Many Bible scholars believe the snake introduced in the story of the Garden of Eden (Gen. 3) is Satan. I also believe the nachash (Strong’s # H 5172 – a snake – from its hiss – serpent) was Satan, and he shapeshifted to be a delightful and alluring creature to Eve. (Is shapeshifting possible? The Holy Spirit became a dove, too. Mark 1:10, more on this later.)
The snake, or serpent, is the dragon who deceives the whole world, and the same entity who was thrown down when he fought Michael the Archangel in a war in heaven.
Revelation 12:9 This great dragon—the ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, the one deceiving the whole world—was thrown down to the earth with all his angels.
There’s some deep history behind the verse directly above, which we’ll consider in this blog.
During the Tribulation, the dragon (Satan) will energize the first beast (the Antichrist) with his power.
Revelation 13:2b And the dragon (Satan) gave the beast (the Antichrist) his own power and throne and great authority.
There is a second beast known as the false prophet in Rev. 13:11-17. The false prophet “will serve as the lieutenant for the Antichrist, preparing the way and catapulting him to power and unparalleled success.”[1]
Revelation 13:12 [The second beast] exercised all the authority of the first beast. And he required all the earth and its people to worship the first beast, whose fatal wound had been healed.
Mark Hitchcock labels the three entities, Satan, the Antichrist, and the false prophet, as an unholy trinity.[2] They seek to deceive every human possible. We will look at a broad perspective on these entities and how each relates to the Tribulation.
The Fall
Let’s begin with Satan’s encounter with Adam and Eve, when they were brand-new creations of God in the Garden of Eden. Eve was tempted by the serpent and ate the forbidden fruit, and Adam did too. Their action was in spite of Yahweh’s warning, thinking He was holding back some kind of stimulant. So they ate the fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. That small action was actually the catastrophic failure that brought evil into the good world God created.
In that standoff, there was a total divergence of wit and mastery between Satan and the innocent, freshly created humans. As we gain a familiarity with the devil’s status among God’s creatures, you’ll be amazed at the contrast in power and intelligence between unseasoned Adam & Eve, and the dragon. It was like a boxing match between Muhammad Ali in his prime, versus a 4-year-old.
It was contemptuous that a heavenly being of his caliber and intelligence deceived God’s new humans made in His image. God had given clear guidance about the fruit of the tree. And the couple had the ability to remain true because they were highly intelligent as well.
But they had no experience with a deceiver whom Jesus later called “a liar and the father of lies.” Eve didn’t have a chance against Satan, particularly during their banter over what might happen if she ate the fruit. Adam must have thought, “I’m with her,” stuck with his mate, and ate too.
The First Promise
If you’ve read my book, Roots of the Kingdom, you’re familiar with how their encounter with the devil brought about the First Promise, or what can be called the Seed War.[3]
Yahweh made the First Promise during a brief conversation He had afterward with Satan (Gen. 3:14-15). God nonchalantly, but in deep earnest, foretold the hostile nature of world history to come. And sure enough, the Seed War is a theme that recurs throughout the Bible.
Yes, God expressed a multimillennial Seed War plan for humans to overcome Satan’s evil kingdom.
Genesis 3:15 And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your (Satan’s) seed and her (woman’s) seed; He (Jesus) shall bruise you on the head, and you (Satan) shall bruise him on the heel. (words in parentheses added)
Thus began a 6,000-year war between good and evil. (Note that “6 days” are almost up, then comes the 7th day of rest, the Millennial Kingdom, so some believe.) Mind you, the spiritual war gets messy because good and evil are now inseparable in this world. Good and evil co-exist. From the get-go, God clearly foresaw this conflict between the human seed and the fallen angel seed.
The First Promise is that Jesus and His beloved humans will emerge victorious. There is an ongoing, unseen battle—a struggle between good and evil that the Bible reveals. It’s spiritual, but often spills into the physical world. It always causes tension among individuals, people groups, and nations.
“This one scripture (Gen. 3:15) encapsulates the entire biblical prophetic narrative;” [4] – L. A. Marzulli
Good World Turned Evil
After the six days of creation, including the creation of humans in His image, God pronounced that it was all very good!
Genesis 1:27, 2:31a So God created human beings in his own image. In the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. 31 Then God looked over all he had made, and he saw that it was very good!
