Why didn’t God provide a method of atonement for the fallen angels?
Perhaps part of the explanation is that pride has blinded Satan to reality. Two Old Testament passages (Isaiah 14:12–15 and Ezekiel 28:11–19) discuss Satan’s original position and the reasons for his loss of that position. They tell of an exalted angelic being, one of God’s creatures, who became proud. He determined to take the throne of God for himself. But God removed him from his position.
“Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out.” John 12:31
Satan is beyond the extremes of human intelligence, he deceived Adam and Eve and took over their rule of the world for himself (Genesis 1:26; 3:1–7; 2 Corinthians 11:3). His cleverness enables him to carry out his deceptive work almost at will, although his power is subject to God’s restrictions (Job 1:12; Luke 4:6; 2 Thessalonians 2:7–8). He does have certain victories — although within the boundaries God has set for him — and perhaps these victories allow him to continue the illusion that he can have victory over God Himself.
The reins of God on Satan’s activities are illustrated by Satan’s request to God for permission to afflict Job (Job 1:7–12). Satan is permitted to afflict God’s people (Luke 13:16; 1 Thessalonians 2:18; Hebrews 2:14), but he is never permitted to win an ultimate victory over them (John 14:30–31; 16:33). A part of Satan’s continuing ambition to replace God is his passionate yearning to have others worship him (Matthew 4:8–9; Revelation 13:4, 12). Satan is “the wicked one” (Matthew 13:19, 38), while God is “the Holy One” (Isaiah 1:4).
Satan’s nature is malicious, his efforts in opposing God, His people, and His truth are tireless (Job 1:7; 2:2; Matthew 13:28). He is always opposed to man’s best interests (1 Chronicles 21:1; Zechariah 3:1–2). Through his role in introducing sin into the human family (Genesis 3), Satan has gained the power of death — a power which Christ has broken through His crucifixion and resurrection (Hebrews 2:14–15). Satan tempted Christ directly, trying to lead Him into compromise by promising Him worldly authority and power (Luke 4:5–8).
Despite Satan’s belief that he can defeat God, Satan is destined to fail. His final defeat is predicted in John 12:31, Revelation 12:9, and 20:10. The death of Christ on the cross is the basis for Satan’s final defeat (Hebrews 2:14–15; 1 Peter 3:18, 22). That event was the climax to a sinless life during which Jesus triumphed over the enemy repeatedly (Matthew 4:1–11; Luke 4:1–13). Satan probably rejoiced in the death of Christ, believing it to be a victory for him, but like all his victories, that one, too, was short-lived. When Jesus rose from the grave, Satan was once again defeated. The final victory will come when Jesus returns and Satan is cast into the lake of fire (Revelation 20:1–15).
With both the angels and humanity, God chose to present a choice. While the Bible does not give many details regarding the rebellion of Satan and the fallen angels, it seems that Satan — (Ezekiel 28:12–18) — in pride chose to rebel against God in order to seek to become his own god. Satan (Lucifer) did not want to worship or obey God; he wanted to be God (Isaiah 14:12–14). Revelation 12:4 is understood to be a figurative description of one third of the angels choosing to follow Satan in his rebellion, becoming the fallen angels — demons.
Unlike humanity, however, the choice the angels had to follow Satan or remain faithful to God was an eternal choice, unlike man, angels were created in the presence of God, having seen Him with full knowledge of God and having NO faith at all. They have no need to believe, they know, and it is for that reason angels have no forgiveness.
There is no Biblical support that presents no opportunity for the fallen angels to repent and be forgiven. Nor does the Bible indicate that it is possible for more of the angels to sin. The angels who remain faithful to God are described as the “elect angels” (1 Timothy 5:21). Satan and the fallen angels knew God in all His glory. For them to rebel, despite what they knew about God, was the utmost of evil. As a result, God does not give Satan and the other fallen angels the opportunity to repent. Further, the Bible gives us no reason to believe they would repent even if God gave them the chance (1 Peter 5:8). God gave Satan and the angels the same choice He gave Adam and Eve, to obey Him or not. The angels have free-will and choices to make; God did not force or encourage any of the angels to sin. Satan and the fallen angels sinned of their own free will and therefore are worthy of God’s eternal wrath in the lake of fire.
“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways high” Isaiah 55:8–9
The accounts referring to the fallen angels is found in the book of Enoch (1 Enoch 10:1–10, 12:5–6, 13:1–10, 14:3–5, 7, 16:4, Enoch 15:8–11)
