COMMENTARY: At what time period was Satan thrown out of Heaven? (Rev. 12:9)

It could not have been early in creation, such as Adam & Eve’s time in the garden of Eden. Please note 3 lines of evidence.

1. Job 1:6, 7= Satan entered among the angels of God when they presented themselves before the LORD. Satan’s reply to God, mentioned in verse 7 indicates that he was on earth & returned to HEAVEN. Job lived years after Adam and Eve’s time. So this meeting in heaven, with Satan being present, evidently took place AFTER the time of Adam & Eve, at a time when Satan still had access to heaven.

2.  John 12:31= Jesus’ statement in this text shows that Satan was not yet thrown out of heaven. Jesus here spoke of Satan’s being “cast out” as something future, to take place AFTER his (Jesus’) time on earth.

3. Revelation 1:1= Here the apostle John was inspired by God to write about things that “must shortly come to pass,” thus, to take place in the future. Then later in the book of Revelation, Revelation 12:9 speaks of Satan and his angels being cast out of heaven to the earth. Therefore, Satan and his demons were cast out of heaven at some point AFTER the writing of Revelation; hence after the year 96 AD (96 CE) when the book of Revelation was written.

Unfortunately, so many church members erroneously think and say that Satan and his demons were thrown out of heaven early in creation. The evidence presented above proves that such is NOT the case. While we do not know the exact date when Satan and his demons were cast out of heaven, we know it took place after the death of the apostles, possibly long after, since the book of Revelation wrote about events reaching down to our time.

The book: “What Does the Bible Really Teach?” can provide further valuable information on this subject.

Simeon James
Student of God’s Word

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50 Comments

  1. Sean
    October 29, 2023

    this is wrong, you mentioned John 12:31 but you avoid a direct quote of it.John 12:31 “Now is the time for judgment on this world; now the prince of this world will be driven out.” notice the word “world” is being used which the writer of this article mistakes for heaven. Luke 10:18 “And he said unto them, I beheld Satan fallen as lightning from heaven.” Notice the tense used here in Luke are past tense.

  2. Jinx
    August 11, 2023

    Pagan & papal Rome killed 59 million true Christians. What I have read of the true history of the popes in the Dark Ages would make one think Satan reincarnated himself in human form in Rome. Why would a pope apologize internationally for their past deeds in the year 2000? But the Roman emperors especially Nero & Diocletian were as guilty.

  3. Tim
    July 27, 2020

    People need to study Gods word. Jesus said he saw Satan cast out of heaven and he looked like lightening striking earth when he fell. Therefore before Adam and Eve Satan was in the garden. He came to Adam and Even in the form of a talking snake. AKA (serpent) He fell when the earth was without form and void And darkness covered it, well before Adam and Eve.

    Well-loved. Like or Dislike: Thumb up 8 Thumb down 1
  4. Tim
    July 27, 2020

    Satan was cast out of heaven. But head still has to come up to heaven and present himself to God. Satan has to have Gods permission to do anything. It’s clear that the other fallen angels AKA demons are under Satans control, but Satan himself has to stand and report to God. That’s biblical fact.

  5. Tony
    February 13, 2020

    I don’t see how Satan was cast out of Heaven before, during, the time before/after 1914 or anytime after Adam/Eve. I mean what, he tempted Eve who corrupted Adam God’s perfect creation, then was allowed to stay in Heaven?
    For Ex. Most Bibles, certainly the Jehovah’s Witness teach about Devil being cast down in the beginning during the Heavenly battle, and afterwards at least Jehovah’s Witness explains why suffering on earth is nothing to do with God, because Satan is the ruler of earth NOT God.
    This is difficult to believe.

    • Jamie Perry
      July 29, 2020

      He was cast out of heaven when there was a war in heaven and earth. He came to claim a child of the Christ line. That war was wwii when jews were being killed by the millions. That war ended September 2 1945. 9 months later was June 1946 what political leader was born June 1946? The child, would be 74 years old now and would have the attributes of the beast. Who has the surname Christ in their lineage?

