The Origin of the Devil
by Cleve Stafford
A few days ago, someone asked me if I knew where the devil came from. I told her the easy answer is “From heaven,” but he is no longer there because of his disobedience. Of course, it is that simple, yet at the same time, it is much more complicated. The question of where the devil comes from is deeply rooted in Christian theology. From this perspective, the devil, also known as Satan, is understood to be a fallen angel who was once a perfect creation of God but rebelled due to his pride and was cast out of heaven.
The Bible does not provide a detailed account of Satan's origin, and my friend also questioned why that is. I have heard more than one answer, but the one I prefer is as follows: The Bible is about God, His love, grace, and mercy, and about Jesus Christ, who atoned for our sinful natures. That is its focus. It was not written to introduce the devil; it was written to introduce God and His perfect Son.
However, several passages are traditionally interpreted as describing his fall. For instance, Isaiah 14:12-15 speaks of the "morning star" falling from heaven, often seen as a reference to Satan: "How you are fallen from heaven, O Day Star, son of Dawn! How you are cut down to the ground, you who laid the nations low!" (Isaiah 14:12). While this passage addresses the king of Babylon, many believe it also symbolizes Satan's pride and rebellion.
Similarly, Ezekiel 28:12-19, directed at the king of Tyre, describes a being in Eden, perfect in beauty, who became proud and was cast out: "You were the signet of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty.... Your heart was proud because of your beauty; you corrupted your wisdom for the sake of your splendor. I cast you to the ground" (Ezekiel 28:12-19). This is often interpreted as a dual reference, applying to both a human king and Satan.
In the New Testament, Revelation 12:7-9 describes a war in heaven where Satan, called the "great dragon," was cast out: "Now war arose in heaven, Michael and his angels fighting against the dragon. And the dragon and his angels fought back, but he was defeated, and there was no longer any place for them in heaven. And the great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world—he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him " (Revelation 12:7-9).
Jesus also mentioned seeing Satan fall in Luke 10:18: "I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven," suggesting this event was in the past. These passages suggest that Satan was originally an angel, possibly a cherub, created to serve God. However, due to pride - wanting to be like God - he rebelled and was cast out, along with other angels who followed him. This fall is believed to have occurred before the creation of humanity, as Satan appears in Genesis tempting Eve. The apostle Paul, in I Timothy 3:6, warns against pride, noting it led to the "condemnation of the devil," reinforcing that pride was the cause.
Today, Satan is viewed as the adversary, tempter, and accuser, seeking to lead humanity astray and oppose God's plans. His influence is limited, and his ultimate defeat is assured, as described in Revelation 20:10: “…and the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur where the beast and the false prophet were, and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.” The devil's origin lies in his rebellion against God due to pride, which resulted in his fall from heaven, as understood from key biblical passages and theological reflection.
I believe the most important thing to remember is that the origin of Satan is not more important than His purpose. Just as there is nothing evil in God, there is also nothing good in Satan: “You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father's desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies.”
God is the epitome of grace, mercy, love, and forgiveness, while the devil represents the very antithesis of those qualities. Whereas God cannot lie (Titus 1:1), Satan is nothing but a liar (John 8:44). I cannot speak for anyone else, but the origin of Satan does not concern me. The only thing about him that concerns me is ensuring I do not follow him, so I don’t end up in the lake of fire and sulfur.
