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[The text below represents an edited transcript of this Tomorrow’s World program.]

Not All Holidays Are Christian

Everyone loves a holiday. Holidays sometimes give us a break from the routine of a full-time job. And perhaps they give us an opportunity to spend time with relatives and friends we have not seen for a while. Some holidays are associated with historic national events. And other holidays feature sporting events such as football, soccer, baseball, tennis, and cricket.

Many religions celebrate holy days. And that’s how we came to use the term HOLI-days. But are many of those religious days really “holy”? Easter celebrations feature customs from pagan traditions. Easter eggs are a pagan symbol of fertility. Do rabbits really lay eggs? What is the meaning of all this?

Many of the traditions we’ve learned from our parents and the culture of our nation or region, have roots in paganism. Often, they hide the real truth of first century Christianity. Is the popular holiday of Easter really in the Bible? This amazing free booklet, EASTER: The Untold Story, will help you sort out the truth from error and give you the biblical facts and sequence of Jesus’ death, burial and resurrection. Be sure to order your free copy!

When we were children, we generally accepted religious appearing customs without question. But as adults and mature professing Christians, do we really want to mix pagan customs with biblical Christianity? Which should we observe? Holidays or Holy Days? Or both? What should we do about Easter?

Stay tuned!

Many Holidays, Like Thanksgiving, Are Perfectly Acceptable

Warm greetings to all our friends around the world!

Many national holidays remind us of our historical roots. Other holidays are more entertaining in purpose. Some religious Holy Days help us to know our meaning in life, especially if those days are mandated in the Holy Bible. But even some professing Christian holidays or proclaimed Holy Days are saturated with pagan customs.

Should we observe those days, or avoid them? On today’s program we’ll be answering that question and we’ll be offering you an eye-opening free study guide, Easter: The Untold Story. This booklet will inspire you with the untold story of the death, burial, and resurrection of the Messiah, Jesus Christ, and will also reveal the incredible insertion of pagan customs into the day called Easter. Be sure to write down the contact information to order your free copy of this inspiring and eye-opening booklet, Easter: The Untold Story.

We all appreciate a holiday that gives us an opportunity to visit family, travel to a distant mountain resort, or a coastal beach. Some national holidays are rooted in significant historic events such as the July 4th Independence Day in the United States; the Guy Fawkes Night in England, Scotland, and Wales; November 11 signifies the end of World War I and is called Veterans Day in the United States and Remembrance Day in the United Kingdom and Canada. Anzac Day in Australia and New Zealand honors the military who served in World War I. The American Memorial Day is observed on the last Monday in May, honoring those who sacrificed their lives in the armed forces.

These national holidays should give us perspective and help us understand our national purpose. They should also help to learn the lessons of history to avoid the monumental mistakes of the past!

How many nations in our modern world honor the God of creation? Who gave them their greatest blessings? On October 3, 1789, President George Washington made a Thanksgiving Proclamation. He stated in that proclamation: “It is the duty of all Nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey his will, to be grateful for his benefits, and humbly to implore his protection and favor.” [from Founder’s Quote Daily]

The time IS coming when the Kingdom of God will rule all nations in peace and prosperity. As it tells us in Zechariah 14:9, “And the Lord shall be King over all the earth.” My friends, your Bible reveals significant annual festivals and holy days that outline the future of the world. You will want to watch upcoming Tomorrow’s World programs on that inspiring subject, the true biblical festivals and holy days.

President George Washington and President Abraham Lincoln each proclaimed a day of Thanksgiving to Almighty God. Thanksgiving weekend is a time when Americans are supposed to count their blessings! Millions of Americans thank God for the blessing of living in a prosperous nation. We in the Western world have been abundantly blessed with prosperity and freedom! At the Thanksgiving holiday, we celebrate the prosperity and freedom our God Almighty has given us.

On the fourth Thursday of November, the United States celebrates its annual Thanksgiving Day. The tradition stems from the Pilgrims’ three-day festival, organized by Plymouth governor William Bradford in 1621. Other nations also celebrate Thanksgiving. Canada instituted its Thanksgiving Day as a national holiday in 1879—and, since 1957, Canada celebrates its Thanksgiving Day on the second Monday in October.

