The angels were tested by God, a very long time ago, to give them an opportunity to enter the Heaven of the heavens, with the Beatific Vision of God. They were shown God’s plan for the future, and asked to worship God-made-man in Christ Jesus. Some angels refused, out of pride, since an angel is pure spirit, and a human person is lower, being partly made of base matter. These angels fell from grace becoming devils.

Lucifer (the light bearer) was the first angel to rebel; the first to become an adversary to God by sin. So he is named Satan (adversary). The other fallen angels fell by following his example; he tempted them by the example of his first sin.

When these angels fell, Creation also became fallen (by the will of God), because the angels had been given the care of Creation as one of their responsibilities. But as for those angels who did not fall, who obeyed God and worshiped God-made-man in Christ Jesus, they entered into Heaven and the Beatific Vision.

The fallen angels were not all thrown immediately into Hell because God wished to tempt humanity, so that we would be tested just as all the angels were tested, to see if we are worthy of Heaven. Some of the fallen angels have long remained apart from humanity; they despise we lower life forms and so they do not even draw near to tempt us. Some other fallen angels perhaps were sent by God immediately to Hell. But Satan and a large number of other fallen angels decided to tempt humanity. They were angry at the loss of their place in God’s plan, angry that God would become a man, rather than an angel. They knew of God’s plan to create human persons, from the knowledge given to them when they were tested. They failed the test and as a result they hate humanity and wish to lead us astray.

The war of Michael and his angels versus Satan and his devils has not yet occurred. It is described in the Book of Revelation as a future event. At that time, the fallen angels are cast out of the heavens (not out of Heaven itself, which they never entered), that is, out of the spiritual realm. They are permitted to go down to the earth, in great fury and knowing their time is short because of the great sinfulness of humanity in that future time. This will occur at the beginning of the second part of the tribulation, that is to say, at the beginning of the Antichrist’s reign.

Satan and his angels are permitted to assist the Antichrist and his false prophetess and their supporters because of the extreme wickedness of humanity in that time. The earth will have many billions of human persons, the vast majority of whom commit many actual mortal sins, year after year, without repentance. Few persons in that time will have true love of God and neighbor; few will have love, faith, and hope. The good God therefore permits a great temptation of all the earth through the Antichrist with the support of the fallen angels.

After the end of Antichrist’s reign, Jesus returns and the fallen angels are all cast into Hell, including Satan and his devils.

by
Ronald L. Conte Jr.
Roman Catholic theologian and
translator of the Catholic Public Domain Version of the Bible.