Homeless Spirits - Revelation rumor notes 93

 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.

neither was a place found for him any more in heaven

This phrase is loaded with implications and insights that often are given little attention. The concept of having a place to live, to exist, to be accepted and to fit in is a creation design principle built into the psyche of many living creatures. We are not created to be alone, isolated, independent or aloof from others. We are designed to function and interact dependently with others to make up a united body. This makes perfect sense as we were made for joy, and joy requires more than one to experience realistically, and it grows exponentially the more we become involved. This is the 'place' for which we intuitively long, where we feel cared for, wanted, nourished in every respect and find our sense of home. We are made for love, for joy, for fellowship and intimacy. Without this 'place' we feel lost, disconnected, constantly wandering and searching for security and peace but never finding it, which leaves our internal spirit filled with dissonance because our very design is violated and short-changed.

But the unclean spirit, when he is gone out of the man, passes through waterless places, seeking rest, and doesn't find it. Then he says, 'I will return into my house from which I came out,' and when he has come back, he finds it empty, swept, and put in order. Then he goes, and takes with himself seven other spirits more evil than he is, and they enter in and dwell there. The last state of that man becomes worse than the first. Even so will it be also to this evil generation. (Matthew 12:43-45)

What I find compelling about this description by Jesus is that the spirit He is referring to here is one of the angels who originally could find no place in heaven after joining the accuser of God, the great Satan, the one who turned himself into the dragon of Revelation. We can use the patterns of operation as templates to learn how things in the past repeat themselves over and over throughout the history of this war. This spirit found himself looking for rest and doesn't find it. This resonates strongly with the very first time that he and all the other angels who aligned themselves with fallen Lucifer against God's government of love learned that there was no place in heaven to be found for them to remain.

I believe it would be very enlightening to spend some time unpacking this passage, both for coming to a better appreciation of how this war came to its first decisive turning point long ago in heaven, and also for what it has to say about our relationship to this war and what it involves when it comes to each one of our own situations.

I want to compare this story with another passage that at first may seem like it has little to do with this but in reality exposes underlying issues of conflict in this war and how we are to overcome.

Don't be deceived, my beloved brothers. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom can be no variation, nor turning shadow. Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of first fruits of his creatures. So, then, my beloved brothers, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger; for the anger of man doesn't produce the righteousness of God.

Therefore, putting away all filthiness and overflowing of wickedness, receive with humility the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. But be doers of the word, and not only hearers, deluding your own selves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man looking at his natural face in a mirror; for he sees himself, and goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was.

But he who looks into the perfect law of freedom, and continues, not being a hearer who forgets, but a doer of the work, this man will be blessed in what he does. (James 1:16-25)

What might this have to do with an unclean spirit leaving and then reentering a man with seven other spirits more evil than himself? It is because this is how the war is being fought, for keep in mind that this is a war of truth versus deception, lies about God, about how reality should function and about where to source our perceptions about our identity, our value, purpose and how to act like ourselves.

What James begins by pointing out here is the issue that was under dispute in the very early stages of this war the dragon was conducting in reaction to the war Michael initiated to expose his lies with the actual truth of God's heart and character that was under attack. James warns us not to be deceived, and then goes on to detail the area of deception in particular. Here we can see that the issue under dispute is the source of everything that is good, where our gifts come from as well as whether or not God has a dual disposition or is pure and singular in His constant attitude of honesty, love, humility and truthfulness. James declares that with God there is never any shiftiness, never any darkness or even hint of darkness like a shadow but that He is the Father of lights. John also emphatically declares the same thing when He says in 1 John 1:5 that God is light and in Him is no darkness whatsoever. This is in contrast to what Lucifer began to insinuate and later openly assert as his infected the minds of angels with doubts about God's purity of integrity and trustworthiness. Later he used similar assertions with Eve when he insisted that being like God involves knowing both good and evil. That contradicts the testimony of the Son of God who stands for the truth about God and stands for all those who choose loyalty with God, both unfallen angels and humans on earth who believe and choose to trust God.

Clearly we see that the war here is over what we will choose to believe is truth. James says that God brought us forth by the word of truth. This can refer to the original creation of humanity who by design are to be reflectors of God's light of glory. This design means that we will reflect in our lives either the Son's view of God or the dragon's version of God. Clearly an unclean spirit having access to our inner spirit would be a deceiving spirit finding a place to hang out because we have allowed his lies to find residence in our thinking and choices. I suspect that many of us have such deceiving spirits with easy access to us without our ever being aware of it because their lies are so familiar that we simply assume most of our life that they are merely facts of reality rather than lies that prevent us from living out the freedom and joy of liberty in Christ Jesus.

James mentions another thing I find compelling here that I won't take a lot of time to unpack but is very relevant to informing us about one of the key issues in this war that needs to be clarified in our mind.

the anger of man doesn't produce the righteousness of God.

I will simply say this: when we allow Satan to cause us to project our feelings of anger and desires for revenge, punishment of evil-doers and confused notions about justice back onto God, we remain blinded by the lies of the enemy and are not living in the light that the Son of God has brought into the world about how God relates to those who fight against Him. Most of our propositions and doctrines involving God's wrath and the punishment of the wicked are riddled with false assumptions about God's ways and character caused by our first parents embracing the lies of Satan about God being a mix of light and darkness, good and evil and who relies on enticements of rewards and threats of punishment to manipulate others into conforming to His commandments. So long as we cling to such ideas about God we discredit the truth about the Father of lights and reject His mercy, which is the only way we can be prepared to come into His presence and thrive instead of experiencing torment.

