The Spread of Unbelief

Read Revelation 12. What does this chapter teach about the spread of

the rebellion in heaven to the earth?

The fall of Lucifer was not a simple clash of conflicting ideas.

Revelation 12 tells us that a major war broke out in heaven between

Lucifer and his angels on one side and Christ and His angels on

the other. In this passage, Lucifer is called “the great dragon,” the

“serpent of old,” “the Devil and Satan,” and “the accuser of our

brethren” (Rev. 12:9, 10, NKJV). Christ is referred to as “Michael”

(Rev. 12:7), which means “who is like God.”

Based on the allusion to “Michael the archangel” (Jude 9), some

interpreters believe that He is only an angelic being. But in the book of

Daniel, each major vision culminates with Christ and His everlasting

kingdom—as the stone cut out without hands (Dan. 2:34, 45), as the Son

of man (Dan. 7:13), as the Prince of the host and the Prince of princes

(Dan. 8:11, 25), and as Michael the great prince (Dan. 12:1). So, as the

Angel of the Lord is the Lord Himself (Exod. 3:1–6, Acts 7:30–33, etc.),

Michael must be the same Divine Person (i.e., Christ Himself).

Revelation 12 provided a general overview of this ongoing contro-

versy, which (1) began in heaven with the rebellion of Lucifer and

one-third of the heavenly angels, (2) culminated with Christ’s decisive

victory at the cross, and (3) still continues against God’s end-time

remnant people.

Reflecting on the beginning of this controversy, Ellen G. White

explains that “God in His great mercy bore long with Lucifer. He

was not immediately degraded from his exalted station when he first

indulged the spirit of discontent, nor even when he began to present his

false claims before the loyal angels. Long was he retained in heaven.

Again and again he was offered pardon on condition of repentance and

submission.”—Ellen G. White, The Great Controversy, pp. 495, 496.

We do not know how long that war lasted in the heavenly realms.

Regardless of its intensity and time span, the most important aspect of

the whole struggle was that Satan and his angels “were defeated, and

there was no longer any place for them in heaven” (Rev. 12:8, NRSV; see

also Luke 10:18). The problem, of course, was that they came here, to

the earth.

What are ways in which we can see the reality of this battle being

played out on the earth? What is our only hope to overcome our

enemy in this battle?