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ENCOURAGEMENT TO ETERNAL FOCUS IN UNITY AND FELLOWSHIP OF THE GOSPEL

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Who Turned Out the Light?

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How does darkness exist in the presence of the Eternal unchanging God that is Light and in Whom is no darkness at all? Why did God the Father create a dimensional place with darkness without the  presence of His Glory?

• Myth: God the Father as Light has been present in this dimension of creation since Genesis 1:1

• Myth: Satan and demons are in the Lake of Eternal Fire today

• Myth: Adam and Eve saw  God the Father

• Myth: God's judgment and final sentence of Satan and fallen angels is not swift

By inspiration God reveals He is Light. This description as light has more meaning than a figure of speech describing His perfection, purity and holiness. Light is more than a metaphor to contrast good and evil in the actions of men. God is a literal light so perfect, pure and unchanging no shadows exist in the presence of His glory. The Light of God energizes and defines the eternal perfection of God’s past Kingdom just as it will in the future in the New Kingdom.

In God’s company of the Holy of Holies of heaven the diverse intensity of color over the full spectrum of light emanates sharpness, contrast and definition that no one has or can see in human flesh. Distinction of matter in our shadowy universe is by degrees of darkness. Artists must spend years learning proper technique of light and the shadows produced. In the Father’s presence His creations shine with the power of His eternal Light where not one iota of darkness can be found. No sunrise or sunsets with lengthening and shortening of silhouettes dancing around an object exist in the Father’s house. Varied technologies of capturing the escaping energy from broken bonds of creation are not required. No nuclear fission, electron heated elements or excited gases glow there. As noted in chapter God with Us Celebration -The New Heaven and New Earth there are many changes from the life of this dark expanded universe.

For assistance of man’s understanding the Light of God is contrasted metaphorically with darkness as one of the main central themes of the Bible. As the Apostle John defined fellowship and love by God’s children, he used for illustration this characteristic of God as Light. James used God’s quality of Light without shadows or change to credit God as the unchanging source of all blessings. By trusting in Jesus Christ as Savior we are called "the children of light."

1 John 1:5

5 This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. NIV (Emphasis mine)

 

James 1:17

17 Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. NIV (Emphasis mine)

 

James 1:17

17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom can be no variation, neither shadow that is cast by turning. ASV (Emphasis mine)

 

Psalms 104:1-2

Bless the LORD, O my soul!

O LORD my God, Thou art very great;

Thou art clothed with splendor and majesty,

2 Covering Thyself with light as with a cloak,

Stretching out heaven like a tent curtain. NASB (Emphasis mine)

 

1 Timothy 6:16

16 who alone possesses immortality and dwells in unapproachable light; whom no man has seen or can see. To Him be honor and eternal dominion! Amen. NASB (Emphasis mine)

 

Ephesians 5:8

8 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light. NIV (Emphasis mine)

God’s Light is so bright human eyes cannot bear to look upon Him without fear of death. In fact no human being ever to live upon the face of the earth other than Jesus has seen the full brightness of God the Father in His glory.

John 1:18

18 No one has ever seen God, but God the One and Only, who is at the Father’s side, has made him known. NIV (Emphasis mine)

After speaking often with God face to face in the Holy of Holies between the Cherubim of the Ark of the Covenant, Moses longed to see God in His true glory. As Moses understood more about the separated heavens and earth through revelations of the Tabernacle he was overwhelmingly curious to actually meet face to face his Creator. He knew this Creator would come as his Messiah as a blessing to all peoples of the earth. He desired a glimpse of the Lord he served in meekness. The Lord told Moses such a meeting was impossible. He could not in human flesh meet the Lord and live. When Moses persisted the Lord allowed him to see His back. Moses got more than he bargained. Moses was filled emotionally with fear and trembled at what He saw. Even a small glimpse of God wrought great fear that overtaxed his physical and mental stability in the moment.

Exodus 33:18-23

18 Then Moses said, "Now show me your glory." 19 And the LORD said, "I will cause all my goodness to pass in front of you, and I will proclaim my name, the LORD, in your presence. I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. 20 But," he said, "you cannot see my face, for no one may see me and live." 21 Then the LORD said, "There is a place near me where you may stand on a rock. 22 When my glory passes by, I will put you in a cleft in the rock and cover you with my hand until I have passed by. 23 Then I will remove my hand and you will see my back; but my face must not be seen." NIV (Emphasis mine)

 

Hebrews 12:21

21 And so terrible was the sight, that Moses said, "I am full of fear and trembling." NASB

The Apostle Paul attempted with his physical eyes to see the Lord when addressed by Him on the Damascus road. He fell to the ground in reflex to the brightness and sound of Jesus voice of His glorified state. There was little doubt who had addressed him. Yet his eyes blistered unable to tolerate a look at Jesus in His glorified state.

Acts 9:3-9

3 And it came about that as he journeyed, he was approaching Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him; 4 and he fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to him, "Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?" 5 And he said, "Who art Thou, Lord?" And He said, "I am Jesus whom you are persecuting, 6 but rise, and enter the city, and it shall be told you what you must do. " 7 And the men who traveled with him stood speechless, hearing the voice, but seeing no one. 8 And Saul got up from the ground, and though his eyes were open, he could see nothing; and leading him by the hand, they brought him into Damascus. 9 And he was three days without sight, and neither ate nor drank. NASB (Emphasis mine)

 

Acts 9:17-19

17 And Ananias departed and entered the house, and after laying his hands on him said, "Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road by which you were coming, has sent me so that you may regain your sight, and be filled with the Holy Spirit." 18 And immediately there fell from his eyes something like scales, and he regained his sight, and he arose and was baptized; 19 and he took food and was strengthened. NASB (Emphasis mine)

Scripture reveals the darkness of this dimensional absence of the glorious Light of God the Father was created purposely by the Lord. He is ultimately responsible for the substitute lights created on day four of the sun, moon and stars and subsequent shadows.

Isaiah 45:5-7

5 "I am the LORD, and there is no other;

Besides Me there is no God.

I will gird you, though you have not known Me;

6 That men may know from the rising to the setting of the sun

That there is no one besides Me.

I am the LORD, and there is no other,

7 The One forming light and creating darkness ,

Causing well-being and creating calamity;

I am the LORD who does all these. NASB (Emphasis mine)

What motivated God to create this great change of contrasting light and darkness in a part of the Kingdom of Heaven? As discussed in chapters Everlasting to Everlasting and In Beginning, for an eternity all time, space and matter must have operated in oneness in the glorious Light of God. There were "angels" and other created beings known as "morning stars" with authority, power, responsibility, talents and beauty that obediently served God’s will in every way. His creations radiated with brightness of the stars and illuminated in fire-like appearance. These special beings sang and praised the works of the Father done by the Son as observed before them as He took the dark waters and began creation of the heavens and earth. Moses historical theme of "beginning" covered the initiation of events of this current age of man’s participation heavenly matters in a special purpose of God that involved His creation of this shadowy land.

Attempting to gain greater understanding of this purposeful creation of darkness apart from His Light stimulates many questions as one reads the Bible. Why did Jeremiah say in his vision of an example of God’s past judgment upon the world the "light was gone?" Why even with substitute lights of creation does Paul say in Ephesians 6:12 now believers are in "this dark world?" Why would the Father add two dimensions of heaven to His domain set apart from His glory? Why is it only Jesus has ever seen the Father among all people that have ever lived? This means Adam and Eve did not get to see God the Father before they sinned. Why is that so and why was the world dark before they sinned? Why can man not see the actual Light of God today, in this "present heaven" as Peter called it? Why did God need substitutes for His glorious Light in the Genesis creation whereas in the New Heaven and New Earth He is the only Light and all energy of existence comes from Him? Why does man exist in a dark flesh without radiant light as he will in the new glorified bodies patterned after the Lord? Why would one die if brought into the presence of the Light of our Father? All this leads to the following important question of this chapter…

Who Turned Out the Light?

