The Bible confirms the legitimacy of evil angels. Satan does have angels that follow him. But, as we read concerning Michael in chapter twelve of the book of Revelation, Michael and his angels toss Satan and his angels out of heaven and cast them to Earth. Many deem Satan to be, what is called, the antichrist, who at that time will make his appearance here on Earth along with his evil angels. "And there was war in heaven, Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven. And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him." (Revelation 12:7-10)
A statement made by Jesus reveals the same situation: "And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightening fall from heaven." (Luke 10:18) And from the words of Isaiah the prophet in the Old Testament we read these words. “How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!” (Isaiah 14:12)
The “spirit of the antichrist” was already at work during the time of the early church, as John declares in two different places. John reveals to us in these verses how to know it is the spirit of the antichrist. “Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.” (I John 4:3)
“For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist.” (II John 1:7)
Paul warns us that the antichrist will come before the true Christ returns. The plan of Satan is to reveal himself to us as God. He is a deceiver.
“Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him, That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand.
“Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.” (IIThessalonians 2:1-3)
It may perhaps be difficult to grasp, but the declaration made by Jesus in the following verse concerning “the serpent” is one that believers can hold dear to their hearts. “Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy; and nothing shall by any means hurt you.”(Luke 10:19) For most believers, that awareness is easier said than done.
There has been deception from the beginning. The first name used to describe Satan is the serpent that was in the garden. His method of operation is always the same, to deceive and destroy through half-truths and lies. Satan’s most effective technique is to build us up to think we are more than what we are.
“Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.”(Proverbs 16:18) Satan convinced Adam and Eve they would be like gods.
“Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field, which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden? And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die. And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die. For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.” (Genesis 3:1-5)
Satan’s fall came about because of pride. It appears this took place in a time prior to man being here on this earth in the flesh. His goal is to be like God. It is imperative to understand that Satan is not stupid. He is considered wiser than Daniel and he knows many deep hidden secrets. He knows scripture and how to twist it, like he did when he was trying to tempt Jesus Christ. In the book of Ezekiel he is called the prince of Tyrus:
“The word of the LORD came again unto me, saying, Son of man, say unto the prince of Tyrus, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Because thine heart is lifted up, and thou has said, I am a God, I sit in the seat of God, in the midst of the seas: yet thou art a man, and not God, though thou set thine heart as the heart of God: Behold, thou art wiser than Daniel; there is no secret that they can hide from thee: With thy wisdom and with thine understanding thou hast gotten thee riches, and hast gotten gold and silver into thy treasures: By thy great wisdom and by thy traffic hast thou increased thy riches, and thine heart is lifted up because of thy riches: Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Because thou hast set thine heart as the heart of God; Behold, therefore I will bring strangers upon thee, the terrible of the nations: and they shall draw their swords against the beauty of thy wisdom, and they shall defile thy brightness. They shall bring thee down to the pit, and thou shalt die the deaths of them that are slain in the midst of the seas. Wilt thou yet say before him that slayeth thee, I am God? But thou shalt be a man, and no God, in the hand of him that slayeth thee. Thou shalt die the deaths of the uncircumcised by the hand of strangers: for I have spoken it, saith the Lord GOD.” (Ezekiel 28:1-10)
Ezekiel continues, but now changes Satan’s title from prince to king, and describes how beautiful he was in the beginning, how near he was to God himself. Here it is revealed that God created Satan and was pleased with him. The biggest myth concerning Satan is that he is a scary looking creature and ugly. From the scriptures his outward appearance is beautiful, his wisdom and enlightenment enticing. He was the covering cherub. The word cherub is uncertain, but what it seems to indicate is that, he (Satan) was the protective angel. Also note the confirmation that he was in the Garden of Eden. Satan’s demise is described in these scriptures. God says He will destroy him with fire from within. Satan’s is the only entity whose sentence, by name, has already been given.
“Moreover the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, Son of man, take up a lamentation upon the king of Tyrus, and say unto him, Thus saith the Lord GOD: Thou sealest up the sum, full of wisdom, and perfect in beauty. Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God: every precious stone was thy covering, the sardius, topaz, and the diamond, the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the emerald, and the carbuncle, and gold: the workmanship of thy tabrets and of thy pipes was prepared in thee in the day that thou wast created. Thou art the anointed cherub that covereth: and I have set thee so: thou wast upon the holy mountain of God; thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire. Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee By the multitude of thy merchandise they have filled the midst of thee with violence, and thou hast sinned: therefore I will cast thee as profane out of the mountain of God: and I will destroy thee, O covering cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire. Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty, thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness: I will cast thee to the ground, I will lay thee before kings, that they may behold thee. Thou hast defiled thy sanctuaries by the multitude of then iniquities, by the iniquity of thy traffic: therefore will I bring forth a fire from the midst of thee, it shall devour thee, and I will bring thee to ashes upon the earth in the sight of all them that behold thee. All they that know thee among the people shall be astonished at thee: thou shalt be a terror, and never shalt thou be anymore.” (Ezekiel 28:11-19)
In the book of Isaiah he is called Lucifer, son of the morning. Again, his pride is described. He wants God’s throne. He wants to be God.
