Hello everyone,
I'm new to this forum so please bear with me. I read the Lake of Fire series and believe it as the truth. I do have a few questions though. How to interpret some of the verses I'm not sure of in the Word? In part IX " Life and mission of satan the serpent devil" Ray clearly illustrated via Scripture that satan never was an angel cast out of heaven. In Revelation 12:7-9 we read the following:
"Rev 12:7 And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels going out to the fight with the dragon; and the dragon and his angels made war,
Rev 12:8 And they were overcome, and there was no more place for them in heaven.
Rev 12:9 And the great dragon was forced down, the old snake, who is named the Evil One and Satan, by whom all the earth is turned from the right way; he was forced down to the earth, and his angels were forced down with him".
So the immediate assumption made (at least by me) was that satan( and his angels) is/was in heaven and is to be/was cast down to earth.
Now the book of Revelation is the revelation of Jesus Christ and I take it that most of what is written in this book is still to come. But I'm not sure, hence my question in the subject line. Can anyone shed some more light on this verse please?
Thanks
Traveltramp
Hello Traveltramp,
The testimony of Revelation is neither 'the past only' nor 'the future only'. All the symbolism used throughout the book of Revelation is fulfilled in the life of the believer, in all believers in all generations.
The word 'Heaven' in Rev 12 is not a literal place, high in the sky. It is symbolic of a higher, spiritual realm than the earth...similar to Christ's admonition against the town of Capernaum [Matt 11:23, Luke 10:15] and Ray explains in more detail in LOF #9, under the heading '
GOD’S HEAVEN IS HIGHER THAN MAN’S HEAVEN'.
The 'war' being spoken of is the same 'war' that Paul was engaged in:
Rom 7:23 I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.
Eph 6:11-13 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high ['high' as in 'heavenly']
places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.As it says in Rev 12:8, they [Satan & his angels] were 'overcome':
1 John 4:4 Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.
1 John 5:4-5 For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?Satan is the god of this world (II Cor. 4:4). Satan possesses ALL the kingdoms of the world (Matt. 4:8-9). And his ministers [angels] appear as ministers of righteousness [1 Cor 11:15]. Rev 12 is using symbols to express how believers overcome Satan and his ministry in this world, throughout their life...and in every life of the believers down through the generations starting at the apostles.
Hope this is not too much of a mouthful but continue reading the site. Ray goes over all these points, and more, in far greater detail in the LOF series as well as other papers.
Hope this helps,
Marques