In Revelation we see a war in heaven between Michael and his angels and Satan and his angels. Jesus said he saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. Surely Satan was working against God in the garden of Eden when he enticed Eve to eat of the forbidden fruit and when he tried to tempt Jesus. God called his creation very good, this would include Lucifer and his followers. God then rested on the 7th day and sanctified that day of rest, unlikely He would sanctify a day where sin began. Satan also stands before the Lord, accusing the brethren. So has Satan been cast out and just allowed permission to enter heaven or is it in the future that he is cast out?
Good question Dave. It is my understand when I read the Bible that Satan was originally one of God’s holy angels. In fact he was the highest ranking angels. However, his pride cased him to sin and he rebelled against God and was cast out of heaven.
Luke 10:18.......
“
I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.”
It seems to me that by referencing Satan’s fall from heaven, Jesus most likely had in mind
Isaiah 14:12........
“How you have fallen from heaven, morning star, son of the dawn! You have been cast down to the earth, you who once laid low the nations!”
I believe that The fall of Satan that Jesus saw happened after Lucifer’s sin, before Adam and Eve’s temptation in the Garden of Eden.
That was only the
first stage of his judgment. Satan’s kingdom was vanquished at the cross a we see in J
ohn 12:31–32.
That was his 2nd stage of judgment.
Still Later, he will be bound in the abyss for one thousand years
Revelation 20:1-3 and then lastly, he will be cast into the lake of fire for eternity in Rev. 20:10.
The Bible tells us that Until his final judgment, Satan is "the prince of this world" in
John 14:30. Now, IF he is the Prince if this world, he can not be chained anywhere. It seems that he still has restricted access to the heavenly realms.
Satan does not have open access to God’s presence. He is summoned by God and The visits are temporary. His time before God’s throne is limited and In no way is the purity of heaven tainted by the brief, God-ordained presence of a sinful being.
James 4:7.........
"Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you."
2 Corinthians 11:14
"And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light."
1 Peter 5:8..........
"Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour."
Job 1:7........
"And the Lord said unto Satan, Whence comest thou? Then Satan answered the Lord, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it."
So, I think it is clear for us to see that Satan has access to God and the earth and reports to God.
Now for the Revelation 12 question.
A common misconception is that Satan and his demons were locked away in hell after the fall of Satan. However, from the Scriptres posted above, I think that It is clear that Satan was not barred from heaven or the earth after his first rebellion, which predated the creation.
In
Job 1:1—2:8, he appears before God to accuse Job of ulterior motives in his worship of God. In
Zechariah 3, he again appears before God to accuse Joshua, the high priest. Indeed, the name
Satan means “accuser.” In Genesis, he visited the Garden of Eden and tempted Eve. He tempted Jesus in the wilderness before Jesus began His ministry, an incident recorded in
Matthew 4:1–11.
In Revelation 12:9 there will be a war in Heaven and the devil and his angels will be cast down to earth. Twice we are given a time frame of 3.5 years here where Israel is "in her place",
in the promised land, and is kept safe from the wrath of Satan.
The last 3.5 years where the devil is thrown down to earth having great wrath is the Great Tribulation.
The war in heaven looks to take place at the point of the abomination of desolation, where the Antichrist takes power. In Daniel 12:1 Michael stands and at that time there shall be the “time of trouble” mentioned earlier. In Rev 12 we see that Michael and his angels fight the dragon (Satan), and the devil loses and is cast out of heaven; cast to the earth having great wrath. Both of these depictions are the same event covering a 3.5 year period while the devil is on the earth and the saints experience the great tribulation and time of trouble which is the END TIMES.
Source:
https://www.prophecyandtruth.com/revelation.html
CONTEXT!
Revelation 12:6
"And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there
a thousand two hundred and threescore days." or 3 1/2 years.
As this period of 3 1/2 years is half of the tribulation period - it obviously refers to the future, not the past. Yes, the first few verses in the chapter refer to the past -
1). Israel having a child (Jesus, the Messiah)
2) who was then caught up to Heaven (His ascension).
But as the chapter bears out, the war happens after this point in time, THEN immediately after he goes after the woman (Israel) and attempts to wipe her out.
Revelation 12:14 ....
"And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for
a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent."
Revelation 13:5 .........
"And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue
forty and two mont
hs."
Revelation 11:2 ......
"But the court which is without the temple leave out, and measure it not; for it is given unto the Gentiles: and the holy city shall they tread under foot
forty and two mont
hs."
Revelation 11:3.........
" And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy
a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth.
These time periods MUST refer to either the first half or the second half of the tribulation period - therefore they are not past events, but still future.