The Great Controversy between Christ and Satan
Satan’s contention in heaven before his fall was over the law of God. Now, he is here on earth and continues to work contrary to this law till he receives false worship.
The Fall from Heaven
12 How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! Isaiah 14
When Lucifer fell from heaven, this weakened the nations. How?
23 He weakened my strength in the way; he shortened my days. 24 I said, O my God, take me not away in the midst of my days: thy years are throughout all generations. Psalm 102
A semicolon denotes that what follows explains the previous statement, therefore, to weaken is to shorten the days. This came through sin and the fall of man. When Satan was cast down to the earth, “cut down to the ground”, he tempted our first parents and overcame them. They lost their right to the Tree of Life and death came upon them and all their generations (the nations). Through sin and death, Satan shortened man’s days and didst weaken the nations.
9 And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. 10 And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night. 11 And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death. 12 Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time. Revelation 12
In Revelation 12, a woe is pronounced upon the earth for the devil came with wrath and knows he has a short time. A short time to do what?
10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. John 10
Satan has come to steal, kill and destroy while Christ came to extend the days of mankind. Note how Satan’s work here on earth is an explicit violation of God’s law.
13 Thou shalt not kill. 15 Thou shalt not steal. Exodus 8
The Lies
3 And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads. 4 And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth: and the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born. Revelation 12
Here we are informed how Satan managed to get a third of the angels (“stars”) cast out with him. He used his tail. The bible is its own expositor, meaning it explains itself including symbols used. The book of Revelation is written in signs and symbols. Just as the dragon is a symbol of Satan (a fallen angel), the tail is also a symbol. What does the tail symbolize?
15 The ancient and honourable, he is the head; and the prophet that teacheth lies, he is the tail. 16 For the leaders of this people cause them to err; and they that are led of them are destroyed. Isaiah 9
A prophet or leader who teaches lies is described as the tail. Satan taught lies to deceive the angels that were cast out with him. This is also confirmed in John 8. Satan here is called the father of lies which means he is the originator of lies.
43 Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word. 44 Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it. 45 And because I tell you the truth, ye believe me not. 46 Which of you convinceth me of sin? And if I say the truth, why do ye not believe me? 47 He that is of God heareth God’s words: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God. John 8
To lie and to accuse falsely (see Revelation 12 above) is to bear false witness. This is another violation of the law by Satan.
16 Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour. Exodus 29
The Great Controversy
If Satan and his angels were cast out of heaven, we who are striving to go there should seek to understand why this happened? For, if we follow Satan’s example, we will surely be excluded from entering therein also. What was Satan guilty of?
13 For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: 14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High. Isaiah 14
Continuing with Isaiah 14, we are informed of what primarily led to Lucifer’s fall. He sought to exalt his throne above the stars of God, to sit upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north and be like the most High which is God Himself. In heaven, there is only one throne which belongs to God and only One who sits upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north. In other words, Satan here was expressing his intentions to exalt himself to the status of God. What is wrong with this intention? Does it violate a part of heaven’s “constitution”? And if so, which part or “section”? Similar to earthly governments, for a crime to be recorded against any citizen, there must be a violation of at least a section of the law expressed in a constitution. Therefore on what grounds were Satan’s intentions a violation of the law?
1 And God spake all these words, saying, 2 I am the LORD thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. 3 Thou shalt have no other gods before me. 4 Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: 5 Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; 6 And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments. Exodus 20
Satan violated God’s first commandment. Hence we see that the beginning of the great controversy between God and Satan was primarily the violation of God’s law. We know that the end of the world is the climax of this great controversy. What would be the issue of contest this time?
6 And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, 7 Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters. Revelation 14
9 And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, 10 The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb: Revelation 14
The issue at the end of the world is over worship. This again is the subject clearly defined in the first and second commandment. The first angel that carries the everlasting gospel, with a loud voice calls all to worship God, which is a call to obey the first commandment. In direct opposition to the angel’s message, the beast will cause many to worship it and its image which is an explicit violation and contradiction of the first and second commandments. In worshiping the beast, a representative of Satan, Satan receives worship to himself as he has unrighteously intended from the beginning of this great controversy.
Furthermore, Revelation 14 gives a contrast between two classes at the end of the world; those that receive the mark of the beast and those that reject it and receive the seal of God. Those that reject the mark of the beast keep God’s commandments and have the faith of Jesus.
11 And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name. 12 Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus. Revelation 14
Clearly, the beginning and the end of the great controversy between Christ and Satan is over the law of God. Satan’s violation of the law led to his expulsion from heaven. He continues this violation here on earth and it will culminate with him receiving worship during the mark of the beast crisis. This has been his unrighteous intention since he was expelled from heaven. By God’s grace, may we not be found taking Satan’s side in this great controversy between Christ and Satan.