However, by influencing Adam and Eve to do evil, Satan interrupted God’s good world. That’s when Yahweh had to initiate Plan B, so to speak. It’s not that the rebellion Satan influenced caught God by surprise. It was the next step He had anticipated taking to redeem this world. Yes, He knew Ali would beat the 4-year-old. It all had to happen.
Satan’s rebellion in heaven and on earth continued and still influences God’s good world. It presently includes evil rulers, powers, and spirits that stand in contrast to God’s good ways.
Ephesians 6:12 For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.
Future Harvest Time
For now, God uses the evil influences to recognize the individuals who turn from evil – to do good. Yahweh pays attention to each person’s heart to determine who will faithfully live for Him.
In the End Times, on a final judgment day, the good and the evil will be sorted out. God will send his angels for those who are loyal to Jesus’ word and teachings. Those who seek to live for God will enter His Kingdom, which, after Jesus’ Millennial Reign, will be the New Heaven and the New Earth.
Matthew 13:40-43 Just as the weeds are sorted out and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the world. 41 The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will remove from his Kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil. 42 And the angels will throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 43 Then the righteous will shine like the sun in their Father’s Kingdom. Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand!
The Signs of the Times will bring in the Last Days. The End Times will bring about the Tribulation, during which God will sort out the evil from the good. This will be the case even among the gods (elohim) or angels in heaven, as well as the leaders of nations who caused the chaos on Earth.
Isaiah 24:21 In that day the Lord will punish the gods in the heavens and the proud rulers of the nations on earth.
The Seed War Continues
The devil is the one who caused the Seed War. He has recruited angels and rulers to fight against God’s goodness. Consequently, even those who try to do the right thing are often hampered while we look for the First Promise. We all fight against the evil rulers, powers, and spirits.
Yes, although the first conflict of the war occurred millennia ago in the Garden of Eden, First Promise battles still continue. The battles are like ripples across the surface of the Bible narrative. Prophetic predictions of the larger battles, those won and lost, are woven throughout Scripture.
The crucifixion was a major win in the Seed War. It was a bruise to Jesus’ heel, but His subsequent resurrection was a bruise to Satan’s head, the devil’s command center. Eventually, the War will trigger a devastating Tribulation, and it will be the beginning of the end for Satan.
Finally, Jesus will come on the clouds during His second coming, and He will rule justly on Earth for one thousand years. Let’s look at the statement Jesus made about His coming.
Matthew 24:30-31 And then at last, the sign that the Son of Man is coming will appear in the heavens, and there will be deep mourning among all the peoples of the earth. And they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. 31 And he will send out his angels with the mighty blast of a trumpet, and they will gather his chosen ones from all over the world—from the farthest ends of the earth and heaven.
The fulfillment of the First Promise will unfold in the End Times. It will all come about because of the Unseen War that has lasted thousands of years, the seven-year Tribulation, and finally, the consummation (perfectly completed plan) of the Seed War and First Promise.
Jesus’ Second Coming will usher in the Millennial Reign of Christ. After that, the New Heaven and the New Earth will be our final, eternal home where God will live with us. That is our destiny, despite a difficult 6,000 years of human history. The consummation (perfectly completed plan) will usher in the fulfillment of Adam and Eve’s – and therefore, humankind’s original status.
It’s amazing how much chaos and difficulty Satan and the dark kingdoms’ rebellions have brought upon the Earth. For a heavenly entity that has been so influential, let’s delve into his background.
Satan’s Origins
What circumstances brought about the life form we call Satan, and the unholy trinity he will put together? The quick answer is it all has to do with the intense pride, rebellion, and unfaithfulness of a high heavenly creature who sought to be like God.
The story concerns the End Times, because he will give his power and twisted wisdom to the Antichrist as he attempts to become master of the world. Together, they will deceive people and hope to gain the worship humans would otherwise give to Yahweh.
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Let me take a quick tangent here. Why does Yahweh want our whole hearts, for us to worship only Him? Because He knows He’s the only Person in the Universe who has: the power to deal with malcontents, the faithfulness required to uphold and create the promising future humans have, and the foresight to bring about our final destination to heaven. That’s the prize Adam and Eve lost in the Garden of Eden, simply because of inexperience. But the whole age of rebellion gives them and their children the wisdom Adam and Eve did not have.
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It’s obvious that Satan, trying to be god, has made a total mess of things! Yet Satan will still seek the worship he originally sought, which separated him from God. His selfish plan calls out… Worship me!
