Expert: Dr Don Howe - 3/27/2009

Question
when someone dies, the body goes to the grave, the soul goes to heaven or hell, where does the spirit go?  Also, in the Great White Throne Judgement - why would the sea give up the dead, if the unsaved souls go to hell, Is the Body being resurrected?  I thought we all got a New Body whether we went to heaven or hell - please explain in detail.  Also, Was Lucifer the Archangel of God or was he just the evil King?

Answer
      Gladys, thank you so much for your question. You asked “when someone dies, the body goes to the grave, the soul goes to heaven or hell, where does the spirit go?” To truly understand where the body, soul, and spirit goes you first need understand what each one is. The body is easy as that the physical body of a man. What is the soul? What is the spirit of a man?
      What is the soul? Many Christians speak of the soul, but do not really understand what part it is in our makeup created by God. 1 Thess. 5:23 states “And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and [I pray God] your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” The word sanctify in the Greek is hagiazō which means to be holy or set apart. And God sets us apart(hagiazō) wholly or holotelēs meaning perfectly. Note that Paul in 1 Thess. 5:23 speaks of the body, spirit, and soul separately and all three should be preserved blamless til Jesus Christ returns.
   Our whole spirit and soul and body should be blameless. The spirit is pneuma in the Greek which is the vital simple spiritual essence in which the body is animated and possesses the power of knowing, desiring, deciding, and acting. The Holy Spirit lives in us. And soul or psychē is regarded as a moral being or essence designed for everlasting life and not dissolved by death, but is also capable of feelings, desires, affections, and aversions. Note that the spirit in this context is the Holy spirit which lives is a supernatural spiritual essence which is capable of knowing, desiring, and acting, and the soul is the moral essence of our being which is designed for everlasting life also and it capable of feelings, desires, affections, and aversions. And finally the body is sōma is the physical nature of man. Paul is saying God sanctifies us or set ourselves apart (hagiazō) perfectly (holotelēs) and He prays that your whole spiritual essence (pneuma), and moral essence (psychē) and our physical nature or body (sōma) is preserved blameless (amemptōs) or without censure unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. This verse breaks down the spirit, soul, and body. Keep in mind that in some verses the specific meaning of spirit or soul must be determined by the context.
    The Greek scholar Dean Alford describes the soul and spirit as this: “The Spirit (pneuma) is the highest and distinctive part of man, the immortal.” And soul “is the lower or animal soul, containing the passions and desires which we have in common with the brutes, but which in us is ennobled and drawn up by the spirit.” Paul brings this out in 1 Thess. 5:23. Continuing on the difference between soul and spirit, David Guzik states “Being the inner, immaterial part of man that may exists apart from spiritual life, the soul connects with the world through the senses of the physical body. It connects with God through faith, which might be called the “sense” of the spirit. We tend to think of the spirit being like the soul, but we may also think of it as being more like the body, the vessel of our interaction with the spiritual world. Because the soul and spirit both have reference to the non-material part of man, they are easily confused. Often an experience intended to build up the spirit only blesses the soul. There is nothing wrong with soulish excitement and blessing, but there is nothing in it that builds us up spiritually. This is why many Christians go from one exciting experience to another but never really grow spiritually - the ministry they receive is soulish.” Sobering to say the least.
       Even the Word of God divides the soul and spirit. Paul speaks of the Word God dividing the two in Heb. 4:12 states “For the word of God [is] quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and [is] a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” So Paul again is making a difference between soul and spirit.
     Gladys, you are correct the soul goes to Heaven or Hell, but spirit returns to God. Eccl. 12:7 states “Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.” So the spirit of man returns to God who gave it. Our body returns to the dust of the ground.

      UNDERSTANDING THE GREAT WHITE THRONE JUDGMENT THROUGH EXPLAINATION OF REV. 20:1-15.

    Gladys, you asked “ Also, in the Great White Throne Judgment - why would the sea give up the dead, if the unsaved souls go to hell, Is the Body being resurrected?  I thought we all got a New Body whether we went to heaven or hell - please explain in detail.”
    The Great White Throne Judgment is mentioned in Rev. 20:11-15, but there is much that goes on before this. So let’s look at most of Chapter 20.
   Rev. 20:1 states “And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand.” John saw the an angel come down from heaven. David Guzik states about this angel “The angel that will subdue Satan is anonymous. It is not Jesus Himself, nor is it Michael or Gabriel or any other high-ranking angel.” Morris states “The final importance of Satan is perhaps indicated in the fact that it is not the Father who deals with him, nor the Christ, but only an unnamed angel.”
This angel has the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. This unnamed angel had power.

