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Ezekiel 28:13

13You were in Eden, the garden of God; every precious stone was your covering, sardius, topaz, and diamond, beryl, onyx, and jasper, sapphire, emerald, and carbuncle; and crafted in gold were your settings and your engravings. On the day that you were created they were prepared.


In Ezekiel 28, the prophet is prophesying against the king of Tyre who has said in his heart, "I am a god!" Our verse today shows this is a twofold prophecy that also speaks of Satan. Certainly the king of Tyre was never in Eden, but we know Lucifer was there. The main accusation that is brought against him is that his pride had caused him to desire the very throne of God. The king of Tyre became proud of the abundance of his wealth. Satan became prideful about his wisdom and beauty.

From the day Lucifer was created, he was clothed in precious gemstones. God said he was "the signet of perfection, full of wisdom, and perfect in beauty" (verse 12). He is called the guardian cherub, so he must have been given great power. But he corrupted his wisdom for the sake of his splendor. He wanted to be as glorious as God. That is why he had to be cast from heaven and has been at war with God ever since. His battlefield is the souls of men whom he knows God loves.

We can see how this battle must end, for Satan is merely a created being. He will never prevail against his Creator. We can also be warned about the danger of pride corrupting us and turning our blessings into a curse. The greater the gifts, the more temptation we have toward pride. The more successful we are, the more we need to recognize our frailties and humble ourselves before the Lord and our fellow man (James 4:10).

Consider: If pride brought down this mighty one who was full of wisdom, how dangerous is pride in our lives?