To get a proper sense of what is going on in this portion, let’s read Revelation 12:7-11, “And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven. And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night. And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.”

Quite plainly, there was a war in Heaven and it resulted in the defeat and casting down of Satan, who here is referred to by several names: the great dragon, that old serpent, the Devil, and Satan.  Each name bringing out a different truth concerning his wickedness.  Being referred to as ‘that old serpent’ specifically proves that it was he who tempted Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden.  When did this war happen?  That it occurred in some far-distant period of the past, when Satan was ejected from heaven, there can be no doubt.  The Lord Jesus spoke of that event in Luke 10:18 where we read, “And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven.”  Still the event here referred to is also prophetic of what would occur at a later period, during the seven-year Tribulation Period.  It is during this Tribulation Period that we have the complete fulfillment of Revelation 12:12, “Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time.”  At this time, Satan finally comes to understand the prophesies regarding his defeat and he realizes he doesn’t have much time left to wreak havoc on the earth.

There is a strong voice from heaven, a voice of thanksgiving and praise over Satan being cast out, who is now referred to as ‘the accuser of the brethren.’  Even though Satan has been defeated through the death of the Lord Jesus on the cross, he continues to seek to harm us by bringing accusations against us before the Lord day and night.  Of course, this does him no good, because “we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.”  (1 John 2:1)

We see in verse 11, that victory is ours through the blood of our blessed savior.  We are not a defeated people.  Romans 8:37 tells us that, “…we are MORE THAN CONQUERORS through him that loved us.”  It is true that without the shed blood of our savior, every accusation of Satan against us would be true.  However, because of our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, we have been “made the RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD in him (Christ Jesus).” (2 Corinthians 5:21)  Every believer in the Lord Jesus stands before God as being righteous.  We read in Romans 8:1, “There is therefore now NO CONDEMNATION to them which are in Christ Jesus.”

Also in verse 11, there is a specific reference to some who had been martyred for their testimony for Christ.  These people “loved not their lives unto the death.”  They were willing to give up their lives for Christ, and many of them did.  They did not shrink back when threatened with death, but remained firm in their testimony and attachment to their savior.  In obedience to Luke 14:26, they hated their lives in comparison of the Lord and gladly gave up their lives for Him.  May we keep ourselves close to the Lord to receive His strength and determination so that if the day should come that we are called on to lay down our lives for Christ, we can be faithful to Him, faithful unto death.  (212.4)