And there was war in heaven, &c.— It might reasonably be presumed, that all the powers of idolatry would be strenuously exerted against the establishment of Christianity, and especially against the establishment of a Christian on the imperial throne; and the struggles and contentions between the Heathen and Christian religions are represented by war in heaven, between the angels of darkness and the angels of light, Michael the archangel being at the head of the latter. Michael and the good angels were the invisible agents, under the great Jehovah, on one side, and the devil and his angels were on the other. The visible actors in the cause of Christianity, were the believing emperors and the ministers of the word,—the martyrs and confessors; and the supporters of idolatry were the persecuting emperors and heathen magistrates, together with the whole train of priests and sophists. This contest lasted several years, and the final issue of it was, (Revelation 12:8-9.) that the Christian religion prevailed over the Heathen. Our Saviour said, upon his disciples casting devils out of the bodies of men, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven, Luke 10:18. In the same figure Satan fell from heaven, and was cast out into the earth, when he was thrust out of the imperial throne: and his angels were cast out with him, Revelation 12:9. Not only all the heathen priests and officers, civil and military, were cashiered; but their very gods and demons, who before were adored, became the subjects of contempt and execration. It is very remarkable, that Constantine himself, and the Christians of his time, described his conquest under the same image; as if they had understood that this prophesy had received its accomplishment in him. Moreover, the picture of Constantine was set up over the palace-gate with the cross over his head; and under his feet the great enemy of mankind, who persecuted the church by the means of impious tyrants, in the form of a dragon, transfixed with a dart through the midst of his body, and falling headlong into the midst of the sea; in allusion, as it is said expressly, to the divine oracles in the books of the prophets, where the evil spirit is called the dragon, and the crooked serpent. Upon this victory of the church, there is introduced, Revelation 12:10, a triumphant hymn of thanksgiving for the depression of idolatry, and the exaltation of the true religion. It was not by temporal means of arms that the Christians obtained this victory, (Revelation 12:11.) but by spiritual; by the death of their Redeemer; by their constant profession of the truth, and by their patient suffering of all kinds of tortures, even unto death; and the blood of the martyrs has been often called the seed of the church. This victory is matter of joy and triumph to the blessed angels and glorified saints in heaven (Revelation 12:12.): but still new woes are threatened to the inhabitants of the earth. For though the dragon was deposed, yet was he not destroyed; though idolatry was depressed, yet was it not wholly overthrown: there were still many Pagans intermixed with the Christians, and the devil would excite fresh troubles; because he knoweth that he hath but a short time; that is, it would not belongbeforethepaganreligionwouldbetotally abolished, and the Christian religion prevail in all the Roman empire. The expression, Revelation 12:10 of the accuser of the brethren, &c. is taken from Job and Zechariah; where the scriptures, speaking after the manner of men, represent Satan as accusing good and pious men before God. This he does by aggravating their faults and imperfections, and by exciting wicked men to raise false accusations against them; as was notoriously done against the primitive Christians. Mr. Daubuz observes, that the accuser, according to the custom of the Eastern nations, and in some cases by the law of Moses, was appointed to be the executioner. See Deuteronomy 13:9. So that when the church is no longer in danger of persecution for the profession of Christianity, Satan is said to be thrown down, as having lost the power of accusing and executing such as make open profession of it.
Related Commentaries of Revelation 12:7
Revelation 12:7-12
7 And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels,
8 And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven.
9 And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.
10 And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.
11 And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.
12 Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time.