   Rev. 20:2-3 states “And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season.” This unnamed angel takes ahold of Satan, that old serpent, and he bounds for a thousand years. The thousands years refers to the 1,000 years of the millennial kingdom. The word pit in the Greek is abyssos which means abyss. And a seal was placed upon him. This seal is in contrast to Daniel 6:7 where the King placed his seal of his ring on the mouth of the cave of the lion’s den in which Daniel was thrown into. This seal shows the authority of God and nothing is changed until He says so. Guzik states about this restraining of Satan by the Seal for a thousands years, “Satan tried to imprison Jesus in a tomb, but couldn’t. Here, God has no problem restraining Satan, and this incarceration is not for punishment, but restraint. By implication, his demonic hordes are also imprisoned.”
Satan will not deceive the nations no more. Deceiving is “Satan’s main mode of attack is revealed. Satan is a deceiver, so the most potent defense and weapon against Satan is the truth of God’s word” (Guzik).

   Rev. 20:4 states “And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and [I saw] the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received [his] mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.” John here mentions two groups. The first group are already reigning with Christ in Heaven and sat upon the thrones and passed judgment. This group has to be those who have died for the cause of Christ during the Church age and the saints of the Church who were raptured bringing a close to the Church age and dispensation of Grace. David Guzik states “They that sat on the thrones could be the twenty four elders that represent the Church in Rev. 4:4, or the apostles (Matt. 19:28), or the company of saints as a whole (1 Cor. 6:2-3), which is the most likely. These saints will be given judgment but it is more likely that these are the saints ruling on and over the earth as mentioned in 1 Cor. 6:2-3.”
  Then the second group mentioned in verse 4 are the Tribulation saints who were beheaded for the witness of Christ. The word beheaded is a verb in Greek is patasso which means executed. These Tribulation saints were executed by the Antichrist. Why does God just mention the saints who died in the Tribulation. David Guzik gives some insight about this “They are specifically mentioned so as to encourage them, while not implying others will be left out. This is special vindication for Tribulation saints. They suffered under Antichrist who had said, “I will rule the earth;” now they are in authority and Antichrist is destroyed. So, these martyrs are literal, but also representative of all that give their lives in faithfulness to Jesus.”

