20160811 Thursday, August 11 2016
2 Corinthians 11: Morning Stars - The Good And The Evil

by Wayne Blank
See also 1 Year Holy Bible Reading Plan

"For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light"

The Word of God (see What Does Word of God Mean To You?) sometimes uses "morning stars" to describe angels. For example, at the time of Creation (see In The Beginning Was The Word), the angels, or "morning stars," joyously celebrated:

"38:7 When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?" (Job 38:7 KJV)

The term, which is used to refer to bright appearance, is even used for the LORD God, who was born as Jesus Christ (see The Identity Of The LORD God and The LORD God Our Saviour): "I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star."

"22:16 I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star." (Revelation 22:16 KJV)

Among the angels were those who later became whining, misfit rebels, including "Lucifer" (see What Is Satan's Real Name?) who, as we will read, remained bright. Satan's behaviour turned into darkness, while his appearance remained bright.

"14:12 How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! 14:13 For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: 14:14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High." (Isaiah 14:12-14 KJV)

The only way to recognize good or evil is by behaviour, in the "light" of the Holy Scriptures (see Strait And Straight and Which Way Is Right And Left?). What is beautiful might be good and righteous, or it can be despicably evil.

Satan mesmerized Eve with his beauty and vanity, in appearance and words ("as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty"), while being morally rotten and evil to the core - just as he still does, and just as he empowers those who serve him, whether they themselves realize it or not: "For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light."

"11:1 Would to God ye could bear with me a little in my folly: and indeed bear with me. 11:2 For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ. 11:3 But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. 11:4 For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him. 11:5 For I suppose I was not a whit behind the very chiefest apostles. 11:6 But though I be rude in speech, yet not in knowledge; but we have been throughly made manifest among you in all things.

11:7 Have I committed an offence in abasing myself that ye might be exalted, because I have preached to you the gospel of God freely? 11:8 I robbed other churches, taking wages of them, to do you service. 11:9 And when I was present with you, and wanted, I was chargeable to no man: for that which was lacking to me the brethren which came from Macedonia supplied: and in all things I have kept myself from being burdensome unto you, and so will I keep myself. 11:10 As the truth of Christ is in me, no man shall stop me of this boasting in the regions of Achaia. 11:11 Wherefore? because I love you not? God knoweth. 11:12 But what I do, that I will do, that I may cut off occasion from them which desire occasion; that wherein they glory, they may be found even as we.

11:13 For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. 11:14 And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. 11:15 Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works." (2 Corinthians 11:1-15 KJV)

Over the course of his ministry, the apostle Paul suffered greatly at the hands of those who were not what they appeared to be. He received forty lashes of the whip five times, was beaten with rods three times, was shipwrecked three times, he was repeatedly imprisoned, stoned and left for dead and often left cold and hungry - even by those who claimed to love him.

Paul knew the difference between those who are truly good, and those who merely appear that way.

"11:16 I say again, Let no man think me a fool; if otherwise, yet as a fool receive me, that I may boast myself a little. 11:17 That which I speak, I speak it not after the Lord, but as it were foolishly, in this confidence of boasting. 11:18 Seeing that many glory after the flesh, I will glory also. 11:19 For ye suffer fools gladly, seeing ye yourselves are wise. 11:20 For ye suffer, if a man bring you into bondage, if a man devour you, if a man take of you, if a man exalt himself, if a man smite you on the face. 11:21 I speak as concerning reproach, as though we had been weak.

Howbeit whereinsoever any is bold, (I speak foolishly,) I am bold also. 11:22 Are they Hebrews? so am I. Are they Israelites? so am I. Are they the seed of Abraham? so am I. 11:23 Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as a fool) I am more; in labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft. 11:24 Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one. 11:25 Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep; 11:26 In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; 11:27 In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness. 11:28 Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches. 11:29 Who is weak, and I am not weak? who is offended, and I burn not?

11:30 If I must needs glory, I will glory of the things which concern mine infirmities. 11:31 The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which is blessed for evermore, knoweth that I lie not. 11:32 In Damascus the governor under Aretas the king kept the city of the Damascenes with a garrison, desirous to apprehend me: 11:33 And through a window in a basket was I let down by the wall, and escaped his hands." (2 Corinthians 11:16-33 KJV)

Fact Finder: Who is actually portrayed in most of the "Jesus pictures" that deceived artists have consistently produced over the centuries?
See How Does Satan Impersonate Jesus Christ?