The Untold Story of Jesus – The War in Heaven – Chapter 7

Many Christians do not realize God cast Lucifer and his angels out of heaven twice! They were cast out before Earth was created and on Resurrection Sunday. The Bible does not mention any war when Lucifer and his followers were cast out the first time; the Father simply cast them out by the power of His word.1 Their exit happened so fast they had no time to respond. “Your heart became proud on account of your beauty, and you corrupted your wisdom because of your splendor. So I threw you to the earth; I made a spectacle of you before kings.”2

After Adam and Eve sinned, Lucifer became the prince of this world. As such, he and some of his angels were permitted to attend administrative meetings in heaven concerning Earth. At one meeting, Jesus and the devil had a discussion about Job. “One day the angels came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came with them. The Lord said to Satan, ‘Where have you come from?’ Satan answered the Lord, From roaming throughout the earth, going back and forth on it.’ Then the Lord said to Satan, ‘Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil.’ ‘Does Job fear God for nothing?’ Satan replied. ‘Have you not put a hedge around him and his household and everything he has? You have blessed the work of his hands, so that his flocks and herds are spread throughout the land. But now stretch out your hand and strike everything he has, and he will surely curse you to your face.’ ”3

When the loyal angels saw Lucifer’s attempt to kill baby Jesus at birth, they knew Jesus was on a dangerous mission. Later, when the devil offered the world to Jesus if He would bow down and worship him,4 the heavenly angels realized Lucifer coveted the worship that belonged to Jesus. They immediately recognized his lies and the arguments he had used to conceal his true motive. After the holy angels witnessed the cruelty Lucifer inflicted on Jesus before going to the cross, outrageous indignation filled heaven! If there had been an ounce of sympathy remaining among heaven’s angels for Lucifer and their fallen friends, it vanished at the cross.

Dethroning the Prince of This World

Have you ever wondered why Jesus ascended to heaven early on resurrection morning only to return to Earth that afternoon?5 Or, what the devil and his angels were doing in heaven that morning? After He was resurrected, Jesus was immediately summoned to heaven to publicly and legitimately dethrone Lucifer as “the prince of this world.”6 Lucifer and his powerful demons had done everything possible to keep this from happening, but Jesus had decisively defeated them, “fair and square.”

Imagine the following proceedings with me. Jesus’ triumph was cause for a victory parade heaven had not ever witnessed! Billions of holy angels lined both sides of the golden boulevard that entered the Holy City and led to the Father’s throne. The angelic host on one side of the street sang out and the other group responded with adoration and praise:

“Lift up your heads, you gates; be lifted up, you ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in. Who is this King of glory? The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle. Lift up your heads, you gates; lift them up, you ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in. Who is he, this King of glory? The Lord Almighty – He is the King of glory.”7

When the procession accompanying Jesus reached the Father’s throne there was a pause and, for the fourth time since Jesus was born of Mary, the Father spoke. He bestowed His approval of Jesus saying, “This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased.”8 The rejoicing that followed this declaration was greater than anything that had ever happened in heaven. Spontaneously, the joyous angels erupted, singing the processional over and over. Jubilation and applause followed. Jesus’ victory could not be celebrated enough.

Finally, the Father signaled for silence. heaven stood still. The Father spoke from His unapproachable light and called Jesus to His throne. Jesus ascended and knelt before the Father who spoke again: “Jesus has secured the salvation of sinners; overcame each temptation; lived a perfect life; suffered beyond the pale that sin imposes; proved on the cross He loves Me with all of His heart, mind, and soul; and proved He loves His neighbors as Himself. Therefore, on the basis of His love, faith, patient endurance, and infinite sacrifice, Jesus has redeemed Earth and is hereby declared King of Earth.”

The Father continued: “Your throne, O God [the Father calls Jesus, “God” because Jesus is a coeternal member of deity], will last for ever and ever; a scepter of justice will be the scepter of your kingdom. You love righteousness and hate wickedness; therefore God, your God, has set you above your companions [you lived among the angels as one of them and among human beings as one of them, from now on I am setting you above your companions as their King] by anointing you with the oil of joy.”9

When the Father finished speaking, heaven’s arches burst with joy! The Father was thrilled to give Jesus the Earth as His personal kingdom for eternity,10 and the holy angels knew He deserved it. The declaration “King of Earth” is significant because it meant the 4,000 years of Lucifer’s authority as “prince of this world” was terminated. What was stolen from the first Adam was redeemed by the second.11

The sight of Lucifer and his followers was deeply offensive and disgusting to the holy angels. Their former friends were despicable beyond words. The devil realized he no longer had diplomatic access to heaven. His title had been revoked. He was embarrassed. His doom was sealed. He had lost everything except his hatred for Jesus and the Father, and his fellow angels who would also suffer their master’s fate. The tables had turned so suddenly. On Friday afternoon, they were thrilled to see Jesus die. They did their best to seal His tomb. About 40 hours later, Jesus had been declared, “King of Earth.” Lucifer could do nothing to change this fundamental reality.