“How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High. Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit. They that see thee shall narrowly look upon thee, and consider thee, saying, Is this the man that made the earth to tremble, that did shake kingdoms: That made the world as a wilderness, and destroyed the cities thereof; that opened not the house of his prisoners? All the kings of the nations, even all of them, lie in glory, every one in his own house. But thou art cast out of the grave like an abominable branch, and as the raiment of those that are slain, thrust through with a sword, and go down to the stones of the pit; as a carcass trodden under feet.” (Isaiah 14:12-19)
Many believe the description of Leviathan in the book of Job speaks of Satan. Others believe this to be a crocodile. The Strong’s calls it a sea monster, a dragon. The last sentence, “he is king over all the children of pride” creates a convincing point.
“Canst thou draw out leviathan with an hook? Or his tongue with a cord which thou lettest down? Canst thou put a hook into his nose? Or bore his jaw through with a thorn? Will he make many supplications unto thee? Will he speak soft words unto thee? Will he make a covenant with thee? Wilt thou take him for a servant forever? Wilt thou play with him as with a bird? Or wilt thou bind him for thy maidens? Shall the companions make a banquet of him? Shall they part him among the merchants? Canst thou fill his skin with barbed irons? Or his head with fish spears? Lay thine hand upon him, remember the battle, do no more. Behold, the hope of him is in vain: shall not one be cast down even at the sight of him? None is so fierce that dare stir him up: who then is able to stand before me? Who hath prevented me that I should repay him? Whatsoever is under the whole heaven is mine. I will not conceal his parts, nor his power, nor his comely proportion. Who can discover the face of his garment? Or who can come to him with his double bridle? Who can open the doors of his face? His teeth are terrible round about. His scales are his pride, shut up together as with a close seal. One is so near to another, that no air can come between them. They are joined one to another, they stick together, that they cannot be sundered. By his neesings a light doth shine, and his eyes are like the eyelids of the morning. Out of his mouth go burning lamps, and sparks of fire leap out. Out of his nostrils goeth smoke, as out of a seething pot or caldron. His breath kindleth coals, and a flame goeth out of his mouth. In his neck remaineth strength, and sorrow is turned into joy before him. The flakes of his flesh are joined together: they are firm in themselves; they cannot be moved. His heart is as firm as a stone; yea, as hard as a piece of the nether millstone. When he raiseth up himself, the mighty are afraid: by reason of breakings they purify themselves. The sword of him that layeth at him cannot hold: the spear, the dart, nor the habergeon. He esteemeth iron as straw, and brass as rotten wood. The arrow cannot make him flee: slingstones are turned with him into stubble. Darts are counted as stubble: he laugheth at the shaking of spear. Sharp stones are under him: he spreadeth sharp pointed things upon the mire. He maketh the deep to boil like a pot: he maketh the sea like a pot of ointment. He maketh a path to shine after him; one would think the deep to be hoary. Upon earth there is not the like, who is made without fear. He beholdeth all high things: he is a king over all the children of pride.” (Job 41:1-34)
A confirmation that Leviathan and the serpent are one in the same is found in the book of Isaiah.
“In that day the LORD with his sore and great and strong sword shall punish leviathan the piercing serpent, even leviathan that crooked serpent: and he shall slay the dragon that is in the sea.” (Isaiah 27:1)
Satan works to influence mankind through their own weaknesses, as he did with Adam and Eve. He did this with David on different occasions. We read of one of these where Satan influenced David to number Israel, and the entire nation suffered because of it.
