Getting Ready for the Last Days: War in Heaven
Getting Ready for the Last Days
War in Heaven
By James Scott Trimm
We are living in the last days. The headlines seem ripped right out of biblical prophecy. The financial crisis, escalating conflict in the Middle East, moral decay etc.
As Passover has recently passed YHWH has impressed upon me that Passover is all about the last days and our deliverance. Passover also points us toward Shavuot (Pentecost), it begins the counting of the omer counting our way towards power from the Ruach HaKodesh. In fact this is the theme of the Book of Revelation which is filled with Passover imagery: The Lamb; the 144,000 “firstborn” redeemed by the blood of the lamb; the protective “seal” on their forehead (comp. Ex. 13:6-16) the plagues and the coming out from Babylon paralleling the coming out from Egypt.
As we enter into these last days it is important that Nazarenes are prepared for the war in heaven. Throughout Passover, Unleavened Bread, the Counting of the Omer and Shavuot I want to prepare Nazarenes for the last days, the war in heaven and the gift of the power if the Ruach HaKodeah.
Revelation tells us that in the last days there will be a major war in heaven between Micka'el and his angels, and HaSatan and his angels:
And there was war in heaven and Mikha'el and his angels
were fighting with the dragon, and the dragon and his angels
fought.
(Rev. 12:7 - HRV)
HaSatan will lose this heavenly war and be cast down to the earth:
8 And they did not prevail and no place was found for
them in heaven.
9 And the great dragon was cast out, that head serpent who
is called 'Akel Kartza and HaSatan,
who deceived the whole earth.
And he was cast out upon the earth and his angels were cast
out with him.
10 And I heard a great voice from heaven saying,
Behold, there is deliverance and power and the kingdom
of our Eloah, for the accuser of our brothers is cast out,
who accused them night and day before our Eloah.
(Rev. 12:8-10 - HRV)
But the next verse reveals to us that Torah Observant believers in Messiah will actually bring about Michael's victory:
11 And they overcame by the blood of the lamb
and through the word of his testimony;
and they did not love their own nefeshot,
even unto death.
(Rev. 12:11 - HRV)
We know this must refer to the Torah Observant believers, because they bring the victory about because "they did not love their own nefeshot (souls), even onto death". This cannot refer to angels.
How is it that Torah Observant believers in Messiah will impact this war? A clue is found in the Book of Daniel. In this book we read of a battle between Michael and the "Prince of the Kingdom of Paras (Persia)":
Then said he unto me: ` Fear not, Daniel;
for the first day that you did set your heart to understand,
and to humble yourself before your Elohim,
your words were heard; and I am come because
of your words. But the prince of the Kingdom of Paras (Persia)
withstood me one and twenty days; but, behold, Mikha'el,
one of the chief princes, came to help
me; and I was left over there beside the kings of Paras (Persia).
(Dan. 10:12-13)
Daniel impacted this battle with intercessory prayer and fasting here on earth:
In those days I Daniel was mourning three whole weeks.
I ate no pleasant bread,
neither came flesh nor wine in my mouth,
neither did I anoint myself at all, till three whole weeks
were fulfilled."
(Dan. 10:2-3)
Another battle in this war in heaven is recorded in the book of Y’hudah (Jude) as follows:
Yet Mikha’el the chief angel, in contending with ‘Akel Kartza, when he disputed about the body of Moshe, dared not bring against him a reviling accusation, but said, YHWH rebuke you!
(Jude 1:9 HRV)
This is a war of words and Michael overcomes HaSatan by saying “YHWH rebuke you”. Yet another battle in the war is recorded in Zechariah where we again see the phrase “YHWH rebuke you” hurled at HaSatan:
And YHWH said unto HaSatan: 'YHWH rebuke you, O HaSatan, yes, YHWH that has chosen Yerushalayim rebuke you; is not this man a brand plucked out of the fire?'
(Zech. 3:2 HRV)
Now lets look at this exchange in context:
And he showed me Yahushua the cohen gadol standing before the angel of YHWH, and HaSatan standing at his right hand to accuse him.
And YHWH said unto HaSatan: 'YHWH rebuke you, O HaSatan, yes, YHWH that has chosen Yerushalayim rebuke you; is not this man a brand plucked out of the fire?'
Now Yahushua was clothed with filthy garments, and stood before the angel.
And he answered and spoke unto those that stood before him, saying: 'Take the filthy garments from off him.' And unto him he said: 'Behold, I cause your iniquity to pass from you, and I will clothe you with robes.'
And I said: 'Let them set a fair mitre upon his head.' So they set a fair mitre upon his head, and clothed him with garments; and the angel of YHWH stood by
(Zech. 3:1-5 HRV)
Note that HaSatan is standing before the throne to accuse the High Priest Yahushua just as in the war in heaven he is standing before the throne making accusation (Rev. 12:10). How is Yahushua defended from this attack of accusation in this war of words? He is given a clean garment in exchange for his filthy one. Why is he given this garment? The answer can be found in another passage:
Then Yahunatan made a covenant with David, because he loved him as his own soul.