James goes on to instruct us to put away all filthiness and overflowing of wickedness. We may not be aware of how much filth there is inside of us, and this is part of the curse of living in the darkness of deception, for a deceived person almost never is aware that they are deceived. When a person is clueless as to some extreme danger they are in, there is no incentive to heed warnings meant to save them because they assume the warnings are for others and not themselves. I believe we need to plead with God and give Him permission to do whatever it takes to come to an awareness of our true condition and the grave danger we are in and unmask the true nature of the diabolical enemy who has kept us in bondage under the tyranny of fear all our lives and humbly accept that what the Word of God says to us is the only thing we can trust in spite of our feelings and traditions to the contrary. This is how the war is being conducted, a war over what spirit we will believe about who we are and what reality looks like and what is coming in our future.

James tells us that what is able to save our soul is to receive the implanted word. This of course is the word of God, not the word of the dragon. Again, this entire war revolves around whose word we will trust, whose words we will choose to believe as defining who we are and how to live. In turn, whatever word we receive and becomes planted inside our mind and heart determines the defining characteristics of how we perceive reality and what we will believe God is like. The war between Michael and His angels and the dragon and his spirit angels is entirely a war over how God needs to govern and achieve unity and cohesiveness of society and maintain harmony and peace in the universe. This may seem like an exaggeration to many, but our traditional opinions about the nature of the war have been far too small and have blinded us as to how intense the battle is happening all the time in our own individual lives. These instructions from Scripture need to be taken seriously if we are to come into the light and be rescued from the deep darkness that covers the entire world.

This is where the parallel passages begin to fit together tightly. Evidently in the story Jesus tells, the unclean spirit who leaves a person had already been residing in them for who knows how long already. And if there is a point of time when the spirit goes out of a person, it would not be because they simply decided to go look for other places voluntarily or simply got bored. No, deceiving spirits are always seeking minds and hearts where they can find access to take control, to deceive, to manipulate and exploit. And inferred in this story by Jesus is that so long as they can remain in a person and have access to them, they find at least what we might call relative rest even though they never experience the kind of rest explained in Hebrews 3 and 4. But they do claim such person's as being their place of rest.

That leads us to the next question. If an unclean or demonic spirit has already been hanging out in a person's life and suddenly leaves, what might be the cause of their sudden eviction? This is also where the pattern informs us that something similar likely transpired in heaven as described in the passage we are looking at in Revelation 12 here. The original question we are exploring tangentially is the nature of the place in heaven that was somehow not able to be found by the dragon and his angels, and I believe we can glean clues from analyzing similar or parallel situations where those same spirits either find a place to hang out or find themselves without rest and constantly wandering around restlessly looking for a place of their own to dwell in and control.

Jesus said that one of these spirits passes through waterless places, seeking rest, and doesn't find it. A waterless place clearly involves symbolic language, so we should become aware of what the symbol of water may mean here. In prophecy, waters usually represent peoples, but there are other meanings as well. Jesus talked about the water of life that potentially can gush out from our inner parts, and Paul says that we need to experience a washing of the word.

Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the assembly, and gave himself up for it; that he might sanctify it, having cleansed it by the washing of water with the word. (Ephesians 5:25-26)

Given that unclean spirits refer to the angels who lost their original place in heaven by aligning with the dragon, we can put the clues together to see that their loss of place continues to cause them to restlessly look for places of rest which apparently has to do with how much of the word of God is active in a person's soul. Paul seems to indicate that this word involves loving our spouses like Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us that He might sanctify us and cleanse us by washing with the water of the word. This would be in direct contrast to the implied condition of a person while an evil spirit is allowed to remain in them, for Jesus infers that such a spirit introduces filth and in effect is trashing the 'house' he is living in. We see similar illustrations of this in stories of irresponsible young people conducting parties in mansions while their parents are away that end up trashing the premises and causing huge amounts of damage. This is the nature of selfish indulgence which is motivated by these very spirits. These are merely outward expressions of similar conditions internally by people who do this. But the same thing can be happening internally in people who appear to be just the opposite externally, for darkness and lies can produce opposite symptoms as Paul points on in Romans 1 and 2. The cause of dysfunction, whether expressed through pious religious prigs judging open sinners as worthy of severe punishment, or in reckless sinners flaunting their supposed freedom to indulge in all sorts of base passions, is actually the same. It is the exchanging of the truth about God for the lie, and this is at the crux of this entire war as we have been talking about since the beginning of this study in Revelation.

So back to the question of what caused this unclean spirit to suddenly leave off residing in a person where he had previously been able to hang out and trash his life? If we look at the parallel passage in James or take into account the various stories of Jesus or His followers casting out demons from people, it likely involves something along the lines of having the truth of the word of God brought into the life that causes such torment to this kind of spirit that they simply vacate because they cannot tolerate living that close to the truth of God's love. Truth and love are intolerable by demonic spirits who thrive on circulating and promoting lies, deceptions and innuendoes about God's untrustworthiness and keeps their place secure in our lives. When the truth comes too close to them they lose their power over us because the authority we have given them is withdrawn and they are compelled to exit.

Yet what we see in both the account of Jesus as well as in the passage in James is the potential for a relapse, and such a relapse can result in a condition far worse than the original problems caused by a single dark spirit hanging out in our life keeping us numb to our actual condition of being deceived. Jesus speaks of such an expelled demon as wandering about looking for another place to rest and not being able to find any. This is like what happened originally in heaven, where the dragon Satan and his angels found no place for them in heaven and came to this earth previous to the creation of humans. We have almost no information about what transpired at that time except that they could no longer remain in heaven and later ended up here on earth. I suspect that during part of that time these fallen angels could have wandered many places throughout the universe seeking a place to rest but with no success because everywhere they went they found themselves unwelcome by the unfallen inhabitants of other planets and unfallen angels who had determined to remain loyal to Michael and trust His testimony about God's nature rather than Satan's.

