Introduction: Grace be to you and peace, from God our Father, and from our Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ. Our text is the Second Lesson from Revelation 12. We begin with prayer.
Dear fellow disciples of our Savior and Lord Jesus Christ:
- Our text provides us with explanation as to why things are the way they are in this our lifetime. It describes an intermediate period in the conflict between God and the devil, between good and evil. There is “woe” to earth and sea, and presumably to those “who dwell therein.” However, there is joy in heaven – joy for God’s people even in the midst of the great tribulation imposed upon us by the devil and those who belong to him.
- However, our text does not describe the final dispatch of the devil and all evil. These comes toward the end of the book, fittingly. I want to read these verses to you, from Chapter 20.
“Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, holding in his hand the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain. And he seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years, and threw him into the pit, and shut it and sealed it over him, so that he might not deceive the nations any longer, until the thousand years were ended. After that he must be released for a little while. Then I saw thrones, and seated on them were those to whom the authority to judge was committed. Also I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus and for the Word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is the one who shares in the first resurrection! Over such the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and they will reign with Him for a thousand years. And when the thousand years are ended, Satan will be released from his prison and will come out to deceive the nations that are at the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them for battle; their number is like the sand of the sea. And they marched up over the broad plain of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city, but fire came down from heaven and consumed them, and the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur where the beast and the false prophet were, and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.” [Rev. 20:1-10]
- So, there is this expulsion from heaven, a period of the devil deceiving people on earth, a period where he is disallowed power to deceive, then a short period of release to marshal the enemies of God for their destruction. Then hell forever for the devil and those committed to their side. Michael ultimately seizes the devil and throws him into the lake of fire and sulfur.
- In our text we read that the devil is in great wrath because “he knows that his time is short.” That is the great good news in our text. God wins. This is our comfort and assurance no matter what! We learn that:
I. There Will Be War, A Final Conflict, And Victory For God
Text: “Now war arose in heaven, Michael and his angels fighting against the dragon.
A. The Devil And His Fight Back
Text: “And the dragon and his angels fought back.”
B. Michael And God’s Side Win – The Evil Is Expelled From Heaven
Text: “But the dragon was defeated and there was no longer any place for them in heaven. “
C. So Heaven Is Purified Of His Presence
Text: “There was no longer any place for them in heaven.”
Statement: Wherever we go, wherever we turn, it seems that our world in filled with conflict. There is no absolute need for this – we can envision people behaving themselves, minding their own business, and leaving us alone. However, this seems rarely to be the case. And it is no different in the spiritual realm, the heavenly places. And even though the devil has been cast down to earth there is still conflict for God and His angels – for they protect us from the great wrath and fury of the evil ones.
Application: So, while we participate in the woe of the devil’s wrath, all is not lost for us. We still rejoice with the heavens and those who dwell in them. For the Lord God omnipotent reigneth – our Lord Jesus Christ. He still protects us and works all things together for our great good, by His own almighty power. And this also means that:
II. We Too Win – By The Blood Of Jesus
Text: “They have conquered [the devil] by the blood of the Lamb.”
A. The Accuser Loses; He Can No Longer Convict Us
Text: “The accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God.” [Think of Job]
Rom. 8:33,34 “Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, Who was raised—Who is at the right hand of God, Who indeed is interceding for us.”
B. We Testify To God’s Love In Christ
Text: “They have conquered [the devil] by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony.”
C. We Have Even Now The Salvation And Power And Kingdom Of God, And His Authority
Text: “I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying: ‘Now the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of His Christ have come.”
D. And So We Are Willing To Suffer – The Victory Is Ours
Text: “They have conquered the devil by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death.’”
Statement: So you see the privilege that we have of participating in the conflict and contributing to victory of God and His people. It is all by faith, faith in the Son of God, the blood atonement for our sins, the Ruler of the Universe. The nature of our victory is clear – we conquer by Jesus’ blood, by knowing God’s love, which compels us to testify to Christ and God’s love even if it means “war” and conflict to the death!
Application: You may not be called upon to lay your life down, but you might. So, we must be prepared to do so. We are prepared to do so when we are so immersed and enamored by the love of God in Christ that it becomes our principle cause in life. This is what we are doing here – imbibing the love of God in Christ, in His Word, and in His precious sacrament. And this is important, for we learn in our text that:
III. The Devil Intensifies His Evil On Earth Because He Knows He Is Lost And That His Time Is Short
Text: “Therefore, rejoice, O heavens and you who dwell in them! But woe to you, O earth and sea, for the devil has come down to you in great wrath, because he knows his time is short.”
Statement: The devil knows the outcome. He knows the curtailment of his power, his ability to cause evil. Still he accuses and deceives as much as he can, and sadly, many succumb to him and join his side. And he knows what is soon to come, for his time is short.
Application: If he knows, then we should surely know too. It is important to know! It steadies us against the wrath and accusation of the devil and his ilk. To know these things emboldens us to victory – by the salvation and power and kingdom and authority of God! We know how to win – with the blood of Jesus, and our testimony, and our priorities as children of God!
Conclusion: So, this is why things are the way they are on earth today. But it will not always be so! The time is coming, and it is coming shortly! And it will be glorious for God and for all who belong to Him by faith in Jesus Christ! And then the conflict will cease and there will be only perfect peace! Amen, come Lord Jesus, come! Amen.
Votum: And the peace of God which surpasses all human understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds in the true faith, which is in Christ Jesus, even unto life everlasting, Amen.