Revelation 13:4 They worshiped the dragon for giving the beast such power, and they also worshiped the beast.
A second beast, the false prophet, will make his best effort to promote the Antichrist.
Satan, the Antichrist, and the false prophet make up an evil trinity who will operate hand in hand to deceive the world.
Certainly, Satan is Yahweh’s archenemy, the embodiment of evil and opposition to God. He will be the force or spirit behind the future Antichrist’s power.
By gaining insight into the devil’s evil ways, we can avoid being deceived by him and understand why God will bring about the Great Tribulation. The meaning of his name alone shows his character.
The Meanings of Names
The Hebrew word “satan” means “adversary.” In this sense, we can call him “the satan.”[5]
satan Strong’s Hebrew # H7854 – an opponent; especially, the archenemy of good, an adversary, to withstand.
Another word used to describe him comes from the Greek “diabolos,” meaning “devil,” which is another popular term to identify Satan.
devil Strong’s Greek # 1228, diabolos – a false accuser or slanderer.
Is Satan a Real Entity, or Just a Fable?
People sometimes wonder if Satan, or the devil, is real. It’s an appropriate question. Wikipedia’s description of the devil expresses skepticism about his existence. It states, “A devil is the mythical personification of evil as it is conceived in various cultures and religious traditions.”[6]
I mean no discredit to Wikipedia for having skepticism about Satan. Rather, I mention it to show their definition is the popular view of the devil. Typically, he’s a myth only believed by “religious” people.
The mythical perspective reminds me of a comedian, popular decades ago, who would pretend to do or say something less than upright, and then jokingly shift the blame, saying, “The devil made me do it!” It came across as light-hearted fun. It was popular to use the joke in everyday life to foster camaraderie with others. I don’t mean to be overserious. I get the joke, but it’s a true statement.
Without a solid foundation of true knowledge about the devil, it’s easy to minimize his negative impact on our world for millennia. The full authority of the Bible backs up the actual existence of Satan as a divine being. Just one example is that the Bible tells us Jesus had a conversation with him.
Note that in the words they exchanged, Satan craved for Jesus (God in the flesh) to worship him. There’s a recurring theme in the Biblical narrative of Satan seeking worship. The war between good and evil exists in the world partially because Satan wanted to be like God.
Matthew 4:8-10 Next the devil took [Jesus] to the peak of a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. 9 ‘“I will give it all to you,” he said, “if you will kneel down and worship me. Get out of here, Satan,” Jesus told him. “For the Scriptures say, ‘You must worship the Lord your God and serve only him.’”
During the Tribulation, the war between good and evil will no longer be totally unseen. Evil will rise to the surface through the Antichrist and the false prophet. The two will take their inspiration and cues from Satan.
When Satan empowers the two beasts to do supernatural acts and demand worship, their evil will finally be evident to anyone who has discernment. Perhaps that’s why during the Tribulation, scores of people will finally pledge their lives to Yahweh. But they may end up as martyrs by waiting.
Prehistoric and Ancient Historical Events
Let’s rewind to a time before Earth’s foundation.
Almost covertly, tucked away in an unsuspected place, the Bible discloses that God created the heavenly hosts before the creation of the Earth and humankind.
The concept is not readily shown in Genesis, where God’s magnificent 6-day creation on Earth is reported. Rather, it’s buried in the book of Job, showing that heavenly hosts watched Yahweh perform His amazing acts of creation that brought about our world. (See Job 38:4-7)[7]
Heavenly hosts saw Yahweh lay the foundations of the Earth as described in Genesis chapter 1.[8] When God made it happen, the angels must have shouted more enthusiastically than home team fans during a game-winning grand slam!
Job 38:4-7 “Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Tell me, if you know so much. 5 Who determined its dimensions and stretched out the surveying line? 6 What supports its foundations, and who laid its cornerstone 7 as the morning stars sang together and all the angels shouted for joy?
We may not know when Satan was created for sure, but he was probably there with other heavenly entities watching Yahweh’s 6-day creation event. (Gen.1) It’s possible he may have already been an adversary craving God’s power, and worship from others.
Let’s think of the situation at hand, if the devil really was there to see God create the world.
As the Bible narrative moved on, God still allowed Satan’s attendance at Divine Council meetings, the congregation of the mighty (Psalm 82:1), he had a presence in the Garden of Eden, he talked with God about trashing Job, and he tried to bargain with Jesus – he would give Jesus the world if God in the flesh worshipped him. These occasions show that Yahweh is not intimidated by Satan one bit. In it all, God wants us all to see the character of the adversary, the leader opposed to Yahweh in the good and evil war.
