War in Heaven

War in Heaven

Revelation 12:7-8 And there was “war in Heaven:” Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, and prevailed not; neither was their place found anymore in Heaven.

This verse in Revelation sticks out in the word of God like a flashing warning sign! It is one of the most astounding pieces of information revealed in the whole Bible. 

Perhaps nothing is as unfathomable as a war occurring  in Heaven. We all aspire to go to Heaven someday and everyone probably envisions Heaven as a place of perfect peace! The idea of a war in Heaven, even if it was in the ancient past is simply unthinkable to most minds. 

The most obvious questions immediately jump to the forefront of my curious mind. 

1-When did this war begin?

2-Where is this war being fought?

3-Who are the combatants in this war?

4-What started the war?

5-What weapons are being used to fight this war?

6-What has been the effects of this war, on me?

7-What are the tactics utilized in this war?

8-How Will this war end?

9-When Will this war end?

10-Who is winning this war?

The subject of the “War in Heaven” is extremely complex and a topic that is deeply involved in a lot of scriptural material. An in-depth analysis of the subject of War in Heaven would of course be voluminous, probably more lengthy than the epic “War and Peace.”

Nevertheless, I shall attempt to simply provide as concise a response for all ten of these questions as I possibly can. 

In this exciting and revealing chapter, (12) the word “Heaven” is mentioned five times, while the word “heavens” is mentioned once. 

The usage of the word “Heaven” in each of these instances here in chapter twelve is derived from the Greek word “ouranos.” Ouranos refers to the elevated sky around the earth and the arch of space throughout the universe; as the very same word is utilized to define the plural usage of the word “heavens” used in verse twelve. 

This is a very important point; for it establishes the scriptural basis for the position that the heavenly war is not currently ongoing in the Heaven where Gods throne, and the eternal dimension exists, far, far above the created “heavens.”

In II Corinthians 12:2–3, the apostle Paul provides a major revelation that there are in fact three “heavens.” 

In this passage, he seemingly talks about himself being taken up to the “third heaven” where God the Father and Jesus dwell. The second heaven is the universe or outer space, and the first is our terrestrial atmosphere.

The Bible further indicates that Satan, his angels and some of his demons are still allowed to move about in the areas of the first and second heavens, or the heavenly places that we call outer space! (Ephesians 2:1–2; 6:12)

Therefore, while these facts don’t definitively answer the question about where the war started; it does seem to strongly indicate that the war is presently ongoing in the first and second heavens; not to mention right here on the literal earth; with the earthly battlefield becoming even more hotly contested during the Great Tribulation era than it presently is. 

If we can conclude when the war started, perhaps then we can ascertain exactly where the war started. 

The Genesis account of Creation, beyond the Revelation account, is among the most obvious places to look for specific information about when and where the war of Heaven began.

But even in analyzing the Creation account, using not only Genesis, but also the prophets; we must consider the absolute fact that the “process of time” itself is a “created” dimension! 

So, then we must realize that the Genesis account of creation was provided to mankind by the Creator merely to assist us for understanding our world and our place in it. It doesn’t necessarily grant us an intensely detailed insight into the “realm of eternity” and when this war might have commenced.

Of course, the timing of the Great War in Heaven of necessity involves the theological debate about how old the world actually is. Personally, I am convinced that our world and even the universe is not millions or billions of years old. I am totally convicted that God has not been absent for eons of time from the ensuing events within his creation. I think God has been deeply involved in the total history of mankind and therefore involved in our habitat, which he specifically created for man! (Isaiah 45:18)

Albeit, the collective scriptural record does suggest that all that the Creator created was originally classified as “Good,” including all of the Angelic creatures; and even including the Angel known as Satan or Lucifer.

Indeed in Job 38:7 there is a clear indication initially after the creation that all the host of Heaven including the “sons of God” (angels) joyfully praised God! So then the “War in Heaven” must have started sometime after God created the heavens and the earth, and initiated the process of the earthly time dimension.

So the “start” of the war in Heaven is established as Sometime immediately after creation week. That leaves us to examine where the war started and who launched the Great War. 

The architect of the war in Heaven is clearly identified as the Great Red Dragon, that old serpent known as the Devil. Ezekiel chapter 28 conveys that Lucifer; a highly placed and powerful “Cherub” was around to witness the final creative actions of God in Eden. 

Lucifer became envious and jealous of Gods final act of creation; mankind! It was the creation of man, made in Gods own image, that ignited a vein of pride within Lucifer that compelled him to contemplate a heavenly coup against Almighty God!

The final straw in Lucifers ideas of cosmic rebellion undoubtedly rested upon his oversight of Gods providential plans to manifest himself into the form of his own Son in the event that mankind ever deviated from the righteous state of pure love. 

In his plot to displace God as Sovereign over all of the Lords creation; Lucifer recruited 1/3 of his fellow angelic host to join him in his all out War! 

