Saints shall judge angels –
When Paul wrote these words (I Corinthians 6:2-3), he was reproving the church for going to secular law to settle disputes between brothers and sisters in Christ. He instructs us, as believers, to settle our differences among ourselves with the help of spiritual overseers, and not to be suing each other at worldly courts of law. He says that if we are going to one day judge angels, then we should be able to judge right and wrong among each other, using the teachings of God. Good angels, of course, do not need judged, for they never have sinned against God. Satan’s angels did sin against God, and await their final judgment at the Great White Throne where they will be cast into the Lake of Fire.
Origin of Satan –
Satan was originally Lucifer, in Heaven. Lucifer, also called ‘the son of the morning’, was created with more beauty, intelligence and talent than all the other angels. He was a covering cherub, with a position close to Jehovah God, and he led the hosts of heaven in worship.
Lucifer decided to declare war on God, and influenced a third of the angels to rebel with him. This rebellion, and God’s judgment on Lucifer, had a devastating effect on planet earth; leaving it void and in waste, as described in Genesis 1:2.
The name ‘Satan’ means adversary in Hebrew. He is the adversary of Jehovah God, of Jesus Christ, of all good angels, and of all who profess to follow Jesus Christ.
Jesus said that the devil came to kill, steal and destroy, but that He came to give life more abundantly. (John 10:10) ‘Devil’ means, in Greek, a slanderer or a false accuser; which is what he did with God and what he did with Christ and it is what he does with believers.
Lucifer was cast out of God’s third heaven and became known as Satan and the devil, among many other names and titles. (Isa. 14:12-14)
Satan in the Garden of Eden –
As soon as God placed Adam and Eve in the garden, Satan was there to tempt them to disobey God. Since man chose to obey the devil, he chose the devil as his god and master. Jesus said that we cannot serve two masters at the same time, as we will end up hating one of them. (Matthew 6:24)
Man has Free-Will to choose only one Master –
God created man with a free will to freely choose whom he will obey. God doesn’t violate our free will. He will not force us to serve Him above the world and its devil. Many people say that they cannot serve a God who sends people to hell; but in reality, we send ourselves to hell by our choice to serve the enemy of God. Jesus said hell was originally created for the devil and his angels. (Matthew 25:41)
Reason for Satan’s hate for all that is of God –
Colossians 1:15-16 says that Jesus is the firstborn of all God’s creation and by Him all things were created, whether in heaven or on earth, including all rulers and authorities in the unseen world.
This is why Satan hates God, Christ, God’s angels, and especially God’s creation of man. He is God’s enemy, and constantly is slandering the Name of God and His children. Why? Paul said that we, as believers in Christ, will one day judge (fallen) angels. How? Because a fleshly being is able to believe in a God whom he has not seen, and stay faithful to his Lord; while Satan, as Lucifer, was next to God and saw all His Glory and was not able to stay faithful to his Creator!
Promise to Believers in Christ to Govern with Him –
Jesus said in Matthew 19:28 that those who follow Him will sit on thrones with Him, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. Paul said in II Timothy 2:12 that if we suffer with Him, we shall also reign with Him. Revelation 20:4 says that John saw thrones and that those who sat on them had authority to judge. Daniel 7:22 says there is a time coming when the saints shall possess the kingdom of God. Revelation 14:12 says saints are those who have endured all things of this world and still have kept the commandments of God and have been faithful to Him.
Dual meaning of judging angels –
The ‘saints judging angels’ is believed to have a dual meaning. We will be there with Christ and will rejoice with Him as He judges the devil and his angels, and rids the earth of their influence for eternity. We will also be used as witnesses, as inferior beings overcoming this world and its god, with none of the advantages of seeing and knowing what Satan sees and knows about God and His invisible Kingdom.
As witnesses –
In a court of Law, sometimes people are used as character witnesses for the one accused of a crime. I don’t think that there will be one saint present at the devil’s Judgment Day who will have anything good to say about him and the anguish he has caused in their lives.
As Replacements of Satan and his rebellious angels –
There is also a vacancy in heaven resulting from the fall of Lucifer and a third of the angels. It is believed that Lucifer led 1/3 of the ruling angels in rebellion, and if this is so, then the saints will be the ones who take their place. God used the different positions of angels to rule His universe. When Christ returns as King of kings and Lord of lords, He shall use redeemed Israel to rule the earth; while those who are Born Again into the Body of Christ will be used to help govern the Universe. From this position, the saints shall judge or govern the good angels as well.
Good angels are watching with anticipation –
I Peter 1:12, “They were told that their messages were not for themselves, but for you. And now this Good News has been announced to you by those who preached in the power of the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. It is all so wonderful that even the angels are eagerly watching these things happen.”
Angels are eagerly awaiting to see all that God is performing on earth that will bring heaven back into full governorship under Christ and His church, as well as the earth back to its fullest purity under Israel as He promised to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and David.
Are you eagerly looking for His Return?
No wonder we are encouraged to love and look for His appearing, and to live in holy conduct and godliness! (II Timothy 4:8, II Peter 3:11)