The Seal of Perfection
The following Scripture was initially written to describe a prince in the city of Tyre. But in the account, “The Prophet utilizes an older tale of a downfall in Eden.”[9] Many Bible scholars attribute the next verse of holy writ to a time when Satan was in the Garden of Eden.
Ezekiel 28:12b–13a Thus says the Lord GOD, “You had the seal of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty. You were in Eden, the garden of God.”
The prophet provides us with an intimate view into Satan’s competence. No wonder Eve was fooled. It may seem odd, but at one time, he was the seal of perfection, full of wisdom, and beautiful.
He had an exquisite covering of precious jewels, prepared specifically for him by God the day he was created. We can do no less than believe Yahweh brought him to life with singular care. It must have been some time before the Earth and humans were created.
Ezekiel 28:13b Every precious stone was your covering: The ruby, the topaz and the diamond; The beryl, the onyx and the jasper; The lapis lazuli, the turquoise and the emerald; And the gold, the workmanship of your settings and sockets, was in you. On the day that you were created they were prepared.
Consider that when we discuss heavenly hosts, each one is unique. All living things are somewhat different, even within their kind. That’s how God makes things; even identical twins have differences. We can see this in human bodies, abilities, competence, merit, and virtue. Satan was exquisite; he stood out from the rest.
As one of Yahweh’s highest beings, he was among the powerful cherubim and seraphim in heaven. I’ll provide some descriptions to verify that statement. It gets detailed, but it’s worth paying attention to because the depictions provide an account of Satan’s wondrous attributes before he turned evil.
Cherubim
The cherubim are stunning throne guardians who protect the space around Yahweh.
Ezekiel chapters 1 and 10, and Revelation chapter 4, depict the various attributes of cherubim. In Ezekiel 1 and 10, they have four wings each. Whereas, in Revelation 10, the cherubim have six wings. All are amazing creations and are tremendous, enlightened, hybrid beasts that exude phenomenal power. It may seem strange, but each has four faces: human, lion, eagle, and oxen.
By cross-referencing the facial characteristics in Ezekiel 1 and 10 with Revelation 4, we can speculate about the physical attributes of a cherub’s face.
Ezekiel 1 – ox, human, lion, and eagle
Ezekiel 10 – cherub, human, lion, and eagle
Revelation 4 – ox, man, lion, and eagle
As you can see, the cherubim are equated to oxen. So it seems their foundational nature is bovine (cattle). They also have hooves like those of a bull, ox, cow, or calf. And they have some human traits, like straight legs and human hands, beneath their wings. The cherubim are a mix of bovine and human, with a few lion and eagle features.[10]
As for their function, in the chapter “Cherubim—Guardians Below” of Roots of the Kingdom, I present multiple verses that identify cherubim. In all those passages, the Bible shows that Yahweh is enthroned above the cherubim. They were organized to protect the space below Him.[11] Note that Yahweh is always above them. For instance, here are two from the many references I provide.
Psalm 80:1 Oh, give ear, Shepherd of Israel, You who lead Joseph like a flock; You who are enthroned above the cherubim, shine forth!
Psalm 99:1 The Lord reigns, let the peoples tremble; He is enthroned above the cherubim, let the earth shake!
The complementary seraphim are amazing too, and curiously, they are above Yahweh’s throne.
Seraphim
Brown-Driver-Briggs defines “seraph,” which is Strong’s word H8314 – śārāp in Isaiah 6:2, as follows: 1) serpent, fiery serpent 1a) poisonous serpent (fiery from burning effect of poison) 2) seraph, seraphim 2a) majestic beings with six wings, human hands or voices in attendance upon God.[12]
In the chapter “Seraphim—Guardians Above” in my book, I show that there is a preponderance of information about cherubim but very little about seraphim. Isaiah 6 is the lone, short passage that identifies seraphim.
Isaiah 6:1-2 In the year of King Uzziah’s death I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, lofty and exalted, with the train of His robe filling the temple. Seraphim stood above Him, each having six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew.
