Judaism / devil

Messianic Judaism - basically it's (intended to be?) what the church was around the time of Jesus. Judaism, but modified by Jesus and His instruction to us. Acknowledging Jesus as the prophesied messiah, but holding Old Testament custom a lot more closely than is taught by Christianity.

I'd still need to do more research on the topic overall before I felt right saying too much about it, but there is one problem I've noticed.

It appears there's some questionable discussion taking place regarding the devil, some taking the "normal" Jewish teaching that he doesn't work as Christianity teaches. That the devil supposedly isn't a fallen angel, but instead one that just does as God instructs him to do. However, it's crucially important to keep in mind that this is not true.

I say "crucially" important for a reason. First of all, Jesus, the prophesied messiah, specifically referred to the devil as falling from Heaven:

And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven.

Second, and most important, the book of Revelation talks about the devil as an enemy of God who will be punished:

And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them. 

And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.


These are two sources that are crucially important to keep in mind. Remember what is written in Revelation:

I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book,

and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book.





I'm not writing this just for one group, not by any stretch - it's just something I noticed in certain discussions. I'm writing this for everybody. The important thing to keep in mind above all else is to follow God, prayerfully learning and following His commands as closely as we can. And some will interpret certain things differently, but this is a case where I felt like it was important to speak up about it. There's a line where interpretations step outside of sound doctrine, and denying what Jesus said, and what the book of Revelation says, is crossing it. 

God bless and guide you all according to His perfect will. In Jesus' name. Amen.