Satan and the Occult - Chapter Two

by Bruce Pringle

The Fall of Satan and Wicked Angels

Causes of the Fall

The Prophecy of Isaiah reveals the reasons for Lucifer's fall as: pride and false ambition. God's denunciation of Lucifer is thus:

Puffed up with pride because of his God-given superiority, power and wisdom, Lucifer is no longer content with his position. As pride becomes the dominant thrust in his life, Lucifer decides that he, not His creator should reign supreme.

The five "I wills" of Lucifer are written about and elaborated upon in most books about our arch-enemy. However, this writer believes that they should at least be mentioned here. Lucifer's pride and false ambition gave rise to: I will ascend into heaven; I will exalt my throne above the stars of God, or above God Himself; I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation; I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High or be God because there is only One God. With these ambitions Lucifer committed high treason against God Almighty.

Results of the Fall

Because of the very nature of God, it was impossible for the Almighty to allow the conspiracy to go undetected and unjudged. Billy Graham wrote, "Thus the greatest catastrophe in history of the universal creation was Lucifer's defiance of God and the consequent fall of perhaps one third of the angels who joined him in wickedness."

Bancroft, in his book Christian Theology wrote of God's judicial dealing with Satan. Ezekiel recorded the Divine reproof against Lucifer when he was demoted from the position of covering cherub. "By the multitude of your trade they have filled the middle of you with violence", wrote Ezekiel of Lucifer, "and you have sinned: therefore I will cast you as profane out of the mountain of God: and I will destroy you, O covering cherub, from the middle of the stones of fire." Secondly, Satan is under a perpetual curse. God's denunciation against Satan which began in heaven, culminated in the Garden of Eden after Adam and Eve's transgression. It is stated:

Satan as a conquered enemy, is the third result of God's judgment, suggests Bancroft. Christ's victory over Satan is very obvious as the writer of Colossians and the writer of Hebrews relates. Paul says of Jesus, "And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it." The writer of Hebrews reiterates the same victory of Jesus Christ by writing, "Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is , the devil." Other Biblical references that attest to Satan as conquered are: John 12:31; 16:8-11; and 1 John 3:8.

Four further incidences that Bancroft describes have to do with future events in God's dealings with Satan. These happenings will be dealt with more extensively later; consequently a mention of the occurrences will suffice. The future episodes are: Satan will be cast out of the heavenlies, Revelation 12:7-12; he will be confined in the abyss for one thousand years, Revelation 20:1-3; he will be loosed for a short time after the Millennium, Revelation 20:3,7; he will be cast into the lake of fire, Revelation 20:10.