Given the details available to us in Scripture, it’s possible that the seraphim are a dedicated subgroup of cherubim chosen and individually anointed by Yahweh.[13]
The seraphim seem to have an organizational status as an elite subgroup of throne guardians. The seraphim could be equated to the military hierarchy of the Army Rangers, a special forces unit of the U.S. Army. Whether a regular Army recruit (cherubim) or an Army Ranger (seraphim), both are full members of the U.S. Army (throne guardians are members of the armies of heavenly hosts).
The seraphim above, and cherubim below, positioning around Yahweh is no small distinction. God allows Himself to be placed in a vulnerable position by assigning the seraphim in places above Him. In those prestigious positions, might seraphim be Yahweh’s most trusted members of the throne guardians? Perhaps they are like the Secret Service agents who directly attend a president.
The Annointed Cherub
Ezekiel Chapter 28 is widely regarded by scholars as a passage describing Satan. Significantly, Ezekiel 28:14 describes an anointed cherub. It’s the lone verse describing a cherub who covers on the mountain of God. No doubt this cherub (Army recruit) was positioned above, covering Yahweh with the seraphim (Army Rangers).
Ezekiel 28:14 You were the anointed cherub who covers, and I placed you there. You were on the holy mountain of God; You walked in the midst of the stones of fire.
This implies that Satan was a cherub at some point, but the distinguished recruit was anointed to be an elite seraphim member. It seems that all the seraphim are an elite subgroup of cherubim, in their position because of meritorious stature.
Only the seraphim are over Yahweh, placed there as a covering banner to proclaim God’s holiness and protect His presence from above. These tremendous and intense protective superintendents and worship leaders unnerved the prophet, Isaiah. In their presence, he thought he was doomed.
Isaiah 6:3-5a They were calling out to each other, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of Heaven’s Armies! The whole earth is filled with his glory!” 4 Their voices shook the Temple to its foundations, and the entire building was filled with smoke. 5a Then I said, “It’s all over! I am doomed, for I am a sinful man. I have filthy lips, and I live among a people with filthy lips.
Isaiah was at the throne of the King of kings, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. In his dream, he saw God! But in spite of his sinfulness and filthy lips, he said, “Yet I have seen the King, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.”
Power, prestige, and close proximity to Yahweh are the status or standing of the Seraphim. I believe that’s the position the devil once had, and he’s often described as a serpent or a dragon.
Is that a metaphor, or are dragons truly possible? From what we derive in various Scripture passages, Satan was a cherub, then anointed and elevated as a throne guardian seraph. We saw that the word seraph is defined as a fiery, poisonous serpent. So the devil could be a real dragon who exists in the unseen realm.
The Dragon
When Yahweh anointed the cherub, He may have given him a grand, sinuous, graceful body characterized by curving motions. With descriptions of Yahweh’s throne being surrounded by blazing fire and light, maybe he was a fire-breathing dragon. He must have handled fire, otherwise he’d be unable to live and thrive in such a place.
Satan was likely a sophisticated, elite fiery dragon, tasked with safeguarding the space above Yahweh’s throne. This is speculation, but just one supernatural ability would merge his cherub/seraph traits together. That is, if Yahweh had enabled Satan to shapeshift, which it seems heavenly beings sometimes do.
Shapeshifting may seem like science fiction to some, but to confirm I’m not over-speculating, consider that angels can look exactly like humans. The resurrected Jesus had a heavenly body and walked through solid material into a locked room.
When Jesus was baptized, the Spirit of God descended upon him like a dove. At Pentecost, the Spirit rushed in like a mighty wind and looked like tongues of fire. It seems that heavenly beings have bodies with shapeshifting abilities. Maybe they do it by rearranging molecules.
Perhaps Yahweh bestows enhanced and refined bodies upon those He anoints in heaven? The Bible teaches that human bodies will be clothed in glorious garments of light. We will be powerful
and spiritual; our bodies will never perish.
1 Corinthians 15:53 For our dying bodies must be transformed into bodies that will never die; our mortal bodies must be transformed into immortal bodies.
Interestingly, Rabbinic literature from the first or second century A.D. holds that “Adam and Eve were first clothed in garments of light and then later clothed in garments of skin.” It’s not out of line to think bodies can change when Yahweh gives new status to His creations.[14]
It also seems that heavenly beings can shapeshift to a lower grade. Angels visit us here on earth and make themselves look human, without us being aware of them. They reduce their radiance rather than being entities blazing with light.
Hebrews 13:2 Don’t forget to show hospitality to strangers, for some who have done this have entertained angels without realizing it!
