ALONE WITH GOD------

 Was The Devil Ever In Heaven? Part 2
  

   Now, let us turn to Rev. 17:3, and we find here a scarlet-colored beast having seven heads and ten horns-the same identical marks as the dragon of Rev. 12 and the beast of Rev. 13. This time there is a woman riding on the beast, but she is a very different woman from the woman of Rev.12 who was clothed with the sun, etc., and a pure woman. But this woman of Rev. 17 is declared to be a vile harlot. If the pure woman of Rev. 12 represented the true pure Church of God in the earth, which the Scripture clearly proves that she did, then a woman who was an impure, vile harlot, would properly represent a false church of religion. But this woman was riding on the beast, therefore we are certain that in some way this beast which is identical with the beast of Rev. 13 together with the dragon which gave the beast its power and seat and authority and which is distinguished by the same marks-seven heads and ten horns-must be, or is closely connected with a false, impure system of religion. Rev. 17:7 says, "I will tell thee the mystery of the woman, and of the beast that carrieth her, which hath the seven heads and ten horns." Then, in verse 9, it says, "The seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman sitteth." The city of Rome, which was at that time the governmental and political head of all the then-known world, is said to be situated on seven mountains.

This is a geographical note of history concerning the city. This verse, then, helps to establish the location or place of the seat of authority of the dragon and beast. But the seven heads also had a further meaning besides just the seven mountains on which the woman sat. Verse 10 says, "And there are seven kings." During the reign of the Roman Empire as a universal power there were seven different systems or forms of government through which her universal power was executed. They were: (1) The regal power, or kings. (2) Consuls of dictators. (3) Decemvirate, a government by ten men. (4) Military Tribunes or Consuls. (5) Triumvirate, a government by three men. (6) Imperial or emperors (under the Caesars). (7) The Exarchate or Patriciate (Exarch was the title of the ruler of this western kingdom under Charlemagne).

Then in verse 12 attention is turned to the horns instead of the heads, and it says, "And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet." This refers to the ten minor kingdoms which grew out of the Roman Empire during its decline and fall. History records such to have been the case and names these kingdoms as follows: Ostrogoths, Visigoths, Sueves, Vandals, Franks, Burgundians, Heruli, Saxonx, Huns and Lombards.

At the time the Revelation was given to the Apostle John about 96 A. D., the Roman Empire was in its unified form as a world power, and the ten horns had not yet come into existence. The Scripture says they are ten kings which have not yet received a kingdom. But at a later date the Roman Empire disintegrated and fell apart and was broken up into ten minor parts or kingdoms.

These are all merely identifying marks of the dragon and beast so that we might know where to locate them and not be deceived into thinking that this Scripture is teaching something which it is not, such as the devil being in heaven and there being war in heaven, etc.

Rome has been in her time the seat of two grossly false systems of religion. Hence, it was necessary to symbolize her in two forms-a dragon in one instance, and a beast in another-but the seven heads and ten horns of each definitely identifies both of them with Rome. The two false systems of religion of which Rome has been the seat are Paganism (heathenism, idolatry) and Papalism. The dragon symbolizes Pagan Rome and the beast symbolizes Papal Rome.

Rome in its Pagan form with its heathenish and idolatrous worship was prevailing over all the world when Christ came to earth to bring salvation. This false system of religion with its worship and sacrifices to its idol gods stood in direct opposition to the worship of the true God as taught and practiced by Christ, His apostles, and the early church in general. He stood before the woman (true church) ready to devour her child as soon as it was born. History proves this to have been a literal reality. The opposition became so violent between them that it was finally declared to be a capital crime punishable by death to profess Christianity. When anyone would profess a faith in Christ he was subject to death as soon as he was apprehended. History gives an account of more than sixty millions who were put to death for the name of Christ and their testimony of faith in Him as their Saviour during the combined reign of both of these false systems of religion of which Rome was the seat-Paganism and Papalism.

