At a certain point the harmony in heaven was disrupted. Sin was introduced. Scriptures give insight into what happened to destroy an otherwise perfect creation. Genesis 3 tells us about the origin of sin and its impact on the universe. At the end of the chapter 2, everything was “very good.” God had created everything in six days and He saw, that it was “very good,” (1:31) and God rested from his creation. And then we come to Chapter 3. Sin came into the world through Adam and Eve. But who brought it here? Who brought the sin here? Chapter 3 Verse 1; the serpent did. Who is this reptile? It is Satan. God permitted this for a purpose. Some say it was to prove to the holy angels how God could remain gracious while judging sin. Lucifer appeared, and criminally set himself against the holy, God and His plans. Through the sin of mankind this lower earth is devastated (Gen. 3: 17, 18; Rom. 8:20), and it has affected our universe. A fall taken place among the angels prior to the fall of Adam and Eve (Gen. 3: 1-7; 2:15). How this was possible, and why God permitted it, no one can say, except point to the pride of Lucifer and his desire to be God. This is the only indication or hint we have of the origin of evil.
Satan – Who is He?
Satan is not an evil looking creature with horns and a forked tail. He is a creature of magnificent beauty who was created by God. People say they believe in the “power of evil” or “an evil influence” or “that man lacks something.” But they don’t believe that the devil is a person. However, the Bible teaches the devil is a real person He is not a myth that has been thought up but a real creature. He is still alive today and active in our world and not yet in hell as some people would have us believe. The Bible gives us clear evidence that he is a real person, who is actively opposed to the plan of God and His people. When he tempted Jesus our Lord he addressed him as a person (Lk.4: 1-13). He is clearly a person in Job. Jesus told certain Jews “You are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father you will do” (Jn. 8:44). He is the “wicked one” (Mk. 13:19). He is not a force or an influence but a person. The same with demons, fallen angels, devils, they are not forces or influences but persons. They said to the Lord “My name is Legion” and asked could they enter into the swine, they wanted a body to dwell in. We have our evil nature to battle with inside and Satan and his kingdom on the outside. His one concern is to destroy the work of God. We are at war with him (Eph.6: 12). The Lord Jesus Himself calls Satan the “prince of this world;” (John 12: 31; 14:30; 16:11). Paul calls him the “prince over the powers of the air” (Eph. 2:2). When at the time of the temptation Satan offered to the Lord all the kingdoms of the earth, and said,” And the devil said to Him, “All this authority I will give You, and their glory; for this has been delivered to me, and I give it to whomever I wish” (Luke 4: 6). The Lord did not question his authority nor did He contest the present power of the devil to dispose of the kingdoms of the world and their glory (Matt. 4: 8-10). Paul speaks repeatedly of the “authority” of Satan (Acts 26: 18; Col. 1:13; Eph. 2: 2). John said even after the victory of Christ on the cross “the whole world lies in the evil one” (1 John 5:9). Our Lord defeated Satan at the cross but continues to permit him to operate while God works out His plan for the church, Israel and the world until Jesus Christ comes back to let His power and authority be known throughout the earth “Then the seventh angel sounded: And there were loud voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!” (Rev. 11:15). Then will be the great anthem “And I heard, as it were, the voice of a great multitude, as the sound of many waters and as the sound of mighty thunderings, saying, “Alleluia! For the Lord God Omnipotent reigns!” (Rev. 19:6). The “prince of this world” finally looses all his power. Until then Satan is limited to what God permits him to do. He is a mere puppet in the hands of God.
What is the Origin of Satan?
a) Satan was a Created Being. Ezekiel deals with two persons in chapter 28:2-29). It refers to the King of Tyre (vs. 1-11) and vs. 12 11-19 describe a completely different person. His origin is prehistoric. He was a created being. “…The workmanship of your timbrels and pipes Was prepared for you on the day you were created” Vs 15 “You were perfect in your ways from the day you were created.” The devil was not form eternity; he is not an eternal being but a created being. He was not a god but a created person. God made him.
b) He had great musical abilities. “…your trimbrels and of thy pipes was prepared for you…” He was a magnificent musician. Is it any wonder that he distorts Gods gift of music into an evil tool to captivate men?
c) Vs 12 Satan had great power, ability and beauty. “You were the seal of perfection, Full of wisdom and perfect in beauty”. He was the brightest of all the angelic beings. Satan Still Has Power
Even though Satan is fallen and defeated and judged at the cross this does not mean that he has lost his power.
1. Before the Cross he has power over death (Hebrews 2:14). Christ neutralised his power by defeating him a the cross. Believer now defeat him by their position in Christ. W are assured of a resurrection body and life.
