The Serpent of Paradise: The Incredible Story of How Satan's Rebellion Serves God's Purposes

Rating:
Summary: For the Comfortable American Christian
Review: If you are a comfortable American Christian, a product of our win-win, all powerful nation society, this book is for you. Satan is stripped of everything but his skin in Lutzer's calvalier treatment of his "limited" power over Christians. One wonders if the Angel Gabriel must bring poor Satan direct orders from God so he may take a leak.
Talk about opposite views! One can't get more black and white than this. I just finished this book and another entitled War on the Saints by Jesse Penn-Lewis, written by a Brit and originally published in Britain I'd say in the 60's, maybe earlier. This book will scare the wits out of Christians and one's faith, after reading it, may never be the same. The Brits have been at this longer than we have and I'm wondering whether they don't know the score better than we incurable Platonists.
However, it gets me to wondering which account to believe. One of these people is talking for Satan's purposes - they both can't be right, although I could see how both books would serve his infernal needs. Read some of (including my own) review of War of the Saints and try both books. Make up your own mind. Warnings tho, the new version may be edited (hmmm, for his purposes?) I have an old printing from Britain.
The final chapter in Lutzer's book I found amusing at first and then the gravity of it dawned on me. It is an attempt at an apologetic for God maintaining His creation of Hell as an eternal torture chamber for all who don't see eye to eye with Him. We won't get into whether I believe this or not. However, I got to thinking about what kind of human mind could finish this chapter and then shout "Right on!" The Third Reich may be dead, but can we now think it so amazing that many agreed with & participated in Hitler's atrocities without question? Maybe we should fear God. But even more, perhaps, should we fear the more imminent presence of the seemingly benevolent church goer who would swallow this concept as if it were a spoonful of sugar. If this can't raise a man's gorge, what hope have we now or in the life to come?
Anyway, read both these books. I'm keeping them for my collection.
Ave! Satanas

Rating:
Summary: A study of the devil within the context of God's Sovereignty
Review: Initial reservations about this book disappeared as I began an exhaustive study of this extremely well written presentation which left me with an undeniable conviction that it should be required reading for every Christian.

A comment on the rear cover of my copy descries the book as a "veritable treasury of Biblical insight". I am in wholehearted agreement with such a statement although having some minor disagreements with some of the personal views that are contained.

The reader is provided with an in depth study of the fall of Lucifer (the devil/Satan) with insights into the latter's character, his limitations as a "created being" together with his purposes and his ultimate destination in the "lake of fire".

Such are approached through a clear portrayal of the Sovereignty of Almighty God.

A clear and fundamental Scriptural study leaving the reader in no doubt that, as the devil may tempt, temporarily rule and even destroy, he is ultimately restricted by God's Will and eternal Purposes and that the devil's outcome is certain and unavoidable.

The book illustrates how the devil exists sometimes as God's "instrument of justice" for the disobedient and God's means of "purification" for the obedient with the reader being instructed about the nature of sin itself, the Holiness & Mercy of God and the helplessness of man apart from God's Grace.

The book also analyses what are cited as the bankruptcy and inherent wickedness of human nature extending from the Fall in Genesis to the Return of the Messiah Jesus Christ.

One section describing how that God's Judgement may be seen by some as "long in coming" but when it arrives, as it surely will, it is "swift and sure". A section of this excellent work is devoted to how God will "wrap up human history" amid the return of His Son Jesus Christ.

The imagery of lightning and thunder being used to describe such. The study depicting how alghough lightning and thunder occur at the same time, the "lightning" is seen first with the roar of the "thunder" being heard later. The "lightning" occurring at the Cross of Calvary and we now await the "thunder" of Christ's return. During this lapse of time the book reveals how the devil continues to "fight" but that even now the "war is over".

I highly recommend this excellent study along with a book by the late Derek Prince entitled "War in Heaven; God's Epic Battle With Evil" and Dwight Pentecost's "Your Adversary, The Devil".

Rating:
Summary: VICTORY!!
Review: This book was very insightful for a number of reasons, but primairly because it reminds the reader that the victory has already been won. The war has been won but there are battles that still rage in our lives. But in Christ and by His Spirit we have the victory when we walk in obedience to Him. We oftentime give Satan far too much credit...isn't it ironic that the very thing that he rebelled against as an angel(submission) he is bound to do as a fallen creation? The things that Satan uses to try to destroy God's people are the things that God will use to develop us when we stand in His power. Truly every knee must bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord!!!!