This is what is meant by the war in heaven-the ecclesiastical or religious heaven. It is said that Michael (Christ) and His angels (ministers) fought and the dragon (the false religious system of Paganism which was dominated, permeated, and engineered by the spirit of the devil himself) and his angels (the priests or ministers or prophets of this false system of religion) fought.

A clear example that this was in the ecclesiastical heaven ( the violent opposition between true and false idolatrous religion) is found in Acts 19:23 through the remainder of the chapter. On this occasion Paul and some companions had gone into Asia preaching the gospel of Christ. They came to Ephesus, which was much given to the idolatrous worship of the goddess, Diana. As they taught them that there were no gods which were made with hands, etc., a violent opposition developed against them and they were mistreated and man-handled, etc., and there was much confusion throughout the entire city, and the people of that city cried with one voice for about the space of two hours, "Great is Diana of the Ephesians." Other examples can be found in the New Testament and many, many such cases can be found in church history.

This is what is meant by the woman's child being caught up to God and to His throne. When the converts were born or brought forth, then they were put to death and their souls ascended to God. It also explains the statement in verse 11 that they loved not their lives unto death. They were willing to die for Jesus' sake. Paul, who was a martyr for the cause of Christ , said, "Neither count I my life dear unto me, that I might finish my course with joy." Acts 20:24.

The fact that this dragon is called Satan in the 9th verse merely shows the nature of his activity. Satan was more or less a general term applying to any individual or power that stood as an opposer. Jesus called Peter "Satan" on one occasion when he stood before Him and attempted to dissuade Him from going up to Jerusalem because he knew He would suffer there. (Matt. 16:23).

Therefore this false system of religion was called "Satan" because it stood in opposition to the true religion. This does not at all disannul the fact that the term "Satan" is applied to the devil in many instances in the Scripture, but sufficient evidence has already been produced to show this is not talking about the devil himself in this chapter, but the agent or system through which he operated.

Verse 9 says the dragon and his angels were cast out. As the truth of God with its enlightening and regenerating power continued to spread through the earth through the efforts and work of Christ. His apostles and then the great company of the early church, the deceptions of the devil in this false system of idolatrous worship were more and more uncovered and exposed until the people were able to see the truth and the condition they were in, and as they did, they threw down the false worship and that idolatrous worship, through which the devil had been successful so long in deceiving their darkened souls and causing them to hold it in high esteem in their hearts, was exposed by the high esteem and allegiance of the people and cast down to a low plane of ill-repute and was looked on with disdain and contempt by the people as they discovered its errors and turned unto the truth. Therefore it is said to have been cast out of heaven (the high and exalted place it had in the hearts of the people). Bear in mind that it is talking about the dragon all the time, and we have already seen clearly by the Scriptures what the dragon symbolized.

Ezekiel 28:13-18

This Scripture speaks of the "anointed Cherub" that had been in the "Eden of God" and was "perfect in thy ways" from the time he was created until "iniquity was found in thee," etc., and the proponents of the doctrine that the devil was one time a bright angel in heaven apply this to the devil himself. But a little closer look at these verses will prove clearly that such could not be a proper interpretation. The subject under discussion in these verses is introduced in verse 12. "Son of man, take up a lamentation upon the king of Tyrus, etc."

Here is a reference to the king of Tyrus. The king of Tyrus was, without question, a man and not a spirit such as the devil is. He was a very considerable and accomplished man above other men or kings. The courts of Tyre, with its kings, had for a long time been famous. There is nothing here to even indicate this might or even could mean Satan.

It is said in verse 13, "Thou hast been in the Eden of God." Eden stands as a symbol of the paradise of God where man had everything that was good and was master of it all and had dominion over all. But that position was given to man by God. So was the position, good situation and dominion of the king of Tyrus given him by God because God's Word says that He gives the kingdoms of men to whomsoever He will. Daniel 4:17.

