Let us look back and try to imagine the scene that took place.
We know this war took place in heaven, a place where one wouldn’t ordinarily think of as having conflict of any kind, let alone a war. I believe this war took place before Adam and Eve were placed on earth in their physical forms. I also believe this war occurred before “the morning stars [i.e., daughters of God] sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy” (Job 38:7).
Of course, there’s no way to know for sure, except there does seem to be a logical pattern of progression here. First, a war fought in heaven. Second, the conclusion of the war. Third, God’s announcement of the physical creation of the earth and the laying of its cornerstone.
According to Revelation 12:7-12, this so-called war was more a war of words than, say fisticuffs or weapons. It seemed to revolve around the issue of salvation. For after Satan and his angels were cast to earth, the following exclamation was uttered: “Now is come salvation” (Revelation 12:10)!
Apparently, up until this moment, because of this war of words, no final decision could be announced regarding the subject of salvation or even the future of the earth. This leads me to wonder if, in Satan’s arrogance, he was trying to usurp the Father’s plan of salvation which centered in Jesus Christ. Could he have been posturing himself to be the Savior of the world instead of Jesus? That would have been worth arguing over, I would think.
In any event, the war of words had to be about something quite severe and critical, that the announcement regarding salvation couldn’t be made until after Satan and his angels were cast out of heaven. Whatever it was, Satan, or Lucifer, was in the center of the controversy and that controversy was serious enough to get him and his followers cast out of heaven. Perhaps they did, after all, try and force their viewpoint by brute force. Who knows for sure?
What we do know is this:
“And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.” (Revelation 13:8).
This would lend credence to the idea the war took place before Adam and Eve were placed in the Garden of Eden. After Satan and his angels were cast to earth, the idea of the Lamb slain “from the foundation of the world” would have been made sure and make more sense with the time line I’m trying to construct. Then, and only then, I believe, would the Father make the announcement wherein “the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy”—after all other matters were settled.
You’ll note that Satan and his followers were cast to the newly created spirit-earth. (See “Is There One Creation Story or Two? (Part 3 of 3)”.) So, they actually had somewhere to go when they were cast out that was compatible to their spirit bodies.
At any rate, this is a possible picture.
Whatever the case may have been regarding Lucifer becoming Satan, or the Devil, here is one thing we do know: He and his angels were and are very angry at God and all of us. We, his brothers and sisters, did, after all, fight on the winning side. And, while he and his angels did not keep their first estate, apparently those who remained in heaven did keep their first estate. That would be us.
Here’s another thing to consider. Much is said about Satan, as though he were the only purveyor of evil known to mankind. It’s always, “The Devil this,” or “The Devil that,” and so forth. We tend to forget that when he was cast out of heaven, he brought with him a full third of the hosts of heaven. That’s one out of every three spirit children of God! That’s a lot of people!
“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. And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth . . .” (Revelation 12:3-4).
Remember, in the last days, Satan shall be revealed.
“Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day [the second coming of Christ] shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.” (2 Thessalonians 2:3-4).
This is another witness that Satan attempted to exalt himself above even God. Perhaps the events portrayed in these verses will be a part of that revealing process—in a most remarkable way.
At any rate, Satan isn’t alone in his opposition to God and mankind. He has many helpers or assistants who are as equally angry as he is with God and us.
Here’s another thing. It has been estimated that between twenty and thirty billion people have inhabited this earth since the beginning of time, although no one can know for sure, short of new revelation.
But let’s stop there for a moment.
Let’s put the number at the more conservative 20 billion people. Cut that number in half and that’s the number of angels who were cast out of heaven with Lucifer. And that’s the number should there be no more spirits born on earth for the remainder of time. Even so, that’s 10 billion evil spirits! Or, to put it another way, that’s almost two devils assigned to every current man, woman and child on earth.
To make matters even worse, who do you think these evil spirits are going to concentrate most of their efforts on? Yeah, you guessed it: the followers of Christ—Christians! That’s you and me!
I wouldn’t be surprised if Satan has assigned at least one hundred of his fellow evil spirits to every Christian on earth. He certainly has the resources. And the anger.
Nevertheless, even under such foreboding odds, we have been given this promise:
“Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you.” (James 4:7).
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