The Lord created Satan as the seal of perfection, full of wisdom, and perfect in beauty. On top of that, he was of blameless character.
Ezekiel 28:15 You were blameless in your ways from the day you were created until unrighteousness was found in you.
Before Satan’s fall, there existed a dragon in the unseen realm who was created by God, and he was astonishingly beautiful, bright, and blameless.
Lucifer’s Fall
The bright, fiery dragon’s name was Lucifer, as shown from the King James Version, below.
Isaiah 14:12a (KJV) How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning!
Lucifer is derived from the Latin “lucem ferre,” meaning “light-bearer” or “light-bringer.” As a seraph, he would have been capable of shining brightly, like blazing fire. The Hebrew words in the Book of Isaiah are translated similarly, suggesting he is bright, like a shining star.
The verse below describes a characteristic of Satan that will also be a trait of the Antichrist. He’ll disguise himself and appear to be someone who emulates light. In this case, meaning utmost intelligence, perception, and wisdom, as the devil had, and still seems to have.
2 Corinthians 11:14 No wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.
But in the same passage, we learn that he fell from heaven, thrown down to earth.
Isaiah 14:12-14 (NLT) How you are fallen from heaven, O shining star, son of the morning! You have been thrown down to the earth, you who destroyed the nations of the world. 13 For you said to yourself, ‘I will ascend to heaven and set my throne above God’s stars. I will preside on the mountain of the gods far away in the north. 14 I will climb to the highest heavens and be like the Most High.’
Notice the verses above say, I will, I will, I will, be like the Most High. But instead, he was brought down for trying to set his throne above Yahweh and all His hosts. Eventually, when he is laid low, they’ll ask, “Is he the one who destroyed the world?”
Out of bitterness and envy, he hurts people trying to please God. But Satan will someday be removed from his status in this world – which for now is to be on the earth and the sky around it – and then he’ll go to hell. He will woefully be brought down to the place of the dead (Sheol), down to its lowest depths.
Isaiah 14:15-17 Instead, you will be brought down to the place of the dead, down to its lowest depths. 16 Everyone there will stare at you and ask, ‘Can this be the one who shook the earth and made the kingdoms of the world tremble? 17 Is this the one who destroyed the world and made it into a wasteland?
Imagine the heartache caused when one of God’s anointed creations decided to rebel against Him. Additionally, Lucifer was so spectacular and influential that he brought others to his side against God.
The next section explains the war that began in heaven when Satan rebelled.
War in Heaven[15]
Dominating power is a characteristic of Satan and the Dark Kingdom. The tyranny and deception he uses have been, and currently are, the spiritual influence behind most of the upheavals, destruction, oppression, and fragmentations among the nations of the world.
Why do the heavenly hosts have such power? From whom are guardians protecting God’s throne? The answer is that the Lord gave Satan and all the heavenly hosts free will and was intimately aware that some of His creatures could and would rebel. Therefore, God enabled the loyal elohim to fight malcontents who used their free will and power to cause revolts against Him. The free will ability of moral creatures to resist God is why Heaven is protected by the guardians He established. It’s why the heavenly hosts are ordered as an army, a mass of entities organized for war.
The Book of Revelation, chapter 12, describes a great red dragon bearing seven heads and ten horns. The passage seems to reveal that in the past, this dragon influenced a third of the heavenly hosts to rebel against God and His faithful hosts in Heaven.[16]
Was Satan cast from Heaven during a past war or hostile events, or is Revelation prophesying his future descent?[17]
Revelation 12:3-4 Then another sign appeared in heaven: and behold, a great red dragon having seven heads and ten horns, and on his heads were seven diadems. And his tail swept away a third of the stars of heaven and threw them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman who was about to give birth, so that when she gave birth he might devour her child.[18]
I respect other views, but I believe the hostilities described are historical. That Yahweh used His unmatched strength and that of His holy hosts to stop Satan’s rebellion.
The great red dragon is introduced in verse 4 but identified as the devil and Satan in verse 9, as noted below. The dragon stood before the woman who was about to give birth, so he could devour Jesus. A historical event, too, in a book that mostly prophecies the future. We know it refers to Jesus because He will eventually rule the nations.
Revelation 12:5-6 And she gave birth to a son, a male child, who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron; and her child was caught up to God and to His throne. Then the woman fled into the wilderness where she had a place prepared by God, so that there she would be nourished for one thousand two hundred and sixty days.
