God is the Father of all Creation, from all things in the physical realm to all things in the spiritual realm (John 1:3; Colossians 1:15-17). This includes Satan, also known as Lucifer, who was created to serve God as an angel in heaven.
Although God created Lucifer, God did not create the evil that Lucifer bore in his heart and chose to act on. Lucifer’s rebellion against God — which ultimately led God to cast him out of heaven — was a path of Lucifer’s own choosing.
We know from the Bible that the creation of the angels predates human history. In fact, the angels were in attendance when God laid the foundation of the world and celebrated the forming of the physical universe with songs and shouts for joy (Job 38:4-7).
While we obviously don’t know the exact details of Lucifer’s origin, scholars believe that the Bible gives us insight into Lucifer’s position in heaven as well as his fall therefrom.
1. God created Lucifer good. God is the Father of all Creation (John 1:3; Colossians 1:15-17). The only entity who was not created is God Himself, who inhabits eternity as the Alpha and the Omega (Isaiah 57:15; Revelation 1:8).
From God’s hand sprung forth every other thing that has, does, and will exist. This includes Lucifer, whom the Bible tells us was “created” and who initially dwelt in heaven and in the garden of Eden (Ezekiel 28:13).
As God’s creation, we know that Lucifer was created good (Genesis 1:31; Ezekiel 28:13). In fact, we’re told that Satan was initially created “blameless” in all his ways, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty (Ezekiel 28:12-15).
In fact, such a model of perfection was Satan that God gave him a position of prominence among the angels (Ezekiel 28:14).
2. God ordained Lucifer as a guardian cherub in heaven. Satan was known as the “morning star,” translated as Lucifer (Isaiah 14:12).
As an angel, Lucifer walked on God’s holy mountain and was anointed to serve God as a member of the guardian cherubim, among the highest rank of angels in God’s holy host second only to the seraphim (Ezekiel 28:14).
That Lucifer was ordained a cherub signifies his initial position of celestial prominence, as God Himself sits “enthroned between the cherubim” (Isaiah 37:16).
Lucifer’s high rank also speaks to the gravity of his betrayal when he chose to betray his Creator.
3. Lucifer’s sinful pride cost him his place in paradise. Despite Lucifer’s God-given wisdom and beauty, as well as the honor of serving in God’s angelic guard, Lucifer wasn’t humbled by his many blessings.
On the contrary, Lucifer became consumed with pride over his splendor. As that pride grew, Lucifer’s thoughts became so corrupt that he began desiring to be higher than God rather than to continue serving under Him (Ezekiel 28:15-17; Isaiah 14:13-14).
This ravenous sense of superiority led Lucifer to exercise his free will in scheming to be greater than God and assembling an army of angels to help him carry out that plot (Revelation 12:3-4,9).
It’s important to note here that Lucifer’s sinful pride in rebelling against God is different from the commonplace sense of pride we feel over a job well done.
Rather, the pride that the Bible condemns refers to the state of being so obsessed with yourself that your thoughts never turn to God and your heart never seeks Him (Psalm 10:4).
It is pride in this biblical sense that tops the list of sins that God hates (Proverbs 6:16-17).
As punishment for his grave disobedience and dishonoring of his angelic post, God cast Lucifer out of heaven by hurling him and his army of fallen angels to Earth (Ezekiel 28:16-18; Luke 10:18; Revelation 12:9).
Lucifer then became known as Satan, humanity’s adversary and accuser who prowls the Earth seeking revenge against God by sewing conflict and division among His children.
Aiding Satan in this wicked plot is his army of fallen angels who now serve as demons doing Satan’s bidding (Revelation 12:7-9).
4. Satan’s rebellion against God sprung from Satan’s free will. Although God created Satan, God did not and could not have created the evil that Satan bore in his heart and chose to act on.
Scripture is clear that God is love (1 John 4:8). As the epitome of everything that is good, God tempts no one (James 1:13).
However, in His love for His creations, God gave us the free will to choose how we live our lives. Likewise, angels are beings created higher than humans (Hebrews 2:7).
As such, angels also possess the free will to either obey God or abandon Him. Thus, although God created everything that is, Satan’s choice to rise up against God sprung entirely from Satan’s own volition (2 Timothy 2:26).
In a similar way, the legion of angels who joined Satan’s rebellion willingly chose for themselves the path of sin and destruction.
Like humanity, God created the angels — including Satan — good, and allowed the angels to choose whether to follow Him or turn from Him.
Unlike humanity, however, the angels who chose to rebel against God in a vain attempt to usurp His throne have no hope of redemption.
Instead, the fate that awaits them is “the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels” (Matthew 25:41).
There are important lessons we can draw from the Bible’s account of Satan. We learn from Satan’s story that pride was the first sin committed in the universe and that humanity has been on notice ever since that “pride goeth before destruction” (Proverbs 16:18, KJV).
In addition, and most importantly, the Bible confirms that Satan was defeated by our Savior Jesus Christ. The Cross strengthens us when the Devil tempts us into acting on our sinful nature.
We can avoid Satan’s snares and reach paradise by remaining vigilant that our thoughts and actions align with the message of the Cross when we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior.
For further reading:
Did Evil Exist Before Adam and Eve Sinned?
Why Was Lucifer, Satan, Cast Out of Heaven and Banished to Hell?
Do We Know What God Was Doing Before He Created the Universe?
Why Are Both Jesus and Satan Referred to as the Morning Star?
Do Angels Have Free Will? Can Angels Choose to Sin?
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Dolores Smyth is a nationally published faith and parenting writer. She draws inspiration for her writing from everyday life. Connect with her over Twitter @byDoloresSmyth.