Austin Bible Church
Lucifer was created as the most beautiful and intelligent of God's creatures. Ezek. 28:13-14. In spite of perfect environment and being in the presence of God, he chose to sin.
""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. "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." (Ezekiel 28:13-14, NASB)
The First Fall – The Sin of Arrogance
Satan in his arrogance chose to act independently of God’s grace and God's absolute authority with negative volition - his five “I wills.” Isaiah 14:12-14. These were mental attitude sins of arrogance and is called “unrighteousness” in Ezekiel 28:15. Satan then convinced one-third of the angels to side with him against the grace and authority of God. We now have two categories of angels – elect and fallen.
""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! "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. 'I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.'" (Isaiah 14:12-14, NASB)
""You were blameless in your ways From the day you were created Until unrighteousness was found in you." (Ezekiel 28:15, NASB)
Sin entered the universe as the first point of Satan’s negative volition as he expressed his five “I wills.” Ezekiel 28:15-16.
""You were blameless in your ways From the day you were created Until unrighteousness was found in you. "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." (Ezekiel 28:15-16, NASB)
“I will ascend to heaven” means that Satan wanted to take God’s place in His throne room in the Third Heaven. This is the essence of egomania. This is maximum pride of the creature trying to kick the Creator off the throne.
“I will raise my throne above the stars of God” means that Satan wanted to rule all of the angels instead of God. This is an unholy ambition. “Stars” are angels in Job 38:7, Jude 1:13, and Revelation 12:3-4. One third of the angels fell. Satan wants to rule over the third heaven as well as the second heaven. He had great ambition for more power and authority.
"When the morning stars sang together And all the sons of God shouted for joy?" (Job 38:7, NASB)
"wild waves of the sea, casting up their own shame like foam; wandering stars, for whom the black darkness has been reserved forever." (Jude 1:13, NASB)
"Then another sign appeared in heaven: and behold, a great red dragon having seven heads and ten horns, and on his heads were seven diadems. And his tail swept away a third of the stars of heaven and threw them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman who was about to give birth, so that when she gave birth he might devour her child." (Revelation 12:3-4, NASB)
“I will sit on the mount of assembly in the recesses of the north” means Satan wants to rule mankind and all of the earth. Psalms 48:2 refers to the locality of Jerusalem and refers, therefore to a geographical locality on the earth and those who dwell there. Satan wants to rule the first heaven and earth and he wants to rule man.
"Beautiful in elevation, the joy of the whole earth, Is Mount Zion in the far north, The city of the great King." (Psalms 48:2, NASB)
“I will ascend above the heights of the clouds” means that Satan wants to be the supreme ruler over all of the universe in place of God. I will displace God as the sovereign of the universe. Clouds are used many times in Scripture for the power of God. 1 Kings 8:10; Psalms 104:3; Isaiah 19:1; Matt. 24:30.
"It happened that when the priests came from the holy place, the cloud filled the house of the LORD," (1 Kings 8:10, NASB)
"The oracle concerning Egypt. Behold, the LORD is riding on a swift cloud and is about to come to Egypt; The idols of Egypt will tremble at His presence, And the heart of the Egyptians will melt within them." (Isaiah 19:1, NASB)
""And then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the SON OF MAN COMING ON THE CLOUDS OF THE SKY with power and great glory." (Matthew 24:30, NASB)
“I will make myself like the most High” means that Satan wanted to be equal with God. This is pure power lust and power madness. This expresses the true character of Satan. He is the Great Counterfeiter who desires to be like God. He desires men to be like God without redemption. This is the religion of human good.
The Second Fall – Fall From Heaven
Satan’s second fall will occur at the middle of the Tribulation when Jesus Christ will have Michael and his army of elect angels cast Satan and all fallen angels to the earth and to keep them there for the last half of the Tribulation. Isaiah 14:12; Rev. 12:7-9; Ezekiel 28:16.
In Isaiah 14:12, “You who have weakened the nations” refers to Satan’s strategy of political and religious internationalism. Some organizations today teach religious internationalism such as the World Council of Churches and the Roman Catholic Church, etc.
""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!" (Isaiah 14:12, NASB)
"And there was war in heaven, Michael and his angels waging war with the dragon. The dragon and his angels waged war, and they were not strong enough, and there was no longer a place found for them in heaven. And the great dragon was thrown down, the serpent of old who is called the devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him." (Revelation 12:7-9, NASB)
""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." (Ezekiel 28:16, NASB)
The Third Fall – Fall into the Lake of Fire
Satan’s third fall will be at the end of the Millennium (the end of human history) when Jesus Christ casts him and all of his fallen angels into the Lake of Fire. This will be his final fall. Ezekiel 28:18; Rev. 20:10; Matt. 25:41.
""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." (Ezekiel 28:18, NASB)
"And the devil who deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are also; and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever." (Revelation 20:10, NASB)
""Then He will also say to those on His left, 'Depart from Me, accursed ones, into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels;" (Matthew 25:41, NASB)