Satan's Dwelling Place

Some people just cannot comprehend that Satan still has a kingdom in the heavenly realm (or in the heavenly places). It is generally assumed that Satan is in hell or hades, a place of confinement for departed disobedient souls below the earth. But this can't be true because if that is so, it s not necessary for us to get involved in spiritual warfare.

Paul said, "For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places" (Eph. 6:12, NKJV, emphasis added).

By the use of several translations the above verse of Scripture says: "For our wrestling match is not against flesh and blood, not against persons with bodies, but against despotism, against wicked powers, against rulers with various areas and descending orders of authority, against the heavenlies".

Here are some statements of truth:

1. I use the term "wrestling match" because wrestling is the most intense of all forms of conflict between two opponents. Every part of the body, every skill, and every trick must be used for success. It is a total conflict.

2. Satan's dwelling place is in the heavenly places, in the heavenlies or somewhere in heaven.

3. Satan's kingdom is a hightly structured and well-organized kingdom with descending orders of authority with different rulers and sub-rulers responsible for different areas of their territories.

Jesus had brought healing to a demon-possessed man who was blind and mute by driving out the evil spirit (Matt. 12:22 - 28).

"And all the multitudes were amazed and said, 'Could this be the Son of David?' Now when the Pharisees heard it they said, 'This fellow does not cast out demons except by Beelzebub, the rulers of the demons" (Matt. 12:23, 24, NKJV).

Beelzebub means, literally, "lord of flies". It is a title of satan particularly as the ruler over demons because the demons are compared to the whole insect domain.


Further revelation of Satan's kingdom

In Matthew 12 Jesus responded to the accusation of Pharisees (V.24) in the following verses:

"But Jesus knew their thoughts, and said to them: "Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and every city or house divided against itself will not stand. If Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand" (Matt. 12:25, 26)?

The above is a clear implication that, first, Satan has a kingdom. Second, it is not divided but highly organized. Third, it stands and has not yet been overthrown.

Revelation of God's Kingdom

Jesus continued, "And if I cast out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they shall be your judges. But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, surely the kingdom of God has come upon you" (Matt. 12:27, 28, emphasis added).

Jesus here mentioned another kingdom, the Kingdom of God. By the implication of verse 28, the ministry of driving out demons brings the forces of Satan's kingdom out into the open. The Kingdom of God is superior because demons are driven out under the authority of the Kingdom of God.

In the final analysis, there are two kingdoms or domains in opposition - the Kingdom of God and the kingdom of Satan.

Paul said, "... giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light. He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins" (Col. 1:12 - 14, emphasis added).

The phrase "power of darkness" indicates that Satan has authority and he is the ruler of a kingdom that the Bible recognizes. These two kingdoms are engaged in mortal warfare and the war is coming to its climax in our days as this age comes to a close.

Satan's Dwelling Place

Many Christians believe that Satan has been cast out of heaven long ago. But if that is true, how is that according to Ephesians 6:12 he still occupies a place in the heavenly realm? The two questions we seek to answer are - One, does Satan still have access to the presence of God? The other question is, where in the heavenly realm is Satan's dwelling place?

Satan had access to the presence of God

There are passages of Scripture that describe events that took place after the initial rebellion and casting out of Satan by God (Isaiah 14:12 - 15). These passages indicate that Satan still had access to the presence of God in heaven in the days of Job:

In the days of Job, when God's angels came to present themselves and report to the Lord, Satan was there among them:

"Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came among them. And the Lord said to Satan, 'From where do you come?' So Satan answered the Lord and said, 'From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking back and forth on it'" (Job 1:6, 7, NKJV, emphasis added).

Almost exactly the same incident was recorded again in Job 2:1, 2.

Here are some statements of truth:

1. These passages seem to indicate that God's angels (sons of God) did not identify Satan. I believe the reason being, Satan could transform himself as "an angel of light" (2 Cor. 11:14).