    • Tony sickler
      December 18, 2021

      I believe Satan was given a task from God to watch over God’s the first creation. God had made different kinds of animals like the dinosaurs and a different kind of man with them. I believe Satan had dominion over the earth once before. He was to teach his first kind of man how to evolve. Satan was to take the praises of his people to the to the fiery stones in heaven. But then he poured the praises unto himself because he wanted to be god. He then convinced a third of the angels are with him to go to heaven and overthrow God. For God knowing his plan cast him down to the earth and they became flames and when they hit the earth they became ashes and destroyed the earth. The mountains collapsed and flooded the earth and he became void. When you see Genesis 1:2 the earth was already here before he created heaven on earth.

  6. Anonymus
    November 7, 2019

    Isaiah14:12. And EZekiel 28 tells you when Satan was Thrown out

    It happened before creation. It didnt happen when christ was on Earth and IT DID NOT HAPPEN IN 1914

    Well-loved. Like or Dislike: Thumb up 5 Thumb down 1
  7. Darrell Armbrust
    February 16, 2019

    It’s amazing how unbelievers are all over a Christian site. Why?

    Well-loved. Like or Dislike: Thumb up 4 Thumb down 0
    • Anonymus
      November 7, 2019

      Because its a free country and they have as much right as you do

      Who made you holier and thou

    • Tim
      July 27, 2020

      Unless you believe Gods word and it is a faith walk, you will think anything. Satan was here thousands of years before 1914. He’s the father of evil and lies. And that definitely happened before 1914, which by the way is the most ridiculous theory ever. And straight from the pit of hell itself.

      Well-loved. Like or Dislike: Thumb up 4 Thumb down 0
  8. Arshley Mark Nyaude
    October 6, 2018

    many claim satan fell to earth in 1914. world war 1 has estimated 40 million deaths right? 20-50 million people died in Europe, Egypt & West Asia in 541-542. 75-200 million people died in Europe, Asia & North Africa in 1331-1353 because of the black death. the European colonization of the Americas of 1492-1691 claimed 34 million lives. who is ro say Lucifer had not fallen before 1914s world war 1? what makes world war 1 so special that many believe that thats when Lucifer was booted feom Heaven? the bible tells us he was kicked out and angry, lets not point fingers to the worlds disasters claiming that was satans anger when he fell. the bible doesnt give us date, time or year he fell!!!!

  9. Gordon
    November 20, 2017

    If we follow Revelation 12 and we accept the fact that verses 1 and 2 took place on Sept 23, 2017 then we should accept the fact that satan is due to be thrown out of heaven (verses 3 through 7) at some point in the future maybe it could be before the end of 2017, who knows? God knows.

  10. Johnnierock
    September 13, 2016

    Good article. Just a thought, do you think we are trying to put a square peg in a round hole? Since God is infinite (past, present, future, etc.) if we look at our linear existence and try to fit it in to a realm that is not restricted by time/space. Could we be talking about our future or God’s past? Could it be both? Our understanding is based on our miniscule conception of what we see here looking out and not in. I can say God’s mercy does endure far beyond our conception(and think him everyday for it).

  11. Rose White
    August 22, 2016

    I’m inclined to believe Satan was cast out in 1914 and goaded most of the world into battle as his agenda has always been to kill humans before they learn the truth of God – or else confuse and make them lose faith in God – which is the same thing and has the same eternal death result.

    Also Jesus spoke of ‘the last generation not dying off’ and a few of the people alive in 1914 are still alive and will not all die off for perhaps another 10 years?

    So I think God threw Satan out of heaven about 1914 and he came to earth exceedingly angry like a prowling lion knowing he has but a short time’.
    A human life span with a maximum of say 115-120 years would be ‘a short time’ to a spirit that once lived with God, cheered as God and Jesus created the universe, and had the potential to live forever?