In the case that Jesus told, this spirit decided to return to observe what may have become of the residence he had been evicted from originally, and to his demonic delight discovers that while that person's life was radically improved and cleaned up from all the havoc the demon had brought into that person's soul, no other spirit had been brought to take up residence, and the person in effect was available for occupancy by whomever could find a way to enter.

I believe the main point of this story by Jesus is that it is not enough to be set free and cleaned up by the power of the word of God over a person's life. Yes, the truth did set them free, and the truth did cause much restoration, healing and brought hope and love into that person's experience. Yet if they failed to make choices to keep authorizing continued growth by giving permission for the Spirit of God to be in charge, then their situation could become extremely hazardous, yet they themselves are oblivious to their own danger. Such a person might presume that now that they are free of the control of the lies the former spirit occupant used to manipulate them and trash their life, that is good enough. Any suggestion they need to continue to move deeper into the word of God and apply it to their own lives might be viewed as legalistic or works oriented, and such ideas are considered out of line with the gospel of freedom in Christ. Yet both Jesus and James makes it clear that simply receiving freedom from the power of sin or control by an evil spirit does not secure us from reinfection. In fact, Jesus says plainly that if a dwelling place (a human heart and mind) is left unoccupied and unattended, that person is like a sitting duck inviting a relapse that can prove the total ruin of that person's life, and all because of their own negligence or complacency.

Jesus does not explain what this person should have done, but this is where James helps to fill in what is vital for us to understand if we want to avoid the fate Jesus describes as happening to such a person. There are several things in this passage from James that we would do well to heed when we become aware that we may be in a similar situation while basking in good feelings after experiencing deliverance, while in reality we may be in even greater danger than before.

James says that we need to embrace a spirit of humility, and from that posture we must receive the word of God as an implant inside of us.

James also warns that it is very dangerous to simply hear the word but fail to actually act on it.

In the analogy that James uses to illustrate his point, we find out what he actually describes as what it means to do the word and not merely hear it or even experience its initial power to set us free. In other words, it is just as important if not more so, to make choices that will keep us free and moving forward in our freedom as it is to initially experience deliverance that has the power to set us free from the lies, confusion and destructive habits of thinking and living that ruin our lives. This action that defines what it means to be a doer of the word of God involves looking into what James says is like a mirror and later identified as being the Law of Liberty.

This is where traditional views of the purpose and function of the Law of God usually bring in some confusion as we often jump to conclusions about what we expect to see when we look at the law closely. Most of the time, people assume the Law is designed to show us how sinful we are, how out of harmony we are with God's expectations, and immediately we can begin to feel condemnation and compelled to figure out how to alleviate these negative feelings. As a result this illustration gets hijacked from that point on. This was how I read this and heard it taught for most of my life, until not long ago the Spirit brought something to my attention, and that is when I suddenly realized I had not been paying close attention to what James is actually saying.

I now see enormous overcoming power in what James is actually referring to here. This is not about looking into the Law mirror in order to see how bad I am by contrast, then looking for an effective solution in response. That is rooted in flesh logic, where I perceive my identity and value and God's opinion of me based on externals, or having the right answers, or becoming good enough to be accepted by God. James is rather referring to God's Law as a reflection of God's character, not a tool to make me feel condemned. When we come to see it in this way, then we look into the Law as a description of God, not a description of how bad I am. The Law reveals the goodness and righteousness of God, not a threat of punishment or something to remind me to feel guilty. It describes what liberty from bondage under sin looks like, and when I view it from that perspective I see that the law is describing what my reflection of God can look like when I live as a normal human reflector of Him. That is why James says that we will see our natural face when we look into that mirror. Because natural for a human means to reflect the glory of God and nothing less.

he is like a man looking at his natural face in a mirror; for he sees himself, and goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was.

In these words James is saying that it is our natural face we will see in the mirror, and then he says it in other words twice again – he sees himself, and he sees what kind of man he is, so long as he looks into the mirror of the law. So the question is this: what is our natural face? What kind of person am I if I continue to look into the perfect law of liberty?

God said, "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness...." God created man in his own image. In God's image he created him; male and female he created them. (Genesis 1:26-27)

This is where I learn about who I really am and how to act like myself. Rather than viewing the Law of God as something hostile towards me, I can learn to love the Law like David talked about, because that is where I find truth, both about God as the origin of my reflected image and who I am as His reflector. This is why Jesus said we should seek God's kingdom and His righteousness first, because in doing so and continuing to do so we become transformed through beholding that glory to become like God.

I discovered something fascinating when I did a word search on the Greek word translated doer of the word. In every instance except one, this word is translated in this way, and most of the times it is in this passage. Paul mentions is similarly in Romans 2:13, but the exception to it being translated as doer is when Paul is speaking to the pagans in Athens at the Areopagus where he refers to their own poets for the idea that we are all God's offspring. The word translated poets there is the same word that is translated doer everywhere else. This would seem to indicate that even pagans who contemplate what the Spirit of God is impressing on every person can recognize that a human should be an active reflector of their origin, not merely assenting to factual realities but actively living out what is believed.

'For in him we live, and move, and have our being.' As some of your own poets have said, 'For we are also his offspring.' (Acts 17:28)

This is the kind of focus for our imagination that gives cause for unclean familiar spirits to leave and go looking elsewhere for a place to hang out. Dark spirits who revel in lies and chaos to make people miserable like them, hate the light of love and truth. So when anyone begins filling their mind and heart with the atmosphere of heaven, these spirits soon take a hike. But they may likely come back sometime to see if we are continuing the activities that gave them reason to leave, or if we settled for thinking being set free is good enough and we don't need to bring in a new spirit tenant to occupy in our inner domain. That is how I see these passages correlating closely to each other and how they can help us appreciate the nature of the way homeless spirits tend to operate. If we understand what is going on we can know how to remain within the safety of having God's Spirit dwell in us, partly to prevent any unclean spirit from regaining access to our life. We can do this by continually filling our mind with the word of God that informs us of who we are as His image bearers, and what it looks like to live out His righteousness by reflecting it. This is the purpose of praise, worship and gratitude to God.

