Answer #5

              In the first century, Jesus spoke of Satan as ruler of that world (Greek: kosmos) being “cast out” at John 12:31.  Why would he say this had happened unless it was as a direct result of his preaching ministry of Divine Truth?  Because of these teachings, his disciples became full-scale conquerors of Satan.  (1 John 2:13; Luke 10:21)  Revelation 12:9 depicts Satan as “misleading the entire inhabited earth” who is “hurled down” from heaven to the earth and verse 11 mentions “those who conquered him.”  These two events are connected.  Therefore, we can say that understanding that “Satan being cast out” of the “Jewish” world in the first century was a “symbolic” or “spiritual” casting out, then it would certainly help us to understand that the hurling down of Satan as described in the book of Revelation to be symbolic also.