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Editor: Ray Murray, 33 Tallowood Street, South Grafton, 2460, Australia. Phone: 02 6643 4272 email: raymurray@aapt.net.au
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South Grafton,
NSW, 2460.
Telephone - 02 6643 4272.
Email: raymurray @ aapt.net.au.
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"The Church has no store of life apart from Christ being in it; the ordinances of the Church have no deposit of grace apart from Christ present with them; the office - bearers of the Church have no gift of power, no authority, or action, apart from Christ ruling and acting by them."
James Bannerman,
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Our Reasonable Faith, p28.
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THE BIG LOSER
A Study on Revelation 12:7-17
A Study on Revelation 12:7-17
INTRODUCTION. If there's one truth that comes out loud and clear in verses 7-17 of Revelation 12 it’s the defeat and desperation of the Devil. He’s the Big Loser. He’s defeated in his war in heaven, and in his attempts to get at the Church – and he’ll be defeated in his attempts to destroy individual Christians. As Leon Morris puts it, “The troubles of the persecuted righteous arise, not because Satan is too strong but because he is beaten.” [Commentary, p163]. And to appreciate all this we’ll look at the Devil as
[1] A Sure Loser – cast out of heaven en route to hell!
[2] A Sore Loser – trying desperately to get the better of the Church; and finally as
[3] A Shameless Loser – reduced to going after individual Christians in the world.
A SURE LOSER. First of all, the Devil is A Sure Loser. We see this from this War in Heaven – and how he lost it. I suppose we could say that the Devil became a Sure Loser as soon as he lifted himself up against God. Anyone who does that is bound to fail. But we’re not left to deduction here. We’re reminded again and again that he’s a sure loser. Four times we’re told that he was “hurled down.” The Lord Jesus tells us in unmistakeable language that he’s finished! And to see how true this is we’ll look at this War here: When it happened, who were involved in it, what it was about, and how Satan well and truly lost it. And remember: We’re thinking about a “war in heaven”. It’s not a war in the sky – like the pictures you see of the Battle of Britain. Nor is it a war in “the heavens”. It was a war in heaven itself.
[a] When The War took Place. When did this war occur? We get some idea of when this war took place by taking notice of some of the indicators here. For example, it’s fairly clear when it ended. Verse 13 makes it quite clear that the Church is still on earth after this war in heaven has finished. There we’re told how the Devil pursues the Woman and her offspring. In fact we can be even more precise about when the Battle ended. It was just prior to the Church [The Woman] going into the Wilderness because we read that it was Satan’s persecution that led to her being taken into the wilderness. And if we go back to verse 6 we see that this followed immediately on the arrival of the male Child and his being caught up to Heaven – that is, after our Lord’s Resurrection and Ascension. So, if the Battle in heaven ended when Jesus rose from the dead its clear that it lies in the OT period. And verse 10 makes it clear that this wasn’t a sporadic battle. In this Proclamation after the Battle we’re told it was Satan who accused our brethren before God “day and night.” This war had been going on for a long time.
[b] Who were involved in It. But who were involved in it? On the one side there were the “goodies” – Michael and his angels [messengers]. And on the other side were the “baddies”–The Devil and his angels. In the Bible, Michael, the Archangel, is represented as the one who fights for God’s People against the Devil and evil. There are two passages that bring this out –Daniel 10:13, and Jude 9. In Daniel 10:13 we’re told how a prince withstood Daniel, but “then, Michael, one of the chief princes came to help me.” And then in Jude we’re told that he contended with the Devil over the body of Moses. On the other side, we have the Dragon – and his messengers. And we’re told three things about the Dragon. First, he’s called Satan – which means Adversary. The word can simply mean “adversary”. But over time it became a proper name with a legal ring about it – meaning the “Accuser” - Adversary in the sense of a “prosecutor who accuses men before God in the heavenly Court.” This idea would be very meaningful to people in the Roman World. They knew of people called delators who made a living out of accusing people before the authorities. Such is the description of the devil here. And then he called the devil – diabolus – which means Slanderer. And finally, he also called a “deceiver”. He’s the one who deceives the whole world. Against this Accuser, Slanderer, and Deceiver and his angels, Michael and his angels take action. They don’t sit back and let him get away with his slanderous accusations against God’s People.
