PARENTHOOD
a divine stewardship

When Satan rebelled, one-third of the angels of heaven participated in that rebellion. Revelation 12:4 says that one-third of the stars, that is, one-third of the angels, followed the dragon Satan. This indicates that they followed Satan in his rebellion. These angels eventually became the fallen angels.

The living creatures in the preadamic age also joined Satan in his rebellion. Students of the Bible agree that according to the record of the Bible, in the age before Adam, there should have been some living creatures. Those living creatures also followed Satan in his rebellion.

D. The Issue of Satan's Rebellion

Because of his rebellion Satan became God's adversary, God's enemy (Zechariah 3:1-2; Revelation 12:9a; 20:2a). Satan is a Hebrew word that means adversary. He is the adversary within and the enemy without. Satan and his subordinate angels then became the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenlies, of which Satan is the ruler. This is clearly revealed in the book of Ephesians (6:12; 2:2b; Daniel 10:13, 20). The living creatures of the preadamic age became demons (Matt 12:43-45), working for Satan's kingdom of darkness (Matthew 12:26; Acts 26:18a; Colossians 1:13a).

God then judged Satan so that he will be cast from the heavens to the Earth and into Sheol, to the uttermost parts of the pit (Ezekiel 28:16-17; Isaiah 14:15). Sheol in the Old Testament equals Hades in the New Testament. Satan wanted to go to the uttermost parts of the north, to the highest place; but eventually God judged him, and He will throw him into the uttermost parts of the pit.

God also judged the heavens and the earth, which had become polluted because of Satan's rebellion. The heavens were polluted by Satan because after his rebellion he continued to go into heaven. Hence, the entire universe became dark (Job 9:5-7). In Genesis 1:2a the darkness of the entire universe is mentioned.

Although God has judged Satan, He will execute His judgment upon him step by step, until Satan is cast into the lake of fire. God judged Satan and declared His verdict on him, but He did not execute the verdict at that time. According to the Bible God carries out the execution of His judgment upon Satan gradually, step by step. In Luke 10:17-19 the Lord Jesus said that while He was on this earth, He saw Satan falling down out of heaven. Then in Revelation 12:9 Satan is cast down from the heavens at another time, and in Revelation 20:2-3 he is bound and cast into the bottomless pit. Finally, he is cast into the lake of fire (Revelation 20:10). Yet before the completion of the execution of God's judgment upon him, he can still enter into the presence of God to accuse God's people, as he did in the case of Job (Job 1:6-12; 2:1-7; Zechariah 3:1-2; Revelation 12:10b). Today he also walks about on the earth as a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour (1 Peter 5:8). Nevertheless, whatever he does is a kind of help to God that God may perfect His people.

Hebrews 2:14 tells us that Christ, in His flesh on the cross, destroyed Satan, in his person and nature, as the one who has the might of death. Thus, Satan's judgment has been executed on his person and nature, because Christ has destroyed him on the cross.

In the history of God in time, these are the initial things: God's creation, Satan's rebellion, God's judgment on Satan, and God's carrying out of His judgment on him.

Witness Lee, The History of God in His Union with Man, pp. 28-35.

APPLICATION

1. Explain: "The creation spoken of in Genesis 1:1 was the original creation, which preceded the restoration and further creation beginning with verse 2b."

2. Who is Satan and how is he related to God's created universe and to God's eventual judgment of the universe?

3. Can you list and explain briefly what are the initial things in the history of God in time?