The next verses describe the war of the rebellion in Heaven, and some aspects run closely parallel to Isaiah 14:12-14 and Ezekiel 28:16.
Revelation 12:7-9 And there was war in heaven, Michael and his angels waging war with the dragon. The dragon and his angels waged war, and they were not strong enough, and there was no longer a place found for them in heaven. And the great dragon was thrown down, the serpent of old who is called the devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him.
Note the passage from Revelation 12 above states, “Because there was no longer a place found for them in heaven,” a war began to cast out Satan and his followers. When cast out of Heaven, where did Satan and his devotees go?
Whereabouts of Satan
To clarify, Revelation 12:9 explains that during the war in heaven, Satan and his angels were thrown down to Earth, not to Sheol – yet.[19] For now, he’s the god of this world, in the sky and on earth.
Sheol is an Old Testament Hebrew term. (Strong’s H7585 – Sheol – the place of the dead, underworld, grave, hell, pit) Hades is a Greek New Testament term that is equivalent to Sheol. It’s not Earth.
After the Tribulation, Satan will be thrown down to Sheol or the underworld. He will remain in Sheol throughout the Millennial reign of Christ, but will be released at its end. (Rev. 20:7)
After he’s released, he’ll go back to deceiving the nations again. Then Satan, the Antichrist, and the false prophet will all be thrown into the fiery lake of burning sulfur.
Revelation 20:10 Then the devil, who had deceived them, was thrown into the fiery lake of burning sulfur, joining the beast and the false prophet. There they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.
But for now, Satan is the god of this world or Earth (2 Cor. 4:4), where his dark forces shake kingdoms, overturn empires, destroy cities, and continue to do so. Only after being judged will Satan and his followers be punished and thrown into Sheol.
The Role of Good and Evil
Since Satan was thrown down from heaven for being an adversary, Yahweh utilizes the devil’s rebellious nature to separate good and evil. Those two states of heart coexist among humans. God judges each person’s heart intention during events in this world caused by circumstances, human agency, his fallen angels, demons, and Satan.
I’ve contemplated the contrast between good and evil for years. Here’s how I’ve distilled those thoughts. Goodness is the proper use of free will (power). That’s how God originally created each of us. Evil is the misuse of free will (power) to offend the life, liberty, or property of others.[20]
God wants us to learn to use our free will rightly. That goal is so important that God allowed Satan to be an influential god of this world. In that role, he tempts each one of us, groups, and even whole nations, to misuse our power. Satan is still angry because he had the full picture of goodness but tossed it away.
God gives us a lifetime to learn the difference between good and evil. He judges (not punishes) each of us for a lifetime to learn how we want to live. People need to be influenced to reveal their nature. Yahweh is constantly considering our ultimate intention, hoping to see our desire to follow His ways.
The whole plan of redemption we read in the Bible is an influence for us to live for Him. Jesus’ first coming, the life He lived, and the teaching He gave us show that God loves us faithfully. At the end of His earthly life, Jesus did a tremendous and influential work on the cross.
Jesus proclaimed the gospel of God – forgiveness for repentance of sins. The Lord upheld Jesus’ ministry by raising Him from the dead. He sits at the right hand of God and has all authority in heaven and earth. (Mark 1:14-15; Luke 24:47; Mark 16:6; Heb. 1:1-3; Acts 1:9-11; 1 Pet. 1:3-5)[21]
But again, the god of this world is a relentless evil working to make us fall. Our will must go after one of the two ways of life. All of this is true, and unbelief or neutrality is not an option.
The God of This World
The Apostle Paul said the following.
2 Corinthians 4:4 Satan, who is the god of this world, has blinded the minds of those who don’t believe. They are unable to see the glorious light of the Good News. They don’t understand this message about the glory of Christ, who is the exact likeness of God.
Paul also described Satan as the prince of the power of the air.
Ephesians 2:1-2 (NASB) And you were dead in your trespasses and sins, 2 in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience.
Jesus said, Satan is the ruler of this world or, the prince of this world.
John 12:31 (NASB) Now judgment is upon this world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out.
John 12:31 (KJV) Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out.
Jesus also said the devil was a murderer from the beginning. There is no truth in him; he is a liar, and the father of lies.
John 8:44 (NASB) You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. Whenever he tells a lie, he speaks from his own nature, because he is a liar and the father of lies.
Peter described the devil as one who prowls like a lion because he destroys people. Again, he is “the satan” because Satan can be defined as an adversary.