[c] What the War was About. And this really leads us into the “100 dollar question”: What was this “war” all about? When we read about a War in Heaven we immediately think of a cosmic battle that would make “Star Wars” look like a picnic! But we need to change that picture. We need to think of a Courtroom battle – or if you like, a “War of Words” – with Charges and Counter -charges being made. On the one side you have the Accuser and all his assistants – and then – at the Defence Table - you have Michael and his aides. Seeing the battle in this way does justice to the name given to the Devil. It also does justice to what Satan is said to have been doing: Accusing the brethren before God day and night. There in the court of heaven, there had been a constant barrage of charges against God’s People. But most important of all, this way of looking at the battle agrees with the representations of the Devil’s activity we have in the OT. For example, in Job, chapter 1, we read that Satan came along among the sons of God and accused Job of only serving God for what he could get out of him. And then in Jude 9 we have that cryptic statement about Michael contending with the Devil over the body of Moses – and saying: “The Lord rebuke you.” And then in Zechariah 3 we read about Joshua the High Priest standing before the angel of the Lord, “and Satan standing at his right side to accuse him” – and the Angel speaks in similar terms as Michael in the case of Moses. In other words, this battle in heaven is all about the standing of the OT saints. Satan, “day and night” had been arguing that they shouldn’t be saved – they shouldn’t have eternal life – they shouldn’t be in heaven at all. They were self interested people serving God for what they can get out of him; they didn’t deserve to have glorified bodies; and, because they’re sinners, they’re unfit for service in the Kingdom of God. The evidence is there at least from the time of Abraham till the Return from Captivity that Satan was arguing with God about his people – and calling into question their right to salvation.
But you might say, how could there be any basis for such a challenge? Hadn’t God promised to send a Saviour into the world to save them? Hadn’t the matter already been settled in the Eternal Plan of God? Doesn’t the Bible say that Jesus is the Lamb of God, “slain before the foundation of the world?” And hadn’t the Lord already, right from day 1 indicated that the seed of the woman would bruise the head of the Serpent. Indeed all this is true. But the great failing of the Devil is that He doesn’t really believe the Word of God, and acknowledge the Plan and Purpose of God. He thinks he can frustrate that Plan. And so, whilever the Death and Resurrection of Jesus only exists in God’s Plan and God’s Promise, Satan thinks he’s in there with a chance – that he can deny God’s People a place in Heaven – and beyond that – prove that God is unjust, and unholy, and unrighteous – that, at bottom, God himself is no better than the Devil himself. And of course, if you don’t believe the Word of God, then his arguments would have a semblance of truth. In the OT the sinner’s debt had not been paid, his sins had not been atoned for, and legally, he had no right to come into the presence of God, and enjoy the hope of a blessed resurrection. And that’s why the great red Dragon desperately wanted to prevent the child from being born, and to devour the child when he was born. If the child comes – and does what God has said he would do - then the Devil’s Case against God’s People is finished – and God has won again.
[d] How the War Ended. And this really brings us to the end of this War in Heaven. The Second World War was brought to a speedy end when the atomic bombs were dropped on Japan. This war was brought to an end when God unleashed his “Spiritual Dynamite” on earth: When in the person of His Son he came to earth himself to destroy the work of devil. Or to change the figure, the Court room proceedings were brought to a rapid halt when the Defence presented its clinching argument – the atoning death, and the glorious resurrection of the Lord Jesus. In courtroom dramas, we’ve often see the defence foiled time after time, until right at the last moment, the final bit of evidence, the lynch pin of the whole case, finally falls into place – and the defence produces it’s key witness that completely devastates the case of the “Prosecution”. Well that’s what happened in the Death and the Resurrection of Jesus. Michael and his angels were able to present the greatest argument, the clinching argument for the defence. When Jesus entered that courtroom there was nowhere for Satan and his Team to look; nothing for them to do, nothing for them to say. All their arguments against the salvation of men and women – all their slanderous accusations about these poor saints of God - fell to the ground. [cf Hebrews 11:32-40] God is Just – and the Justifier of those who believe in Jesus – or in the words of this proclamation here: “They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony.” And thereupon the Devil and his minions were hurled out of the Court of Heaven. They’d been tolerated because God is just and the historical proof wasn’t there. But when Jesus had accomplished all that had to be done, Satan was hurled out of heaven – and on his way to hell - and he knows it.
