Hope of Israel Ministries (Ecclesia of YEHOVAH):

Just WHEN Did Satan Fall from Heaven?

by John D. Keyser & David Reagan

When was Satan cast out of heaven? There are a number of possible scenarios out there, each of which can number its supporters among Bible students. In the book "Then is Finished the Mystery of God" we find the following explanation:

"But now after the birth and enthronement of God's Messianic kingdom in 1914 C.E., it was no longer a case in which Michael waited upon Jehovah to rebuke Satan the Devil, but Jehovah used Michael in warring against Satan the Devil and his demon angels, HURLING THEM OUT OF HEAVEN. What a 'salvation' or victory that was!...

"The accuser before God charged further that they could be frightened or intimidated into denying Jehovah God and his Christ or Messiah. But down till the birth of God's Messianic kingdom in 1914 and THE OUTBREAK OF THE WAR IN HEAVEN there were faithful Christians who refused to disown God and his Christ under any circumstances produced by the great accuser." [1]

It appears that 1914 is the operative date here!

Another scenario is promoted by William F. Dankenbring in his book Overcoming Satan -- notice!

"After God created the heavens and the earth, chaos struck! Something went wrong! The surface of the earth BECAME "tohu and bohu" in the original Hebrew -- that is, chaotic and confused, desolate and ruined, a lifeless wasteland, a burned out orbiting lifeless planet, a burned out hunk of junk!...Satan rebelled, and threw the earth into sheer chaos and confusion! He sinned, and the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23). Disaster was visited upon the earth, and its creatures. Great extinctions occurred. The dinosaurs, which had existed for perhaps millions of years, suddenly perished -- virtually "overnight," in the geological sense.

"Life on planet earth was destroyed in a massive cataclysm! All physical life as we know it perished in the maelstrom....When the arch-angel Lucifer tried to take over God's Throne, and rose up from the earth to assault God, he and his minions were CAST BACK DOWN TO EARTH in a flaming, stunning display of power! Their rebellion was squashed. And they were bound in chains to the earth." [2]

According to this author Satan was cast out of heaven at some primordial period of time right after the creation of the heavens and the earth! Is this a compelling explanation of what really happened? 

Some people believe that Satan was cast out before the fall of man but had access to heaven after he was cast to the earth; while others believe he was permitted to remain in heaven long after his fall but was permitted to carry on his work among men on this planet. Is there a scripture that would indicate he was cast to the earth at his fall? Are there, in fact, texts that teach he was cast out of heaven millennia after sin entered his heart?

According to C. Fred Dickason,

"With reference to a "specific" time in history when Satan fell from Heaven, it must be stated that there is no clear revelation as to exactly when Satan fell, but here are limits to the possible time which we may deduce from biblical evidence. "...Based upon information gleaned from a comparison of Ezekiel 28:12-19 with Isaiah 14, Jude 6, and II Peter 2:4, and other passages, the following picture of Satan begins to emerge. Satan was created as one of the host of angelic beings...an anointed cherub, i.e., the captain of the cherubic hosts. Sometime prior to the creation of the natural order, Satan became vain about his beauty and position, and his heart became rebellious against God.

"Apparently, he was able to secure a considerable following among the angels, resulting in their expulsion from Heaven (Luke 10:18; II Peter 2:4; Jude 6; Revelation 12:4). Since that day, Satan devotes himself to opposing the work of God in every way possible and to attempting to destroy all of the good that God has created in the natural order. He (Satan) is allowed to continue this way for a period but will ultimately be confined to Hell for eternity" (Revelation 20:10). [3]

"If we assume that angels (including Satan) were part of the creation of Genesis 1:1, then their fall (including Satan's) follows that point. However, it may be that angels were created prior to the creation of the heavens and the earth. In either case, angels (including Satan) were present when God "laid the foundation of the earth" and "set its measurements" (Job 38:4, 5), for it was then that the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy (Job 38:7). This involved all the angels rejoicing with God. Satan and his angels fell, then, sometime after the original creation of the heavens and the earth.

