Revelation 12:4-9
In verse 4 the dragon we discussed previously takes his tail and draws one third of the stars and cast them down to the Earth. It is generally understood that these stars are a reference to one third of the Heavenly Host which were in league with Lucifer when he fell. This is a representation of that fall.
What does “Star” define in the Greek? The only reference we have of what these stars represent is found in chapter one where we find Jesus holding seven stars in His hand. As we have already defined it in chapter one, it is the Greek rendering “angelos,” which refers to a messenger which could be an Angel or a man sent by God.
In chapter one the context supports the seven stars as being the Pastors or Elders of those Churches. However, in this context, the reference is connected to the fall of the dragon (satan) and actual angels seems to fit.
Most Theologians, Bible Teachers and Scholars subscribe to these “stars” being angels that fell with satan and since we do not have enough Biblical text to say otherwise, this teacher subscribes to the same understanding.
A couple of areas I will point to is Ephesians 6 and Daniel 10. Ephesians makes reference to different levels of hierarchy in the evil kingdom that we wrestle with. Spiritual wickedness in heavenly places could represent these fallen angels.
In Daniel we have reference to powerful princes of darkness that resisted the Archangel Gabriel’s attempt to come to Daniel’s aide and solicited Michael, another Archangel to help him penetrate the evil kingdom’s resistance. These dark princes are most likely fallen angels to have the kind of power it would take to resist Gabriel. So we will proceed with the understanding that these fallen stars are fallen angels.
In the same verse we see the dragon in position to devour the child that the woman is ready to give birth to. This woman represents Israel and the child she gives birth to is Jesus. Matthew 2 shows the dragon’s attempt to destroy the child. As the story goes, Herod sent his army to destroy all the male children 2 years of age and under in Bethlehem where Jesus was born. However, he did not succeed in destroying this child, Jesus.
In verse 5 the child Jesus is born, lives His life, goes through the passion, is resurrected and given the keys of death and hell which places the authority that Adam forfeited to satan into Jesus’ hands which is represented by a rod to rule. We find in the books of Matthew and Mark that Jesus gives this authority to His Body, the Church and He ascends into Heaven and is seated at the right hand of God the Father.
This chapter spans a period of time from the fall of Lucifer (satan) up to the time of the Tribulation Period.
We see in verse 6 that the woman (Israel) is able to flee from the antichrist in the middle of the Tribulation Period when he breaks the covenant of peace we read about in Daniel 9, turning on the Jews and causing a great slaughter of them which is indicated in Matthew 24. However, God prepares a place for those who escape his tyranny to dwell in safety.
It is believed that a place in the Country of Jordan has been prepared called Petra. It is a city built into the rocks. There is no clear reference to this that is found in the Bible, yet it may be pieced together through prophecy.
The important thing is that they get away and the timeline of 1260 days indicates the last half of the Tribulation Period. So between the mid tribulation turning of antichrist and the days that Israel will be preserved in the wilderness, this event should be placed in the middle of the Tribulation Period.
In verses 7-9 different timelines are being taught concerning when this war in Heaven takes place. Some Bible teachers say this is an event yet to come. However, based on the context of what just took place concerning Jesus coming and defeating satan and taking the authority back, I place this event at the time of His death, burial, resurrection and His triumphant defeat of satan and not as a future event.
In Luke 10:18 Jesus states that He was there to see Lucifer (satan) cast out of Heaven like lightening which was a reference to when satan rebelled against God. Then in Job 1 we see satan coming up before the Throne of God along with the Angels.
How did satan get back into Heaven after God cast him out when he rebelled? Adam’s authority is what satan was functioning by in the Earth and in Heaven. So he had a right to be there for it was forfeited by Adam and given unto him in the fall of man.
Jesus takes back that authority and here we see that a war takes place. Colossians 2:15 depicts the defeat of satan by Jesus and here we are given the actual blow by blow action of the Archangel Michael and his Angels finishing off satan and his cohorts and casting them back into the Earth with no further access to Heaven.
Notice in verse 7, the dragon and “his angels” and verse 9, he and “his angels” are cast out. So this is another reference that could substantiate that the stars the dragon cast down were “his angels.”
He is also called ‘that old serpent that deceived the whole world.’ This is what he does and continues to do until he is cast into the lake of fire. We see in our day the level of deception that is increasing much like the Bible talks of knowledge increasing in the book of Daniel. 1 John 5:19 says the whole world lies in wickedness. It sure hasn’t changed any; in fact we are seeing things grow worse because we are living in the Perilous Times spoken of in 2 Timothy 3:1.