God's Kingdom Is Born! - War in Heaveb!

 John tells us:  "And war broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels battled with the dragon, and the dragon and its agents battled but it not prevail,neither was  a place found for them any longer in heaven. So down the great dragon was hurled, the original serpent, the one called Satan and Devil, who is misleading the entire inhabited earth; he was hurled down to the earth, and his angels were hurled down with him.  (Revelation 12:7-9)  So as a dramatic development in bringing the sacred secret of God to a finish, Satan is ejected, pitched out of heaven, and his demons are cast down to the earth with him.  The one who misled the entire inhabited earth to the extent of becoming its god is finally restricted to the vicinity of this planet, where his rebellion first began. - 2 CORINTHIANS 4:3, 4. 

Who accomplish this great victory in Jehovah's name?  The Bible says it is Michael and his angels. But who is Michael?  The name "Michael" means  "Who Is Like God?" So Michael must be interested in vindicating Jehovah's sovereignty by providing tha tno one is to be compared to Him,  In Jude verse 9, he is called "Michael the archangel."  Interestingly, the title "archangel" is used elsewheree in the Bible with reference to only one person: Jesus Christ.  Paul says of him: "The Lord himself  will descend  from heaven with a aommanding call, with an archangel's voice and God's trumpet." (1 Thessalonians 4:16)  The title "archangel" means "chief of the angels."  So it is not surprising that Revelation speaks of "Michael and hs angels."  Other places where the Bible mentions angels subect to a righteous  servant of God have reference to Jesus.  Thus Paul speaks of "the Revelation of the Lord Jesus from heaven with his powerful angels." - 2 THESSALOIANS 1:7; see also MATTHEW 24:30, 31; 25:31.

These and other scriptures lead us to the inescapable conclusin that Michael is no one else but the Lord Jesus Christ in his heavenly position. Now, in the Lord's day, he no longer merely says to Satan:  "May Jehovah rebuke you."  Since this is time of judging, Jesus,  as Michael, hurls  the wicked Satan and his demonic angels down from heaven. (Jude 9; Revelation 1:10) It is most fitting that He should be the One to do this, as He is the newly installed Kig  Jesus is also the Seed, promised back in Eden, who will ultimely  crush the head of the Serpent, thus putting him out of existence for all time.  (Genesis 3:15)  By ejecting Satan from heaven, Jesus has moved toward that final crushing. 

Next time: God's Kingdom Is Born! - "Be Glad, You Heavens"

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