Star Wars - the Original

‘Then there was war in heaven. Michael and the angels under his command fought the dragon and his angels’ (Rev 12.7).

Like a good mystery novel the Bible contains different threads that weave through the story until they are finally pulled together at the end. This happens in the Book of Revelation. As the story unfolds we see different events that legitimately raise questions about the nature of God? Is He really a god of love as the Bible claims or is He a demonic, vengeful despot guilty of genocide and other atrocities as some claim?

While it is not my intention to answer those questions in any detail in this piece I would like to take a brief look at one of the themes woven into the plot of Scripture - the conflict between Michael and the dragon and their respective followers.

The dragon is identified in Rev 12:9 as ‘the ancient serpent called the Devil, or Satan …’ We are introduced to him in Genesis 3 as the one who led first Eve, and through her Adam, to sin. Consequently the serpent is cursed. In pronouncing the curse God says to Satan ‘From now on, you and the woman will be enemies, and your offspring and her offspring will be enemies. He will crush your head, and you will strike his heel’ (Gen 3:15).

Other than Genesis 3 Satan, the serpent or the Devil, hardly rates a mention in the Old Testament.  He appears in 1 Chronicles 21:1 where he is said to have tempted David to complete a census of Israel and again in the first 2 chapters of Job where he is called ‘Satan the Accuser’ (1:6), a name repeated in the New Testament Book Revelation 12:10. In the Old Testament God generally is seen as the instigator of both good and bad. So the conflict foreseen in Genesis 3 is not readily apparent in the Old Testament. It is, however, there.

In Revelation 13 we are introduced to two beasts. The first looks like a leopard with a ‘bear’s feet and a lion’s mouth’ (v.2). The second appears like a lamb but speaks as a dragon (v.11). To the first beast the dragon gives ‘his own power and throne and great authority’ (v.2). In turn, the second beast exercises ‘all the authority of the first beast’ (v.12). Through these two beasts all earth’s people worship, or give honour, to the dragon, or Satan.

It is against this background chapter 14 portrays 3 angels crying out to the people of the world. The first calls on people to worship God as the Creator, the second announces the fall of Babylon, and the third warns of the consequences of worshiping the beast or of loyalty to him.

Of Babylon the angel says ‘Babylon is fallen—that great city is fallen—because she made all the nations of the world drink the wine of her passionate immorality’ (v.8). One of the great cities of antiquity, Babylon had been nothing but a pile of ruins for well over a century and probably forgotten by most people when these words were penned, so the reference cannot be to the literal city. It is clearly symbolic, warning of something the city represents.

Babylon is first mentioned in Genesis 10 and 11.  After the Flood earth’s inhabitants planned to ‘build a great city ... with a tower’ reaching to ‘the sky’ in the Babylon area. Rather than spread out and fill the earth as God had commanded in Genesis 9:1 this was a move to keep the people together. The other, and perhaps stronger motive, was pride - ‘This will make us famous and keep us from being scattered all over the world’ (11:1-9). Jeremiah later describes Babylon as a ‘land of arrogance’ (Jer. 50:32).

Around 587 or 586 BC Jerusalem fell to the armies of Nebuchadnezzar and most of its elites were taken captive to Babylon. One of these was the young man Daniel, the authour of the Book bearing his name. The Book records a number of dreams, the first that of Nebuchadnezzar in chapter 2. Starting with Nebuchadnezzar the dream foresees the rise and fall of successive kingdoms culminating with the establishment of God’s Kingdom on Earth.

In his interpretation of the dream Daniel says, ‘Your Majesty, you are a king over many kings. The God of heaven has given you sovereignty, power, strength, and honor. He has made you the ruler over all the inhabited world and has put even the animals and birds under your control. You are the head of gold, (Dan 2:37,38).

Note the similarity to Genesis 1:26. ‘Then God said, "Let us make people in our image, to be like ourselves. They will be masters over all life -- the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, and all the livestock, wild animals, and small animals."'