     Rev. 20:5-6 states “But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This [is] the first resurrection. Blessed and holy [is] he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.” Those who “sat upon the thrones” and the Tribulation saints will  “reigned with Christ a thousand years,” and “the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished.” The first group of saints “who sat upon the thrones” and passed judgment and the resurrection of the Tribulation saints is called the first resurrection and the second death would not come upon. The second death meaning the eternal damnation of living forever in Lake of Fire. But while these saints are reigning with Jesus for the same period of time (1,000 years),  Satan will be bound for a thousand years. Paul Benaware states about this first resurrection “these verses (20:5-6) state that there is a major resurrection before the millennial kingdom begins and a major resurrection at the end of the millennial kingdom. This text, interpreted in a normal, literal way, is teaching that both of these are a physical, bodily resurrection.” Gladys this will correspond to the part question where you asked “in the Great White Throne Judgement - why would the sea give up the dead, if the unsaved souls go to hell, Is the Body being resurrected?  I thought we all got a New Body whether we went to heaven or hell.” God said to resurrect the Tribulation saints physically, and bodily, and then they are joined by “those that sat upon the throne” and this called the first resurrection. But both groups are physically and bodily resurrected.             
   Rev. 7-8 states “And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom [is] as the sand of the sea.” At the end of the millennial reign, Satan is loosed. The word loosed is a Greek verb which is lyō which means to be unbound, release from bonds, or set free. So sat is set free from “his prison” for a thousand years. Why? So he can deceive the nations from the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog. This shows the complete depravity and rebellion of Satan and man. Man is totally depraved.     David Guzik makes some sobering remarks about this thousand years, Satan being released, and mans total depravity. He states “For the thousand years of the direct reign of Jesus over this earth, Satan was bound and inactive. But after the thousand years are over, he will be released and successfully organize many of the earth in another rebellion against God. Jesus has reigned so wonderfully for a thousand years, then why will the earth rebel? They will do it, and God will allow it, as a final demonstration of man’s rebellion and depravity. Outward conformity to Jesus’ rule will be required during His reign, but seemingly, an inward embrace of His Lordship will still be up to the individual. In this we see more of the important reason God has for the Millennial Kingdom and allowing this final rebellion. For all of human history, man has wanted to blame his sinful condition on his environment. “Of course I turned out the way I did. Did you see the family I came from? Did you see the neighborhood I grew up in?” With the Millennial Kingdom of Jesus, God will give mankind a thousand years of a perfect environment - with no Satan, no crime, violence, evil, or other social pathology. But at the end of the 1,000 years, man will still rebel against God at his first opportunity. This will powerfully demonstrate that the problem is in us, not only in our environment.”  Hoste goes on to say “It will be proved once more that man, whatever his advantages and environment, apart from the grace of God and new birth, remains at heart only evil and at enmity with God.”    Paul Benware also mentions about this depravity and states “At the very end of the millennial kingdom and before the start of the final, eternal kingdom of God, a brief rebellion will be by Satan (Rev.20:7-9). Satan, having been released from the Abyss, is able to gather a large number of people against the Lord Jesus. These rebels are undoubtedly unsaved people. They were born in the millennial period and outwardly adhered to the principles of the Messiah’s kingdom (no doubt fearing the “rod of iron”), but never came to a personal, saving faith. We are not told why God allows Satan to be released, but it perhaps to give a final, brand object lesson concerning the depravity of man. If nothing else, this rebellion at the end of the Millennium demonstrates that man’s real problem is his sinful, unregenerate heart, not his environment or his circumstances. These rebels have lived in Messiah’s kingdom, a near-perfect environment. They cannot claim poverty, a lack of knowledge, bad circumstances, or an unfair judicial system as reasons for their rebellious behavior. Their problem is their sinful heart. This event underscores the truth that, when given the opportunity to rebel against the Lord God, sinful man will do it every time. The rebellion is short-lived and completely unsuccessful. And those who participate in it are put to death, while their leader Satan receives his final judgment in the Lake of Fire (Rev. 20:9-10).”    Both authors are sobering to say the least.  But it is man’s sinful, depraved heart that is problem from the Garden to the destruction of the Millennial Kingdom.   Satan gathers his army from the four corners of the earth to do battle with the Lord Jesus. Satan had a very large army  because “the number of whom [is] as the sand of the sea.”  The Gog and Magog was a common rabbinical title for the nations in rebellion against the Lord, and the names recall the prophesied invasion of Israel Ezek. 38:39, but this not the same battle.      

  Rev. 20:9-10 states “And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them. And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet [are], and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.” Satan and his army went upon the “breadth of the earth.” Breadth in the Greek is platos which means broad or great extent, so it would mean a great extent of the earth, and he compassed or encircled the camp of the saints and the beloved city, Jerusalem. Guzik states about this encirclement of the saints “We don’t know if the saints referred to here are glorified saints who reign with Jesus, or earth-inhabitants who come to faith in Jesus during the Millennium. Either way, the strategy of this vast Satanic army is clear: to destroy God’s people, and the “headquarters” or “capital city” of His administration, Jerusalem (the beloved city).”     
   Verse 10 gives us the first of three judgments that take place after the Millennial Kingdom or thousand year reign.       This FIRST JUDGMENT is when the “fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them. And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet [are], and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.” What David Guzik states about this battle is comical, he writes “We shouldn’t even call this a final battle, because there is no battle. The fight is over before it begins. At this point, God finally deals with the devil and his followers forever. After this aborted battle, Satan is then judged and tormented forever - together with the beast and the false prophet, who were cast into the lake of fire at the beginning of the thousand years (Revelation 19:20).”     
   Satan will be joined by the Antichrist and the False Prophet and casted into the Lake of Fire and tormented forever and ever. This Lake of Fire corresponds to what is mentioned in Rev. 14:10-11; Isa. 66:22-24; Mk 9:48. And this is the FIRST JUDGMENT THAT TAKES PLACE AFTER THE MILLENNIAL KINGDOM.     