"It is certain that Satan had fallen BEFORE GENESIS 3 where the temptation of Adam and Eve is recorded. He fell before man fell; but whether he fell before or after man's creation, we cannot say for certain." [4]

There are some who teach that Satan was an angel on a pre-Adamic earth (instead of heaven). Some go so far as to say that Eden, Babylon, and Tyrus were places on a pre-Adamic earth -- with the same names as places that developed later in human history! By such methods of interpretation, they can easily make Lucifer the king of Babylon (a pre-Adamic city!) and have an explanation for the statement that he weakened the nations (pre-Adamic nations!).

The argument for a pre-Adamic population usually goes something like this: YEHOVAH told Adam and Eve to "replenish the earth" (Genesis 1:28). They were to RE-plenish, that is, RE-populate the earth. They could not RE-populate the earth if it had not been populated before! This sounds very logical -- in English.

The fact is, however, the word translated "replenish," mala (Strong's Concordance, #4390 [5]), means to fill or to be full. It does not carry the meaning of RE-fill. It is translated fill or filled about 110 times in the Bible, full 47 times, fulfill 27 times, accomplished 7 times, replenish 7 times, confirm, be at an end, be expired, gather, presume, satisfied (one or two times each), making a total of over 200 times it is used. If there is any doubt that the word means to fill, and not RE-fill, with the aid of a concordance, one can look up all of these references and see for himself how the word is used. He will be convinced that if there was a pre-Adamic population, it cannot be based on the word "replenish" in Genesis 1:28!

Little Mention in the Old Testament

Have you ever wondered why there is very little mention of "Satan" or the "Devil" in the Old Testament, but the New Testament is FULL of warnings against the entrapments of Satan and his demons? The Hebrew word satan is a common noun meaning "adversary." In the Old Testament we find it applied in various ways to human opponents and, in THREE cases, to supra-human or Angelic figures. First, there is the Angel of YEHOVAH who comes as a satan against Balaam and his ass (Numbers 22). Then there is one of the Sons of YEHOVAH God who acts as a satan against Job (Job 1-2). And, finally, there is the satan who accuses the High Priest Joshua (Zechariah 3). A fourth possible instance is the satan who incites David to take a census, where the term could perhaps be a proper name, Satan (I Chronicles 21).

The Judahites who translated the Hebrew Scriptures into Greek -- the Septuagint (around 200 B.C.) -- sometimes saw a deceitful element in the word satan, and so translated it as epiboules, "plotter." Or they left it alone as "a satan." But at other times they translated it more directly as diabolos, "opponent." They avoided calling the Angel of YEHOVAH a diabolos in the story of Balaam. But they decided that it was not Satan who incited David to sin, but only "a satan," that is, "a devil" -- doubtless intending a merely human adversary. However, they manifest a belief that one of YEHOVAH's Angels not only acted as a satan, but was actually named Satan, which they rendered in Greek as ho Diabolos, Devil in the Books of Job and Zechariah.

Now if Satan and a third of the Angels fell from Heaven in the primordial past -- BEFORE the time of Adam -- you would think that the Old Testament would be FULL of examples showing those YEHOVAH was working with contending with the wiles, influence and roadblocks placed in their lives by the one who is so conspicuous in the New Testament. But there is only THREE possible examples of Angels appearing as "satans," that is, adversaries, in the entirety of the Hebrew Scriptures! Strange indeed!

Before the crucifixion and resurrection of the Messiah people were comparatively free from persecution. While it is certainly true that the Israelites were badly oppressed by the nations around them, this was not persecution for their righteousness but punishment for their apostasy. When they were faithful to YEHOVAH God no nation ever disturbed them. There is simply NO example in the Old Testament of the Israelites being persecuted for their loyalty to YEHOVAH God. There are a few individual cases -- but most of the recorded cases were events of great deliverance to the glory of YEHOVAH God.

