Robert McLaughlin Bible Ministries
The Angelic Conflict Part 1. Definition and Description.
Thursday, November 17, 2005
Point 1. Definition.
The angelic conflict is the result of the fall of all angelic creatures with one third ending up in opposition to God, which began with the fall of Satan and continued until all angelic creatures had made a decision for or against God.
“Did one third of the angels fall or did they ALL fall and two thirds came back to Christ?”
because they are said to be ELECT.
"Did one third of the angels fall or did they ALL fall and two thirds come back to Christ?”
We can see the results in the restoration of planet earth, the creation of mankind, the continuing angelic conflict.
Coming into the creation of mankind Satan had fallen, ISA 14:12; EZE 28:15.
How did this fall occur and what did God do?
Did just one third of the angels fall, or did all of the angels fall and then two thirds accept a salvation offered by God?
MAR 8:38, LUK 9:26 - “For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words, of him will the Son of Man be ashamed when He comes in His glory, and {the glory} of the Father and of the holy angels.”
The only reason why the angels are called “holy angels” is because God made them holy by providing for them some non-meritorious way to receive His righteousness, REV 15:4; REV 16:5.
If Jesus Christ is called the only Holy One - He alone is the only one who remains experientially holy - and the elect angels are called holy, how can this be unless they were made holy after they were found unholy?
REV 7:10-12 - resurrected believers praise the Lord for salvation and the angels join in by twice saying Amen, in which they concur, agree, express that they believe it.
In the Tribulation, while angels bring divine judgment upon the earth, no angel is allowed to execute this judgment apart from Jesus Christ because He alone is worthy, REV 5:2-5.
The argument would lack logic if only some angels were charged with error - JOB 4:17-18 Can mankind be just before God? Can a man be pure before his Maker? He puts no trust even in His servants; And against His angels He charges error.
We only have one vague reference to Angelic salvation in the Scripture: HEB 2:2-4.
True salvation looked ahead to Christ - GEN 3:21 And the LORD God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife, and clothed them.
Satan’s counterfeit was fig leaves - GEN 3:7 Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loin coverings.
A counterfeit presupposes understanding of the real.
HOLY - hosios - o@sio" = used to express the uniqueness of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Hosios is used of His person, ACT 2:27, ACT 13:35.
As the guarantor of blessings for the believer, ACT 13:34.
As His qualification to be High Priest, HEB 7:26.
Jesus Christ is seen as the “unique holy One,” the only one to remain experientially holy.
Hosios is also a prerequisite for prayer, 1TI 2:8.
Hosios is that which should become a believer’s testimony, 1TH 2:10.
Hosios is the believer’s goal, LUK 1:75.
A characteristic of the New Self or New Man, EPH 4:24.
LUK 9:26 For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words, of him will the Son of Man be ashamed when He comes in His glory, and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.
If Jesus Christ is called the only Holy One, REV 15:4 - He alone is the only one who remains experientially holy (other things even animal sacrifices are called holy) - and the elect angels are called holy, how can this be unless they were made holy after they were found unholy?
a. Christ is the ONLY Holy one.
b. Since others, men, angels, things are called holy, His unique holiness must be in that it is a perpetual holiness, passed down to others and not merely present only.
c. Angels are called holy and thus must have been made holy from a status of not being holy, like the Christian.
Reconciliation is the making of peace between those who are enemies.
The condemnation against Satan in Isaiah 14 and Ezekiel 28 is very specifically against him and him alone.
God did not interfere with this evil scheme because in His omniscience He knew they would buy the lie, and yet He had something better for them, salvation.
JOH 16:11 - the ruler of this world has been judged.
Upon being judged and found guilty and condemned, Satan objected and accused God of not being a just God, violating His essence, His love, His fairness, His omniscience, etc.
As Satan stood condemned, all the angels stood condemned, but condemnation only sets up the divine provision of reconciliation.
Satan fell due to his own initiative and then deceived other angels. In the same way Satan as the serpent deceived the woman, GEN 3:5.
Adam fell without deception.
He chose to disobey God just as Satan did.
Satan disobeyed by his own initiative, and the other angels were deceived.
At the fall, Satan had offered man a counterfeit salvation prior to God offering man a true salvation.