The book of Job is one of the most revealing books in the Bible as to how Satan operates. God was proud of Job. “Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them. And the LORD said unto Satan, Whence comest thou? Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, from going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it. And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil? Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, Doth Job fear God for nought? Hast not thou made an hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side? Thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land. But put forth thine hand now, and touch all that he hath, and he will curse thee to they face. And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold, all that he hath is in thy power; only upon himself put not forth thine hand. So Satan went forth from the presence of the LORD.” (Job 1:6-12)
Satan arranged the theft of Job’s oxen and mules, the murder of the servants that were watching them, fire to fall from heaven and kill his sheep and the servants watching them, the theft of his camels and their caretakers, a wind that destroyed his house and killed all of his children. But listen carefully to the words of Job; he wavered not: “Then Job arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped, And said, Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return thither: the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD. In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly.” (Job 1:21-22)
Satan is called several different names throughout the scriptures. One is “adversary.” “O God, how long shall the adversary reproach? Shall the enemy blaspheme thy name forever?” (Psalm 74:10) “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:” (I Peter 5:8) Another name is “devourer.” “And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, saith the LORD of hosts. (Malachi 3:11) Jesus calls him a thief that steals kills and destroys. “The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.” (John 10:10) And in Revelation, when the 4th seal is opened, he is called “Death.” “And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And Power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth.” (Revelation 6:8) Also in Revelation he is called “Apollyon” and “Abaddon.” “Abaddon” means “destroyer” in Hebrew and “Apollyon” means “destroyer” in Greek. “And they had a king over them, which is the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in the Hebrew tongue is Abaddon, but in the Greek tongue hath his name Apollyon.” (Revelation 9:11) Three more names are mentioned in the book of Revelation “dragon,” “devil,” and “deceiver.”
Paul makes an interesting point concerning Satan. "And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light." (II Corinthians 11:14) “Transformed” could also mean, “disguised” or “changed.”
Reports of evil angels are found all the way back in the first book of the Bible. The Bible describes a time, after the creation of Adam, that angels came to the earth and took the daughters of Adam and married them. As a result “Nephilim” or “Fallen Ones” had children that were described as giants. "And it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born unto them, That the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose. There were giants in the earth in those days; and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare children to them, the same became mighty men, which were of old, men of renown." (Genesis 6:1-4)
The book of Jude in the New Testament speaks of the fallen angels. "And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day." (Jude 1:6) The flood destroyed the giants, but they reappeared once more during the time of Joshua and in the book of Judges. God had instructed the tribes of Jacob to destroy them, but they did not do it. You can read about this in the first three chapters of Judges. This may help those who have had a difficult time understanding how God could instruct the tribes of Jacob to wipe out an entire group of people. Peter also speaks of these fallen angels. "For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment." (II Peter 2:4)
Information concerning these angels’ offspring, called “giants,” or in the Hebrew “Raphah” and “Raphaim” is described several places in the Old Testament. One place is in the book of Numbers: “And there we saw the giants, the sons of Anak which come of the giants: and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight.” (Numbers 13:33) Also, in the book of Deuteronomy: “That also was accounted a land of giants: giants dwelt therein in old time: and the Ammonites call them Zamzummims.” (Deuteronomy 2:20) There are more places where they are mentioned in the books of Numbers and Deuteronomy, and also in the books of Joshua and in II Samuel. This is speculation on my part, but I've had to wonder if maybe these “fallen ones” are roots behind the stories of gods and goddesses that we read of in mythology. Ones such as, Gilgamesh: a Babylonian mythological hero with a story similar to Moses, Prometheus: A Greek mythological hero who stole fire from the gods and gave it to man, Icarus: another Greek mythological hero. He was trapped on an island and built wings of wax so he could fly from it. Mercury/Hermes: Greek messenger of the gods (same god, different names) and god of messengers, athletes, and doctors. He is usually depicted with wings on his ankles. Could this be where they originated? With their superpowers, perhaps the fallen angels toyed with man, pretending to be gods. Possibly, before God put a stop to it, they injected themselves into the life of other races, just as they did with the daughters Adam.
Fallen angels, I believe, is what Paul was warning us about when he spoke of a women covering her head. “For this cause ought the woman to have power on her head because of the angels.” (I Corinthians 11:10) There must have been a reason for Paul to make such a statement. He must believe there is a probability they will return some day. I believe the covering or veil Paul spoke of is Jesus Christ.
An unusual statement is found in the book of Psalms. It speaks of the hurt that God felt at being rejected by his people. “Nevertheless they did flatter him with their mouth, and they lied unto him with their tongues. For their heart was not right with him, neither were they stedfast in his covenant.” (Psalms 73:36-37) He makes known the fact that, among other things, he sent bad angels among them. "He cast upon them the fierceness of his anger, wrath, and indignation, and trouble, by sending evil angels among them." (Psalms 78:49)
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