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Michael and His Angels Fight the Dragon
Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. (Eph [[6:11-12|bible.70.6.11-70.6.12]]) [emphasis added]
Perhaps one of the more powerful ones is the angel of the bottomless pit (Rev. [[9:11|bible.87.9.11]]+). An angel which spoke with Daniel fought against high-ranking angels on his way to Daniel (Dan. [[10:13|bible.27.10.13]], [[20-21|bible.27.10.20-27.10.21]]).The existence and influence of these malevolent spiritual beings is a well-established theme of Scripture. This is why it is so important for believers to have a grasp of what Scripture reveals concerning the world which we live in. For there are forces and objectives at work that underlie the physical realm which the instrumentation of science is entirely unable to reveal. They are at work in the non-physical realm where science is blind. Yet we see their results in the workings of sin, reigns of terror, and the machinations of powerful nations and corporations through history.The movements of nations, their wars, their politics, and social policy, are shaped and directed by higher powers. There are angels, good and bad, who are constantly influencing men and governments, and of this [Daniel [[10|bible.27.10.1]]] is a conspicuous example. Wars and strife on earth are the reflex of opposing spiritual powers in the lower heavens.5
No more so than in the plight of the Jews and the illogical conditions which attend the disfavor they suffer by the majority of the world's nations. And this is exactly one of the goals of this chapter--God is revealing to us the true nature of anti-Semitism. Although the world is full of destructive biases and half-truths, none is as malignant nor hell-bent as Satan's desire to destroy the woman of Revelation [[12|bible.87.12.1]]+.As significant as his angels are in terms of powers which influence and manipulate the world, these ranks of fallen angels are not of primary concern for the believer "because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world" (1Jn. [[4:4|bible.83.4.4]]). "For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Rom. [[8:38-39|bible.66.8.38-66.8.39]]).Notes
1 Timothy Friberg, Barbara Friberg, and Neva F. Miller, Analytical Lexicon of the Greek New Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2000), 321.
2 Although Scripture does not say, perhaps it was Michael who protected Daniel while in the lion's den (Dan. [[6:22|bible.27.6.22]])?
3 Henry Morris, The Revelation Record (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 1983), Rev. 12:8.
4 Albrecht Durer (1471 - 1528). Image courtesy of the Connecticut College Wetmore Print Collection.
5 Walter Scott, Exposition of The Revelation (London, England: Pickering & Inglis, n.d.), Rev. 12:7.
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