Tim Maas Retired Quality Assurance Specialist with the U.S. Army

Satan's fall from heaven was not an accident, or something that happened of Satan's own accord. Instead, he was forcibly expelled or cast out of heaven by God in response to his rebellion against God that had been motivated by his pride, which caused him to desire to usurp God's authority and take God's place, as described in Isaiah 14:12-19.

October 19 2022 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

Grant Brown Retired pastor, Hospice chaplain

Another passage that seems to refer to the fall of Satan is Ezekiel 28:11-19. It is introduced as a lament against the king of Tyre, but is expressed in terms that are best understood as referring to a supernatural being. Neither Isaiah nor Ezekiel indicate that this is a final and complete banishment.

I think his fall was an expulsion from Heaven and a total demotion from his position as the anointed cherub, and a stripping of his titles, such as “Day Star” and “Son of the Dawn.” 

It possibly happened in eternity past before the creation of the earth and placement of humans in the garden of Eden. Thus, when God pronounced his creation good, Satan set out to subvert it and infect it with his own crime and pride, bringing about "the fall."

Satan is seen to have access to the council of the "sons of God" in Job 1:6-7. He has to give an account to God of his activities and he says he has been walking to and fro on the earth. His "fall" from Heaven has taken place by this time, yet he is still accountable to God for what he does.

When Jesus says that he saw Satan fall like lightning from Heaven, he might have been referring to this expulsion, which he would have witnessed and even participated in in His pre-incarnate state, as the eternal Son.

In Rev 12:7-9, I think we see the final and complete banishment from Heaven of Satan and all his angels. Michael and the righteous angels defeat Satan and he is confined to the earth. 

In Rev 20:1-3, at the beginning of the Millennium, Satan is bound with a great chain and thrown into the bottomless pit, so that he will stop deceiving the nations for 1,000 years. He has been deceiving not only individuals but nations, as well, for all of human history to this point.

In Rev 20:7-10, Satan is released to deceive the nations once more. He gathers a great army and mounts his best assault. He surrounds the saints and Jerusalem, but this time he is defeated finally when fire falls from Heaven. It consumes his armies, but he survives only to be finally and justly banished to the Lake of Fire for eternity.

March 07 2023 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report