Human beings, created in the image of God, were given the authority to rule over the earth. When Adam and Eve succumbed to Satan they surrendered that authority to him. Hence Jesus could refer to  ‘Satan, the ruler of this world’ (John 12:31)

In chapter 7 Daniel is shown the future in a dream. It expands on Nebuchadnezzar’s in chapter 2 with further detail provided in chapter 8. Babylon’s rule passes to Medo-Persia and then Greece. After Greece comes a ‘fourth world power that will rule the earth. It will be different from all the others. It will devour the whole world, trampling and crushing everything in its path’ (Dan 7:23). As we read on we see a ruler arises from this power to war against God and His people. This power continues until God sits in judgment on the Earth and hands ‘the sovereignty, power, and greatness of all the kingdoms under heaven … to the holy people’, that is, the people of God (v. 27).

Compare the words of Daniel 7:23 with those of Revelation 13:7. ‘And the beast was allowed to wage war against God’s holy people and to conquer them. And he was given authority to rule over every tribe and people and language and nation.’ This beast, as we have seen earlier, gets its authority from Satan, the real ‘ruler of this world’ (John 12:31).

In Revelation 18 another angel appears, again proclaiming the fall of Babylon (v.2). This is followed by a call to  ‘Come away from her, my people. Do not take part in her sins, or you will be punished with her’ (v.4).

The pronouncements in Revelation 14 and 18 reflect the language of Jeremiah 50 & 51. Jeremiah foretells the fall and utter destruction of Babylon. ‘Flee from Babylon! Save yourselves!  Don’t get trapped in her punishment!’ warns Jeremiah (51:6. See also 50:8).

One final comparison between Jeremiah and Revelation. God, in Jer 51:25 says of Babylon, ‘Look, O mighty mountain, destroyer of the earth! I am your enemy’. In Revelation 11:18 the twenty-four elders who sit on thrones in front of God praise Him, saying ‘It is time to destroy all who have caused destruction on the earth.’

‘Then there was war in heaven. Michael and the angels under his command fought the dragon and his angels’ (Rev 12.7). The Old Testament is silent on this. In fact, as seen above, the Old Testament is almost silent on Satan. Yet the rebellion in Heaven must have taken place before Adam and Eve sinned. Looking back through the light of Revelation we see this battle working out in the conflicts of the Old Testament, in the rise and fall of arrogant, oppressive nations.

It is these nations that oppress and destroy as they work out principles that are diametrically opposed to those of God. The spirit behind them is much older than Babylon. We are told that the pre-flood world ‘had become corrupt and was filled with violence’ (Gen 6:11). While it says God was the destroying agent (Gen 6:13) I wonder.

I look to the history of Israel where God was said to bring either good or bad. Within the culture of the day nations worshiped their national gods. Wars between nations were understood as wars between the gods of those nations. This is seen in different places in the Old Testament and was obviously the understanding of some of its writers. It follows that God would communicate in a way the first hearers of His messages would understand.

It is only in the New Testament, and the Gospels in particular, that we begin to see the conflict between Christ and Satan. We see, for example, in the account of the Temptation in the Wilderness the issue is about worship and authority. In Luke 4:5-7 we read:

Then the devil took him up and revealed to him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time.  “I will give you the glory of these kingdoms and authority over them,” the devil said, “because they are mine to give to anyone I please. I will give it all to you if you will worship me.”

There is a place where Jesus says we reap what we sow. Hosea says in 8:7, ‘They have planted the wind and will harvest the whirlwind.’ In Rev. 11:18 it is we, the people of earth, that have brought its destruction.  So if God does not change, as He says in Malachi 3:6, it would seem that He intervenes in human history to save those of us who seek after Him from the destruction rebellion brings on the earth. So what of the flood, or other disasters such as Sodom and Gomorrah? Destruction by God, or intervention to save the faithful few from human caused or natural disaster?

Bible Quoted: New Living Translation

Is God the Cosmological Puppeteer?

Only one of us in this relationship described as husband and wife had drummed into them from a young age the importance of turning up five minutes before parade time. That importance was reinforced regularly for twenty years and has plagued me for the last thirty. It's not only my wife, but most people I know who live with a different concept of punctuality.

