The most troublesome question about all of this is, “What about the devil?”

If, by the “all things” referred to in Colossians 1:20, I make a case for the universal reconciliation of everyone and everything, without exception, then “all things” must include the devil and his fallen angels. The passage refers to things in earth and things in heaven. “All things”, of necessity, would include them. The same event is in view in Ephesians 1:9-10, Paul referring to God’s plan in the fullness of time to unite “all things” together in Christ, which are in heaven and on earth. “All things” in heaven and in earth, again, would seem to include the devil and the angels which left their first estate.

Satan is prideful, a slanderer, a liar, deceitful, lustful, and cruel. He opposes God, hinders the gospel, is a murderer, a blasphemer, disobedient, creates discord, perverts the scriptures, is a tempter, a sinner, is cowardly, a schemer, hateful, and a destroyer. The devil is the most wicked and loathsome being ever created, the father of lies, and a murderer from the beginning. He has set himself against the Most High.

In all of that, which of the transgressions committed by that old serpent, has not been perpetrated by humanity as well? Men and women have been guilty of all the same sin and are not beyond forgiveness. So, if it is not the sin itself committed by the evil one that would render him unpardonable, what then? Is Satan unforgivable by virtue of who he is – the opposer of God, the devourer, and the hinderer of the gospel? Or is Lucifer disqualified because of who he was – the morning star, the day star, son of the morning and the shining one.

“You were in Eden, the garden of God.”

The words of Ezekiel place Lucifer there before Adam and Eve (28:13), but the garden wasn’t the only place he could freely roam. He had complete access to ascend the very mount of God and to walk among the fiery cherubs because he was one – ordained a guardian, or a covering cherub.

He was adorned with every precious stone, the settings of which were pure gold, and were prepared for him the day he was created. His name means “light bearer”, God called him the morning star, the day star, son of the morning and the shining one. He carried the light.

God said that he was blameless in all his ways from the day he was created, until he wasn’t.

Do we believe that God loved Lucifer when He first created him? God said of him, “You were the seal of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty.” He was above all except God Himself.

In his book, God’s Devil, Erwin Lutzer makes a case for the fact that Satan’s rebellion serves God’s purposes.¹ The devil certainly didn’t take God by surprise and his rebellion was put down in an instant by the omnipotent Lord whom we serve. It is God’s omniscience, however, that is of interest here.

We must recognize that God’s foreknowledge is complete in every detail of the future and that His purpose is always being accomplished. So, in creating Lucifer, God’s objective was being set upon and we begin to realize that the wickedness of humanity keeps furthering the purpose of God. (See Romans 8:28)

Declaring the end and the result from the beginning, and from ancient times the things which have not [yet] been done, saying, “My purpose will be established, and I will do all that pleases me and fulfills my purpose.”

Isaiah 46:10 (AMP)

Think about what God is saying: “I declare how things turn out long before they ever happen.” Not only is God foreseeing the future, but He is ordering it! “My purpose stands throughout the ages, and I will fulfill my every intent. I have formed my plan, and yes, I will do it. I have spoken it.”

Please note that what is not being said here is that every move of the devil, or of humanity, is scripted. God is absolutely sovereign, so evil must be seen as part of the larger plan. Even though He is not the immediate cause of the evil perpetrated upon the world, He is the ultimate cause in that He created the actors involved having full and perfect foreknowledge. This is why Isaiah could say that God created evil (45:7).

God’s plan and purpose is always at work:

The kings of the earth stood up, and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord, and against his Christ. For of a truth against thy holy child Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, both Herod, and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the people of Israel, were gathered together, for to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel determined before to be done.

Acts 4:26-28

Six times God hardens the heart of Pharoah so that he chooses not to let the people go. (Exodus 9:12; 10:1; 10:20; 10:27; 11:10; 14:8). For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might shew my power in thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth. (Romans 9:17)

“I’ll tell you why I raised you up to sit on the throne of Egypt”, God said to Pharoah. “It was so that I can bring plagues down upon you.” God told the Egyptian ruler, “I want to show my power in decimating you so that my Name will be declared in all the earth.” Wow! That is harsh, particularly if when God was done with him, He tossed him into the flames of Hell.

Even so have these also now not believed, that through your mercy they also may obtain mercy. For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all. O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor? Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again? For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.

Romans 11:31-36

How does Lucifer rebel against God? Why would a perfect being become dissatisfied in a perfect world? He was full of wisdom and perfect in all his ways from the day he was made – until perversity was found in him. How does that happen? It doesn’t make sense to us. Then, how does He think He can pull it off?

The answer is that he was deluded by the pride in his heart. He was deluded the same way Pharoah was deluded, through the hardening of his heart by the Spirit of God. God put that pride in his heart. There is no other way that a creature who is perfect in righteousness, in an instant, is found with iniquity. And so it begins.

For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.

Isaiah 14:13-14

But he is cast down to the earth! Jesus said, “I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven” (Luke 10:18), “How are you fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning!” (Isaiah 14:12 MEV), “and the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.” (Revelation 12:9)

So, we find Satan in the garden masquerading as a serpent, ready to unwittingly set God’s plan and purpose into motion – the testing of the first couple. (Genesis 3:1) But it is more than that, Adam and Eve will embark on a life of hardship, toil, and disappointment. Their character will be shaped just as is the character of all those who find themselves on a hard road today. Adversity can crush an individual or it can strengthen those that persevere in the face of it. Ultimately, adversity makes us who we are.

God could have banished the devil to another planet. He could have set cherubs around Pluto to contain Satan far away from His children. He could have cast him into the Lake of Fire the instant the adversary rebelled. But God did neither of these things. Instead, Satan was cast down to the earth where His children will be. Why!?

Could this be what God had in mind from the beginning of the ages? Has this been His purpose all along? Think about it, Lucifer was strategically defeated the instant he sinned. There is nothing created by God that doesn’t depend on His power to be held together – nothing that doesn’t rely on Him for its continued existence. His is the controlling, cohesive force of the universe. (Colossians 1:17) God has absolute sovereignty over all of His creation, nothing takes Him by surprise. If it did, He wouldn’t be God.

So, if Lucifer is just the instrument used by God in accomplishing His purpose, will he be annihilated at the end of the ages? Will he be tormented forever once that purpose has been served? Yes, he must answer for the unrighteousness found in him and will be cast into the Lake of Fire to that end, but as we have seen, the Lake of Fire is corrective for those that are cast into it. Would it be a stretch if God commits the Devil to the same fate?

¹(Lutzer, Erwin, W., God’s Devil: The Incredible Story of How Satan’s Rebellion Serves God’s Purposes, Chicago: Moody Publishers, ©2015)