The Wayside Pulpit No.100
Warfare in the Heavenlies
In Revelation 12:4 we read
that the Great Red Dragon drew one third of the stars of heaven to the earth
with his tail. Almost with universal repetition, from one expositor to
another, we are told that these "stars" are the fallen angels who
followed Satan in his initial rebellion. I cannot understand why the
application of a little simple logic has not put this error to death long
since. Later in the same chapter we find Satan and his angels still in the
heavens, not cast down to earth. It is only as a result of the heavenly warfare
that they are finally dispatched to earth by Michael.
Who then are the "one
third of the stars of heaven"? They are not Satan's angels,
they are the Lord's. Daniel had already been shown this scene in some
considerable detail. See Chapter 8.
Daniel was shown a vision
of a two-horned ram, and a he-goat. The ram was symbolic of the kings of Media
and
1. Ptolomy, who ruled
2. Cassander, who ruled
3. Lysimachus, who ruled
4. Seleucus, who ruled
This was the setting of the
vision Daniel received. He was then taken on chronologically to a far distant
time, "when transgressions had reached their full measure" (v.23),
"the vision is for the time of the end" (v.17), "at the
last end of the indignation" (v.19). These are the days in which
we live, and therefore the vision is of the greatest importance to us.
Daniel was told that in
that far distant time, "out of one of [the four kingdoms] comes forth a
LITTLE HORN, who grows exceedingly great." (v.9) "It grows great even
towards the host of heaven, and casts down some of the host and of the stars to
the ground, and tramples them underfoot." (v.10) "He even magnifies
himself to the prince of this host [Michael], and takes away from him the daily
sacrifice, and the place of his sanctuary is cast down." (v.11)
This picture is of the
heavenly sanctuary, not that in the earthly
The LITTLE HORN is a king
of mighty presence, understanding dark sayings, and possessing great power,
which is not his own, but bestowed upon him [by Satan]. (v.23) He destroys in
an amazing fashion, even the mighty ones and the holy people. He causes deceit
to prosper in his hand, and magnifies himself in his own heart, and by careless
security destroys many. Finally he stands up against the Prince of princes [the
Lord Himself], and will be broken by a non-human agency. (vv.24-25)
So we come back to the
"one third of the stars" of Revelation 12:4. They are hurled to the
ground by the Dragon's tail. "The prophet who tells lies, he is the
tail," says Isaiah (
How do Michael and his
angels overcome the Devil and his angels? "They overcome him by the blood
of the Lamb, by the word of their testimony, not loving their soul-life unto
death." This is earth-based warfare being fought in the heavenlies. My
understanding is that this battle is even now being fought, oftentimes by those
who know not their origin, nor even the intelligence of the visionary apparatus
of Daniel 8 and Revelation 12. But they take their faith with great
earnestness, and are fearless in testifying their beliefs, even to the loss of
life and limb. They spend their lives "in heaven", being members of
the "
What is the outcome of this
warfare? It will result in the Devil and his angels being dispatched to
the earth, where they will be born as humans. Woe to the earth when this
happens. Perhaps it has already started. But one thing is certain. When it has
finally been achieved, a great proclamation goes forth, "Now has come
salvation, strength, and the Kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ,
for the accuser of our brethren is cast down." (Rev.12:10)
The Lord taught His
disciples to pray, "Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done, as in heaven, so
upon earth." It is not until the Devil is cast down that the Kingdom
is able to be manifested on earth. It may be growing internally in each and
every believer, but the outward manifestation awaits the end of the warfare in
heavenly places.
But Revelation 12 is also
full of pictorial information about the final gathering of the Church, in three
phases. First the Manchild, then the Woman, and finally the Rest of her seed.
These are the "three measures of meal" in which the woman placed the
yeast to cause them to "rise" to their full inheritance; these are
the "three ribs" that were seen in the bear's mouth of Daniel 7:5, in
tribulation awaiting their creation as God's New Eve; these are the seeds that
fell into good ground, and brought forth 100, 60, and 30 fold according to
their several abilities. In all such symbolism we see part of a great struggle,
mainly invisible to the world, whereby the Church, God's Little Flock, is
enabled to move into her inheritance, and become the corporate ruler of this
world, to govern in righteousness, to teach the nations, to bring in
everlasting righteousness and peace, to gather God's greater harvest from the
world, until "every knee shall bow, and every tongue confess that Jesus
Christ is Lord."
These climactic events are
now nearing their climax, and need to be prayed through to their culmination.
The "one third stars" of God's angels fight until the Dragon
"prevails not, neither is found any more place for him in heaven."
This is accomplished on behalf of the Church, which is born out of labour pains
into a glorious heavenly setting. In that higher dimensional state, where all
those who are "accounted worthy to attain that age, and the resurrection
from among the dead . . . are equal to angels," (Luke
Can you see the wonder and
the glory of what lies ahead? Are you completely captivated by the magnificent
panorama set forth in prophetic Scripture? Does your heart yearn for these
things to come to pass? Do you pray without ceasing for the fulfilment of the
warfare and the establishment of God's Kingdom?
Today (October 20th) is the
7th day of Tabernacles, the last and great day of the Feast, which depicts the
final harvest of the land. The first harvest was the Lord Himself, at Passover,
the First of the firstfruits. The second harvest was at Pentecost, with the
remainder of the firstfruits, awaiting resurrection/change. These together
represent the Church as Head and Members. But Paul tells us that if these, the
firstfruits, are holy, then the "lump" is also holy, in other
words, the great Tabernacles harvest is made holy by virtue of the firstfruits.
This is why we preach a final and total victory for the Lord as a result of His
suffering at
"Up, up the hill, to the whiter than
snow-shine,
Help me to climb, and dwell in pardon's light.
I must be pure as Thou, or ever less
Than Thy design of me - therefore incline
My heart to take men's wrongs as Thou tak'st mine."