THE FALL OF SATAN

Christ was there when Satan was cast from the heavens by the Lord, following his rebellion before the throne of God! Christ said "I watched, observed, Satan fall from heaven like lightning" (Luke 10:18). Translating the verse gives chills up and down the spine. Christ is speaking with strong and forceful words how Lucifer was instantly, at the speed of lightning, tossed from the throne room of the God of the Universe!    At some point in eternity past, Christ as the Son of God, observed Satan plunging from heaven! "I saw" is an Imperfect (Past) tense in Greek and means that at some moment in eternity past the Lord observed this happening. The Greek word is "theoreo" which means "to watch as a spectator." It was God the Father who was driving him from His presence. This is described in poetic form in Isaiah 14 and Ezekiel 28. Theoreo is generally used as an Imperfect (Past) tense in Greek. It is the reporting of an event that took place at some historic moment.    "To fall" is an Aorist Participle of "Pipto." With this form, the point is that he was suddenly, without a pause, quickly tossed from God's presence. The Participle gives the word the force that Satan has moved to a different position; he is now occupying a new status. He is classified as one who should no longer be accepted with God in His eternal glorious state.    Satan was removed from heaven with the speed of lightning, or light! Without a moment's hesitation he was thrown from the presence of God. If one blinked the eye one would have missed this event! Satan was suddenly gone from the Lord's presence!    The next verse, verse 19, indicates that the disciples will now have to confront Satan's emissaries, the angles, who fell with him, who are described as serpents and scorpions. The disciples will have spiritual authority over them as they travel about doing the will of the Son. The apostles will have authority "over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall injure you."    I wrote in my Luke Commentary, "What a protection afforded these followers of Christ!" I added, "This also tells us that the seventy disciples faced awesome evil beings who are the followers, the fallen demons, who belong to Satan. The demons are now in three classifications: (1) Those who are now active among humanity, (2) Those demons who are confined until a judgment, and (3) Those demons who will be released to do their dirty work during the tribulation (Rev. 9).    "These seventy disciples, along with the twelve, were given authority over all the power of the enemy, and Jesus told them, "nothing shall injure you" (v. 19). Christ also reminded His disciples that their names were recorded in heaven (v. 20). Such deep truths are hidden from "the wise and intelligent."    "Christ added, 'All things have been handed over to Me by My Father (v. 22a).'" He said, "As well, it is the sovereign prerogative of the Son of God to reveal the Father to whom He wishes. These seventy were blessed because of what their eyes had witnessed (v. 23)." Satan and his spiritual followers, the demons, are what we face now in this world! --Dr. Mal Couch  (11/10)