 

Angelic Beginning Inhabited Home

 

Jude 6

6 And angels who did not keep their own domain, but abandoned their proper abode, He has kept in eternal bonds under darkness for the judgment of the great day. NASB

While God says He is ultimately responsible, the Scriptures in many places tells us about problematic choices of angels who are special created beings of God’s past. We know they were created since Jesus we are told made everything "over the eternities." Angels as the literal meaning of the word implies are messengers or spirits of another invisible dimension to man. Like the wind angels are undetectable by present senses except under special occasions allowed by God. One can see the results of their work but cannot see the actual appearance in varying degrees of color and brightness as the flames of a fire. It is this glowing bright appearance that usually instills great fear in those who have seen an actual angel prompting their most used greeting to men, "Fear Not!" Yet in all their power and uniqueness in comparison to man God shares they are the main ones responsible for the current heavenly separation.

These creations we are told had been given a place to live with the Father in heaven. Translated "first estate" KJV or "own domain" NASB Jude speaks of their "beginning"^[1] - a word that can reference a position of first in time, place or power. It is the same word used for "in beginning" in John 1:1. However the word here functioning grammatically as a direct object noun receiving the action of the participle "after had not kept" it refers to a location or place. This place is further clarified by the term "proper abode"^[2] which literally means in the Greek language an "inhabited home." The angels from their beginning experienced heaven with the Father as their home. Since angels preexisted the creation of this world therefore the heaven inhabited  must only be that heaven "not of this creation" of the Third heaven of the Father that preexisted our current separated dark heavens.

Jude 6

6 And angels which after had not kept their beginning, but after had abandoned personal  inhabited home, he has reserved into punishment of great day to everlasting chains under darkness. (Personal translation)

 

Luke 10:17-19

17 The seventy-two returned with joy and said, "Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name." 18 He replied, "I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. 19 I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you. NIV

 

Luke 10:18

18 And he said, "I saw the Satan as lightening glare from heaven while falling." (Personal translation)

The Eternal lives within the domain of time in all interactions with what is created by Him.  The activity and life of angels like all creations of God fall under the attribute of time in the God-creation-relationship. Any action committed including their creation is permanent unchanged past history. Ezekiel's statement "from day you were created" again emphasizes time as always an integral part of the God-creation-relationship. Thus angels have their own beginning living with unchanged past as they in the present make choices about future actions. These angels were not created evil. They like all creation make personal choices in time. Some evidently in personal choice did not keep guard and abandoned or left behind their inhabited home in heaven. Was the day one of the six days recorded in Genesis? Not if with other creations they watched the creative actions of the Son as taught in Job.

Ezekiel 28:15

15 You were blameless in your ways from the day you were created till wickedness was found in you. NIV (Emphasis mine)

Angels were created below the dominion of God the Son and today serve in special ways as shown by the writer of the book of Hebrews. God's creations are always ordered in position, purpose, ability, rank and responsibility throughout His Kingdom. These differences are assigned by His own choosing as He determines. Doing God's will angels wield great power unsurpassed in comparison to man as seen in Scriptures.

Hebrews 1:4-9,13-14

4 So he became as much superior to the angels as the name he has inherited is superior to theirs. 5 For to which of the angels did God ever say, "You are my Son; today I have become your Father"? Or again, "I will be his Father, and he will be my Son"? 6 And again, when God brings his firstborn into the world, he says, "Let all God’s angels worship him." 7 In speaking of the angels he says, "He makes his angels winds, his servants flames of fire." 8 But about the Son he says, "Your throne, O God, will last for ever and ever, and righteousness will be the scepter of your kingdom. 9 You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness; therefore God, your God, has set you above your companions by anointing you with the oil of joy."

 

13 To which of the angels did God ever say, "Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet"? 14 Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation? NIV

 As one considers the privilege of angels it is just unimaginable that even one would forsake the blessings of God’s Light and presence in heaven. Isaiah found himself asking the same thing as he understood more about the current situation of the Kingdom of Heaven. He asks questions about the leader of the unimaginable.

Isaiah 14:12

12 How you have fallen from heaven, O morning star, son of the dawn! You have been cast down to the earth, you who once laid low the nations! NIV (Emphasis mine)

God gives a title of description using "dawn" and "morning" perhaps alluding to him being one of His earliest creations. Satan was bright with light as the dawn of sunrise to the eye. He interacted with the "nations" which referred to other groups in the Kingdom of Heaven. His responsibility according to Paul was ruler of the kingdom of the air.

Ephesians 2:1-2

1 As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, 2 in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. NIV (Emphasis mine)

This creature’s position in the angelic kingdom was first as a "ruler."^[3] He probably had charge of the material creation  of eternal past that were the "waters" used as the materials to make the current heavens and earth. From the Apostle Paul’s title description using the term "air"^[4] this angel’s responsibility over the creation of eternity past was as essential as unconscious breathing is to our human body. His work enabled the material creation to be energized with astounding beauty and living harmonious activity. All past creation functioned in a oneness where each part was essential to the dynamic contribution of the whole. According to Ezekiel this early creation was comparable to a beautiful garden God called affectionately Eden. The Eden of Genesis symbolically to mankind pictures in shadow God's Eden of the spiritual unseen world past. Satan probably oversaw the vibrant activity of the nations of past Eden created by God. Life by all in heaven past brought great glory and pleasure to God with Satan as the main overseer.

This angel is also known by many other names such as Lucifer^[5], devil, evil one, slanderer, murderer, liar, ruler, prince and more. He is not a stupid red tricky being with pointed tail and ears. There are no beady narrowed eyes and sinister appearance as often imagined. He is probably depicted this way to soothe fears about a powerful being not seen or completely understood.

In reality he is masterful, powerful, wise, intelligent, active and diligent. He is not a child like novice ignorantly taking punches at God and His plans. Every action is purposeful to self fulfilling goals. A resume given of his background shows he has had experience in God’s work long before his dark thoughts. He was high ranking as one of the guardian Cherubim that protected the holiness and purity of God the Father. Ezekiel is thought in his lamentation to figuratively portray the King of Tyre as a type of this special angel of God to describe his former past and involvement in the Kingdom of Heaven.

Ezekiel 28:12-17

12 "Son of man, take up a lament concerning the king of Tyre and say to him: `This is what the Sovereign LORD says: "`You were the model of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty. 13 You were in Eden, the garden of God; every precious stone adorned you: ruby, topaz and emerald, chrysolite, onyx and jasper, sapphire, turquoise and beryl. Your settings and mountings were made of gold; on the day you were created they were prepared. 14 You were anointed as a guardian cherub, for so I ordained you. You were on the holy mount of God; you walked among the fiery stones. 15 You were blameless in your ways from the day you were created till wickedness was found in you. 16 Through your widespread trade you were filled with violence, and you sinned. So I drove you in disgrace from the mount of God, and I expelled you, O guardian cherub, from among the fiery stones. 17 Your heart became proud on account of your beauty, and you corrupted your wisdom because of your splendor. So I threw you to the earth; I made a spectacle of you before kings. NIV (Emphasis mine)

For some period of time in creation past this angel existed as part of the oneness of God’s beautiful perfection. From God’s description Satan could not be improved in any way. Every part of his being added up to complete wisdom and beauty. His appearance was something to behold as well – a superior contrast of colors as described by the different stones. The "holy mount of God" tells of his high position in God’s government of the creation of nations. He "walked among the fiery stones" revealing his access to power from God. He was "ordained" or set apart and prepared for this special purpose in heaven past. God said of him, "You were blameless in your ways from the day you were created," testifying for at least some period of time from the day he was created He did God’s will. So why and what did angels do that sent a tsunami of vast change to God's Kingdom?

