Hi micah, I think the idea of Satan trying to overthrow God's throne may come from Revelation 12 where it speaks of war in heaven.
Rev 12:7 And war broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels fought with the dragon; and the dragon and his angels fought,
v. 8 but they did not prevail, nor was a place found for them in heaven any longer.
v. 9 So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.
http://forums.bible-truths.com/index.php/topic,3212.0.html -------------
> can you explain the "war in heaven", since the bible tells us that we will be judging angels.
COMMENT: This "war in heaven" has little to do with "judging angels."
When one believes that the statements in Revelation are literal, and that they
are in chronological order, that person's understanding will be about zero. There
are many surprises in Revelation when we follow the instruction of understanding
that God gives us in the Scriptures. As long as we REFUSE to believe and obey
God's instruction, our spiritual understanding will be near zero.
Listen carefully: This "war in heaven" is NOT LITERAL; it does not take place
in OUTER SPACE; it does not happen IN THE THRONE ROOM OF GOD; it does
not take place chronologically AFTER the wonder of a woman in Rev. 12:1, but BEFORE
the beast comes up out of the sea in 13:1; it does not interpret itself within its own verse; it is explained by OTHER Scripture; it is a SYMBOL; and it is the Revelation of Jesus Christ, which is the "spirit of prophecy"(19:10) and therefore is the "WORDS OF SPIRIT" of Jesus (John 6:63) for which we also need a SECOND WITNESS, etc., etc., etc.
If Revelation is a literal account of the events to happen in chronological order, then read a book by Hal Lindsey or Paul Crouch and you will understand the Book of Revelation--surely I josh!
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So this makes you wonder just what this "war in heaven" was symbolic of. So just to give more to think on here Ray addresses some of the symbolism of this a bit in the LOF article 13.
http://bible-truths.com/lake13.html ----------------------------------------------
And now for one of the most amazing Truths in all Revelation:
"
And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, "Come out of her [Mystery Babylon the Great],
MY PEOPLE, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues[/b]" (Rev. 18:4).
GOD CALLS HIS PEOPLE OUT OF THE VERY CHURCH THAT HE CALLED THEM INTO!
"Many are called but few are chosen" (Matt. 22:14).
Few realize that there is a "church WITHIN the church." When God
chooses us FROM AMONG the
called, we become separate from their doctrines and sins. We are still "
The Church of the Living God," but we are a
peculiar people that no longer follows the traditions of men, which the
many called who are building the house upon the sand continue to follow.
Therefore, WE WILL SEE THE BEAST that comes up out of the sea.
We will be forced to WAR with the beast from the sea. And we will be OVERCOME by the wild beast. This really is serious business.
v
"
Therefore rejoice, ye heavens and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and [inhabitants]
of the sea! …" (Rev. 12:12).
Next notice that:
"
And when the dragon saw that he was cast into the earth, he persecuted the WOMAN [the Church]
which brought forth the man child [the manifest sons of God]" (Rev. 12:13).
Where is the Church? Does she dwell in the spiritual realms of
heaven? No. Is she located
in the sea? No. She dwells
in the earth. She is higher than
the sea, but lower than
heaven; she dwells
in the earth. These are the three realms spoken of in Revelation. If we can’t get our thinking above the symbols themselves, we will never ever understand the book of Revelation.
The saints have left the earth in their spiritual walk with God. Those who are now ‘spiritually-minded;’
dwell in heaven—a much much higher realm than that of
the earth. And yet… and YET, of the
wild beast that comes out of
the sea in Revelation 13, we are told:
"
And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme His name, and His tabernacle and them that [spiritually]
dwell in heaven. And it was given unto Him [the wild beast]
to make WAR with the saints, and TO OVERCOME THEM: and power was given him over ALL KINDREDS, AND TONGUES, AND NATIONS" (Verses 6-7).
