And the great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world — he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him.
The vision stops to say plainly who the dragon is. It puts four names on one being, then reports his expulsion — which raises the question of where he was until then.
One being, four names
The titles are not decoration. Two describe what he is like, and two are personal names for a real being.
Walter ScottThe first two titles describe character — cruelty and subtlety. The last two names, Devil and Satan, refer to the dragon as a person. The devil is an actual historical being, and New Testament Greek uses the word only in the singular. Where older translations say "devils," the word should be "demons." As the devil, he is the accuser, the slanderer, and tempter. As Satan, he is the open and declared adversary of Christ, the public enemy of God and of His people.
The ancient serpent of Eden
The word "ancient" points back to the opening pages of the Bible.
F. B. HoleIn the Genesis account, then, it is just the serpent, the visible agent of the mischief, that is mentioned. So also, in 2 Corinthians 11:3 we read, "the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning." Only in the last book of the Bible do we get the clearest identification of the serpent with the unseen actor working through it. There, twice over in almost the same words, we read, "that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan" (Rev. 12:9; 20:2). He is the originator and instigator of that dreadful thing, sin, which has invaded this fair creation.
His work: deceiving the whole world
The verse describes his trade, not just his nature. Behind every human agent, one mind is at work. (Scott quotes an older translation: "the whole habitable world.")
Walter ScottNext comes Satan's special work, the one his tireless energy drives at. He "deceives the whole habitable world." … The prime mover in all is alone before us. By God's permission Satan deceives everyone caught in the prophetic scene. It does not matter who the people used are, or what the means are. Satan himself is the leader who lures the world on to its moral ruin. … Then, however, Satan keeps in the background; here in the light of Heaven he stands fully exposed.
Satan's place in heaven
No one can be thrown out of a place he was never in. Other passages already show him with access above.
T. B. BainesNo careful reader of Scripture will wonder at finding Satan in heaven. Our knowledge on the subject is limited. Still, we read of "spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places." We see him as the devil, or slanderer, accusing the brothers. We see him as Satan, the adversary, opposing Joshua, the high priest, and Michael, the archangel. He probably cannot enter "the third heaven" where God dwells. But he clearly has some place in the heavens, and this war drives him out of it.
Cast out, heaven cleansed
The repeated verb is the point. What cleanses heaven is the same as what cleanses the earth.
Walter ScottRepeating the verb cast out three times emphasises the shameful expulsion of Satan and his angels from Heaven. Who these angels are is a question shrouded in mystery. All we know is that they make up Satan's fighting host, and are cast out of Heaven with their chief. Satan can then no longer enter God's presence to accuse the saints to Him. His poisonous breath can never again infect the holy atmosphere of the heavenly places. The heavens have to be cleared of evil as well as the earth. The ground on which both are purified and reconciled is the sacrifice of Christ. How complete, therefore, and far-reaching in its results is the blood of Christ!
Christ, the answer to each name
Each title has its exact counterpart in the Lord Jesus — which turns the verse into a question for the reader.
J T MawsonAs the dragon he is the destroyer. As the ancient serpent he is the deceiver. As the devil, he is the accuser. As Satan, he is the adversary — the adversary of God, of all good, and of our souls. … If the devil is the destroyer, our Lord is the DELIVERER. If the devil is the deceiver, our Lord is the TRUTH — the Holy and the True. If the devil is the accuser, our Lord is the INTERCESSOR AND ADVOCATE. If the devil is the adversary, our Lord is THE FRIEND. You must choose, Christians, under whose control you will come.
Summary
- Named. One real person carries four titles: dragon for cruelty, serpent for cunning, devil for accusing, Satan for open hostility.
- Ancient. "That ancient serpent" points to the unseen actor who used the serpent against Eve. He is the originator of sin, and the Bible's last book finally names him.
- Exposed. His trade is deceiving the whole world, and he usually works out of sight. In heaven's light the prime mover stands fully exposed.
- Expelled. He still has access above until this war. The triple "cast out" marks a shameful, final removal. Christ's sacrifice is the ground on which heaven is cleansed.
- Answered. Christ meets each name: Deliverer for the destroyer, Truth for the deceiver, Advocate for the accuser, Friend for the adversary. So the verse ends in a choice: whose control will you live under?