Originally, Thanksgiving was established as a time to express our deep gratitude to God, but do we truly recognize GOD as our provider? Or do we look to our personal possessions and power for security? Thanksgiving is a good time to reflect on our blessings, our purpose, and our future, both individually and nationally. Yes, there are some national holidays that intend to honor the God of the Bible. But does the Bible itself outline godly festivals and holy days? We’ll answer that question in the next part of our program, but first I’d like to offer you this inspiring free booklet, EASTER: The Untold Story. Was Jesus really crucified on Friday and resurrected on Sunday morning? Then how do you explain Jesus’ statement that he would be in the “heart of the earth” or the tomb for three days and three nights? The answer from your own Bible will astound you. You need this inspiring information. This booklet is free of charge. Just call the number on your screen, or order it online at TomorrowsWorld.org. Request this amazing free booklet, EASTER: The Untold Story. Call now!

Historical Proof That Some Popular Holidays Are NOT Christian

In the first part of our program, we saw that some national holidays honor those who have served their country. And we saw that some national holidays strive to acknowledge Almighty God and express thanks for His benefits and blessings on their country. But does specifically God want us to observe certain holy days and biblical festivals?

Muslims worship of Friday and follow the call to prayer five times a day. Jews around the world have worshipped for thousands of years on the Sabbath, or the day we call Saturday. Professing Christians meet for Sunday church services, proclaiming this is the true day for worship.

Should religious people set aside any special day as HOLY? Does your Bible COMMAND us to observe Sunday as a day of worship? Or should we just follow non-biblical traditions?

Until recent years, public buildings posted copies of the Ten Commandments. Perhaps you even learned them as a child. The fourth Commandment states the following:

“Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God. In it you shall do no work: you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates. For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it” (Exodus 20:8–11).

God set apart the seventh-day Sabbath at creation. That’s why He states, “REMEMBER the Sabbath day.” But should New Testament Christians observe the seventh day, Saturday, as a holy day? We’ve answered that question on previous programs. But it also raises the question: What is the source of your belief and religious practice? Is it church tradition that may include questionable pagan customs? What does the Bible teach concerning the seventh day Sabbath?

The historic records can also give us understanding as to the origin of Sunday observance by professing Christians. The Christians of the first century AD, observed the seventh-day Sabbath. But when was it changed to Sunday? And WHO popularized Sunday observance?

The Catholic Encyclopedia, on the topic of “Sunday,” states this, quote: “Tertullian (202 [AD]) is the first writer who expressly mentions the Sunday rest: ‘We, however (just as tradition has taught us), on the day of the Lord’s Resurrection ought to guard not only against kneeling, but every posture and office of solicitude, deferring even our businesses lest we give any place to the devil’” (Volume XIV, p. 335). Sunday observance was not even mentioned until 202 AD, more than 170 years AFTER the beginning of the New Testament church!

My friends, you need to consider the source of your beliefs. The first and second century Christian churches observed the seventh day Sabbath! Then we find a tiny hint that some churches began to observe Sunday as a day of worship. Even much later, in the fourth century AD, the Emperor Constantine ENFORCED Sunday worship throughout the Roman Empire. Constantine had been a pagan sun-worshipper. He gave the following edict in 321 AD, “On the venerable day of the SUN let all magistrates and people ... REST” [Schaff-Herzog Encyclopedia of Religious Knowledge, article “Sunday Legislation,” Volume XI, p. 147].

Just a couple years later, the Roman church also passed a startling decree in the Council of Laodicea. They declared: “Christians shall not Judaize and be idle on Saturday, but shall work on that day; but the Lord’s day they shall especially honour, and, as being Christians, shall, if possible, do no work on that day. If, however, they are found Judaizing, they shall be shut out from Christ” (A History of the Councils of the Church, Vol. 2, p. 316). In other words, Christian Sabbath-keepers were declared to be heretics.

But on what authority did the Roman Church make this change? The noted Catholic theologian, James Cardinal Gibbons, wrote this bold statement: “But you may read the Bible from Genesis to Revelation, and you will not find a single line authorizing the sanctification of Sunday. [Listen to this!] The Scriptures enforce the religious observance of Saturday, a day which we never sanctify” (Faith of Our Fathers, 1876).