One of the basic principles of reflection is that the light seen in a reflector must first be received before it can be sent back out. This is a secret the enemy does not want us to know, for he wants us to imagine that we have to generate good deeds to earn merit with God or any number of other burdensome requirements so we will not enter into the rest of simply receiving God's love freely and allowing it to flow to others uninhibited because we continually receive it to our full capacity. This is the freedom that knowing the truth about our real identity brings, and is just the opposite of living under the tyranny of demonic spirits wrecking our lives and jerking us around with puppet strings while we feel helpless to escape their urges and impulses that creates confusion and desperation inside.

When Jesus said the unclean spirit left and later came back to find the person he had abused previously still vacant, he was describing a dangerous condition that we need to avoid. It is the condition of being alone, and we were never meant to live alone, disconnected and independent of others.

And the Lord God said, It is not good for the man to be by himself: I will make one like himself as a help to him. (Genesis 2:18 BBE)

God is love, and just as love requires a minimum of three to fully function as love, so too do all the inhabitants of His creation who are designed to be expressive of the Godhead's heart. This sense of innate longing to find our place and fulfill our purpose is a God-implanted motivation designed to propel us toward our fuller potential. Intuitively we search for this experience all our lives, but it can only be found and experienced by embracing our place in our Creator. This is what is called the unity of faith, and without it we cannot thrive.

He made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the surface of the earth, having determined appointed seasons, and the boundaries of their dwellings, that they should seek the Lord, if perhaps they might reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us. 'For in him we live, and move, and have our being.' As some of your own poets have said, 'For we are also his offspring.' (Acts 17:26-28)

The reason that spirits are restless and always looking for a place to hang out is because they have lost that sense of security, that place of peace knowing they are loved and cared for by God. Without love the inevitable outcome is always restlessness, irritation and sooner or later it leads to exploiting others. Those bound in chains of darkness may have a sense of comradery with others who are likewise in misery, but is not true rest, so their restlessness remains. Restless souls are irritated when they encounter those living in peace, joy and freedom, which is why homeless spirits who lost their place in heaven hate any who live in the atmosphere of heaven here on earth.

War of the Titans - Rumor notes 92

 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)

Michael Starts a War - Rumor notes 91

 

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.

There was war in the sky/heaven

This is where we enter the very core of this entire book where the most crucial information and revelations are laid out that unveils the back story needed to make sense of everything else. Here we find listed the two main protagonists along with their sympathizers, where the war began, who initiated it, and the immediate after-effects.

In most people's minds, heaven and war are not usually thought about together. In fact the idea of such negative activity in heaven seems like an oxymoron. Yet we find stated plainly that heaven is where the mother of all wars began, and much to many people's astonishment it was not Satan who initiated the war but rather God's representative Michael. Key to appreciating this is the fact that before this time there had never been any kind of conflict or anything similar. This kind of activity and animosity was foreign and strange and bewildering in a universe created in love and that had always and only thrived on selfless love and joyful, humble service to others by everyone.

To understand why and how this war began and what the contest is over is understood by assembling clues from all over Scripture and from the entire span of history from which we discern repeating patterns that hint at what likely transpired in heaven as things went sour. One thing is for certain though – the positive ID of the enemy whose subtle and seemingly innocuous activities required push-back by Michael is spelled out explicitly in this passage.

Keep in mind that the word translated here as war is different from how we are used to thinking of what happens in war. This word war comes from the Greek word polemos from which we get polemics – words used in politics, verbal abuse and debate. This war involves deception. It subverts truth and exploits trust. This cosmic war is not a contest over who is physically powerful, but rather who should be trusted to be our leader. Satan lusts for power rather than trusting in love, humility and joy in serving others. This is the root of this war and feeds into everything we are studying.

A mouth speaking great things and blasphemy was given to him. Authority to make war for forty-two months was given to him. He opened his mouth for blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his dwelling, those who dwell in heaven. It was given to him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them. Authority over every tribe, people, language, and nation was given to him. (Revelation 13:5-7)

He deceives my own people who dwell on the earth because of the signs he was granted to do in front of the beast; saying to those who dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast who had the sword wound and lived. (Revelation 13:14)

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)

Contrast this with the way the Hero of heaven conducts war as spelled out explicitly later on.

I saw the heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and he who sat on it is called Faithful and True. In righteousness he judges and makes war. (Revelation 19:11)

Michael and his angels made war on the dragon

It is vital that we appreciate the true nature of this war. The choice of weapons are the key issue as they are very different on the two sides. This war that began in heaven is as much over the choice and use of weaponry as it is over who will gain our trust and allegiance. We must be settled in our thinking and in our heart that the methods, motives and means of winning relied on exclusively by those loyal to God are in fact able to achieve victory in this war. This involves our perception of what victory looks like as well, for victory means very different things to different people depending on what they believe they are fighting to accomplish. This is where a great deal of confusion comes in, for so long as we remain infected by the inferences and doubts about God's integrity that is at the very root of sin, we will fail to understand or appreciate the wisdom or value of the way the Son of God pursues a singular path toward God's intended outcome in this war. This is even more relevant right now.

