In the Bible, several places can be found that speak quite directly about Satan's rebellion against God or his opposition to God. Here are a few quotations (this selection does not claim to be exhaustive)...
In the Bible, several places can be found that speak quite directly about Satan's rebellion against God or his opposition to God. Here are a few quotations (this selection does not claim to be exhaustive):
Wisdom of Solomon, 2:24 "God created man for incorruption, and made him an image of his own eternity; but through the devil's envy death entered the world, and those who belong to his party experience it."
Isaiah, 14:12-15 "How you are fallen from heaven, O Day Star, son of Dawn! How you are cut down to the ground, you who laid the nations low! You said in your heart, 'I will ascend to heaven; above the stars of God I will set my throne on high; I will sit on the mount of assembly in the far north; I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.' But you are brought down to Sheol, to the depths of the pit."
Gospel of John, 8:44 "You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father's desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and has nothing to do with the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies."
1 John, 3:8 "Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil."
At the same time, Holy Scripture does not give us "picturesque" descriptions of this event. There are a number of reasons for this, the main ones being the following: 1) The Bible is addressed to us, people, and we bear responsibility for ourselves and our sin; 2) In Old Testament times, there was a serious danger of dualism, the worship of two opposing deities, one good and one evil. Many ancient pagan peoples (including Semitic ones) adhered to this point of view: the Babylonians and Persians, for example. Therefore, everything concerning Satan is reported in passing in the Old Testament, so as not to draw the reader's attention to this topic.
13 God's armies, Isa 13:1-5.
The destruction of Babylon by the Persians and Medes, their great distress, anguish, and utter desolation, Isa 13:6-22.
13:1 The burden - This title is commonly given to sad prophecies, which indeed are grievous burdens to them on whom they are laid. Babylon - Of the city and empire of Babylon by Cyrus.
13:2 A banner - To gather soldiers together. Mountain - Whence it may be discerned at a considerable distance. Withal he seems to intimate, that their enemies should come from the mountainous country of Media.Them - To the Medes. Shake - Beckon to them with your hand, that they may come to this service, that they may go and fight against Babylon, and take it, and so enter in to the palaces of the king, and his princes.
13:3 Sanctified ones - The Medes and Persians, so called, because they were set apart by God, for this holy work of executing his just vengeance. Mighty ones - Those whom I have made mighty for this work.Highness - Or, as others render it, in my glory, in the doing of that work which tends to the advancement of my glory. Tho' the Medes had no regard to God, but only to their own ends.
13:4 Nations - The Medes and Persians and other nations, which served under them in this war.
13:5 Thy come - From the ends of the earth under heaven, which is not to be understood strictly. The weapons - The Medes and Persians, who were but a rod in God's hand, and the instruments of his anger.Land - Of Babylon.
13:7 Amazed - To see so impregnable a city as Babylon, so easily and unexpectedly taken. Flames - Heb. faces of flame, inflamed with rage and torment.
13:9 Behold - Divers words are heaped together, to signify the extremity of his anger.
13:10 Constellations - Which consist of many stars, and therefore give a greater sight. Darkened - All things shall look darkly and dismally; men shall have no comfort or hope. Going forth - As soon as he rises.As soon as they have any appearance or hope of amendment, they shall be instantly disappointed.
13:11 The world - The Babylonish empire, which is called the world, as the Roman empire afterwards was, because it was extended to a great part of the world.
13:12 More precious - The city and nation shall be so depopulated.
13:13 Therefore - A poetical and prophetical description of great horrors and confusions, as if heaven and earth were about to meet together.
13:14 It - Babylon. A roe - Fearful in itself, especially when it is pursued by the hunter. A sheep - In a most forlorn condition.Every man - Those soldiers of other nations, whom she had hired to assist her.
13:15 Found - In Babylon, at the taking of it.
13:17 Medes - Under whom he comprehends the Persians. Not delight - Which is to be understood comparatively. They shall more eagerly pursue the destruction of the people, than the getting of spoil.
13:18 Bows - Under which are comprehended, other weapons of war.Dash - Or, shalt pierce the young men through, as the Chaldee, renders it.
13:19 Glory - Which once was the most noble of all the kingdoms.Beauty - The beautiful seat of the Chaldean monarchy shall be totally and irrecoverably destroyed.
13:20 Inhabited - After the destruction threatened shall be fully accomplished. Arabian - Who dwelt in tents, and wandered from place to place, where they could find pasture.