But how different this side of the Messiah's death and resurrection! The whole history of YEHOVAH's people for over 1,800 years has been one continuous persecution -- not for apostasy but for righteousness, and the cruelty has been the most bitter that Satan could devise.

So WHEN was Satan cast out of Heaven?

A Future Event?

Yeshua once said to his disciples, "I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven" (Luke 10:18), words that are commonly linked with the Isaiah 14 passage. If, in other verses, there was direct evidence for the belief that Satan was once an angel in heaven, we would probably include this verse as supporting evidence for that conclusion. But in the absence of any such evidence, we prefer an interpretation based on the immediate context. So, when the Messiah speaks of seeing Satan's fall from heaven he is not thinking of an event that took place in the remote past -- he is thinking of the effect of his ministry at the time and of his upcoming death and resurrection. 

The Kingdom Interlinear Translation of the Greek Scriptures [6] words Luke 10 a little differently -- notice!

Luke 10:18: "At that he said to them: 'I began to behold Satan already fallen like lightning from heaven.'"

This points to a future event -- not one that occurred eons in the past. This is reinforced by John 12:30-31, which says -- "In answer Jesus said:...Now there is a judging of this world; now [in the very near future] the ruler of this world WILL [future tense] be cast out." This clearly indicates a future event, the adverb "now" referring to the Messiah's impending death and resurrection which crowned his ministry.

Everyone agrees that "the ruler of this world" is Satan. From WHERE was Satan cast out? Certainly not from out of this world for he has been among us up to the present day. Luke 10:18 clearly answers the question. Also, in the Book of Revelation, John shows that Satan's ejection from heaven was the direct result of the Messiah's ministry and death. There is, however, no indication here that Satan was formerly an angel in heaven.

The seventy disciples had just returned from a successful preaching mission. With joy they said: "Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy name" (verse 17). As the gospel was preached, as the sick were healed, as devils were cast out, Satan was losing his hold; his kingdom was losing its exalted position. Three verses before, mention is made of Capernaum which was "exalted to heaven," but which would be "thrust down to hell." This signified that Capernaum would fall from its exalted position; so also we understand verse 18 as a reference to Yeshua seeing, in the very near future, the power of Satan being broken -- and Satan being cast down to the earth as a result of the Messiah's ministry, and that of his disciples.

In the Hard Sayings of the Bible, the author points out in his note on this passage that the Messiah was "describing an actual vision that he experienced during the mission of the seventy -- not unlike the vision seen by John of Patmos, when, as he says, war broke out in heaven and 'the great dragon was hurled down -- that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray' (Rev. 12:9)." [7]

Condemnation

Paul said a novice (a new convert) was not to be made a leader in the church "lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil" (1 Timothy 3:6). If a person has it already in mind that the devil was an angel, was lifted up with pride, was condemned by YEHOVAH God, and cast out of heaven, this verse could be taken to mean that YEHOVAH would condemn the novice as he did the devil.

But the more normal reading would be that the devil is the one that condemns -- it is the condemnation of (or by) the devil that is meant. Proof for this is found in the very next verse: A leader "must have a good report of them which are without; lest he fall into the reproach and the snare of the devil" (verse 7). It is the devil who would place a snare (see also 2 Timothy 2:26), the devil who would cause reproach, and the devil who would condemn. All of these expressions are linked together as things that the devil would do -- not YEHOVAH God.

War in Heaven

Revelation 12 fits in with the idea that Satan was once in heaven and fell -- but we must take it in its correct time sequence.

Revelation 12:7-9: "There was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, and prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven. And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him."

That Satan was cast out of heaven THIS SIDE of the fall is confirmed by the next verse:

Revelation 12:10: "And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of the brethren IS CAST DOWN, which accused them before our God day and night."

Before he was "cast down" he was in the presence of YEHOVAH God "day and night" accusing the brethren.

This privilege ceased when "he was cast out into the earth." While he was in the presence of YEHOVAH God he was accusing the brethren. Before the fall of our first parents there were no brethren of the Adamic line to accuse before YEHOVAH God, therefore he must have been cast out of heaven THIS SIDE of the fall!