In other words, Gibbons is saying, if the Bible is your authority, you have NO basis for observing Sunday. The Scriptures, as he states, “enforce the religious observance of Saturday.” We agree with his statement. Do you? What Gibbons and other Catholic authorities state is that, it is the authority of the Catholic Church that changed observance in the Christian world from Saturday to Sunday, NOT the New Testament scriptures! And that occurred in the Council of Laodicea in the middle of the fourth century!

My friends, when you review the facts of history and you also study the teaching of your Bible, you will see a major difference in what days we should observe as religious festivals and Holy days. What days should we observe, and what days should we NOT observe?

My friends, are you willing to be guided and corrected by the Bible? Or will you be turned aside to fables? One of the major errors of professing Christianity is the practice, by some, of pagan traditions. We’ve documented them on previous programs. Easter eggs are a pagan symbol of fertility; decorated trees, holly wreaths, and mistletoe were pagan traditions; December 25 was celebrated as the birth of Mithras, the sun god. It was never the date of Jesus’ birth. Should Christians observe Valentine’s Day? In 496AD, Pope Gelasius I established the Feast of St. Valentine on February 14. Previously, since the days of ancient Rome, young lovers had often observed the Lupercalia—the feast of Lupercus, a fertility god—on February 15.

What other pagan traditions have crept into some forms of professing Christianity? The historian Will Durant gave this analysis in his book, The Story of Civilization: “Christianity did not destroy paganism; it adopted it. The Greek mind, dying, came to a transmigrated life in the theology and liturgy of the church; the Greek language, having reigned for centuries over philosophy, became the vehicle of Christian literature and ritual; the Greek mysteries passed down into the impressive mystery of the Mass. Other PAGAN CULTURES contributed to the syncretist result…. Christianity was the last creation of the ancient pagan world” (pp. 595, 5990.

My friends, are you practicing pagan traditions in the name of Christianity? Remember Jesus’ warning to the Pharisees and scribes concerning certain religious customs. He warned them in Mark 7:7, “All too well you reject the commandment of God, that you may keep your tradition.” Where did the Easter tradition come from? We’ll learn more in the next part of our program, but first I’d like to give you another opportunity to order this amazing free study guide, EASTER: The Untold Story. The Resurrection of the Messiah, Jesus Christ, is a fact of history and the hope of our future. But are millions supposedly honoring God with questionable customs and traditions? Evangelist Gerald Weston, the author of this inspiring booklet states this: “Every year, professing Christians celebrate the holiday known as Easter, but few understand its true origins. How is it that a day supposedly picturing the resurrection of Jesus Christ came to be known by the name of the pagan goddess, Eostre? What are the origins of celebrating the day with rabbits and colored eggs and how did they come to be associated with it? What do these have to do with the resurrection of Christ?”

You need to know the untold story of one of the most dramatic and historic events of all time. Just call the number on your screen, or order it on-line at TomorrowsWorld.org. Request this amazing free booklet, EASTER: The Untold Story. Call now!

Pagan Holidays, Like Easter, Deny Jesus Christ and the Resurrection

We rejoice in the resurrection of our Savior, Jesus Christ. But does the holiday of Easter accurately celebrate the untold stories relating to these awesome historic events? Celebrations of Easter Sunday vary around the world. Easter customs include the coloring of eggs and the popular Easter egg hunt. Surprisingly, many celebrate the myth that rabbits laid those eggs. We all know that rabbits do not lay eggs, but parents teach their children these fables anyway. Some regions celebrate the day with a new set of clothes and display the fashion of an Easter bonnet or creative hat.

But what do those customs have to do with the resurrection of Christ? Absolutely nothing! But the Easter fertility symbols are associated with the pagan goddess Eostre! Listen to this; “Easter is nothing more than another spelling for the Anglo-Saxon goddess Eostre, but where did this goddess originate? The New World Encyclopedia suggests a connection between Eostre and Easter with the very popular and ancient goddess Ishtar: ‘Scholars likewise speculate that Eostre, the Anglo-Saxon goddess of Spring whose name later gave rise to the modern English “Easter,” may be etymologically connected to Ishtar’ (article “Ishtar”). Interestingly, the Melkite Greek Catholic Church admits this about the origin of the name Easter, but gives a slightly different spelling from that of Ishtar. Our modern English word ‘Easter’ comes from Old English, and referred originally to the Norse goddess of fertility, Istra—who was symbolized by a rabbit” (Easter: The Untold Story, p. 2).

