SEV Biblia, Chapter 12:7
Y fue hecha una grande batalla en el cielo: Miguel y sus ngeles lidiaban contra el dragn; y lidiaba el dragn y sus ngeles.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Revelation 12:7
Verse 7. There was war in heaven] In the same treatise, fol. 87, 2, on Exod. xiv. 7, Pharaoh took six hundred chariots, we have these words: "There was war among those above and among those below, ymb hqzj htyh hmjlmhw vehammilchamah, hayethah chazakah bashshamayim, and there was great war in heaven." Of Michael the rabbins are full. See much in Schoettgen, and see the note on Jude, Jude 9. The dragon-and his angels] The same as Rab. Sam. ben David, in Chasad Shimuel, calls wytwlyyjw lams Samael vechayilothaiv, "Samael and his troops;" fol. 28, 2. Verse 7. And there was war in heaven] As heaven means here the throne of the Roman empire, the war in heaven consequently alludes to the breaking out of civil commotions among the governors of this empire.
Michael and his angels fought against the dragon] Michael was the man child which the woman brought forth, as is evident from the context, and therefore signifies, as has been shown already, the dynasty of Christian Roman emperors. This dynasty is represented by Michael, because he is "the great prince which standeth for the children of God's people." Dan. xii. 1.
And the dragon fought and his angels] Or ministers.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 7. And there was war in heaven , etc.] Not in the third heaven, the habitation of God, the seat of the angels and glorified saints, there is no discord, jars, and contentions there, nothing but peace, love, and joy; but in the church below, which is militant, and has in it as it were a company of two armies; or rather in the Roman empire, which was the heaven of Satan, the god of this world, and of his angels; and this war refers not to the dispute between Michael the archangel and the devil about the body of Moses, ( Jude 1:9); nor to the of the angels when they rebelled against God, left their first estate, and were cast down to hell, ( Jude 1:6); nor to that ancient and stated enmity between the seed of the serpent and the seed of the woman, ( Genesis 3:15), which has appeared in all ages of time, more or less, since the fall of Adam; nor to the combats which Christ personally had with Satan and his powers when here on earth, as in the wilderness, immediately after his baptism, and in the garden, a little before his death, and on the cross, when he spoiled principalities and powers, and destroyed him that had the power of death, the devil; but rather to the conflict which Christ and his people had with the rulers of the darkness of this world, with the Roman powers, and with false teachers during the three first centuries; though it seems best to understand it of the war commenced by Constantine against Paganism, and which was finished by Theodosius, by whom Heathenism received its death wound, and was never restored since the phrase of war in heaven is not unknown to the Jews; they say when Pharaoh pursued after Israel, there was war above and below, and there was a very fierce war ymb , in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon : by whom is meant not a created angel, with whom his name does not agree, it signifying who is as God; nor does it appear that there is anyone created angel that presides over the rest, and has them at his command; though the Jews seem to imagine as if the angels were ranged under several heads and governors, of whom they make Michael to be one; for they say f323 , when the holy blessed God descended on Mount Sinai, several companies of angels descended with him, wtrwbjw lakym , Michael and his company, and Gabriel and his company: so kings armies, in ( Psalm 68:12); are by them interpreted of kings of angels; and it is asked who are these? and the answer is, Michael and Gabriel f324 . Lord Napier thinks that the Holy Ghost is designed, who is equally truly God as the Father and the Son, and who in the hearts of the saints opposes Satan and his temptations; but it seems best to interpret it of Jesus Christ, who is equal with God, is his fellow, is one with the Father, and in whom the fulness of the Godhead dwells bodily: he is the Archangel, the first of the chief princes, the head of all principality and power, who is on the side of the Lord's people, pleads their cause, defends their persons, and saves them; (see Jude 1:9 Daniel 10:13 12:1); and by his angels may be meant either the good angels, literally understood, who are his creatures, his ministers, and whom he employs under him, in protecting his people, and in destroying his enemies; or else the ministers of the Gospel, who are called angels in this book, and who, under Christ, fight the good fight of faith, contend earnestly for it, being valiant for the truth upon earth; or rather the Christian emperors, particularly Constantine and Theodosius, and the Christians with them, who opposed Paganism in the empire, and at last subdued, and cast it out: and the dragon fought, and his angels ; there is such an order among the evil angels, as to have one of their own at the head of them, they having cast off their allegiance to God and Christ, who is styled the prince of devils, and his name is Beelzebub: hence we read of the devil and his angels; (see Matthew 12:24 25:41); and these may be intended here, unless false teachers, who transform themselves into angels of light, as their leader sometimes does, should be thought to be meant, who resist the truth and oppose themselves to the ministers of it; though rather, Satan as presiding over, and influencing the Roman Pagan empire, and the Roman emperors, who acted under him, are here designed; with whom Constantine and Theodosius, under Christ, combated, such as Maximinus, Maxentius, Licinius, Arbogastes, and Eugenius, and those that were with them. The Arabic version renders it, the serpent with his soldiers.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 7-11 - The attempts of the dragon proved unsuccessful against the church, an fatal to his own interests. The seat of this war was in heaven; in the church of Christ, the kingdom of heaven on earth. The parties wer Christ, the great Angel of the covenant, and his faithful followers and Satan and his instruments. The strength of the church is in havin the Lord Jesus for the Captain of their salvation. Pagan idolatry which was the worship of devils, was cast out of the empire by the spreading of Christianity. The salvation and strength of the church are only to be ascribed to the King and Head of the church. The conquered enemy hates the presence of God, yet he is willing to appea there, to accuse the people of God. Let us take heed that we give his no cause to accuse us; and that, when we have sinned, we go before the Lord, condemn ourselves, and commit our cause to Christ as ou Advocate. The servants of God overcame Satan by the blood of the Lamb as the cause. By the word of their testimony: the powerful preaching of the gospel is mighty, through God, to pull down strong holds. By their courage and patience in sufferings: they loved not their lives so wel but they could lay them down in Christ's cause. These were the warrior and the weapons by which Christianity overthrew the power of paga idolatry; and if Christians had continued to fight with these weapons and such as these, their victories would have been more numerous an glorious, and the effects more lasting. The redeemed overcame by simple reliance on the blood of Christ, as the only ground of their hopes. In this we must be like them. We must not blend any thing els with this.
Greek Textus Receptus
και 2532 εγενετο 1096 5633 πολεμος 4171 εν 1722 τω 3588 ουρανω 3772 ο 3588 μιχαηλ 3413 και 2532 οι 3588 αγγελοι 32 αυτου 846 επολεμησαν 4170 5656 κατα 2596 του 3588 δρακοντος 1404 και 2532 ο 3588 δρακων 1404 επολεμησεν 4170 5656 και 2532 οι 3588 αγγελοι 32 αυτου 846
Vincent's NT Word Studies
7. There was (egeneto). Lit., there arose.War in heaven. Compare 1 Kings 22; Job 1, 2; Zechariah 3; Luke x. 18. Michael. See Dan. x. 13, 21; xii. 1; and on Jude 9.
Fought (epolemhsan). The correct reading is tou polemhsai to fight. So Rev., "going forth to war against the dragon (kata tou drakontov). The correct reading is meta with.