[1] A Sure Loser – cast out of heaven en route to hell!
[2] A Sore Loser – trying desperately to get the better of the Church; and finally as
[3] A Shameless Loser – reduced to going after individual Christians in the world.
A SURE LOSER. First of all, the Devil is A Sure Loser. We see this from this War in Heaven – and how he lost it. I suppose we could say that the Devil became a Sure Loser as soon as he lifted himself up against God. Anyone who does that is bound to fail. But we’re not left to deduction here. We’re reminded again and again that he’s a sure loser. Four times we’re told that he was “hurled down.” The Lord Jesus tells us in unmistakeable language that he’s finished! And to see how true this is we’ll look at this War here: When it happened, who were involved in it, what it was about, and how Satan well and truly lost it. And remember: We’re thinking about a “war in heaven”. It’s not a war in the sky – like the pictures you see of the Battle of Britain. Nor is it a war in “the heavens”. It was a war in heaven itself.
[a] When The War took Place. When did this war occur? We get some idea of when this war took place by taking notice of some of the indicators here. For example, it’s fairly clear when it ended. Verse 13 makes it quite clear that the Church is still on earth after this war in heaven has finished. There we’re told how the Devil pursues the Woman and her offspring. In fact we can be even more precise about when the Battle ended. It was just prior to the Church [The Woman] going into the Wilderness because we read that it was Satan’s persecution that led to her being taken into the wilderness. And if we go back to verse 6 we see that this followed immediately on the arrival of the male Child and his being caught up to Heaven – that is, after our Lord’s Resurrection and Ascension. So, if the Battle in heaven ended when Jesus rose from the dead its clear that it lies in the OT period. And verse 10 makes it clear that this wasn’t a sporadic battle. In this Proclamation after the Battle we’re told it was Satan who accused our brethren before God “day and night.” This war had been going on for a long time.
[b] Who were involved in It. But who were involved in it? On the one side there were the “goodies” – Michael and his angels [messengers]. And on the other side were the “baddies”–The Devil and his angels. In the Bible, Michael, the Archangel, is represented as the one who fights for God’s People against the Devil and evil. There are two passages that bring this out –Daniel 10:13, and Jude 9. In Daniel 10:13 we’re told how a prince withstood Daniel, but “then, Michael, one of the chief princes came to help me.” And then in Jude we’re told that he contended with the Devil over the body of Moses. On the other side, we have the Dragon – and his messengers. And we’re told three things about the Dragon. First, he’s called Satan – which means Adversary. The word can simply mean “adversary”. But over time it became a proper name with a legal ring about it – meaning the “Accuser” - Adversary in the sense of a “prosecutor who accuses men before God in the heavenly Court.” This idea would be very meaningful to people in the Roman World. They knew of people called delators who made a living out of accusing people before the authorities. Such is the description of the devil here. And then he called the devil – diabolus – which means Slanderer. And finally, he also called a “deceiver”. He’s the one who deceives the whole world. Against this Accuser, Slanderer, and Deceiver and his angels, Michael and his angels take action. They don’t sit back and let him get away with his slanderous accusations against God’s People.
