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Revelation 12
7 There was war in the sky [heaven]. Michael and his angels made war on the dragon. The dragon and his angels made war. 8 They didn't prevail, neither was a place found for him any more in heaven.
The dragon and his angels made war (but) they didn't prevail
We need to keep in mind that the dragon represents the angel who insisted that he was the most accurate expert on what is hidden deep inside God's nature, and that any other testimony that contradicted his version could not be trusted. This dragon is referred to by Jesus as the prince of this world. This is in contrast to Michael the prince of God's people. The war is over who we will believe is telling us what God is really like and how society should be organized and united.
Now the Lord is the Spirit and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. But we all, with unveiled face beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are transformed into the same image from glory to glory, even as from the Lord, the Spirit. (2 Corinthians 3:17-18)
Love is patient and is kind; love doesn't envy. Love doesn't brag, is not proud, doesn't behave itself inappropriately, doesn't seek its own way, is not provoked, takes no account of evil; doesn't rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails....
But now faith, hope, and love remain--these three. The greatest of these is love.
(1 Corinthians 13:4-8,13)
I want to explore the kind of war the dragon was involved in against Michael. I think it is necessary to keep aware of the nature of this war and what the battlefields look like, for it is all too easy to be fooled into focusing on where we think we can win, yet the actual war is happening elsewhere without our awareness. This is one of the most successful tactics of warfare.
Because this war primarily involves polemics more than military hardware (its really a PSYOP), it is vital that we rely on the only source of truth that alone can expose the subtle distortions the enemy uses to pervert reality and gain control over his victims by manipulating our emotions and confusing us with mixtures of facts and fiction. As we receive God's perspective of what is really happening in this war, and stick to using His methods alone, we may keep our heart linked to His Spirit by which we can receive wisdom, insight and knowledge. We can then remain synchronized with heaven's forces to defeat the deceiver, and we may also unite our hearts with those who likewise are choosing to live in love and overcome as the Lamb overcame.
The war by the dragon ended in his losing his position in heaven. But how was this war carried on while he was still there? I believe it involved his introducing ideas and practices that were out of harmony with the principles of heaven, ways of relating to others resulting in dissonance, and by encouraging the foreign element of selfishness. Based on evidence from Scripture and particularly the record of these early beginnings found in Ezekiel 27-28, I am convinced that it was the introduction and implementation of the concepts of what we now call commerce and trading that was the cause of the dissonance that subverted God's design for relationships. As time progressed this increased dissonance produced irritation from unmet expectations growing into resentment that eventually spawned internal violence, eventually breaking out into open hostilities that shattered the peace and harmony of heaven. This is all summarized in Ezekiel 28 in the most detailed description of this first war in heaven and parallels Isaiah 14 which references the same.
We need to become more familiar with God's original design principles so we can better understand what creates dissonance in God's design. While it would take considerable time to cover all of what is involved in this concept, this is a good time to do a short review of the backstory to sharpen our awareness of the true nature of what was being fought over.
The immediate context of chapter 12 reveals key elements of this war.
The great dragon was thrown down, the old serpent, he who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world. He was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him. I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, "Now is come the salvation, the power, and the Kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Christ; for the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, who accuses them before our God day and night. They overcame him because of the Lamb's blood, and because of the word of their testimony. They didn't love their life, even to death. (Revelation 12:9-11)
This delineates the core essence of the dragon's attacks and what he targets. He uses deception, but it is important to know the purpose for his deceptions. The dragon's declaration of war against Michael was motivated by his jealousy of Michael who had been identified as the Son of God, and the representative of truth about God that contradicted Lucifer's portrayal of Him. It was Michael's testimony (reflected in the very meaning of His name) of the truth about His Father's character that was challenging the credibility of Lucifer's new ideas. At this point the war between light and darkness began to really heat up and is what Jesus later described as the definition of judgment. We find judgment as a theme connected to this war noted later in this book.
This is the judgment, that the light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the light; for their works were evil. For everyone who does evil hates the light, and doesn't come to the light, lest his works would be exposed. (John 3:19-20)
This is the message which we have heard from him and announce to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. (1 John 1:5)
You are of your father, the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and doesn't stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks on his own; for he is a liar, and the father of it. (John 8:44)
Jesus said that Satan was a murderer from the beginning. This would indicate something about the very origins of the war. How are we to understand this? Did Satan actually kill anyone before the creation of humans, or what did Jesus have in mind?
