Lucifer as “King in Hell:” Jonathan Edwards on the Fall of the Angels

Though known for his systematic theology, Jonathan Edwards was essentially what we would today call a “biblical theologian,” one who sought to articulate Christian doctrine in accordance with Scripture’s chronology of salvation history. Prior to his premature death, Edwards was preparing to bring together decades of reflection on redemptive history into a book which sought to cast theology “into the form of a history;” a narrative which would span three worlds: heaven, earth, and hell. This paper examines how Edwards understood one event in the early history of heaven, the fall the rebellious angels, an event he detailed extensively in his private notebooks. Though biblical data on the event is slim, I will argue that Edwards constructed a rich history of the angels’ fall based on his reliance upon 1) typological exegesis, 2) a principle of harmony that exists between worlds, and 3) his understanding of the psychology of pride and humility that exists among intelligent creatures. The paper first examines Edwards’s understanding of the creation of angels and their superior status to humankind. It then explores the announcement that God made early after creation which charged angels with the task of serving humankind and Jesus Christ. This announcement sparked pride in Lucifer and other rebellious angels triggering their fall. Finally, the paper illuminates the aftermath of the angels’ fall among the obedient angels, who are struck with fear and consigned to a state of probation until a much later date when they are “confirmed” (or experience salvation) at the ascension of Christ. The paper illuminates an older world of evangelical exegesis and constructive theology largely lost to us today.