 | The Reverend Amy Baumgartner is the Associate Pastor of First Presbyterian Church, 525 N. Broadway, Wichita, KS. Amy was ordained at First Presbyterian Church of Wichita, Kansas in June 2008. She earned a Masters of Divinity from Denver Seminary. Before attending seminary, Amy graduated from Ball State University with a degree in Landscape Architecture and worked several years for an architectural firm in Indianapolis, Indiana. You may contact Rev. Baumgartner by email AssociatePastor@firstpresbywichita.org, or by phone at (316) 263-0248. |
Religion
2012-11-01 14:50:36
The fallen angels
Q- What do we know about the fall of the angels prior to the beginning of man? Where in the Bible does it tell us about this?
A- The term “fallen angels” does not appear in the Bible; however, there are a few places that indicate a battle happened among angels resulting in about a third of the angles to follow the rebellion led by the Accuser (typically referred to as Satan)
Before we discuss that battle, it might be helpful to first briefly discuss the subject of angels in general. The Bible assumes their existence; in fact, 34 of the 66 books in the Bible refer to angels. In addition, Jesus taught about their existence (see Matt.8:10; 24:31; 26:53). Angels were created by God (see Ps.148:2,5; Col.1:16) unlike God who had no beginning (1 Tim.6:16). Angels were created before the world and man (see Job 38:6,7), and angels were created holy (see Ezek.28:15; Jude 6).
The fall of angels is associated with the fall of Satan. Christian scholars will point to two passages when describing the fall of Satan: Ezekiel 28 and Isaiah 14. Ezekiel 28:11-19 is a prophetic lamentation over the “King of Tyre” who many Christian scholars interpret as describing Satan’s fall and not a mere human king. Satan is an illustrious form of the human ruler of Tyre in 28:2 (“prince/ruler”) and called a “king” in 28:12. Though Tyre had a human “ruler,” it is believed that Satan was the real “King” behind that wicked earthly kingdom. In the Ezekiel passage, the king is described before his fall as the model of perfection, blameless at creation until his fall, and beautiful. Yet he became proud and corrupt so he was cast to the earth where he would deceive others.
In Isaiah 14:12-15, scholars will interpret Satan as the manifest king of Babylon. As in Ezekiel 28, Satan is pictured here as the real “king” behind the wicked human kingdom of Babylon. The imagery of a “star” and “falling from heaven” in this passage suggests a supernatural fulfillment. “Stars” are symbolic of the angelic realm elsewhere (see Job 38:6,7; Rev.12:4). The definitive form of pride (“I will be like the Most High” in v.14) fits the New Testament description of Satan’s fall 1 Tim.3:6.
It is clear that Satan has a following of like beings (for instance, Satan is call the “Prince of the demons” in Matt.12:24 and Matt. 25:41 mentions the Devil and his angels). At the fall of Satan, many angels followed him in that rebellion (demons are considered fallen angels). A third of the angelic host seem to have fallen with Satan according to Rev.12 (where the imagery of Satan as a “dragon” and angels/demons as “stars” is used).
Admittedly, the Bible does not communicate a great deal about the fall of angels. However, the subject of their fall does remind us of Paul’s words that there is spiritual battle going on in our world. Our charge is to put on the full armor of God that we might stand our ground and be strong in the Lord (see Ephesians 6:10-18).