Recently we had tickets for a concert in the Sydney Town Hall. I had worked out what train we needed to catch and what time to leave home. By the time we left I knew it was tight, especially as finding a parking spot would be difficult. Of course I said a prayer or two. There was no delay at the end of our street as there often is, no delays at traffic lights, a parking spot waiting, and we made the train with two minutes to spare. ‘Thank you God’ I said.

Sydney Town Hall

I know I’m not the only believer who can tell a similar story. It can be a good feeling that God is looking out for you, perhaps reassuring to believe you are still in His good books. If that is the case, then how do we explain the times we were late because of a traffic jam, we were too absorbed in something else only to realise we had an appointment too late, or whatever reason? Then there are the times non-believers or sceptics can tell similar stories without seeing any evidence of God’s intervention on their behalf.

I am not saying there are not those times when God intervenes in our daily affairs to our advantage. It may be that overwhelming feeling to go a different route, to talk to someone, or a clear reminder that we do have an important appointment. Sometimes there may be an apparent reason, sometimes not. If He does, why not for others? How do we know when He has intervened and when it is simply a matter of luck or coincidence? Would He do it for something as trivial as a concert, sporting event or other inconsequential thing?

I do not see God as the cosmological puppet master, pulling the strings controlling the affairs of this planet to the benefit of believers. Think about it. If every time we got it wrong because we failed to plan, made poor decisions, were distracted or whatever, God bailed us out of the mess of our our creation would that really help  us? We may do that for young children, but as they grow good parents let their children learn from their own mistakes. While God calls us His children He expects us to grow in maturity, to be responsible for what we may or may not do. Remember the saying we reap what we sow? It is in my view insulting to both God and us to believe He mollycoddles us through life.

Then there is the impact on others. Should we expect God to save us a parking spot, disrupt traffic, interfere with the weather or whatever at someone else’s expense? What if providing a parking spot for us makes someone with more pressing needs late for an important appointment? What if He delays traffic and slows an emergency vehicle on a life-saving mission? The very idea is selfish, uncaring for the needs of others. If that is what we expect of God we can’t claim to be like Him.

True evidence of God’s interest in our lives is seen in the development of character, of us becoming more loving, patient, tolerant, forgiving, understanding of others and focused on their needs, not ours. Maybe the only reason for thankfulness in an experience like I had the other day is because it reminds me to be better prepared, more disciplined and to plan my time more effectively.

Sodom's Many Sins: The Sins of Our Day

The word Sodomy, generally taken to mean anal sex, finds it origins in the Biblical story of Sodom and Gomorrah told in Genesis 19. Sodomy is said to be an abominable sin and the story used to illustrate how abhorrent it is to God. There is, however, much more to Sodom than homosexual activity and this may not have been the reason for the city’s destruction. Rather it may speak to the social and economic conditions of the world today.

Sodom is used in different places throughout the Bible as an example of extreme wickedness. We read in Genesis 18:20, 21 that God said to Abraham “I have heard a great outcry from Sodom and Gomorrah, because their sin is so flagrant. I am going down to see if their actions are as wicked as I have heard. If not, I want to know.”

In the evening two angels, appearing as men, enter Sodom to be greeted by Lot, Abraham’s nephew. Lot is insistent the strangers stay under his roof that evening in keeping with the custom of the time. Culture demanded a householder extend hospitality to travellers and afforded them protection under his roof,even at the expense of family members.

This is where it gets nasty. The men of the city turn up on Lot’s doorstep, demanding the strangers be given to them so that they may have sex with them. They are not satisfied when Lot offers his daughters instead and so the angels blind the mob.

Compare this to the way Abraham welcomed the strangers in the previous chapter. He ran to meet them, implored them to accept his hospitality, and waited on them as a servant. This was as it was meant to happen.

We are not told specifically why Sodom is condemned although it is obvious that pack rape not only violated the important obligation of hospitality to the stranger, an obligation born of necessity in a dry and hostile environment, but also would have caused grave injury if not death. But was that the sole reason for the destruction of the City and its neighbours?

