seekeroftruth
Well-Known Member
Revelation 12:7 Then war broke out in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back. 8 But he was not strong enough, and they lost their place in heaven. 9 The great dragon was hurled down—that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him.
According to the commentaries, the first verses of Revelation 12 are out of time sequence. The commentaries seem to agree that these verses are about the scene in the Garden of Eden. However, IMHO, this war happened after Jesus conquered Death.
Look at the easy English commentary.
There was a war in heaven. Satan (the dragon) and his angels were on the one side. Michael and his angels were on the other side.
Satan used to be an angel. He had tried to be equal with God. But Satan failed and so he had to leave heaven. He took with him those angels who had supported him. But, Satan was still able to go in and out of heaven. So, this event is his final battle in heaven.
Michael is one of the chief angels of God. Michael fought against Satan and defeated him. Satan and his forces failed in the fight. They could not stay in heaven and they had to leave.
The dragon means Satan. He is the devil. He was also the snake that caused people to sin (Genesis 3:1-7).
Michael threw Satan and his angels out of heaven. He threw them down to the earth.
Satan used to be an angel. He had tried to be equal with God. But Satan failed and so he had to leave heaven. He took with him those angels who had supported him. But, Satan was still able to go in and out of heaven. So, this event is his final battle in heaven.
Michael is one of the chief angels of God. Michael fought against Satan and defeated him. Satan and his forces failed in the fight. They could not stay in heaven and they had to leave.
The dragon means Satan. He is the devil. He was also the snake that caused people to sin (Genesis 3:1-7).
Michael threw Satan and his angels out of heaven. He threw them down to the earth.
We follow the Bible Hub commentary.... Then this is about the Roman Government after the crucifixion.
As heaven means here the throne of the Roman empire, the war in heaven consequently alludes to the breaking out of civil commotions among the governors of this empire.
The advocates of the heathen idolatry were prevented from having any farther share in the government of the empire. The wonderful success of Constantine over all his enemies, and his final triumph over Licinius, correspond exactly to the symbolical language in this verse.
The advocates of the heathen idolatry were prevented from having any farther share in the government of the empire. The wonderful success of Constantine over all his enemies, and his final triumph over Licinius, correspond exactly to the symbolical language in this verse.
The heathen power is called that old serpent which deceived the whole world, from its subtlety against the Christians, and its causing the whole Roman world, as far as it was in its power, to embrace the absurdities of paganism. It is called the devil, from its continual false accusations and slanders against the true worshippers of God, for the devil is a liar from the beginning; and it is also called Satan, שטן, which is a Hebrew word signifying an adversary, from its frequent persecutions of the Christian Church. The dragon and his angels are said to be cast out, which is more than was said in the preceding verse. There mention is made of his being found no longer in heaven, or on the throne of the Roman empire, here he is entirely cast out from all offices of trust in the empire; his religion is first only tolerated, and then totally abolished, by the imperial power. This great event was not the work of a reign; it took up many years, for it had to contend with the deep-rooted prejudices of the heathen, who to the very last endeavored to uphold their declining superstition. Paganism received several mortal strokes in the time of Constantine and his sons Constans and Constantius. It was farther reduced by the great zeal of Jovian, Valentinian, and Valens; and was finally suppressed by the edicts of Gratian, Theodosius I., and his successors. It was not till a.d. 388 that Rome itself, the residence of the emperor, was generally reformed from the absurdities of paganism; but the total suppression of paganism soon followed the conversion of the metropolitan city, and about a.d. 395 the dragon may be considered, in an eminent sense, to have been cast into the earth, that is, into a state of utter subjection to the ruling dynasty of Christian emperors.
So this commentary says these verses are about the fall of Rome rather than the Garden of Eden. In other words, Rome fell because it's battle against Christianity.
