There is absolutely nothing in the text which indicates that we must explain this portion in the allegorical fashion, as has been done in various ways. There is no mention here of signs and symbols.
We must conceive of this battle as being very real. If the preceding portion depicted a battle of the devil against the church of the old dispensation to prevent the realization of the promise given in paradise, the present passage speaks of another war, also waged by the devil, but this time fought in person by him and by his angels, this time fought in heaven instead of upon earth, this time fought against his fellow angels who remained faithful to God at the time when the devil and his angels fell away. Now parallel with this effort of the dragon against the woman runs the incident recorded in the words of our text and which speaks of the battle of the spirits in heaven. Christ is born, performs His work, and is exalted to highest glory at the right hand of the Almighty. The devil stands before the woman throughout the old dispensation in an inimical attitude for the purpose of devouring her child as soon as it has been born. The second sign is that of the great red dragon, which, as we interpreted, and as is literally expressed in the chapter, is none other than the devil himself. We found that in the sign of the woman with child we have the symbol especially of the church in the old dispensation, before Christ was born. As to the first sign, we found no difficulty in recognizing in it the symbol of the church upon earth. In the first portion of this chapter we found a description of the two signs in heaven and we discussed the identity of each sign, as well as their mutual relation and the attitude of the second against the first. You will remember that we have taken the position that in Chapter 12 we have a description of the spiritual agencies which are back of the power which rises out of the abyss and which exalts itself against the two witnesses, against the church of Christ, in this dispensation. I think that in the portion quoted above we have a parallel, and, in a way a continuation, of the first part of Chapter 12.
Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time. 7 And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon and the dragon fought and his angels,Ĩ And prevailed not neither was their place found any more in heaven.ĩ And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.ġ0 And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.ġ1 And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony and they loved not their lives unto the death.ġ2 Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them.
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