If you are a professing Christian, why would you celebrate the resurrection of Christ in the name of a pagan goddess? Several Protestant churches have noted the profane connection to the resurrection of Christ and no longer celebrate Easter Sunday; they now call it “Resurrection Sunday.”

Some consider the rising sun symbolic of the Son of God. Many professing Christians observe an Easter sunrise worship service.

But was Jesus resurrected on Sunday morning? If you are a Bible student, you may be familiar with the history of what is called Passion Week. Remember that Mary Magdalene went to the tomb Sunday morning. Did she witness a sunrise resurrection? If you have your Bible, turn to John 20:1. What did Mary see? John 20:1, “Now the first day of the week Mary Magdalene went to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. Then she ran and came to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple, whom Jesus loved, and said to them, ‘They have taken away the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid Him.’”

Notice that it was still dark Sunday morning, and Jesus was not there! He was not resurrected Easter Sunday morning according to your Bible!! Did Jesus accurately predict the time of his interment in the tomb? Remember the Pharisees and Scribes demanded a sign from Jesus to prove that He was the promised Messiah. And what did Jesus say? Do you personally recognize the sign He gave? Turn in your Bible to Matthew 12:38, “Then some of the scribes and Pharisees answered, saying, ‘Teacher, we want to see a sign from You.’ But He answered and said to them, ‘An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.’”

Do you realize, my friends, that a traditional Friday crucifixion and an Easter Sunday morning resurrection deny the very sign Jesus gave? Are you personally denying that sign? My friends, Jesus did fulfill that sign just as He said. And we’ll show you How He fulfilled that sign in the conclusion of our program. But first I’d like to offer you this absolutely vital and inspiring free booklet, EASTER: The Untold Story. You need to read the untold true story of Christ’s resurrection. The center of the booklet features a chart clearly demonstrating the three days and three nights Jesus was in “the heart of the earth.” He was resurrected from the tomb or the grave exactly 72 hours after He was laid to rest, just as He said. He kept His word. Jesus Christ is “the resurrection and the life” as He stated in John 11:25. You need to study this vital biblical truth for yourself. So, pick up the telephone right now and order your free inspiring booklet, EASTER: The Untold Story. You can also order this booklet on our Web site at TomorrowsWorld.org. Order your free copy now.

Which Holidays Should You And I Observe To Honor God?

On today’s program we’ve examined various holidays, national and religious. We’ve seen the problem that various pagan celebrations were adopted by the church during the Roman Empire. The most popular of professing Christian holidays, Easter, features several pagan customs including the very name “Easter.” When was Jesus crucified and buried? Was it on a Friday? Notice John 19:31, “Therefore, because it was the Preparation Day, that the bodies should not remain on the cross on the Sabbath (for that Sabbath was a high day), the Jews asked Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away.”

The high day, John referred to was NOT the weekly Saturday Sabbath, which many wrongly assume. The high day was an annual Sabbath on Thursday of that week. Was Jesus in the tomb three days and three nights?

We’ve explained this on previous programs. Let’s count:

• Jesus eats the Passover with His disciples Tuesday night after sundown. Then, Wednesday afternoon, He is crucified and entombed shortly before sundown, late Wednesday afternoon.
• During the Annual High Day Sabbath of Wednesday night and the day part of Thursday, Jesus is in the tomb. That’s one day and one night.
• After sundown Thursday, the Annual Sabbath is over, and the women are free to begin buying spices and preparing them for applying to Jesus’ body according to Jewish tradition. That workday—the evening part of Thursday and the daylight portion of Friday—brings the total to two days and two nights with Jesus in the tomb.
• At sundown on Friday, the women must rest again due to the start of the weekly Sabbath. Friday night and the daylight part of Saturday bring the time Jesus has been entombed in the heart of the earth to three days and three nights!
• With 72 hours completed—all three days and all three nights—Jesus was then resurrected right before sundown, late Saturday afternoon! This is why the tomb is ALREADY EMPTY when Mary Magdalene finally arrives early Sunday morning while it is still dark (John 20:1).

