The following "Question" was asked by a member of the congregation at Grace Community Church in Sun Valley, California, and "Answered" by their pastor, John MacArthur Jr. It was transcribed by Anjela Paje of Spokane, WA, from the tape, GC 1301-I, titled "Bible Questions and Answers Part 11."  A copy of the tape can be obtained by writing, Word of Grace, P.O. Box 4000, Panorama City, CA 91412 or by dialing toll free 1-800-55-GRACE.  ©1980. All Rights Reserved.

Question

In Isaiah 14:12, it says, “Lucifer fallen from heaven to ground, and if this happened before the earth was created, how can there be a heaven and earth mentioned?

Answer

Satan was cast to the earth. Wasn’t he, when he fell? And, some Bible scholars believe that it is an indication of why the earth is what it is. In fact, some people would even go so far as to say, that he was cast to the earth between prior to Genesis 1, and that’s why when the earth was created it was without what? Form and void. Some would say he was cast to the earth after the initial thing and created the chaos. He was cast to the earth as a serpent. Very difficult to know.

Other scholars would say that he had fallen prior to that. And, then when the earth was formed, he was cast to the earth. There’s really no way to know for sure on that question, but, I think, it’s obvious that the final disposition of Satan in his fall was that he was cast to the earth in the sense that this is the dominion that God has given him. That’s why he’s called ‘the god of this world.’ 

Added to Bible Bulletin Board's "MacArthur’s Questions and Answers" by:

Tony Capoccia
Bible Bulletin Board
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