Don’t we all want to be more than we are—you know— smarter, more powerful, better looking, able to leap tall buildings with a single bound! Wouldn’t we be so much better, more capable, able to do all that we aspire, if only…
Ezekiel 28 has this glimpse into a part of creation we will never see. Before mankind enters the Genesis history, God apparently had already created the beings we think of as angels. This reference alludes to Lucifer, one of the guardian beings created so perfect as to receive the identity as ‘seal of perfection, full of wisdom, perfect in beauty, blameless’ as created. 1 Doesn’t get better. We would think that would be enough to satisfy but that isn’t the entire story. In spite of the designation by God of ‘created perfect’ this being doesn’t stay that way:
The word ‘perfect’ has the connotation of completeness rather than our usual concept of without flaw. Lucifer had it all or at least everything that was included in being a guardian cherub; this created being not only had ability, wisdom, power but God included splendor for Lucifer’s covering was of costly jewels. What more could a created being ask?
According to references in Isaiah 14, this being had Will, the ability to make decisions and carry out determinations just as mankind except with a different level of agency. “You said in your heart, ‘I will ascent to heaven… I will set my throne on high… I will make myself like the Most High’. 3
You are created with assets beyond imagination but you want more—you want to be on plane with the Lᴏʀᴅ Himself. You determine that enough isn’t enough for you and seek to make yourself more than the Creator put within you. But you were not created to be the Most High or to appear to be like the Most High and so you rebel against the Lᴏʀᴅ, creation against the Creator.
It does not end well for rebellion against God—unrighteousness—is not acceptable in the presence of God and you are self-condemned, fallen, exiled from the presence of God.
Just how much do we want to be more than the Lᴏʀᴅ created us to be, gifted us to be, indwelt us to be? Do we insist on developing our own identity beyond who He created us to be in Him? Do we expect that to end well?
FOOTNOTES & LINKS:
1 Ezekiel 28:12-15 (ESV) Blue Letter Bible link
2 Ezekiel 28:15-16 (ESV) Blue Letter Bible link
3 Isaiah 14:13-14 (ESV) Blue Letter Bible link
4 Ezekiel 28:18-19 (ESV) Blue Letter Bible link