Angelic Rebellion

Long after Moses in Genesis was given the historical account of man other inspired authors tell of an angel that had part in a catastrophic event. As mentioned in chapter In Beginning Jesus parables tell secret knowledge about the Kingdom of Heaven He wanted His disciples to understand. These spoke of an "enemy" of God. This adversary forced God to pour out His wrath of judgment in heaven sometime before the creation of this present earth. According to Jeremiah 4:27 this judgment was not "total ruin" or a "full end" in destruction to nothingness. Genesis and Peter call the resulting effects upon a portion of heaven as dark unorganized chaotic "earth" and "water." More details of this will be set forth in chapter In Six Days - The Present Earth. So why did God withdraw His Glorious Light in devastation of Eden His beautiful garden of the past creation?

Several Scriptures describe the dark influence of one who changed at least a part of the "beautiful gardens" of God’s kingdom. Revelation details that even later the "enemy" sowed weeds in God’s field tilled within the dark creation of this angel’s temporary domain.

As mentioned above Satan and others made a tragic decision sometime after their creation. This mental error took place before the written creation of Genesis in recording the history of man’s purpose in God’s plan. As Satan oversaw the material kingdom he began to peddle or trade something new to other creatures there who served God. He introduced a concept and idea that had never before entered the heart of a creature of God’s Kingdom. The created decided and persuaded others in heaven that he was equal with the Creator. Isaiah speaks of this disastrous choice.

Isaiah 14:12-14

12 How you have fallen from heaven, O morning star, son of the dawn! You have been cast down to the earth, you who once laid low the nations! 13 You said in your heart, "I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God; I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly, on the utmost heights of the sacred mountain. 14 I will ascend above the tops of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High." NIV (Emphasis mine)

The heart represents predetermined choices that direct the actions of an individual. Satan's choice was to forsake the will of his Creator. He left his post of Eden as the earth was called in eternity past. His purpose was to journey to the Father’s domain in heaven. There he would establish a throne of rule over others in God’s creation. The description "the mount of assembly" referred to the collection of God’s servants in heaven. Satan expected to receive more than oversight and subjects for his own will. He wanted the reverence and worship deserved by a creator.

The "sacred mountain" symbolically in Scripture depicts God’s government. Satan would hold the highest position in a place of a government of his own in the upper realm of heaven above material creation of His assignment. The "tops of the clouds" symbolize the elements of God’s Kingdom of Heaven not seen from the material dimension. Satan was not satisfied with his service in Eden of the material domain. He felt He could break free of the Father’s will and like God obtain power, subjects, service, worship and reverence like the Most High. The One God would now be two God’s in separate Kingdoms in heaven. God would multiply.

The Bible tells how some of the angels and stars of God listen to the arguments of his aspirations and agree with him. The "stars" are a description of God’s angels based on their appearance of light. Unfortunately when Satan sinned these angels followed these new sinful thoughts. In describing historically the ruling power of the devil the Apostle John showed he held "a third of the stars." He according to Isaiah negatively influenced others  and "laid low the nations!" These angels had been "flung to the earth" and there assisted him in his evil desires for establishment of self will. Satan achieved a Kingdom of darkness. In protection of his dark domain on earth he attempted to hinder God’s plan of redemption through Israel to bring forth the birth of His Son as flesh. These angels as the demons of today continue to follow the evil philosophy of self first against any work on earth following God's law of others before self and God's will as above all.

Isaiah 14:12

12 How you have fallen from heaven, O morning star, son of the dawn! You have been cast down to the earth, you who once laid low the nations! NIV (Emphasis mine)

 

Revelation 12:3-4

3 Then another sign appeared in heaven: an enormous red dragon with seven heads and ten horns and seven crowns on his heads. 4 His tail swept a third of the stars out of the sky and flung them to the earth. The dragon stood in front of the woman who was about to give birth, so that he might devour her child the moment it was born. NIV

In Ezekiel’s account of this time he told how Satan much like a politician went from angel to angel persuading them to follow his scheme. No creation of God was spared the reasons for joining His aspirations of being a God. A heart filled with honor toward pleasing his only deserving Creator who gave him power and ability turned to only thoughts of the greatness of himself. He was beautiful, wise with great splendor in comparison to others in the Kingdom of Heaven.

As his mind turned more inward to self pride of personal honor it overflowed with violence in his heart against the duties God had for him. He could be greater and deserved greater than the place given him. In the first steps of rebellion by a creature of God he began to murder the character and wisdom of God’s purpose of humbly serving others more than self. As Jesus said he was a "murderer from the beginning" revealing his intent to malign His creator to accomplish his desires of self fulfillment. He lied promising better things than offered by their Creator by launching out in freedom to do as one pleased. Jesus calls him a "liar from the beginning" and "Father of all lies." No doubt Satan felt he was cheated and mistreated. He was made for more and greater tasks. He could be God and make things different where creatures of heaven could serve themselves instead of others more than self thus changing the very truth of laws that God established to rule His Kingdom. He was "filled with violence" signifying a new philosophy in which harm of others by ones actions is acceptable as long as one's goals to please self are met. Thus was born the ideology "only the strong survive."

A portion of the nations of heaven listened and considered this new ideology of self above Creator and others. Some chose to follow  in this attempt at a new order in heaven for new perceived greatness. Those with God would serve others in stable Divine laws that allowed wonderful unity previously experienced for eternity past. For an eternity greatness was serving others above self in fulfillment the will of their Creator. Now those with Satan could finally do as they wanted in whatever pleasures they desired apart from always considering God’s will.

Ezekiel 28:15-17

15 You were blameless in your ways from the day you were created till wickedness was found in you. 16 Through your widespread trade you were filled with violence, and you sinned. So I drove you in disgrace from the mount of God, and I expelled you, O guardian cherub, from among the fiery stones. 17 Your heart became proud on account of your beauty, and you corrupted your wisdom because of your splendor. So I threw you to the earth; I made a spectacle of you before kings. NIV

Angelic Conflict

Jeremiah mentions God judged this sin bringing ruin in the material creation as an example to the judgment that would come upon Israel. God response was throw Satan from heaven to the earth. He never made it to heaven. An example was made of him before others of high rank in God’s Kingdom. Just as today where rebellion must be dealt with swiftly in a child, the Father quickly moved to isolate this enemy in heaven. Satan was cast to the earth. He authoritatively was forced back to the material creation he came.

As such Eden the beautiful garden of God became "formless…empty… and dark" for the first time ever. In God’s Kingdom there must have been an incredible power of energy involved when God dealt with Satan and the other stars of heaven when wickedness was found. This was not a friendly disagreement tolerated by a God of pluralistic views allowing His creations to do as they pleased. As evidenced by other descriptions of heavenly conflicts they are marked by elements of war very similar to war on earth but on a much different scale. Consider John’s revelation of a future description of a heavenly disagreement when Satan is cast from the paradise of the second heaven to the earth in the middle of the Tribulation just before Jesus return.

Revelation 12:7-9

7 And there was war in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back. 8 But he was not strong enough, and they lost their place in heaven. 9 The great dragon was hurled down-that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him. NIV (Emphasis mine)

God calls this future disagreement and resulting conflict a "war." Two disagreeing parties "fought." John clearly identifies the instigator of this war will be "hurled to the earth, and his angels with him." This angel used all his strength to win. John says, "he was not strong enough" to defeat "Michael and his angels." As powerful as this angel is described in Scripture the force involved in the altercation of these angels must be great. Angels wield immense power to destroy massive cities and thousands of people without great effort on earth. It is hard to imagine creations with this much power contending with each other on a heavenly scale.