Verse 14 says, "Thou art the anointed cherub that covereth," etc. After God had deposed man from his dominion in the garden of Eden, He placed a cherubim at the gate to guard it lest man should return and eat of the tree of life and live forever, etc. Gen 3:22-24. This cherub stands as a symbol of guardianship or protector of sacred and precious things. God put him there for that purpose. This should be the real duty of anointed kings and when they observe this rule strictly God blesses and owns them. The advancement and position of kings and rulers is from God. He said, "I have set thee so." Verse 14.

Verse 15 says, "Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee." The day of his creation would be the day he as created or made or set up or anointed as king and ascended the throne. Note it is not just the man as such, but the man as "king of Tyrus" that is under consideration here. Hence, his creation as referred to would not be when he was created as a man but when he was created or anointed or set up as "king of Tyrus."

At the time God set him over this kingdom he prospered in all his ways and all went well with him until iniquity was found in him. That is, he became lifted up in his heart with pride and this sin that was the downfall of our fore-parents in Eden (pride) proved to be his overthrow.

This is made plain in verse 17 which says, "Thine heart was lifted up because of they beauty, thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of the brightness,…" His heart was lifted up against God because of pride on account of his very great position, so God decreed his overthrow just as He did in the case of Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon and others. His wisdom was corrupted by reason of his brightness. That is, he was such a bright luminary among men and in the political or governmental world that he became really a fool in glorying and thus his wisdom that brought him to this position was corrupted.

As for the devil or Satan having ever been a good or upright person, I say he surely was not. In 1 John 3:8 the apostle declares without reservation that "He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning," And in John 8:44 Jesus said, "Ye are of your father, the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him."

Both of these Scriptures refer to what the devil was in the beginning. One said he sinned from the beginning. If one wants to go on back of the beginning where the sacred record begins and speculate on what might have been there before the beginning…I do not consider it safe nor profitable to do so.

The divinely inspired sacred record going all the way back to the beginning says he was a sinner and a murderer then and abode not in the truth. Some may object at this point and say that he was in the truth at one time but did not abide in the truth. But the other statements of this verse in connection with this statement rather carries out the thought that he never did abide in the truth- was never in the truth at all.

Revelation 20:1-3

Now let us look at Rev. 20:1-3. "And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season."

Here we have the binding of the dragon for a thousand years, etc. Note: It says he laid hold on the dragon. It is the dragon under consideration here. This dragon is identical with the great dragon with seven heads and ten horns of Rev. 12. The fact it said "the dragon" proves it is referring to something with which we have already been made acquainted. Otherwise, it would have said "a dragon" and have given a description of him to identify him. Therefore we conclude there is only one dragon considered throughout the book of Revelation and "the dragon" of Rev. 20 is the same as the dragon of Rev. 12 which has already been discussed and identified at considerable length. Rev. 20:1-3 is identical with the 12th chapter of Revelation and reviews the same period and conditions under different symbols. The binding of the dragon and casting him down into the pit is identical with his being cast out of heaven or his high, exalted position in the hearts and minds of the people of the religious world. Jesus spoke of this same thing when He said in Luke 10:18, "I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven."

The angel which came down from heaven properly represents the whole ministry of the early church who worked in such close contact with Christ through the Spirit and in such close contact with Christ through the Spirit and in such unison with each other that they properly stand together as one unified body that could be represented by one angel. The chain in his hand is the unbreakable chain of truth which exposes every false thing.

The works of the devil and all his false doctrines and religions can only live in darkness because he is the ruler of the darkness of this world. Truth is light. Light dispels darkness. When darkness is dispelled and the evil works of darkness and the devil are exposed they have no power to operate any more, hence, it is said this false system of religion (the dragon) was bound.

The dragon (paganism, heathenism, idolatrous worship) was overthrown and bound through the earnest, faithful work of the early church in getting the soul-enlightening truth to the world. Truth in the hands of Michael and His angels (Christ and His ministers) prevailed. The glorious triumphs of the early church continued until about A. D. 270 when the overthrow of the dragon power in a general sense seemed to be complete. However, about this time there began a decline in spirituality among the children of God which opened the way for a great apostasy and the falling away which finally led to the establishment of the Papal system about A. D. 530.