Jesus indeed fulfilled the only sign proving that He is the true Messiah! The truth of the Bible is absolutely inspiring. Jesus and the apostles observed the BIBLICAL festivals and holy days, not pagan holidays. But you need to study into it for yourself. Be sure to request our thoroughly documented free booklet Easter: The Untold Story. You need the complete story, the UNTOLD story of Jesus’ resurrection. This is biblical inspiration that will encourage your life with faith and hope. And be sure to watch our program, the first in a series by Evangelist Gerald Weston, explaining the meanings of the seven biblical festivals and the seven biblical holy days that New Testament Christians observe to this day. You won’t want to miss the Tomorrow’s World programs on that inspiring subject, the true biblical festivals and holy days.
We invite you to join us every week on Tomorrow’s World, or online any time. In the challenging and stressful times in which we live, you need the solid guidance that comes from your Bible. Gerald Weston, Wallace Smith, and I, along with our guest presenter Rod McNair, will continue to share with you the teachings of Jesus Christ, the good news of the coming Kingdom of God, and the exciting end-time prophecies and their meaning. So, be sure to join us again next week, right here, at this same time!

There is a malevolent entity in the world, whom many deny exists at all. Yet his presence and influence is felt at virtually every level of society: Our governments, our schools, our entertainment—and even in our religions and our churches. That entity is Satan the devil.

Though he is a familiar figure to many people, even if they believe he is only imaginary, there are also many questions: If he is real, where did he come from? Did God make him? If so, why would He have done so?

Every villain has an origin story, and the devil is no different. Join us right now on Tomorrow’s World as we explain the origin of Satan the Devil.

Welcome to Tomorrow’s World!

Today’s subject fascinates many: the origin of Satan the Devil. Who, or what, is he? Did God create him? If so, why?

Many ponder such questions, but only God’s Word has the answers! We will discuss those answers today.

We’ll also make available a free DVD titled “The Occult and the Spirit World.” It contains three fascinating and helpful episodes on the spirit realm and how to deal with it, and will be sent absolutely free to everyone who contacts us to ask for it. Watch for the information that will show on your screen so you can get your own copy.

So, when I say, “the Devil,” what do you think of?  Many cultures and religions have their own ideas of the Devil, or something similar. Ancient pagan religions had panoplies of gods and goddesses, some of whom were evil. Zoroastrianism has Angra Mainu. Buddhism has the concept of Mara.

For many, the Devil is not a being at all—just a metaphor for human evil. For others, he’s a virtual cartoon—horns, a pointy tail, and a pitchfork, ready to cause trouble. 

Yet, writer Charles Baudelaire put it well when he said that the greatest trick the devil ever played was convincing the world that he did not exist!

If anyone understands the truth about the Devil, it is Almighty God. His word, the Bible, is the source of truth.

And that Bible reveals the Devil as very real. I hope you won’t merely take our word for anything, but instead look up in your Bible the things we say—while you are watching or at a later time. These things are important, and you should see them in the Bible for yourselves. Too many preachers want you to see them as having all the answers. We want to show you where you can find the answers yourselves: In God’s word.

And that word gives a powerful warning concerning Satan the Devil.

Speaking of a future war in heaven,  the Apostle John writes in the book of Revelation, chapter 12 and verse 9,

So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.

We learn several things from this. For one, the devil has angels that choose to serve him. We’ll discuss these fallen angels later.

But we also learn that Satan the Devil has deceived the WHOLE WORLD. My friends, “the whole world” means just that. With RARE EXCEPTION, every human being on every inhabited continent—North and South America, Europe, Africa, Asia, and Australia—is deceived by Satan the Devil! And if there is anyone watching this at a science station in Antarctica, yes, you, too!

You might think that surely the ENTIRE WORLD could not be deceived… But the Devil works subtly. If he DID show up with horns and a pitchfork, we’d spot him! Yet, the Bible explains how his deceptions succeed. Read the Apostle Paul’s words in 2 Corinthians 11 [vv. 13–14], where he explains how the DEVIL, not Jesus Christ, is behind many so-called “Christian” ministries. Speaking of the ministers of these, he says plainly:

For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ. And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light.

Yes, NOT a spooky fellow with a pitchfork, but an “angel of light”!

In one of Jesus’ harshest condemnations, recorded in the book of John, chapter 8 and verse 44, He says,

You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it.

The Devil truly HAS deceived the ENTIRE world! In 2 Corinthians 4:4, the Apostle Paul calls him “the god of this age,” and three times in the book of John, no less an authority than Jesus Christ calls Satan “the ruler of this world.”

