College Press Bible Study Textbook Series
Revelation 12:7-12
Strauss-' Comments
SECTION 36
Text Revelation 12:7-12
7 And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels going forth to war with the dragon; and the dragon warred and his angels; 8 and they prevailed not, neither was their place found any more in heaven. 9 And the great dragon was cast down, the old serpent, he that is called the Devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world; he was cast down to the earth, and his angels were cast down with him. 10 And I heard a great voice in heaven saying,
Now is come the salvation, and the power, and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, who accuseth them before our God day and night. 11 And they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb, and because of the word of their testimony, and they loved not their life even unto death. 12 Therefore rejoice O heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe for the earth and for the sea; because the devil is gone down unto you, having great wrath, knowing that he hath but a short time.
Initial Questions Revelation 12:7-12
1.
Read Daniel 10:13; Daniel 10:21; Daniel 12:1, and Jude 1:9, then read Revelation 12:7.
2.
What was the outcome of the War - Revelation 12:8?
3.
Discuss and compare your image of Satan with the biblical information about his person - Revelation 12:9.
4.
Read Job 1:6-12 and Revelation 12:10 - discuss and compare.
5.
What enabled the saints to overcome Satan - Revelation 12:11?
6.
Will the powers of darkness continue to tempt man - Revelation 12:12?
The grammar of this verse is difficult. There was a war in heaven (see Zechariah 3:1 ff) between Michael and his angels, and The Dragon and his angels. The Dragon is Satan; but who is Michael? The Jehovah's Witnesses distort completely the person of Michael - when they identify him as Jesus Christ (claiming as they do that Christ is a created being). We first meet Michael the Archangel in Daniel 10:13 (see Edward J. Young, The Prophecy of Daniel, Eerdman, 1949, pp. 226-227), and then in Jude 1:9.
Negative critics attempt to ground John's symbolism, etc. in the Apocrypha, i.e., The Book of Enoch, The Testament of the Twelve Patriarchs, and the Apocalypse of Moses. This is absolutely unnecessary as the issues are already clearly mentioned in the Old Testament aspect of God's Word. (For good discussion of Michael - see Hasting's Bible Dictionary, and Dictionary of the Apostolic Church for article Michael.) In Daniel's great prophecy it is Michael the archangel who sustains the cause of Israel and spiritual Israel (or The Church) in The Revelation. This is especially his work at the time of the great tribulation and just before the resurrection of the dead. (See Daniel 12:1; 1 Thessalonians 4:16 - Geerhardus Vos, The Pauline Eschatology, Eerdmans, 1952 reprint - for learned but simple statement of this phrase of Paul's doctrine of the Last Things. The critical value of Vos-' work is vitiated, because he does not give usable bibliographical information. This practice is acceptable for popular works, but certainly not for seriously advanced studies.)
Satan and his angels warred but prevailed not, neither (oude - not even was their place found any more (eti - still) in heaven. The power of darkness will not be victorious over the power of light. This is the Christian's hope! (See Luke 10:18; John 12:31 - for Christ's assertion of His final victory over Satan.)
The great dragon was cast (eblçthç - 1st aor. pass. - someone (God) - threw Satan out in a single act. It was not a struggle which required a process of determining who was sovereign - God or Satan). John describes Satan with further proper names. In Semitic thought - names always stand for a characteristic of the person. The being called one (kaloumenos - present-passive participle - continually being called by others) Devil, and Satan, the deceiving one (ho planôn - present - active - participle - the one continually deceiving - it is not merely an erratic deception, but a perpetual, never ceasing program) the whole earth (holçn oikoumençn - whole populated earth (world in sense of people) this is one of ten or so times this word appears in the New Testament. We derive the word ecumenical from it, though it is not used in its biblical sense (necessarily) in contemporary ecumenical theology) was cast (same form as above) to the earth in a single act.
Because Satan has been once for all cast down, John now reveals anew the message of our hope. The salvation, and the power, and the kingdom (reign) of our God (each of these nouns have a definite article), and the power (or authority - same Greek term) of his Christ (anointed one - Christ is Greek equivalent (?) of Hebrew term translated Messiah), because (hoti) the accuser of our brethren (this name for Satan is not used elsewhere in the New Testament) was cast down (1st aor. cast in a single act - once for all - same form as discussed in Revelation 12:9) the one accusing them before our God night and day.
And they (our brethren or Christians - onlythis vs. is eloquent testimony against contemporary universalism) over came (eniksesan - 1st aor. - act. ind. they overcame in a single act - once and for all - as a matter of fact) him (the accuser of the brethren), because of (the cause of the victory of the Saints) the blood of the Lamb. Here the vicarious atonement of Christ is once more asserted! (See appendix on The Blood.) And because of the Word of their witness (implying the necessity of being loyal to Christ in order to obtain victory). We see here the place of Christ in our redemption coupled with our faithfulness to the end. Both are essential for our salvation! And they loved not (ouk stands after kai and before çgapesan for emphasis on the not - -absolutely not-') their life until death. Jesus declared that whoever loves his life more than Him will surely lose life. Here we see an example of those who loved The Lord and His Word more than anything, even security, that this world could offer. Many Christians in non-western (some European countries too) have learned this same lesson.
The transitional preposition Therefore means on account of the victory through Christ be glad (euphrainesthe - present imperative - middle voice - heaven is commanded to express joy continually).
John then continues with a warning to the earth and sea because the devil came down to you having (constantly having) great anger, (thumon - rage, boiling animosity) knowing that he has a short time. Satan's time is limited by God; and Satan therefore takes full advantage of his permitted period to bring death, destruction, and temptation to the saints,
Review Questions - Chapter 12
See Revelation 12:13-17.