THE EVIL WORK AND ETERNAL PUNISHMENT OF EVIL ANGELS

By Gary Ray Branscome

It is important to understand that the evil angels are not evil because God created them that way, but because they sinned. The words, “For all things in heaven and earth, both visible and invisible, were created by Him,” tell us that God created “invisible” things, and that would include angels (Colossians 1:16). And, the words, “God saw every thing that He had made, and, behold, it was very good,” tell us that the angels that God created were all originally good (Genesis 1:31). While the words, “And the angels who did not keep their first estate, but went outside their bounds, have been kept by Him in darkness bound with everlasting chains until the judgment of the great day,” tell us that the first estate of angels was good, but they transgressed [i.e. “went outside their bounds”] (Jude 1:6).

Although the Bible does not tell us when the angels sinned, or how they sinned, the words, “You said in your heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit on the mountain of the congregation, on the sides of the north: I will ascend above the highest clouds; I will be like the most High. But you will be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit,” suggest that their fall originated with Satan’s exalted opinion of himself (Isaiah 14:13-15). The words, “The archangel Michael, when he disputed with the devil… did not dare to bring a railing accusation against him, but said, May the Lord rebuke you,” suggest that Satan originally had great authority among the angels (Jude 1:9). The words, “Everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels,” tell us that other evil angels are under his dominion (Matthew 25:41). And, the words, “You are of your father the devil, and you will do what your father desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and did not abide in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks on his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it,” suggest that Satan used lies and deception to lead other angels astray, just as he used lies to lead Eve astray (John 8:44).

As to when Satan sinned, all we can say is that he sinned sometime after the six days of creation, but before Eve conceived a child. As to how long that was, the words, “I will greatly multiply your… conception,” imply that sin increased the sex drive, so Adam and Eve may have taken time to get to know each other before becoming intimate (Genesis 3:16). Another possibility is that what seems like a short time to us, could seem longer to the angels.

The words, “Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil,” tell us that Satan is intelligent (Ephesians 6:11). However, the words, “By the time of the supper, the devil had already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray Him [Jesus]… And after he [Judas] took the bread Satan entered into him. Then Jesus said to him, What you do, do quickly,” tell us that Satan is not wise, for what he moved Judas to do was his own undoing (John 13:2 and 27).

The words, “There was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon and his angels fought back, But did not prevail; nor was there any longer any place for them in heaven. And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, who deceives the whole world: he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him,” tell us that Satan and his angels have been thrown out of heaven (Revelation 12:7-9). The words, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven,” indicate that it happened after Christ’s incarnation, but before His death on the cross (Luke 10:18). The words, “When I was daily with you in the temple, you did not lift a hand against me: but this is your hour, when darkness reigns,” indicate that Satan’s power on earth was greatest at the time of Christ’s crucifixion (Luke 22:53). And, the words, “Now is the judgment of this world: now the prince of this world will be cast out. And if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to me,” tell us that Christ triumphed over Satan through His death on the cross (John 12:31-32).

The words, “Why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and keep back part of the price of the land?” tell us that those who choose to do evil, do so because Satan is within them (Acts 5:3). The words, “Don’t you know, that when you yield yourselves to someone to obey him as servants, you are the servants of the one you obey; whether of sin to death, or of obedience to righteousness?” and “Truly, truly, I tell you, Whoever commits sin is the servant of sin,” tell us that those who choose to sin place themselves under Satan’s power (Romans 6:16, John 8:34). The words, “Jesus then replied, Have not I chosen you twelve, yet one of you is a devil? He spoke of Judas Iscariot the son of Simon: for it was he who would betray Him, although he was one of the twelve,” tell us that Judas was a devil [indicating that Satan had control over him] (John 6:70-71). The words, “One of His disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, who was going to betray Him, said, Why wasn’t this valuable fragrance sold for three hundred denarii, and given to the poor? He did not say that because he cared for the poor; but because he was a thief, and had the bag, and would take what was put into it,” tell us that Satan was in control of Judas because Judas had a long habit of choosing to do evil (John 12:4-6).