This is why it is so important to appreciate the nature of life and social design before the war ever began. Without this perspective it is very easy to be confused about how God works toward victory, because we have been so conditioned to view victory as subjugating those who oppose us. This is never God's disposition, for His only purpose is the restoration of all creation to His original design while faithfully maintaining the core principles of love and freedom for each created being to choose whether or not they will live in joyful fellowship with their Creator or pull away from Him who is the only Source of all life. Freedom is actually one of the key issues in this war. Lucifer has actually waffled on this point by first insisting that there was no need for law because angels were created perfect, therefore they should be free to follow their own desires. Later he asserted that freedom is too risky and there needed to be artificial safeguards of fear to protect the common good.

The reason Michael initiated this war was because it was necessary to challenge openly Lucifer's subtle insinuations and deceptions that were infecting the disposition of myriads of angels, undermining their trust in God's integrity. It has always been the divine One who alone knows God's heart more intimately than any other being in the universe, and it is He who has been at the forefront of this war throughout all of its stages. This is why He is identified as Michael at this point in history when there were no human beings in existence. God's nature remains the same no matter where one looks in the flow of time at how He deals with challenges against His design of creation.

I am aware that with many there is serious question as to the identity of Michael, and I respect each person's need to be convinced for themselves of whatever they choose to believe. For me it is not an issue, for after years of contemplating the underlying principles of design that reflects God's heart in creation, it is plain that the Godhead has always provided one of Them as the faithful Witness to be directly involved in the lives of Their creatures in a form through which they can relate. After humanity was created to reveal God's hidden side more than any other race of beings, God had His Son later take on the form of a human for the purpose of reflecting to the universe the truth about God's character from that unique perspective. And while many believe that Jesus was God incarnate, what is far less appreciated is the pattern this reveals, for this was not the first time God 'incarnated' Himself into the form of created beings so they could appreciate His invisible attributes. That is why I am convinced that in the beginning of creation, before Lucifer invented sin by twisting truth and exploiting God's design intent of vulnerability, God incarnated Himself through the Son by taking on the form of the angel who was known as Michael which literally means, Who is Like God.

To me, the very least of all saints, was this grace given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, and to make all men see what is the administration of the mystery which for ages has been hidden in God, who created all things through Jesus Christ; (Ephesians 3:8-9)

who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in the heavens and on the earth, things visible and things invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers; all things have been created through him, and for him. (Colossians 1:15-16)

For the invisible things of him since the creation of the world are clearly seen, being perceived through the things that are made, even his everlasting power and divinity; that they may be without excuse. Because, knowing God, they didn't glorify him as God, neither gave thanks, but became vain in their reasoning, and their senseless heart was darkened. (Romans 1:20-21)

While this passage clearly refers to our world and our situation, it is paralleled by an earlier version when this war over who to believe about God and His character gripped the rest of the universe causing a massive rift and polarization among the angels in heaven as described in what we are studying right now. Yet the same principles and patterns are active in each stage of the war and the similar accusations are used or recycled in a new form with the intent to deceive and mislead as many as possible to embrace the lies of God's archenemy who denies the very existence of agape love. In that earlier battle, God's agent who stood as God's faithful Witness was Michael, while in the rerun of the war here on earth God's faithful Witness is the human, but same Son of God, Jesus. Yet in all cases the Son has always been the Godhead's representative to display Their disposition, character and hidden attributes, Their expression of the very essence of what God is really like.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him. Without him was not anything made that has been made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. (John 1:1-4)

The very core of this war is over whose testimony will be trusted relating to the invisible, unapproachable (light and power too intense to get close enough to perceive or understand well) God who is the source of all life, all power and everything that exists. This is the issue in chapters 4 and 5.

"[Trust]Worthy are you, our Lord and God, the Holy One, to receive the glory, the honor, and the power, for you created all things, and because of your desire they existed, and were created!" (Revelation 4:11)

saying with a loud voice, "[Trust]Worthy is the Lamb who has been killed to receive the power, wealth, wisdom, strength, honor, glory, and blessing!" I heard every created thing which is in heaven, on the earth, under the earth, on the sea, and everything in them, saying, "To him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb be the blessing, the honor, the glory, and the dominion, forever and ever! Amen!" (Revelation 5:12-13)

This war is primarily over God's reputation and what everyone comes to believe about His character. The controversy is about who we will believe is telling the truth about God, whether Michael or Lucifer, God's Christ or Satan's assertions. What we are seeing here is a peek into the origin of this war that started in heaven long before our world came into existence, caused by a betrayal of God's crowning specimen of creation Lucifer who was intended to convey the most light of truth about Him to the angels, but who turned traitor by asserting that his accusations are the standard of truth about God, not Michael's version.

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)

Shall the throne of iniquity, which devises evil by law, Have fellowship with You? (Psalms 94:20 NKJV)

This war came to involve two major fronts, the the first as being who should be viewed as the legitimate representative of God's will and character, and then after the creation of our world it expanded to who should represent God's reflector beings on earth in the assembly of the sons of God in heaven. The Son of God in His earlier form as Michael initiated the first battle in heaven to unmask the insidious inroads of doubt that was spreading like a fast replicating virus throughout the vulnerable created beings of the universe. This involved subtle insinuations, inferences and suggestions about God's character of perfect love as supposedly being balanced by a hidden darker side to God. Later after Satan successfully captured the dominion of this planet from Adam, he insisted on occupying the seat designed for Adam in the assembly of representatives for all the inhabited worlds that sits on the mountain of God, whatever that symbolizes. Thus the war expanded to include both aspects – representing God directly and then representing God's reflectors. Both fronts have been and continue to be contested by the Son of God over time though from two different forms.

The idea of throne needs to be understood in the light of the real truth about how God governs. The passage from Psalm 94 is highly significant for appreciating the contrast between how God governs and how Satan insists that God governs. This is why this is a powerful exposé on the truth about Satan's counterfeit, for despite his insistence that God relies on a system of imposed laws like how we do here on earth, this verse clarifies that this can never happen. There can be no fellowship, no compromise, no collusion or cooperation between the principles of agape love that defines God design and the system of law enforcement that operates by fear in Satan's system.