Jesus was an eyewitness of the past war in heaven when Satan acted upon the thoughts of His heart. As the seventy-two ministers rejoiced over their new found power to cast out demons Jesus told them of His experience with Satan in the past.

Luke 10:17-19

17 The seventy-two returned with joy and said, "Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name." 18 He replied, "I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. 19 I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you. NIV

 

Luke 10:18

18 And he said, "I saw the Satan as lightening glare from heaven while falling." (Personal translation)

 

Satan as "lightening" was cast down falling from attempted entrance into the Third heaven of God and hurled to the earth of that day. This expulsion by God was not to our current earth created from the material of darkness that resulted. The description of lightening illustrates the brightness and noise of thousands of volts of electricity passing through the air from heaven to the earth in a tremendous release of energy. Imagine the flash and thunderous power. Imagine an explosion on a scale that would make our nuclear fission just a ripple from a pebble dropped in water. The verbs God uses to describe actions of authoritative force against this rebellion are all words of intense energy– drove, expelled, threw, hurled, cast, fought, fall, lightening, war.

Angelic Trial, Sentence and Chains of Darkness

The philosophy introduced was quickly judged by God. Jesus in words of His prayer to the Father remembered Satan's experience of a heavenly trial where sentenced. Jesus called him "prince of this world"^[3] where the word translated "prince" is the same word Paul used as reference translated "ruler" in Ephesians 2 above.  Jesus  reminds the Father how Satan "has been condemned." The word " has been condemned"^[6] refers to an official sentencing  of a trial decision. The Greek perfect participle describes an action in time past that still has effect in the present time of the speaker. Yet what was historical past for Jesus is still historical past for us. The situation has not changed. Satan is a condemned angel even today so some translations understandably add the word "now" to convey the meaning implied in the Greek language.

John 16:11

11 and in regard to judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned. NIV (Emphasis mine)

John 16:11

11 and concerning of judgment, because the ruler of this world has been condemned." (Personal translation)

Descriptions from Scripture picture those guilty received a trial with judgment and sentencing much like our current justice systems of the governments of our world. After physical conflict the offenders were apprehended, tried, sentenced and condemned by judgment of God. Further we find Satan and his followers were then incarcerated and contained away from the presence of the Father to be held until final punishment is passed at a later time. The marauders were purposefully imprisoned from His glorious Light thrust into darkness to await a great day when their sentence will be completed with an execution where they are cast into what is called the Lake of Fire. We find in Scripture these fallen angels have already been told of the time they will receive the final communion of their completed judgment.

2 Peter 2:4
4 For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but cast them into hell and committed them to pits of darkness, reserved for judgment; NASB
 

2 Peter 2:4

4 If for the God, of angels after had sinned, he spared not, but to chains of darkness after had thrust down he delivered into punishment while he was guarding. (personal translation)

Matthew 8:29

29 And behold, they cried out, saying, "What do we have to do with You, Son of God? Have You come here to torment us before the time ?" NASB (Emphasis mine)

Matthew 8:29

29 And behold, they screamed while saying, "What to us and to you Son of God? You came here before appointed time to torment us." (Personal translation)

The theology of popular Christianity misses the full meaning of the Bibles description of these events and the current situation of fallen angels. This is seen for example in the use of the phrase "cast them into hell" in application of a current existing hell as the domain of these beings today. Post reformation theology does not deal well with the concept of fallen angels currently in a bondage of darkness under guard awaiting punishment. Also popular folklore and myth often interfere with clear understanding of just what God's Word says about the current location, limitations and activity of Satan and the other stars of God until they are cast into the Lake of Fire. So just where is this bondage of darkness and just what kind of prison are these offenders of God currently living? Could it be that our darkness of this separated universe is their darkness apart from God the Father? Are not we told over and over in Scripture these beings are here in our present world still active in matters of the Kingdom of God? So if 2 Peter 2:4 is right does that mean our world is "hell"? The answer is clearly no since as we shall see the angels are not in "hell" today. Hell is a non-Biblical term added by translators of the seventeenth century that does help in understanding the current destiny of evil in man at death - but was wrongly applied to fallen angels.

What are the main stumbling blocks to proper understanding today's  location of the bondage of darkness? It  is the belief of Genesis Eden perfection intertwined with confused traditions of truth and fiction handed down through the ages about the current place of departed spirits of men.

The Genesis perfection teaching of traditional Christianity led believer's down the pathway of the following thoughts. They deduced if the world God created was perfect before man's sin then logically it would not also be the habitat of sinful creations of God's past. Also if fallen angels were there it would not be perfect. Therefore their place must have been assigned elsewhere. With these simple deductions  men began to look elsewhere in God's Word for places fallen angels might currently abide besides here.

Scriptures describing man's destiny after death were then handily used to fix the assignment of angels so as not to encourage a Genesis Eden world with both evil and good coexisting before the sin of man. This popular theology forgets as discussed more in chapter Like Us Knowing Good and Evil that God's Kingdom at the time of man's creation was already experiencing evil and it's consequences. It was also a dark world separated from the Light of God the Father with substitute lights from the inception. So rather than let a few unexplained facts deter supposed good teaching about the supposed perfect world God made, hell became the assignment for these evil ones. This errant general understanding is always present at every level of life in Christian based cultures. Cartoons depict Satan in hell with flames of fire and evil doers serving him in torments of various kinds. Humor, songs and fiction and poetry always mention the devil in hell in conservation with those deceased. Even in cursing, violence in conflict with others, anger experiences or evaluation of evil lives one finds popular phrases like "Go to Hell!", "See you in Hell" and "They split Hell wide open" along with others. People just seem to understand in Hell they will live with the devil who resides there. The problem is like so many things of popular Christian beliefs this is just not what God's Word actually teaches.

So what did Peter really say and mean by use of the word often translated "hell"? He in 2 Peter 2:4 above used a common Greek word of his day that referred to the mythological destiny of anything rebellious and wicked by higher powers to the dark underworld called Tartarus^[7] to describe God's imprisonment of angels waiting for their execution day. It is the only place used in the New Testament or the Greek translation of the Old Testament called the Septuagint. It must be remembered that Greeks of the day believed in non-heliocentric views of their universe with the earth at the center and untold depths of darkness below the earth they called Tartarus^[8] . A writing by an early Greek around 700 b.c. named Hesiod told of the founding of the gods of Greek mythology. In it Zeus binds the Titans who rebel against him in chains and the earth is brought to severe chaos. A Greek names Aeschylus in one of his dramas written about five hundred years before Peter's time "relates that Apollo overcame the Python by force; therefore the earth endeavoured tartaroosai, to cast him into Tartarus."   Lucian a writer about one hundred years after Christ from Syria shows the common understanding of Peter's day was Tartarus as "the bounds of this material system of our universes." These and other ancient Greek sources show the concept of Tartarus as a bondage in darkness that was as common in Peter's culture as our English word hell today is in our Christian cultures.  Peter's word picture of his day was that the angels were thrust down to darkness like the tradition of Tartarus in his day implied. Because 2000 years later readers have no understanding of Tartarus our modern English translators use our ideas of hell to convey meaning. Peter by use of this word actually is not describing a literal place for angels as much use of the idea in the word as an action a higher power casting down to a dark place. Thus an accurate translation to maintain Peter's intentioned meaning would be use of the words "thrust down" for the Greek term and omission the more modern cultural term of hell.

