Thursday: The Spread of Unbelief
Read Revelation 12:1-17. What does this chapter teach about the spread of the rebellion in heaven to the earth?
The fall of Lucifer was not a simple clash of conflicting ideas. Revelation 12:1-17 tells us that a major war broke out in heaven between Lucifer and his angels on one side and Christ and His angels on the other. In this passage, Lucifer is called “the great dragon,” the “serpent of old,” “the Devil and Satan,” and “the accuser of our brethren” (Revelation 12:9-10, , NKJV). Christ is referred to as “Michael” (Revelation 12:7), which means “who is like God.”
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Based on the allusion to “Michael the archangel” (Jude 9), some interpreters believe that He is only an angelic being. But in the book of Daniel, each major vision culminates with Christ and His everlasting kingdom — as the stone cut out without hands (Daniel 2:34, Daniel 2:45), as the Son of man (Daniel 7:13), as the Prince of the host and the Prince of princes (Daniel 8:11, Daniel 8:25), and as Michael the great prince (Daniel 12:1). So, as the Angel of the Lord is the Lord Himself (Exodus 3:1-6, Acts 7:30-33, etc.), Michael must be the same Divine Person, i.e., Christ Himself.
Revelation 12:1-17 provided a general overview of this ongoing controversy, which 1. began in heaven with the rebellion of Lucifer and one-third of the heavenly angels, 2. culminated with Christ’s decisive victory at the cross, and 3. still continues against God’s end-time remnant people.
Reflecting on the beginning of this controversy, Ellen G. White explains that “God in His great mercy bore long with Lucifer. He was not immediately degraded from his exalted station when he first indulged the spirit of discontent, nor even when he began to present his false claims before the loyal angels. Long was he retained in heaven. Again and again he was offered pardon on condition of repentance and submission.” — Ellen G. White, The Great Controversy, Pages 495, 496.
We do not know how long that war lasted in the heavenly realms. Regardless of its intensity and time span, the most important aspect of the whole struggle was that Satan and his angels “were defeated, and there was no longer any place for them in heaven” (Revelation 12:8, NRSV; see also Luke 10:18). The problem, of course, was that they came here, to the earth.
| What are ways in which we can see the reality of this battle being played out on earth? What is our only hope to overcome our enemy in this battle? |
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Does Satan, through some people, still use the same methods of spreading doubts that he used in heaven? Yes, of course he does!
Starting with Eve - saying God doesn't mean what He said!
Paul said to the Ephesians: I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them, be on your guard Acts 20:29-30
Be on your guard when someone tries to cause you to doubt what the Word of the LORD tells you. Our mission is to spread the three angels message of the everlasting gospel as opposed to worshipping the Image of the Beast in Rev 13:15, Rev 14:6-9
In the Great Controversy Ellen White explains Satan's methods - this is just a short excerpt. see the link in the lesson to pg 495-496 for more details.
And to sustain his charge of God's injustice toward him, he resorted to misrepresentation of the words and acts of the Creator. It was his policy to perplex the angels with subtle arguments concerning the purposes of God. Everything that was simple he shrouded in mystery, and by artful perversion cast doubt upon the plainest statements of Jehovah. His high position, in such close connection with the divine administration, gave greater force to his representations, and many were induced to unite with him in rebellion against Heaven's authority.
So unfortunate, but I see this happening in my local church.
The time is short.
Lord prepare our (my!) hearts to know and live Your truth.
Shirley,
That statement from the GC epitomizes the mode of operation of conspiracy websites and many political leaders. There is an obvious implication of whose spirit inspires and leads them.
Satan's strategy worked effectively with angels and even better with mankind. There is but one defense. (Ephesians 6:11-12.)
Richard
This battle is happening internally through the suggestions of the devil,lustful thoughts in the mind which is fueld by watching pornography(pornography is now iconography of the devil,the devil uses this to make man to sin and defile his body).Hateful thoughts,jealousy thoughts;this war is mainly directed to human mind then it comes to fruition through his actions.Our Lord Jesus Christ is Our hope to win this battle,lets run to him in prayer because he is our saviour,without him we can do nothing,without him we are going to loose this battle that is happening everyday in our lives.
The battle between good and evil is present in our planet since the fall of humans, in the search of "wisdom" of good and bad! How foolish this desire "to be like God"! (Every time I decide to play that role I can surely be prepared to get hurt! When I think things have to be MY WAY).
Thank God He has shown us all the RIGHT WAY, which is CHRIST! In order for us to be restored to our dignity. May we continue to fight against evil, but never alone, because the strenght to defeate it comes from our relationship with the Trinity, and from the prints that we allow God to place on us. Let us be bold only in Jesus, because He has permanently defeated evil at the cross!