This phrase, I will be like, or I will make myself like, is only one word in the original Hebrew. Thus this is not saying that Lucifer was referring to what he intended to become, but rather that his views and disposition and character was the more accurate testimony about what God is like, contradicting Michael's version. Lucifer was in essence declaring, “I AM the most reliable source to inform you about the invisible God.” This explains the resistance aroused when Jesus came and used the I AM title first declared to Moses at the burning bush. This war is not merely over who is authorized to represent humans in the assembly of heaven, but even more so over which being we will believe when it comes to representing God. Both Michael [God's Christ] and Lucifer claim the I AM title, the authoritative witness of what God is like as well as the best way to govern societies.

We glimpse a reference to this war in the words of Jesus facing off against religious leaders who reflected Satan's views of God by stoutly resisting His clear testimony. This was the same war and similar to the showdown to what took place in heaven long before this world was ever created.

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)

The beginning referred to by Jesus here is actually the second of three beginnings. And each one directly involved the divine representative of the Godhead. Let me explain further.

When we hear this phrase in the beginning, most likely our mind goes to Genesis 1 describing the terraforming of our planet.

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty. Darkness was on the surface of the deep. God's Spirit was hovering over the surface of the waters. (Genesis 1:1-2)

While this was a very important beginning, it was the third major beginning involving this war. In fact, the account of the creation of this world in Genesis is full of inferences and references indicating that the war was in full engagement already and what was happening here was a response from heaven to the onslaught of deceptions that may well have brought the universe to an apparent impasse in the war. That is why it is noted that darkness was on the surface of the deep. This was not just literal but even more importantly it was symbolic of the state brought about by the myriads of lies Satan was using to obscure the light of truth about God's nature and disposition and to discredit and twist the truth about the viability of God's way of governing.

There are three important beginnings noted in this war, and the creation account was the third beginning, not the first as we might initially presume. The first beginning is found in the account of John who is also the author of the book we are studying right now and who had a better grasp of the backstory more than anyone else, especially after God gave him this revelation to share with us.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him. Without him was not anything made that has been made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. (John 1:1-4)

This is the Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show to his servants the things which must happen soon, which he sent and made known by his angel to his servant, John, who testified to God's word, and of the testimony of Jesus Christ, about everything that he saw. (Revelation 1:1-2)

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)

We are going to unpack this much more, but for now I simply want to tie this together with the three beginnings that outline the progression of the war. The first beginning was the reality that before anything ever existed and long before sin was ever an issue, the Son of God existed eternally in the Godhead whose very definition is love and will continue to exist with that divine identity for all eternity. This actually is the core issue that brought about the objections Lucifer had that were used to rebel against God's ways and government, for it was the issue of whether or not Christ in the form of Michael was actually part of God or not. That is when the second beginning happened, the beginning of sin and the spirit of rebellion that has led to all the mayhem, evil and distrust of God anywhere. God's response to this second beginning was the third beginning, a demonstration of the nature of His disposition and use of power that exposed Satan's allegations as invalid which in turn led the unfallen angels, referred to as stars in Job, to sing together with joy at this revelation.

It is well that we take time to explore this mysterious being identified as Michael using the clues given. Many question why God was not more clear about identifying Michael for us, but I believe this is partly because for humans, the incarnated Son of God in the form of Jesus is the main person for us to focus on given our fallen condition and confusion about God. Jesus was the human form of God, come to correct and restore God's original design for humanity as reflectors of God's image and to develop a character like God. He is the channel of communication to us while Michael is different.

Michael was God's primary representative to the angelic hosts before humans ever existed. Just as Jesus is the primary form of God designed to engage humans in coming to know God intimately, Michael was the same entity but in a different form, designed to interact and engage angels to know God accurately. But Michael is not central for our remediation, but for the angels it was important (with or without the fall of Lucifer) that God communicate and interact with them in a way they could grasp a true awareness about the invisible attributes of God for themselves.

The key here is that God's Christ has ever carried out the role of being the main communicator who reveals the true nature of the Godhead as Their great communicator, the go-between, the mediator and intercessor even long before there were doubts or sin or rebellion bringing about a need for reconciliation and correction.

Because part of the Godhead took on the form of an angel called Michael (Who is Like God) and retained that identity until much later when He took on the form of the human Jesus, we see how serious God is about making sure everyone has an Agent through which they may access the mind and heart of God as much as possible. For humans, that link is our Savior and High Priest Jesus Christ. For the angels it was Michael who was the divine representative of the Godhead who alone knew the Father's heart like no other and interacted with the angels for the purpose of revealing the Father just as He did as Jesus later.

We need to begin by reviewing the purpose and design of angels, then examine how Scripture confirms the incarnation of the Son into that form before He became a human being much later.

The entire first chapter of Hebrews focuses intently on the contrast between the authority and role of God's only Son and that of angels and why they were created. The reason this clarification was necessary in Hebrews was because the war that began in heaven was over this very issue – who was to be believed as telling the truth about the invisible God. When Lucifer began circulating sly suggestions and innuendoes about God's integrity and character, it was impossible for any of the created beings to know what was true since Lucifer's assigned role in heaven was to relay the realities of the invisible God to the visible universe in existence at that time. Because Lucifer was exploiting the trust of all the angels who relied on him to explain things that were beyond their access as God designed for Lucifer to do, the fact that Lucifer used this to his advantage was even more reprehensible. Thus in Hebrews 1 we catch a brief glimpse, a tiny synopsis of what transpired in the war over God's reputation that began in heaven before our world was brought into being.

