Satan’s History

Satan is probably the “star of the morning” who desired to be like God. The Bible doesn’t give plain specific details regarding such things as Satan’s pre-fall history, or when and how Satan and his angel followers sinned and fell from grace. It’s an instance of the fact that the Bible provides all the information we need to know to be rightly related to God but doesn’t answer every possible question we may ask. Two passages probably, but not definitely, give insight into Satan’s early history. The first is Isaiah 14:12-17. It speaks of the “star of the morning,” who…

Fallen Angels

All angels were created holy, but many, including Satan, sinned and fell from grace. Satan is the leader of all fallen angels and the only one referred to by name. The others are referred to as “demons,” “unclean spirits,” “evil spirits,” and the devil’s “angels.” Since fallen angels were created as holy angels, they likely have the same potential powers and abilities as holy angels. But since fallen angels, unlike holy angels, operate contrary to God’s moral law, we may be confident that the Holy Spirit’s temporary restraint on Satan (2 Thess. 2:6-8) includes restraining the full use of those…

Satan is a Person

Satan is a fallen angel. The literal meaning of the Hebrew and Greek words translated as “angel” is “messenger.” God has used holy angels as messengers to His people, but that’s only part of their overall role, which is glorifying God and serving Him and His people. Angels are spirit beings created by God and numbering at least in the hundreds of millions (Rev. 5:11). As spirit beings they may have spiritual bodies but they don’t have permanent “physical” bodies like humans. They were likely all created at once, before the creation of the earth (Job 38:4-7). Their numbers are…