Why Doesn’t God Destroy Satan Now?

Have you ever looked at the world and wondered, Where is God in all of this?

The world is full of threats—from liars, cheaters, extortioners, murderers and countless other evildoers. On a larger scale, wars, genocides, mass shootings, assassinations and natural disasters fill our view until we either tune them out or collapse under their crushing weight.

The Bible reveals that these horrors are a direct result of Satan’s influence on the world. In 2 Corinthians 4:4, Paul labels Satan as “the god of this age.” He actively works to deceive our world and turn people away from God. (However, we should also remember that Satan isn’t completely unrestrained. The Bible shows that God does place limitations on him.) 

So, the question must be asked: Why does God allow Satan to continue actively influencing humanity? Why is he allowed to remain “the god of this age”?  

We know that the Bible promises a future time when Satan will be sealed away (Revelation 20:1-3). But many ask—why wait?  

With every new atrocity and nightmare that flashes across our news feeds, the question naturally arises: If God is all-powerful, why doesn’t He destroy Satan now? And if He is all-good, why does He allow the devil to remain free to deceive the world?

This question can make or break someone’s faith, depending on how it is answered. 

It’s not wrong to ask the question

When we see evil around us, it’s natural to wonder why the Almighty God permits it.

The prophet Habakkuk looked around him and saw nothing but wickedness. The nation of Judah, among the chosen people of God, had fallen into wickedness, such that the people were just as bad as the pagan nations around them, if not worse. In his distress, the prophet cried out to God:

“O LORD, how long shall I cry, and You will not hear? Even cry out to You, ‘Violence!’ and you will not save. Why do You show me iniquity, and cause me to see trouble? For plundering and violence are before me; there is strife, and contention arises. Therefore the law is powerless, and justice never goes forth. For the wicked surround the righteous; therefore perverse judgment proceeds” (Habakkuk 1:2-4).

We shouldn’t be afraid to ask the tough questions if they come from a sincere place of wanting to understand, but we must be ready to accept the answers God gives. Habakkuk struggled to reconcile the idea of an all-powerful and all-loving God with the evil world around him. His human mind couldn’t understand why God allowed such wickedness among His own people.

It is important to note, however, that the prophet asked God these things with the right attitude. Habakkuk closes his lament with a very telling phrase: “I will stand my watch and set myself on the rampart, and watch to see what He will say to me, and what I will answer when I am corrected” (Habakkuk 2:1)

Habakkuk had very profound questions for God, but he asked them in humility and faith. He understood that he didn’t have all the answers, but God did. His words reveal a willingness to be corrected for his misgivings. Rather than accusing God of injustice, Habakkuk asked Him to reveal the points of His plan that were unclear.

Like Habakkuk, we shouldn’t be afraid to ask the tough questions if they come from a sincere place of wanting to understand, but we must be ready to accept the answers God gives.

Why did God allow Satan to fall in the first place?

To understand why God allows Satan to work in the world, we must first understand Satan’s backstory. 

God didn’t create Satan as he is today. 

In Ezekiel 28:11-17, we read about the “anointed cherub who covers” (identified as Lucifer in Isaiah 14:12), who eventually became Satan. Before his fall, this high-ranking angel was “the seal of perfection” (Ezekiel 28:12). All this changed when iniquity was found in him (verse 15).

Satan fell because of his own pride and lust for power. He declared that he would be like God and was cast out of heaven for his rebellion (Isaiah 14:12-14; Ezekiel 28:16-17).

Like us, the angels are not automatons, programmed to mindlessly serve with no ability to think or choose. God, in His love and wisdom, gives everyone a choice between serving Him or disobeying Him.

However, God also makes it clear that there are consequences for disobeying Him. Satan knew well what he was doing and where it would lead when he disobeyed God. He and the fallen angels who rebelled with him were violently cast out of heaven, bearing the consequences of their sin (Revelation 12:4).