When the devil saw his first agent of deception (the dragon) was defeated and cast down, he just quickly changed his clothes, so to speak, and took on a Christian garb which he wore in the Papal system and continued right on with his work of deception and spiritual destruction by means of a different agent. Note, it was the dragon (the system) and not the devil himself which was bound, cast out, etc., for the devil continued his work right on in the beast of Rev. 13 and he is the dominatimg spirit of Papalism as well as Paganism. We should understand that, since Christ has seen fit in the Scriptures to personally identify Himself with His system of religion and the workings of His church in the earth (the church in the Scriptures is called the Body of Christ which would signify a body or group of people which was actuated and motivated and empowered to function by the Spirit of Christ within them), then it would only be natural and proper for the devil to be personally identified with his system and work in the earth also. Hence, the dragon was CALLED the devil and Satan.

The Papacy was given power to continue 42 months.-Rev. 13:5. Counting 30 days to the month this would be 1260 days. Prophetic time was reckoned on the basis of a day for a year which would give us 1260 years that the Papacy was to continue. Reckoning from the time set by most of the church fathers and historians for the beginning of the spiritual decline (A.D. 270) and continuing on ahead to the time of the Martin Luther reformation when the power of the papacy was broken(A.D. 1530) we have exactly 1260 years. We could not say that the papal system was destroyed or eliminated at the time of the Martin Luther Reformation because it has continued even until now on a big scale but its power as a supreme religious power, as it had been before, was broken and the prophetic narrative moves into another step or phase of false religion-Protestantism-which was to continue 350 years until the time of the Evening Light reformation when the true church of God as the visible functioning body of Christ was again restored to the earth.

The thousand year time period used in this part of the prophecy which measured the duration of the time the dragon was to be bound as well as the time the disembodied spirits of the martyrs were reigning with Christ in Paradise could not be literally applied as an exact period of a thousand years' duration. I did apply it this way in the original article printed in the February, 1970 issue of "Faith and Victory," but I see now that to apply it literally and all other parts of the test as symbols, which they clearly are, would violate the fixed laws of interpreting symbols and miss the proper meaning. Neither can we apply the rule before used as a day for a year, for then we would have 360,000years which would throw the events described here clear out of harmony with all other related events described in the prophetic narrative. So, in order to preserve the consistency of the use and interpretation of symbols, we conclude that this thousand years is symbolic of a long indefinite period of time. This thousand year period, from the events described at its beginning and its ending, seems to span all the intervening time breaks connected with the different events in the progress of the prophetic history of the Revelation from the close of the early morning church age (about 270 A.D.) until the Evening Light Reformation age ( about 1880 A.D.) when the true church of God was restored as the visible, functioning body of Christ in her pristine glory; and the subsequent loosing of the dragon in the atheistic spirit and power of communism which is so rapidly covering the earth today and deceiving one nation after another in rapid succession shortly following this reformation. The dragon had been the mortal enemy of the true Church of God as she shined forth in all her glory in the beginning of the Christian era. Now he comes forth to engage her in mortal combat again when she comes forth in this evening time to shine again in all of her glory and beauty as in the morning time after being hid from view for more than 1600 years by the two major systems of apostacy-Papalism and Protestantism.

If we understand that there have been three major systems of false religion in the earth, Paganism, Papalism, and Protestantism, in that order, and operating one at a time and the spirit of the devil predominant in all of them changing from one to another as the power of each was broken by the power of God and His truth and that now in the last days they are all three operating in the world at the same time, all of these different things will not be hard to understand clearly.

Now for a brief reference to verse 4 of Rev. 20-"And I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus…and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years." Note, it was not people upon this earth at all that is referred to here, but the souls of them that had been beheaded (the martyrs of Jesus) in paradise. This was the company that "loved not their lives unto the death." Rev. 12:11. This is the same thing referred to in Rev. 12:5 which says, "And her child was caught up to God and to His throne."