[c] What the War was About. And this really leads us into the “100 dollar question”: What was this “war” all about? When we read about a War in Heaven we immediately think of a cosmic battle that would make “Star Wars” look like a picnic! But we need to change that picture. We need to think of a Courtroom battle – or if you like, a “War of Words” – with Charges and Counter -charges being made. On the one side you have the Accuser and all his assistants – and then – at the Defence Table - you have Michael and his aides. Seeing the battle in this way does justice to the name given to the Devil. It also does justice to what Satan is said to have been doing: Accusing the brethren before God day and night. There in the court of heaven, there had been a constant barrage of charges against God’s People. But most important of all, this way of looking at the battle agrees with the representations of the Devil’s activity we have in the OT. For example, in Job, chapter 1, we read that Satan came along among the sons of God and accused Job of only serving God for what he could get out of him. And then in Jude 9 we have that cryptic statement about Michael contending with the Devil over the body of Moses – and saying: “The Lord rebuke you.” And then in Zechariah 3 we read about Joshua the High Priest standing before the angel of the Lord, “and Satan standing at his right side to accuse him” – and the Angel speaks in similar terms as Michael in the case of Moses. In other words, this battle in heaven is all about the standing of the OT saints. Satan, “day and night” had been arguing that they shouldn’t be saved – they shouldn’t have eternal life – they shouldn’t be in heaven at all. They were self interested people serving God for what they can get out of him; they didn’t deserve to have glorified bodies; and, because they’re sinners, they’re unfit for service in the Kingdom of God. The evidence is there at least from the time of Abraham till the Return from Captivity that Satan was arguing with God about his people – and calling into question their right to salvation.
But you might say, how could there be any basis for such a challenge? Hadn’t God promised to send a Saviour into the world to save them? Hadn’t the matter already been settled in the Eternal Plan of God? Doesn’t the Bible say that Jesus is the Lamb of God, “slain before the foundation of the world?” And hadn’t the Lord already, right from day 1 indicated that the seed of the woman would bruise the head of the Serpent. Indeed all this is true. But the great failing of the Devil is that He doesn’t really believe the Word of God, and acknowledge the Plan and Purpose of God. He thinks he can frustrate that Plan. And so, whilever the Death and Resurrection of Jesus only exists in God’s Plan and God’s Promise, Satan thinks he’s in there with a chance – that he can deny God’s People a place in Heaven – and beyond that – prove that God is unjust, and unholy, and unrighteous – that, at bottom, God himself is no better than the Devil himself. And of course, if you don’t believe the Word of God, then his arguments would have a semblance of truth. In the OT the sinner’s debt had not been paid, his sins had not been atoned for, and legally, he had no right to come into the presence of God, and enjoy the hope of a blessed resurrection. And that’s why the great red Dragon desperately wanted to prevent the child from being born, and to devour the child when he was born. If the child comes – and does what God has said he would do - then the Devil’s Case against God’s People is finished – and God has won again.
[d] How the War Ended. And this really brings us to the end of this War in Heaven. The Second World War was brought to a speedy end when the atomic bombs were dropped on Japan. This war was brought to an end when God unleashed his “Spiritual Dynamite” on earth: When in the person of His Son he came to earth himself to destroy the work of devil. Or to change the figure, the Court room proceedings were brought to a rapid halt when the Defence presented its clinching argument – the atoning death, and the glorious resurrection of the Lord Jesus. In courtroom dramas, we’ve often see the defence foiled time after time, until right at the last moment, the final bit of evidence, the lynch pin of the whole case, finally falls into place – and the defence produces it’s key witness that completely devastates the case of the “Prosecution”. Well that’s what happened in the Death and the Resurrection of Jesus. Michael and his angels were able to present the greatest argument, the clinching argument for the defence. When Jesus entered that courtroom there was nowhere for Satan and his Team to look; nothing for them to do, nothing for them to say. All their arguments against the salvation of men and women – all their slanderous accusations about these poor saints of God - fell to the ground. [cf Hebrews 11:32-40] God is Just – and the Justifier of those who believe in Jesus – or in the words of this proclamation here: “They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony.” And thereupon the Devil and his minions were hurled out of the Court of Heaven. They’d been tolerated because God is just and the historical proof wasn’t there. But when Jesus had accomplished all that had to be done, Satan was hurled out of heaven – and on his way to hell - and he knows it.
