The Pros and Cons of the battle for Heaven in three Stages

The Pros and Cons of the battle for heaven in three stages

Stage One

First con towards heaven and the pride of Satan were the opposition of God’s plan to save his creatures corrupted by his glorious angel, Lucifer, and those who chose to follow him.  “A great sign appeared in the sky, a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars.  She was with child and wailed aloud in pain as she labored to give birth.  Then another sign appeared in the sky; it was a huge dragon, with seven heads and ten horns, and on its heads were seven diadems.”  “Its tail swept away a third of the stars in the sky and hurled them down to the earth.  Then the dragon stood before the woman about to give birth, to devour her child when she gave birth.  She gave birth to a son, a male child, destined to rule all the nations with an iron rod.  Her child was caught up to God and his throne.  The woman herself fled into the desert where she had a place prepared by God, that there she might be taken care of for twelve hundred and sixty days.”   Remember much of the teaching in Revelation is symbolic, and the wording here is to teach more than a literal sense.

“Then war broke out in heaven; Michael and his angels battled against the dragon.  The dragon and its angels fought back, but they did not prevail and there was no longer any place for them in heaven.  The huge dragon, the ancient serpent, who is called the Devil and Satan, who deceived the whole world, was thrown down to earth, and its angels were thrown down with it.”  (Rev. 12: 1 - 9).  The first step of an opposing controversy towards Satan’s attempt to overcome God’s Divine existence and his creation of man.

“The angel appeared to the shepherds keeping watch over their flocks.  And proclaimed to them; a message of good news;  “For today in the city of David a savior has been born for you who is Messiah and Lord.  And this will be a sign for you; you will find an infant wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger.  And suddenly there was a multitude of the heavenly host with the angel, praising God and saying:  Glory to God  in the highest and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”   (Lk. 2: 11 - 14).  The Incarnation; the first pro of Satan’s demise.

Stage Two

Following the baptism of Jesus, the Spirit led him into the desert to be tempted by the Devil  using approaches to get him to forget his mission of his Father.  Three times Jesus countered with scripture, denying Satan’s 2nd attempt at a con to beat God at his persistence to save his creatures.  When the devil had finished every temptation, he departed from him for a time.”  

(Lk 4:  1 - 13).

The event of Holy Week puts Jesus and his disciples in the upper room to celebrate Passover.  Jesus does three things in succession.  First he washes his disciples feet as a sign of humility.  Then he anoints them as apostles creating them as the priesthood for his church.  Lastly he institutes the Holy Eucharist and establishes his own crucifixion as he raises the bread and chalice in a move of Collapse of time.  (Jn. 13).  The second pro towards Satan’s last stand.

Stage Three

After the meal they move to the garden of Gethsemane and as Jesus sweats drops of blood the mention of the next time Satan would return to attack Jesus’  following his Father’s will.  The third try as a con to destroy the mission of Jesus.  

His final onslaught until Jesus from the cross gives up his spirit saying; “Father, into your hands I commend my spirit.”  (Lk 23: 46).  The last issuance of a proclamation that death is overcome, sin is forgiven, and God’s creatures are free of eternal death.  Satan is no longer able to fight; The battle of heaven is now over.

Ralph B. Hathaway