9/8 Isaiah 14:13-14

¹³ You said in your heart, 'I will ascend to heaven; above the stars of God I will set my throne on high; I will sit on the mount of assembly in the far reaches of the north; ¹⁴ I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.'"

Isaiah was prophesying about the king of Babylon, but suddenly refers to him as the Day Star, which is a name for Lucifer. The fall of the king of Babylon is being compared to Satan's fall. We get an insight into the origin of Satan from this prophecy.

In today's verses we see there are five "I wills" found in Satan's heart. Count them. Satan's vanity caused him to desire to take the very throne of God. Of course that is impossible. Satan does not have the power to sustain creation. He is a created being. He desired to be worshiped by mankind. Many do worship him, but they wouldn't if they knew the end result, for he is not love. His demands are for himself and not for our good.

He desired to be like God, the Most High. He does not want to be God, for God is love, faithful, merciful, kind, and holy. He simply wants God's power and ability. But the created can never attain to the infinite attributes of omniscience, omnipotence, and omnipresence. The passion for power and honor drove Satan from heaven. His sin was pride. It is the source of most sins. It is lifting up self against the goodness of God by demanding our ways and rejecting His good ways. It is a sin we are so prone to repeat.

Remember: God gives us instruction for our good. Pride that exalts itself against God's will is self-destructive in the end.