The Remnant & The Mission: The War in Heaven.
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Trouble in paradise
Trouble in paradise
It’s 740 AD, and China is going though a Golden Age of cultural and economic period under the emporer Xuanzong’s long rule of the Tang dynasty. His capital is in the city of Chang’an and was considered a utopian metropolis.
This was the age of China’s greatest poetry by LI Bai and Du Fu, exquisite art and massive libraries were the centre piece of China’s cultural influence.
On top of that, the Silk Road brought unparelleled riches, luxury goods and diplomats from all over the world to China making it the hub of exquisite trade.
For decades China in this period experienced security and prosperity for decades to come as most of China enjoyed the peace and prosperity this empire had to offer.
The emporer was at peace, no more wars that were waged, no sense of rebellion by his people. Emporer Xuanzong was living the life and wanted to spend the rest of his days in total luxury with his beloved consort Yang Guifei.
He eventually checked out of daily politics and lived in the hot springs and palace gardens with his consort and left the governance of the empire to his ministers and generals.
But as we all know when it comes to political ministers and generals, power corrupts, and so corruption plagued the empire and the emporer’s most trusted general, An Lushan, who was considered a brilliant military commander and personal favourite of the emporer and Yang Guifei decided to march his massive, battle-hardened army straight toward the imperial heartland in 755 AD.
Emporer Xuanzong’s luxuries paradise collapsed as he was forced to flee from his betrayers. Sadly, along the escape route, his own soliders who protected him turned on him and mutinied, blaming Yang Guifei and her family for the disaster that before them. They refused to march until she was put to death for her role of the downfall.
The emporer had no choice but to relent to their demands and ordered an attendant to supervise her forced suicide.
His bit of luxurious paradise came to an end and all he had left was to be on the run fighting an unending war against those he trusted. Now, I don’t know whether he was a good leader, or whether he was a bad one, but it is as if we can never have anything good when there is evil nearby.
A Conflict in Paradise
A Conflict in Paradise
We’re going to look at a section of the Bible that brings up a lot of question, and as we continue on this series of The Remnant and The Mission, it helps us understand why things are the way they are.
On Wednesday night we already talked about the identity of the woman who is pregnant, we also revealed the identity of the red fiery dragon and the Child that is to become King. But Revelation 12 brings to our attenting something that is beyond belief and gets us asking some serious and important questions about God and what happens in heaven.
7 And war broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels fought with the dragon; and the dragon and his angels fought, 8 but they did not prevail, nor was a place found for them in heaven any longer. 9 So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.
10 Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, “Now salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down. 11 And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death. 12 Therefore rejoice, O heavens, and you who dwell in them! Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and the sea! For the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, because he knows that he has a short time.”
So, let’s ask this important question which is how is it possible that there could be a war or a conflict in heaven? I mean, how is it possible that there can be war in paradise? A war in God’s kingdom? Does this mean that our God isn’t good good at governing? Does that mean that God is not in control? What happened in heaven that caused this conflict and why are we affected?
First off, let us look at the players involved in this conflict in heaven, we have two players in this war, and we are told they are Michael and the dragon. So, we need to ask who is Michael? We already know who the fiery red dragon is from our previous talk, so now we need to know who is Michael.
Well what do we know of Him so far? According to Revelation 12, Michael has angels accompanying and fighting with Him, it appears that Michael is the Commander of these angels. But, what else do we know of Him? Well, Michael is also mentioned in other parts of the Bible.
Who is Michael?
Who is Michael?
The first mention of Michael is actually in Daniel 10:13
13 But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me twenty-one days; and behold, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, for I had been left alone there with the kings of Persia.
Here we’re told that He is ‘one of the chief princes’, in that same chapter, verse 21.
21 But I will tell you what is noted in the Scripture of Truth. (No one upholds me against these, except Michael your prince.
We are told that Michael is our prince.
In Daniel 12:1
1 “At that time Michael shall stand up,
The great prince who stands watch over the sons of your people;
And there shall be a time of trouble,
Such as never was since there was a nation,
Even to that time.
And at that time your people shall be delivered,
Every one who is found written in the book.
We are told that Michael is a great prince who stands watch over God’s people, and when He stands up there shall be a time of trouble, yet those whose names are written in the book will be saved.
In verse 2 it reveals a bit more about Michael after He stands up.
2 And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake,
Some to everlasting life,
Some to shame and everlasting contempt.
This is interesting because after Michael stands up and we’ve already read verse 1, but here in verse 2 the dead in Christ shall awake to everlasting life and the wicked shall awake to shame and everlasting contempt.
We also find in the book of Jude 9
9 Yet Michael the archangel, in contending with the devil, when he disputed about the body of Moses, dared not bring against him a reviling accusation, but said, “The Lord rebuke you!”
Here we’re told that Michael is an archangel, and here contending with the body of Moses, so what do we know so far about Michael:
One of the Chief Princes (Dan 10:13)
He is our Prince (Dan 10:21)
When He stands, it corresponds to the second coming of Jesus (Dan 12.1-2)
Michael is an archangel (Jude 9)
Michael is the Commander of the angels and fights with the dragon and his angels (Rev 12:7)
So, with this information that we have, we got some idea of who Michael is, He is a Chief Prince and our Prince, and He is an Archangel as well as the Commander of the angels, when He stands it starts the second coming Because what’s interesting is in 1 Thessalonians 4:16
16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.
We see a connection with Michael and with Jesus, voice of an archangel and as it said in Daniel 12:2 the dead in Christ rise.
But turn with me to Joshua 5:13-15
13 And it came to pass, when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted his eyes and looked, and behold, a Man stood opposite him with His sword drawn in His hand. And Joshua went to Him and said to Him, “Are You for us or for our adversaries?”