  12. patrice
    September 25, 2015

    guiding thereself into the devils lie this is sad and the ones who know the truth they walk door to door trying to safe us before the end comes.

    • Anonymus
      November 7, 2019

      Jehovah Falsewitnessed is a cult. They teach Yeshua is Michael the Archangel

      Yeshua is Yahweh in the Flesh

  13. patrice
    September 25, 2015

    true, but the real battle is between th devil and his demons and god and his angles. if the devil never challenged GODS SOVERINTY IN THE GARDEN OF EDEN, TRICKING ADAM AND EVE WE MAY HAVE A DIFFERENT FUTURE. BUT SINCE THE DEVIL CONVINCED THEM AND HIS DEMONS gOD WAS A LIER, AND THAT WE CAN GORVERN OURSELVES, WE HAD TO GO THROUGH ALL THESE YEARS FIGHTING TO PROVE HE WAS WRONG OR PROVE HE WAS RIGHT. THE WICKED PROVES HE WAS WRONG, how they create such terrible things in life, how sadness and tragedy fills the earth. but the righteous they prove the devil was wrong also by being facithful to doing good and following gods commandments even in trails of hardship. see you think i made a mistake don’t you, no. the wicked proves that the devil is wrong lol, even though they don’t see it, because look at the world, human gorvern thereself in the ground, hungry people fill the earth, molesters fill the population, sex and homosexuallility is overbearing, disease is rapid, all these things are…

    • January 5, 2023

      .Yeah.. and just think.. this was 7 years ago.. look who we have in charge of America and how evil it has gotten in 2 years. Joe Biden is the grandpa of the antichrist

  14. Tim Hershberger
    February 8, 2014

    The majority of those who speak against biblical truth have never even read the bible. I urge you to actually read it and then try to disprove the contents. I also give you the example of Josh McDowell, a man who was agnostic and, as a part of his thesis, sought to disprove the accuracy and content of the Bible. In his attempt he failed miserably and now is a very strong christian, having found both accuracy and truth complete. His works on the subject you can find in his book “The evidence demands a verdict”.

    Don’t be afraid, open a Bible, read what is there, go ahead and question the accuracy, but you will find only truth.

    God bless

    • Anonymous
      February 24, 2014

      Just curious. What exactly is your comment saying when it comes to the question: When was Satan cast out of the heavens? Are you suggesting that Simeon James’ comment is not correct? Or are you commenting on all the other comments made by people who know little about the Bible? Thanks, Mike

  15. Anonymous
    December 23, 2013

    1914 is the day

    • April 13, 2014

      Look’s more like a year.

  16. Nathan
    June 28, 2010

    Here is that website http://Www.exjw.org.uk

  17. Oh Please
    December 23, 2009

    BLASPHEMY…Jah will deal with the false prophets and the deceitful preachers.

  18. Dominican lover
    December 23, 2009

    These are concepts developed by man, in their quest to understand. The important thing is,whether u accept Jesus, and if not Why not.

  19. Frances
    December 22, 2009

    According to the Witnesses the “Kingdom (with Jesus Christ as King) started to rule in 1914 and since then Satan has been cast out of heaven down to earth [and] God’s Kingdom will soon destroy human governments, and the earth will become a paradise [with 144,000 others ruling with Jesus Christ”. extracted from Chapter 8 of What does the bible really teach.

    I’m not a Jehovah Witness but I read their material, which seems like a paradox. These are the same folks who stated that the world would end in 1975, needless to say they got rid of Franz or Fritz whatever the man name is who wrote the majority of their fundamental beliefs after he retracted some things. Search online there is a site for ex-Jehovah witnesses.

