Questions about the Devil

by Jim Hammond

Where did the Devil Come from? 

The devil fist appears in the Bible in Genesis 3, however many questions about him are left unanswered from the Genesis description; questions like: How do we know the “serpent” in Genesis 3 was the devil, or Satan?  Where did the devil come from?  Why was he in the Garden?  Though there are many more questions.  Here are some answers:

The first question is the easiest to answer.  When you let the Bible interpret the Bible the answer is clear that the “ancient Serpent” was the devil.  We find in Revelation 12:9; and 20:2:  “The great dragon was hurled down--that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him. . . .(20:2)  He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil, or Satan, and bound him for a thousand years.” The serpent was the devil.  That much is made clear.

The second question, “Where did the Devil Come from?” also has a partial answer in the above verses from Revelation.  He was “hurled down…[from heaven] hurled to the earth, and his angels with him.”   For a more complete answer we must turn to Ezekiel 28:11-19  “The word of the LORD came to me: {12} "Son of man, take up a lament concerning the king of Tyre and say to him: 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says: "'You were the model of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty. {13} You were in Eden, the garden of God; every precious stone adorned you: ruby, topaz and emerald, chrysolite, onyx and jasper, sapphire, turquoise and beryl. Your settings and mountings were made of gold; on the day you were created they were prepared. {14} You were anointed as a guardian cherub, for so I ordained you. You were on the holy mount of God; you walked among the fiery stones. {15} You were blameless in your ways from the day you were created till wickedness was found in you. {16} Through your widespread trade you were filled with violence, and you sinned. So I drove you in disgrace from the mount of God, and I expelled you, O guardian cherub, from among the fiery stones. {17} Your heart became proud on account of your beauty, and you corrupted your wisdom because of your splendor. So I threw you to the earth; I made a spectacle of you before kings. {18} By your many sins and dishonest trade you have desecrated your sanctuaries. So I made a fire come out from you, and it consumed you, and I reduced you to ashes on the ground in the sight of all who were watching. {19} All the nations who knew you are appalled at you; you have come to a horrible end and will be no more.'"

At first, this passage appears to be about an earthly king.  However look more carefully.  If you were to note everything about “the king of Tyre” from this passage you would find some very unusual information.  This “king of Tire”: 

1)            Was the model of perfection full of wisdom and perfect in beauty (vs. 12).  What man is perfect?  Are we talking about a human king? 

2)            He was in Eden the garden of God (vs.13)  Though it is true that earlier in the context a human king is addressed now in this paragraph the text clearly shifts its description to the Supernatural power behind the man.  Mankind was barred from “Eden, the Garden of God” after the fall.

3)            This personality associated with the “king of Tyre” was nevertheless a “created” being (vs. 13). 

4)            He was anointed as a guardian cherub (a guardian angel), and ordained by God.  God placed him in the Garden for a purpose, to be a guardian angel in the Garden (vs. 14). 

5)            Though he was blameless when he was created, wickedness was found in him (vs. 15)  The human King of Tyre was never blameless since all men are sinners after the fall of Adam. 

6)            He “the guardian cherub” was driven out by God from the “mount of God” (vs. 16). 

7)            Because of his pride he was thrown to the earth (vs. 17).  This is just like the description of what happened to the devil as mentioned in Revelation12.

It seems that this description of the superhuman personality behind the “King of Tyre” is a description a powerful and beautiful guardian angel placed in the Garden of Eden for the purpose of protection.  But pride and rebellion caused this angel to fall from God’s favor.  God then hurled him to the earth and out of the heavenly kingdom.  This cherub was created by God not born of man.  Though this cherub was placed in the Garden for a good and holy purpose, through pride he refused his job and rebelled.

Note Satan’s Sin as you Study Isaiah 14:12-15:  “How you have fallen from heaven, O morning star, son of the dawn! You have been cast down to the earth, you who once laid low the nations! {13} You said in your heart, "I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God; I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly, on the utmost heights of the sacred mountain. {14} I will ascend above the tops of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High." {15} But you are brought down to the grave, to the depths of the pit.”

Compare this passage with 1 Timothy 3:6, “He must not be a recent convert, or he may become conceited and fall under the same judgment as the devil.”  The Isaiah passage is the only other passage related to the fall and pride of Satan.

Where did the Devil come from?  He was a good created being, an angel created for a holy and good purpose.  He, like Adam and Eve, fell to sin and rebellion.  When the devil fell, other angels fell with him from the heavenly kingdom and were hurled to the earth.  .

When did Satan Fall?

Piecing together the information from the above passages, especially the Ezekiel passage, it appears that the Fall of Satan coincided with the Fall of Man.  Because of pride, the Guardian Cherub decided to deceive his charge whom he was to serve as a ministering angel.  Instead of serving mankind, he decided he wanted to be like God.  Satan through pride wanted to be served and obeyed.  He was the one who wanted to be like God.  These events presuppose that Satan had some degree of free will, and so did Adam and Eve. It makes sense that the fall of Satan coinciding with the fall of man in view of the Genesis narrative since after the creation and before the fall God looked at all of creation and said “it was good.”  Satan must not have fallen yet when God looked at creation and called it good.  The fall of Satan and the fall of man changed what was holy and good, to that which was corrupted and therefore doomed to judgment.  Satan became the prince of darkness, master of a fallen world.  But God sent a redeemer, the light of the world, the dragon slayer sent to crush the serpent’s head (Genesis 3:15), redeem mankind and show them the light, but that’s another story—“HIStory”.