There's been a few times in the past I've been asked this question:
"If God knew that Lucifer was going to fall, why didn't He stop him?"
That's really a good question!! It seems like if God would have stopped Lucifer there wouldn't be any sin in this world, nor death, destruction, hunger, disease. We would be perfect little people living in a perfect little world.
To many people it doesn't seem logical that God would allow Lucifer to fall or rebel knowing what kind of effect that it would have on all of Creation. You hear it asked all the time: "If God is all knowing & if God is so loving, then why would he allow this bad stuff to happen?"
See, God has a plan. You're apart of it. I'm apart of it. Even Lucifer, himself, is apart of it. There is a reason & a purpose for everything. God is not a God of accidents. He doesn't make mistakes. We all play a small part in a greater plan. Perhaps I'll cover why God allows bad things to happen in another blog.
God knew that this was going to happen long before it did happen. Isaiah 46:10 says that "I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come. I say: My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please." (NIV)
God knew not only that Lucifer was going to rebel & fall, but He also knew what effect it would have on the rest of Creation. So, why didn't He stop him?
I John 3:4 says that "Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law." (KJV)
In order to sin you first have to transgress the law. Transgressing the law is sin. In other words God doesn't charge someone with conspiracy to sin. The law has to be broken before charges can be made.
Paul writes in Romans 6:23 that the wages of sin is death. In the 18th chapter of Ezekiel verse 20 we read that each soul that sins must die.
The price to pay for sin is always death. That's how serious God is when it comes to sin. He doesn't mess around.
So when it came to Lucifer's rebellion, God couldn't condemn Lucifer to death on a conspiracy charge. Lucifer had to commit an act of treason. He had to transgress the law.
In Exodus 20 we read where God gave Moses the 10 commandments. In verse 16 we read one of those commandments, which is "Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor." In other words, if you believe that your neighbor is stealing your tomatoes out of your garden then you better have proof!
In order to first bear false witness, there has to be a crime take place. Since Lucifer had not yet committed a crime, there was no way that God could act justly. God knowing full well what Lucifer was going to do could have accused Lucifer of conspiracy, rebellion, treason, etc. That would have been bearing false witness because Lucifer had yet to act. Remember, in order to bear false witness against someone there first has to be a violation of law committed!!
If God would have acted preemptively, He would be accusing Lucifer of a crime that he had not committed, which is bearing false witness. If you bear false witness then you transgress the law. Transgression of the law is sin. The wages of sin is death. God would have sinned, therefore, God would have to die according to His own law.
Likewise, if God was to condemn Lucifer to death for a crime that he did not commit, then that would be murder, which is also one of God's 10 commandments. God, once again, would have transgressed His own law, which is sin. The wages of sin is death. God would have to die.
Could you imagine a world without God in it? Thankful God let Lucifer go. He knew it was going to happen all along. He wasn't shocked or surprised when it happened. He was expecting it.
That's why He sent Jesus to earth to die for our sins. It was apart of His plan all along to reconcile man back to Himself after man's fall.
As far as Lucifer, his day is coming. He will get his. Revelation 20:10 says, "And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire & brimstone, where the beast & the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day & night forever & ever."
Here's some questions to think about: If God would have done that where do you think we'd be today? What would this world be like? Would we be under Lucifer's rule? Would this change who Jesus is?