It is recorded that, when Yeshua the Messiah went into heaven after his resurrection, and took his place at the right hand of YEHOVAH God, "angels, and authorities, and powers" were "made subject unto him" (I Peter 3:22). It was at this moment, therefore, that the revolt of the angels took place, seeing that Satan and his associated powers and principalities refused to be "made subject unto him."

In John 12 we find words of the Messiah that place the matter beyond doubt -- notice!

John 12:31-33: "Now is the judgment of this world: NOW shall the prince of this world be cast out. And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me."

There are three things in this passage that the Messiah mentions as being "NOW" about to happen, namely --

(1) the judgment of this world

(2) the casting out of the prince of this world

(3) the drawing of all men (i.e. men of all the Israelite nations and classes) to himself -- as a result of his being lifted up to die on the tree.

This fixes the time when Satan was "cast out" of heaven because it clearly shows the event to be contemporaneous with the era when the Messiah is drawing to himself men out of all the Israelite nations and classes. The word "now" must mean the same in both clauses.

John 12:31-33, along with what has already been cited, provides ample proof that the war in heaven, which culminated in Satan being "cast out," took place soon after the ascension of the resurrected Messiah into heaven in 31 A.D.

History records that the "great fury" of Satan against YEHOVAH's people, and his bloody persecutions in the early centuries of this era -- which agrees perfectly with what is stated in verses 12 and 13 of Revelation 12 -- grants further evidence that the war in heaven and the casting out of Satan took place at the BEGINNING of our era.

It was a crushing defeat which nothing but the Messiah's death and resurrection could have inflicted upon the prince of this world. As Yeshua said, "NOW is the judgment of this world, NOW shall the prince of this world be cast out." The Old Testament shows us (Job 1:6; 2:1; Zechariah 3:1) that in the days before the Messiah's death, Satan had free access to the courts of heaven. But how could this continue after the work of atonement was completed?

How could the accuser -- that old serpent -- raise his head and open his mouth, or even present himself before the slain Lamb upon the throne? "Who shall now lay anything to the charge of God's elect?" The apostle Paul asks this challenging question in a passage that is full of joy because of the Messiah's triumph over death (Romans 8:33-39). Where, in the New Testament, is there a verse or passage to support the idea (apparently a product of very modern theology) that Satan still appears before the throne of YEHOVAH God -- as the accuser of the brethren? The New Testament CLEARLY places him on the earth:

I Peter 5:8: "Your enemy, the Adversary, stalks about like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour." 

This is in perfect harmony with the passage that says the Devil and his hosts are "cast out into the earth," and he goes to make war with the remnant of the woman's seed, who keep the commandments of YEHOVAH God, and have the testimony of Yeshua the Messiah (Revelation 12:17). It is a great and serious ERROR to place this event before Creation -- or in 1914 -- or some future day.

The Woman Who Brought Forth the "Man Child"

There are two major topics in the 12th chapter of Revelation: the history of the woman that brought forth "the man child" and the account of casting Satan out of heaven. The story of the woman begins with the chapter and continues on to the 6th verse. Then the account of the dragon is introduced in verses 7 to 13, to be followed by the story of the woman that continues on to the end of the chapter.

The casting out of Satan is therefore closely associated with the birth and ascension of the Messiah. The dragon stood ready to devour the child as soon as it was born. When the man-child was "caught up to God" the dragon was CAST DOWN and "when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth, he persecuted the woman which brought forth the man child" (verse 13).

The casting out of Satan brought forth a chorus of praise from the host of heaven: "Therefore rejoice ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them" (verse 12). However, this rejoicing in heaven was mingled with woe because of the inhabitants of the earth -- "Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and of the sea! for the devil IS COME DOWN UNTO YOU, having great wrath, because he knoweth he hath but a short time."