In fact, Luke 4:6 reveals that during Christ’s temptation in the wilderness, Satan points out to Jesus that authority over all worldly kingdoms has been given to him, the Devil.

How did Satan come to possess such authority? Why would God allow that? Where did Satan come from? 

Well, like fictional villains of movies or comics, this REAL villain has an origin story. We will jump right into it in our program’s next segment. But first, let me give you an opportunity to request today’s free DVD, “The Occult and the Spirit World,” containing three full Tomorrow’s World programs on this fascinating topic:

• Modern Dangers of the Occult
• The World of Angels and Demons
• (and) How to Overcome Satan

The spirit world is VERY real, and many peddle nonsense and fantasy about it. Yet the BIBLE reveals the truth of this realm. You need this information! Call or write for your free copy. It’s paid for and ready to ship—all you have to do is ask.

Then, come right back, as we explain what God’s word says about the CREATION OF THE DEVIL.

Welcome back!

So, just HOW did Satan come to exist? Ephesians 3:9 tells us that God created all things through Jesus Christ. If so, does that mean that God created Satan? Why create such a creature of evil?

The short answer is that God DID create the one who BECAME Satan the Devil, but He did NOT create him as a being of great evil!

First, we have to recognize that God created all the beings we now call “angels.” In the beautiful 104th Psalm, King David speaks of many glorious aspects of God’s creative work, and he names the angels among such works, saying of God in verse 4, “…who makes His angels spirits, His ministers a flame of fire.”

Of those angels, he speaks of some very specifically, such as Michael and Gabriel.

In the prophetic writings of Ezekiel 28, God inspires the prophet to record words for the king of Tyre, and, in doing so, uses the king as a type of a particular angelic being God had created. The king of Tyre is the type, and the angelic being is the antitype. Let’s read those words, beginning in v. 12:

Son of man, take up a lamentation for the king of Tyre, and say to him, “Thus says the Lord GOD: ’You were the seal of perfection, Full of wisdom and perfect in beauty. You were in Eden, the garden of God; Every precious stone was your covering: The sardius, topaz, and diamond, beryl, onyx, and jasper, sapphire, turquoise, and emerald with gold. The workmanship of your timbrels and pipes was prepared for you on the day you were created. You were the anointed cherub who covers; I established you; you were on the holy mountain of God; you walked back and forth in the midst of fiery stones. You were perfect in your ways from the day you were created, till iniquity was found in you.’”

The angelic being God is addressing in this portion of his prophecy against the King of Tyre was clearly a REMARKABLE creation!

God says he was full of wisdom and beauty. His clothing and apparel was resplendent. He was created an artist, skilled in music. He was the anointed cherub who covers and, according to God, was PERFECT IN HIS WAYS until iniquity was found in him. But that is getting a little ahead of our story.

Isaiah 14:12 names this being. Most English translations bear the name used in the Vulgate translation, calling him “Lucifer.” And it is in the angelic being Lucifer that we see the one who became Satan the Devil.

This is a vital point to note. Some heathen cultures have traditions that Good and Evil are somehow “balanced” in the universe, and that somehow, Good can’t exist without Evil. They will paint a picture of the Devil as some sort of “equal” to God or “counterpart” to God. Or if not an equal, some heathen religions and philosophies claim that God’s nature is a combination of both Good and Evil, and in such cases, the Devil its just sort of a manifestation of the evil side of God.

But all such ideas are hogwash!

God did not create an “evil Satan”! He created a GOOD and PERFECT angelic being who BECAME Satan the Devil!

In Revelation 15 and verse 3, we read of a song sung by the resurrected saints at Christ’s return, and notice the words:

They sing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying: "Great and marvelous are Your works, Lord God Almighty! Just and true are Your ways, O King of the saints!”

Yes, great and marvelous are God’s works! And the creation of Lucifer was no exception! We are told he was resplendent and beautiful, wise and talented. Indeed, he was created to be something good.

Yet, the future Satan’s perfect condition did not last. Ezekiel is clear that, eventually, iniquity was found in him, and the results are tragic—not only for the angel Lucifer, but also for all of the angels that were under his influence and authority, for the planet earth (as we shall see), and for those of us who live and toil here on earth, under his influence.