The author of Hebrews indicates that there was intense questioning over who was to be believed as telling the truth about God. This is implied in the idea of Sonship that is the core issue all throughout the war, yet today has been subverted to be an issue of whether or not the Son of God Jesus lived eternally with God in the past or whether we was brought out and separated as unique being from the bosom of God at some point. This argument is a scheme of Satan to divert attention away from the far greater meaning of this phrase only begotten son. In Scripture, the primary meaning of being a son is about revealing the nature and disposition of the father and the family attributes, not about genealogy as Satan wants us to imagine. This is why who God identifies as being His legitimate Son is key to grasping what is discussed in this chapter, because it was central to the war that began in heaven over which being was relaying the truth about the invisible God.

His Son is the radiance of his glory, the very image of his substance, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself made purification for our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high; having become so much better than the angels, as he has inherited a more excellent name than they have. For to which of the angels did he say at any time, "You are my Son. Today have I become your father?" and again, "I will be to him a Father, and he will be to me a Son?" Again, when he brings in the firstborn into the world he says, "Let all the angels of God worship him." (Hebrews 1:3-6)

This passage summarizes an enormous amount of hidden history that took place in heaven related to the passage in Revelation we are looking at right now. Hebrews 1 is a synopsis of that first stage of the war before it moved to this planet, but the patterns of how the war carries on repeat themselves over and over. This is how we can discern from our perspective in this late stage of the war, what likely may have taken place in the earlier stages, for the arguments used to undermine trust in God's heart have been consistent from the very outset, and the challenge that unmasks their insidious nature has been always initiated by the Son who alone is affirmed as being the only reliable One to reveal the truth that alone is trustworthy about who God is and what He is like. This is why the name of this presumed angel meant Who is Like God, because only the Son was like God, both in the way He acted and the testimony He gives that contradicts that of the created angel Lucifer who transformed into Satan the great rebel who spread lies and accusations against God.

Hebrews makes it clear that only God has the definitive word as to who is to be trusted as revealing the truth about Himself. Chapter 1 strongly infers that there was another angel claiming to be telling the truth about God that was at variance with the One identified by God as His Son. This passage infers that originally the question in the minds of the universe involved which angel could be trusted. This is why it asks, to which of the angels did he say at any time... This was because at that point in history, the Son was in the form of an angel, and as thus He appeared to be no different than the other cherub Lucifer who was contesting the witness of Michael because it appeared there was no significant material difference between them.

This should not sound strange, for this same Son of God met the same resistance as a human while among us here on earth. He was constantly challenged over the issue of authority to represent God because He appeared so 'normal' like any other human being.

Who has believed our message? and to whom has the arm of Yahweh been revealed? For he grew up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he has no form nor comeliness; and when we see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him. He was despised, and rejected by men; a man of suffering, and acquainted with disease: and as one from whom men hide their face he was despised; and we didn't respect him. (Isaiah 53:1-3)

This was no new revelation about God that was not already present when the Son had the form of the angel Michael. God never changes, and neither does the testimony about God throughout the entire history of creation and the war that was caused by Lucifer's distortions some time after creation. God knew what was coming, so He provided a faithful witness called Who is Like God as His agent and revealer of truth for all who would believe in His testimony that God's power is made most clear in apparent weakness. When the Son took on the form of an angel, His character and the likeness of God revealed through His interactions with all other created beings was identical to what He reflected when He later took on the form of a human. This sequence is spelled in Philippians.

Have this in your mind, which was also in Christ Jesus, who, (1) existing in the form of God, didn't consider equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, taking the (2) form of a servant, being (3) made in the likeness of men. (Philippians 2:5-7)

This clarifies three stages of existence the Son of God experienced to bring reconciliation and synchronization to the entire universe, both fallen and unfallen. The Son originally existed in the form of God and was always equal with God. But in order to expose what is invisible to created beings about the nature of what God is really like, the Son (the one that alone reveals the full truth about the father which is what being son really means) exhibited the humble nature of God by emptying Himself or laying aside the privileges and power of living as the supreme being over all, and took on the form of a servant.

This servant phase is key for appreciating why the angel Michael can be understood to simultaneously be the Son of God. We must appreciate the meaning and purpose of what it means to be an angel. Again, Hebrews one spells that out plainly in the same chapter that outlines the original issues that began this war.

But which of the angels has he told at any time, "Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies the footstool of your feet?" Aren't they all serving spirits, sent out to do service for the sake of those who will inherit salvation? (Hebrews 1:13-14)

Angels were specifically designed as ministering spirits. That is their purpose and design, and their joy is found only as they fulfill that servant function, just as our joy is found only in fulfilling our design to reflect the glory of God as His image and thus develop characters that is just like His. This spirit of ministering to others is also a reflection of God's heart, for the truth about the invisible essence of what God is like requires all the different aspects of creation to even begin to display the magnitude of God's greatness.

That which is known of God is revealed in them, for God revealed it to them. For the invisible things of him since the creation of the world are clearly seen, being perceived through the things that are made, even his everlasting power and divinity.... (Romans 1:19-20)

This is a key principle of creation design that unlocks many things that presently seem mysterious to us. Paul explains that all creation is a magnification and revelation of the invisible attributes of God. Thus all creation plays a role in helping everyone come to appreciate and love the Creator, even if they have never known about Him intellectually or cognitively.

The heavens declare the glory of God. The expanse shows his handiwork. Day after day they pour forth speech, and night after night they display knowledge. There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard. Their voice has gone out through all the earth, their words to the end of the world.... (Psalms 19:1-4)

Yet beyond the testimony about who God is as revealed in how all creation together is to reflect perfect harmony and beauty, God has always had an objective faithful Witness called His Son who also is the Creator and ongoing Sustainer of all creation. The Son may assume different forms of created intelligence, but He has always been present and active in one form or another in order to facilitate ready communication with the mind and heart of God.

