A Revelation Invitation

Now war arose in heaven, Michael and his angels fighting against the dragon. And the dragon and his angels fought back, but he was defeated, and there was no longer any place for them in heaven. And the great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world—he was thrown down to earth, and his angels were thrown down with him. And 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, for the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God. And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death. 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 that his time is short!” (Revelation 12:7-12 ESV)

As a boy growing up in New England, I enjoyed a magical summer of baseball rooting for the 1967 Boston Red Sox. Jim Lonborg, the ace of the pitching staff, was credited with 22 wins. But he would never have earned those wins had not first baseman George Scott launched some monstrous home runs and had not shortstop Rico Petrocelli scooped up innumerable ground balls and had not center fielder Reggie Smith run down many a fly ball and especially had not Carl Yastrzemski led the league in batting average, runs batted in and home runs. But after each victory Jim Lonborg got credit for the win. Those names may not mean anything to you. You may not appreciate or even understand the game of baseball. But the point is simple: The one who gets credit for the win does not do it alone. Everyone on the team wins the game even as the pitcher gets special recognition.

Verses 7-12 above depict the second of three defeats that the dragon suffers in Revelation 12. We would never have become aware of this epic heavenly battle had it not been revealed to John in his vision. The war between the archangel Michael and the dragon (Satan) ended when Satan and his angels were cast down to earth losing whatever standing they previously had in heaven. When the victory is announced, notice who is credited with the win.“[T]hey have conquered him [the dragon] by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony.” They—our brothers and sisters—had conquered him! Even as Michael vanquishes the dragon, the Christians are said to have conquered him! How can that be so? It seems that this battle was fought simultaneously in heaven and on earth. The angels have our backs. As Michael and his angels battled in heaven, they enabled God’s people on earth to overcome the devil. Whereas Michael and his angels fought the war, the Holy Spirit credits victory to the Christians—by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony.

We continue to experience the impact of Satan’s banishment everyday. He is angry. He attacks. He accuses. He deceives. However, if we trust in the blood of the Lamb as we testify to the gospel of Jesus Christ, we will continue to conquer that ancient serpent. Even as battles—his deceptions, his accusations and his attacks—wage on against us, the victory is real and the victory is ours!

Righteous Father, I acknowledge my unworthiness. The accuser is always quick to define me by my sins and failures. I offer no defense of my waywardness. I rely only on the blood of your Son. The devil’s attacks are ceaseless. I ask you to shield me. I rejoice that through the blood of Jesus you view me as your child and not as the sinner that I am. Only give me power to proclaim the gospel of your Son. Amen.