The rejoicing in heaven was caused by the BANISHMENT OF SATAN from their midst, following the "war in heaven," and it was IN CONNECTION WITH THE BIRTH AND ASCENSION OF THE MESSIAH. It is quite possible that when Satan sinned the heavenly host -- not realizing the nature of his sin -- held some sympathy for him and YEHOVAH God was therefore obliged to allow Satan to develop his character sufficiently to let the angels see the true nature of the enemy.

It is thought that the enmity Satan manifested toward the Messiah in causing him to be put to death on the tree so revealed Satan's nature that all the host of heaven (except his followers) had no more sympathy for him. Satan was then cast out of heaven -- never to be able to return.

As soon as Satan was cast out of heaven he began to persecute the woman that brought forth the man-child. This nails down the time -- it was AFTER THE DEATH, RESURRECTION AND ASCENSION OF THE MESSIAH. And history truly confirms this scenario.

The breaking of Satan's power was by the death of the Messiah -- for by the death of the Messiah forgiveness of sin has been obtained and Satan's most formidable weapon has been wrenched out of his hands. The New Testament plainly tells us that Satan is already a conquered foe, "cast out" of heaven and deprived of his authority over those whose citizenship is in heaven (verse 12). James tells us to "resist the devil, and he will flee from you" (4:7). This could not be apart from the Messiah's victory at Golgotha; but now that the victory has been won, IT COULD NOT BE OTHERWISE.

In Revelation 12:7-10, John was writing historically about things that had (in his day) recently happened. However, he was not recording history as though these things had already taken place prior to Genesis! The next verse pictures Satan as the accuser of the brethren "which accused them before our God day and night." This could not refer to a time prior to the creation of Adamic man. At that time there were no brethren to accuse!

The one who is defeated in this battle is the "dragon" -- nothing is said to indicate that he was a beautiful angel who, upon being defeated, was cast down and became the devil. Even the strongest believers in the concept that Satan was once an angel do not generally apply this passage to a battle prior to human history.

Messengers That Sinned?

Finally, what about the angels that sinned? We read in 2 Peter 2:

2 Peter 2:4: "For if God did not spare the angels who sinned, but cast them down to hell and delivered them into chains of darkness."

And then Jude 6 says:

"And the angels who did not keep their proper domain, but left their own habitation, he has reserved in everlasting chains under darkness for the judgment of the great day."

I have always understood these verses to refer to angels as spirit beings. But, it is true that the word translated "angels" (whether in the Old Testament or the New Testament) is the word commonly translated "messengers" and can be used of human beings. It is the word used to describe the spies that were protected by Rahab (James 2:25); it is used of human ambassadors, prophets, priests, and messengers of various types (1 Samuel 23:27; 2 Samuel 11:19; 1 Kings 19:2; Haggai 1:13; etc.).

Since neither verse (2 Peter 2:4; Jude 6) actually mentions "heaven," some believe the "angels" that sinned were human messengers and link these verses with Numbers 16. In this portion, Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, along with 250 other men, rebelled against YEHOVAH God by rejecting the leadership of Moses. These are referred to as "princes of the assembly, famous in the congregation, men of renown" who did "minister" before the people (verses 2, 9).

When judgment fell, "the ground clave asunder" and some of them "went down alive into the pit [sheol, the word that is also translated grave and hell in the Old Testament] and the earth closed upon them: and they perished from among the congregation." Others were consumed by "a fire from the LORD" (verses 31-35). In addition to these leaders that died, there were 14,700 of the people who died in the plague (verse 49). All of these lost, of course, what is termed their "habitation," the promised land (Numbers 15:2).

Merging this information in with 2 Peter 2:4 and Jude 5, 6, then, we have the following: "The LORD, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed them that believed not [14,700 on this one occasion]. And the angels [messengers, the leaders of the people] who sinned, who did not keep their proper domain [rank], but left their own habitation [inheritance], God cast down to hell and delivered them into chains of darkness."