In Daniel we find more clues that help identify this Michael as being the divine revelation of God rather than simply being another created angel. In Daniel's account of visions given to him long ago, Michael is said to play a pivotal role in the war raging as the enemy sought to interfere with God bringing about fulfillment of previous prophecies, even as God was revealing to Daniel important aspects of the backstory along with important prophecies of future events to overturn Satan's power.

But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me twenty-one days; but, behold, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me: and I remained there with the kings of Persia.

But I will tell you that which is inscribed in the writing of truth: and there is none who holds with me against these, but Michael your prince. (Daniel 10:13,21)

Many translations I believe fail to correctly render verse 13. In the Hebrew it indicates that Michael is the one who is the chief of all the supernatural princes, not merely one among many. This mistranslation can bring confusion preventing us from seeing the significance of what is mentioned about the Prince who identifies specifically with all who are loyal to God.

The only translation I have found that identifies this is Young's Literal Translation.

And the head of the kingdom of Persia is standing over-against me twenty and one days, and lo, Michael, first of the chief heads, hath come in to help me, and I have remained there near the kings of Persia; (Daniel 10:13 YLT)

At that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince who stands for the children of your people; and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time your people shall be delivered, everyone who shall be found written in the book. Many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. (Daniel 12:1-2)

Here we find Michael as identified as the prince who stands for God's people as well as being linked to the resurrection of the righteous at the second coming of Christ at the beginning of the millennium.

Following these links allows us to see more clearly that in fact Michael was the same entity as the one who later became Christ as a human being and who will return to resurrect His children as well as the one who ever stands up for them no matter what difficulties they have to endure. Michael is the Prince above all princes just as He is Lord and lords and King of kings.

Keep in mind that up until the human incarnation of Christ, the Son of God retained the form of an archangel, meaning the highest authority above all created angels. The Son of God as we have already pointed out, took on the form of a servant angel, and it was in this form that He interacted by coordinating the activities of all the angels of God in heaven working to rescue fallen humanity and to counter the wily schemes of the enemy sabotaging heaven's activities for both our salvation as well as God's. Thus it is likely that it was in the form of Micael that Christ acted as the agent of heaven, communicating God's will and directions as the chief administrator of heaven's involvement in this war that started in heaven..

But Michael, the archangel, when contending with the devil and arguing about the body of Moses, dared not bring against him an abusive condemnation, but said, "May the Lord rebuke you!" (Jude 1:9)

For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with God's trumpet. The dead in Christ will rise first, (1 Thessalonians 4:16)

It is true that putting all these verses together does not conclusively prove that Michael was in fact the same entity as the Son of God. I understand that, and each one is free to evaluate all the evidence and come to their own conclusion. This does not preclude that Michael was a created angel of very high rank. But for me, it simply makes more sense and fits into the larger picture that, just as Satan is identified under many different labels, so too can the Son of God be seen acting within various capacities under different titles and functions. These last two verses for me provide compelling evidence that it was more likely Christ, the Creator with power to raise the dead to life, who was identified as Michael the archangel, as well as the fact that He most accurately portrays the disposition of the Father's heart by refusing to be drawn into contention with the accuser.

In these verses we see the tight connection between Michael as the archangel and the resurrection. Jesus declared that He is the resurrection and the life, and we know that Jesus is also the Son of God, the only one who is fully like God and the only one who has seen and knows God intimately. The pattern is quite clear when we view it from the much broader perspective of the entire scope of the war against God and His people. The Son while taking on various forms through the course of the existence of creation that He himself spoke into existence, has involved Himself inside that creation while not losing His original identity as being God even though He willingly laid aside all that power and honor. He did so because that is part of how He reveals the true nature of God, for He says unequivocally that if we have seen Him we have seen the Father. This has been true all along, whether He was representing God as Michael to the angelic hosts in heaven or revealing God to the watching universe and to us as a humble, weak and vulnerable human being fully trusting in and reflecting His Father's true glory as the greatest Servant of all.

Whoever of you wants to become first among you, shall be bondservant of all. For the Son of Man also came not to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many. (Mark 10:44-45)

This is the testimony of our Prince about the disposition of God we are designed to reflect. Just as Jesus did not come to be served but to serve, in the same way God is not looking to be served but to serve. Jesus is the express image of God in every way, and when we begin to grasp this as the reality that defines His testimony all throughout the history of creation, the amazing beauty and attractiveness of God and His design has the power to transforms us as we become willing to participate in reflecting this unique and unexpected aspect of His glory.

When Michael contended with the devil over resurrecting the body of Moses (keep in mind that no one had ever been resurrected from the dead up to this point in the history of the rebellion), the Son of God was revealing the nature of God's disposition towards His archenemy who is the great accuser and ultimate arguer. God and all who reflect Him, never argue with the accuser but simply defer the matter to another source of authority. This is the nature of agape love, for love never seeks to fight for its rights or even defend itself but always trusts that God will work things out for our best good and for the glory of His reputation in the long run.

He had seven stars in his right hand. Out of his mouth proceeded a sharp two-edged sword. His face was like the sun shining at its brightest. (Revelation 1:16)

These are those who were not defiled with women, for they are virgins. These are those who follow the Lamb wherever he goes. These were redeemed by Jesus from among men, the first fruits to God and to the Lamb. In their mouth was found no lie, for they are blameless. (Revelation 14:4-5)

This highlights the reality that this war is over control of the mind, capturing the imagination and heart, and about the nature of what is in the mouth. Jesus fights this war with a sword that is exclusively seen as coming from His mouth, never in His hand. This is highly significant and central to understanding how we are to follow His example if we are willing follow wherever He leads us.