s worship, then he would have fallen also. Yet, the angel prevents John from bowing down and secures his role as a servant.

Nevertheless, Satan wanted to receive all the worship. He even tried to tempt the Son of God to bow down and worship him. Even today, Satan still transforms himself into an angel of light and tempts the world to worship him. As you can see, Satan completely deserted his role because of his pride.

Pride is Satan’s nature. Only by humility can the angels live eternally in Heaven. They are just servants. God never gave another position or role to the angels. Humility is the only way for them to sustain life in Heaven.

If we understand this principle, then we would not struggle to cast out a demon. Demons cannot prevail over a Christian who understands spiritual principles. Many Christians already defeat themselves by falling into pride and arrogance. It is like a hunter confidently charging into a den only to be eaten by the tigers.

Pride cannot be forgiven because as long as someone is arrogant, he cannot and will not repent. He is always better than God in his own eyes. There is redemption for disobedience but not pride. Therefore, man’s sin was forgiven but not the sin of angels. Jesus Christ did not come into the world to save the fallen angels.

For indeed He does not give aid to angels, but He does give aid to the seed of Abraham (Heb. 2:16).

Man was separated from God because of his disobedience but the angel defied God by abandoning his role. Thus, he cannot be forgiven. Humble angels do not desert their positions.

Yet Michael the archangel, in contending with the devil, when he disputed about the body of Moses, dared not bring against him a reviling accusation, but said, “The Lord rebuke you!” (Jude 1:9).

Even though Michael was an archangel, he did not arbitrarily condemn the Devil. Only Jesus can condemn and judge. Michael did not go beyond his domain; he instead said, “The Lord rebuke you!”

And especially those who walk according to the flesh in the lust of uncleanness and despise authority. They are presumptuous, self-willed. They are not afraid to speak evil of dignitaries, whereas angels, who are greater in power and might, do not bring a reviling accusation against them before the Lord (2 Peter 2:10-11).

Obedient angels do not accuse or rebuke the fallen angels though they are already condemned to hell. Humble angels endeavor to be faithful in their position before God. The only way to stay faithful in their position is humility.

Angels are ministering spirits sent forth to minister for those who will inherit salvation (Heb. 1:14). They are sent to assist the saints. The angels came to carry away the beggar named Lazarus after death (Luke 14:22). Also, an angel came to assist Peter to escape out of prison.

And when Herod was about to bring him out, that night Peter was sleeping, bound with two chains between two soldiers; and the guards before the door were keeping the prison. Now behold, an angel of the Lord stood by him, and a light shone in the prison; and he struck Peter on the side and raised him up, saying, “Arise quickly!” And his chains fell off his hands. Then the angel said to him, “Gird yourself and tie on your sandals”; and so he did. And he said to him, “Put on your garment and follow me.” So he went out and followed him, and did not know that what was done by the angel was real, but thought he was seeing a vision. When they were past the first and the second guard posts, they came to the iron gate that leads to the city, which opened to them of its own accord; and they went out and went down one street, and immediately the angel departed from him (Acts 12:6-10).

Angels are servants of God that are sent to serve God’s children. God never gave them any other role. There is no limit to what God can do for a believer who obeys but for the angels, the position as servants is their life. So if an angel desires to be a child of God rather than a servant, then he would have already fallen.

For to which of the angels did He ever say: “You are My Son, today I have begotten You”? And again: “I will be to Him a Father, and He shall be to Me a Son”? (Heb. 1:5).

Angels can never be God’s children. They have never received a place of prominence from God. They are just servants. Their status is lower than man. God never gave the coming kingdom of God to any of the angels. He gave the coming kingdom and the throne to the Lord Jesus and the saints.

Now this is the main point of the things we are saying: We have such a High Priest, who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens (Heb. 8:1).

So Jesus said to them, “Assuredly I say to you, that in the regeneration, when the Son of Man sits on the throne of His glory, you who have followed Me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel (Matt. 19:28).

And if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together (Rom. 8:17).