If Lucifers war campaign began in the Heaven of heavens; it was short-lived, for he was instantaneously rebuffed and kicked out; and as a result he lost all access to Gods Heaven forever! 

Realizing that God planned on creating the earth particularly for man, Satan targeted the earth and mankind as his logistical secondary battlefield.

In fact, Jesus later, within the earthly time dimension while manifest in human form reiterated something he himself had witnessed from his eternal perspective in Heaven. 

Luke 10:18 And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven.

Now, some theologians suggest that Satan still has access to Heaven since the record of Job seems to indicate that Satan routinely comes before God to complain. This scenario is pictured also in Revelation 12:10 where Satan is pictured regularly accusing Christians of various things. 

But there is another plausible scenario for this setting. We need to remember that the Almighty Creator God is omnipresent; unlike Satan. Satan can only appear before God when God summons him; and God can appear anywhere for such occasions. 

The verse in Revelation includes the fact that Satan accuses us before God “day and night.” Yet in Gods eternal Heaven, there is no day or night; nor time; so these railing diatribes of Satan as well as those against Job likely very well would have taken place in the realm of the second heavens and within the domain of time progression. 

So then, thus far we have drawn our best conclusions on three of our ten questions; when the war started, where it started and who started it. Now, let’s consider who the extended combatants in this supernatural war are. 

Most of the combatants in the War that Lucifer started exist in the inter-dimensional realm. They are by and large invisible to mortal mankind. They include many ranks and types of Celestial beings. (Not terrestrial)

Ephesians chapter six and verse twelve is perhaps the best identifier of these combatants. 

Ephesians 6:12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

Colossians 1:16 illustrates these combatants even more distinctly: For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: 

The mention again of the word “Heaven” in this verse alludes to the second Heaven, or our outer space, as being the battleground between the angels of the Lord and the demons of Satan. 

The high ranking angelic “principalities” in the heavens are invested in this great cosmic war and are depicted all throughout scripture as being heavily involved in the affairs of this world.

The weapons being utilized in this cosmic conflict are too many to detail. While the invisible warfare involves weaponry and technology far more advanced than is known to mankind; there is the very real likelihood that celestial beings pierce in and out of our earthly dimension with weapons and craft that can only be described as out of this world. 

Most importantly though; the weapons in this Great War, for our part, involve weapons of a spiritual nature! The most important weapons at our personal disposal are prayer, and the unchallenged truth of Almighty God. 

The effects of this War in Heaven is that it has involved everything about human life. Because mankind has become amalgamated into the rebellion of Satan, our very nature has taken on the character of the Evil one and divested us away from the designs and love of our Creator! 

The greatest effect this war has had on us is disease, chaos, sorrow, pain and Death! And there is only one way to alleviate the consequences of our mortal fate, and that is by aligning ourselves into Gods restitution program, otherwise known as Grace!

Satan has masterminded many covert strategies against Almighty God in his war to dethrone the Creator. 

First and foremost was his recruitment of other angels to join him in his war campaign and then to carry out many covert assignments against humanity. 

Secondly was his critical scheme to also entice mankind into his rebellion. 

Thirdly was his sinister conspiracy to obstruct Gods plan of human redemption by contaminating the “Seed of Woman” to preempt the foreordained plan of God to avail his own Son as the means to offer mankind a way of spiritual restoration.

Fourthly, Satan has waged an ages long campaign to destroy the national vehicle of Israel; through which God provided a Savior and trained up to give the world a record of his Holy Truth!

Fifthly, Satan conspired with the powers of this dark world to kill Gods own Son, and plotted ever since to persist in persecuting the Lords anointed.

These are just a few strategies in a quick review of Satan’s many tactics in his Great War against the God of Heaven.

Let’s move on to the last three questions in our analysis of the War in Heaven.

# When will this War end? Very simply: This ages old war will end when Jesus Christ returns to this world! He will put down all rebellion and incarcerate the Devil and his cadre of angelic rebels. Unfortunately, for many men, because they received not the truth of God, and ignored his offer of Salvation, they too will be punished  and receive the just condemnation of unrepentant sin. 

# When will this war End? Soon and very soon! That’s what Bible prophecy is all about; to warn us and alert us to the fact that Judgment Day is quickly coming!

# How will this war End? It will end quickly! Jesus will consume his enemies with the mere brightness of his coming! The epic details of The Revelation depict the final events of this Great War! 

# Who will win the War in Heaven? God will decisively win this war! In fact, it is already won! Actually, Satan is attempting to make one Last Stand, knowing full well that his fate is already sealed; yet he can’t afford to surrender; for he in essence made his bed a long time ago!

Isaiah 24:21 And it shall come to pass in that day, that the LORD shall punish the host of the high ones that are on high, and the kings of the earth upon the earth.

by: Darrell G. Young

Focus on the Bible