After Jesus’ coronation, the Father invited Jesus to sit on a specially prepared throne located at the right hand of His own throne. After taking His seat, every eye was eager to see what would happen next. Jesus turned to His adversary and declared the charge of treason. Punishment was eternal banishment from heaven. After this announcement, Jesus commanded the devil and his followers to leave heaven. Lucifer and his angels rebelliously resisted. When the sinful nature is stripped of its selfishness, all that remains are hateful resistance, lies, and revenge.

“Then war broke out in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back. But he was not strong enough, and they lost their place in heaven. The great dragon was hurled down—that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him. Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say: ‘Now have come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Messiah. For the accuser of our brothers and sisters, who accuses them before our God day and night, has been hurled down’ ”12

I believe after evicting Lucifer, Jesus entered into the Father’s unapproachable light for a personal meeting to confer on matters they had agreed upon when Adam and Eve sinned. Afterward, Jesus and the Father embraced. Jesus then returned to Earth for forty days. Jesus needed to prepare His disciples for their future, and the Father wanted people to see for themselves that Jesus was, in fact, alive.13

Resurrection Sunday Time Line

Shortly before His death, Jesus predicted Lucifer would be expelled from heaven: “Now is the time for judgment on this world; now the prince of this world will be driven out [of heaven].”14

Following is the time line presented in the Bible:

The Father resurrected Jesus before sunrise.15 Jesus waited near the tomb for Mary so she could tell His disciples of His resurrection, but He did not have time to visit: “Jesus said [to Mary], ‘Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, “I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.” ’ ”16

Jesus returned to Earth that afternoon. “Now that same day [of His resurrection] two of them [the disciples of Jesus] were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem. They were talking with each other about everything that had happened. As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them; but they were kept from recognizing him.”17

After Jesus disappeared at the table, these two disciples returned quickly to Jerusalem to tell the other disciples. “They got up and returned at once to Jerusalem. There they found the Eleven and those with them, assembled together and saying, ‘It is true! The Lord has risen and has appeared to Simon.’ ”18

Later that night, while the disciples were hiding, Jesus appeared: “On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders, Jesus came and stood among them and said, ‘Peace be with you!’ After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord. Again Jesus said, ‘Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.’ ”19

Jesus remained on Earth for forty days. The Father wanted to ensure that Jesus’ resurrection would not become buried within the lies of the Jews.20 Years later, Paul wrote, “For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas [Peter], and then to the Twelve. After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep.”21

When Jesus ascended to heaven the second time, Jesus was given, once again, a hero’s welcome because He arrived with some firstfruits from the grave. “This is why it says: ‘When he ascended on high, he took many captives [from the grave] and gave gifts to his people [on Earth below, 1 Corinthians 14].’ ”22 The Bible does not say outright the captives Jesus took to heaven were those resurrected when He died, but I believe this to be the case: “At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook, the rocks split and the tombs broke open. The bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life. They came out of the tombs after Jesus’ resurrection and went into the holy city and appeared to many people.”23 I also think the twenty-four elders which John saw in vision24 were selected from among the people who ascended with Jesus.

King and High Priest!

A theocracy is a form of government where church and state are combined. Earth’s history proves this type of government has no practical difference from communism. Looking back a thousand years, history of the Catholic Church, Anglican Church, and Ottoman Empire are perfect examples of what happens when the power of state is controlled by religious leaders. Communist dictators are no different than religious dictators. Modern examples of the Taliban and ISIS demonstrate this. To keep Israel from developing a church/state, God kept the two powers separate. The king could not serve as a priest or high priest and a high priest could not serve as king. A couple of kings tried to fulfill both roles and God punished them for it.25 God forbade Israel from establishing a church/state because He knew the sinful nature of man. Lord Acton was correct when he wrote in 1887, “Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.”

