The Cosmic Battle -- How to Win!

 

Sabbath School Bible Study

April 7, 2018

Larry R. Evans, SS Teacher

Introduction

You may have missed the news report, but we are in war. In fact, we have been in war for some time.  Regardless, of your political persuasion, neither Trump nor Obama started it!  In case you missed it, I found the transcript of the report:

“Then there was war in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon and his angels. And the dragon lost the battle, and he and his angels were forced out of heaven. This great dragon—the ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, the one deceiving the whole world—was thrown down to the earth with all his angels.

Then I heard a loud voice shouting across the heavens,

“It has come at last—

salvation and power

and the Kingdom of our God,

and the authority of his Christ.

For the accuser of our brothers and sisters

has been thrown down to earth—

the one who accuses them

before our God day and night.

And they have defeated him by the blood of the Lamb

and by their testimony.

And they did not love their lives so much

that they were afraid to die.

Therefore, rejoice, O heavens!

And you who live in the heavens, rejoice!

But terror will come on the earth and the sea,

for the devil has come down to you in great anger,

knowing that he has little time.” (Rev. 12:7-12, NLT)

Let me assure you, the Dragon didn’t lose gracefully. He is the posterchild of a poor loser.  No doubt, on his way out of heaven he looked back and said something like, “You haven’t heard the last of me! I’ll take your children with me. You’ll be sorry.  Just wait!” And so, the war began long ago. Whether we like it or not, sides are being taken.  Despite the agonies of this war, and they will only increase, the outcome is certain.  This war and its outcome will be our study for the coming quarter. The good news is that there is a survival guide! Let’s get started.

How to Survive

According to the news report of Revelation 12:7-12, those who survive do so by having a unique protection and by adopting an unusual strategy.  I thought it would be good before we get into discussing the specifics of this war that we first learn how to survive. I say this because knowing the survival tactics helps identify the kind of war we are facing.  Note carefully the following:

“And they have defeated him by the blood of the Lamb

and by their testimony.

And they did not love their lives so much

that they were afraid to die.”  (Rev. 12:11)

The survival tactics reveal that this is no ordinary war. Those who survive aren’t in love with themselves. They are, in fact, willing to die. So, staying alive on this earth isn’t what defines a winner!  We defeat the enemy by the sacrifice made by Jesus, the Lamb AND by our testimony.  Testimony about what?  Our love and allegiance to the Lamb!! This is enough about survival for now. Clearly this is a different kind of war.

How the War Got Started

As we saw, the survivors are those who are not in love with themselves. This hints that love of self may have been a key point in the origin of this war.  In fact, it was a factor.  The Bible pulls back the curtain, so we can peer into history.

“How you have fallen from heaven,

morning star, son of the dawn!

You have been cast down to the earth,

you who once laid low the nations!

You said in your heart,

“I will ascend to the heavens;

I will raise my throne

above the stars of God;

I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly,

on the utmost heights of Mount Zaphon.

I will ascend above the tops of the clouds;

I will make myself like the Most High.” (Isa. 14:12-14)

 “The word of the Lord came to me: “Son of man, say to the ruler of Tyre, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says:

“‘In the pride of your heart

you say, “I am a god;

I sit on the throne of a god

in the heart of the seas.”

But you are a mere mortal and not a god,

though you think you are as wise as a god.” (Ezek. 28:1,2, NIV)

It is strange indeed but is it really?  Don’t most arguments, fights and wars begin with thinking that someone wants more, deserves more and demands more?  Pride fuels aggression and prevents repentance.  So it happened in heaven. Why?  I don’t know but neither did the Apostle Paul who called it “the mystery of iniquity.” (2 Thess. 2:7).

A Conspiracy in the Land

My computer dictionary defines conspiracy as: “a secret plan by a group to do something unlawful or harmful.”  This is exactly how the Bible describes strategy of this cosmic war: 

“Then the dragon was enraged at the woman and went off to wage war against the rest of her offspring —those who keep God’s commands and hold fast their testimony about Jesus.” (Rev. 12:17, NIV)

Are you noticing how things are beginning to come together?  Those who survive do so by their allegiance to the Lamb even if it costs them their lives. And here we discover that the Dragon takes his anger our on those who hold fast to Jesus.  Their testimony is revealed, the Bible says, by keeping God’s commands or commandments as the KJV puts it.

This cosmic war mentioned in Rev. 12:17 is spelled out in Revelation 13 and 14.  In both chapters a key element of contention is over the issue of worship!  This comes as no surprise because as we have seen in Ezekiel 28 and Isaiah 14, Satan’s desire is self-worship. Anything that gets in the way of this sparks an intense anger and even hatred. (Remember how this was played out with Cain and Able?).  The unmasking of the conspiracy is one of the key purposes of Bible prophecy.  Note the length the Dragon’s representative goes to quell a worship directed away from him.

“The second beast was given power to give breath to the image of the first beast, so that the image could speak and cause all who refused to worship the image to be killed. It also forced all people, great and small, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hands or on their foreheads, so that they could not buy or sell unless they had the mark, which is the name of the beast or the number of its name.”  Rev. 13:15-17

Indeed, a conspiracy!  The Dragon or Satan seeks to do harm to anyone or anything that reminds him of Jesus.  His own self-absorption fueled by selfish pride knows no limits of anger and destruction.  But the battle isn’t without a response!

 

The Lamb Speaks

My dictionary re conspiracy doesn’t stop there with overt actions of repression.  It also speaks of “a conspiracy of silence” which is defined as, “an agreement to say nothing about an issue that should be generally known.”  Indeed, silencing the “woman” (the Church) described in Rev. 12:17 is part of the strategy of conspiracy.  However, heaven is not silent, nor should we be!

Three angels or messengers from heaven are sent to all “who live on the earth” (14:6).  As you might have guessed, to counter the conspiracy the message that is announced focuses on worship. But worship of whom?  Note Revelation 14:7,

He said in a loud voice, “Fear God and give him glory, because the hour of his judgment has come. Worship him who made the heavens, the earth, the sea and the springs of water.” (NIV)

In doing so, the very heart of the 10 Commandments is raised to a unique prominence in the final days of this cosmic battle,

“Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns. For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.” – Exodus 20:8-11

This battle is intense and lengthy. The third messenger from heaven shares an important bit of news that must not before gotten by those feeling the wrath of the Dragon:

“This calls for patient endurance on the part of the people of God who keep his commands and remain faithful to Jesus.”  Rev. 14:12.

 

The Lamb Rejoices and Brings Healing

The conspiracy’s deception has resulted not only in physical harm but spiritual harm as well.  Is it any wonder that those who have seen families and friends turn against them that a special healing is necessary!  The Lamb, whose blood was shared for His people, offers the very kind of healing needed,

He said to me: “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To the thirsty I will give water without cost from the spring of the water of life. Those who are victorious will inherit all this, and I will be their God and they will be my children.  Rev. 21:6,7.

The Conspiracy Ended

“The great controversy is ended.  Sin and sinners are no more.  The entire universe is clean.  One pulse of harmony and gladness beats through the vast creation.  From Him who created all, flow life and light and gladness, throughout the realms of illimitable space.  From the minutest atom to the greatest world, all things, animate and inanimate, in their unshadowed beauty and perfect joy, declare that God is love.” – The Great Controversy, p.678.

What a way to end the conspiracy!  What a revelation! What a declaration! What a truth needed today:  “God is love!”

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