The Origin and Fall of Satan (part 1)

The Origin and Fall of Satan (part 1)

Genesis 1:1 says, “In the beginning….” However, what is it the beginning of? It certainly is not the beginning of all things because God is present, His Holy Spirit is present and His Son is present. Are we to assume that 6000 – 10,000 years ago (our conservative Christian view of creation) nothing existed for trillions upon trillions of what we would call years? Can we really be expected to believe God and His Holy Spirit and Son sat in absolute solitude with no praise or worship for all of eternity past? Was there nothing of any kind, of any type, anywhere until 6000 years ago?

There is a tendency today to look for the newest thoughts, to be the author who discovered those things not discovered before even though thousands of years have passed and as many scholars have penned as many works. One of the newest, although there is nothing new under the sun, is a discussion on the origin of Satan. When was he created? When did he fall? And similar discussions. It would seem that many, certainly not all, modern authors place a great deal of value on being the one to offer a ‘new’ thought or idea, or to uncover an ancient mystery no one has yet laid bare. This desire for prestige seems to be what drives many to unveil the next great work on some obscure topic.

Because Satan being created during the six days of creation appears to be the next big issue to be discussed in theological circles I felt compelled to at least ‘address it’ myself. So, in my opinion at least, any work seeking to discover the origin of Satan must begin at the beginning. Therefore, we must ask what “In the beginning” actually means. It certainly must mean something but it does not seem likely that it would mean the beginning of all things. Take a moment and look at what is said on each of the days of creation.

Day one: light, day and night, is created. Day two: the heavens, that region between land and space called atmosphere. Day three: bodies of water and vegetation. Day four: celestial bodies. Day five: living creatures. Day six: man. It may not be apparent at first what each day of creation shares with each of the other days. However, if one takes the time to look a little more closely it may become glaringly obvious. God created a physical universe. He was creating physical objects like stars and planets, He was creating animals as we know them with fur and legs, and he was creating man in His own image both male and female. “In the beginning” in no way rules out the existence of myriad other entities or non-physical ‘objects’ brought into existence by God. It was the ‘beginning’ of a ‘physical’ universe.

The angels, and Satan, are not physical, they are spiritual. Jesus said there is a distinction when he explained to Nicodemus the importance of being born again, John 3:5-6 “Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. (v.6) That which is born of the flesh (or born physically) is flesh (or physical); and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.” There is such a marked difference between the flesh and the spirit that only the spiritual can enter heaven. Those things which are born in this physical realm can never enter into the spiritual realm of God. All of the angels of heaven including Satan were part of the spiritual realm and not the physical realm or its creation.

So then, if God created a physical universe 6000-10,000 years ago are we to assume He existed in a vast empty void for eons of times back through eternity past? That is not logical. In fact, it makes no sense at all that a God of such great power and unbounded awareness would only create once, and that only in that passed 6000 years. Biblically, we are convinced He only created one physical universe and in that creation He made mankind (not angels) after His own image only once. But that does not preclude a previous creation of a spiritual realm.

This seems to be a problem for Christians because of the doors it appears to open. However, we must never interpret the Word of God from a standpoint of fear. “Let God be true, and every man a liar” (Romans 3:40). The Word of God is not jeopardized at all, His Word stands true. Every word of the Bible is true, every account is accurate, and every promise will yet come true. We are only suggesting the Bible accounts for this universe and the physical world we live in since its inception. It would not be possible to write of all that has occurred in the presence of God from eternity past. So then, “In the beginning” would mean, in the beginning of the creation of the physical universe. It is unlikely to apply to the spiritual realm.