The kingdom the Father gave to Jesus will be a theocracy when He establishes it on the new Earth. Jesus will be its King and High Priest. The church and government will be on His capable shoulders. He is a member of deity and knows how to manage a kingdom according to the Father’s five laws. Jesus’ kingdom will be a joy for everyone because He is a God of infinite love, just like the Father.

Apostle Paul desperately wanted his kinsmen to abandon the Levitical priesthood and receive Jesus as their high priest. He wrote: “Every high priest is selected from among the people and is appointed to represent the people in matters related to God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins. . . no one takes this honor on himself, but he receives it when called by God, just as Aaron was. In the same way, Christ did not take on himself the glory of becoming a high priest. But God [the Father] said to him, ‘You are my Son; today I have become your Father.’ [Psalm 2] And he [the Father] says in another place [in Scripture], ‘You are a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.’ [Psalm 110:4] During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with fervent cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission. Son [subject to the Father as are we], though he was, he learned [experienced patient endurance through] obedience from what he suffered and, once made perfect [after He had overcome every temptation], he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him and was designated by God to be high priest in the order of Melchizedek.”26

Paul used Melchizedek, a well-known person in Jewish history, to help Jewish converts understand how Jesus could legitimately be both king and high priest: “This Melchizedek was king of Salem and priest of God Most High. He met Abraham returning from the defeat of the kings and blessed him, and Abraham gave him a tenth of everything. First, the name Melchizedek means ‘king of righteousness’; then also, ‘king of Salem’ means ‘king of peace.’ Without father or mother, without genealogy, without beginning of days or end of life, resembling the Son of God, he [the Son of God] remains a priest forever. . . . and what we have said is even more clear if another priest like Melchizedek appears, one who has become a priest not on the basis of a regulation as to his ancestry but on the basis of the power of an indestructible life”27

“For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. . . . But when this priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, and since that time he waits for his enemies to be made his footstool.”28

The conflict between Jesus and the devil is not over. Three great wars between them are yet future. The first war will occur during the Great Tribulation and lasts 42 months.29 This war will kill many, if not most, of God’s saints.30 The second war is called Armageddon.31 The third and final war will occur at the end of the thousand years.32 Of course, the devil and his forces will be defeated and ultimately destroyed; therefore, their only remaining interest in these coming wars is the collateral damage they cause. Demons are delighted with the prospect of destroying as many people as possible. Their game plan is simple: inflict as much carnage, torture, pain, sorrow, suffering, and death as possible.

The War in Heaven Dated

The Bible indicates that the war described in Revelation 12:7-9 occurred on Resurrection Sunday.33,34 Many Christians erroneously think this war occurred before Adam and Eve sinned, but according to Scripture, this is not possible. Here is why:

When Jesus cast Lucifer out of heaven, a powerful declaration was heard throughout heaven’s court: “Then I [John] heard a loud voice in heaven say: ‘Now [at this time] have come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Messiah [anointed one].’ ”35 Using His Commander-in-Chief powers as Michael the archangel, Jesus and His angels drove Lucifer and his angels out of heaven’s court, and a victorious Jesus took over as Earth’s representative in heaven’s court. The angel continues: “For the accuser of our brothers and sisters, who accuses them before our God day and night, has been hurled down.”36 Consider this sentence again. Lucifer is called the accuser “of our brothers and sisters.” The angels call the saints “our brothers and sisters!”

Think about this. If the war in Revelation 12:7 occurred before Adam and Eve sinned, there would be no “brothers” for Lucifer to accuse. Lucifer’s accusations began after Adam and Eve sinned. Lucifer taunted God from time to time, that His government was unfair because He granted grace and redemption to repentant sinners, but not to himself or his rebellious angels. These accusations were baseless because God tried many times and waited patiently for the devil and his angels to repent but they would not. Twice in the Bible, Lucifer is rebuked for promoting baseless arguments.37

Revelation 12:10 is a punctiliar declaration: “Now have come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God.” This declaration could only be made after the price for man’s salvation had been paid. When Jesus walked out of the tomb, the devil and his angels realized their fate and they had no intention of yielding to an honorable defeat. The devil would not give up his seat in heaven’s court as “the prince of this world” to anyone, particularly someone he loathed. The only way the devil would surrender his position was through force, and that is exactly what happened. Jesus and His angels fought and forced the devil and his angels out of heaven!