14 So He said, “No, but as Commander of the army of the Lord I have now come.”
And Joshua fell on his face to the earth and worshiped, and said to Him, “What does my Lord say to His servant?”
15 Then the Commander of the Lord’s army said to Joshua, “Take your sandal off your foot, for the place where you stand is holy.” And Joshua did so.
Notice that the Commander of the army of the Lord, or the Commander of angels says to Joshua to take his sandals off, for where he is standing is holy.
Consider as well when we think about the angel of the Lord who speaks with Moses, was Moses also asked to take his sandals off? This was the same angel of the Lord that spoke to Moses through the burning bush and said His name was “I AM”?
Friends, with the evidence that we have from the Bible, it appears that Michael is Jesus. Or should I say that Michael is another name for Jesus, and it was Jesus and His angels that are fighting satan and his angels in heaven, it was Jesus who defeated the devil and it is Jesus that will come again to make a final end to sin. Michael in Hebrew means ‘Who is like God’ which is very fitting as Jesus is God.
What’s the deal with the dragon?
What’s the deal with the dragon?
But, what’s with all this conflict? Who is satan and what does he want to accomplish? Why does satan want to fight against God?
Well as I have shared before, the Bible alone explains itself and give us a reason for how this conflict started, especially why it started.
14 “You were the anointed cherub who covers;
I established you;
You were on the holy mountain of God;
You walked back and forth in the midst of fiery stones.
15 You were perfect in your ways from the day you were created,
Till iniquity was found in you.
Here we are introduced to an angel, in this case the anointed cherub who covers.
This angelic being held a very high position in heaven, he was the angel that would be beside the throne of God. Best way to visualise this is by looking at the Ark of the Covenant, where you had two angels on the lid of the Ark, these two angels had their wings cover the centre which was the mercy seat where God resides.
The Ark of the Covenant was a copy or pattern of what the kingdom of heaven is like and it is here at the throne is where we find the anointed cherub who covers.
We are told that he was created and that he was perfect in his ways but we’re also told that iniquity was found in him. What was this iniquity that caused this anointed cherub to sin against his Creator? Why would he rebel against God?
12 “How you are fallen from heaven,
O Lucifer, son of the morning!
How you are cut down to the ground,
You who weakened the nations!
13 For you have said in your heart:
‘I will ascend into heaven,
I will exalt my throne above the stars of God;
I will also sit on the mount of the congregation
On the farthest sides of the north;
14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds,
I will be like the Most High.’
Here we are given a name of this angelic being and his name is Lucifer, which means, ‘shining one’ or ‘brilliant one’, the Greeks would translate his name to ‘morning star’. But, Lucifier would have been a magnificant angel to look upon, in Ezekiel 28:12-13 it describes him perfect with the characteristics adorned with precious and delicate gems.
However, here we’re told of his downfall and why iniquity was found in him, do you see a what his problem was? What pattern do you see as you read from these verses in Isaiah?
In his heart, pride got the better of him, pride was what caused this majestic anointed cherub to sin. It was his pride that instigated a war in a place of holiness and reverence, it was pride that caused a war against his fellow angels and against God who loves him. It was pride that not only caused his downfall, but the downfall of God’s creatures on this earth.
The war in heaven was about jealousy and envy, a want for all of heaven to worship the created rather than the Creator. To bring the honour and glory meant for God to self-pride because if I can’t have it then no one can.
And as such, this angel becomes the devil, he becomes satan, the word devil means slanderer in Greek, or enemy. Lucifer would slander the character of God and and enemy. Lucifer would also become satan a Hebrew word for adversary, someone who would oppose and conflict with God to contest and dispute why He is worthy to be worshipped rather than him.
Going back to Revelation 12, here you see what satan gets up to day in day out:
10 Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, “Now salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down.
And friends, let me get this straight, though the battle is won in heaven, the war is far from over as satan and his companions continue to accuse us day and night accusing God that He failed us and not worthy of worship.
This is what we call the ‘Great Controversy’ a battle between good and evil, it’s not with guns and swords, it’s about faith and loyalty. It’s about life and death. You either believe that satan is right or you either believe Jesus is right, is God worthy of worship or do you take the side of satan and declare that He isn’t worthy of worship.
A choice we need to make
A choice we need to make
This title of this series is ‘The Remnant and The Mission’, on Wednesday we talked about the woman, this dragon and the Child. Today we’ve talked about why the dragon is angry towards the woman and Child.
It’s about worship, it’s about pride and greed, it’s about power, it’s about rebellion towards God. But, sadly the world has fallen to the deception of satan’s slander, the world has sided with the adversary, the one that accuses us day and night.
The world has come to a point where they would rather worship themselves rather than worship the Creator, humanity is at a brink to pride itself before God believing that they no longer need a God to direct their paths.
1 But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: 2 For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3 unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, 4 traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God,
The same characteristics of satan and the devil, adversaries of God.
But there is a solution to what lies ahead, God hasn’t given us up to satan’s scheme for humanity.
11 And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death. 12 Therefore rejoice, O heavens, and you who dwell in them! Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and the sea! For the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, because he knows that he has a short time.”
We can overcome the evil one by the blood of Jesus, we have the testimonies found in the Bible and in our faith in Him. But are we willing to give our lives for the truth? For God’s truth? Because this is the choice that we need to make, either we choose life in Jesus who stands for the truth or we choose the alternative way which leads to destruction.
Because as it says in verse 12, satan knows he has a short time, and his attitude is, if I can’t have worship then I no one else will. He’s willing to die for his pride, are you?
Friends, indeed, we have a choice to make would you choose to be an ally of life or an adversary of death? To choose Jesus or to choose the devil.
15 And if it seems evil to you to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”
