How Satan Falls

How Satan or the Devil or evil is at work in the world is a big theological question. People spend their careers thinking about this. So we will not be solving that theological problem today in a single blog post. But that doesn’t mean we can’t think about what this week’s text, Luke 10:1-11, 16-20, might be telling us. Often people focus on the sending of the Seventy-two and what that implies about missionary work. But what Jesus says after the seventy- two return is interesting and worth thinking about.

After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them on ahead of him in pairs to every town and place where he himself intended to go. He said to them. “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest. Go on your way; I am sending you out like lambs into the midst of wolves. Carry no purse, no bag, no sandals, and greet no one on the road. Whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace to this house!’ And if a person of peace is there, your peace will rest on that person, but if not, it will return to you. Remain in the same house, eating and drinking whatever they provide, for the laborer deserves to be paid. Do not move about from house to house. Whenever you enter a town and its people welcome you, earth what is set before you; cure the sick who are there, and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’ But whenever you enter a town and they do not welcome you, go out into its streets and say, ‘Even the dust of your town that clings to our feet, we wipe off in protest against you. Yet know this: the kingdom of God has come near.’

“Whoever listens to you listens to me, and whoever rejects you rejects me, and whoever rejects me rejects the one who sent me.” The seventy-two returned with joy, saying, “Lord, in your name even the demons submit to us!” He said to them,”I watched Satan fall from heaven like a flash of lightning. Indeed, I have given you authority to tread on snakes and scorpions and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing will hurt you. Nevertheless, do not rejoice at this, that the Spirit’s submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.” Luke 10:1-11,16-20 NRSVue

This sending of the seventy, echoes the sending of the apostles that is described in Luke chapter 9¹. The instructions Jesus gave to each group are similar. Here the disciples were sent as lambs into a dangerous world. Not only are they unarmed but they don’t have the financial means to avoid problems on the road. They are dependant upon a hospitable reception wherever they go. There is a humbleness about how they interact with the people they meet. Eat and drink what you are given. Don’t move around, looking for a better house to stay in. Don’t move around and accidentally promote a competition between hosts. And if they are not hospitably received they are to leave, without violence, or retribution, reminding the town that “the kingdom of God” had come near them. People didn’t need to go searching, the kingdom had come to them.

The Seventy two return with joy. They sound slightly amazed, “[E]ven the demons submit to us!” Then Jesus says a strange thing, “I watched Satan fall from heaven like a flash of lightning.” Is this a metaphor, or a vision, or something that actually happened? The text doesn’t make it clear. Then Jesus talks about having given them “authority to tread on snakes and scorpions” which probably is metaphorical. Snakes and scorpions were often images for “evil”.² Then Jesus warns them, “nevertheless, do not rejoice at this…”

There, as always, is a lot going on in these verses. These days, two things stand out for me.

Here again, Jesus’ way, bringing the kingdom of God to us, is not the way of power or domination. It is not about making anything great again. It’s not going back to some inaccurately remembered glorious past. It is about moving forward, into a particular way of life where the peace of God is shared and available to everyone.

When Jesus sees Satan fall from heaven, he sees this in the context of the Seventy- two who have gone out in a particular way, bringing the kingdom of God with them. Satan does not fall from heaven because the Seventy-two were victorious. Or triumphant. Or that the entire world was evangelized. The Seventy-two proclaim the nearness of the kingdom but do not insist on establishing the kingdom in every place. They do not demand to be heard, or obeyed. Satan falls from heaven because of the humble presence of the followers of Jesus. The kingdom of God does not come near through force, or threats, or power, or legislation. The kingdom of God shows up with two poor people who come without a purse, bag or sandals. When Christ’s followers show up bringing peace, Satan falls.

The second thing I want to highlight is Jesus’ warning. He tells them not to get carried away with what they have accomplished. He warns the Apostles about this also. It is an ever present concern. We too need to be mindful. We too are in danger that our success will go to our heads. We too must stay humble lest we think any success is our own doing. We too need to be careful that we don’t make success- however it becomes defined- the goal. Jesus seems to be telling them that their joy comes from their relationship with Jesus and God, because they are part of life in the kingdom of God. Peace is announced and the kingdom of God is brought near because of and through that relationship.

Think about the demands of Christian Nationalists- that the United States was and must be a Christian nation, that Christians must be in charge and have dominion over all aspects of our national life and culture. Next think about how Jesus lived his life. Think about what he taught. Think about how he instructed his disciples to live and act. Who will you accept and who will you reject? Then decide who you will welcome into your home? Whose peace will you share?

1. Some texts say 70 were sent, some say 72 were sent. The point, regardless of the exact number, is this foreshadows the mission of the church to all the nations. In Genesis 10, the Hebrew text lists 70 nations and the Septuagint lists 72 nations. ↩︎
2. see Gen 3:1-14; Num 21:6-9; 1 Kings 12:11; Rev 9:3; Deut 8:15; Sir 39:30; Luke 11:11-12, Ps 91:13. ↩︎