Our magazine has a real international flavor this month, partly because of the material available, and partly because we are approaching the annual meeting of Synod. We hope that the information about the work of the Gospel in other places may stimulate the members of Synod to be looking at wider issues in the work of the Kingdom.
The articles about Dumisani and the work of the Church in India are self explanatory. What may not be so clear is our interest in the Reformed Churches of New Zealand. The reason for this is that at last Synod our Church entered into a mutual eligibility arrangement with this Church, whereby its ministers and licentiates may be called by our Church. In other words, it was felt that there was such a community of interests and outlook between the two Churches that would allow this to take place.
This arrangement has already seen some practical outworking in the Brisbane Congregation inviting a Licentiate of the Reformed Churches of NZ to preach with a view to a Call. He did so with much acceptance, and the Congregation were keen to have him as their pastor. However, due to the number of vacancies in the RCNZ, he felt that his first duty lay in serving in his own Church. Herein lies our present impasse: Both our Churches need pastors, so the effects of mutual eligibility may not take place for some time.
In a sense this will be a good thing. It will allow the two Churches to get to know one another better, and have a better understanding of each other. Hence we are very happy to publish the article by the editor of their magazine, Faith in Focus.
But we shouldn't stop at this point. We should explore ways and means for the occasional interchange of ministers and for Church members to get to know one another. And if we plan to go to NZ for a holiday we should go “armed” with a list of all their Churches. Very often Synods spend a great deal of time—and money—on Ecumenical relations but very little fruit seems to come of it. It needs to come down to the practical level. Perhaps our Synod may find time for such practical discussion, not only about the RCNZ, but also about those closer to home.
But we also have to set our own house in order too. There’s are a number of internal Church issues coming up which will generate some discussion. One such issue is the proposal to alter the terms of subscription for the Office Bearers of the Church—to do away with the terms of subscription that have served us well over many years, and try something new, even though it’ will be claimed to be more ancient and original. For a Church critical of “Tradition” it will resurface under the appeal to “History”. Another issue will be the age for the Retirement of Ministers. Fortunately, we’ll have an experienced Moderator - the Rev. Dr. Rowland Ward. He’ll keep us right.
The articles about Dumisani and the work of the Church in India are self explanatory. What may not be so clear is our interest in the Reformed Churches of New Zealand. The reason for this is that at last Synod our Church entered into a mutual eligibility arrangement with this Church, whereby its ministers and licentiates may be called by our Church. In other words, it was felt that there was such a community of interests and outlook between the two Churches that would allow this to take place.
This arrangement has already seen some practical outworking in the Brisbane Congregation inviting a Licentiate of the Reformed Churches of NZ to preach with a view to a Call. He did so with much acceptance, and the Congregation were keen to have him as their pastor. However, due to the number of vacancies in the RCNZ, he felt that his first duty lay in serving in his own Church. Herein lies our present impasse: Both our Churches need pastors, so the effects of mutual eligibility may not take place for some time.
In a sense this will be a good thing. It will allow the two Churches to get to know one another better, and have a better understanding of each other. Hence we are very happy to publish the article by the editor of their magazine, Faith in Focus.
But we shouldn't stop at this point. We should explore ways and means for the occasional interchange of ministers and for Church members to get to know one another. And if we plan to go to NZ for a holiday we should go “armed” with a list of all their Churches. Very often Synods spend a great deal of time—and money—on Ecumenical relations but very little fruit seems to come of it. It needs to come down to the practical level. Perhaps our Synod may find time for such practical discussion, not only about the RCNZ, but also about those closer to home.
But we also have to set our own house in order too. There’s are a number of internal Church issues coming up which will generate some discussion. One such issue is the proposal to alter the terms of subscription for the Office Bearers of the Church—to do away with the terms of subscription that have served us well over many years, and try something new, even though it’ will be claimed to be more ancient and original. For a Church critical of “Tradition” it will resurface under the appeal to “History”. Another issue will be the age for the Retirement of Ministers. Fortunately, we’ll have an experienced Moderator - the Rev. Dr. Rowland Ward. He’ll keep us right.