How to Read, Examine, and Understand the Bible VI

Having gone this far, I should take time to ensure you know just how crooked and arrogant it is to try and superimpose your own interpretation upon God's Word, the Bible.  To read and examine God's Word with the intention of making it teach what you want it to teach, is to align your will with the devil's will. 

Satan was created by God, as an angel to worship God.  God named him Lucifer and he led heaven's angels in adoration of the Lord.  The Bible describes Lucifer as a beautifully adorned angel.  At some point, Lucifer made the horrific decision of being so enamored with himself that he led a rebellion against God.  He became jealous of the attention given to God and preferred to receive the adoration of heaven for himself.  One third of the angels of heaven followed Lucifer in the rebellion.  God judged them for their arrogant rebellion and cast them down to earth, hence they are called "fallen angels," having fallen from heaven to earth.  Lucifer's name was changed to Satan.  The New Testament frequently refers to fallen angels as demons.

There's a significant passage in the New Testament that immediately follows Jesus' 40 day fast.  The passage is significant for many reasons but in the context of today's brief teaching, these Scriptures illuminate Satan's pride and self-centered nature for us all to see.

During Jesus' journey in the wilderness, He encounters the Devil and He is tested by him three times.  In the second test, Satan uses a very wicked, yet wily technique.  Read the following passage and see if you can detect what the Devil tries to do...

5 Then the devil took Him into the holy city and had Him stand on the pinnacle of the temple, 6 and said to Him, "If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down; for it is written,

'HE WILL COMMAND HIS ANGELS CONCERNING YOU';
and
'ON their HANDS THEY WILL BEAR YOU UP,
SO THAT YOU WILL NOT STRIKE YOUR FOOT AGAINST A STONE.'"

7 Jesus said to him, "On the other hand, it is written, 'YOU SHALL NOT PUT THE LORD YOUR GOD TO THE TEST.'"  Matt 4:5-7  NASU

Do you see?  Satan quoted Scripture, not only out of context, but purposefully with the intent of making God's Word say what he wanted it to say, to advance his own agenda.  The Bible teaches us that Satan is wicked, deceitful, self-centered and arrogant.  It is of the highest order of arrogance to try and twist God's word around to agree with your personal agenda, rather than discover what His Word has to say about God's agenda.  Do not go down this well-worn path.  Much of the New Testament is devoted to confronting the erroneous teaching of false apostles and false teachers who tried to make God's Word fit their agenda.  Paul says such men are "accursed" and "condemned" (Gal 1:8,9).

Be careful not to fall prey to the temptation of twisting and turning God's Word around to back your agenda.  It is far better to simply discover God's intention and interpretation of His own Word.  The Lord had an understanding, a specific will and a plan in mind when He spoke the Word, and we are best served by discovering what He had in mind.  Remember, what's on God's mind is very much accessible to those who know the Lord, and listen to the Holy Spirit...

...the thoughts of God no one knows except the Spirit of God. 12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may know the things freely given to us by God... 1 Cor 2:11-12  NASU

Until the next post...be blessed!