    • wolf
      August 30, 2014

      Taze Russell was a 33rd Degree Freemason and a worshiper of the occult. He started the JW’s with his biggest fail of 1914 when he said that Jesus would return that year. but we all know it didn’t. Since that did not pan out he moved his date to 1925 but died before that not to see his failure again. Time and time again jw’s have said this would happen and their theories have been unsuccessful. can we trust you to explain the bible after many problems in your research and explanations.
      I trust in Jesus in the day of Judgment Day

  20. Frances
    December 22, 2009

    FYI What Does The Bible Really Teach is a book designed for Jehovah Witnesses.

    • Morti Luther
      January 15, 2020

      The organisation of Jehovah’s witnesses are angels of light, they have to keep on updating their dogma, they call that, ‘light getting brighter’ It is a misapplied verse cherry picked from Proverbs, anyone with a brain calls it covering over error.

  21. not convinced
    December 22, 2009

    so if the devil and his demonic angels were cast out of hell after the book of revelations was written, after he tempted jesus in the desert, after the temptation of eve, then why was he allowed such free access into heaven to go and come as he pleased?

    • patrice
      September 25, 2015

      the devil wacst out of heaven in 1914 not hell, there is no hell, you all confuse hade with hell, or the lake of fire with hell, god would never throw people he made into a tormenting place for all time for real, that’s being like the devil. what he said he will throw the devil and his demons and his followers in the lake of fire and they will be no more. now for the fact of god letting the devil go back in forth. Adam destroyed gods plan when he and eve let the devil tempted them to go against god in the garden of Eden. the devil said god was a lie they would not die, humans can govern thereselfs, and you see where that got us, right. well in order to recorrect what Adam done he needed a perfect human and no humans where perfect after Adams sin we inherited sin from him, so god sent his only begotten son, Jesus Christ. now Jesus knew what he was coming for he knew born as gods son and flesh that he would die, but for the love of us humans he came anyway. he endured all that pain

      • patrice
        September 25, 2015

        and suffering to prove we can stay faithful to god even in times of stress and horror, also he taught us how to pray, wash our sins away and how to reach the father through his name, his blood mark the change for humans. in all that time the devil could go back and forth so other angles too. but god had to formulate the plan, what to Jesus was born, then grew of age which Jesus had to wait till his 30’s to even get baptized. so during this time it was access back and forth until 1914 when god appointed Jesus to his throne, Jesus first command was to cast the devil and his demons out of heaven, you cleanse the heaven as we repeat when we pray, let your will take place in the earth as they are in the heavens. he cast him out and hurled him to the earth revelation 12:12,13 hope thathelps

  22. Gary
    December 22, 2009

    Religion absurdities again, Gibberish and fairy tales.

  23. Peeping Tom
    December 22, 2009

    Thanks. Cool stuff!

  24. W. Wansborough
    December 22, 2009

    God and the bible are just theories and ideas who’s time and relevance should be confined to history. It is amazing how some people speak about these things like it is true. It all goes to show how effective brainwashing can be. These ideas are believed by some people only because their minds were conditioned when they were children. When will this ignorance end?

    The Adam and Eve story is just a theory about the origin of life. I am sure at one time it was seen as the most advanced idea of its day. However that time has long past. Move on people, try to make an improvement on outdated, useless thinking.

    • BRENDA
      March 30, 2010

      IS NOT BREAIN WASHED, MAY BE A THEORY, BUT I KNOW IS TRUE, JUST AS MANY OTHER PEOPLE BELIEVED IN DINOSOURS. HOW CAN A WHOLE WORLD AND BEINGS BE CREATED OUT OF A BIG EXPLOSION, HOW CAN A CELL BE CREATED IN FIRE, IT DOES NOT MAKE SENCE, SO A BELIEVE IN GOD BECAUSE IT MAKES SENCE FOR ME.

      • NatureBoy
        May 21, 2011

        Good reasoning. I agree. Creation makes sense because it is a fact.

    • Anonymous
      May 7, 2013

      may the love of Jesus compel you to know that God lives. in Jesus’s name!

