The Revelation
1. Lucifer or the devil is still in Heaven since the devil always managed to avoid openly committing a sin.
It is commonly believed that Lucifer was cast out of Heaven long ago, but Isaiah puts a future tense on Satan's demise, and a past tense on the end of Satan's troublemaking which is a future event.
Isaiah 14:12-15 How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High. Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit.
Christ did not say that Satan has already been cast from Heaven; Christ stated that He saw Satan fall from Heaven. This does not preclude a future event since Christ was able to see the future.
Luke 10:18 And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven.
We know that Christ was talking about a future event since He later stated that Satan will be cast out at the judgment of the world. The casting out or the event that leads to the casting out occurs "now" which would be during the time of Christ.
John 12:31 Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out.
Revelation is said to foretell the events of the end times, and this is when Satan is cast out of Heaven.
Revelation 12:9 And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.
Notice that at the time Satan is cast out of Heaven there is but a short time.
Revelation 12:12 Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time.
Since Satan is evil he should have been cast out of Heaven long before now, but Satan has not been expelled from Heaven because the devil has managed to evade condemnation by keeping his evil hidden within himself.
Proverbs
26:24-26 He that hateth dissembleth with his lips, and layeth up deceit within
him; When he speaketh fair, believe him not: for there are seven abominations in
his heart. Whose hatred is covered by deceit, his wickedness shall be shewed
before the whole congregation.
Psalms 10:6-7 He hath said in his heart, I shall not be moved: for I shall never
be in adversity. His mouth is full of cursing and deceit and fraud: under his
tongue is mischief and vanity.
Evil is repulsive to God because God is infinitely Righteous. God sees the hearts of His children, and He sees all evil acts that are committed, but God will not even look into a heart or a spirit that is totally evil.
1
Peter 3:12 For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are
open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil.
Habakkuk 1:13 Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil, and canst not look on
iniquity: wherefore lookest thou upon them that deal treacherously, and holdest
thy tongue when the wicked devoureth the man that is more righteous than he?
This is a revolutionary change from the way most people view the devil and the relationship between God and Satan, but there is not a single verse or passage in the Bible in which Satan is presented as he is commonly perceived. There is no suggestion in the Bible that the devil battles God for possession of men's souls. The Biblical Satan seeks to condemn humanity; not possess it. As the devil tries to condemn humanity he must do so without being caught violating the Law of God. Satan may be big enough to fill the Earth, but he is powerless next to God. Satan is subject to the Law of God as demonstrated by the fact that in the end he will be cast into the lake of fire.
Revelation 20:10 And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.
Psalms 82:1 God standeth in the congregation of the mighty; he judgeth among the gods.
John 16:11 Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged.
Since Satan is ultimately condemned by the Law it is clear that he is subject to the Law. It has always been necessary for the devil to conceal his hatred from the view of God and not openly violate the Law. Satan may rebel against God in the sense that he may have a disagreement with God, but the devil would not rebel against God in an aggressive or openly hostile way. That would be unbelievably stupid. There is not a single verse or passage in the Bible in which Satan openly defies or openly rebels against God. Satan is evil, but according to the Bible Satan presents himself as an angel of righteousness.
2 Corinthians 11:14 And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.
In
the book of Job, Satan would always receive permission from God before he did
anything to Job or anyone else. In the Garden of Eden, God told Adam and Eve
that they would surely die. God knew that all humans would sin and fall short of
the Law, and God was correct. Satan, on the other hand, said that Adam and Eve
would not surely die. God knew that we would sin, but the devil pointed out that
whether or not we live up to the Law is up to us. Satan's motive may have been
evil, and his statements may have been intentionally deceptive, but his
statements were not actually false.
Another way to look at it is to say that when God said “you will surely
die”, He made a prediction of a future event, and Satan also made a prediction
by saying “you will not surely die”. God was right…Satan was wrong; but a
prediction that does not come true is not a lie. There is not a single passage
or verse in the Bible in which Satan openly committed a sin of any kind. This is
why Satan is still in Heaven.
The real Satan of the Bible is called an accuser, and he presents himself as an
angel of righteousness demanding justice. The devil is like a prosecuting
attorney. Satan keeps his own hatred of God hidden within himself even while he
stands before God condemning humans for their sins.
Revelation 12:10 And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.