2. Satan has Power to Shake Our Faith
Satan asked for permission to “sift Peter as wheat in a sieve” (Luke 22:31; 1 Cor 5:5). This means Satan wanted to shake Peter’s faith, causing Peter’s faith to fail. But Christ prayed for Peter that his faith would not fail. We defeat him by the blood of the Lamb, the word of our testimony and remianing faithful to the word of God.
3. Satan has Power to Blind Men’s Minds from the Gospel” the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. (2 Cor.4:4). He has access to the unbelievers mind. When the gospel comes into the mind and believed they are translated form the kingdom of darkness to the kingdom of light.
4. Satan has Power to Delegate to and Direct Demons.
Satan is not omniscient, omnipotent, and omnipresent, he can only be in one place at one time and so he has demons who travel about and keep him informed about what is going on all over the world. He has access to a vast amount of knowledge. These demons who travel about the world are capable of indwelling and controlling animals as well as men (Mark 5:2-5, 11-13). It seems that demons desire to indwell a physical body because only through a physical body can they interact with the physical world and can alter the vocal chords of human beings.
5. Power Through Influence and Possession
Demons can influence and possess unbelievers. Demon influence is a weaker form of control but can cause significant measures of control. However, the real desire of demons is to possess (i.e. indwell) the physical bodies of men and control their speech and actions. “Like Satan, they are totally evil and malicious and affect those they control in this way.”
d) He was the anointed cherub. “You were the anointed cherub who covers; I established you; You were on the holy mountain of God.” He was in the throne room of heaven involved in worship. He was heavens praise leader. He was the chief cherub, the highest angel of all, and given this position of superiority in which he was head of the whole created universe in representing worship and adoration. Anointed refers to the Messiah. He may have been the Messianic cherub, the chief of all cherubs. He may have been the chief worshiper to represent the whole universe in its praise, adoration and worship of God. This reminds us of the Ark of the Covenant, shielded by the cherubim. It may have been Satan was such a special Prince before his fall. This position and rank may have given him rue over a region of the universe with a special relationship with earth before his fall. The fact that it is on the earth that he is operating suggests that the earth and the surrounding atmosphere have some connection with him.
e) Vs 15 He was perfect. “You were perfect in thy ways till iniquity was found in thee.” He is the origin of iniquity. This bright, angelic, glorious being was perfect in beauty, but he became lifted up and was consumed with pride. Instead of leading the worship and adoration of God, he desired to be worshipped himself, and to be equal with God, and was cast out by God.
f) He was in Eden the garden of God. (Vs 13). This is not the Eden of Adam and Eve. It was lined with fruit but this one is lined with precious stones.
g) Iniquity was found in him. He is the first source of it. “You were perfect in your ways from the day you were created, Till iniquity was found in you (vs 15.) and “Your heart was lifted up because of your beauty; You corrupted your wisdom for the sake of your splendour;” He forsook God’s wisdom. (vs17). Where did it come from? It did not come form his environment, nor from anything outside him. There wasn’t any unrighteousness or “iniquity” in all of God’s in heaven or creation. This bright, angelic, glorious being was perfect in beauty, but he became lifted up and was consumed with pride. Instead of leading the worship and adoration of God, he desired to be worshipped himself, and to be equal with God, and was cast out by God. This is the first indication of his fall and the beginning of evil in the universe.
It was found “In you.”
Vs 17. “Your heart was lifted up because of your beauty.” So what’s the word for that kind of sin? Pride. “And you corrupted your wisdom by reason of your splendour.”
Lucifer Filled With Violence vs 16
Verse 16 “You were internally filled with violence, and you sinned; so I have cast you as profane.”
Satan’s sin of pride led to a violent rebellion against God.
Satan Cast Out
God said, “I cast you as profane from the mountain of God, and I have destroyed you, O covering cherub.” This one act of rebellion Lucifer the angel of light went from being good to being evil the angel of darkness. Since that moment, the anointed cherub, cast out, has been thinking evil continually. He is opposed to God and His plan and His people. A macro shift took place. He wanted to be God, he wanted to dethrone God. He wanted to be like God. Jesus tells us about this casting out of Satan “I was watching Satan fall from heaven like lightning. I was watching Satan fall from heaven like lightning” (Lk. 10:18). His dissatisfaction came because of his pride and his beauty. He had a choice and he made the wrong choice. It led to his own damnation, and the damnation of all the other angels who joined him in his rebellion against God, and then the damnation of the entire human race. He could never have imagined the ramifications of his sin. It spread through the angelic realm, and God responded by creating a lake of fire to eternally punish all those angels who rebelled, to be joined there by all those in the human race who reject His salvation. He catapulted all of creation into this awful doom.
