And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth: and the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour the child as soon as it was born. Rev. 12.4
[And his tail drew ] The great serpent crawls along the vault of the sky, and the wrigglings of his tail remove the stars from their places. "Drew" is literally draweth. (Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges).
Expositors are not agreed whether the stars in this verse refer to men or angels.
I believe this verse reveals how the demons came to be. Scripture teaches demonic activity was most prevalent and intense at the time the incarnate Deity walked the earth, and the Revelation reveals it will be so at the Second Coming. Satan was allowed by God to draw the non-elect angels down to the earth. The two-thirds that could not fall are the elect angels (1 Tim. 5.21). Satan and the angelic realm (fallen and unfallen) are not confined to time, they are immortal beings, and with this in mind, when his tail drew the third part down to earth; this event happened in eternity, but nevertheless it coalesced with time to bring about the demonic activity that took place in the NT Apostolic Scriptures. But, if all the fallen angels were felled by the dragon in Rev.12.4, and this happened before the Lord's incarnation, from whence did they come in order to fight against Michael and his angels in Rev. 12.7, which is taking place during the future three and one half years period of the great tribulation (a thousand two hundred and three score days)? this being the time of Jacob's trouble, Jer. 30.7. Dan. 12.1, Matt. 24.21, Rev.16.18 etc. Needless to say, this scene is some two thousand years hence from what took place in Rev. 12.4!
The interpretation of the Cambridge Bible gave me food for thought. Satan is seen crawling and wriggling (he is the master of this art!), now could it be that only a portion leftover of the third (whatever number that may be) of the fallen angels that fell prior to the incarnation will be left to assist Satan in his 'future' efforts against Michael and his angels? In other words they were not all cast to the earth at the same 'time'. Satan was not cast down before the incarnation, he will yet be, for Rev. 12.8-9 (RV) tells us of Satan and his angels that neither was their place found any more in heaven. And the great dragon was cast down, the old serpent, he that is called the Devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world: he was cast down to the earth, and his angels were cast down with him.
The Saviour saw this future event with His own eyes, for it is described in Luke 10.18; I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven. It is at this point in time when the devil knoweth that he hath but a short time (Rev.12.12), that his persecutions will be at their most intense, for he is about to be incarcerated in the bottomless pit for the duration of the millennial reign; the thousand years in Rev. 20.2-3.
The demons that the Lord Jesus and His disciples cast out were incarcerated in hell (Tartarus; Greek.) to be reserved unto judgment 2 Pet.2.4, Jude 6. Would they have been cast out of people only to be given free-rein to re-enter someone else? I believe this is why legion asked the Lord to be sent into the swine (knowing the Jewish disgust of them!), only for the Lord to send them further on down deep under the sea into the abyss (Matt.8.28-32, Mark.5.2-13, Luke. 8.27-36.
Some think that the demons could come and go at their own pleasure after being cast out because of Luke 11.24-26. But, this thinking can be demolished at a stroke. Note that Luke says When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man (my emphasis), it doesn't say cast out. When Satan caused his angels to fall prior to the incarnation, they would have had free rein to enter in and out at will of all whom they desired, excepting of-course God's set apart ones. In the context of Luke 11.24-26, we read that some of them said, He casteth out demons through Beelzebub the chief of the demons. Luke 11.15. The Saviour was accused of being energized by Satan-what total and utter blasphemy! It is clear that Satan (Beelzebub) doesn't cast out his own, no rather, if he could, he would destroy anything of God in Christ on this earth, and the agencies by which he would do this is through all that is anti-Christ. The demons can only move in the direction that God has ordained for them. Their 'free-will' is overruled by God to His glory, they cannot go beyond His decrees. The demons that be gone out of a man in Luke 11.24 have only one ultimate destiny, and their 'free-will' to come and go at their bidding as it were, will come to a sure end, for we read that He that is not with Me is against Me, and he that gathereth not with Me scattereth. Luke 11.23.
The demons as previously said, were rife in the NT era, and I believe that most, if not all that fell in Rev. 12.4, are currently incarcerated in the abyss. In a soon coming Day demonic activity will be unleashed once again on this earth, with even greater fury, if that were possible! For Scripture says none is like it, Jer. 30.7, Dan 12. 1, Matt. 24.21.
Many believers (and unbelievers!) blame demons for all that goes wrong in their lives, and often say "I don't know what possessed me!" The inference being that it was one of Satan's demons. And, certainly our Pentecostal brethren would do well to dwell awhile on James 1.14; every man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own lust and enticed. (my emphasis).
Needless to say, this is a very deep subject, and is very hard to be dogmatic, it is a work in progress.
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