2. From the conversation between the Lord and Satan we realize that the only one who could identify Satan was the Lord.

3. The Lord did not immediately banish Satan from His Presence, but actually had a conversation with him.

Therefore, we know that in the time of Job, Satan still had access to the presence of God in heaven.


Satan still has access to the presence of God now


Now let us turn to the Book of Revelation which speaks of the future, in particular, concerning Satan's activities:


".... who (Satan, devil, dragon or serpent of old) accused them (God's people) before our God day and night, has been cast down. And they (God's people) overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death" (Rev. 12:10, 11, emphasis added).


This passage of Scripture clearly indicates that Satan still has access to the presence of God - long after the original rebellion of Satan.


There are at least three heavens


From our discussion so far, we come to the conclusion that Satan does not dwell in the same heaven that God dwells even though he is allowed to come in the presence of the Almighty God. And so there must be more than one heaven. Satan had heen cast out from the heaven where God dwells but he will only be cast down from the heaven where he dwells at the end of the age (Rev. 12).


The Bible says clearly there are more than one heaven:


1. The first verse of the Bible says God created more than one heaven:


"In the beginning God created the heavens and earth" (Genesis 1:1, NKJV, emphasis added).


The Hebrew word for "heavens" is "shamayim" - the "im" is the plural ending.


2. Solomon, in his prayer to God before he built the temple, said, "But who is able to build Him a temple, since heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain Him? Who am I then, that I should build Him a temple, except to burn sacrifice before Him" (2 Chron. 2:6, emphasis added)?


The phrase, "heaven and the heaven of heavens" obviously indicates there are at least two heavens".


3. The psalmist says there are at least two heavens: "Praise Him, you heavens of heavens. And you waters above the heavens" (Ps. 148:4, emphasis added)!


4. Paul said, "I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago - whether in the body I do not know, or whether out of the body I do not know, God knows - such a one was caught up in the third heaven" (2 cor. 12:2, emphasis added).


Common sense tells us that you cannot have a third heaven unless you have the first heaven and the second heaven. And so there are at least three heavens.


The three heavens identified


Paul said further, "... how he was caught up into Paradise and heard inexpressible words which it is not lawful for a man to utter" (Verse 4, emphasis added).


The man whom Paul was talking about was "caught up into Paradise". In Scripture the word "Paradise" speaks of the "presence of God". Therefore this man was caught up into the presence of God!


Notice that, on the cross, Jesus spoke to the repentant thief: "Assuredly I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise" (Luke 23:43).


When we read the above verse together with verses 2 and 4 in 2 Cor. 12, we come to the conclusion that the presence of God (or Paradise) is in the third heaven. And so the third heaven must be God's dwelling place!


Paul, referring to the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, said: "He who descended is also the One who ascended far above all the heavens, that He might fill all things" (Eph. 4:10, emphasis added).


The above verse clearly confirms there are only three heavens because God is above all the heavens - meaning He is above the two lower heavens. Furthermore, in English, we can't use the word "all" where there are less than three - "one" is one; "two" is both.


What are the three heavens? I believe the first heaven is the visible and natural heaven with the sun, the moon, and the stars that we see with our eyes. The third heaven, we know from 2 Cor. 12, is God's dwelling place. It is the Paradise, the place of rest of the departed righteous. It is the place to which the man was caught up and heard God speaking words which could not be uttered.


So we are left with the second heaven. Logically and clearly, the second heaven must be somewhere between the first and the third heaven. Now, as we have seen earlier, Satan was cast out from the presence of God in the beginning of his rebellion against God (Isaiah 14:12). He was cast out of the third heaven to the second heaven. Therefore, this second heaven is Satan's dwelling place or his area of operation. This is the place that Satan sets up his whole empire to oppose mankind's earthly empires! That is the reason why sometimes we find how hard it is to break through to God in our prayers. Like what Daniel experienced (Daniel 10), sometimes we believe that God instantly hears our prayers when we pray according to his will, and yet the answer tarries!