As explained in the verses, saints are God’s heirs that will sit with Christ on thrones and be glorified together with Him. Angels never received such a place of honor. They have to faithfully serve God and the saints. And the saints will judge these angels at the end (I Cor. 6:3).

But one testified in a certain place, saying: “What is man that You are mindful of him, or the son of man that You take care of him? You have made him a little lower than the angels; You have crowned him with glory and honor, and set him over the works of Your hands. You have put all things in subjection under his feet.” For in that He put all in subjection under him, He left nothing that is not put under him. But now we do not yet see all things put under him. But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, for the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, that He, by the grace of God, might taste death for everyone (Heb. 2:6-9).

Of course from the outer appearance, angels seem to have better conditions than man because of the weakness of his flesh. Even Jesus became a little lower than the angels. However, this was so that He might taste death for everyone. Jesus came in the form of man and suffered for us. Man is now given the opportunity to suffer with Christ.

For both He who sanctifies and those who are being sanctified are all of one, for which reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren (Heb. 2:11).

Man was created lower than the angels but eventually will be glorified together with Christ. Currently, angels exist in better living conditions than man. Because they have no flesh, they do not worry about issues such as the cold weather or accidents. However, when the saints sit on the throne with Christ, they will judge the angels. The angels will serve Jesus and the saints forever.

Angels are not the object of worship. Functionally, they might have better conditions than man but their status is still lower. For example, a nanny is a hired employee. She might be stronger, smarter, and more talented than the baby she takes care of, but she is still an employee. Though the baby needs the nanny’s help to live and function, he is still the heir of the family. Likewise, though man is lower and weaker than the angels, only he can become God’s heirs in Christ.

For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father” (Rom. 8:15).

The spirit of bondage is referring to the Law. Those who receive the spirit of bondage can only fear the master’s wrath. Servants work diligently but always have a lingering feeling that they might be rebuked for poor performances. Those who live under the law always fear God. Though they obey God, there is always a lingering fear that they will be cursed. Some of them even spit out their food if they forget to pray for the meal thinking that they might be judged.

The Law was delivered through the angels.

And when forty years had passed, an Angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire in a bush, in the wilderness of Mount Sinai (Acts 7:30).

The one that Moses saw in the burning bush is actually an Angel of the Lord.

This Moses whom they rejected, saying, “Who made you a ruler and a judge?” is the one God sent to be a ruler and a deliverer by the hand of the Angel who appeared to him in the bush (Acts 7:35).

Who have received the law by the direction of angels and have not kept it (Acts 7:53).

What purpose then does the law serve? It was added because of transgressions, till the Seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was appointed through angels by the hand of a mediator (Gal. 3:19)

The Law delivered through the angels is called the spirit of bondage. The word of God is spirit (John 6:63). The word of God delivered through His Son is the spirit of adoption. For example, Abraham’s seed through Hagar (a bondwoman) was still a slave whereas his seed through Sarah (a free person) became a freeman (Gal. 4:22-26). Likewise, the word of God given through the angels is the spirit of bondage, but the same word given through the Son is the spirit of adoption. The spirit of adoption is the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

The Bible teaches that the Law given through the angels brought forth God’s people. The people of a kingdom are servants of the king. The people of God that received the Law are servants by status. However, those who receive the word of God through the Son are sons and daughters.

“I will be a Father to you, and you shall be My sons and daughters,” says the Lord Almighty (2 Cor. 6:18).

Therefore, without receiving the spirit of Christ, none can become God’s children. They might be God’s people but not His children.

But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His (Rom. 8:9).

The status of angels and children of God is eternally different. The Law was given through the angels in the Old Testament times. Although Old Testament believers received the help of angels, they did not receive the Holy Spirit. Thus, those under the Law can never be God’s children. They can only cry out to God as, “Lord!” but never “Father!” They can never be heirs of God.

The Gospel we preach is not the spirit of bondage but the spirit of adoption. Everyone who receives the Gospel and believes can call God, “Father!” Those under the Law cannot become God’s heirs, but we who received the Gospel will receive the kingdom of God as heirs.