Satan is a key character to consider when studying eschatology, because he's there from (at least) the beginning of mankind, until the end of times. We cannot be sure when God created the angels, but it seems most likely that it was at the time of creation, although it could have been some time before that. From other scriptures, we know that Satan began as an angel - named Lucifer (which is Hebrew for "morning star" or "star of the morning"...
(Ezekiel 28:12-15) “You had the seal of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty.
13 “You were in Eden, the garden of God; 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.
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.
15 “You were blameless in your ways from the day you were created until unrighteousness was found in you.
13 “You were in Eden, the garden of God; 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.
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.
15 “You were blameless in your ways from the day you were created until unrighteousness was found in you.
(Isaiah 14:12-14) “How you have fallen from heaven, O star of the morning, son of the dawn! You have been cut down to the earth, you who have weakened the nations!
13 “But you said in your heart, ‘I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God, and I will sit on the mount of assembly in the recesses of the north.
14 ‘I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.’
Lucifer became prideful and desired to be greater than God. At some point there would have been a judgment on the angels - who made a final decision of whom they were going to serve. Lucifer was renamed Satan. It is implied that Satan took about a third of the angels with him (Rev.12:3-4). Ever since then, Satan and his demons do whatever they can to wage war against God and His children. As well, they do whatever they can to keep people from looking to God.
Satan's first known attempt (of spiritual warfare) was in the Garden of Eden. He was there to tempt Eve into taking the fruit, bringing sin and spiritual death to all people. (After this study on eschatology, spiritual warfare will be my next topic of focus.) Satan is quite smart and quite powerful, but no match for God! Our only defense is salvation through Jesus, and looking to Him to defend us...
(Ezekiel 28:16-19) “By the abundance of your trade you were internally filled with violence, and you sinned; therefore I have cast you as profane from the mountain of God. And I have destroyed you, O covering cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire.
17 “Your heart was lifted up because of your beauty; you corrupted your wisdom by reason of your splendor. I cast you to the ground; I put you before kings, that they may see you...
18 “By the multitude of your iniquities, in the unrighteousness of your trade you profaned your sanctuaries. Therefore I have brought fire from the midst of you; it has consumed you, and I have turned you to ashes on the earth in the eyes of all who see you.
19 “All who know you among the peoples are appalled at you; you have become terrified and you will cease to be forever.”’”
17 “Your heart was lifted up because of your beauty; you corrupted your wisdom by reason of your splendor. I cast you to the ground; I put you before kings, that they may see you...
18 “By the multitude of your iniquities, in the unrighteousness of your trade you profaned your sanctuaries. Therefore I have brought fire from the midst of you; it has consumed you, and I have turned you to ashes on the earth in the eyes of all who see you.
19 “All who know you among the peoples are appalled at you; you have become terrified and you will cease to be forever.”’”
Satan's efforts to glorify himself above God will have less restraint during the Tribulation period. At the battle of Armageddon, he will then be bound for a thousand years. At the end of the Millennium, he will be released for a short period of time to deceive the nations. His last attempt to fight God will be at the Last Battle. Jesus has the victory, and then Satan (and his demons) will be forevermore cast into hell.
Today's takeaway: the angels and demons have already made their choices for all eternity. The demons truly don't have "anything to lose" because they have already lost. But any person who is still alive can still choose to believe in God...
(Ezekiel 33:10-11) “Now as for you, son of man, say to the house of Israel, ‘Thus you have spoken, saying, “Surely our transgressions and our sins are upon us, and we are rotting away in them; how then can we survive?”’11 Say to them, ‘As I live!’ declares the Lord God, ‘I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that the wicked turn from his way and live. Turn back, turn back from your evil ways! Why then will you die, O house of Israel?’
(2 Corinthians 6:1-2) And working together with Him, we also urge you not to receive the grace of God in vain— 2 for He says,
“At the acceptable time I listened to you, And on the day of salvation I helped you.”
Behold, now is “the acceptable time,” behold, now is “the day of salvation”!
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