BIBLE STUDY-27

Peace Methodist Church 2021. 11. 14.

 

The Witness of Christ

 

◎ Revelation 12:7~12 (ESV)

7 Now war arose in heaven, Michael and his angels fighting against the

dragon. And the dragon and his angels fought back,

8 but he was defeated, and there was no longer any place for them in

heaven.

9 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.

10 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.

11 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.

12 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!”

 

◎ Interpretation

7 Now war arose in heaven: Satan was once a heavenly angel and fell from his first estate.(Jude 1:6) The traditional account is modified to suit the symbolical purpose.

Michael: In Daniel 12:1 Michael the archangel is presented as the guardian of Israel who in the last days will deliver them from tribulation.

8 there was no longer any place: This verse seems to imply that the final fall of Satan from heaven(Luke 10:18) did not take place till this conflict, but perhaps the words should not be unduly pressed.

9 he was thrown down to the earth: Satan was cast down to the earth, where he is permitted for a time to carry on his warfare against the church.

10 Now the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ have come: The victory in heaven is followed by a paean of triumph. That is, complete deliverance from the power of Satan accomplished, the mighty power of God manifested, the reign of our God established, and the kingdom of Christ as the Messiah set apart to rule over the world.

11 by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony: The faithful testimony which they bore to the truth. That is, they adhered to the truth in their sufferings, they declared their belief in it, even in the pains of martyrdom; and it was by this that they overcame the great enemy.

12 rejoice, O heavens and you who dwell in them!: The redeemed and belonging to God participate in the final victory.

 

◎ Message

[A] The spiritual war is not over yet.(v.9)

[B] We should not loose our spiritual tension.(v.10)

[C] We must live as witnesses to Christ.(v.11)

[D] Believers who belong to Christ participate in the final victory.(v.12)

 

[Resources: Robert Mounce’s Commentary of the Book of Revelation, Daniel Whedon’s Commentary on the Bible, Arthur Peake’s Commentary on the Bible, Albert Barnes’s Notes on the Bible, Life Application Study Bible]