These facts raise a number of questions. For example: If Satan is behind lies and theft, can anyone deny that he is behind rape, child molestation, adultery and murder? And, if that is the case wouldn’t he also be behind all forms of sexual perversion, and abortion? I am not saying that people who commit such sins cannot be saved, but if they sin willfully they are unrepentant and true faith cannot exist without repentance. That is why Christ said that, “Repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name among all nations, starting at Jerusalem” (Luke 24:47). And, that is why the Apostle Paul wrote, “Don’t you know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor sex perverts, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor foulmouthed revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God” (Corinthians 6:9-10.

The words, “You formerly walked according to the way of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now works in the children of disobedience,” tell us that Satan is active in those who are unrepentant (Ephesians 2:2). The words, “The minds of those who do not believe have been blinded by the god of this world, that the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, might not reach them,” tell us that Satan not only tries to defile us through specific sins, but actively seeks to destroy us through unbelief (2Corinthians 4:4). The words, “While men slept, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went his way,” tell us that Satan places unsaved people inside the church (Matthew 13:25). And, I believe that one way he does this, is by causing those who do not understand the way of salvation to place false definitions on the words of Scripture and Christian terminology, so they hear what is said but fail to understand it correctly.

The words, “He has rescued us from the power of darkness, and transferred us into the kingdom of His dear Son,” tell us that because we were under the power of darkness we could not save ourselves, but needed to be rescued (Colossians 1:13). The words, “To open their eyes [the eyes of the Gentiles], and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among those who are sanctified through faith in me,” tell us that the lost are under the power of Satan, and are delivered through faith in Christ (Acts 26:18). However, the Bible also makes a distinction between the kind of spiritual control that Satan had over Judas, and the sort of physical demon possession described in the words, “As soon as Jesus got out of the boat, a man with an unclean spirit came out of the tombs to meet Him, This man lived in the tombs; and no one could bind him, no, not even with chains: For he had often been bound with shackles and chains, but the chains had been broken by him, and the shackles torn to pieces: and no one could tame him. And he was always in the mountains, and in the tombs, crying, and cutting himself with stones, night and day. But when he saw Jesus from a distance, he ran and prostrated himself before Him, and cried with a loud voice, What have I to do with you, Jesus, Son of the most high God? I implore you by God, do not torment me” (Mark 5:2-7). In spite of what the Bible here says, western scholars often scoff at this account in Scripture. A son of missionary parents told of how his family encountered this sort of demon possession more than once, yet he was mocked when he told people the in States of his experience.

The words, “If they do not speak according to this word, it is because there is no light in them,” tell us that those who deny that Satan exists [or anything else that the Bible says] are in darkness, and, therefore, under Satan’s influence (Isaiah 8:20). And, the words, “The invisible things of Him from the creation of the world are clearly seen… so that they are without excuse,” // “When the Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, they… show the work of the law written in their hearts,” tell us that being under Satan’s dominion does not exempt the lost of responsibility for their actions (Romans 1:20 and 2:15).

Satan’s Furious Attack on the Christian Church

Having been thrown out of heaven, Satan is fighting to keep control of this world. And, the words, “That old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, who deceives the whole world: he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him. And I heard a loud voice in heaven say, Now the salvation, the power, and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of His Christ has come: for the accuser of our brethren has been thrown down, who accuses them before our God day and night. And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they did not love their lives even unto death,” tell us that Satan is being overcome by the blood of Christ, and the testimony of God’s Word (Revelation 12:9-11).

The words, “I [Jesus] came into the world, to testify to the truth. Every one who is of the truth hears my voice,” tell us that Christ’s kingdom is a kingdom of truth (John 18:37). The words, “Sanctify them through your truth: your Word is truth,” tell us that the Bible is the truth that Christ uses to destroy Satan’s lies (John 17:17). And, the words, “That is the foundation upon which I will build my church; and the gates of hell will not prevail against it,” tell us that God’s people will triumph over all opposition (Matthew 16:18).

