Ask a Question - or - Return to the Faith and Spirituality Forum Index

Question Title	Posted By	Question Date
when did saint michael?	mike	Monday, March 17, 2008
Question: revelations describes the fight between saint michael and the devil as prophesy. other information has this casting out of satan from heaven as happening in the beginning of time. which was it? were there two occurences? does the bible teach the fight happened at the beginning of time in addition to revelation prophesy? if not, where did the beginning of time story come from? thank you
Question Answered by Bro. Ignatius Mary, OLSM Dear Mike: The story of the Fall of the Angels in the 12th Chapter of the Book of Revelation is first of all about the Fall of the Angels at the beginning of time (cf. John 12:31-33, Luke 10:18), not a prophecy of things to come. There is no reference in the Bible that the Fall of the Angels was at any time other than at the beginning of time. But, there is a prophetic aspect to the passage as well. The writer here is speaking about two things: 1) a historical event that explains the origin of the war Satan wages against the Church throughout history, a war that will take on its most dreadful form at the end of time; and 2) a prophetic look forward in which Babylon will fall (Is 14:12) and the "stars which fall from heaven are those who have lost hope in heavenly things and covet, under the devil's guidance, the sphere of earthly glory" (St. Gregory). Thus, the writer uses the historical event to image a future events of fall of Babylon and the fall of many human souls who have rejected God and shall enter Judgment. God Bless, Bro. Ignatius Mary Footer Notes: This forum is for general questions on the faith. See specific Topic Forums below: Spiritual Warfare, demons, the occult go to our Spiritul Warfare Q&S Forum. Liturgy Questions go to our Liturgy and Liturgical Law Q&A Forum Liturgy of the Hours (Divine Office) Questions go to our Divine Office Q&A Forum Defenfing the Faith Questions go to our Defending the Faith Q&A Forum Church History Questions go to our Church History Q&A Forum

Question Title

Posted By

Question Date

when did saint michael?

mike

Monday, March 17, 2008

Question:

revelations describes the fight between saint michael and the devil as prophesy. other information has this casting out of satan from heaven as happening in the beginning of time. which was it? were there two occurences? does the bible teach the fight happened at the beginning of time in addition to revelation prophesy? if not, where did the beginning of time story come from? thank you

Question Answered by Bro. Ignatius Mary, OLSM

Dear Mike:

The story of the Fall of the Angels in the 12th Chapter of the Book of Revelation is first of all about the Fall of the Angels at the beginning of time (cf. John 12:31-33, Luke 10:18), not a prophecy of things to come. There is no reference in the Bible that the Fall of the Angels was at any time other than at the beginning of time. But, there is a prophetic aspect to the passage as well.

The writer here is speaking about two things: 1) a historical event that explains the origin of the war Satan wages against the Church throughout history, a war that will take on its most dreadful form at the end of time; and 2) a prophetic look forward in which Babylon will fall (Is 14:12) and the "stars which fall from heaven are those who have lost hope in heavenly things and covet, under the devil's guidance, the sphere of earthly glory" (St. Gregory).

Thus, the writer uses the historical event to image a future events of fall of Babylon and the fall of many human souls who have rejected God and shall enter Judgment.

God Bless,
Bro. Ignatius Mary

Footer Notes: This forum is for general questions on the faith. See specific Topic Forums below:
Spiritual Warfare, demons, the occult go to our Spiritul Warfare Q&S Forum.
Liturgy Questions go to our Liturgy and Liturgical Law Q&A Forum
Liturgy of the Hours (Divine Office) Questions go to our Divine Office Q&A Forum
Defenfing the Faith Questions go to our Defending the Faith Q&A Forum
Church History Questions go to our Church History Q&A Forum