Lesson 320: "Stand"
Two questions were posed to me recently; was Satan created as an angel, and does Satan live here on earth? Genesis 1:1 states that in the beginning God created heaven and earth. This means the beginning of the earth and heavens as we know them. We do not know when God created the angels because some things are “secret” and the knowledge belongs only to God (Deut. 29:29) but we assume the angels always were just like God always was. We do know read that God asked Job where he was when He (God) laid the earth’s foundations and the angels shouted for joy (Job 38:4, 7), therefore most agree the angels existed from the beginning or perhaps created between Genesis 1:1 and Genesis 1:2.
Lucifer was one of God’s archangels along with Michael and Gabriel. From reading the scripture we find that Michael is a warrior (Rev. 12:7), Gabriel a messenger (Luke 1:19, 26) and Lucifer the angel of light (2 Cor. 11:14), was God’s constant companion and walked in the presence of God’s throne. He was a beautiful creature, adorned with precious jewels and even had access to the Garden of Eden (Ezek. 28:11-17). He was so proud of himself that he decided to take from God, the heavenly Kingdom. That is when God cast him out of heaven, down to earth (Isa. 14:12-15, Luke 10:18). He decided since he could not make heaven his kingdom, he would be prince of the world (John 12:31), god of this age (2 Cor. 4:4), ruler of the kingdom of air (Eph. 2:2) and establish his kingdom on earth. One third of the angels followed him out of heaven and became his evil servants on earth, doing battle against the godly angels in the heavenly realm and trying to kill and destroy humans (John 10:10).
Satan does not and never has lived in hell! He roams throughout the earth and the heavens (Job 1:7) and although he has lost the glory of God and has no place in heaven he still stands and accuses the saints before God (Zech. 3:1, Rev. 12:10). Satan was not the serpent in the Garden of Eden. Notice in Genesis chapter one God made all the animals and creatures, even those that move along the ground which we assume included the serpent. Yes, Satan was there, but remember that he was not bound but had free access to the earth and most likely loved the sight of the beautiful garden. Now after God created man to rule over all the creatures (Gen. 1:26), Satan, being the jealous creature he was, feared he would lose his earthly domain so he entered into the serpent just like he later entered Judas (John 13:27). He tempted Eve who tempted Adam and sin was born in the Garden and the serpent was cursed above all the livestock and all the wild animals. “You will crawl on your belly and you will eat dust all the days of your life……He will curse your head and you will strike His heel” (Gen. 3:14-15).
Now that you know where the devil is, understand that you must resist him and he will flee from you (James 4:7) because Jesus on the Cross has destroyed him (1 Cor. 15:55-57). There is a place that God prepared just for the devil and his angels and he is headed straight “down” (Matt. 25:41). Until the time appointed for the devil to be cast into the lake of burning sulfur (Rev. 20:10) he is alive and well and after your very soul. The only place to be while you live on earth is in the palm of Jesus’ hand (John 10:22-30) wearing the full armor of God (Eph. 6:13-18). “Therefore my dear brothers, STAND firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain” (1Cor. 15:58). After you have done everything to stand, STAND FIRM!