Satan and the Fallen Angels

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.

In the past I have often wondered how Satan was able to secure the loyalty of one third of God’s angels. It’s astounding when you think about it, that he was able to deceive these majestic beings, pure, noble and loyal to God. Beings that where according to scripture in 2 Samuel 14:20 exceedingly wise to know all things that are in the Earth. But Satan, the great deceiver was artful and cunning in speech and possessed great knowledge. He clouded their minds and misrepresented the character of God whom he accused of being exacting, controlling and harsh.

Psalm 52:2 The tongue deviseth mischiefs; like a sharp razor, working deceitfully.

One can only just imagine the razors from which Satan used to cut the heart strings of those angels who were once loyal to God.

All the powers of his master mind were now bent to the work of deception, to secure the sympathy of the angels that had been under his command. Even the fact that Christ had warned and counseled him was perverted to serve his traitorous designs. To those whose loving trust bound them most closely to him, Satan had represented that he was wrongly judged, that his position was not respected, and that his liberty was to be abridged. From misrepresentation of the words of Christ he passed to prevarication and direct falsehood, accusing the Son of God of a design to humiliate him before the inhabitants of heaven. He sought also to make a false issue between himself and the loyal angels. All whom he could not subvert and bring fully to his side he accused of indifference to the interests of heavenly beings. The very work which he himself was doing he charged upon those who remained true to God. And to sustain his charge of God’s injustice toward him, he resorted to misrepresentation of the words and acts of the Creator. It was his policy to perplex the angels with subtle arguments concerning the purposes of God. Everything that was simple he shrouded in mystery, and by artful perversion cast doubt upon the plainest statements of Jehovah. His high position, in such close connection with the divine administration, gave greater force to his representations, and many were induced to unite with him in rebellion against Heaven’s authority. – {Great Controversy 496.1}

We mustn’t forget that before his fall Lucifer was the preeminent of all angels. The Spirit of Prophesy describes him as a high and exalted angel, next in honour to God’s son. His countenance shone more brightly than any other angel, he was clothed in wisdom and glory above any other angel and was beloved and reverenced by all the angels who also delighted to execute his command {SR 13.1 & GC 495.1}. Satan drew the sympathy of other angels towards him because they loved him and could not clearly see through his deceptive arguments that God’s judgement toward him was just and fair. Instead Satan convinced the angels that God was unfair and that those who sided with God where not interested in the welfare of the heavenly hosts.

Satan used his position of power and his knowledge to manipulate the other angels. I can imagine how difficult it must have been for those angels. These angels who would unquestioningly follow Lucifer’s command, who looked up to him because of his position, his ability to speak so nicely, his encyclopaedic wisdom. All they could see was God passing judgement and not see the full picture. They only saw a beloved comrade being hurt and allegedly misjudged. Their hearts poured out in sympathy towards the one they so had so admired.

There are ever to be found those who will sympathize with those who are wrong. Satan had sympathizers in heaven, and took large numbers of the angels with him. God and Christ and heavenly angels were on one side, and Satan on the other. Notwithstanding the infinite power and majesty of God and Christ, angels became disaffected. The insinuations of Satan took effect, and they really came to believe that the Father and the Son were their enemies, and that Satan was their benefactor. Satan has the same power and the same control over minds now, only it has increased a hundred-fold by exercise and experience. Men and women today are deceived, blinded by his insinuations and devices, and know it not. By giving place to doubts and unbelief in regard to the work of God, and by cherishing feelings of distrust and cruel jealousies, they are preparing themselves for complete deception. They rise up with bitter feelings against the ones who dare to speak of their errors and reprove their sins.—Testimonies for the Church 3:327. – {Gospel Workers 1892 86.1}

Satan the master deceiver continues to work to the same ends and with the same tactics today through his human instrumentalities and the Bible is full of stories of warning, that, like lighthouses on a rugged shore, show us how to discern his deceptions and resist entering into rebellion as well. You see rebellion can not fester without the aid of human sympathy. Satan could not have disturbed heavens peace had it not been for those that came to his aid when he was rebuked and cushioned the blade of God’s righteous judgement, therefore strengthening Satan’s pride and sense of self-justification that he had been falsely and harshly dealt with. We are in perilous danger of doing the same thing today when we stand in the way of God’s judgement upon our fellow brethren.