      • patrice
        September 25, 2015

        first there is no son without the father if you praise Jesus Christ you believe he has Jehovah’s authority and is king over his sovereignty. Jesus said you can only get to the father through me Jesus Christ so many accounts in the bible explain Jesus is the son not the father. you have to read your bible daily, and examine the scriptures to get the true understanding of gods kingdom. many bible claim it’s not true but if you examine it, meditate on what you learn, study it and put in to action what you found in wisdom you will see the truth feel the truth and know the True God has a name just like you. after all we are created in his image.

    • Adam
      April 12, 2014

      You obviously have a strong mind, and could never be brainwashed. So let me ask you, Do you believe you evolved from pond scum, over billions of years? That’s what I was taught when I was a child.

    • Kevin Jones
      June 30, 2016

      Actually Wansborough, you are the ignorant one. Brainwashed as a child? Completely untrue. My parents raised me in a Christian home. I was always skeptical. In my teenage years, I strayed away, and thought like you do, that it’s just a fairy tale. Later in life, I began to conduct my own research, scientific, archaeological, and biblical. I know have no doubt that God exists. We are walking, talking, feeling, thinking, living beings and there is no way possible we could have just assembled by sheer accident in this vast universe of darkness. Our world and life are so beautiful, look around you. Take a walk in the wilderness, take a deep breath of air, pinch yourself, then tell me there is no God. Thinking otherwise is completely obtuse to the reality around you. It is complete denial and insane to think that we created ourselves somehow. Talk about arrogance and brainwashing, lets go to a college library – they have all the answers to life. Give me a break.

  25. December 22, 2009

    just proves my point. the bible is actually like a book of Grimm’s fairy tales. Just meant to scare sinners onto the straight path with hellfire and damnation.

    • Littleoldme
      March 25, 2014

      Lets logically weigh the two choices.1. I chose to believe the Bible.. and it’s WRONG…I live life as a morally good person, treating people as I wish to be treated. I die and nothing happens but I return to the dust and the great nothingness. No harm, no foul. BUT what if I chose NOT to believe the Bible and it’s RIGHT..I live life any kind of selfish, self centered way, never believing in Jesus, then I die: and after death there IS a judgement. With boh choices I live and with both choices I die.But the out comes are gravely different.

      • February 2, 2016

        I expect in Muslim countries, people make the exact same argument about the Qur’an.

    • Tony sickler
      December 18, 2021

      God will never prove himself to you unless you humble yourself first. Then get to know him and believing in him and then God will show himself to you. but until then you are lost and in a dark place in your life. What I mean is you are spiritually dark and there’s a veil covering your spiritual eyes where you cannot see the truth. And in this dark place there is fear and anger because what you feel. Unless you repent you will die in darkness. What we do in this life will follow us in the eternal life.

  26. BLACK LIST
    December 21, 2009

    AMAZING HOW EVERYONE USE THE BIBLE TO THIER OWN MEANING…….HUMMMMMMM

    I WONDER IF I LOOK AT YOUR LIFE WHAT WILL I SEE,,,,,HUMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM

    NUFF SAID

  27. Spirit of Daniel
    December 21, 2009

    Hmm intresting …. i will have to re study that

  28. Prophet
    December 21, 2009

    Yes and Satan can appear in many forms and tempt many an unsuspecting ones, we have all seen his work. The mind is the Devil’s playground so he is free to play but The Most High God (Blessed be He) dwells in the hearts of men so it is a battle between the head and heart, a battle between Heaven and Hell.

    • Tony sickler
      December 18, 2021

      I believe God made everybody different for a reason and purpose. There’s all different kinds of people, with different thinking, different attitudes, and different beliefs; and we all are the same, were human! we can all believe and see if there is good and evil in all of us. But when it comes to faith it’s to no one‘s interpretation but of thier own. And when we die, we will we will see the truth and God will be the judge of everything we did in our life.

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