How Was Satan Able To Become Prideful In Heaven?
How was Satan able to get a prideful state about him, considering Heaven is holy?
One answer is this: because God allowed it. God allowed the capability for evil and rebellion within Satan. Apparently a third of the angelic beings also fell with Satan, which demonstrates that God allowed them the capability to choose differently. This case deals with angelic beings, but a similar principle applies to human beings.
God gave angelic beings the ability to choose between good and evil, at least in the past. In this present life, God allows human beings that choice as well. We have real choice. We’re fallen. We’re corrupted. Our desires are twisted. We’re messed up. Some people might argue, “David, we do not have real choice.” By saying that, you’ve put yourself in the fatalist camp, and if you want to be there, you’re welcome to it, but I don’t think you’re reflecting the truth of the Scriptures. The Bible speaks to us as people who have real choices to make.
Satan had something of that same choice. God created Satan with that ability to choose. Here’s my supposition; I cannot say that the Scriptures specifically teach this, but I think this is consistent with what the Scriptures do teach. I would suppose that the occasion of Satan’s fall happened because he heard about God’s plan to create humanity. He heard that human beings would be lower than the angels, yet the angels would be commanded to serve them, and that one day in the future those beings would be glorified above the angels. I think Satan didn’t like that plan. Again, I can’t say the Bible specifically teaches that, but I do think that it’s consistent with what the Bible does teach. His dislike of God’s plan prompted rebellion, pride, and the attitude that said, “I’ve got a better plan. God, Your plan isn’t good.” But all of that was able to happen because God created Satan with the capability of making such choices. I believe that, in and of itself, does not violate the holiness of heaven.