13:21 Satyrs - The learned agree, that these are frightful and solitary creatures.
13:22 Prolonged - Beyond the time appointed by God.
14 Israel shall be delivered from the Babylonish captivity, their triumph over Babylon, Isa 14:1-13.
God's purpose against Assyria, Isa 14:14-27.
Palestina threatened, Isa 14:28-32.
14:1 Chuse - Will renew his choice of them; for he had rejected them.
14:2 Rule - Which they literally did, after their return into their own land. But this was more eminently verified in a spiritual sense, in the days of the gospel.
14:4 Golden city - As they used to call themselves; which therefore he expresses here in a word of their own language.
14:6 Anger - With rigour and not with clemency. None - Neither the Babylonians themselves, nor their confederates.
14:7 The earth - The subjects of that vast empire, who groaned under their cruel bondage.
14:8 The trees - Which were felled for the service of her pride and luxury, but now are suffered to stand.
14:9 Thrones - From their graves, which he seems to call their thrones by way of irony: the only thrones now left to them. Thrones both paved and covered with worms, instead of their former thrones, adorned with gold and precious stones.
14:11 Thy pomp - All thy glory is buried with thee. Viols - All thy musical instruments, which were much used in Babylon, and were doubtless used in Belshazzar's solemn feasts, Dan 5:1, at which time the city was taken; to which possibly the prophet here alludes. The worm - Instead of those stately carpets upon which thou didst frequently tread.
14:12 Fallen - From the height of thy glory. Lucifer - Which properly is a bright star, that ushers in the morning; but is here metaphorically taken for the mighty king of Babylon. Son - The title of son is given in scripture not only to a person or thing begotten or produced by another, but also to any thing which is related, to it, in which sense we read of the son of a night, Jon 4:10, a son of perdition, Joh 17:12, and, which is more agreeable, to the present case, the sons of Arcturus, Job 38:32.
14:13 I - I will advance myself above the state of a weak man.Above - Above all other kings and potentates; or, above the most eminent persons of God's church. North - This is added as a more exact description of the place of the temple; it stood upon mount Moriah, which was northward from the hill of Zion strictly so called.
14:14 Like - In the uncontrolableness of my power, and the universal extent of my dominion.
14:17 Cried not - Whereby he signifies both his irresistible power, and his continued cruelty.
14:18 All - That is, other things most commonly do. Lie - Are buried in their own sepulchres, having stately monuments erected to their memory.
14:19 Cast out - Or, cast from thy grave or burying - place.Which very probably happened to Belshazzar, when his people had neither opportunity nor heart to bestow an honourable interment upon him, and the conquerors would not suffer them to do it.Like - Like a rotten twig of a tree, which he that prunes the trees, casts away. Raiment - Which, being mangled, and besmeared with mire, and blood, was cast away with contempt. Go down - Who being slain, are cast into some pit. He saith, to the stones of the pit, because when dead bodies are cast in thither, men use to throw an heap of stones upon them. Trodden - Neglected, like such a carcase. And this might literally happen to Belshazzar's dead body.
14:20 Joined - Not buried as they are. Slain - Thou hast exercised great tyranny and cruelty, not only to thine enemies, but even to thine own subjects. The seed - Such as Belshazzar was, being descended from that Nebuchadnezzar who had made such horrid slaughters and devastations in the world, merely to gratify his own insatiable lusts, and who had been so impious towards God and his temple, and so bloody towards his church and people. Renowned - Or, shall not be renowned for ever: although I have long borne with thee and thy family.
14:21 Children - Cut off all the branches of the royal family.Rise - Not recover their former power.
14:22 Remnant - The remembrance of those that are dead, and the persons of those who yet survive.
14:23 Bittern - A great water fowl, which delights in solitary places, as also in watery grounds. Such as those were about Babylon.Pools - The ground about Babylon was of itself very moist, because of the great river Euphrates, running by it, which was kept from overflowing the country with charge and labour; this being neglected, when the city was destroyed, it was easily turned into pools of water.
14:24 Saying - This verse does not only concern Babylon's destruction, but also the overthrow of Sennacherib and the Assyrian host, which was a pledge of the destruction of the city and empire of Babylon.
14:25 My land - In Judea, which is my land in a peculiar manner.Mountains - In my mountainous country, for such Judea was, especially about Jerusalem.
14:26 The earth - Upon this vast empire, now in the hands of the Assyrians, and shortly to come into the hands of the Babylonians.The hand - The providence of God executing his purpose.