The words, “I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God to salvation to every one who believes,” tell us that God empowers His Word (Romans 1:16). The words, “So will the word that goes out of my mouth be: it will not return to me empty, but it will accomplish what I want, and it will achieve what I sent it to do,” tell us that God’s Word will achieve the results that He sent it to “accomplish” (Isaiah 55:11). The words, “In every way we show ourselves to be servants of God, in enduring much, in sufferings, in hardships, in distresses, In beatings, in imprisonments, in riots, in labors, in nights without sleep, in days without food; By pure motive, by knowledge, by patience, by kindness, by the Holy Spirit, by sincere love, By the word of truth, by the power of God, with the armor of righteousness on the right hand and on the left, Through honor and dishonor, through slander and commendation: treated as deceivers, and yet true,” tell us that Satan will turn people against us, will portray the truth of Scripture as a lie and will label us as deceivers (2Corinthians 6:4-8). However, our faith does “not rest in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God,” (1Corinthians 2:5). And, we “are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation” (1Peter 1:5).

The words, “Those by the way side are those who hear; then the devil comes, and removes the word from their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved,” tell us that Satan hinders the gospel by hardening the hearts of those who hear (Luke 8:12). That is why cult members and evolutionists are often quick to dismiss what we say.

The words, “Now the Spirit specifically says, that in the future some will depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils,” tell us that Satan hinders the work of the gospel by leading some away from the faith (1Timothy 4:1). He does this every time someone joins a cult, or drops out of church because of what they were taught in college.

The words, “Who opposes and exalts himself over everything that is called God, or is worshipped; so that he sits as God in the temple of God, and says that he is God,” tell us that Satan hinders the gospel by raising up false leadership in the church (2Thessalonians 2:4). The Pope is one example of this, but it applies to every cult leader, and to all who exalt their word over God’s Word.

How God Uses Evil Angels

The words, “The LORD has now put a lying spirit in the mouth of all your prophets [idol worshipping prophets],” tell us that God uses evil angels to punish those who reject Him (1Kings 22:23).

The words, “God will send them a powerful delusion, so that they will believe lies: That all who did not believe the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness, might be damned,” tell us that God sends delusion on those who harden their hearts to the gospel (2Thessalonians 2:11-12).

The words, “To keep me from swelling with pride, because of the great and wonderful things that were revealed to me, I was given a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to afflict me, so that I would not become conceited,” (2Corinthians 12:7). And, the words, “My grace is sufficient for you,” suggest that the messenger of Satan kept reminding Paul of his sin, in an attempt to convince him that God’s grace was not sufficient to cover what he had done (2Cor. 12:9).

God’s Wrath on the Evil Angels and Evil Men

The words, “Then He will say to those on His left, Depart from me, you cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels,” tell us that the evil angels will be condemned to everlasting fire (Matthew 25:41). The question of whether this fire will be physical or spiritual is of little importance, because the torment will be real.

The words, “The smoke of their torment ascends for ever and ever: and there is no rest day or night,” tell us that the torment will never lessen or cease (Revelation 14:11). And, just as those under judgment in this world often harm and torment each other, those in hell may cause additional pain by tormenting each other.

The words, “The fearful, and unbelieving, the abominable, murderers, whoremongers, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, will have their part in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur: which is the second death,” should be a warning to all who think that they can continue in a sinful lifestyle, without a repentant heart, and never be called to account (Revelation 21:8).

And, the words, “The day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with intense heat, and the earth and everything in it will be burned up,” tell us that on the day of judgment the material world as we know it, including all of the things that men sinned to obtain, will cease to exist (2Peter 3:10-12).

“The Christian doctrine is not produced by the theologian; all that the Christian theologian does is that he compiles the doctrinal statements contained in Scripture (in the text and context), groups them under their proper heads, and arranges these doctrines in the order of their relationship. // The whole Christian doctrine is revealed in Scripture passages that need no exegesis, but are an open book alike to the learned and the unlearned and can be so readily translated that the translator cannot go wrong unless he has made up his mind to depart from the original.” (Dr. Francis Pieper, “Christian Dogmatics”, Vol. 1, pg 52 & 347)

SCRIPTURE ALONE