圣经的第一句话:『起初神创造天地。』说到创造，我们今天所看见的世界，并不是神原初的创造。这是为什么呢？按照圣经，以及人类有文字以来的记载，人类文明的历史还不到六千年。但是科学家和考古学家，却发现许多亿万年前的动物化石和遗迹。原来在比这六千年更早更早的时候，也就是时间刚开始时，神曾经创造了一个世界。神首先铺张诸天，（赛四二5上，亚十二1上，）然后祂创造星辰。神也创造诸天之上的一些活物，天使就是那时被造的。接着神又建立了地基，（亚十二1，伯三八4，）并造了地上的活物。我们从圣经的话看出，神所创造的是一个美好而有次序的天地。因此，星辰一同高兴歌唱，所有的天使也都欢呼。
然而，这美丽的天地，却因着撒但的背叛，而完全被破坏了。以西结二十八章十一至十九节，详细记载了这件事的经过。神立大地根基的时候，神的众子（指天使）都在欢呼。（伯三八4～7。）这说出在神创造大地之先，神已先创造了天使。在神创造的许多天使中，有一个最美丽、最有智慧的天使长，就是撒但，圣经称他为『明亮之星』，也是『早晨之子』。（赛十四12。）正如晨星是众星中带头的，撒但也必是众天使之首。
在宇宙的最初期，撒但，就是众天使之首，像晨星一般明亮。神把撒但放在诸天之上，神圣山上的伊甸园中，他的住处是用各样宝石造的，又有精美的鼓笛在他那里。（结二八13～14。）古时像鼓、笛这样的乐器都是为着君王的。（但三5，六18。）这指明撒但是君王，在那个宇宙中掌有最高的地位。这表明他是非常接近神的，并且他也被神特派在祂的造物中领头，并带领他们敬拜神。
可是到了某一个时候，这位天使长竟背叛了神。他背叛的原因乃是由于他心里骄傲。他本是『智慧充足，全然美丽』，『无所不备』。（结二八12。）但是他注视自己的美丽，因而骄傲起来。他观看自己的荣光，就败坏了。撒但在背叛之时五次说『我要』:『我要升到天上；我要高举我的宝座…我要坐在聚会的山上，…我要升到高云之上；我要与至上者同等。』（赛十四13～14。）这说出他高抬自己，想要与神同等。
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God’s Creation and Satan’s Rebellion – Gen. 1:1-2
The first verse of the Bible says “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” Speaking of creation, the world we see today is not God’s original creation. Why is this so? According to the Bible and recorded human history since writing began, the history of human civilization is less than six thousand years. However, scientists and archaeologists have discovered many fossils and remains of animals from hundreds of millions of years ago. It turns out that much earlier than these six thousand years, that is, when time first began, God had created a world. God first stretched out the heavens (Isa. 42:5a, Zech. 12:1a), then He created the stars. God also created some living creatures above the heavens; the angels were created at that time. Then God established the foundations of the earth (Zech. 12:1, Job 38:4) and created the living creatures on earth. From the words of the Bible we can see that what God created was a beautiful and orderly heaven and earth. Therefore, the stars sang together with joy, and all the angels shouted for joy.
However, this beautiful heaven and earth was completely destroyed because of Satan’s rebellion. Ezekiel 28:11-19 records the details of this event. When God laid the foundations of the earth, the sons of God (referring to angels) all shouted for joy (Job 38:4-7). This shows that before God created the earth, God had already created the angels. Among the many angels God created, there was one most beautiful and wise archangel, who was Satan. The Bible calls him the “star of the morning and also the “son of the dawn” (Isa. 14:12). Just as the morning star leads among all the stars, Satan must have been the chief of all angels.
In the earliest period of the universe, Satan, the chief of all angels, was bright like the morning star. God placed Satan in the Garden of Eden on the holy mountain above the heavens. His dwelling was made of various precious stones, and he had exquisite drums and pipes with him (Ezek. 28:13-14). In ancient times, instruments like drums and pipes were for kings (Dan. 3:5, 6:18). This indicates that Satan was a king, holding the highest position in that universe. This shows that he was very close to God, and he was also specially appointed by God to lead among His creatures to lead them to worship God.
But at a certain time, this archangel actually rebelled against God. The reason for his rebellion was due to pride in his heart. He was originally “full of wisdom and perfect in beauty”, “seal of perfection” (Ezek. 28:12). But he gazed upon his own beauty and became proud; he looked at his own glory and became corrupt. When Satan rebelled, he said “I will” five times: “I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne… I will sit on the mount of assembly… I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High” (Isa. 14:13-14). This shows that he exalted himself, wanting to be equal with God.