Bulletin, 10/18/21: "SATAN: A Brief History of his Downfall"

 

SATAN:

A Brief History of His Downfall

 (Pastor Terry L. Reese, Valley GBC, Armagh, PA)

 

Though enormously and tragically successful in certain respects, the general course of Satan’s lengthy career since the inception of his initial rebellion against God has long been on a progressively downward spiral, leading ultimately to total devastation and ruin. The distinct and formal stages of this downfall can be enumerated as follows:

 

1. The angel Lucifer’s initial fall from his original, exalted position as an anointed cherub, when iniquity and pride self-generated from within his heart (Ezek. 28:15-19, Isa. 14:12-14).

 

2. After the Fall of Man in Eden, Satan’s ultimate downfall through the atoning work of Christ was first proclaimed in Gen. 3:15 (a.k.a., the Protoevangelium, or first presentation of the Gospel; cf. Rom. 16:20).

 

3. Through the Cross, Christ broke the power of Death which Satan wielded over us (Heb. 2:14), rendering him defenseless with regard to the Christian’s destiny.

 

4. During the middle of Tribulation Week, he will be cast down to Earth by Michael and the heavenly hosts, barring his access to the Heavenlies (Rev. 12:7-12).

 

5. Following our Lord’s Second Coming when He takes possession of His Kingdom, Satan will be bound and confined to the Abyss for 1,000 years (Rev. 20:1-3).

 

6. Following his brief release, in which he will follow his familiar pattern of causing men to form a Fellowship of Evil (thereby inciting the nations unto the great global rebellion of Rev. 20:7-9), he will be cast into the Lake of Fire, where he will be tormented forever and ever (Rev. 20:10), meeting his final, appalling destiny.    

 

Ezek. 28:19: "All who know you among the peoples are appalled at you; you have become terrified and you will cease to be forever."