Reproofs always hurt human nature. Many are the souls that have been destroyed by the unwise sympathy of their brethren; for, because the brethren sympathized with them, they thought they must indeed have been abused, and that the reprover was all wrong and had a bad spirit. The only hope for sinners in Zion is to fully see and confess their wrongs, and put them away. Those who step in to destroy the edge of sharp reproof that God sends, saying that the reprover was partly wrong and the reproved was not just right, please the enemy. Any way that Satan can devise to make the reproofs of none effect will accomplish his design. Some will lay blame upon the one whom God has sent with a message of warning, saying, He is too severe; and in so doing they become responsible for the soul of the sinner whom God desired to save, and to whom, because He loved him, He sent correction, that he might humble his soul before God and put his sins from him. These false sympathizers will have an account to settle with the Master by-and-by for their work of death. – {3 Testimonies 329.1}

Cain and Abel

We are all familiar with the story of Cain and Abel, the one brother bringing forth an acceptable offering and the other an offering of his own devising and reasoning. We remember that Cain spoke to his brother before Abel’s death and read of it:

Genesis 4:8 And Cain talked with Abel his brother: and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him.

We are often told that Cain went into a jealous rage before killing his brother but let us note what else inspiration tells us.

Instead of acknowledging his sin, Cain continued to complain of the injustice of God and to cherish jealousy and hatred of Abel. In meekness, yet firmly, Abel defended the justice and goodness of God. He pointed out Cain’s error and tried to convince him that the wrong was in himself. He pointed to the compassion of God in sparing the life of their parents when He might have punished them with instant death, and urged that God loved them or He would not have given His Son, innocent and holy, to suffer the penalty which they had incurred. All this caused Cain’s anger to burn the hotter. Reason and conscience told him that Abel was in the right, but he was enraged that he could gain no sympathy in his rebellion. In fury he slew his brother. – {From Eternity Past 39.4}

Here was Satan working through a human instrumentality. He had succeeded in gaining sympathy from the fallen angels, he had succeeded in deceiving Adam and Eve into rebellion but here was the first person who did not join him in sympathy but rather stood with the sharp edge of God’s reproof and not in its way. What did Satan do? He slew him. And today, the same thing continues to occur.

Abel demonstrated to his brother, consecrated sympathy in his gentle yet firm appeal. He reasoned with his brother to see how God had been so merciful and fair to them. This way of sympathy, that does not excuse sin but guides the sinner to repentance is acceptable to God.

While we should give them sympathy, let it never be such as to foster self-pity. What they need is that which stimulates and strengthens rather than weakens. – {Child Guidance 157.2}

Can you discern the difference? Abel stood with God and sought to uplift his brother from sin and into repentance. How often do we today exercise the wrong sort of sympathy, excusing sin and standing with the sinner, thinking we are doing some good work?

Korah, Datham and Abiram

Many of us are familiar with the story of Korah, Datham and Abiram in Numbers 16 who with a host of others came to Moses and Aaron and murmured against them because they felt they were equally worthy of undertaking the high work of the priesthood that had been bestowed on Moses and Aaron. Moses much like Abel reminded these rebels of the work God had performed in sustaining them in the wilderness and then set forth that God would judge these men by their fire offering.

There is nothing which will please the people better than to be praised and flattered when they are in darkness and wrong, and deserve reproof. Korah gained the ears of the people, and next their sympathies, by representing Moses as an overbearing leader. He said that he was too harsh, too exacting, too dictatorial, and that he reproved the people as though they were sinners when they were a holy people, sanctified to the Lord, and the Lord was among them. Korah rehearsed the incidents in their experience in their travels through the wilderness, where they had been brought into strait places, and where many of them had died because of murmuring and disobedience, and with their perverted senses they thought they saw very clearly that all their trouble might have been saved if Moses had pursued a different course. He was too unyielding, too exacting, and they decided that all their disasters in the wilderness were chargeable to him. Korah, the leading spirit, professed great wisdom in discerning the true reason for their trials and afflictions. – {3 Testimonies 345.2}

Now we all know that God exercised his judgement, swallowing up Korah, Datham and Abiram and all those that followed them into rebellion but what in interesting to note is that Satan worked still to stir up the human sympathy of those within the camp who were displeased with the Lords judgement.

Numbers 16: 41-45,49 But on the morrow all the congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron, saying, Ye have killed the people of the Lord. And it came to pass, when the congregation was gathered against Moses and against Aaron, that they looked toward the tabernacle of the congregation: and, behold, the cloud covered it, and the glory of the Lord appeared. And Moses and Aaron came before the tabernacle of the congregation. And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Get you up from among this congregation, that I may consume them as in a moment. And they fell upon their faces. Now they that died in the plague were fourteen thousand and seven hundred, beside them that died about the matter of Korah.

The congregation had just witnessed the judgement of God on Korah and his followers and Satan worked in them to stir up their human sympathy. They came before Moses and Aaron and murmured against them, they had the audacity to call Korah and his rebels ‘people of the Lord’ after God had judged them unworthy. They by their false sympathy had joined with Korah in rebellion and the result was fourteen thousand and seven hundred more avoidable deaths. It almost seems preposterous, almost stupid that you could see the judgement of God so decidedly upon a sinful servant and yet still come to their aid and seek to cushion the blow to their conscience. Yet how much do we still do this today? When someone is told they are wrong, when they are judged by the highest counsels of church leadership and yet our heart wrongfully goes out in sympathy for these erring ones and we join them in their error and strengthen them to err more.

