Armed with Blood

Armed with Blood

Revelation 12:7-12 T St. Michael and All Angels

INI

As human beings with flesh and bones, we understand little about the spiritual realm. Our senses can’t perceive what the eyes can’t see, the ears can’t hear, or the hands can’t touch. As such, the realm of the angels and demons are a bit mysterious to us.

People are fascinated by this realm – the imagination of culture is obsessed with the power of the unseen. Culture loves magic, and the power of things we don’t understand. Just look at Harry Potter, or even all the movies about the demon possessed that have been coming out lately. There’s something about the spiritual realm that captures people’s imagination – and usually it’s for unholy reasons.

But the spiritual realm also causes a lot of people fear. They fear what appears to be helplessness against such invisible forces. When Hollywood portrays Catholic exorcists as unable to cast out demons, appearing powerless against the forces of evil, it can cause fear and confusion in the hearts and minds of Christians of who is really in control.

But our fascinations and culture’s re-creations on the spiritual realm tend to lead us toward confusion, and perhaps even doubt. As a result, we’re distracted with a distorted view of what’s really happening in the heavenly places. We’re distracted away from who the King of the Universe truly is. All the meanwhile, we’re distracted from the spiritual battle over our hearts.

Today, we celebrate the Feast of St. Michael and All Angels, which serves as our annual reminder that God is in control. This day reminds us that the battle in the heavenly places has already been won, through the sacrificial death of Jesus on the cross. Thus, there’s nothing for the Christian to fear. There’s little mystery to the heavenly places, for God used the blood of His Son, Jesus Christ, to silence the accuser, and to cast Him away from the presence of God. And this very same blood is shared with us.

Our reading from the book of Revelation sets the scene for what has happened in the spiritual places. The dragon, that is Satan, the one who accuses God’s people of sin, was cast out of God’s kingdom in heaven. Now, Satan is a created angel, who led a rebellion against God, deceiving other created angels to follow Him. Since he’s a created angel, he’s not powerful like God. He isn’t all knowing like God. He isn’t everywhere at once, like God. He’s finite. He’s a part of God’s creation. Thus, the Lord has power and authority over Satan and all things which He’s created.

Satan’s a creature – like you or me. A rebellious one, sure. But he shouldn’t be given too much credit for his abilities. Yes, he’s slick. He’s clever with his temptations. He knows God’s Word probably better than all of us. But He only uses his knowledge to deceive and trick people away from God. He accuses people of their sins before God, like he did in the book of Job. Satan was never truly wrong in his accusations, but he lives in half-truths. He thirsted for God’s wrath to destroy mankind. So, he would point out to God – “don’t you see how your people disobey you? If you truly are a God of justice, they should be annihilated!” Satan tried to trick God to use the full force of justice on His people, and forget his mercy and His promises to them.

This is always the devil’s trick – to God and even to us! Exact the full force of justice, and forego mercy. Now, there’s a time and place for justice – especially with God in the end times. Likewise, there’s times when justice is exercised now: there are earthly consequences to actions – this is the order of creation God created for us to live in. However, there’s also the proper place for mercy in this world too. There’s a spiritual loosening of sins that God commands even of us, His people. “Love your neighbor as yourself,” “Don’t take revenge, for wrath belongs to the Lord,” “Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.” Satan hates it when God finds the balance between justice and mercy. Because Satan wants God to destroy the world in his wrath. However, God has found the balance between mercy and justice in the sacrifice of His Son, Jesus. For in Christ, we have justification against Satan’s accusations.

In the reading from Revelation, St. John gives us a picture of what the doctrine of justification is: the devil is thrown out of heaven, because he cannot accuse sinners anymore. Why? Because anything that Satan could accuse mankind of was satisfied by the sacrificial blood of Jesus. God’s cup of wrath was poured out on Jesus, not us, the ones who justly deserve the punishment of our sins. Yet out of the Father’s mercy, He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, who knew no sin, to take our place as sinners. He took our sins and the sins of the whole world upon Himself! In His unjust death, He satisfied God’s wrath on sin for all people for all time. To seal His victory, Jesus rose from the dead as one who has power over sin, death, and the devil.

So, the victory surely belongs to Christ our Lord. But Saint Michael is the archangel who orchestrated Satan’s overthrow. He used Jesus’ blood as the weapon by which Satan’s accusations were rendered useless. He and his army of angel hosts fight this heavenly battle – not only in the heavenly places, but here on earth too. They fight as one’s who have power, authority, and victory – all because of the blood of the Lamb. They’re even fighting for us right now in heavenly places.

Luther once wrote, “That the entire world is not a mass of flames, that all towns and villages are not lying in a heap of ruins, we owe to the working and doing of the good angels. They are far more sensible and wise than the evil angels, because they have a mirror into which they look, a mirror the devil does not have. It is called facies Patris, the face of our Lord God. This is why one good angel is far wiser than all the devils put together. The good angels are much mightier too; for they stand in the presence of Him whose name is the Almighty.

Satan is powerless against the blood of the lamb. This sort of authority that Jesus has is demonstrated time and again throughout the Gospels. Jesus and his heavenly messengers were always fighting against the demonic realm. He even uses his earthly messengers, that is, human beings, for this purpose. In the Gospel reading, Jesus sent out the 72 as ones with His authority. Those 72 rejoiced that the demons submitted to them. But Jesus rebuked them for being too elated and puffed up. Because it’s not them who controls the demons, it’s the blood of Christ they bear.

Recently, I did a house blessing for someone in the congregation. The ritual I use for this consists of a series of prayers and bible verses read in each room of the house. It’s edifying for us to become aware of the spiritual fighting always taking place in our waking and in our sleeping – especially in our houses. But to end each house blessing – we participate in the Lord’s Supper in the kitchen. The body and BLOOD of Christ become present in the house, and it drives out the presence of Satan and his demons. We arm ourselves with the greatest spiritual weapon against the evil foe Christ has given for us – His body, and His blood, for the forgiveness of sins. Armed with this, Satan cannot accuse. For sin has been paid for with the Holy Blood of His Son Jesus. Against this, Satan cannot stand. For wherever Christ and His blood are present here on earth, there heaven is too.

The spiritual realm remains a mysterious fascination for us, sparking both curiosity and confusion. Yet, on this Feast of St. Michael and All Angels, we’re reminded of God’s sovereign control and the victory won through Jesus’ sacrificial death. Satan, a finite creature, seeks to accuse and deceive, but Jesus’ blood provides justification. The devil is expelled from heaven due to the blood of Jesus nullifying Satan’s accusations. Good angels, wise and mighty, stand in God’s presence, aiding in the battle against the demonic – for us, and with us. We, armed with the Lord’s Supper and faith, repel Satan’s presence, knowing that where Christ’s blood is, heaven abides. In this victory of God, we rejoice!

INI

Pastor Joshua Ralston