1 Peter 5:8 Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.
The devil seeks ways to offend our rights and enslave us. In the process, he speaks lies. He does it all to gain worship from others. We know he also tempts people to break their promises, contracts, and covenants, thereby ruining us. The Bible states that we should resist his temptations.
Ending Thoughts
For all the reasons I’ve shown in this blog, I believe God is guiding the world in His timing. He’s allowing for the free will of humans and divine beings to bring us to a time called the Tribulation. That’s when the evil ones, those who influenced all the chaos, will be judged and punished.
Isaiah 24:21 In that day the Lord will punish the gods in the heavens and the proud rulers of the nations on earth.
When Yahweh’s work in this age is accomplished and complete, it is called the consummation. In other words, God’s work to provide justice to all (angels and humans) will be completed and finalized.
The second part (7b) of this blog comes next. It will expose the Antichrist (the first beast) and the false prophet (the second beast), who will coordinate dark forces during the Tribulation.
Fortunately, Part 7b shows that God will energize the 144,000 Jewish Billy Graham-type evangelists who will spread the Gospel around the world. We’ll find that millions of people will be saved during the Tribulation. Right down to the end of this world, good and evil will always be mixed.
God’s best to you,
Glenn
[1] Mark Hitchcock, The End (Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., 2012) p. 269
[2] Mark Hitchcock, The End (Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., 2012) p. 276
[3] Glenn L. Marx, Roots of the Kingdom (Manasota Key, FL: Valley Warrior Publishing, 2022) Pgs. 181-191
[4] L. A. Marzulli, Rungs of Disclosure (Lake Mary, FL: Published by FrontLine, 2024) Pg. 55
[5] Michael S. Heiser, The Unseen Realm: Recovering the Supernatural Worldview of the Bible (Bellingham,
WA: Lexham Press, 2015), Pg. 56
[6] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Devil (Accessed 2026-06-07)
[7] Glenn L. Marx, Roots of the Kingdom (Manasota Key, FL: Valley Warrior Publishing, 2022) Job 38:4-7; Pgs. 3, 55-56
[8] Answers in Genesis, A Pocket Guide to… Satan & the Serpent (Petersburg, KY: Answers in Genesis, 2014) Pg. 23
[9] Heiser, The Unseen Realm, Pg. 77
[10] Glenn L. Marx, Roots of the Kingdom (Manasota Key, FL: Valley Warrior Publishing, 2022) Pg.122
[11] Glenn L. Marx, Roots of the Kingdom (Manasota Key, FL: Valley Warrior Publishing, 2022) Pgs.115-128, 129-141, 153-154
[12] Strong’s Hebrew Lexicon Number, StudyBible.info, Accessed October 18, 2020. https://studybible.info/strongs/H8314
[13] Glenn L. Marx, Roots of the Kingdom (Manasota Key, FL: Valley Warrior Publishing, 2022) Chapter 11, Seraphim – Guardians Above
[14] Douglas Hamp, Corrupting the Image, (Defender Publishing, 2011): Pg. 48
[15] This section is copied from Roots of the Kingdom. Much of it is word-for-word, with a few changes, from pages 150-153.
[16] Admittedly, some scholars disagree that a third of the angels revolted with Satan. Also, scholars discuss whether the cited rebellion occurred in the past or is a foretold event of prophecy. We cannot know these things for sure. But these concepts are in the Bible for us to contemplate.
[17] https://www.answerthebible.com/is-the-war-in-heaven-in-revelation-12-describing-satans-original-fall-or-an-end-times-angelic-battle/ (Accessed 2026-05-21)
[18] The verses from Revelation show that the dragon, or Satan, always seeks to destroy the children of women in embryo, right at birth, or soon after. The dragon especially does so when he catches any wind of God’s plan to birth exceptional people, those who may provide hope and guidance to humankind. Two such instances are the king of Egypt’s desire to kill the Hebrew children (Exodus 1:16, 22, 2:10) and Herod’s killing of the male children of Bethlehem (Matthew 2:13, 16).
[19] BlueLetterBible.org, https://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/lexicon/lexicon.cfm?Strongs=H7585&t=NASB Accessed 2020-10-10
[20] Glenn L. Marx, Roots of the Kingdom (Manasota Key, FL: Valley Warrior Publishing, 2022) Pg.163
[21] https://glennlmarx.com/beliefs/ (Accessed 2026-06-18)