And the great dragon was cast out, the ancient serpent, he who is called Devil and Satan, he who deceives the whole habitable world, he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.
The vision stops to say plainly who the dragon is. It puts four names on one being, then reports his expulsion — which raises the question of where he was until then.
The titles are not decoration. Two describe what he is like, and two are personal names for a real being.
The first two titles describe character — cruelty and subtlety. The last two names, Devil and Satan, refer to the dragon as a person. The devil is an actual historical being, and New Testament Greek uses the word only in the singular. Where older translations say "devils," the word should be "demons." As the devil, he is the accuser, the slanderer, and tempter. As Satan, he is the open and declared adversary of Christ, the public enemy of God and of His people.
The word "ancient" points back to the opening pages of the Bible.
In the Genesis account, then, it is just the serpent, the visible agent of the mischief, that is mentioned. So also, in 2 Corinthians 11:3 we read, "the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning." Only in the last book of the Bible do we get the clearest identification of the serpent with the unseen actor working through it. There, twice over in almost the same words, we read, "that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan" (Rev. 12:9; 20:2). He is the originator and instigator of that dreadful thing, sin, which has invaded this fair creation.
The verse describes his trade, not just his nature. Behind every human agent, one mind is at work. (Scott quotes an older translation: "the whole habitable world.")
Next comes Satan's special work, the one his tireless energy drives at. He "deceives the whole habitable world." … The prime mover in all is alone before us. By God's permission Satan deceives everyone caught in the prophetic scene. It does not matter who the people used are, or what the means are. Satan himself is the leader who lures the world on to its moral ruin. … Then, however, Satan keeps in the background; here in the light of Heaven he stands fully exposed.
No one can be thrown out of a place he was never in. Other passages already show him with access above.
No careful reader of Scripture will wonder at finding Satan in heaven. Our knowledge on the subject is limited. Still, we read of "spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places." We see him as the devil, or slanderer, accusing the brothers. We see him as Satan, the adversary, opposing Joshua, the high priest, and Michael, the archangel. He probably cannot enter "the third heaven" where God dwells. But he clearly has some place in the heavens, and this war drives him out of it.
The repeated verb is the point. What cleanses heaven is the same as what cleanses the earth.
Repeating the verb cast out three times emphasises the shameful expulsion of Satan and his angels from Heaven. Who these angels are is a question shrouded in mystery. All we know is that they make up Satan's fighting host, and are cast out of Heaven with their chief. Satan can then no longer enter God's presence to accuse the saints to Him. His poisonous breath can never again infect the holy atmosphere of the heavenly places. The heavens have to be cleared of evil as well as the earth. The ground on which both are purified and reconciled is the sacrifice of Christ. How complete, therefore, and far-reaching in its results is the blood of Christ!
Each title has its exact counterpart in the Lord Jesus — which turns the verse into a question for the reader.
As the dragon he is the destroyer. As the ancient serpent he is the deceiver. As the devil, he is the accuser. As Satan, he is the adversary — the adversary of God, of all good, and of our souls. … If the devil is the destroyer, our Lord is the DELIVERER. If the devil is the deceiver, our Lord is the TRUTH — the Holy and the True. If the devil is the accuser, our Lord is the INTERCESSOR AND ADVOCATE. If the devil is the adversary, our Lord is THE FRIEND. You must choose, Christians, under whose control you will come.
- Named. One real person carries four titles: dragon for cruelty, serpent for cunning, devil for accusing, Satan for open hostility.
- Ancient. "That ancient serpent" points to the unseen actor who used the serpent against Eve. He is the originator of sin, and the Bible's last book finally names him.
- Exposed. His trade is deceiving the whole world, and he usually works out of sight. In heaven's light the prime mover stands fully exposed.
- Expelled. He still has access above until this war. The triple "cast out" marks a shameful, final removal. Christ's sacrifice is the ground on which heaven is cleansed.
- Answered. Christ meets each name: Deliverer for the destroyer, Truth for the deceiver, Advocate for the accuser, Friend for the adversary. So the verse ends in a choice: whose control will you live under?
And I heard a great voice in the heaven saying, Now is come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Christ; for the accuser of our brethren has been cast out, who accused them before our God day and night
A war in heaven ends with the dragon thrown down, and at once a loud voice announces what his fall makes possible. Two questions follow: who is speaking, and why does heaven say the kingdom has come while the worst hour on earth still lies ahead?
The text never names the speaker, but one word in it narrows the field. Angels do not call believers on earth their family.
The song does not say who sings it. But only saints in heaven could speak of the suffering remnant on earth as "our brothers." So this is not the song of angels. It is the song of glorified saints, represented by the elders. Driving Satan out of heaven was a necessary first step to "the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of His Christ." It was so necessary that, once it is done, the song already says these have come. Every obstacle in heaven is now removed, though there are still enemies to overcome on earth.
The word "salvation" has a particular sense here, and the verse itself supplies it. The reason given for the shout is the fall of the accuser.
The salvation spoken of here does not seem to be the salvation of the body, as some think. The verse explains it as the rescue of people who are called "our brothers" from the accusation of Satan. So the voice seems to be that of the glorified saints. The "brothers" they speak of are the saints on earth. In the past those saints overcame these accusations by their own faithfulness, and now the accusations are ended forever.
The announcement runs ahead of the events on earth. Heaven treats the outcome as settled while trouble still lies ahead for the saints below.
Clearly the passage speaks of people in heaven at this time who feel deeply for their suffering brothers on earth. That is the undeniable fact. Who are they but those who are one with Christ, the mighty male child of this chapter? Because Satan has fallen, they look ahead to the full setting up of the kingdom, though three and a half times have yet to pass in fact.
Since the shout runs ahead of events, it cannot be tied to any turning point in the church's past.
Has there ever been a time in the church's past history when God stepped in so strikingly that it would match this? Is it really true that, when Constantine adopted Christianity, salvation came? Surely not.
The verse describes a job Satan has held. He comes before God and lays charges, "day and night." But someone else is just as constant.
God bears with the rebellion of the world. He also bears with another rebellion: the boldness of Satan, who dares to push his way even into God's own presence and bring accusations against His people before Him. But do not forget: if there is one who loves to accuse, there is another to intercede — the Advocate, who never sleeps. There may be the devil against the saints, but there is Christ for them, who always lives to make intercession.
The accuser is dangerous not because he lies. Much of what he reports about believers is true, so the answer must come from someone else.
There is in heaven an accuser of us also, who says things about us that are true. He knows our lives, and he reports our faults and failures in heaven. Another is there too, One not seen in this vision. "If anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous" (1 John 2:1). So we need not fear what the accuser may say, true though the charges may be, because there is One there to plead His death.
Being thrown down is not a demotion he can appeal. The role this verse describes ends for good.
Satan is completely beaten and overthrown in the very place and seat of his power. Never again will the court of Heaven listen to his accusations, just or unjust.
- Accused — day and night Satan brings charges against God's people before God, and the charges are often true.
- Answered — the Advocate never sleeps. He stands against the accuser and pleads His own death, so we need not fear the charges.
- Ended — once heaven throws him out, that role is gone for good. Heaven will never hear his charges again.
- Announced — the moment that post falls empty, heaven shouts that salvation, power and kingdom have come. On earth, three and a half times have yet to pass.
- Ours — the voice says "our brothers." That one word shows saints in heaven are speaking, still feeling deeply for believers suffering below.