“You were in Eden” (Ezekiel 28)

Is Ezekiel 28 telling us about Satan’s origins?

Image: The Bible Project, 2019.

This text from Ezekiel and a related one in Isaiah 14:12-14 are often referenced in studies on the origin of Satan. What do you think?

Ezekiel 28:12–16 (NIV)
12 “You were the seal of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty. 13 You were in Eden, the garden of God; every precious stone adorned you: carnelian, chrysolite and emerald, topaz, onyx and jasper, lapis lazuli, turquoise and beryl. Your settings and mountings were made of gold; on the day you were created they were prepared. 14 You were anointed as a guardian cherub, for so I ordained you. You were on the holy mount of God; you walked among the fiery stones. 15 You were blameless in your ways from the day you were created till wickedness was found in you. 16 Through your widespread trade you were filled with violence, and you sinned. So I drove you in disgrace from the mount of God, and I expelled you, guardian cherub, from among the fiery stones.”

The problem is that Ezekiel says it was about the king of Tyre, a wealthy trade city just up the coast from Israel. Here’s the immediate context:

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Spiritual warfare (podcast) (Ephesians 6:10–17)

The conflict we’re involved in is a rescue mission.

What is spiritual warfare? What are we fighting? How does God fight evil?

What is God’s armour? When did God use armour? How does that train us to use God’s armour?

This podcast (29 minutes) was recorded at Riverview Church (Burswood, Western Australia) 2023-02-12.  It’s also on Youtube.

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No place for the devil (Ephesians 4:27)

Let the right one in.

Do not give the devil a place (Ephesians 4:27).

Three questions, but first a clarification. One translation says not to give the devil a “foothold.” That’s a very odd image, as if the devil is climbing up a rock face. The word is topos, a generic word for place.

So:

  1. Who is the devil?
  2. What kind of place does the devil want?
  3. How do we avoid giving the devil a place?

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