Bible Basics

A Study in Systematic Theology

ANGELOLOGYANGELOLOGY

The Study of angels:The Study of angels:Lesson #3Lesson #3

(January 26, 2005)(January 26, 2005)

Tonight’s Lesson . . . How and When Did Satan Fall?

Genesis 1Genesis 1

When God created the world, He “saw When God created the world, He “saw everything that He had made, and behold, everything that He had made, and behold, it was very good (Genesis 1:31).”it was very good (Genesis 1:31).”

Genesis 3:1-5 we find that Satan, in the Genesis 3:1-5 we find that Satan, in the form of a serpent, was tempting Eve to sin.form of a serpent, was tempting Eve to sin.

Are we right to identify the serpent in Genesis 3 with Satan?

Does the text say “Satan?” Where would we go for more help? Compare Scripture with Scripture Romans 16:20 (with Gen. 3:15) 2 Cor. 11:3 Rev. 12:9 Rev. 20:2

By the time of the temptation in the By the time of the temptation in the Garden (Genesis 3), angels had been Garden (Genesis 3), angels had been created and Satan had fallen.created and Satan had fallen.

All we can really know All we can really know forfor certaincertain from from Scripture is that Satan had fallen by the Scripture is that Satan had fallen by the time of Genesis 3. time of Genesis 3.

So What Happened?So What Happened?In exercise of his free will, Satan—and In exercise of his free will, Satan—and other angels with him—willingly sinned other angels with him—willingly sinned against God.against God.So while these angels were created good, So while these angels were created good, they became bad.they became bad.It appears that there must have been a It appears that there must have been a rebellion in the angelic world with many rebellion in the angelic world with many angels turning against God and becoming angels turning against God and becoming evil.evil.

Where is this idea supported by Where is this idea supported by Scripture?Scripture?

2 Peter 2:42 Peter 2:4 . . . . . . ““God did not spare the angels who sinned, God did not spare the angels who sinned, but cast them into chains of darkness, to but cast them into chains of darkness, to be reserved for judgment.”be reserved for judgment.”Jude 6Jude 6 . . . . . . ““And the angels who did not keep their And the angels who did not keep their proper domain, but left their own abode, proper domain, but left their own abode, He has reserved in everlasting chains He has reserved in everlasting chains under darkness for the judgment of the under darkness for the judgment of the great day.”great day.”

NoteNote::The stress is on the fact that these angels The stress is on the fact that these angels have been cast away from the glorious have been cast away from the glorious presence of God in Heaven. “Chains of presence of God in Heaven. “Chains of darkness” is to be understood in a darkness” is to be understood in a metaphorical sense. Hell is the home of metaphorical sense. Hell is the home of these demons, but they still have influence these demons, but they still have influence in the world. in the world. Their position is permanent. They cannot Their position is permanent. They cannot be redeemed (Matthew 25:41).be redeemed (Matthew 25:41).

What was the sin that caused their demise?

There sin seems to be the sin of There sin seems to be the sin of pridepride as implied in Jude 6. as implied in Jude 6.

The angels “did not keep their proper The angels “did not keep their proper domain.” That is, they did not keep their domain.” That is, they did not keep their place. They rebelled against their place. They rebelled against their assigned position.assigned position.

(see also 1 Timothy 3:6)(see also 1 Timothy 3:6)

Satan, as prince of the Demons, Satan, as prince of the Demons, apparently led this prideful rebellion apparently led this prideful rebellion

1 Timothy 3:61 Timothy 3:6 . . . . . .

““not a novice, lest being puffed up with not a novice, lest being puffed up with pride he fall into the same condemnation pride he fall into the same condemnation as the devil.”as the devil.”

Possibly Typological ReferencesPossibly Typological References

Isaiah 14:12-15Isaiah 14:12-15

Ezekiel 28Ezekiel 28

Ezekiel 28

“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!

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; I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the Most High.’ Yet you shall be

brought down to Sheol, to the lowest depths of the Pit

(Isaiah 14:12-15).”

Wayne Grudem:Wayne Grudem:

““It would not be uncommon for It would not be uncommon for Hebrew prophetic speech to pass Hebrew prophetic speech to pass from descriptions of human events from descriptions of human events to descriptions of heavenly events to descriptions of heavenly events that are parallel to them and that that are parallel to them and that the earthly events picture in a the earthly events picture in a limited way.”limited way.”

Ex: Psalm 45Ex: Psalm 45

So, So, HowHow and and WhenWhen Did Satan Fall? Did Satan Fall?

HowHow: Exercising his free will, he sinned by : Exercising his free will, he sinned by pridefully rebelling against God and by pridefully rebelling against God and by leading other angels to do the same. leading other angels to do the same. Satan was created as good, but he Satan was created as good, but he became evil.became evil.WhenWhen: The time of Satan’s fall is not : The time of Satan’s fall is not explicitly taught in Scripture, but it explicitly taught in Scripture, but it obviously occurred sometime between obviously occurred sometime between Genesis 1:31 and Genesis 3. Genesis 1:31 and Genesis 3.

J.O. BuswellJ.O. Buswell, “The Origin and Nature of Sin” in , “The Origin and Nature of Sin” in

Basic Christian DoctrinesBasic Christian Doctrines, Carl F.H. Henry, ed, Carl F.H. Henry, ed..

““Sin originated in an act of free will in Sin originated in an act of free will in which the creature deliberately, which the creature deliberately, responsibly, and with adequate responsibly, and with adequate

understanding of the issues chose to understanding of the issues chose to corrupt the holy character of godliness corrupt the holy character of godliness

with which God had endowed His with which God had endowed His creation . . . creation . . .

““. . . Sin must be within God’s eternal . . . Sin must be within God’s eternal decrees in some sense in which He is decrees in some sense in which He is

not the author of it . . . Within the not the author of it . . . Within the decrees of God, there are decrees of decrees of God, there are decrees of

the permission of those things of which the permission of those things of which God Himself is not the author.”God Himself is not the author.”

Limitations of SatanLimitations of Satan

He’s not Omnipresent—Job 1:7He’s not Omnipresent—Job 1:7 He’s not Omniscient—Job 1; cf. Isaiah He’s not Omniscient—Job 1; cf. Isaiah

46:9-10 and Mark 13:3246:9-10 and Mark 13:32 He’s not Omnipotent—Revelation He’s not Omnipotent—Revelation

12:712:7 He can be ResistedHe can be Resisted::

**Ephesians 6**Ephesians 6

**James 4:7-8**James 4:7-8

Next Week . . .

The Activity of Angels . . .