And Yahunatan stripped himself of the robe that was upon him, and gave it to David, and his apparel, even to his sword, and to his bow, and to his girdle.
(1Sam. 18:3-4 HRV)
Now a covenant was the strongest relationship two individuals could enter into. When you entered into a covenant with someone you became members of each other’s houses and joint heirs with one another, sharing in each other’s inheritance rights. David legitimately became the King of Israel because he had a covenant with the son of the king, making him his joint heir. When the king and the son of the king died in a single day, David inherited the throne. This is a picture of our salvation as joint heirs with Yeshua . When the so of the king died, we had an inheritance. And having a covenant relationship with Elohim allows us to exchange garments with Him. For this reason Zechariah prevailed in HaSatan’s attack of accusation, through his entitlement to wear YHWH’s garment instead of his own filthy one. It is for this reason that we are able to wear Elohim’s armor and fight in the fight in the war in heaven. Now Paul tells us more specifically that putting on the full armor of Elohim allows us to participate in the heavenly "struggle" with HaSatan through intercessory prayer:
10 Henceforth, my brothers, be strong in our Adon
and in the might of his power,
11 and put on all the armor of Eloah, so that you may be able to
stand against the strategies of 'Akel Kartza,
12 because your struggle is not with flesh and blood,
but with principalities and with authorities
and with the possessors of this dark world
and with the evil spirits that are under heaven.
13 Because of this, put on all the armor of Eloah that you may
be able to meet the evil one, and being prepared in everything,
you may stand firm.
14 Stand therefore, and gird up your loins with truth
and put on the breastplate of righteousness
15 And bind on your feet the preparation of the good news
of shalom.
16 And with these, take to you the shield of faith,
by which you will have power to quench all the fiery darts
of the wicked.
17 And put on the helmet of salvation and take hold of the
sword of the spirit, which is the word of Eloah.
18 And with all prayers, and with all petitions,
pray at all times in the spirit, and in prayer,
be watchful in every season while praying
continually and making supplication on behalf of all
the set-apart-ones,
(Eph. 6:10-18 HRV)
The Body of Messiah needs more teaching about the war in heaven, about the strategies of our enemy and how to overcome them. We need to be winning battles with HaSatan and ultimately winning the war in heaven.
War in Heaven
By James Scott Trimm
We are living in the last days. The headlines seem ripped right out of biblical prophecy. The financial crisis, escalating conflict in the Middle East, moral decay etc.
As Passover has recently passed YHWH has impressed upon me that Passover is all about the last days and our deliverance. Passover also points us toward Shavuot (Pentecost), it begins the counting of the omer counting our way towards power from the Ruach HaKodesh. In fact this is the theme of the Book of Revelation which is filled with Passover imagery: The Lamb; the 144,000 “firstborn” redeemed by the blood of the lamb; the protective “seal” on their forehead (comp. Ex. 13:6-16) the plagues and the coming out from Babylon paralleling the coming out from Egypt.
As we enter into these last days it is important that Nazarenes are prepared for the war in heaven. Throughout Passover, Unleavened Bread, the Counting of the Omer and Shavuot I want to prepare Nazarenes for the last days, the war in heaven and the gift of the power if the Ruach HaKodeah.
Revelation tells us that in the last days there will be a major war in heaven between Micka'el and his angels, and HaSatan and his angels:
And there was war in heaven and Mikha'el and his angels
were fighting with the dragon, and the dragon and his angels
fought.
(Rev. 12:7 - HRV)
HaSatan will lose this heavenly war and be cast down to the earth:
8 And they did not prevail and no place was found for
them in heaven.
9 And the great dragon was cast out, that head serpent who
is called 'Akel Kartza and HaSatan,
who deceived the whole earth.
And he was cast out upon the earth and his angels were cast
out with him.
10 And I heard a great voice from heaven saying,
Behold, there is deliverance and power and the kingdom
of our Eloah, for the accuser of our brothers is cast out,
who accused them night and day before our Eloah.
(Rev. 12:8-10 - HRV)
But the next verse reveals to us that Torah Observant believers in Messiah will actually bring about Michael's victory:
11 And they overcame by the blood of the lamb
and through the word of his testimony;
and they did not love their own nefeshot,
even unto death.
(Rev. 12:11 - HRV)
We know this must refer to the Torah Observant believers, because they bring the victory about because "they did not love their own nefeshot (souls), even onto death". This cannot refer to angels.