The Five I Wills of Satan Isaiah 14:12-15
Vs 12-15 “How you are fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How you are cut down to the ground, You who weakened the nations!” Vs 13 For you have said in your heart: ‘I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will also sit on the mount of the congregation On the farthest sides of the north; vs. 14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the Most High.’ Vs 15. Yet you shall be brought down to Sheol, To the lowest depths of the Pit”.
Vs 12 (1) “How you are fallen from heaven.”
a) Three Heavens. Paul tells us there are three heavens (2 Cor. 12:1-4), the first is the atmosphere were birds, aircraft fly, the second is the galaxies the stars and planets, stellar space which spread outs for billions of light years, then there is the third heaven were God dwells and were believers will be (John 14:1-3; Eph.1:20-21; 4:10). (2 Cor. 12:1-4).
b) Three Falls of Satan or one fall in three stages. His original abode was with God. His first fall began in his heart, and he fell it was from the first heaven, from the very presence of God, he fell to the second heaven, and was permitted freedom to wander the cosmic heaven, believers wrestle against him and his army in this area (Eph. 6:12; 2:2) and he is permitted to come before God the Father (Job 1:6-11; Rev. 12:10). When permitted to do this he is the accuser of the believer but the Lord Jesus Christ stands up on our behalf and is our defence solicitor, He always wins His case (1 John 2:1-2). His second fall will be at the end time (the middle of the tribulation) he will be cast into earth (Lk. 10:18; Rev. 12:7-9) and cause great religious, political and economic, chaos. The final stage of his fall is when he is “Thrown into the lake of fire and brimstone…and they will be tormented day and night forever” (Rev.20:10). Some see this as three falls of Satan others see t a stages in the judgement of Satan.
(2) a) “O Lucifer, son of the morning.” Lucifer means, “shining one” in Latin it means “Lightbearer”(Isa 14: 12 “day or morning star”). After his rebellion against God his name changed from “Lucifer” or a “Lightbearer” of the Divine glory, into an “Adversary” of God and later a “slanderer” of His saints. He’s the “anointed cherub”; he’s the “star of the morning”; he’s the “son of the dawn.”
b) The names given to him convey something of the character and activity of the devil. He also became known as Satan, shatan, means to be or act as an enemy, adversary, quite generally: I Kings 11: 14, 23, 25; before a court Ps. 109: 6; in Num. 22: 22 even of the “angel of Jehovah.” The most common word use of him is Devil from dia-ballo (adversary or accuser) Gk. diabolos . devil from dia-ballo, to cast through, to criticize, in an antagonistic sense to accuse either falsely by saying the truth (Dan. 3:8): comp. Luke 16: 1 with Rev. 12: 10. He also called tempter (Mat. 4:3); 1 Thess. 3:5), Beelzebub (the Philistine deity associated with satanic idolatry (Matt. 12:24, 27; Lk. 11:15, 19 c.f. 2 Kings 1:2), Jesus identified Satan with Beelzebub, the prince of demons (Matt. 12:22-23; Mark 3:22-30; Lk. 11:14-23); enemy (Matt. 13:39); evil one (Matt. 13:19, 38; 1 John 2:13, 3:12, 5:18), Belial (2 Cor. 6:15), adversary (1 Peter 5:8); deceiver (Rev. 12:9), roaring lion (1 Peter 5:7); great dragon (Rev. 12:3); father of lies (John 8:44); murder (John 8:44). Sinner (1 John 3:8).
(3) “How are you cut down to the ground, You who weakened the nations.” His fall has had and will have a deceiving and chaotic effect upon the nations. (4) “For you have said in your heart.” This is sin and rebellion began and that is it is situated today in the heart of man. Man has a heart problem and it is not physical but spiritual.
Five “I Wills”
1. The first “I will”. “I will ascend into heaven”. This is the first time we learn what Satan thought. Only God could know what he was thinking. He wanted to be number one in heaven.
2. The second “I will.” “I will exalt my throne above the stars of God.” The stars refer to the angels (Job 38:7; Rev. 12:3-4). He wanted to be worshiped by the angels and to rule them in place of God.
3. The third “I will.” “I will sit on the mount of the congregation, on the farthest side of the north.” Some think this is why the compass always points north and that is were the seat of God is in the heavens however we have no definite proof of this. However some believe it refers to the earth typified by since “the mount of assembly” (Ps.48:2) is a place were the Jews assemble on earth
4. The fourth “I will”. “I will ascend above the heights of the clouds”. This was the cloud of the glory surrounding God. “And a cloud came and overshadowed them; and a voice came out of the cloud saying, “This is My beloved Son. Hear Him!” (Mark 9:7). “Then the cloud covered the tabernacle of meeting, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle” (Ex.40:34 c.f. vs 38). “Now when He had spoken these things, while they watched, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight” (Acts 1:9). Satan wanted this glory for himself. He wanted to replace God as the Sovereign of heaven and the universe. But it was impossible as he was only a created being. Clouds refer to the presence of God over 100 times.