King James Version Translators in conceptual theological error adopted from their own Anglo-Saxon folklore the idea of hell^[9] to translate in seventeenth century England understanding of the concept.  The word hell is derived from the Saxon "helan" which means "to cover" referring to "the covered or the invisible place." It was used of a hollow or pit in the earth. It generally refers to this world that does not shine with brightness in appearance to those in heaven. From heaven it is dark and invisible. For nearly 400 years this incorrect tradition has continued as seen in many modern translations as in the phrase "casting them into hell." Today hell generally is thought as a literal suffering burning place of torments as the location of all wicked of mankind at death who fail to do God's will by faith in the offering of His Son for their personal sin. The interpretational error is including fallen angels now in hell.

It must be remembered both these concepts of Tartarus, hell, or the grave are traditional concepts of myth and legend that have evolved among societies over the ages and are not literal God given terms and ideas. They are a mixture of inspired fact and legend handed down over several thousand years. By design past societies to encourage moral values promoted the idea of the wicked doomed to dark places of imprisonment and torment. Such thoughts were handed down through generations back to early civilization as knowledge of truth blurred when facts were intermixed with folklore and legend.

So is there a literal "hell" created by God? The answer is yes but God does not call it by that name and He does not tell us in His Word that the devil and fallen angels are in hell today. Modern confusion comes by application of the term "hell" to both angels and certain unbelieving deceased of evil mankind. The location of the deceased souls of unbelievers in Christ and the fallen angels are two different places in God's design for His Kingdom. The Bible teaches that after death the spirits of men experience what is called Hades^[10] or Sheol^[11] rather than Hell or Tartarus. More is said about Hades in chapter A Room With Jesus as the place of departed spirits when Jesus died on the cross. These are different from the term Jesus used from popular traditions of  his day called Gehenna^[12,13] to relate to His listeners truths about this place of eternal fire apart from God the Father. Hades or Sheol are a current intermediate place that will be cast into the Lake of Fire according to Revelation 20:14. As discussed a little more later in this chapter the Lake of Fire is also the destiny of the angels in the Great Day of judgment to come.

The idea conveyed is that this bondage of darkness is as a pit or hollow in the ground with no light. Try as they may these angels cannot get to the top of this pit to the light of God's Kingdom and the presence of God the Father. These angels are chained to the darkness of this present separated creation and cannot escape.

Jude 6

6 And angels who did not keep their own domain, but abandoned their proper abode, He has kept in eternal bonds under darkness for the judgment of the great day. NASB

Jude 6

6 And angels which after had not kept their beginning, but after had abandoned personal  inhabited home, he has reserved into punishment of great day to everlasting chains under darkness. (Personal translation)

Satan was an "angel of light" before his fall today known as "the prince of this world." While he attempted after his own desires to have his own kingdom no doubt he received not what he expected. No one in the creation now sees Satan as "light" in awesome splendor and beauty. As well he no longer can enjoy the Light and beauty of the glory of God. God did in a way create a temporary kingdom for him and fellow angels. A kingdom of darkness which to the surprise of many is the same universe man now lives.

2 Corinthians 11:14

14 And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. NASB (Emphasis mine)

What happened to all his power and light energy when thrown to the earth? Satan lost his light energy God created for Him.  Einstein gave us the equation showing the relationship of energy to mass and light. We know it as E=mc². When the devil’s light in God’s judgment was changed to energy it must have been enough to destroy vast parts of Eden of eternity past. Note how just a little exposure to light can give sunburn. What about when the power of the fallen angels created light and power was translated to energy? This was not a friendly disagreement where they nicely left town to prevent a schism in heaven.

This flash of destruction in Eden the beautiful garden of God is probably what we see today scientifically as the big bang. Scientists who view the expanding universe from an apparent explosion of energy wonder how it could have happened. God’s description of angelic fall and violent expulsion just may be the explanation for what is theorized by science today. More is theorized from Scripture about the direct results of Satan's expulsion upon the material creation of the earth or Eden in In Six Days - The First Earth. and  Appendix 2 - The Fulfillment of the Times  that visually maps the story of God's Kingdom and redemption.

Angelic Anger

Restricted from the Father’s domain of the Third Heaven of the Holy of Holies Satan is currently free to wander upon this earth until his appointed time of judgment. The devil is not yet in hell. Hell is not his present domain as many comics and stories might make us believe. On the dark earth he continues to contend against everything in the creation that might glorify God. He even is able to enter the created dimension of the Second Heaven below God’s throne. There he converses with the Lord and makes accusations against saints.

He while judged in Christ’s death and resurrection for sin will continue his railing until the command for Jesus to return at the second coming. As shown in chapter The Gathering Together the first act of Jesus return is the angel Michael removing Satan from the Second heaven. This location in the clouds the interface of the First and Second Heaven is where all the saints of the ages will assemble in preparation for coming to the earth for the deliverance of Israel and the thousand year reign in the Day of the Lord.

Job 1:6-12

6 One day the angels came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came with them. 7 The LORD said to Satan, "Where have you come from?" Satan answered the LORD, "From roaming through the earth and going back and forth in it." 8 Then the LORD said to Satan, "Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil." 9 "Does Job fear God for nothing?" Satan replied. 10 "Have you not put a hedge around him and his household and everything he has? You have blessed the work of his hands, so that his flocks and herds are spread throughout the land. 11 But stretch out your hand and strike everything he has, and he will surely curse you to your face." 12 The LORD said to Satan, "Very well, then, everything he has is in your hands, but on the man himself do not lay a finger." Then Satan went out from the presence of the LORD. NIV (Emphasis mine)

 

Revelation 12:7-10

7 And there was war in heaven, Michael and his angels waging war with the dragon. And the dragon and his angels waged war, 8 and they were not strong enough, and there was no longer a place found for them in heaven. 9 And the great dragon was thrown down, the serpent of old who is called the devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him. 10 And I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying,

"Now the salvation, and the power, and the kingdom of our God and the authority of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren has been thrown down, who accuses them before our God day and night. NASB

So for a time the devil has a kingdom as ruler of this dark world. Gospel accounts even allude to him with enough control during the life of Jesus Christ to offer Him all the kingdoms of the world if He would but worship him. He gave Jesus opportunity to follow his philosophy of self above Creator and have all He created for Himself without having to present it back to the Father at the end of the age. Jesus response was clear that His choice was to follow the laws of God's Kingdom as shadowed in the laws given by Moses to Israel. 

Matthew 4:8-10

8 Again, the devil took Him to a very high mountain, and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world, and their glory; 9 and he said to Him, "All these things will I give You, if You fall down and worship me." 10 Then Jesus said to him, "Begone, Satan! For it is written, 'You shall worship the Lord your God, and serve Him only.'" NASB

 

John 14:30

30 "I will not speak much more with you, for the ruler of the world is coming, and he has nothing in Me; NASB

 

John 16:11

11 and concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world has been judged. NASB

Since God the Father cannot fellowship with even the smallest sin He separated Himself from Satan and his angels by casting them to the earth. From the moment of his choice Satan has found himself contained apart from the glorious Light of God the Father. He forgot the very source of all his power, wisdom, splendor and beauty was the Father. God could remove it at will.

