God and Satan?

Question

Here is something that has always got to me...if God created everything, is the alpha and the omega, is infallible and all that good stuff, how did he not know that when he created Lucifer that Lucifer would rebel and thus become the devil? To say that the devil was a master of deception and tricked God would prove that God is not infallible and all mighty (since he could be deceived by something he created). I mean, God knows all, past, present, future..so all the evils on this earth, the thought of a devil, etc are all part of his "plan" right?

Also, God is supposed to know everything, so did he not know (and plan) for Lucifer to fall from grace and become the devil? So in a way, it was God's plan to bring evil upon this world...he knew before he even created him what was to become of satan and his deeds upon this earth and human kind...

The part where it says he was is the alpha and the omega, the beginning and the end...so that would be past, present and future..

Also..this isnt a question per se...its more of a "i want to see what ppl have to say in regards to this" kind of thing

but did God not know that the angels would revolt? And yea, according to the bible, only man has free will, not angels...

Answer 1

Alpha and Omega does not mean that God knows everything that everyone is going to do--past, present and future.

It means that God is the beginning and the end. He is eternal. He is the God of history, and he breaks into history and our lives with his activity.

To infer that God knows the future from that one phrase is doing it a great injustice and taking it grossly out of context. You are reading meaning into the author's words that the author did not intend. 21st century Westerners are good at that.

God did not want Lucifer to rebel. He did not want Adam to disobey. It breaks his heart, but he allowed for both when he allowed us to make our own choices.

My tradition (Wesleyanism/Arminianism) focuses more on the activity of God. Another protestant tradition focuses on the knowledge of God. Focusing on the knowledge of God leads to a static view of God (God knew that was going to happen). Focusing on the activity of God leads to a dynamic view of God (God is working through every situation you face in life to bring about his purposes).

Give me a specific reference that says that angels do not have free will.

Answer 2

This is one of those reasons that religion makes no sense. Because you have a very valid point here. You can live by Gods word, but please never do anything that could harm you. Building a relationship with someone (human or ...otherwise) who would tempt you to do things you perceive as wrong will not be beneficial to you, nor will it be beneficial to Satan. You can not change Satan for the better, so there would be absolutely no benefits from this. No, you're not hating God for creating Satan. If I drew a picture and you didn't like it, would that mean you don't like me?

Answer 3

That is a six thousand year old question. It was asked, just before several other very old questions; why do I have to work so hard, just to survive? why does it hurt so bad, to have babies? why did my son kill his brother?

You're approaching the problem, from the wrong direction. Try to identify a problem in your life, and then ask 'why'. When you decide on an answer, ask 'why' about that answer too. If you keep doing this for a while, all your 'why' questions will lead you to the origins of what is commonly called 'sin'.

The Genesis story, tries to show us that we have to forgive God, for what looks to be an error on his part. We wouldn't have to that, if we hadn't decided what was right, and what was wrong.

As rational, and as intelligent as Judaism, and Christianity grow to be, the problems are much more personal than the intellectual acrobatics of philosophy, logic, and ethics present. Religion is not an intellectual exercise.

And, just as Religion should be personal, so should a persons relationship with God. The closer you get to God, the less important the origens of our lives problems become. Solutions become paramount. What to do with sin, in our lives?

Answer 4

He did know Lucifer would rebel. He also knew - as Lewis put it;
"A creature revolting against a creator is revolting against the source of his own powers--including even his power to revolt...It is like the scent of a flower trying to destroy the flower."

--A Preface to Paradise Lost

Is this not "the mystery of iniquity".

God "created evil" simply by being good. Because God is love - He cannot perform or do evil but by giving free will He allowed it.

Isaiah 45: esp v 7
5 I am the LORD, and there is none else, there is no God beside me: I girded thee, though thou hast not known me: 6 That they may know from the rising of the sun, and from the west, that there is none beside me. I am the LORD, and there is none else. 7 I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these things. 8 Drop down, ye heavens, from above, and let the skies pour down righteousness: let the earth open, and let them bring forth salvation, and let righteousness spring up together; I the LORD have created it.


Yes He knew. And He knows the future.
Revelation 20:10 - 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.

Answer 5

Great question indeed, Asker!

I am afraid to admit that all that you have said above is quite true and it would be a lie to say even us christian, such questions do arise! However, that is not a sign of unbelief, even though it may be viewed as such.

I think what we fail to understand about God being the Alpha and the Omega and being Omniscience (knowing all things), is that He exist outside time. Most of the time we think that things have gotten too bad, it is too late for God to do anything. And we often ask 'why did Godcreate the Devil in the first place?'. To God such things are minor - very minor indeed.

Answer 6

Hello, and God is Love, but in order for Love to be Love it CAN NOT be forced, it MUST be given freely, and so God created everyone, angles also with something called choice. He did indeed know that Lucifer would do what he did, but hay if you have kids, before you did that did you understand or have anything in writing that they would always love, obey and never tell you to kiss off and leave you? No, well but did you go ahead and have kids anyway, as far as God being deceived that is not true, a person goes in the direction that they are looking, have you ever been driving and turned your head to look as something, the car tends to go in that direction, and worship therefore is NOT something for God's benefit, its for ours, it keeps our heads in the right direction pointed towards God, but for some reason i do have a theory God put more into Lucifer then any other angel, "perhaps" angles insisted upon having there own way when trying to talk God into doing things there own way but for what ever reason God put more into this being more then any other angel, and the others, the one third of the angles that left Heaven, turned and "perhaps" said "WOW" look at THIS angel, and turning towards lucfier so when he fell, because "perhaps" of all this attention the ones, the one third that had there faces, there love directed NOT at God but at another created person, was not able to stop the fall of themselves because they had does what we do and break the connection, God gives us also a choice but HE NEVER intended for us to keep that, "not my will but THY will be done" is what the second member of The Godhead said in the garden before He did what He did FOR YOU, HE IS "INDEED" The Alpha and Omega, and you can find out more free bible lessons www.amazingfacts.org talk to me email NOT messanger [e-mail] God bless

Answer 7

God created MYRIADS of angels.
All with free will to either obey God or not.
To enforce worship would only prove that God was powerful.
Dictators are powerful. But they have no love.
God is the reverse. He IS love.
to worship God and retain your willpower indicates God is deserving and not just enforcing.
Satan, who was once an angel obeying God, decided he wanted the worship due ONLY to God.

Answer 8

who says he didn't know? ever read charlie and the chocolate factory? remember slugworth? I'm agnostic so i can go on this tangent, but what if this were a test? what would be the point with out opposition? and what is the chocolate factory we stand to inherit?

Answer 9

Maybe he wants more loyalty from his
creation and hes using the higher ups as an
example.

Answer 10

do you understand the Bible?

God gave us free will. and He gave the angels free will. Satan decided that he would rebel against the Lord, because he wanted power.

being perfect means to love. and to love means to give us a choice with what we want to do. of course, consequences do occur (like Satan in hell) but nevertheless, God let Satan do that because God is loving, and gave him free will.

Just as He gave Adam and Eve free will. He told warned them ahead of time not to eat the fruits of the tree. they did anyways. so God punished them. and due to their horridness, we too have to suffer.

God knows everything. God is perfect! and being perfect, God gave us free will. some took advantage. and God will punish them for that. but nevertheless, while we are on this earth for 70 or so years, we are able to do what we wish. it's what we do in this life that determines what we do in the next!