You have heard that it was said to the ancient ones, 'You shall not murder;' and 'Whoever shall murder shall be in danger of the judgment.' But I tell you, that everyone who is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment; and whoever shall say to his brother, 'Raca!' shall be in danger of the council; and whoever shall say, 'You fool!' shall be in danger of the fire of Gehenna. (Matthew 5:21-22)
This helps to inform us as to what transpired in the very early stages of this war. Imagine the relationship between Michael and Lucifer originally. They well may have been the two covering cherubs who together hovered over the very throne of the Father, and who were commissioned to convey the glory they were protecting and absorbing out to the rest of the universe. Thus as receivers and givers of the light of God's truth, love and wisdom, they had likely cooperated closely, working in tandem to share to others as God's will and wisdom directed them to share. This close working relationship would have resulted in a very close bond of affection that in our context would be like sibling bonds. We actually find a resonating reference to this in words of David that were later part of the experience of Jesus when He was betrayed by one of His own disciples.
For it was not an enemy who insulted me, then I could have endured it. Neither was it he who hated me who raised himself up against me, then I would have hid myself from him. But it was you, a man like me, my companion, and my familiar friend. We took sweet fellowship together. We walked in God's house with company. (Psalms 55:12-14)
You were the anointed cherub who covers: and I set you, so that you were on the holy mountain of God; you have walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire. You were perfect in your ways from the day that you were created, until unrighteousness was found in you. (Ezekiel 28:14-15)
What is The Lie that Jesus identified as originating from the father of lies? Knowing what The Lie is will help us to discern what this war is all about and additionally help to clarify the kind of fighting taking place.
The unrighteousness found in Lucifer originated in the unchecked jealousy allowed to fester in his heart that turned into defiance and denial that the character the Son reveals truly reflects God. Unrighteousness simply means anything unlike God who is right because righteousness is a description of what God is like. Lucifer was designed to joyfully reflect the light of God's love, yet when he exercised his will to go a different direction, sin was conceived in his heart and resistance to love began to erode the image of God in his disposition until he was no longer a light-bearer but the epitome of darkness, violence and lies.
The war was an assault on truth and the very design of creation as well as its Author. Selfless love is needed for anyone choosing to live in harmony with God's design. Satan wants to prove that the power of force is more effective than love, that fear is a more efficient power than love. Thus the dragon denied the claim that God is love, insisting that the best way to maintain order is through a matrix of rewards and punishments rather than freely receiving from God and freely giving.
The Lie then, involves the direct contradiction of the truth that God is agape love and thus can always be trusted to care for all of His creatures. The result of believing The Lie is sins.
What needed to happen in order to introduce ideas that were foreign to God's design for life? Satan had to get angels to embrace untested ideas in place of truth and trust in God. Satan designed the first advertising campaign, convincing others that they needed something whether or not they did, so he could then show them an alternative way to get what they wanted apart from simply trusting in God's heart. Only in this way could he gain traction toward his ultimate goal of exalting himself to receive the same level of honor and glory as God. He craved worship and he grasped for a power devoid of love. In the process he discarded his original identity as light-bearer and became the great accuser, slandering God's reputation and any who continue to identify with God.
When Michael presented a counter testimony in God's favor, resisting Lucifer's insinuations against God, the war heated up exponentially as the authentic Son of God became the prime object of hatred and desire for revenge on the part of the dragon and his angels. We see this outlined in various passages throughout Scripture.
The dragon grew angry with the woman, and went away to make war with the rest of her seed, who keep God's commandments and hold Jesus' testimony. (Revelation 12:17)
God's commandments are merely a description of His character of love and what it looks like to live out of selfless love for others. This principle is what the dragon wars against as it is the greatest obstacle to acquiring power and credibility with those he deceives. He wars against anyone who chooses to believe God's commandments and that they are descriptive of His love. Additionally he hates anyone who agrees with the testimony of the true Son of God that God is not like Satan makes Him out to be. He wars because war is his means of attempting to silence and obliterate any truth or light that threatens to unmask his lies about God, and his power depends entirely on belief in his lies.
They worshiped the dragon, because he gave his authority to the beast, and they worshiped the beast, saying, "Who is like the beast? Who is able to make war with him?"
He opened his mouth for blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his dwelling, those who dwell in heaven. (Revelation 13:4, 6)
The dragon is the instigator behind every power that attacks God and all who side with Him. As the prime accuser of God, he inspires all blasphemy, meaning he misrepresents God's motives and slanders His reputation and character (name) along with all who have God's Spirit dwelling in them who choose to abide in the truth and love that defines the very atmosphere of heaven.