God the Father has not entered this domain of the creation since Satan's fall. The details of this separation are discussed in The Tabernacle Not Made With Hands in the picture of the Tabernacle. Today God the Father abides in what Paul calls the "third heaven" patterned after the Holy of Holies. The Cherubim always continue to protect His purity and holiness keeping Satan watched under guard in the dark creation of our universe. Satan, as told in the book of Job, may approach below or before the throne in the Second heaven and converse with the Lord until removed at the beginning of God’s wrath upon the earth in the Great Tribulation. These Cherubim are always separating Satan from the presence of the Father. Jesus as Savior intercedes for sinners that come to God through Him until He is sent from the Father to return to the earth. Praise the Lord! One day the Tabernacle of God will be with men again in the New Heaven and The New Earth as God the Father becomes one again with His creation.

As taught by Jesus in the parable of the wheat and weeds^[14] God did not immediately completely destroy the material creation when sin was found. Eden the beautiful garden of God’s eternal love was not reduced to nothing in utter destruction. He allows good and evil to coexist in a battle until the harvest of every possible soul is ready and completed. Thus Satan still works as a merchant of evil sowing wickedness of self until the last soul of this creation is redeemed. At the appointed time God sends angels to reap this harvest.

Many Scriptures speak of the current battle between good and evil in the material creation. A great struggle of engagement rages each and every day. Satan now rules this dark world only because God allows this for a short time until final sentencing. The challenges of war cries, warnings, and battle orders ring from God’s Word in exhortation of the children of God. God wants His readers to understand the real enemy and how to fight against him day to day. As Paul wrote he spoke of this battle and the child of God’s armor.

Ephesians 6:10-14

10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. NIV (Emphasis mine)

Satan prowls a now dark world looking for opportunities to fill his belly with the destruction of anything that belongs to God while he yet can. He is like an angry caged animal that has been captured. Note Peter’s description of Satan's methods. Peter understood him to be like a caged lion one might see at a zoo or captured in a pit. These pace back and forth in frustration and roaring looking for an opportunity to lash out upon anyone who gets to close. He and  his demons abide in this darkness until the day of appointed judgment in heaven when they will be sentenced to the punishment of eternal fire.

1 Peter 5:8-10

8 Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 9 Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings. 10 And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. NIV

Satan uses all possible means to frustrate the plans of God. Bible examples are seen in the material dimension of this world, the spiritual dimension of the angelic world now unseen, and even before the throne of God the Father day and night. Scripture shows how he uses men for his selfish causes.

John 13:2

The evening meal was being served, and the devil had already prompted Judas Iscariot, son of Simon, to betray Jesus. NIV

 

John 13:27

As soon as Judas took the bread, Satan entered into him. NIV

In the parable of the sower the Bible teaches this enemy uses every method possible to keeping God’s Word of a new coming Kingdom from reaching the hearts of men on earth.

Matthew 13:18-23

18 "Hear then the parable of the sower . 19 "When anyone hears the word of the kingdom, and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart. This is the one on whom seed was sown beside the road. 20 "And the one on whom seed was sown on the rocky places, this is the man who hears the word, and immediately receives it with joy; 21 yet he has no firm root in himself, but is only temporary, and when affliction or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he falls away. 22 "And the one on whom seed was sown among the thorns, this is the man who hears the word, and the worry of the world, and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful. 23 "And the one on whom seed was sown on the good soil, this is the man who hears the word and understands it; who indeed bears fruit, and brings forth, some a hundredfold, some sixty, and some thirty." NASB (Emphasis mine)

God’s children are even influenced by the evil one as they serve the Lord. As great as the Apostle Peter was in God’s service he still experienced the influence of Satan as he expressed the desires of self will above the will and purpose of God the Father regarding the necessary sacrificial death of our Lord. In fighting and conflict among believers the philosophy of Satan and self will above God and others is the main root problem. 

Matthew 16:21-23

21 From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life. 22 Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. "Never, Lord!" he said. "This shall never happen to you!" 23 Jesus turned and said to Peter, "Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men." NIV

The angel of God gone astray is still active in resistance of God's will. While contained and condemned he has not surrendered to the will of the Father. Not only can he influence God's servants to follow his ways but he also can delay angelic answers to prayers and work in the Lord. Daniel had to wait for the understanding he sought until the powers of angelic beings settled the purpose of God. As well Paul was kept from going to meet with the church at Thessalonica.

Daniel 10:12-14

12 Then he continued, "Do not be afraid, Daniel. Since the first day that you set your mind to gain understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come in response to them. 13 But the prince of the Persian kingdom resisted me twenty-one days. Then Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, because I was detained there with the king of Persia. 14 Now I have come to explain to you what will happen to your people in the future, for the vision concerns a time yet to come." NIV

 

1 Thessalonians 2:18

18 For we wanted to come to you — I, Paul, more than once — and yet Satan thwarted us. NASB

Satan is credited as responsible for much illness in the world suffered by mankind. As an emergency room physician one quickly finds the devil's philosophy of self fulfillment in worldly pleasure often leads to physical, mental and emotional damage to self and others. Also the innocent suffers at the hand of the evil hearts patterned after their "Father the devil" in lies and murder of the blessing of other for self gain. At times generations endure the consequences of these decisions for self. God promises one reaps what he sows. Further the sins of the fathers affect the sins of the children for three to four generations to follow. Selfish thoughts and actions lead to much of the physical maladies suffered by man and innocent others to follow.

Luke 13:10-17

10 And He was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath. 11 And behold, there was a woman who for eighteen years had had a sickness caused by a spirit; and she was bent double, and could not straighten up at all. 12 And when Jesus saw her, He called her over and said to her, "Woman, you are freed from your sickness." 13 And He laid His hands upon her; and immediately she was made erect again, and began glorifying God. 14 And the synagogue official, indignant because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, began saying to the multitude in response, "There are six days in which work should be done; therefore come during them and get healed, and not on the Sabbath day." 15 But the Lord answered him and said, "You hypocrites, does not each of you on the Sabbath untie his ox or his donkey from the stall, and lead him away to water him? 16 "And this woman, a daughter of Abraham as she is, whom Satan has bound for eighteen long years, should she not have been released from this bond on the Sabbath day?" 17 And as He said this, all His opponents were being humiliated; and the entire multitude was rejoicing over all the glorious things being done by Him. NASB (Emphasis mine)

While Satan is allowed to propagate his theology of self first to the world all is not lost. All evil allowed by God the Father is always used for a greater good. While the devil now rules the dark world today God the Father is still in ultimate control. Every time Satan or those who follow his path does something for self reaping harm God uses it for His ultimate victory to accomplish His purposes. The evil of Satan and demons of the world always works for a greater good. For example Paul inability to go to Thessalonica gave us the letter he sent we have today as part of our New Testament Bible. All evil serves as heavenly sermons or preparation for future opportunities. The world’s evil thoughts, events and actions point mankind toward the promises of the light of God in eternal life in a New Heaven and New Earth that will last forever instead of focusing on the things of this temporary dark world.

Genesis 50:20

20 "And as for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive. NASB

 

Romans 8:28

28 And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. NASB

Angelic Judgment of Great Day

The evil now contained in this world will be judged at God’s appointed time. The sentence will be carried out in just seven days whereby God would redeem his beautiful garden of Eden back to His glory. Due to the time difference between the Father’s House and our material creation one might think God’s judgment is not swift. While unknown ages in man’s spherical rotations around the sun God’s judgment and sentence is carried out over one week in His heavenly time. This phenomenon of variation in heavenly and earthly time is described further in chapters following entitled Relative Time Creation and chart  Appendix 5 - Seven Days of Redemption.

2 Peter 2:4

4 For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but cast them into hell and committed them to pits of darkness, reserved for judgment; NASB

Until then the angels who forsook God’s will are reserved in the chains of the darkness of this present temporary creation. They are guarded here kept from reentering the fellowship and presence of God the Father in the Third Heaven. Understanding the modern meaning of the word hell to mankind the adage "Hell on earth" may be true for the fallen angels. Hell while not a true Biblical word is any place separated from the presence and glory of God the Father. The end of angels and those of earth that refuse God’s loving plan is described more fully in a chapter called Final Judgment.

