The Beast and False Prophet
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Some additional understanding concerning certain vital, unfulfilled prophecies is necessary before continuing with what happened to Satan when he was cast to earth.
Two individuals, known as “the beast and the false prophet,” will lead the final, powerful religious-governmental system depicted in Revelation 17:1-18 and 18:1-24, which Christ smashes and replaces at His Return. Revelation 16:13-14 describes demons as having the power to “work miracles” through this system. The beast, as the embodiment of this system, will be a great, world-dominating figure.
Also, the false prophet will lead the world to worship the beast as God (Rev. 16:2; 19:20)! This deception will be so widespread (Rev 18:3)—so complete—that they will actually deceive all mankind into fighting Christ at His Second Coming (Rev 16:9, 13-16; 17:13-14)!
Now notice II Thessalonians 2:3-4 and 8 . II Thes 2:3 refers to one called “the man of sin” and “the son of perdition; who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sits in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.” The false prophet also professes that he is God.
Compare this with Ezekiel 28:2 and the reference to the “prince of Tyrus”—a man. Ezekiel wrote that this “prince” says, “I am a God, I sit in the seat of God.” II Thessalonians 2:8 describes this “man of sin” as the “wicked [one]” who would “be revealed” for what he is when Christ returns and destroys him with the beast in a lake of fire (Rev. 19:20). Isaiah 14:4refers to the false prophet as the “king of Babylon.” This is the same man as the “prince of Tyrus.”
Continuing in II Thessalonians 2:9 makes a startling statement about the false prophet. It says that his “coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders.” II Thes 2:10 shows that he is able to deceive everyone who does not “love the truth.” II Thes 2:11 reveals that God shall send “strong delusion” to all who willingly believe his lies.
The leaders of this great false system will be directly possessed by the devil! This will give the false prophet tremendous power to deceive and perform miracles. Satan, having always wanted to replace God with himself, will speak through this human religious leader and declare to the whole world that he is, in fact, GOD! This Bible warning is unmistakable. The miracles he performs will deceive the vast majority of people!
Will you be deceived when these events soon come to pass—as they surely will? (Read our booklet Who or What Is the Beast of Revelation? to learn more about this final world leader.)
Contents
Cast to Earth with All His Angels
Revelation 12:1-12 tells of Satan and his demons being “cast to this earth” (Rev 12:13). Actually, this chapter is an inset in the middle of the book of Revelation, and it is a brief synopsis of the entirety of New Testament Church history.
Rev 12:3 describes Satan as a “dragon” who “drew the third part of the stars of heaven and did cast them to the earth” (Rev 12:4). Recall that these “stars” were the one-third of all angels under Lucifer before he rebelled.
II Peter 2:4 offers another clue about this “casting down” of Satan and the angels that he “drew with” him. Notice: “God spared not the angels that sinned [Satan was not the only angel who sinned], but cast them down to hell.” (The Greek word here is tar taros and it means either “prison” or “place of restraint”—this is the earth itself.) These demons with Satan have been “reserved unto judgment,” having been “delivered…into chains of darkness.” This reveals that many other fallen spirits are delivered to this dark prison by God to join the “prince of darkness.”
Revelation 12:7-9 describes, in more detail, when Satan and his demons are cast to the earth for the last time with no further access to heaven. Rev 12:12-14 show that the devil’s response is great wrath. This terrible time lies just ahead for the whole world!
Satan’s Fate
But what happens to the devil after Christ’s Return? Will he be left free to roam the earth, continuing to “deceive” (Rev. 12:9) and “weaken” (Isa. 14:12) the nations? Will he be allowed to remain the “god of this world” (II Cor. 4:4) forever? What is his final fate?
Revelation 20:1-15 describes Christ setting up a 1,000-year millennial rule (Rev 20:4) and bringing the “last chapter” in Satan’s story. Rev 20:2 states that a mighty angel (Rev 20:1) actually binds him “a thousand years” by “casting him into the bottomless pit,” where he is “shut…up.” This angel then “set[s] 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.”
Paul mentioned the time of Satan being bound when he said, “the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly” (Rom. 16:20). This is God’s promise to all true Christians and all mankind, because Satan has persecuted the former and deceived the latter for thousands of years!
The apostle Jude stated that Satan and his demons will be cast out of the universe into a place where the Bible explains there is no light. Jude 1:13 describes these wretched beings as “wandering stars to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever.” The “prince of darkness” and his angels will get what they deserve—what they brought on themselves. The one who was once known as the “light bringer” chose darkness. God will give him complete darkness for the rest of time!
Your Great Potential
Hebrews 2:5 describes the earth under the “subjection of [true] angels” now, but makes clear that these angels will not continue to rule “the world to come.”
Additional verses in this chapter explain what will happen after the fallen angels governing this world are replaced: “What is man, that you are mindful of him?…You made him a little lower than [margin: inferior to] the angels; You crown him with glory and honour…You have put all things in subjection under his feet. For in that He put all in subjection under him, He left nothing that is not put under him. But now we see not yet all things put under him” (Heb 2:6-8).
Speaking of Christ, Heb 2:9-10 continue, “But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that He by the grace of God should taste death for every man. For it became Him…in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.”
Did you catch—grasp—what was said? These verses contain the promise of a staggering potential available to you and me. Christians are called to inherit “all things” and be “crowned with glory and honor,” offered to them by the calling of God and sacrifice of Christ—“the captain of their salvation.”
There is no mistaking what “all things” means. “Nothing” (Heb 2:8) will be excluded from this inheritance. (Read our free booklets What Is Your Reward in the Next Life?, What Is the Kingdom of God? and Just What Is Salvation?, among others, to learn more about the marvellous potential that awaits all of God’s true saints.)
In Matthew 4:9, Satan offered Christ rulership over “all things” if He would “fall down and worship him.” Christians are promised rulership over the same “all things”—but only on the condition that they worship the true God!
The Devil Revealed
Herbert W. Armstrong concluded his booklet Did God Create A Devil? with:
“God placed the great cherub, Lucifer, to carry out His government on the earth, but Lucifer refused to carry out God’s will, God’s commands, God’s government. He wanted to substitute his own. So he disqualified himself.
“Adam had the chance to supplant him. In the contest to see if Adam would conquer, if he would obey God, he failed. He obeyed the devil instead, and man became the property of the devil, and the whole human race has been sold down the river to the devil ever since.
“Jesus Christ came 4,000 years later and He entered the great contest—the contest of the temptation on the Mount. He REFUSED to obey the devil. He quoted scripture correctly. He obeyed God. “Finally, He turned to the devil, and He gave Satan a command. He said, ‘Get away from me,’ and the devil obeyed!
“From that time on, the successor of Satan has been qualified to take over the rule of the earth. But Jesus went to heaven for 1900 years. He is soon coming again, and when He does, the devil will be DISPLACED. Christ will rule the earth, God’s Laws will be restored. Order and peace will come at last!
“So God did NOT create a devil. He created a cherub, Lucifer—perfect in his ways, but with the power of free choice—and Lucifer transformed himself into a devil by rebellion against the Government of God!”
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