"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 the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him.
(Revelation 12:7-9)
John describes the same period of time, yet from a different perspective–not that of the struggle on earth between the woman and the dragon which we see throughout the greater drama of redemptive history–but this time a “behind the scenes glimpse” of the cosmic and heavenly struggle, which culminates in the banishment of Satan from the presence of God. Once the woman has given birth and the Messiah has come, Satan suffers a great defeat. Again, John describes this in apocalyptic terms, as a war between angelic beings. Says John, “And there was war in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back. But he [the Dragon] was not strong enough, and they lost their place in heaven.”
As a result of this defeat, says John, “the great dragon was hurled down—that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him.” This is what Jesus is speaking of in Luke 10:18, when he says, “I saw Satan fall like lightening from heaven.” This is the same event described by John in Revelation 20, when the thousand years (the millennial age) begin. “And I saw an angel coming down out of heaven, having the key to the Abyss and holding in his hand a great chain. He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil, or Satan, and bound him for a thousand years. He threw him into the Abyss, and locked and sealed it over him, to keep him from deceiving the nations anymore until the thousand years were ended. After that, he must be set free for a short time.” Therefore, having been defeated by Jesus Christ, Satan is cast down to the earth, banished to abyss, bound by the preaching of the gospel, and now enraged because his days are numbered. But like a mortally wounded animal, Satan is more dangerous now than ever.
(Dr. Kim Riddlebarger)
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