How is it that Torah Observant believers in Messiah will impact this war? A clue is found in the Book of Daniel. In this book we read of a battle between Michael and the "Prince of the Kingdom of Paras (Persia)":
Then said he unto me: ` Fear not, Daniel;
for the first day that you did set your heart to understand,
and to humble yourself before your Elohim,
your words were heard; and I am come because
of your words. But the prince of the Kingdom of Paras (Persia)
withstood me one and twenty days; but, behold, Mikha'el,
one of the chief princes, came to help
me; and I was left over there beside the kings of Paras (Persia).
(Dan. 10:12-13)
Daniel impacted this battle with intercessory prayer and fasting here on earth:
In those days I Daniel was mourning three whole weeks.
I ate no pleasant bread,
neither came flesh nor wine in my mouth,
neither did I anoint myself at all, till three whole weeks
were fulfilled."
(Dan. 10:2-3)
Another battle in this war in heaven is recorded in the book of Y’hudah (Jude) as follows:
Yet Mikha’el the chief angel, in contending with ‘Akel Kartza, when he disputed about the body of Moshe, dared not bring against him a reviling accusation, but said, YHWH rebuke you!
(Jude 1:9 HRV)
This is a war of words and Michael overcomes HaSatan by saying “YHWH rebuke you”. Yet another battle in the war is recorded in Zechariah where we again see the phrase “YHWH rebuke you” hurled at HaSatan:
And YHWH said unto HaSatan: 'YHWH rebuke you, O HaSatan, yes, YHWH that has chosen Yerushalayim rebuke you; is not this man a brand plucked out of the fire?'
(Zech. 3:2 HRV)
Now lets look at this exchange in context:
And he showed me Yahushua the cohen gadol standing before the angel of YHWH, and HaSatan standing at his right hand to accuse him.
And YHWH said unto HaSatan: 'YHWH rebuke you, O HaSatan, yes, YHWH that has chosen Yerushalayim rebuke you; is not this man a brand plucked out of the fire?'
Now Yahushua was clothed with filthy garments, and stood before the angel.
And he answered and spoke unto those that stood before him, saying: 'Take the filthy garments from off him.' And unto him he said: 'Behold, I cause your iniquity to pass from you, and I will clothe you with robes.'
And I said: 'Let them set a fair mitre upon his head.' So they set a fair mitre upon his head, and clothed him with garments; and the angel of YHWH stood by
(Zech. 3:1-5 HRV)
Note that HaSatan is standing before the throne to accuse the High Priest Yahushua just as in the war in heaven he is standing before the throne making accusation (Rev. 12:10). How is Yahushua defended from this attack of accusation in this war of words? He is given a clean garment in exchange for his filthy one. Why is he given this garment? The answer can be found in another passage:
Then Yahunatan made a covenant with David, because he loved him as his own soul.
And Yahunatan stripped himself of the robe that was upon him, and gave it to David, and his apparel, even to his sword, and to his bow, and to his girdle.
(1Sam. 18:3-4 HRV)
Now a covenant was the strongest relationship two individuals could enter into. When you entered into a covenant with someone you became members of each other’s houses and joint heirs with one another, sharing in each other’s inheritance rights. David legitimately became the King of Israel because he had a covenant with the son of the king, making him his joint heir. When the king and the son of the king died in a single day, David inherited the throne. This is a picture of our salvation as joint heirs with Yeshua . When the so of the king died, we had an inheritance. And having a covenant relationship with Elohim allows us to exchange garments with Him. For this reason Zechariah prevailed in HaSatan’s attack of accusation, through his entitlement to wear YHWH’s garment instead of his own filthy one. It is for this reason that we are able to wear Elohim’s armor and fight in the fight in the war in heaven. Now Paul tells us more specifically that putting on the full armor of Elohim allows us to participate in the heavenly "struggle" with HaSatan through intercessory prayer:
10 Henceforth, my brothers, be strong in our Adon
and in the might of his power,
11 and put on all the armor of Eloah, so that you may be able to
stand against the strategies of 'Akel Kartza,
12 because your struggle is not with flesh and blood,
but with principalities and with authorities
and with the possessors of this dark world
and with the evil spirits that are under heaven.
13 Because of this, put on all the armor of Eloah that you may
be able to meet the evil one, and being prepared in everything,
you may stand firm.
14 Stand therefore, and gird up your loins with truth
and put on the breastplate of righteousness
15 And bind on your feet the preparation of the good news
of shalom.
16 And with these, take to you the shield of faith,
by which you will have power to quench all the fiery darts
of the wicked.
17 And put on the helmet of salvation and take hold of the
sword of the spirit, which is the word of Eloah.
18 And with all prayers, and with all petitions,
pray at all times in the spirit, and in prayer,
be watchful in every season while praying
continually and making supplication on behalf of all
the set-apart-ones,
(Eph. 6:10-18 HRV)
The Body of Messiah needs more teaching about the war in heaven, about the strategies of our enemy and how to overcome them. We need to be winning battles with HaSatan and ultimately winning the war in heaven.
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