2 Thessalonians 1:9

9 And these will pay the penalty of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power, NASB

 

Matthew 25:41

41 "Then He will also say to those on His left, 'Depart from Me, accursed ones, into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels;

NASB

From Scripture the darkness now experienced apart from the glorious Light of God the Father was not intended as part of some intended original progression of an unfinished creation eventually interrupted by the sin of man. It is highly egocentric for man to believe the choice of Adam and Eve separated all creation from the fellowship and Light of God the Father. The darkness of Genesis was not part of the natural process of God’s creative acts. It resulted from action of God the Father but not as a blessing upon the creation.

The light of the creation was willingly turned out long ago in God’s wisdom and judgment upon sin until the fulfillment of times greater purpose – the redemption of the material creation from the rulership of Satan in his temporary dark kingdom. God accomplishes this through the creation of man, procreation with man by the Holy Spirit and ultimate crucifixion of a Savior as seen in  God Blesses With a Loving Plan. In God With Us Celebration -The New Heaven and The New Earth believers will see God’s Light again filling all the creation as one in Jesus Christ. The Light of God the Father will be something heavenly to behold as His children in Christ enjoy the salvation of God in eternal life.

[1] domain: NT:746 a)rxh/  arche (ar-khay'); from NT:756; (properly abstract) a commencement, or (concretely) chief (in various applications of order, time, place, or rank): KJV - beginning, corner, (at the, the) first (estate), magistrate, power, principality, principle, rule. Biblesoft's New Exhaustive Strong's Numbers and Concordance with Expanded Greek-Hebrew Dictionary,1994, 2003, Biblesoft, Inc. and International Bible Translators, Inc.

[2] proper abode: NT:3613 1. oiketerion (oi)khth/rion, NT:3613), "a habitation" (from oiketer, "an inhabitant," and oikos, "a dwelling"), is used in Jude 6, of the heavenly region appointed by God as the dwelling place of angels; in 2 Cor 5:2, RV, "habitation," KJV, "house," figuratively of the spiritual bodies of believers when raised or changed at the return of the Lord. See HOUSE. Vine's Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words, 1985, Thomas Nelson Publishers.

[3] ruler: NT:758 archon (ar’-khone); present participle of NT:757; a first (in rank or power): KJV - chief (ruler), magistrate, prince, ruler. (Biblesoft’s New Exhaustive Strong’s Numbers and Concordance with Expanded Greek-Hebrew Dictionary. Copyright (c) 1994, Biblesoft and International Bible Translators, Inc.)

[4] air: NT:109 aer (ah-ayr’); from aemi (to breathe unconsciously, i.e. respire; by analogy, to blow); "air" (as naturally circumambient): KJV - air. Compare NT:5594. (Biblesoft’s New Exhaustive Strong’s Numbers and Concordance with Expanded Greek-Hebrew Dictionary,1994, Biblesoft and International Bible Translators, Inc.

[5] Lucifer: Isaiah 14:12, 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! KJV The Versions in general agree in this translation, and render heeyleel as signifying Lucifer, phosphoros, the morning star, whether Jupiter or Venus; as these are both bringers of the morning light, or morning stars, annually in their turn. And although the context speaks explicitly concerning Nebuchadnezzar, yet this has been, I know not why, applied to the chief of the fallen angels, who is most incongruously denominated Lucifer, (the bringer of light!) an epithet as common to him as those of Satan and Devil. That the Holy Spirit by his prophets should call this arch-enemy of God and man the light-bringer, would be strange indeed. But the truth is, the text speaks nothing at all concerning Satan nor his fall, nor the occasion of that fall, which many divines have with great confidence deduced from this text. O how necessary it is to understand the literal meaning of Scripture, that preposterous comments may be prevented! Besides, I doubt much whether our translation be correct. Heeyleel, which we translate Lucifer, comes from yaalal, yell, howl, or shriek, and should be translated, "Howl, son of the morning;" and so the Syriac has understood it; and for this meaning Michaelis contends: see his reasons in Parkhurst, under haalal. Adam Clarke's Commentary, Electronic Database, 1996, 2003, 2005 by Biblesoft, Inc.

[6] condemned: NT:2919 kri/nw krino (kree'-no); properly, to distinguish, i.e. decide (mentally or judicially); by implication, to try, condemn, punish: KJV - avenge, conclude, condemn, damn, decree, determine, esteem, judge, go to (sue at the) law, ordain, call in question, sentence to, think.
Biblesoft's New Exhaustive Strong's Numbers and Concordance with Expanded Greek-Hebrew Dictionary,1994, 2003,Biblesoft, Inc. and International Bible Translators, Inc.

[7] cast them into hell: tartarooo NT:5020 tartarooo, tartaroo:1 aorist participle tartaroosas; (tartaros, the name of a subterranean region, doleful and dark, regarded by the ancient Greeks as the abode of the wicked dead, where they suffer punishment for their evil deeds;
it answers to the Gehenna of the Jews, see geenna);
to thrust down to Tartarus (sometimes in the Scholiasts) (compare W., 25 (24) n.);
to hold captive in Tartarus:
tina seirais (which see) sofou,
2 Peter 2:4 (A.V., cast down to hell (making the dative depend on paredooken)).
Thayer's Greek Lexicon, Electronic Database,2000, 2003,Biblesoft, Inc. All rights reserved.

[8] Since the word Tartarus is found nowhere else in the New Testament, nor does it appear in the Septuagint, we must have recourse to the Greek writers for its meaning. Mr. Parkhurst, under the word tartarooo, has made some good collections from those writers, which I here subjoin.

"The Scholiast on AESCHYLUS, Eumen., says: Pindar relates that Apollo overcame the Python by force; therefore the earth endeavoured tartaroosai, to cast him into Tartarus. Tzetzes uses the same word, tartarooo, for casting or sending into Tartarus; and the compound verb katatartaroun, is found in Apollodorus; in Didymus' Scholia on Homer; in Phurnutus, De Nat. Deor., p. 11, edit. Gale; and in the book tartarooo, which is extant among the works of Plutarch. And those whom Apollodorus styles katatartaroothentas, he in the same breath calls riphthentas eis Tartaron, cast into Tartarus. Thus the learned Windet, in Pole's Synopsis. We may then, I think, safely assert that tartaroosas, in Peter, means not, as Mede (Works, fol., p. 23) interprets it, to adjudge to, but to cast into, Tartarus; riptein eis Tartaron, as in Homer, cited below. And in order to know what was the precise intention of the apostle by this expression, we must inquire what is the accurate import of the term Tartaros. Now, it appears from a passage of Lucian, that by Tartaros was meant, in a physical sense, the bounds or verge of this material system; for, addressing himself to EROS, Cupid or Love, he says: Su gar ex aphanous kai kechumenees amorphias TO PAN emorphoosas, etc.. 'Thou formedst the universe from its confused and chaotic state; and, after separating and dispersing the circumfused chaos, in which, as in one common sepulchre, the whole world lay buried, thou drovest it to the confines or recesses of outer Tartarus:

`Where iron gates and bars of solid brass
Keep it in durance irrefrangible,
And its return prohibit.'

"The ancient Greeks appear to have received, by tradition, an account of the punishment of the 'fallen angels,' and of bad men after death; and their poets did, in conformity I presume with that account, make Tartarus the place where the giants who rebelled against Jupiter, and the souls of the wicked, were confined. 'Here,' saith Hesiod, Theegon., lin. 720, 1, 'the rebellious Titans were bound in penal chains.'
Adam Clarke's Commentary, Electronic Database,1996, 2003, 2005,Biblesoft, Inc.