I remain unconvinced of the correctness of this view which, obviously, has some rough edges. But, if the angels or messengers that sinned were not spirit beings, an interpretation such as this would be the most plausible. In any event, whichever view we take, it is evident that the Bible does not explain the details about when, where, or why. Just because at one point a group of angels sinned against YEHOVAH God and fell, would not, necessarily, provide an explanation about the origin of Satan. This could only be a theory.

The Divine Plan of YEHOVAH God

Since YEHOVAH is eternal -- without beginning or end -- there is no way that one book, not even the Bible, could explain all events that have transpired during what might be termed eternity past. The human mind could not comprehend it all, and some things YEHOVAH simply has not revealed. It does seem apparent, however, that within YEHOVAH's plan for mankind, He desired that we would worship Him -- not because we are forced to, or programmed as mechanical robots -- but because we choose to worship Him.

I say this without in any way minimizing the work of the holy spirit in this choice, for salvation is of the Lord and not of ourselves (John 6:44; Ephesians 2:8). We are told to choose life (Deuteronomy 30:19), choose whom we will serve (Joshua 24:15), choose good and refuse evil (Isaiah 7:15). If there had been only evil in the world, we would not have known good. If there had been only good, we would not have known evil. In order for us to "choose," both good and evil had to exist on this planet at the same time.

If it was within the divine arrangement that the system of good and the system of evil function in this world, it is not unreasonable to conclude that each system needed a leader. Since YEHOVAH God is the leader of that which is good, another power, an opposite of YEHOVAH (as it were), was required. While the devil was not created as such from the beginning, John 8:44 clearly indicates that the devil was "a murderer from the beginning," and that he "sinneth from the beginning" (1 John 3:8).

This does not fit very well with the concept that he was in the beginning a holy angel and then, later -- perhaps thousands of years later -- became the devil. This could not be rightly said of Adam. According to Genesis 2 and 3, it was not until after Adam was created, after he was placed in the garden, after he named the animals, after the woman was taken from his side, and after she listened to the serpent that Adam sinned. In a definite sense Adam was NOT a sinner from the beginning. But we are told the devil WAS a sinner from the beginning.

Are we saying, then, that a good God created a bad devil? Certainly the devil did not create himself. He did not "just happen." We believe that YEHOVAH GOD created all things:

Colossians 1:16, 17: "For by him were ALL THINGS created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and INVISIBLE, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: ALL THINGS were created by him, and for him: and he is before all things, and by him all things consist"!

John 1:3: "ALL THINGS were made by him, and without him was not anything made that was made."

Isaiah 45:7, The Jerusalem Bible: "I am Yahweh [YEHOVAH -- YHVH], unrivalled, I form the light, and create the dark. I make good fortune and create calamity, it is I Yahweh [YEHOVAH -- YHVH], who do ALL THIS."

So what does "the beginning" refer to? It must refer to the beginning of the Adamic creation -- nothing else makes any sense. However, if there were not TWO creation accounts in Genesis, and the devil was created on the first day of the Adamic creation, he must have been created as a sinner and a murderer -- since he was these things from the beginning. But this is impossible for two very good reasons:

(1) This interpretation would make YEHOVAH God the author of sin.

(2) The Bible clearly states that the devil was perfect from his creation and that iniquity was not found in him until a later date (Ezekiel 28:15).

Satan was perfect at the time of his own creation, but was a murderer and sinner at the time of the Adamic creation when he interfaced with Adam and Eve in the garden. Therefore, the devil had to fall in sin somewhere between the time of his creation and the beginning of the Adamic world as found in the second chapter of Genesis. Only two creation accounts provide a time for this. There is NO other option!

Satan's Claim on the World

Satan is called "the prince of this world" by the Messiah in John 12:31, and "the god of this world" by the apostle Paul in 2 Corinthians 4:4. What gives him a claim on this world and WHEN did he receive this claim?

