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War in Heaven (An Analogy).
#3.
The Objects before the enemy:
"Dominion" and "Worship".
pp. 28, 29
We have seen from the teaching of Scripture that the great enemy, the prime
antagonist, in the conflict of the ages, is Satan. We need not be disciples of Hegel to
reach the conclusion that contraries are a very real part of any given thing. Though he
stand all day in the market place, no man can be a "seller" unless another becomes a
"buyer". To eliminate the idea of "husband" and to think only of the idea of "wife" is to
attempt an impossibility. The two ideas must always be present in order that either of
them can be conceived of as existing. So, also, it is impossible for Satan to be an enemy,
or an antagonist, without the existence of some other opposing being or power. When we
read "There was war in heaven" we find that Michael and his angels are ranged against
the Devil and his angels. At the actual revelation of the Lord Jesus Christ, we see
"Heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and He that sat upon him was called
Faithful and True, and in righteousness He doth judge and make war" (Rev. 19: 11).
The Psalmist also saw this apocalypse in anticipation, for he said:--
"Gird thy sword upon thy thigh, O Most Mighty, with Thy glory and Thy majesty.
And in Thy majesty ride prosperously because of truth and meekness and righteousness;
and Thy right hand shall teach Thee terrible things. Thine arrows are sharp in the heart of
the king's enemies; whereby the people fall under Thee. Thy throne, O God, is for ever
and ever" (Psa. 14: 3-6).
Likewise the prophet Zechariah spoke of the same great advent:--
"Behold, thy King cometh unto thee . . . . . and He (LXX) will cut off the chariot from
Ephraim and the horse from Jerusalem . . . . . and His dominion shall be from sea even to
sea, and from the river even to the ends of the earth" (Zech. 9: 9, 10).
"Then shall the Lord go forth and fight against those nations, as when he fought in
the day of battle. And His feet shall stand in that day upon the Mount of Olives"
(Zech. 14: 3, 4).
We will not multiply references. The reader can find allusions to battle and war, in
association with God himself, throughout the Scriptures. The great title "The Lord of
Hosts" is in itself a reference to warfare.
There is a second reason for quoting the passages cited above, for, besides teaching us
that the Lord Himself is engaged in this great fight, they indicate something of its object.
In later verses of the chapter in Revelation from which we have already quoted occur the
words,
"Out of His mouth goeth a sharp sword . . . . . and He hath on His vesture and on His
thigh a name written KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS" (Rev. 19: 15, 16).