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How Much Do We Know about the War in Heaven?

Question:

How much do we know about the war in heaven?

Answer:

We definitively know the basics, which are provided in Revelation 12:

And another portent appeared in heaven; behold, a great red dragon, with seven heads and ten horns, and seven diadems upon his heads. His tail swept down a third of the stars of heaven, and cast them to the earth. . . .

Now war arose in heaven, Michael and his angels fighting against the dragon; and the dragon and his angels fought, but they were 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 12:3-4, 7-9).

Revelation 12:3-4 figuratively expresses that one-third of the angels joined in Satan’s rebellion against God.

Revelation 12 continues with the description of another victory against Satan and his minions: Christ’s redemptive triumph on mankind’s behalf via his one Sacrifice of Calvary:

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 brethren has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God. 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. Rejoice then, O heaven and you that dwell therein! 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!” (Revelation 12:10-12).

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