If persons are as deserving of being separated from the church as Satan was of being cast out of heaven, they will have sympathizers. There is always a class who are more influenced by individuals than they are by the Spirit of God and sound principles; and, in their unconsecrated state, these are ever ready to take sides with the wrong and give their pity and sympathy to the very ones who least deserve it. These sympathizers have a powerful influence with others; things are seen in a perverted light, great harm is done, and many souls are ruined. Satan in his rebellion took a third part of the angels. They turned from the Father and from His Son, and united with the instigator of rebellion. With these facts before us we should move with the greatest caution. What can we expect but trial and perplexity in our connection with men and women of peculiar minds? We must bear this and avoid the necessity of rooting up the tares, lest the wheat be rooted up also. – {Testimony Treasures Vol1 312.3}

There are so many people in the church who follow after men rather than following principle. They place these men on high pedestals in their mind, these gifted individuals like Korah who they think are so wonderful, so smart, so holy, so capable and so wise. They murmur together, ‘they would make a better leader surely, look how he speaks, look how knowledgeable he is’. These were the same thoughts of the congregation in regard to Korah. What do we know of Korah?

Korah, the leading spirit in this movement, a cousin of Moses, was a man of ability and influence… For some time Korah had been secretly opposing Moses and Aaron, though he had not ventured upon open rebellion… Dathan and Abiram, two princes, readily joined in his ambitious schemes and determined to divide with Korah the honors of the priesthood – {From Eternity Past 277.2}

Korah was a man of influence, ability and position. He schemed in the shadows with those of like minds and before arousing open rebellion we went about the camp meeting people individually and in groups in secret to spread his seeds of discontent. A word was shouted here and there to undermine the leadership. A seemingly harmless invitation to study outside of the camp with men and woman of lesser minds. A subtle suggestion here and there causing men and woman to magnify the minor faults in those that opposed him. ‘Look at what this one is doing’ he perhaps murmured to his sympathisers.  ‘Isn’t it sad that they are getting this desperate’ he may have uttered. ‘Anyone who can stand up against him is a threat or even an enemy’ he may have insinuated to his co-conspirers. ‘He is not capable of leading he’s hardly here’ the seed of doubt he planted. In all this Satan was working as he has always done and always will, deceiving weak minded men and woman to doubt God’s wisdom and judgement and instead follow the leadings of a man or woman through the delicate strings of false sympathy.

You know I have a personal experience in this matter. I preach this message today because it is one I have lived. I too have given sympathy to sin. Many years ago I left this very church to follow after man who had been disfellowshipped. He was a gifted speaker, incredibly knowledgeable and a cunning manipulator. He had been pushed out of two reform churches by the leadership but found a way to twist words and judgements so as to make him seem the innocent victim of persecution. He misused bible verses to accommodate his actions and make the church leaders seem as though they were stifling the work of God. I being so young in the faith then fell for his fables and with many other members, including long time members, followed him into his independent movement.

That decision led to a whole lot of heartache for me and nearly ruined my spiritual connection with God entirely but I’m just so thankful God worked so patiently with me to remove my blindness and allowed me to see what that man really was and who was leading him. Even more thankful am I for the ability now to recognise the same spirit of deception. To see the various wolves dressed in sheep’s clothing deluded and desperate crying poor me, poor me when they are exposed.

Many place such confidence in their own ideas that they present their theories as if they could make no mistake. Once their words are spoken, they never go back, never repent, never feel that they need forgiveness. They feel that they are infallible. Thus it has been in past history; thus it will be again. False religious confidence becomes supposed infallibility. How can these deluded ones think that they are the only ones led and taught of God? When this spirit is manifested, what can be done? You cannot convince them, because they say, “God has led me.” They will not acknowledge that they have acted on wrong principles. They maintain that they have moved rightly. The only course that can be pursued is to leave them to develop their principles. They may never see their error, but others may be convinced and saved. To attempt to unmask them would be to call sympathy to their side. – {RH September 7, 1897 Par. 5}

When I was in this independent movement, this leader was constantly under attack from former brethren and this only entrenched the feelings of sympathy that I and many others felt for him. How could they be so ruthful and unchristian is what I thought at the time. Time fortunately gave me the clarity I needed to see the man as he truly was and it came about by his own actions and words, not the attempts to unmask from others. Think about your own experiences brethren, God has surely led you in some way or another to see that something isn’t right in the actions and motives of a certain brother or sister to greater or lesser a degree, that they are compelled by a wrong spirit, desiring power, reputation or other lusts.

