Thursday, April 28, 2022
“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” (Revelation 12:10 KJV).
Behold, the evil categorizer!
Just before we the Church the Body of Christ occupy the heavenly places and subsequently reign for our Saviour’s glory (Ephesians 1:3,20-23; Ephesians 2:6,7; Colossians 1:16-20), the defiled heavenly realm must be vacated of all evil beings. Satan’s multimillions of angelic cohorts—the “spiritual wickedness in high [same in Greek as ‘heavenly’] places” (Ephesians 6:12)—must be addressed. Here is the purpose of the battle in the context of today’s Scripture.
We re-read Revelation 12:7-9: “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 any more in heaven. And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.” With Satan and his troops defeated and permanently evicted from outer space (second heaven), they are thrown down to Earth to afflict it for the last 42 months of Daniel’s 70th Week. Those last three-and-one-half years will close with Christ’s glorious return.
As we fill Heaven’s governmental offices, God’s authority in the heavenly places is restored. Israel’s believing remnant on Earth, aware of our occupation high above, prays, “Our Father which are in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:9,10; Luke 11:2). To wit, as God’s kingdom has now been founded in Heaven, Israel’s Little Flock implores the Lord to return to them and also establish His earthly kingdom with them. Jesus Christ’s Second Coming to Earth is His reply.
Yet, there is a difficulty: Israel’s unresolved sin dilemma obstructs righteousness in the Earth. Let us consider one last passage to see Almighty God finally settle the sin issue for His earthly people….
Bible Q&A #945: “What are ‘bunches of camels?’”