Revelation 12:7 - Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

Bible Comments

And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels,

In Job 1:1-22; Job 2:1-13, Satan presents himself among the sons of God, before God in heaven, as accuser of the saints; again, in Zechariah 3:1-2. But at Christ's coming as our Redeemer, he fell from heaven, especially when Christ suffered, rose, and ascended to heaven. Christ appearing before God as our Advocate (Hebrews 9:24), Satan, the accusing adversary, could no longer appear against us, but was cast out judicially (Romans 8:33-34). He and his angels range through the air and the earth, during the interval between the ascension and the second advent, about to be cast hence also, and bound in hell. That "heaven" here does not mean the air, but the abode of angels, appears from 1 Kings 22:19-22; Revelation 12:9-10; Revelation 12:12.

There was, х egeneto (G1096)] - 'there came to pass.'

War in heaven - a seeming contradiction in terms, yet true! Contrast the blessed result of Christ's triumph, Luke 19:38, "peace in heaven." Colossians 1:20, "to reconcile all things ... whether ... in earth, or ... in heaven."

Michael and his angels ... the dragon ... and his angels. It was fitting that as the rebellion arose from unfaithful angels and their leader, so they should be overcome by faithful angels and their archangel, in heaven. On earth they are fittingly to be overcome, as represented by the beast and false prophet, by the Son of man and His human saints (Revelation 19:14-21). The conflict on earth, as in Daniel 10:1-21, has its correspondent conflict of angels in heaven. Michael is peculiarly the prince, angel, of Israel. The conflict in heaven, though judicially decided already against Satan from the time of Christ's ascension, receives its completion in the judgment to be executed by the angels who cast out Satan. From Christ's ascension he has no standing-ground against the believing elect. Luke 10:18, "I beheld (in the earnest of the future fulfillment given in the demons' subjection to the disciples) Satan as lightning fall from heaven." As Michael fought with Satan about the body of the mediator of the old covenant (Jude 1:9), so now the Mediator of the new covenant, by offering His sinless body in sacrifice, arms Michael with power to complete the victory. That Satan is not yet finally, but only judicially, cast out of heaven, appears from Ephesians 6:12, "spiritual wickedness in high (heavenly) places." This is the primary church-historical sense. Through Israel's unbelief, in the ulterior sense, Satan the accuser has ground against the elect nation. At the eve of her restoration, his standing-ground in heaven against her shall be taken from him, 'the Lord that hath chosen Jerusalem' rebuking and casting him from heaven forever by Michael. In Zechariah 3:1-9, similarly, Joshua the high priest represents Israel, and Satan, standing at God's right hand as adversary, resists Israel's justification. Not until then fully (Revelation 12:10, "Now," etc.) shall ALL things be reconciled unto Christ IN HEAVEN (Colossians 1:20), and there shall be peace in heaven (Luke 19:38).

Against. 'Aleph (') A B C read, 'with.'

Revelation 12:7

7 And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels,