I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying “Now the salvation, and the power, and the kingdom of our God and the authority of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren has been thrown down, he who accuses them before our God day and night…Woe to the earth and the sea, because the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, knowing that he has only a short time.” Rev. 12: 10, 12.

The context shows that the act of the crucifixion prompted this statement to be made. But it has caused many, including myself to say, “Hey, wait a minute. I thought the devil had already been cast down to the earth. He was on it with Adam and Eve.”

He and a third of the angels were thrown out of heaven after losing a war there against God. I don’t know if the earth had been created at that point, but certainly the devil was on it at the time of humanity’s first parents.

Not only was he here then, but he continued to battle against God. In doing so, he managed to wrest control of the earth from Adam. When that happened, he then became earth’s representative. As such, it appears he was allowed to gain entrance back into heaven. Job 1: 6, 7 leads me to believe that. In that passage, we see that the devil was part of a convened holy council.

Apparently, as earth’s rep, the devil was then free to come and go through heaven’s door. We see him there again in Zechariah 3: 1, wherein he makes an accusation against Joshua, the high priest.

But, if I’m reading Rev. 12: 10, 12 correctly, the cross has put a stop to the devil’s visitations to heaven. Jesus, as the second Adam, and our redeemer, has regained the title to earth. He is its representative now.

So, even though he still makes accusations against the brethren; the devil once again was thrown out of heaven.