If this ever seemed possible at all John says there was. He saw it.
“Then war broke out in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back. 8 But he was not strong enough, and they lost their place in heaven. 9 The great dragon was hurled down—that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him. 10 Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say: “Now have come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Messiah.” (Revelation 12 v 7-10)
At the centre piece of Revelation, the birth of the son, Jesus who was snatched to the throne of God is a war.
“She gave birth to a son, a male child, who “will rule all the nations with an iron sceptre.” And her child was snatched up to God and to his throne.” (v5)
The birth, life and death narratives are behind this one short but powerful verse.
Was this war in heaven about the dragon’s pride who tried to rise as the Morning star? Maybe. But what is certain is that the story of Jesus sits at the centre of this war.
When the Son of God was conceived a horrible terrible spiritual war was taking place between good and evil.
The war was being fought as he was being born in a manger and sought after by Herod to be killed. The war was being fought as he grew to be a man. The war was being fought as he was tempted in the wilderness, as he delivered the demon-possessed, as he preached and healed and saw the transformation of many on the hills of Judea. The war was bring fought as his enemies were plotting to kill him, as he walked in the garden of gethsemane and sweated drops of blood and as he hung in the darkness on a cross the war as its worst.
But there was Resurrection day, Ascension Day and the Day of the Throne and the war was over! The war was over in heaven. The dragon, the devil or Satan and his angels had been defeated by Michael and his angels.
What had happened on earth had shifted what was happening with the war. We often think the other way round. But in this case I certainly believe that the victory that Jesus won on earth brought the victory to Michael.
And where is that victory seen?
NOW
Today. It is seen today in our lives and what we are facing. We face it with the victory of Jesus and a defeated dragon. More of that later.
Missions Paul 