II. JUDGING SATAN AND THE UNIVERSE
A. Satan was One of the Early Angels
Created by God at the "Morning" of the Universe
In Isaiah 14:12 Satan is called the Daystar. This term Daystar was translated Lucifer in the Latin version of the Bible. Daystar means morning star. He is also called the son of the dawn, indicating that Satan was one of the earliest angels created by God at the "morning" of the universe.
B. He Was in Eden, the Garden of God,
upon the Holy Mountain in the Heavenlies,
and Was Anointed by God to Be the Chief Archangel
Ezekiel 28:13-14 says that Satan was in Eden, the garden of God. This is not the Eden in Genesis 2, which was the Eden on this earth. The Eden here is the garden of God upon the holy mountain in the heavenlies. Furthermore, Satan was anointed by God to be the chief archangel. Jude 9 also tells us that he was the chief archangel and was above all the angels.
1. As the Ruler of the World
From the day of Satan’s creation, God prepared musical instruments around him (Ezek. 28:13b). This indicates that he was a ruler, a king. Furthermore, in John 12:31 the Lord says that Satan is the ruler of the world. Then in Luke 4:5-6 Satan himself indicated that he has authority over the world. Ephesians 2:2 calls Satan the ruler of the authority of the air.
2. As the Cherub Covering the Ark
Ezekiel 28:14 goes on to tell us that Satan was the cherub covering the ark. This is not the ark on the earth but the ark in heaven. He was the cherub upon the ark, covering it. He was very close to God as the high priest serving God. Therefore, on the one hand he was a king, and on the other hand he was a priest. Today we have taken this position. We were born priests, and we are going to be kings. Our position today was once Satan’s position. Because of his failure, this position has come to us.
(The History of God in His Union With Man, Chapter 2, by Witness Lee)