Now maybe you don’t catch the significance of these verses. Here is a wild beast that not only has power, "…
over ALL KINDREDS, and TONGUES, and NATIONS," but also can, "…
make WAR with the SAINTS, and to OVERCOME THEM…" Is it possible for Satan to OVERCOME THE SAINTS? How can this be? Where? Show me?
"
Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because GREATER is He [Jesus]
that is in you, than he [Satan]
that is in the world" (I John 4:4).
Does this verse sound like there is some
wild beast OUT THERE somewhere, who can make a mockery of this verse, because this
wild beast really can "…
make WAR with the saints, and to OVERCOME them?"
v
This
wild beast from the sea is the only thing in all Revelation that "
makes war with the saints" AND "
OVERCOME them." Seven times in Rev. 2 & 3 were are told to OVERCOME seven categories of sins. Yet here we read that it is the saints themselves that are overcome. Let’s make some sense out of all this.
v
It is at this pivotal time in our walk with God, when our spiritual house has fallen, and we are alone standing on the sand of the sea, that
the wild beast from the sea… makes war with the saints (that’s US)
and OVERCOMES them (this
wild beast overcomes us because "
WHO is able to make war with him?") (Rev. 13:4). Even we, who are saints of God, are NO MATCH for "
the WILD BEAST that comes up out of sea."
But I have already shown you that God gives us a way out of this dilemma. We are to COME OUT OF HER and REPENT of leaving our first love, and for building our spiritual house upon the sand.v
"
And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, if any man worship the wild beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, The same shall drink of the wine of the WRATH OF GOD, WHICH IS POURED OUT WITHOUT MIXTURE…" (Rev. 14:9-10).
Talk about finding oneself between a rock and hard place!
Apparently we can either be AT WAR with this wild beast, though we were just warned: "…
who is ABLE to make war with him"? Or, we can partake of "
THE WRATH OF GOD poured out without mixture…" Either prospect is extremely frightening. But I would rather be on God’s side than on the side of the wild beast.
v
Everything in this book [Revelation] is part of Christ’s testimony, "
which IS, and which WAS, and which IS TO COME." It is needful that we read several verses now to catch the significance of, from what perspective it was that John wrote this prophecy:
"
I John, who also am your brother, and companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was in the isle that is called Patmos, for the word of God, and for the testimony of Jesus Christ [‘which IS, WAS, and WILL BE’].
I was IN THE SPIRIT on the Lord’s day, and heard BEHIND ME a great voice, as of a trumpet [a trumpet is a symbol for a POWERFUL MESSAGE],
Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last: and, What you see, write in a book, and send it unto the seven churches which are [they ALREADY existed at the time that John writes about them]
in Asia…
And I TURNED to see the voice that spoke with me. And BEING TURNED, I saw seven golden candlesticks." (Rev. 1:9-12).
Ah yes, John heard this trumpet (or message) "
behind him" and therefore, had to TURN BACK in order to see, hear, and understand the message! And so John writes about the things he sees "
BEHIND" him (1:10), and "…
things which must be HEREAFTER."
And so it is in this context that John said: "
I stood upon the sand of the sea…" Did you not notice what we just read concerning John and ourselves? Let’s read it again:
"
I John, who ALSO am YOUR BROTHER, and COMPANION IN TRIBULATION [persecution]
, AND IN THE KINGDOM AND PATIENCE [endurance]
of Jesus Christ…" (Rev. 1:9).
The very elect are all "
companions and brothers" in our quest for the Kingdom of Jesus Christ. Where Jesus walked, WE WILL WALK. Where John walked, WE WILL WALK. Where John stood, we all have stood or will yet stand.
We all must walk the walk that Jesus Christ walked! We must all "
take up our cross." We must all
"
OVERCOME… even as I [Jesus]
also OVERCAME [‘
overcame the WORLD,’ John 16:33],
and am set down with My Father in His throne" (Rev. 3:21).
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mercy, peace and love
Kat