City of God, Book IV
“For to the just all the evils imposed on them by unjust rulers are not the punishment of crime, but the test of virtue.”
Author Archives: Maria Tatham, a gentle iconoclast
Reading through Revelation – Chapter 12, Part 3 – And there was war in Heaven – How artists have seen this
Revelation 12:7-12
NASB
The Angel, Michael
7 And there was war in heaven, Michael and his angels waging war with the dragon. The dragon and his angels waged war, 8 and they were not strong enough, and there was no longer a place found for them in heaven. 9 And the great dragon was thrown down, the serpent of old who is called the devil and Satan, who deceives the whole [d]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, saying,
“Now the salvation, and the power, and the kingdom of our God and the authority of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren has been thrown down, he who accuses them before our God day and night. 11 And they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their testimony, and they did not love their life even [e]when faced with death. 12 For this reason, rejoice, O heavens and you who [f]dwell in them. Woe to the earth and the sea, because the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, knowing that he has only a short time.”
[d] Revelation 12:9 Lit inhabited earth
[e] Revelation 12:11 Lit to death
[f] Revelation 12:12 Or tabernacle
Intro to a tiny gallery
Strangely, many depictions of Michael and his angels waging war with the dragon are shown as if happening upon the stage of this world rather than in Heaven as the Bible teaches. Also, images Of the dragon are often unscriptural. Take note, too, that one of the images below is described as Michael “slaying” the dragon rather than “waging war” with him. (We humans like to do as we please.) The Bamberg depiction is interesting because it doesn’t feature Michael or the dragon, but rather Michael’s angels and the dragon’s angels.
A tiny gallery
War in Heaven – Apocalypse by Gebhard Fugel 15 – Kap. 12.7 Michaels Kampf
Saint Michael slaying the Dragon – Josse Lieferinxe, Master of St. Sebastian, 15th Century
Bamberg Apocalypse Folio 030v St Michael Fights Dragon
Saint Michael the Archangel – Garcia Fernandes Workshop (atr.)
War in Heaven – Maestro de Zafra: Miguel Arcángel – ca. 1495-1500
(“The work represents Saint Michael the Archangel defeating the dragon, symbol of Sin.”)
Past
The days are in the dust, Lord,
Scenes of long ago,
Like leaves blown down the street, Lord
They’re brittle, dry, and cold.
But You remain forever, true forever!
Fear of the future
This message convicted and comforted me. I pray it is a help to you!
Losing your mind and perhaps your witness over Christmas? Take four minutes to think . . .
Hi! This is a helpful, sane, mini-treatment of practical matters regarding the Christmas Controversy. Love you, brethren!