5. The fifth “I will”. “I will be like the Most High.” His desire to be like God has been to manufacture many religions and gods (polytheism) in order to be worshipped as God. His pride made his thinking distorted how could he a creature rule the angels, the universe and earth. He is the “ruler of this world” temporally and he has made an awful mess of it.
A Third Part of The Angels Fell – War in the Heavens Rev.12
Vs 3 We meet Satan the great dragon
Vs 4 After Satan fell a third of the angels took sides with him (Rev.12:4). They made a choice they could into change and that is when a division comes between elect angels and fallen angels. This is a massive force of angels, unquestionably. These angels, along with Satan, became the demons. And they constitute the demonic force. And there are millions of them. A third of them went, which means there are twice as many holy angels left. We cannot calculate the number of angels the are so many. There are A third of them joined the rebellion and were cast down. God pronounced judgment on them: “Then He will also say to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels” (Matt.25:41; Rev. 20:1-4)
War on the Earth Rev. 12
Satan hated Adam because of his relationship with God. He put man in a perfect environment, in a state of innocence, gave him everything he needed and a freewill to serve and worship God. To let man know he was not a robot God gave him a choice “…but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall die” (Gen 2:17). He did die immediately spiritually but died 930 years later. Satan knew man was put on earth to glorify God and worship Him so he attacked Adam and Eve and their relationship with god casting doubt on what God said. Satan has been doing the same ever since he wants man to worship him and not God. He invented many religions and philosophies and draws men into his web of deceit. This he has been doing ever since.
God Provided a Way Back to Himself
God had provided from eternity past a way back to himself. The first promise in Genesis 3:16 prophecies a division between “your seed” Satan and unbelievers who are called the Devils children John 8:44) and “her seed” (Christ a descendent of Eve and his children). “He” refers to the woman’s offspring Christ who would “bruise (destroy) your head.” This was the final blow to Satan by Christ on the cross and Paul said believers would participate n this also, “And the God of peace will crush Satan under your feet shortly” (Rom. 16:20).
Where is Satan Now?
He is alive and employed in trying to rule the world and the heavens.
a) He is permitted to go to heaven to accuse the saints (Revelation 12:10).
b) He is in the universe the “prince of the power of the air” (Ephesians 2:2).
c) He walks about the earth as a roaring lion 1 Peter 5:8 and Job 1:7
Satan’s Strategies
Satan has schemes and devices “Put on the whole armour of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. (Eph. 6:11). And “ lest Satan should take advantage of us; for we are not ignorant of his devices.” (2 Cor. 2:11).
The Unsaved. He blinds the minds of those who willfully won’t believe, men cant make Satan an excuse of not responding to the gospel, “whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them” (2 Cor. 4:4). He does this in many ways, through mans pride, religion, philosophy, sinful appetites, the denial of God’s Word, good works, the deity of Christ, salvation through grace alone. He perverts the word of God. He prevents men from coming to God. He deceives the whole world (Rev. 12:9-10).
Satanic Deception and The Danger of Apostasy. “Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons (1 Tim. 4:1-2). He uses deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons to seduce unsaved and those who are falsely profess to be Christians. Believers once walked in Satan’s world as unbelievers do today. They walk “in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience”(Eph.2:2).
Satan’s Schemes for the Saved
1. He tempts them with multitudes of things.
2. He accuses them day and night (Job 1:6-11; Zech.2:1-2; Rev.12:9-10).
3. He attacks their faith in God and the Bible. He gets us to ignore the Word, question the Word or he misquotes the Word of God. (Gen. 3:4).
4. He would have them put their eyes on self, on people, or the world or things rather than have them focus on Christ
5. He attacks your belief in the church, the Bible.
6. He uses sex, power lust, position his schemes are many.
7. He causes persecution. He stirs up people to persecute believers.
8. He tries to get advantage over the believer by their lack of forgiveness.
9. He wants to sift the believer “And the Lord said, “Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat” (Luke 22:31).
10. He tries to hinder the saints of God “Satan hindered us” (1 Thessalonians. 2:18).
11. He sends false teachers into the church “But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction (2 Peter 2:1-20). Satan afflicts the saints only with God’s permission. (Job 1:12 2:4-7; 2 Cor. 12:7-10).
12. He has you depend upon feelings or circumstance so tha you do not “walk by faith” but by sight.