Consider the next verse and notice that the last word is “short.” This word is significant in this context because Lucifer’s demise is coming. If Lucifer was 100,000 years old when he was cast out of heaven on Resurrection Sunday, another 3,000 years (counting from the death of Jesus to the end of the 1,000 years in Revelation 20) is “short” indeed. “Therefore rejoice, you heavens and you who dwell in them [because Jesus has prevailed and the devil has been cast out of here forever]! But woe to the earth and the sea [the whole world], because the devil has gone down to you! He is filled with fury, because he knows that his [remaining] time is short.”38

The Bible indicates the war in Revelation 12:7-9 took place after Jesus was born. Study the chronology that is declared in this text: “When the dragon saw that he had been hurled to the earth, he pursued the woman who had given birth to the male child.”39 We can easily chart verse 13.

The Time Line of Revelation 12:13

1. The birth of Jesus
2. The death of Jesus
3. The devil cast out of heaven
4. The beginning of the 1,260 years
5. Deadly wound inflicted on papacy

There is no wiggle room. Verse 13 says after the devil was cast out of heaven, he chased the woman who had given birth to the male child. Therefore, the war in Revelation 12:7 had to occur between 4 B.C. and A.D. 538 (the beginning of the 1,260 years).

There is one more passage in Scripture that we need to consider. A few hours before His arrest and death, Jesus went to the temple and said, “Now my soul is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour. Father, glorify your name! Then a voice came from heaven, ‘I have glorified it, and will glorify it again.’ The crowd that was there and heard it said it had thundered; others said an angel had spoken to him. Jesus said, ‘This voice was for your benefit, not mine. Now [at this time] is the time for judgment on this world [that is, the moment of truth has now come to see who will win the contest for Earth]; now [at this time] the prince of this world will be driven out [of heaven. He will lose his seat in heaven’s court as Earth’s representative].’ ”40

John 12 reveals three facts. First, Revelation 12:10 is a punctiliar announcement, “Now have come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Messiah. For the accuser of our brothers, who accuses them before our God day and night, has been hurled down.”41 This declaration could only be made after the price for salvation had been paid, and the devil had been permanently cast out. When God clothes a repentant sinner with the perfect life of Jesus, the devil cannot say a word. In theological terms, the angel said, “Justification has silenced the accuser of our brothers and sisters.”

Second, Revelation 12:13 allows no wiggle room. The war described in Revelation 12:7-9 occurred between 4 B.C. (the birth of Jesus) and A.D. 538 (the beginning of the 1,260 years).

Third, shortly before His death, Jesus predicted in John 12:27-31 the prince of this world “will be driven out [of heaven].” Putting these three facts together, the following passage makes perfect sense: “At this, she [Mary] turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus. He asked her, ‘Woman, why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?’ Thinking he was the gardener, she said, ‘Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him.’ Jesus said to her [in a familiar voice], ‘Mary.’ [She knew that voice.] She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, ‘Rabboni!’ (which means ‘Teacher’). Jesus said, ‘Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’ ”42

Jesus returned to the Father so He could take His rightful place and permanently drive the devil out of heaven. The Father had promised to give this world to Jesus if He would carry out the Plan of Salvation and Jesus was eager to receive His inheritance. Even though Jesus gave up His life and had obeyed the Father’s will perfectly, Lucifer was unwilling to yield his position to Jesus. His loathing and hatred for Jesus produced the second war in heaven.

When we consider the long conflict between Christ and Satan, this warning is easy to understand: “But woe to the earth and the sea, because the devil has gone down to you! He is filled with fury, because he knows that his time is short.”43 Let us review Lucifer’s failures:

• Lucifer and one-third of the angels rebelled against God. Failed.
• Lucifer deceived Eve. Adam also fell. Lucifer became prince of this world. Success.
• Lucifer led the antediluvians to defy God. Success.
• Lucifer led the Israelites into apostasy over and over. Success.
• Lucifer tried to kill Jesus at birth. Failed.
• Lucifer tried to tempt Jesus (at His weakest moment) to worship him. Failed.
• Lucifer tried to keep Jesus in the tomb by sealing it with a huge stone. Failed.
• Lucifer tried to keep his position in heaven’s government. Failed.
• Lucifer tried to keep the truth about Christ’s resurrection a secret. Failed.
• Lucifer tried to destroy the woman for 1,260 years, because he loathed Christ’s gospel. Failed.
• Lucifer has instigated endless wars, pain, sorrow, illness, and death. Success.
• Lucifer will attack the saints in an upcoming war. Success.

Jesus is waiting for the time to arrive when He will say, “There will be no more delay!”44 With God, timing is everything.

Ultimately, God will annihilate Lucifer and his demons with fire and the universe will finally have peace.