2 Peter 2:7 says they were destroyed for their ‘shameful immorality’ and Jude 7 mentions ‘immorality and every kind of sexual perversion’. However if we stop at ‘every kind of sexual perversion’ we only have part of the picture, for their ‘immorality’ was much more than sexual in nature.

In Lamentations 4:6 the guilt of Israel is said to be ‘greater than that of Sodom’ because ‘her prophets  and … priests … defiled the city by shedding innocent blood’. Isaiah, in chapter 1, sees the land of Judah laying in ruins, devastated by the nation’s enemies. If it had not been for God’s intervention it would have been totally destroyed as had Sodom and Gomorrah. Both its rulers and its people are likened to those wicked cities. ‘Listen to the Lord, you leaders of “Sodom.” Listen to the law of our God, people of “Gomorrah”’ (Isa 1:10).

They had turned their back on God. He was turned off by their sham religious ritual, their meaningless ceremonies, rituals and celebrations. He refused to listen to their prayers for they carried the blood of the innocent on their hands

Justice and righteousness had become a thing of the past. Jerusalem was full of thieves and murderers. Her leaders were corrupt, not only accepting but demanding bribes and neglecting their responsibilities to defend oppressed, widows and orphans.

In chapter 3 we read the Nation had been ruined by its leaders (v.12). They had  oppressed and mislead the people, stolen from the poor and ground their faces into the ground. Jerusalem is likened to a ‘haughty’ woman, craning her elegant neck, flirting with her eyes, walking with dainty steps, tinkling her ankle bracelets’ (v.16). ‘The very look on their faces gives them away.  They display their sin like the people of Sodom  and don’t even try to hide it (v.9).

Jeremiah and Ezekiel likewise compare Israel to Sodom and Gomorrah. Although Jeremiah accuses the prophets of Samaria of leading Jerusalem’s prophets to sin he said ‘...  the prophets of Jerusalem are even worse! They commit adultery and love dishonesty. They encourage those who are doing evil so that no one turns away from their sins. These prophets are as wicked as the people of Sodom and Gomorrah once were.” (Jer. 23: 13,14).

Ezekiel, in Chapter 16, likens  Samaria, Jerusalem and Sodom as sisters, with Samaria the eldest. Of the three, Jerusalem is said to be by far the most corrupt. In verses 48 - 50 we read ‘As surely as I live, says the Sovereign Lord, Sodom and her daughters were never as wicked as you and your daughters. Sodom’s sins were pride, gluttony, and laziness, while the poor and needy suffered outside her door. She was proud and committed detestable sins, so I wiped her out, as you have seen.’

Sodom is last mentioned in the Book of Revelation, again linked to Jerusalem. In Revelation 11 God’s two witnesses, or prophets, testify for 42 months before they are killed by ‘the beast that comes up out of the bottomless pit … (v.7).’ Their ‘bodies … lie in the main street of Jerusalem, the city that is figuratively called “Sodom” and “Egypt,” the city where their Lord was crucified’ (v.8). Jerusalem is again likened Sodom and also Egypt, the nation that oppressed the Israelites and held them in slavery, refusing to let them go when God called on them to do so.

Neglect and exploitation of the poor. Corruption in high places, pride and the display of wealth. God denied or ignored, or a show of religion that is devoid of concern for the poor and the weak. Sexual perversion of every kind. Does this not describe our world - a world worse than Sodom and Gomorrah?

It was to these things that the prophets of old called attention and sounded warnings of destruction. In Isaiah 3:9 we read the Nation has ‘brought destruction’ on itself. In Jeremiah 23:1,2 it is the leaders who through their wicked behaviour brought destruction on Israel. In Revelation the earth is destroyed not by God but by the sins of its inhabitants, the sins of Sodom (Rev 11:18).

While the Bible warns it does not leave us without hope. There remains time to turn back from our destructive ways, to return to the way of the Creator.

Bible quoted: New Living Translation