Satan’s final punishment will be permanent. After Christ’s return, Satan and his demons will be cast into the bottomless pit for 1,000 years (Revelation 20:1-3). Following a brief release at the end of that time, they will be punished and restrained forever, with no further influence for all eternity (verse 10).

But why does God delay this final punishment? Why not restrain him and the demons now? The answer to this question is the same: it’s all about choices.

For more on Satan’s fate, check out our article “Satan Destroyed?”

Why doesn’t God destroy Satan now?

The Bible describes Satan as “the ruler of this world” (John 14:30) and a “roaring lion” (1 Peter 5:8). His primary goal is to attack God’s plan by leading people astray. 

Why does God allow this to go on?

Because we have a choice, just as Lucifer and all of the angels had a choice.

The first humans, Adam and Eve, had a choice in the Garden of Eden: obey God or follow their own desires. They chose poorly, and in their sin, they set a precedent for their descendants to likewise succumb to the allure of Satan’s ways (Genesis 3).

Since then, every single human being who has lived (with the exception of Jesus Christ) has made the same choice. Every one of us has chosen sin (Romans 3:23 ).

While God offers a path to repentance for His children, most of the world is still living in sin. That way of life brings forth natural consequences, both physical and spiritual (Romans 6:23; Deuteronomy 28:15-68).

God wants His children to choose Him. To choose righteousness. But He allows us to make a choice.  Humanity must learn that Satan’s way doesn’t work. God could have restrained Satan immediately, before he ever encountered mankind—but then the lesson of his downfall would be lost on us.

Like a wise parent, God knows that simply clearing every obstacle from His children’s path isn’t the best way to teach lasting lessons. We each must experience and recognize for ourselves the natural consequences of Satan’s way. Though it may seem appealing at the moment, its ultimate end is death.

God wants His children to choose Him. To choose righteousness. But He allows us to make a choice. 

For converted Christians, this means living in a world that has chosen Satan’s way. By resisting temptation and refusing to follow the crowd, we demonstrate our commitment to God’s way of life—and in the process, the adversity around us helps us grow stronger.

Meanwhile, the world will continue in its sinful ways and reap the natural consequences. Scripture warns that conditions will grow worse, as Jesus described in Matthew 24:3-13—wars, disease, disasters, persecution and every form of evil—the ultimate consequence of Satan’s way of life. Ultimately, things will become so dire that if God didn’t intervene, humanity would destroy itself (Matthew 24:22).

God will intervene, bringing an end to the global crisis and casting Satan and his demons into a bottomless pit (Revelation 20:1-3). By then, it will be undeniable that Satan’s way always results in death and destruction. At last, the world will be ready to submit to God’s authority and to choose what is right.

It is a difficult lesson, but one that we all must learn. 

God sees the pain in our world and knows that Satan is unleashing evil on all humanity. He also knows the best way to ultimately deliver us from it—but, like most valuable lessons, it requires us to endure hardship before things finally get better.

Make the right choice now

This brings us back to Habakkuk. If you’ve ever felt like the ancient prophet—looking out at a world filled with evil and wondering why God allows it—remember his words: “The just shall live by his faith” (Matthew 24:22).

It is okay to wonder why God allows certain things, so long as we do so in faith, knowing that everything He does is for our benefit.

We understand that the perils mankind faces in Satan’s world have been because of our poor choices. We have chosen to embrace a way of sinfulness, selfishness and self-gain. God allows the natural effects of our sins to play out so that the world will finally learn that Satan’s way doesn’t work.

You have freedom of choice. Choose to resist Satan’s way of sin and instead embrace God’s way of righteousness. Watch and pray for the return of Christ and His Kingdom—and don’t lose hope as you wait in this world saddled by evil.

God is working out a plan that will bring as many people as possible into His family. Though the world suffers under Satan’s subjugation now, the time is coming when he will no longer be free to deceive mankind. 

Like Habakkuk, we must hold fast to our faith until that day.

For more on why God allows evil and suffering, check out our Life, Hope & Truth Presents video “Why Does God Allow Evil and Suffering?”

Date Posted: October 1, 2025