All angels were created holy, but many

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 powers and abilities.

Though fallen angels have free will and are allowed to commit evil, they cannot do anything outside God’s permissive will. God hates evil but permits it up to a point. Past that point, the Holy Spirit restrains evil. Natural man and fallen angels have such capacity for evil that if they weren’t restrained this earth would an intolerable place to live.

As evil as the days are now, worse is coming. During the tribulation the Holy Spirit’s restraining power over sin will be lifted, and evil, from both man and fallen angels, will be present such as the world has never known (2 Thess. 2:1-10). Until then, God will restrain evil, both human and angelic.

Since God restrains evil to some degree, instead of assuming that the powers and abilities of fallen angels remain the same as those of holy angels it’s prudent to consider what the Bible specifically says regarding the capabilities of Satan and his demons.

First and foremost, the Bible tells us that Satan is intelligent and uses his intelligence for evil. He is a consummate liar (John 8:44; Rev. 12:9). In addition, he can “enter into” people in order to work through them; he entered into Judas, leading Judas to betray Jesus.

Satan can “bind” people. In the one example we have, this was manifested in the case of a woman who was bent over for 18 years, (Luke 13:11-16). Satan accomplished this through an evil spirit (demon), a form of demon possession. Demons, who are under Satan’s control, can “possess” people, which means they are an indwelling controlling force within a person. It’s similar to Satan entering into a person, with the demon as Satan’s proxy. Demonic possession can be manifested by physical illness (Matt. 12:22), mental instability (Matt. 8:28), and the possession of evil abilities like the “spirit of divination” (Acts 16:16).

Demons can speak, though unlike holy angels who speak as themselves, demons speak through their human victims (Matt. 8:28-31). Fallen angels can perform unholy miracles; since humans cannot perform miracles it follows that Satanic activity was behind the Pharaoh’s magicians’ miracles (Exod. 7:11; 22; 8:7). And, demons will perform miracles in the end times, leading to the gathering of the armies of the world for the war of Armageddon (Rev. 16:13-16).

Unlike His provision for humans, God provides no redemptive means for fallen angels (Heb. 2:16). Ultimately all fallen angels, including Satan, will be thrown into the lake of fire (Hell) (Matt. 25:41), where “they will be tormented day and night forever and ever” (Rev. 20:10). Some are already bound, being held for final judgement (2 Pet. 2:4). Others, including Satan, are temporarily free. Satan and his followers surely know their future fate (Matt. 8:28-29), an eternity in Hell, but rather than being repentent they are relentless in their war against God and His people.

It’s a common misconception that Satan is now or will in the future be the tormentor of those in Hell. On the contrary, Satan will likely be the most tormented being in Hell. Jesus indicated there would be degrees of punishment for the lost. Those who received much revelation and still rejected God would be punished more than those who received less revelation and rejected God (Luke 12:46-48; Matt. 11:23-24).

By that standard it’s unlikely any created being has more guilt than Satan. He is an intelligent, marvelously made being, created holy before the creation of the world. He has been in the presence of God, talked to God, and seen God’s holiness and perfection. In spite of all that he sinned. When did he take that fateful step into sin, and what was the first sin that began an evil career that has been the driving force behind the pain and suffering of all creation? We’ll look at that next.