In Luke 4:5-6, Satan told the Messiah that all the kingdoms of the world had been delivered unto him ("for that is delivered unto me"). The Messiah did not deny his claim, but rather answered that only YEHOVAH God Himself deserved worship -- see Luke 4:7-8. Clearly the devil's claim of having the kingdoms of the world delivered to him is allowed to stand by the Messiah. But WHEN could this have been accomplished? When Satan shows up in the Garden of Eden BEFORE the fall of Adamic man, he is already the "serpent" and is in opposition to YEHOVAH God.

If Satan had some previous rule over the world, WHEN did he practice this rule?

In Isaiah 14:12-15 -- where Satan's original rebellion against YEHOVAH God is supposedly recorded -- the devil apparently desired to exalt his throne ABOVE the stars of YEHOVAH God (Isaiah 14:13). In order to exalt his throne -- he had to have had a throne in the first place! A throne indicates a place of rule and dominion, as well as a kingdom to rule over. Yet this kingdom, which was ruled by Satan BEFORE the Fall, was BELOW the stars of YEHOVAH God and BELOW the heights of the clouds. What, then, is left?

The EARTH is left! Satan evidently had a throne on the earth before he rebelled against YEHOVAH God. This would explain HOW he got his claim to the earth. The earth, before the Adamic creation (Genesis 2:7) was Satan's original domain. It was his original commission from YEHOVAH God.

The Power of YEHOVAH God

It must be admitted, of course, that questions concerning the origin of the devil are difficult, whichever view we take. If the devil was created as an evil power in the first place, it could be argued that he would be disobeying YEHOVAH God (which is sin) if he did not sin!

On the other hand, if YEHOVAH created a being which He knew would become the devil, is this not radically different than if He created him as such in the first place? If YEHOVAH God didn't know this creature would become the devil, YEHOVAH would not be all-knowing. If the devil at any point was able to get one step ahead of YEHOVAH back then, how could we be certain he might not succeed again?

However, at no time did the devil ever get one step ahead of YEHOVAH God. Nothing he has done can wreck YEHOVAH's ultimate purpose. YEHOVAH is sovereign. Even the entrance of sin into this world was no surprise to YEHOVAH God. He knew all about it, for even "before the foundation of the world" He had already planned redemption from sin through YESHUA THE MESSIAH! (2 Timothy 1:9; 1 Peter 1:20).

YEHOVAH God did not send the holy spirit to this earth until AFTER the ascension of the Messiah. You might ask -- "Why didn't He send the holy spirit right after the fall?" There is a reason. YEHOVAH God realized early on that following the departure of the Messiah to heaven the people of YEHOVAH would need all the help they could get to combat Satan's war against them after he was cast down to earth. Satan began a war on the people of YEHOVAH God that was a thousand-fold more severe than was ever known before.

The followers of the Messiah had to meet an unseen foe in a combat never experienced by their fathers. Satan had "come down having great wrath." "He persecuted the woman." "And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed." The holy spirit (the POWER of YEHOVAH God) was sent to this earth at the time the dragon was cast out of heaven to meet this new raging warfare. All these events fit perfectly together and make one harmonious whole.

Be sure to read our companion articles, Lucifer's Fall -- Did It Really Happen? and "Lucifer" in Isaiah 14 -- Have We Been Deceived All These Years?

References:

[1] Then is Finished the Mystery of God. Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York, Inc. 1969, p. 306 and 310.

[2] William F. Dankenbring, Overcoming Satan, Triumph Publishing Co., 1981, p. 11, 12 and 13.

[3] The Criswell Study Bible. Old Time Gospel Hour Publishers, Lynchburg, VA 1979, p. 948.

[4] C. Fred Dickason, Angels Elect and Evil. Moody Publishers, Chicago, IL 60610, p. 135.

[5] James Strong, Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible.

[6] The Kingdom Interlinear Translation of the Greek Scriptures. Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York, Inc., Brooklyn, New York, NY. 1969.

[7] Kaiser, Davids, Bruce and Brauch, Hard Saying of the Bible. InterVarsity Press, Downers Grove, IL 1996, p. 466.

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