What iniquity was found in Lucifer that could bring him so low? What was able to cause a beautiful, perfect being of such wisdom and majesty—as this angelic being was—to become the bitter, demonic Satan the Devil, utterly corrupt and wholeheartedly intent on destroying, if he could, the plan of God and the people of God?

It is a cautionary tale, and the cause of the tragedy boils down to just one word. We’ll piece together the Bible’s explanation in our next segment.

But first, let’s take a very small break to give you another opportunity to request today’s free DVD, “The Occult and the Spirit World.” If you want the real truth about the dangers of the occult, the spirit realm, and how to OVERCOME the devil, then this is the DVD you’ve been waiting for. Call now, and I’ll be right back in just 15 seconds to explain the one fault that transformed Lucifer into Satan. Don’t miss it!

Welcome back.

When the Bible first introduces the Devil, he is the serpent in Genesis 3, who tempts our first parents to sin. We are told in Genesis 3:1, “Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made…” Personally, I prefer the old King James Translation for this, which says the serpent was more subtle than the rest of God’s creatures. As we’ll see, the Devil is a creature of subtlety.

For our purpose, I simply want to highlight that, the first time we meet the Devil, at the Bible’s beginning, he’s already the villain! How did he become that way? We read in the previous segment that God made him good and perfect. What transformed that perfect angelic creation into Eden’s serpentine tempter?

One word: Pride.

In the first century, the Apostle Paul advised Timothy concerning men the younger minister should consider ordaining in the Church. He recommended that Timothy choose “not a novice, lest being puffed up with pride he fall into the same condemnation as the devil” [1 Timothy 3:6].

As mighty, powerful,  and beautiful as Lucifer was, he was subject to pride. This is explained in Ezekiel 28 and verse 17, where, speaking to the Devil, God says, “Your heart was lifted up because of your beauty; You corrupted your wisdom for the sake of your splendor…”

Today’s free DVD, “The Occult and the Spirit World” goes into much more detail concerning angels and demons. Again, you can order this free DVD using the information on your screen. For now, I will simply refer you to that DVD and point out that God created the angels as free moral agents—with the ability to choose right or wrong. Various scriptures indicate that many angels defiantly left the assignment God gave them. One place we read of that is Jude 6:

And the angels who did not keep their proper domain, but left their own abode, He has reserved in everlasting chains under darkness for the judgment of the great day.

We learn more about this “proper domain” in another passage we will read in a moment. First, notice that the Apostle Peter refers to these angels, noting,

…God did not spare the angels who sinned, but cast them down to hell [or, in the Greek, Tartarus, a place of restraint] and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved for judgment… [2 Peter 2:4]

In Lucifer’s case, his pride brought him to sin—opposition to His own Creator. He chose to leave his assigned responsibility, and mounted an angelic rebellion against God Himself!

Let’s read of Lucifer’s rebellion in Isaiah 14, beginning in verse 12.  Again peeking into the realm of angels, God inspires Isaiah to write,

How you are fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How you are cut down to the ground, you who weakened the nations! For you have said in your heart: “I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will also sit on the mount of the congregation on the farthest sides of the north; I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the Most High.” Yet you shall be brought down to Sheol, To the lowest depths of the Pit.

So proud of his own intelligence and capabilities, Lucifer sought to take God’s own throne, as if he could overthrow his Creator!

Notice, too, a glimpse of the “proper domain” to which Jude referred. When Lucifer decided to attack God’s throne, where was he at the time? Read verse 13 carefully: “For you have said in your heart, ‘I will ascend into heaven…” And in verse 14, “I will ascend above the heights of the clouds…”

If you ascend above the clouds to leave your responsibility, then that responsibility is below them, here on earth! Before human beings, this world was Lucifer’s!

That explains why he told Jesus Christ in Luke 4 and verse 6 that earth’s kingdoms were given to him by God. This was his assigned place, and it is the Devil whom Jesus will replace when He returns !

It also explains why Genesis 1 and verse 2 describes a world in disorder and chaos. Lucifer’s rebellion was devastating, and, as a result, he was no longer Lucifer, the light bringer, but Satan, the Adversary.

Is God going to allow evil to last forever? What will He do about the Devil—and what should we do?

We’ll answer that question in our last segment. First, let me take one more short break to recommend today’s free DVD, “The Occult and the Spirit World.”

