Grace Family Bible Church
The Fall of the Angels
By: Scott Morton
God had intended the angelic realm to carry out the purpose for which He had created them. For a period of time it appears that they did do everything which was intended. However, there came a period of time where the angelic realm did not follow the purpose for which they were created.
It is clear from the Bible that something happened with the angelic realm. They turned from the plan which God had intended for them. The book of Isaiah starts to speak about the plan Satan had:
Isaiah 14:12-15
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! [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] I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High. [15] Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit.
Here is a description of someone that is identified as Lucifer. This name does not mean day star or morning star as some would teach. If it did, we would have a major problem, as this is a term which is used to describe the Lord Jesus Christ in Revelation 22:16. This would mean it was the Lord Jesus Christ who did all of the things which we are going to read about. The name does mean light bearer. It is a reference to what we will see in Ezekiel 28 where the glory of God reflects off of him as part of the original intent of the creation.
The name Satan means adversary. This name is given to him as a result of the fall and the plan which we are reading about in this passage. God will change the name of things to reflect the change in purpose they have in His creation and plan.
This passage shows how Satan had a plan to try to take over the things of God. He lays out this plan in this passage with the statements of the 'I wills'. The plan was never to create a kingdom of his own, which some people say he did with the creation of hell. Satan had a clear agenda, which is laid out in the statements which are given in Isaiah 14.
1. I will ascend into heaven- Here Satan is speaking about a position which he wants to take. He already had a place in heaven, as this is where the angelic realm had access to the heavenly places. What he wants is to have the position of authority over things. This can be seen by looking at what occurred with the ascension of the Lord Jesus Christ:
Ephesians 1:20-21
Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, [21] Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come:
The Lord Jesus Christ has the authority over all of these positions. This is part of the rulership over the creation which is in place. Satan is trying to take this position away from God and give himself this authority, which ties in with the next of the statements he makes.
2. I will exalt my throne above the stars of God- This is something which could cause confusion for some. He is not speaking about the physical stars we see in the sky which were created during the creation (Genesis 1:16). These are not the stars Satan is referring to.
He is speaking about the angelic realm. They are referred to as stars in the following passages:
Revelation 12:3-4
And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads. [4] And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth: and the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born.
Job 38:4-7
Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? declare, if thou hast understanding. [5] Who hath laid the measures thereof, if thou knowest? or who hath stretched the line upon it? [6] Whereupon are the foundations thereof fastened? or who laid the corner stone thereof; [7] When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?
These two passages show there are individuals in the heavens that are referred to as stars. If the stars are the physical ones we see in the sky, there would be a major problem in Revelation 12. A third of them being cast to the earth would easily destroy the earth. These have to be a description of the only things which would have been around at the beginning of the creation, the angelic realm.
Satan is not content with the number that is actually following him, which is a third. He wants to have the position of authority over all of the angels. This is what this statement is referring to, and why there is the problem of the pride of Satan during this time.
3. I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation in the sides of the north- This is speaking specifically about the location of where the throne is that Satan wants to sit. This location is where God is sitting and is shown by where the angels come to meet with Him:
Job 1:6-7
Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them. [7] And the LORD said unto Satan, Whence comest thou? Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it.
Satan comes up to the throne in this passage, just like all of other angelic beings do. God does not say anything about him not being allowed there. The conversation goes on like this has been a normal occurrence. The appearance here is at mount of the congregation, as the entire angelic realm is appearing.
The sides of the north is a reference to the location of where the throne is located. Satan and the entire angelic realm know where this located. He wants to be able to have control over this as part of his plan.
4. I will ascend above the heights of the clouds- This is a reference to taking the glory of God. While the last part of the plan looked at the position, he is now looking at the idea of what goes along with it.
Satan would have had a good understanding of the glory of God. He was responsible for reflecting the glory of God throughout the universe as part of the original creation. Now Satan is showing the true desire and is going to try to take everything which has belonged to God.
The clouds are the direct reference to glory. This term clouds is used about 150 times in the Bible. Of these references, 100 of them are making a reference to the glory of God. It is clear that Satan is attempting to gain the glory which is God's and attempt to put this upon him.
5. I will be like the Most High- This last part of the plan shows the true thought process behind this, as it summarizes all of the other points and clearly speaks about what Satan wants to become. This title is identified in the book of Genesis:
Genesis 14:18-22
And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the most high God. [19] And he blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth: [20] And blessed be the most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he gave him tithes of all. [21] And the king of Sodom said unto Abram, Give me the persons, and take the goods to thyself. [22] And Abram said to the king of Sodom, I have lift up mine hand unto the LORD, the most high God, the possessor of heaven and earth,
Melchizedek is declaring God to be the most high, which is what Satan wants to become. He also defines this term for us, so we don't have to struggle with interpreting what he means by this. He identifies this term as being the possessor of heaven and earth. This is why Satan has been doing everything he has to oppose the plan of God for the universe. If he can stop what God is doing, then he would be able to become the possessor of heaven and earth. He works on opposing the things of the kingdom being established on the earth during Israel's program. Since this is where God was focusing, Satan was there as well. He did not think about the heavens, thinking he already had them, until God revealed the mystery. This is when Satan knew he had lost and things hadn't progressed according to the plan he had laid out:
1 Corinthians 2:6-8
Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought: [7] But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory: [8] Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.
