Hell's War on Heaven pt. 3

The reason we are in the book of Revelation is because we have been asking the question, “What in the world is going on?” Friends, I ask myself that question daily.

Pediatrician declares an infinite number of genders; kids can identify as candy.

Why is this world so crazy? Why does everything seem upside down? Want the answer? It’s because there is a war going on. Not a war of nation against nation, not man against man, but a war of good versus evil. Everyone of us needs to ask ourselves, “What am I willing to do about it?”

There is a danger in studying prophecy like the book of Revelation, that is we tend to focus on the future aspect of it, the events that have not taken place yet, and we lose sight of the practical aspect of it and the events that happening before our eyes.

The war that is raging began thousands of years ago when, of all creatures, an angel decided he could do a better job than God. Revelation 12:4 tells us where this war began, but verses 7-17 tell us where it will end.

Read with me beginning in verse 7...

Church, knowing how it will all end does not give us the excuse to slack off, sit down, and quit.

Let me share with you some reasons we should not let up, there is, first of all, the...

Unquestionable Outcome 7-12

Satan and his forces have been fighting this hopeless battle for thousands of years, but I want to point out that they have not slacked off in their fight! Do not let their relentlessness keep you from the fight.

Notice that right in the beginning of this section we see that...

The Outcome is Declared

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

I am glad today that God includes the good news alongside the bad news!

I’m glad that I don’t have to go to bed tonight and worry about how this is all going to turn out.

I’m glad that God constantly reminds me of the fact that He wins.

We ought to be excited about this, but there is something else we need to see, notice how...

The Outcasts are Described

Have you ever stopped to consider that Satan has access to heaven today?

He is called the accuser of the brethren, where does he do the accusing? In heaven!

Job 1:6-7 “6 Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan came also among them. 7 And the Lord said unto Satan, Whence comest thou? Then Satan answered the Lord, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it.”

That the word ‘war’ is used in verse 7 indicates that either there are still battles raging in heaven, or it could indicate that there will be one more final assault on heaven before they are cast out permanently.

I tend to lean toward it being a last battle, a last attempt to overthrow God

At this point, however, Satan will not overthrow God, but he and his angels will be thrown out of heaven

The word “cast” is used three times here

It speaks of violence, of being thrown down, cast out, thrust out.

No longer will “…their place be found anymore in heaven.”

Place = spot. They will have worn out their welcome.

No longer will they be able to enter heaven and approach the throne of God. Imagine knowing that the only thing you’ll have to look forward to at this point is hell.

Listen to heaven’s reaction to devil being cast out forever! Revelation 12:10-12

Revelation 12:10–12 KJV 1900

10 And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night. 11 And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death. 12 Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time.

No longer will he be the accuser of the brethren because he will have lost access to the One he was accusing us to. There is rejoicing in heaven over that! Christian, keep your faith today! We win!

There is rejoicing in heaven, but there is woe on the earth! Why? Becasue Satan is now ‘come down unto’ the earth where humans live, and he hates humans, but especially those who love God.

At the risk of getting ahead of myself, I want to point out that Satan, doesn’t just come down to earth, but he comes down angrily to the earth. Why? Becasue of the knowledge that he has but a short time. This is exhibited by his...

Unwavering Opposition 13-16

Cast out of heaven or not, Satan will not relent in his hatred of God and His people. He is unwavering in his opposition. Notice...

Satan’s Persecution v. 4, 13

He opposed Israel from the first mention of her Messiah.

He had attempted to keep Jesus from being born

He attempted to kill Him after He was born

He tried to kill Him during His ministry

But He could not keep Him from going to the cross!

In the last years of the tribulation he will focus all of his hatred toward God on Israel and destroying them

Revelation 12:13 “13 And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth, he persecuted the woman which brought forth the man child.”

Read verse 6

Now look at 14-16

I’ll point out that the phrase “a thousand two hundered and three score days” in verse 4 and the prhase “a time, times, and half a time” in verse 14 are equal.

1260 days = 3.5 years

A time (singular = 1), times (plural = 2, or 1+2=3) and half a time = 1/2 leaves us with 3.5 years.

This occurs during the last half of the tribulation when Satan leads the antichrist to abandon his promises to Israel and to persecute the people he swore to protect!

Guess what they don’t need his protection because they have...

God’s Protection v. 6, 14-16

Rev. 12:6 “6 And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days.”

Where this place is we do not know.

Many have offered suggestions, and some are believable, but the answer is we do not know, therefore we do not try to name it

Verses 14-16 tell us that God will give to Israel wings as eagles...

Obviously this is not to be taken literally, nor it is intended for us to think it has already been fulfilled…ie when Israelis first started returning to the land after WW2.

God’s intended purpose in this passage is that of swiftness. With the speed of eagles they will find the refuge which God has provided for them.

Nothing will touch them!

Satan will “cast out of his mouth water as a flood…”

It’s possible this is a metaphorical flood, possibly a military invasion

Certainly just before Jesus returns Israel will be surrounded by her enemies, led by the antichrist.

but God will cause the earth to open up and swallow them whole.

God certainly has done this in the past, there is nothing to stop Him from doing it again in the future.

The Bottom line is this: no matter how angry Satan is, God will let NOTHING happen to His people!

Look with me at the closing verse of chapter 12… Revelation 12:17

Revelation 12:17 KJV 1900

17 And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.

The word wroth means to be enraged.

Let me be clear, the “remnant of her seed...” refers to the remnant of Israel, but we could very easily make application to us today.

If you love the Lord, then Satan hates you, he is “wroth” with you today. He hates your testimony. He hates when you pray. He hates when you come to church. He hates when you read your Bible. He hates when you tell others about Jesus. He hates your guts!

What do we do? Keep it up. We don’t slack off, we don’t give up, we don’t quit.

Conclusion:

Friends, I am thankful to be on the winning side today. I’m thankful that when Jesus comes that I know I will will be raptured out of here, that I have a home waiting for me in heaven, and I know that is where I will spend eternity. If you know that is true for you today, will you raise your hand and wave it at God?

Time is short. Each day brings us closer to the rapture, if you do not know where you will spend eternity, take care of that today. Is there someone here today that would say, “Pastor, I’m not 100% sure that if I died today I’d go to heaven, but I’m 100% sure I do not want to go to hell.” Will you raise your hand?

Let’s stand to our feet and sing one verse...