  The SECOND JUDGMENT after the Millennial Kingdom also takes place in verse 10. This judgment is the destruction by fire that came out of Heaven of the present heavens and earth as mentioned in 2 Peter 3:10. Paul Benware states “This passing away of the present universe is anticipated in several passages of Scripture (e.g. Matt. 24:35; Rev. 20:11). Because of the remaining elements of the curse placed on creation and because of the presence of sin in the universe, this destruction is necessary. Once the present heavens and earth are destroyed, God will create a new heaven and earth (21:1).           
    

   THIRD JUDGMENT AFTER THE MILLENNIAL KINGDOM IS THE GREAT WHITE THRONE JUDGMENT REV. 20:11-15.     
   Rev. 20:11 states “And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.” Gladys, the descriptions that Apostle John is giving here is important. John saw a “great white throne” which represents status, power, and authority. White represents the purity and holiness, and throne represents kingly sovereignty.      Who sat on the throne? It is no one but Jesus.  The Bible tells us that the Judge is Jesus (John 5:22-27); or more likely, the fullness of the Triune God.     
  “From whose face (speaking of the Lord Jesus) the earth and heaven fled away, but there was not place for them” (the unsaved). Guzik states about this hiding “There is absolutely no hiding from this throne. No one can escape the judgment that it represents.” He goes on “Bible scholars believe that Christians will never appear before this great white throne. It isn’t because we can hide from it - no one can. The idea is that we are spared from this awesome throne of judgment because our sins are already judged in Jesus at the cross. We don’t escape God’s judgment; we satisfy it in Jesus. However, Christians will have to stand before another throne - the judgment seat of Christ. 2 Corinthians 5:10 says, For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.”   
    Rev. 20:12 states “And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is [the book] of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.”     
  The idea of “small and great” corresponds to Rev. 19:5 which states “And a voice came out of the throne, saying, Praise our God, all ye his servants, and ye that fear him, both small and great.” Daniel 7:10 is a great verse which speaks of this “small and great” number “A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him: thousand thousands ministered unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him: the judgment was set, and the books were opened.” So the number was great that stood before the Lord Jesus.      
  The words “stand before God and the books were opened” does not represent “a trial, trying to determine what the facts are. The facts are in; here is the sentencing of someone already condemned” (Guzik). Walvoord states “Their standing posture means that they are now about to be sentenced.”   
  The Books mentioned here in verse 12 and in Daniel 7:10 are the Book of Life and Book of Works. The Great White Throne Judgment is based on the Book of Works. The Book of Life is only for saved people, who have accepted Jesus as their Savior, and Gladys, I hope your name is that book. I know my is. Believers will judged for our rewards at the Judgment Seat of Christ or the Bema Judgment. The White Throne judgment is just for the unsaved.      
   The books are opened “the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.” The words “dead” is important because it represents the unsaved people who have not accepted Jesus as their Savior. Saved people who are dead or martyred for the cause of Christ are referred to “the dead in Christ.” So this distinction is important. The dead were judged out of the Book of Life because their name is not in it, so the Book of Works were used to designated by “according to their works. ”There are degrees of punishment for unbelievers, according to their works (Matthew 11:20-24). Here is where they are sentenced to their specific eternal punishment” (Guzik).       
   Rev. 20:13 states “And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.”      The idea of the sea gave up the dead is symbolic in that it is not referring to actual body of water but it represents a place of unburied bodies and the place of unburied bodies (sea) gave up the dead so the emphasis is on the universal character of judgment - everybody (who is not saved) is included.     
   Gladys, you asked “why would the sea give up the dead, if the unsaved souls go to hell.” The main and foremost reason why the sea gave up the dead, is because God said for it to. God is Sovereign and what He says is the first and final word. Now, the sea is not speaking of a body of water but a place of unburied bodies. And to further answer your question, we have go back to the Rapture in which the body of the corruptible will be united with the spirit of the incorruptible and taken to Heaven with Jesus, so there is a literal physical, bodily, and spiritual uniting taken place. So a physical and bodily resurrection takes place.    
     And as mentioned already in Rev. 20:5-6, this was a literal bodily and physical resurrection. So the Bible speaks of a physical and bodily resurrection at the first resurrection and other places. That is way God does things.      People go to war over such trivial things in Revelation, but the main thing to remember if you are not saved, it is not going to matter to you anyway, because the unsaved are on the first bound train to Hell. Plain and simple.   
    Rev. 20:14-15 states “And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.” So the ones who are not in the Book of Life are cast into the lake of fire along with Satan, Antichrist, and the False Prophet. “The last echoes of sin are now eliminated. Death is the result of sin, and it is gone. Hades is the result of death, and it is gone. The last vestiges of sin’s unlawful domination are done away with.“ (Guzik).
    The second death is spiritual and eternal, the just punishment of the wicked. The first death is physical dying. Both are included in the overall meaning of death that came upon the human race because of Adam and Eve’s sin (Gen. 2:16-17; 3:1-19; Rom. 5:12). So one will have a physical and spiritual resurrection also.      SO THE GREAT WHITE THRONE JUDGMENT IS THE THIRD JUDGMENT AFTER THE MILLENNIAL KINGDOM.  
  