[9] Hell: (Anglo-Saxon): The term hell is cognate to "hole" (cavern) and "hollow". It is formed from the Anglo-Saxon helan or behelian which means literally "to hide".  Thus by derivation hell denotes a dark and hidden place. In Anglo-Saxon life it came to refer to the place of darkness in the earth for the wicked at death.

[10]Hades: (a%dh$, NT:86), "the region of departed spirits of the lost" (but including the blessed dead in periods preceding the ascension of Christ). It has been thought by some that the word etymologically meant "the unseen" (from a, negative, and eido, "to see"), but this derivation is questionable; a more probable derivation is from hado, signifying "all-receiving." It corresponds to "Sheol" in the OT. In the KJV of the OT and NT; it has been unhappily rendered "hell," e. g., Ps 16:10; or "the grave," e. g., Gen 37:35; or "the pit," Num 16:30,33; in the NT the revisers have always used the rendering "hades"; in the OT, they have not been uniform in the translation, e. g. in Isa 14:15 "hell" (marg., "Sheol"); usually they have "Sheol" in the text and "the grave" in the margin. It never denotes the grave, nor is it the permanent region of the lost; in point of time it is, for such, intermediate between decease and the doom of Gehenna. For the condition, see Luke 16:23-31.

The word is used four times in the Gospels, and always by the Lord, Matt 11:23; 16:18; Luke 10:15; 16:23; it is used with reference to the soul of Christ, Acts 2:27,31; Christ declares that He has the keys of it, Rev 1:18; in Rev 6:8 it is personified, with the signification of the temporary destiny of the doomed; it is to give up those who are therein, 20:13, and is to be cast into the lake of fire, v. 14.

Note: In 1 Cor 15:55 the most authentic mss. have thanatos, "death," in the 2 nd part of the verse, instead of "hades," which the KJV wrongly renders "grave" ("hell," in the marg.).
Vine's Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words,1985, Thomas Nelson Publishers.

[11] Sheol: she'ol OT:7585, "Sheol." The 66 occurrences of this word are distributed throughout every period of biblical Hebrew.
First, the word means the state of death: "For in death there is no remembrance of thee: in the grave who shall give thee thanks?" Ps 6:5; cf. 18:5. It is the final resting place of all men: "They spend their days in wealth, and in a moment go down to the grave Job 21:13. Hannah confessed that it was the omnipotent God who brings men to she'ol (death) or kills them 1 Sam 2:6. "Sheol" is parallel to Hebrew words for "pit" or "hell" Job 26:6, "corruption" or "decay" Ps 16:10, and "destruction" Prov 15:11.
Second, "Sheol" is used of a place of conscious existence after death. In the first biblical appearance of the word Jacob said that he would "go down into the grave unto my son mourning" Gen 37:35. All men go to "Sheol" — a place and state of consciousness after death Ps 16:10. The wicked receive punishment there Num 16:30; Deut 32:22; Ps 9:17. They are put to shame and silenced in "Sheol" Ps 31:17. Jesus alluded to Isaiah's use of she'ol 14:13-15 in pronouncing judgment on Capernaum Matt 11:23, translating "Sheol" as "Hades" or "Hell," meaning the place of conscious existence and judgment. It is an undesirable place for the wicked Job 24:19 and a refuge for the righteous Job 14:13. Thus "Sheol" is also a place of reward for the righteous Hos 13:14; cf. 1 Cor 15:55. Jesus' teaching in Luke 16:19-31 seems to reflect accurately the Old Testament concept of she'ol; it is a place of conscious existence after death, one side of which is occupied by the suffering, unrighteous dead separated by a great chasm from the other side peopled by the righteous dead enjoying their reward. Vine's Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words,1985, Thomas Nelson Publishers.

[12] Thayer, Thomas B., The Origin and History of the Doctrine of Endless Punishment, 1885. He records the following from Lexicon on Gehenna. "The following from Schleusner, a distinguished lexicographer and critic, will show the origin of the word, and indicate its scriptural usage: "Gehenna, originally a Hebrew word, which signifies valley of Hinnom. Here the Jews placed that brazen image of Moloch. It is said, on the authority of the ancient Rabbins, that to this image the idolatrous Jews were wont not only to sacrifice doves, pigeons, lambs, &c., but even to offer their own children. In the prophecies of Jeremiah (vii 31), this valley is called Tophet, from Toph, a drum; because they beat a drum during these horrible rites, lest the cries and shrieks of the infants who were burned should be heard by the assembly. At length these nefarious practices were abolished by Josiah, and the Jews brought back to the pure worship of God. 2 Kings xxiiI After this they held the place in such abomination that they cast into it all kinds of filth, and the carcasses of beasts, and the unburied bodies of criminals who had been executed. Continual fires were necessary in order to consume these, lest the putrefaction should infect the air; and there were always worms feeding on the remaining relics. Hence it came, that any severe punishment, especially an infamous kind of death, was described by the word Gehenna, or hell."

[13] Gehenna: 1. geenna (gee/nna, NT:1067) represents the Hebrew Ge-Hinnom (the valley of Tophet) and a corresponding Aramaic word; it is found twelve times in the NT, eleven of which are in the Synoptists, in every instance as uttered by the Lord Himself. He who says to his brother, Thou fool (see under FOOL), will be in danger of "the hell of fire," Matt 5:22; it is better to pluck out (a metaphorical description of irrevocable law) an eye that causes its possessor to stumble, than that his "whole body be cast into hell," v. 29; similarly with the hand, v. 30; in Matt 18:8,9, the admonitions are repeated, with an additional mention of the foot; here, too, the warning concerns the person himself (for which obviously the "body" stands in chapt. 5); in v. 8, "the eternal fire" is mentioned as the doom, the character of the region standing for the region itself, the two being combined in the phrase "the hell of fire," v. 9. To the passage in Matt 18, that in Mark 9:43-47, is parallel; here to the word "hell" are applied the extended descriptions "the unquenchable fire" and "where their worm dieth not and the fire is not quenched."

That God, "after He hath killed, hath power to cast into hell," is assigned as a reason why He should be feared with the fear that keeps from evil doing, Luke 12:5; the parallel passage to this in Matt 10:28 declares, not the casting in, but the doom which follows, namely, the destruction (not the loss of being, but of wellbeing) of "both soul and body."

In Matt 23 the Lord denounces the scribes and Pharisees, who in proselytizing a person "make him two-fold more a son of hell" than themselves v. 15, the phrase here being expressive of moral characteristics, and declares the impossibility of their escaping "the judgment of hell," v. 33. In James 3:6 "hell" is described as the source of the evil done by misuse of the tongue; here the word stands for the powers of darkness, whose characteristics and destiny are those of "hell."

For terms descriptive of "hell," see e. g., Matt 13:42; 25:46; Phil 3:19; 2 Thess 1:9; Heb 10:39; 2 Peter 2:17; Jude 13; Rev 2:11; 19:20; 20:6,10,14; 21:8.

Notes: (1) For the rendering "hell" as a translation of hades, corresponding to Sheol, wrongly rendered "the grave" and "hell," see HADES. (2) The verb tartaroo, translated "cast down to hell" in 2 Peter 2:4, signifies to consign to Tartarus, which is neither Sheol nor hades nor hell, but the place where those angels whose special sin is referred to in that passage are confined "to be reserved unto judgment"; the region is described as "pits of darkness." RV
Vine's Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words,1985, Thomas Nelson Publishers.

[14]Matthew 13:24-30,36-43

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