Was Satan Ever a Heavenly Angel?

"Was Satan ever a heavenly angel?" ~ David Brumley

Great question. Many people have never properly identified Satan. So let's allow the Bible to tell us exactly who he is. Actually, the Bible clearly states that Satan was, indeed an angel. (Rev. 9:11) - "And they had as king over them the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in Hebrew is Abaddon, but in Greek he has the name Apollyon." This word in Hebrew and Greek means "destroyer."He is also referred to as, "the prince of the world" (Jn. 12:31), the "god of the this world" (2 Cor. 4:4), and a "liar and murderer from the beginning" (Jn. 8:44).

Satan was puffed up with pride (1 Tim. 3:6), and was cast out of heaven (2 Pet. 2:4; Jude 6, Rev. 12:7-9). In the passage in Revelation 12, one would note that the war was between Michael (an angel) and his angels, and the dragon (Satan, the Devil), and his angels. It makes sense that if Michael was the head angel of a group of angels that fought with another who was the head of another group of angels, that the second leader would also be an angel. Satan was not a part of the Godhead. It is hard to understand who he could possible be, if not an angel. A balance of all the texts regarding him bears this out. No verse says exactly, "Satan was an angel." But it is understood by looking at all of the passages regarding him that he was.

2 Pet. 2:4 and Jude 6 in discussing angels include all of the angels that have been taken out of heaven who will be lost eternally in hell. Their reservation is not a current binding, but an eternal destination already reserved. Jesus said that "the prince of this world is judged" (Jn. 16:11). He is referring to the Devil here. Since we know that Satan is currently working on the earth (1 Pet. 5:8), we understand that what Christ meant was that his future is already fixed. The reservation for chains of darkness is a future reality that cannot be changed. Both Satan and the rest of the angels who left their original abode with God have this destiny awaiting them.