    WAS LUCIFER AN ARCHANGEL OR AN EVIL KING.  

   Gladys, you asked “Was Lucifer an Archangel or an evil King.” This depends on what theologian you are talking to and what verses you are citing.   
   There are four angels that are mentioned in the Bible name out of the millions of angels that do the work of God.  They are Gabrielle, whose name means, "God is Mighty", Michael, whose name means, "Like God", Raphael, whose name means, "God Heals", and Lucifer, whose name means, "Light Bearer". All of them were created good!
   It was Lucifer who rebelled against God and who through pride, coveted the Throne of God and the worship that belonged to God alone. This resulted in a mighty war in Heaven. Lucifer, along with one third of the angelic host was defeated by the Archangel Michael and was cast down from Heaven to the earth where he became known as "Satan", a name which literally means; "Adversary" as well as "Devil", which means, "Accuser of the brethren".     So it can be said that Satan or Lucifer was created as an archangel, but the most important thing is not that he was an archangel but why he failed. He failed because pride, wanting to be like the Most High God, and the total depravity as was mentioned about man in above exegesis also applies to Satan. Sinful man is just as depraved as their daddy the Devil.     
    References of verses that tell of Lucifer as being an evil king is found in Isa. 14:12-15. But Isaiah is speaking of a literal evil king and not Satan. Isa. Chapter 14 has some hyperbole in it and as one does  exegesis of the verses; you have to keep it in context. Walvoord and Zuck stated about Isa. 14:3-21 “Verses 3-21 record a song or a taunt that will be sung by people freed from the fear of the king of Babylon. The song’s overall message is that people will be amazed that this great king is cast down like the monarchs of other cities. People will rejoice in his demise for they had lived in fear of him.” The evil king of Babylon is referring to the tyrant Sennacherib (705-681 B.C.).”  
   They continue “Who is the king of Babylon? Many expositors hold the view that he is Satan, the ultimate personification of pride. Tertullian (160-230 A.D.) and Gregory the Great (540-604 A.D.) were the first to present this view, now widely accepted. Though verses 12-14 seem to support the view, little else in the chapter does. Though man hold that verses 12-14 refer to the entrance of sin into the cosmos by Satan’s fall, that subject seems a bit forced in this chapter.”  
   Gladys, what Walvoord and Zuck are saying is that the idea of Lucifer falling from Heaven to earth as some expositors have noted in verse 12-15 does not fit in context with the rest of the Chapter. So to say Lucifer is an archangel who has fallen from Heaven to the Earth based on verses 12-15 is taken out of context. But I will tell you where it does happen, but it is not in Isa. 14:12-15.      But for your own edification lets look what Isa. 14:12-15 is saying.   
  Isa. 14:12 states “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!” Since Sennacherib was such an evil king, his military might had been so strong he “cut down the ground” all nations and this weakened the nations. This included Phonenicia, Philistia, Egypt, Moab, Edom, Cilcia, much of Judah, and northern Arabia. Sennacherib was brought down all right by being assassinated and he fell like a falling “morning star.”   
   Isa. 14:13-14 states “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.” Sennacherib, because of his great power, thought of himself godlike as represented by “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.” And “I will be like the most High.” Walvoord and Zuck also provide evidence of this “In the ancient Near East, kings had supreme power; many were deified by their subjects.”  As we would say today, Sennacherib became too big for his own britches and was brought down like a falling morning star.  
   Isa. 14:15 states “Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit.” Sennacherib was brought down to hell and to the pit. Pit here means grave. So he was brought down to the grave by being assassinated.  

