The Book of Revelation | When Things Look Their Worst

7 And war broke out in heaven; Michael and his angels fought against the dragon. The dragon and his angels fought back, 8 but they were defeated, and there was no longer any place for them in heaven. 9 The great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world—he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him.

10 Then I heard a loud voice in heaven proclaiming, “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 has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God. 11 But they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they did not cling to life even in the face of death. 12 Rejoice then, you heavens and those who dwell in them! But woe to the earth and the sea, for the devil has come down to you with great wrath because he knows that his time is short!”

Revelation 12:7-12

The battle described in these verses takes place in heaven itself, but its implications reach down to earth. Michael and his angels fight against the dragon and his angels, and the outcome is decisive: the dragon is defeated and cast down to earth.

What's remarkable about this passage is the timing. The dragon's expulsion from heaven happens after his attempt to destroy the woman and her child fails. In other words, this isn't the beginning of the conflict—it's the continuation of a battle that the dragon has already begun to lose.

The imagery here would have been especially meaningful to John's first readers. They were living under Roman persecution, watching fellow believers lose their property, their freedom, and sometimes their lives. From their perspective, it looked like evil was winning. The empire seemed unstoppable, and the church appeared vulnerable and weak.

But John's vision reveals what's happening behind the scenes. Even when things look their worst on earth, God is still sovereign in heaven. The dragon's apparent victories are actually signs of his desperation, not his strength. He has been defeated in heaven, so now he's making his last stand on earth.

This perspective changes everything for struggling believers. When you're facing circumstances that seem impossible, when it appears that evil has the upper hand, when you wonder if God has abandoned you—remember that appearances can be deceiving.

The loud voice in heaven declares: "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."

The dragon may still be active on earth, but his time is limited. His accusations have been silenced in heaven's court. The victory has already been won, even if we don't always see evidence of it yet in our daily experience.

Prayer: God, help me to see beyond the immediate circumstances to the ultimate reality of your victory. When things look dark, remind me that you are still on the throne.