2. What does it take to stop you?
The War in Heaven:
What does it take to stop you?

3. The War: Michael and angels vs. the Dragon and his angels.
The War in Heaven:
The War:
Michael and angels vs. the Dragon and his angels.
Dragon – defeat, cast out
Names of the Dragon: Ancient Serpent, Devil, Satan, Deceiver of the World
Michael vs. Dragon
Not God vs. Dragon – there is no equality, no dualism
Michael – on the offensive, Dragon – defensive
Michael – Archangel of Daniel 12:1; Jude 9
Archangel – General of armies
Cast Out of heaven
More on timing in a minute
Names
Ancient serpent – picture of the Garden of Eden – Gen. 3
Devil – διάβολος – Slanderer, adversarial one – used in the Gospels
Satan – from Hebrew – accuser, opponent – Job 1
Deceiver – To lead astray – the great deceiver, father of lies – John 8:44

4. The War: Thrown Down to Earth – When? The War in Heaven: Keys:
Basis of casting down – v.11
What he does when cast down – v.12,13
Thrown down at the Death and Resurrection of Christ
A detailed description of v.5,6
Thrown to Earth
V.11 – reason Michael defeated him
Compare to Jude 9 – not by Michael’s power, but by the Lord’s!
Our victory – based on God’s power!!!!
When cast down – pursues the woman
Pursue – also used for persecute – Acts 9:4,5
V.12 - Woe to the Earth – god of this world – with wrath
It will get worse before it is better
“Time is Short” - desperation
Two major thoughts:
Happens at the midpoint of tribulation (dispensationalists)
Happens at the resurrection – persecutions ongoing

5. The War: Salvation and the Kingdom have come The War in Heaven:
Based on Christ’s authority
Accusations no longer
Because of:
Blood of the Lamb
Word of their Testimony
μαρτυρία
Salvation and Kingdom
Not the final kingdom – Dragon still loose upon the earth
Realized, but not consummated
Romans 8:31-39
Who is to condemn?
Christ now intercedes – our Advocate – 1 John 2:1,2
No more accusation – Rom.8:1
If so, Sin does not reign over us – Rom. 6:12
We give it more space that it has!
Blood of the Lamb – Passover allusion
What did it do – death passed over, brought release from bondage and price paid for life unto the Lord
Word of their Testimony
Testimony = μαρτυρία – Martyr.
Word of their martyrdom
Word of their devotion!
Confession of the heart as the confession of the life!
Read – Tried by Fire – Saint Lawerence
For they loved not their lives even unto death
Mark 8:34-38

6. The War: Dragon pursues the Woman Woman – given wings of eagles
The War in Heaven:
The War:
Dragon pursues the Woman
Woman – given wings of eagles
Dragon – futile, rages on
Dragon – sands of the sea
Pursuit = persecution
Woman – Wings of Eagles
OT Allusion:
Ex 19:4 – Exodus
Isa. 40:31 – Return from Exile
Dragon – rages on
Water from the mouth – allusion to Pharoah
Ex. 1:22 – cast sons in the nile
Eze. 29:3 – application – serpent/pharoah/opposition
Earth opens up – Same as opposition to Moses – Num.16:30-34
God will protect His own!
Offspring – followers of Christ
Sands of the Sea
Matt. 7:24-27
The great dragon is futile – but he is desperately deceiving!
DON”T BUY WHAT HE IS SELLING!

7. “O Lord, where, today in this hour of crisis and need and desperation, where are the men of God and the saints in the house of the Lord who devoted unto our great Saviour their lives unto death? Who seal the doctrines with the words of their martyrdom and who have no other trust and no other assurance but to lean on the everlasting arms, looking to the cross of Jesus, trusting in the blood of the crucified One?”
W.A. Criswell – Sermons on Revelation, Vol. 4

8. The soul that on Jesus hath leaned for repose,
I will not, I will not, desert to its foes.
That soul tho’ all hell should endeavor to shake,
I’ll never, no never, no never forsake.
Hymn – How Firm a Foundation

9. Weep no more; behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered.
Takeaway Thought.