  Where does it show that Lucifer was an Archangel that fell?  

  Gladys, this is going to be found in Ezek. 28:11-19. Ezekiel the Prophet had delivered four  prophecies against the city/nation of Tyre to the north of Israel. Ezek. 28:11-19 is the  fourth messages directed at the ruler of Tyre. There is symbolism here also. Satan will referred to as the King of Tyre or like the King of Tyre.   Ezek. 28:11-12 states “Moreover the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, Son of man, take up a lamentation upon the king of Tyrus, and say unto him, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Thou sealest up the sum, full of wisdom, and perfect in beauty.” “Ezekiel describes the beauty and perfection of Satan as God originally created him. He was the mode of perfection, full of wisdom, and perfect in beauty. God did not create Satan as some prime minister of evil. As with all God’s Creation, Satan was a perfectly created being—one of the crowning achievements in God’s angelic realm” (Walvoord and Zuck).  
  Ezek. 28:13 states “Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God; every precious stone [was] thy covering, the sardius, topaz, and the diamond, the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the emerald, and the carbuncle, and gold: the workmanship of thy tabrets and of thy pipes was prepared in thee in the day that thou wast created.” Satan was given an exalted place, he was in Eden, “the garden of God.” Satan’s beauty was equal to the Garden of Eden as represented by “every precious stone was thy covering” which means adornment. Ezekiel listed nine gemstones in describing Satan’s beauty. The precious stone’s probably symbolized Satan’s beauty and high position.  
   Ezek. 12:14 states “Thou [art] the anointed cherub that covereth; and I have set thee [so]: thou wast upon the holy mountain of God; thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire.” Satan is designated as the anointed cherub who covers. Cherub in Hebrew is kĕruwb which means an angelic being, guardian of Eden, and flanked God’s throne. So Satan was an anointed angelic being that covers. Walvoord and Zuck state “the cherubim were the “inner circle” of angels who had the closet access to God and guarded His holiness. Satan walked upon the holy mountain of God which means Heaven. And Satan walked up and down the stones of fire which means that Satan had access to God’s presence.
   Ezek. 12:15 states “Thou [wast] perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee.” Satan was perfect or blameless in his ways from the day he was created. Satan was this way til iniquity was found in him. Iniquity here is `evel in Hebrew means wickedness, unrighteousness, or perverseness. So Satan became evil, wicked, and perverted against God. But most of all Satan sinned against God because of unrighteousness.  
  Ezek. 12:16 states “By the multitude of thy merchandise they have filled the midst of thee with violence, and thou hast sinned: therefore I will cast thee as profane out of the mountain of God: and I will destroy thee, O covering cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire.” Satan was involved in dishonest trade as represented by the word  rĕkullah as he was a liar and dishonest to God, he was full of violence, and had sinned. So God casted Satan out of Heaven or mountain of God. God said I will destroy you which he did in that Jesus defeated Satan on the Cross and God will one day place Satan in the lake of fire. God threw Satan out from the mist of stones of fire which means he no longer has access to God.  
   Ezek 12:17 states “Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty, thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness: I will cast thee to the ground, I will lay thee before kings, that they may behold thee.”  Satan’s heart became haughty, arrogant, and full self-exaltation to be like the most high God because of his beauty. This arrogance and haughtiness, corrupted or destroyed thy wisdom due to his splendor. God casted him to the ground. So Satan was casted to the Ground here not in Isaiah 14:12. Ezekiel is doing some cross symbolism as he is referring to Satan but also the King of Tyre who was also corrupt and thought he could not be touched. God destroyed him by throwing him to the ground also. God said he would throw Satan to the ground so that people will know who he is and what he is which is represented by “that they may behold thee.”   
 So Gladys, Lucifer is referred as an angel as noted in Ezek 12:14 as the “anointed cherub.” But in Isa. 14:12-15, Lucifer is actually Sennacherib who was an evil king.    

Blessings.

Dr Don Howe, RN, PhD, ThD.