For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth,
visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or
authorities–all things have been created by Him and for Him.
Colossians 1:16
I’ve often had questions about what was happening in heaven before God created the world.
For example, why did God create angels, and when? Why and when did Lucifer rebel? We know it was before Eve was tempted by the serpent, but not much more.
Some questions have an answer, and others don’t.
Let’s look at what the Bible says about the kingdom of God in prehistory, particularly regarding angels.
Table of Contents
Angels in Prehistory
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I have an audible book by Jill Eileen Smith entitled The Daughter of Eden: Eve’s Story. The book begins in prehistory when God created the angels. The first chapter is told from the perspective of Michael, the archangel.
It’s fiction, so it is more of imagining what took place, but we do know that angels were present at the creation based on Job 38:4-7.
Also, Genesis 1:2 suggests God had already finished creating the heavens and that only the earth was formless and empty.
However, Exodus 20:11a says, “For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea and all that is in them…” So, it’s possible God created the angels right before He began creating the earth on the first day.
Regardless of when it happened, angels were created as eternal spirit beings and as the subjects of God’s rule in His kingdom. They were created to carry out His plans, to serve and do His will (Ps 103:20-22).
Angels as Administrators in God’s Kingdom
Angels are God’s messengers with varying duties. From the time they were created, God knew how He would use them.
- To care for those who will inherit salvation (Heb 1:14).
- To protect those who live in the shelter of the Most High and find their rest in the shadow of the Almighty (Ps 91:1, 11).
- To deliver God’s messages to specific people–the word “angel” means “messenger,” and they always appear as men (Gen 18:1-2, 10; 19:1, 12-13; Dan 8:15, 19-26; Lk 1:13-17, 26, 31-33; 2:9-12).
- To help fight the spiritual forces of evil in the unseen realm (Dan 10:10-14, Eph 6:11-12).
- To worship Him who alone is worthy–for the Seraphim, it may be all they do (Is 6:1-4; Heb 1:6; Rev 7:11)
- To serve and carry out the will of the Father (Ps 103:20; Rev 22:9)
- To execute God’s judgment on the world (Ex 12:23; Rev 7:1-3; 8:6-9:16; 16:1)
- To deliver God’s word to Moses at Mount Sinai (Heb 2:2; Acts 7:38)
And more.
God made them eternal (Luke 20:36), personal with an intellect (2 Sam 14:20), will (2 Tim 2:26), and emotions (Job 38:4-7), powerful (Ps 103:20), but limited (2 Pet 2;4; Jude 6).
Hence, when God created the heavens (Gen 1:1), He created angels as part of His kingdom there.
J. Dwight Pentecost says:
Thus we see that in the development of His kingdom, God instituted a kingdom in the realm of the heavenlies. This kingdom was made up of angelic beings divided into different ranks with different privileges and responsibilities. By design, all angelic beings were servants and worshipers of God. Because all were subject to the sovereign authority of the One who ruled as king, there was perfect harmony within the kingdom.
Until…
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Angels Who Opposed God’s Rule in the Kingdom
The angel Lucifer was appointed as an anointed guardian cherub to the throne of God. He was blameless from creation until evil was found in him (Ex 28:14-15).
He said in his heart, “I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God, and I will sit on the mount of assembly in the recesses of the north. I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High” (Is 14:13-14).
Lucifer became proud, and it was his demise. God cast him out of heaven (Is 14:12), and Jesus saw it happen. He said in Luke 10:18, “I was watching Satan fall from heaven like lightning.”
Based on Revelation 12:4, we say one-third of the angels joined Satan when he was cast out of heaven. Though not certain, this verse most likely refers to Satan’s past rebellion against God, and it says, “his tail swept away a third of the stars of heaven, and threw them to the earth.”
When Satan rebelled, he challenged God’s sovereignty, which continues today. He started his own counterfeit kingdom with the angels who followed him
This angelic opposition happened before the serpent tempted Eve in the garden, and sin entered the world.
Furthermore, between God creating the angels and Satan’s fall from heaven, God established His kingdom on earth.
RELATED > > > > > What Is Satan’s Counterfeit Kingdom? – In the Heavenly Realms
Final thoughts
As you can see, angels were created before God created the world. It might have been right before the first day or on the first day, but before He said, “Let there be light.”
Angels were created to serve God, and we see many examples of them doing so in the Bible. All was perfect in heaven until Lucifer rebelled.
As a result, he was cast out of heaven and took one-third of the angels with him. And the next time we see him is when he disguises himself as a serpent. However, he sets up his own counterfeit kingdom first.
And God creates the world and establishes His kingdom on the earth.
RELATED > > > > > How Did the World Begin?
Sources:
J. Dwight Pentecost, Thy Kingdom Come (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1990), 22
Got Questions: How Do We Know 1/3 of the Angels Were Cast Out of Heaven With Satan?
Got Questions: What is the Purpose of Angels?