I've been wrestling with this problem for some time. I tried to looking it up but haven't found anything good. There are a lot of different views on the origin of the devil. The non-Reformed view that someone gave me earlier this year was really funky. It went something like this: "in heaven the devil (at the time an angel) was scheming behind God' back and was trying to take the throne for himself. He was able to get a third of heaven (a third of the other angels) on his side for the revolt. However, God soon found out and threw him out of heaven." Also, the man I was talking with even went on to say that our reason for being here on earth is that "God wanted to do a major clean up in heaven. He wanted to test the others left and see if they were loyal to God." He explained that the reason we are here on earth is to "pass the test". We have a choice to either follow God or the devil. This seemed really silly, like a horrible sunday school story from a person who doesn't understand the Bible. It was really bad. It feels weird even repeating it right now.
On the other hand, it did get me to think a little more about the devil. This question is similar to the 'problem of evil' that philosophers debate about. However, I just want to stick to the part with the origin of the devil, and not what the devil does today and how God is involved in that.
There are a couple ways of looking at the issue that I've thought about. One is that because God is omniscient there couldn't be something like the story above going on in heaven. God would know about it. Second, the other possibility is that God knew about it but he allowed it to happen, the attempted revolt, and then stopped the devil before anything actually happened. Another possibility is that in order to have Good, there was also a need for the creation of Evil.
If you guys have any input on this it would be greatly appreciated. Also, if there are any article's or resources online that would be good too. Lastly, any Biblical passages that speak on this issue (his origin, the revolt, etc)?
-----Added 11/28/2009 at 01:28:30 EST-----
The issue I'm having is binding the attributes of God together to get a non-contradictory view. God is omniscient and sovereign, he is also good.
On the other hand, it did get me to think a little more about the devil. This question is similar to the 'problem of evil' that philosophers debate about. However, I just want to stick to the part with the origin of the devil, and not what the devil does today and how God is involved in that.
There are a couple ways of looking at the issue that I've thought about. One is that because God is omniscient there couldn't be something like the story above going on in heaven. God would know about it. Second, the other possibility is that God knew about it but he allowed it to happen, the attempted revolt, and then stopped the devil before anything actually happened. Another possibility is that in order to have Good, there was also a need for the creation of Evil.
If you guys have any input on this it would be greatly appreciated. Also, if there are any article's or resources online that would be good too. Lastly, any Biblical passages that speak on this issue (his origin, the revolt, etc)?
-----Added 11/28/2009 at 01:28:30 EST-----
The issue I'm having is binding the attributes of God together to get a non-contradictory view. God is omniscient and sovereign, he is also good.