I saw coming out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet, three unclean spirits, something like frogs; for they are spirits of demons, performing signs; which go forth to the kings of the whole inhabited earth, to gather them together for the war of that great day of God, the Almighty. (Revelation 16:13-14)
Notice the prominent symbol of the mouth throughout Revelation. This is because the war is about ideas and beliefs, not about physical assault. That is just a by-product of the real war.
Then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will kill with the breath of his mouth, and destroy by the manifestation of his coming; even he whose coming is according to the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, and with all deception of wickedness for those who are being lost, because they didn't receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. (2 Thessalonians 2:8-10)
Now the serpent was more subtle than any animal of the field which Yahweh God had made. He said to the woman, "Has God really said, 'You shall not eat of any tree of the garden?'" (Genesis 3:1)
who exchanged the truth of God for a [The] lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen. (Romans 1:25)
How you have fallen from heaven, morning star, son of the dawn! How you are cut down to the ground, who laid the nations low! You said in your heart, "I will ascend into heaven! I will exalt my throne above the stars of God! I will sit on the mountain of assembly, in the far north! I will ascend above the heights of the clouds! I will make myself like the Most High!" Yet you shall be brought down to Sheol, to the depths of the pit. (Isaiah 14:12-15)
Have this in your mind, which was also in Christ Jesus, who, existing in the form of God, didn't consider equality with God a thing to be grasped, (Philippians 2:5-6)
Son of man, tell the prince of Tyre, Thus says the Lord Yahweh: Because your heart is lifted up, and you have said, I am a god, I sit in the seat of God, in the midst of the seas; yet you are man, and not God, though you did set your heart as the heart of God-- behold, you are wiser than Daniel; there is no secret that is hidden from you; by your wisdom and by your understanding you have gotten you riches, and have gotten gold and silver into your treasures; by your great wisdom and by your traffic have you increased your riches, and your heart is lifted up because of your riches-- therefore thus says the Lord Yahweh: Because you have set your heart as the heart of God, therefore, behold, I will bring strangers on you, the terrible of the nations; and they shall draw their swords against the beauty of your wisdom, and they shall defile your brightness. They shall bring you down to the pit; and you shall die the death of those who are slain, in the heart of the seas. Will you yet say before him who kills you, I am God? but you are man, and not God, in the hand of him who wounds you. You shall die the death of the uncircumcised by the hand of strangers: for I have spoken it, says the Lord Yahweh. (Ezekiel 28:2-10)
He shall speak words against the Most High, and shall wear out the saints of the Most High; and he shall think to change the times and the law; and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and half a time. (Daniel 7:25)
Then he answered and spoke to me, saying, "This is the word of Yahweh to Zerubbabel, saying, 'Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit,' says Yahweh of Armies. (Zechariah 4:6)
I would like to summarize this by condensing what it means that the dragon did not prevail. What does the word prevail really mean? Did he fail because a counterfeit can only imitate what is true and effective? What might the original be that has such inherent power to be counterfeited?
There are 29 verses in the New Testament that have this word in them. Just perusing through them provides a very insightful and enlightening study. Here are various uses of this word.
The usefulness or the goodness of salt.
Those who are whole do not need a physician.
You could not watch with me for one hour?
Disciples could not cast a demon out.
Floods and winds could not shake the house built on the rock.
Many will not be able to enter in at the narrow door to be saved.
Lawyers and Pharisees could not answer Jesus' penetrating questions.
Expert debaters weren't able to withstand the wisdom and the Spirit by which Stephen spoke.
Neither our fathers nor we were able to bear the yoke of the Mosaic commands.
An evil spirit prevailed against seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest trying to exorcise it.
As a result of this incident, the word of God prevailed.
Intense work was required to handle the ship Paul was on during an extended and violent storm.
Neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but faith that works by love.
I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
A will is never in force while the person making it is still alive.
The insistent prayer of a righteous person is powerfully effective.
Last but certainly not least, and maybe very relevant to what we are studying right now, consider how this may apply to Lucifer's attempt to take control of the universe and establish his kind of kingdom.
For which of you, desiring to build a tower, doesn't first sit down and count the cost, to see if he has enough to complete it? Or perhaps, when he has laid a foundation, and is not able to finish, everyone who sees begins to mock him, saying, 'This man began to build, and wasn't able to finish.'
(Luke 14:28-30)
They said, "Come, let's build ourselves a city, and a tower whose top reaches to the sky, and let's make ourselves a name, lest we be scattered abroad on the surface of the whole earth." (Genesis 11:4)
You said in your heart, "I will ascend into heaven! I will exalt my throne above the stars of God! I will sit on the mountain of assembly, in the far north! I will ascend above the heights of the clouds! I will make myself like the Most High!" (Isaiah 14:13-14)