Small typo in the first text. Rev. 12 stops at verse 17.
Thank you CJ it is fixed now.
Is it conceivable that the ‘war in heaven’ was a war fought without the usual weapons of war, but rather the use of ‘weapons’ - words and actions - of persuasion, mercy and grace? Ellen White explains that: “God in His great mercy bore long with Lucifer, that he was degraded because he indulged the spirit of discontent, (continuing to) presenting false claims before the loyal angels….. .’ Lucifer decided not to be persuaded!
Patience, coupled with the desire to persuade Lucifer to turn ‘from his wicked ways’, was the first choice to reach his ‘heart’. Only after all attempts failed to persuade him to come back into the fold of heaven’s faithful host, was he cast out of the community of heaven.
I can observe that this same approach is being used with mankind. Man, knowing there is an established order and rule which govern the natural laws, including him which is made from the dust of the earth, thought not to acknowledg its authority but choosing to go his own way – indulging the spirit of rebellion, a discontent heart.
Those following the law of rebellion are considered the children of wrath, but those following God's established Law are part of the family of God – Eph.2:1-22.
What, therefore, is the greatest, most effective weapon Lucifer uses to deceive the nations? Unbelieve, doubt, and discontent! These are his weapons of choice. Once allowed into the heart and mind of man, they grow the plants who’s seeds are confusion and destruction. This is exactly Lucifer’s final, resentful aim – to destroy all abundant life, causing it to become a ‘wasteland’ and accusing the Creator for being unjust when using Mercy and Grace - His Love - when expressing His Justice.
God’s Love for His lost children will not cease until the appointed time comes to create a new earth and heaven. Mankind’s only hope to overcome his spiritual enemy set to destroy him in this battle is to remain vigilant and faithful.
Those who chose their Father in Heaven and follow Him need to remain faithful to the Love our heavenly Father has shown us by sending to us His Son; believe and live His Word, humbly and gratefully acknowledging His Sovereignty and turn to Him in all matters pertaining to life.
Good observation, Brigitte. The war was for the allegiance of intelligent beings. And such a war is fought with words as well as actions. But the actions of God are intended to demonstrate His character, not overcome opposition by force. He demonstrated His character in the self-renouncing love of Jesus. Phil. 2:5-9
Thank you so much Shirley for that quote from the GC. I truly see that the enemy, is a great deceiver and treacherous illusionist. In today's world, we see this happening according to the words of Isaiah 5:20, evil is called good and vice versa. How can we overcome this subtle enemy? We must abide in our Lord Jesus every day through prayer, Bible study, and by allowing the Holy Spirit to take full control of our minds. Only Jesus can help us to overcome as He did. May the Lord help us all to be overcomers each day.
Lucifer spread falsehood in heaven and still does that in our present day world. He never repents: He was not immediately degraded from his exalted station when he first indulged the spirit of discontent, nor even when he began to present his false claims before the loyal angels. Long was he retained in heaven. Again and again he was offered pardon on condition of repentance and submission.” — Ellen G. White, The Great Controversy, Pages 495, 496.
He wishes to make humans to be unrepentant today.
This days lesson is about the spread of unbelief and the contrast came to mind of :
Future hope and present belief,
or unbelief and vain hope.
What happened at the beginning of sin? Lucifer moved away from present belief to some vague, imagined future hope built up by his imagination.
Instead of believing in God's goodness, justice, love, and righteousness in the "now", he projected the thoughts of the angelic hosts away from God's goodness in the "NOW" into some vague, imagined future hope of something better.
What the world calls hope, is not really hope at all. It is weak and powerless and vague, simply relegating what is considered "good" into something which may or may not be in the future. For most, "hope" really has nothing to do with belief, "hope" is simply "wishing" for something better or different in the future.
Belief, faith, or hope in the Biblical sense is based on assurance!
"Now faith is the assurance of the things we do not see and the conviction of their reality" Heb 11:1
Our belief is to be NOW, with assurance that God is good, loving and righteous NOW. It's an assurance that God is working right now for our eternal happiness and salvation. He is trustworthy.
As we read in Psalm 71 we can say,
3 You are my strong habitation, whereunto I may continually resort: you have given commandment to save me; for you are my rock and my fortress.
5 For you are my hope, O Lord GOD: you are my trust from my youth.
And Jeremiah 17:7 Blessed is the man that trusts in the LORD, and whose hope is in the LORD.
Yes, Satan comes with his doubts wanting us to trust ourselves, instead of trusting and believing God, but blessed is the person who trusts in the LORD -- that trust gives REAL hope.