This shows that God’s throne is a seat of mercy and the foundation of it, and His kingdom is His law. Lucifer, who was once a “covering cherub”, was responsible to uphold and protect or “cover” this law. However, rebellion began because “iniquity” or sin was found in Lucifer. And what is sin? “Sin is the transgression of the law.” I John 3:4. Lucifer, who was supposed to defend the law of God, the very foundation of the government of heaven, rebelled against it. As a result, there was war in heaven.
But what was Lucifer’s argument against the law? Notice another powerful insight into this controversy given by the prophet Isaiah. “How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning…thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God…I will be like the most High.” Isaiah 14:12-14. Lucifer posed an argument that he could be “like God”, that is, in righteousness, without a need to obey God’s law. He thought he could determined himself what was right and what was wrong. In other words, Lucifer’s rebellion was one based upon self-righteousness. He was arguing that the law was restrictive and that free intelligent angels needed no such rule. This argument deceived a great number of angels. These angels and Lucifer were cast out of Heaven, along with their anti-law sentiments.
With this insight we can better understand why earth and the human heart so often experience unrest. Satan today is a hater of the law of God, which is the foundation of God’s government. God is seeking subjects for His kingdom, but they must be willing to abide by the laws of Heaven. The same is true for any government.
When Satan approached Adam and Eve in the garden, he tempted them with the same deception. You can be “like gods” without obeying him. Genesis 3:1-4. The same deception that led to the fall of angels in heaven, led to the fall of Adam and Eve in the garden. And just as angels were cast out of heaven, so Adam and Eve were removed from the Garden of Eden. “So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubim, and a flaming sword which turned every way to keep the way of the tree of life.” Genesis 3:23-24. Adam and Eve had their minds perverted by Satan. They now had a “carnal mind”, of which Paul writes, “is death;.. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God.” Romans 8:7-8.