This was that glorious company of converts who were not accounted worthy to live on the earth because of their faith in Christ; but were persecuted unto death. But as they were put to death down here their souls ascended up to God. The victorious reign of the church, God's true people, down here was cut off because they were not permitted to live here during that time so the scene shifts from earth to paradise where they did live on and reigned with Christ during that time so the scene shifts from earth to paradise where they did live on and reigned with Christ during the long reign of Papal darkness (known as the Dark Ages) when the Papacy reigned supreme and the 350 years of the Protestantism era (known as the dark and cloudy day) during which time the dragon was bound

The thousand years (long, indefinite period of time) does not measure the duration of their reign a all. It did not end at that time. They are still living and reigning with Christ in Paradise and will continue to live and reign with Him eternally in heaven. But with the restoration of the true Church of God in her full power and glory and the preaching of the Word of God in all of its fullness by Holy Spirit-filled ministers which, when believed and obeyed, brings a full, free and uttermost salvation from sin, salvation work on a general scale began again in the earth and the people of God, His church, was again restored to that victorious, triumphant life upon the earth; so the scene shifts back down here where the work of salvation is being carried on and just leaves this grand company to continue their reign with Christ in Paradise.

2 Peter 2:4

"For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto Judgment;" This particular text may be a little obscure and its true interpretation a little difficult to establish clearly in the light of all the other passages considered on this subject, even to myself. However this one thing I know: any given text of Scripture must be interpreted according to the general tenor of the over-all teachings of the Scriptures on that subject. If any interpretation of a Scripture crosses or contradicts other plain texts on that subject, one can rest assured that something is wrong with his interpretation on that Scripture. To conclude that this one Scripture teaches that celestial angels sinned and were cast down to hell, etc. would be to contradict the general tenor of Scripture as evidenced by the discussion of this number of other passages on this subject. Therefore, whether we may clearly understand this particular passage or not and may not be able to fully and clearly explain just what it does mean for sure, we know that it does not mean 'that.' But I will insert here an excerpt from the writings of C. E. Orr which seems to me to be a reasonable and true interpretation of 2 Peter 2:4, 5, and Jude 6, 7, both of which texts deal with this same thought.

Quote: "2 Peter 2:4, 5, and Jude 6,7. This has reference to Adam and Eve. They were cast out of Eden, their first estate… Notice that in the last two texts the writers are speaking of great wickedness in the days of Noah? Why should he overlook the sin in Eden which plunged the world into sin. We understand that Peter and Jude are talking about wickedness on the earth, and therefore start with the sin in the garden and not sin among holy angels in heaven. The Bible is not a record of what is done in heaven, but what is done in earth. It is said in John 8:44 that the devil was a murderer from the beginning. In John 1:1 we are told that God was in the beginning. The word "beginning" is used here of both God and the devil, and is so used because of our finite minds being unable to grasp the fullness of eternity, but this beginning reaches back into eternity beyond beginning. "Sin is a principle. Righteousness is a principle. We hold that no holy being could create or generate a sin principle any more than an unholy being could create a righteous principle. For holy angels to sin, a sin principle must have existed and they received it in their nature by faith or in some manner. The devil and angels did not create sin, for God created all that has been created. God did not create sin. He did not create goodness. Goodness is an uncreated and eternal principle. We hold that sin is an uncreated and eternal principle. If it be a created principle, then God created it, for He alone is Creator.

A holy being could not create sin and retain his holiness; therefore God did not create sin. Devils could not create it; therefore sin is uncreated. God saw that His creation was good, but we do not understand that sin was His creation. "Jesus taught His disciples to say when praying, 'Our Father which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.' Now, if angels in heaven sinned, then God's will was not done in heaven and Christ's words would not mean much to us. If holy angels in heaven sinned one time, how can we know that they have not sinned many times? Why could they not sin some future time, and if they can sin, why could not we after we got to heaven? To our mind the only logical conclusion is that sin never entered heaven and never will. No holy being in heaven ever sinned or ever will. Why would God redeem sinning man at such a great cost, and not redeem sinning angels?"