Treason in Heaven
Many of Lucifer's sympathizers were inclined to heed the counsel of the loyal angels and repent of their dissatisfaction and be again received to the confidence of the Father and His dear Son. The mighty revolter then declared that he was acquainted with God's law, and if he should submit to servile obedience, his honor would be taken from him. No more would he be entrusted with his exalted mission. He told them that himself and they also had now gone too far to go back, and he would brave the consequences, for to bow in servile worship to the Son of God he never would; that God would not forgive, and now they must assert their liberty and gain by force the position and authority which was not willingly accorded to them.
The loyal angels hastened speedily to the Son of God and acquainted Him with what was taking place among the angels. They found the Father in conference with His beloved Son, to determine the means by which, for the best good of the loyal angels, the assumed authority of Satan could be forever put down. The great God could at once have hurled this arch deceiver from heaven. but this was not His purpose. He would give the rebellious and equal chance to measure strength and might with His own Son and His loyal angels. In this battle every angel would choose his own side and be manifested to all. It would not have been safe to suffer any who united with Satan in his rebellion to continue to occupy heaven. They had learned the lesson of genuine rebellion against the unchangable law of God, and this is incurable. . . .
Then there was war in heaven. The Son of God, the Prince of heaven, and His loyal angels engaged in conflict with the arch rebel and those who united with him. The Son of God and true loyal angels prevailed; and Satan and his sympathizers were expelled from heaven. All the heavenly host acknowledged and adored the God of justice. Not a taint of rebellion was left in heaven. All was again peaceful and harmonious as before. . . .
The Father consulted His Son in regard to at once carrying out their purpose to make man to inhabit the earth ( The Story of Redemption, pp. 16-19.).
Satan's rebellion was to be a lesson to the universe through all coming ages--a perpetual testimony to the nature of sin and its terrible results. The working out of Satan's rule, its effect upon both men and angels, would show what must be the fruit of setting aside the divine authority. It would testify that with the existence of God's government is bound the well-being of all the creatures He has made (Patriarchs and Prophets, pp. 42,53).
From Lift Him Up - Page 11
When in history was Satan cast out of Heaven?
Was it before Adam and Eve or After?
I came across some information from various sources and here they are: There are two important passages in the Word of God concerning the origin and fall of Satan. The first passage relating to Satan's fall is found in Ezekiel 28:12-19 where Ezekiel describes the creation and judgment of a vile and vicious non-human creature whose name we find out later to be Lucifer.
Ezekiel 28:12 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. Ezekiel 28:13 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.
Ezekiel 28:14 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. Ezekiel 28:15 Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee. Ezekiel 28:16 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. Ezekiel 28:17 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. Ezekiel 28:18 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. Ezekiel 28:19 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.
The second passage relating to Satan's fall is found in Isaiah 14:12-14 where the prophet Isaiah presents the origin and fall of Satan. Isaiah 14:12 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! Isaiah 14:13 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: Isaiah 14:14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.
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 2 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, in other words, 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 And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven. 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; Jude 1:6 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. Revelation 12:4 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.
Since that day, Satan devotes himself to opposing the work of God in every way possible and to attempting to destroy all 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 and then cast into the lake of fire, to be no more seen or heard from again. Revelation 20:10 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.
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. ( which is what I myself believe that the angels were there at the creation.). In either case, angels (including Satan) were present when God “laid the foundation of the earth” and “set its measurements”
Job 38:4 Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? declare, if thou hast understanding. Job 38:5 Who hath laid the measures thereof, if thou knowest? or who hath stretched the line upon it? Job 38:7 For it was then that the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy.
This involved all the angels rejoicing with God. Satan and his angels fell, 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. Satan's fall was a direct result of his self-exaltation that was manifested in his pride, the first sin 1 Timothy 3:6 Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil. Motivated by pride, Satan set out on an irrational course to seize for himself God's authority over the universe Isaiah 14:12 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! Isaiah 14:13 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: Isaiah 14:14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.
Some commentators believe that this revolt of Satan towards God occurred after the creation week, but before the fall of man Genesis 1:31 And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day. Genesis 3:1 Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden? Genesis 3:2 And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: Genesis 3:3 But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die. Genesis 3:4 And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die:
Genesis 3:5 For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil. Genesis 3:6 And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.
It appears that the Devil became the prince of this world when he led man (Adam and Eve) to sins against God and thus brought the ruler of earth under his domination (the ruler being Adam) Genesis 1:26 And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. See also Genesis 3:1-6. John 12:31 Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out. Colossians 1:13 Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:
Acts 26:18 To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.
Satan has been judged by God for his sins, and will be further judged for his sins.
There are at least six judgments associated with Satan:
1.
He was barred from his original privileged position in Heaven (Ezekiel 28:16.2.
Judgment for his temptation of Adam and Eve (Genesis 3:14-15).3.
At the cross of Calvary (John 12:31).4.
Satan will be barred from Heaven during the tribulation period (Revelation 12:13).5.
Satan will be confined to the abyss during the millennium or 1000 year period (Revelation 20:2).6.
Satan will be cast into the lake of fire for all eternity.The Bible gives references that there were two occasions where Satan is cast out of Heaven; once with the angels, and once in the future. . . . Since the ultimate fall of Satan is actually yet in the future Revelation 9:1 And the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star fall from heaven unto the earth: and to him was given the key of the bottomless pit.
Lucifer himself will one day fall under the judgment of God. He, too, will be brought down to hell in the final judgment [Revelation 20:10].
A study of the passage of Revelation 12:7, 8, reveals the beginning of the ultimate doom of Satan. In the time before creation, Satan's early fall was from the immediate presence of God to the second heaven ( Isaiah 14:12-14, Ezekiel 28:12-15, Ephesians 6:10-12). . . . Neither was there a place found anymore in Heaven. The weaker the foe (Satan) will be permanently dislodged, never to regain access to Heaven.
Are we guilty of treason when we are prideful and disobedient to God? Are we just as guilty when we cause others to sin?
I admit it is very difficult to refrain from sin, but we must try with all our heart, mind and strength to resist the devil. We can only do that with God's help, we can not do it on our own, we are not strong enough. Our faith has to be strengthened with the help of God, with the help of Jesus, and with the help and guidance of the Holy Spirit. Only these three can protect us from the arrows and darts of Satan.