The Apostle Paul tells us what the thought process of Satan was in this passage. He had clearly thought the cross was going to be a victory for himself, as part of the Godhead actually had taken on human form and come to the earth to try to convince man to accept the kingdom program. Satan was able to convince man to reject this and also to crucify Him in this rejection. He did not know what this was going to accomplish, as the plan for this dispensation was a mystery.
The Lord Jesus Christ makes a statement about Satan:
John 8:44
Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.
He identifies him as the father of lies and no truth being in him. This goes back to the rebellion which Satan led and the information which he convinced a third of the angelic realm to follow him in this rebellion against God (Revelation 12:4). This traffic (Ezekiel 18:18) showed the power of the lie which was being told. This is why he is identified as being a liar and the father of it, as God is true (Romans 3:4). It is not until the rebellion that the issue of lying is brought out and shown how it is contrary to God, as it is contrary to who He is.
This passage also speaks about how he is a murderer from the beginning as well. This would go along with Hebrews 2:14 that show he has power over death. These passages are used by some to show how Satan has dominion over hell and all sinners and this is the kingdom he has created for himself in the rebellion against God. This is not the case, as hell is not a kingdom to be ruled over (the issue of hell will be discussed in a future article).
Satan being a murderer from the beginning speaks of the rebellion that is against God and everything which is part of God's program. Anything which is not part of what God would have us to do is against that. Satan, being the adversary, is the one identified with all of this, as he opposes the things of God. One of these things is murder, as this is not what God intends for man. Satan is identified as being a murderer. While he may have had some influence over Cain, he did not actually kill Abel, which is the first murder recorded.
The Bible does record some things related to a description of what Satan looks like and the fall:
Ezekiel 28:12-19
Son of man, take up a lamentation upon the king of Tyrus, and say unto him, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Thou sealest up the sum, full of wisdom, and perfect in beauty. [13] Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God; every precious stone was thy covering, the sardius, topaz, and the diamond, the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the emerald, and the carbuncle, and gold: the workmanship of thy tabrets and of thy pipes was prepared in thee in the day that thou wast created. [14] Thou art the anointed cherub that covereth; and I have set thee so: thou wast upon the holy mountain of God; thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire. [15] Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee. [16] By the multitude of thy merchandise they have filled the midst of thee with violence, and thou hast sinned: therefore I will cast thee as profane out of the mountain of God: and I will destroy thee, O covering cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire. [17] Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty, thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness: I will cast thee to the ground, I will lay thee before kings, that they may behold thee. [18] Thou hast defiled thy sanctuaries by the multitude of thine iniquities, by the iniquity of thy traffick; therefore will I bring forth a fire from the midst of thee, it shall devour thee, and I will bring thee to ashes upon the earth in the sight of all them that behold thee. [19] All they that know thee among the people shall be astonished at thee: thou shalt be a terror, and never shalt thou be any more.
Man has come up with a description of Satan which does not match this. The description man has come up with is someone in red who looks like a man, or some monster with horns and a tail. The Bible describes him as being covered with a number of stones, which would have reflected the glory of God into the universe. He has an orchestra built into him for the purpose of leading the creation in the praise and worship of God. Satan is a cherub, meaning he does not look like any of the depictions that man comes up with.
The plan of Satan is identified as being the merchandise and traffic which Satan is participating in. He was selling this plan to the rest of the angelic realm, which is what led to them following him in the number they did. He was able to convince a large number of them (a third of an innumerable number, from the concept of man) to actually follow him in this rebellion.
God also identifies what is actually going to result with this. The plan is going to lead to the devouring of Satan, which will occur with the Great White Throne Judgment:
Revelation 20:7-15
And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, [8] And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea. [9] 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. [10] 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. [11] And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. [12] And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. [13] And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. [14] And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. [15] And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.
The angelic realm which had followed Satan will be case into the lake of fire. This is the second death, which is identified as being the eternal separation from God. Many would say they don't see this from this passage, but they are ignoring what some other passages speak of:
Jude 6
And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day.
2 Peter 2:4
For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment;
Matthew 25:41
Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:
These three passages show how hell was originally created for Satan and all of those who had followed him. They are waiting for the judgment to come, which is identified as being in Revelation 20, the great white throne. The truly have no hope for salvation.