You need the truth only revealed by the Bible. There is no charge for this DVD, and we will not sell your contact information to anyone. Jesus Christ said, “Freely you have received, freely give,” and unlike most religious television programs, Tomorrow’s World obeys that command. Just call, write, or click for your copy. It’s already paid for—we just need to know how to get it to you.

Welcome back!

We’ve explained how God created a remarkable angelic being named Lucifer, who was resplendent, glorious, and powerful. But we also explained how this being became overcome with pride, vanity, and ambition, and sought to overthrow God Himself and take the throne of heaven for himself. Some scriptures may indicate that one-third of the angels of God may have gotten caught up with him in his rebellion [Rev. 12:3–4], and now, he and those fallen angels are what we know as demons and evil spirits.

With the world under his spell, what is God going to do about it?

The Bible reveals God’s plan! At the return of Jesus Christ, the Devil will be removed from mankind for the duration of Jesus’ 1,000-year rule on earth, unable to influence mankind for evil purposes any longer! We read of this in Revelation 20, beginning in verse 1:

Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, having the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. He laid hold of the dragon, that serpent of old, who is the Devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years; and he cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal on him, so that he should deceive the nations no more till the thousand years were finished. But after these things he must be released for a little while.

During this time, the world will be turned into a paradise! As Isaiah describes this marvelous time,

They shall not hurt nor destroy in all My holy mountain, for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD as the waters cover the sea. [11:9]

Though, as Revelation 20 says, he must be released for a short time at the Millennium’s end, his ultimate fate is the Lake of Fire, never to influence another individual ever again. God will ultimately solve the problem of Satan the Devil.

So, if that is what God is going to do, what should YOU do?

Well, first, you should request today’s free DVD, “The Occult and the Spirit World”! One of our greatest weapons against the Devil’s deceptions is a firm understanding of the truth, and this DVD reveals to you the truth about the spirit realm and how to defeat the devil!

Jesus Christ said in John 8:32, speaking of His own teachings, “And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”

Yes, the truth can make you free, but you need to do more than KNOW it—you must put the truth to work in your life! The DEVIL understands the truth, TOO, but you must do the OPPOSITE of what He did and OBEY IT! To know the truth but to choose to ignore it and do what we want instead is the very PICTURE of what the DEVIL HIMSELF did in his rebellion!

You can also be on the lookout for his ministers—the ones that the Apostle Paul said were “false apostles and deceitful workers,” transforming themselves into “ministers of righteousness.”

How can you discern them? They are often very sincere and deceived, themselves! The Apostle Paul tells Timothy of such men, saying that they not only deceive others, but also that they are often deceived, as well. [2 Timothy 3:13]

Such false preachers can be discerned from the doctrines they teach and how those teachings compare to God’s word. Speaking of the great false teacher to come, the end-time False Prophet, the Apostle John noted how this individual appeared in prophecy. Let’s read it together in Revelation 13 and verse 11:

Then I saw another beast coming up out of the earth, and he had two horns like a lamb and spoke like a dragon.

Notice that, in vision, the future False Prophet looked like a lamb. That is, just like these false preachers who claim to be ministers of Christ but who are ministers of the devil, he APPEARS like Christ, the Lamb of God! But the Bible says he SPEAKS like the dragon—the Devil! His teachings are those of Satan.

Ministers of the devil can be discerned in the same way. In many ways, they may look like Jesus Christ in their actions and attitudes! They may care for the homeless and give to the poor. They may quote Scripture, just as the Devil did in Matthew 4 and Luke 4 when he tempted Jesus in the wilderness. But when you carefully compare the teachings of these preachers and ministers with the teachings of your Bible, they will show themselves to be false! And you must do so carefully and prayerfully! As we’ve already discussed, the Devil is a master of subtlety!

Still, when dealing with the father of lies, one of the greatest tools we have at our disposal is a passionate devotion to live according to the TRUTH.

Please don’t forget to request today’s free DVD, “The Occult and the Spirit World,” so you can begin diving deeper into that truth.

And please don’t forget to come back next week. I and my fellow presenters—Gerald Weston, Richard Ames, and guest presenter Rod McNair—will be here waiting, ready to share with you the good news of God’s coming Kingdom, the teachings of Jesus Christ, and awesome prophecies of your Bible. We’ll see you right here, next week!