You know I have pages more to say about this concept of false sympathy but I think it is abundantly clear what it is and how terrible its effects are. For those who would like to study deeper the following references are a good starting point.

• Darkness Before Dawn 3.3
• From Eternity Past 252.4
• 1 Bible Commentary 1115.1
• Gospel Workers 1892 87.1-2
• Great Controversy 543.3
• 3 Testimonies 359.1
• Gospel Workers 1892 85.1

Now before I continue it must be said that our human sympathy going out to the sinner can be a very natural thing. In fact, in most cases we think we are doing the right thing to defend and to come to the aid of our fellow brother or sister. I know in my personal experience that is what I thought I was doing. I did not at all think for a moment I was in rebellion.

If God, through his servants, reproves and rebukes the erring, there are those who stand ready to sympathize with those who deserve reproof. They will seek to lighten the burden which God compelled his servants to lay upon them. These sympathizers think they are performing a virtuous act by sympathizing with the one at fault, whose course may have greatly injured the cause of God. Such are deceived. They are only arraying themselves against God’s servants, who have done his will, and against God himself, and are equally guilty with the transgressor. There are many erring souls who might have been saved if they had not been deceived by receiving false sympathy. – {Spirit of Prophesy Vol1 278.2}

I mentioned earlier on that Abel had shown sympathy toward his brother Cain but that unlike the unwise and unwarranted natural sympathy that we demonstrate to those in sin, his was of a kind that was consecrated and strengthening rather than arousing self-pity. How do we access this heaven born sympathy for our brothers and sisters in error? How do we discern whether we are given the right type of sympathy?

When human sympathy is blended with love and benevolence, and sanctified by the Spirit of Jesus, it is an element which can be productive of great good. – {Councils on Stewardship 345.1}

But you might think well love stirred the angels into sympathy with Satan, it stirred Israel into cooperation with Korah. What you must consider is whether that love is love according to God’s principles or your feelings.

Romans 12:9 Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.

God’s love is without hypocrisy and yet equally a condition of that love is the abhor sin. If our love drives us to sympathises with one so as to strengthen their sin then it isn’t love at all.

Those who are in association with Jesus will partake of His melting love, and manifest His overflowing sympathy for souls who are yielding to Satan’s specious temptations. They will plan and study and exercise tact, in order that they may make a success of so presenting the unselfish love of Christ that the sinful and impenitent hearts may be won to loyalty to Jesus, who gave his life for them… – {Ye Shall Receive Power 300.2}

The true expression of heaven-born sympathy has power to open the door of hearts that need the fragrance of Christlike words and the simple, delicate touch of the spirit of Christ’s love.– {Adventist Home 449.2}

This was the same sympathy that Abel showed his brother, it was a decided and planned sympathy not a haphazard emotional response. Moses also manifested the same consecrated sympathy to the congregation of Israel.

Moses related to the people the simple facts in their history as they had occurred. He faithfully set before them their own errors, and the transgressions of their fathers, and told them plainly that distrust and unbelief had been their great sin. He did not call up bitter memories, or indulge in censure and reproof, to gratify his own feelings. He presented these things to show that it was unsafe for them to rely upon their own wisdom. With the pitying tenderness which a godly father exercises toward an erring son, he sought to awaken in them true sorrow for their sins, and heart-felt repentance toward God. He impressed them with the fact that God was not in any way chargeable for their misfortunes. He had been faithful to his promises, but they had broken their solemn pledge to him; they had transgressed his holy requirements, and his wrath had been kindled against them again and again. – {ST March 3, 1881 Par. 12}

Brothers and Sisters, examine yourselves to see where your sympathies lie. Are they with Christ or in sin. Do not let Satan, the master deceiver play out his well rehearsed strategy and ensnare your heart strings away from sound principles. If there are those among you in open sin then pray earnestly for their repentance but do not by your words or actions lead them to believe they can continue in sin and rebellion.

Never was there greater need of faithful warnings and reproofs, and close, straight dealing, than at this very time. Satan has come down with great power, knowing that his time is short. He is flooding the world with pleasing fables, and the people of God love to have smooth things spoken to them. Sin and iniquity are not abhorred. I was shown that God’s people must make more firm, determined efforts to press back the incoming darkness. The close work of the Spirit of God is needed now as never before. Stupidity must be shaken off. We must arouse from the lethargy that will prove our destruction unless we resist it. Satan has a powerful, controlling influence upon minds. Preachers and people are in danger of being found upon the side of the powers of darkness. There is no such thing now as a neutral position. We are all decidedly for the right, or decidedly with the wrong. Christ said, “He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad.” [Matthew 12:30.] – {Gospel Workers 1892 85.3}

Br. Steven Caruana