Recently during one of our worship services we decided that the sermon message would be based off of questions that our congregation "Texted to the Pastor". Because of time, I was not able to answer all the questions during the service, so over the next several weeks, I will be answering the ones I didn't get to in my blog. Some may be long answers, others shorter, but hopefully they will stimulate you to consider your own answers to these questions. So, here we go!
Why did wars begin?
Wars on earth are merely a result of (or an extension of) a war (battle/conflict) that occurred in heaven between Satan and God and continues today on earth.
In Revelation 12:7-12 we read about this war between Satan and God; between Satan and his angels (Satan’s followers) and God and his Angles (God’s followers, lead by Michael).
We see that this battle originally took place in heaven, with Michael winning this particular fight. Satan is overpowered and cast to earth (forced to retreat) with his followers.
Note:
1) Satan was not destroyed, simply caste out of heaven.
2) Satan didn’t change his ways, rather he just change the location of where the future battles would take place.
So, what caused this fight to begin in heaven in the first place? I mean its heaven, right? Everything is all good, streets of gold, peace & harmony, right?
If we take a look at Ezekiel 28: 14-17 we get what I think is a description of what the cause of this war was back then and it is still the cause of many wars today.
Satan was an “anointed cherub” who was in heaven “the holy mountain of God” and walked and moved about with God. He was “perfect in his ways from the day” he was created.
Note:
3) This does not mean that Satan was perfect on the inside…just at that point his actions were perfect.
It is then that there was an “iniquity found in” Satan. Whatever this “iniquity” was, it caused him to be “filled with violence” and led Satan to sin.
Note:
4) What was inside of Satan (the “iniquity”) took over Satan and began to drive his action, causing Satan to move form being “perfect in his ways” to sinning against God.
We then read that Satan was cast out of heaven “the mount of God”. Then in verse 17 we start to read about what might have been the “iniquity” that drove Satan to sin (and still drives many of us to sin…and is the cause of many of the wars that have ever been).
Satan’s heart became PROUD because of his 1) beauty 2) wisdom 3) splendor.
Note:
5) Other angels in heaven followed Satan into battle, so the Pride in Satan must have been contagious to some of those around him.
So, what was the source of Satan’s contagious pride that changed him and some of those around him? Let’s take a look at Isaiah 14: 12-15
Isaiah describes Satan’s down fall in verse12. Then in verses13 & 14 we see it. Isaiah describes the root of what was going on in Satan’s heart (the root of Satan’s pride).
Satan wanted to take over God’s throne in heaven!
Satan wanted to be like God.
In some warped way Satan thinks he can be God by defeating God. Satan, who hasn’t created anything, nor can create anything, is trying to destroy the Creator. Since that isn’t going to happen, Satan then turn to God’s creation (the cosmos… AKA: Earth, and its inhabitants… AKA: Humanity) and tries to get them to join him.
And when would Satan try to do this? … look at Genesis 3:1-19
Pay close attention to the actual temptation of Eve… it’s not the apple… the temptation is found in verse 5 “For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil”.
Up to this point, things were perfect; Adam and Eve’s actions were perfect (like Satan’s were at one time). But like Satan, something wasn’t right in the hearts of Adam and Eve, and Satan could see it (ever heard that phrase “it takes one to know one”? That phrase holds true here).
Satan tempted humanities heart with the same temptation that his heart yielded to…. wanting to be “like God”. And what sin did this cause? Disobedience to God. (not a good thing.) How things might be different with more self-discipline when it comes to temptations like this…
Guess what. Even though humanity was tempted into sinning against God, that still didn’t make Satan God. So, Satan’s focus turned to destroying the one and only heir of God, the one who would one day take over the throne of God… God’s one and only Son, Jesus the Christ.
Having said all that, I’m back to the original question… Why did wars begin?
Because humanity continues to succumb to the prime deception of Satan that one day some person (or group of people) might be in control of everything (like God is) and can implement their own will (how they want things to be) on all that they control.
So one side fights to do it their way… and another fights to stop it.
One side starts out defending something (like freedom or democracy, etc) only to fall to the temptation of becoming the Master of (Controller of, God of) freedom and democracy.
One side’s passionate fight for justice leads them down a slippery slope called pride, where they implode in the battle because they lose sight of why they went to war in the first place.
The internal urges to “be like God” (doing things “my way”) when unchecked by the self-discipline provided to those who love God and are guided by his Holy Spirit, to live and love as His one and only Son Jesus does, will always lead to wars and rumors of wars.
Hopes this helps.
Dorsia