Revelation 12:10 - Exposition

And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven. The "great voice" is characteristic of all the heavenly utterances (cf. Revelation 5:2 ; Revelation 6:1 , Revelation 6:10 ; Revelation 16:17 , etc.). The personality of the speaker is not indicated. From the following chorus the voice would seem to proceed from many inhabitants of heaven. Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ; the salvation and the power, and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Christ (Revised Version). The Revised Version marginal reading may also be noticed, Now is the salvation … become our God's, and the authority [is become] his Christ's. The heavenly inhabitants celebrate the triumphant confirmation of God's supremacy, which has been vindicated by the defeat and expulsion of the rebellious hosts. "The salvation of God" ( σωτηρία ) is that which proceeds from him; "that salvation which belongs to God as its Author" (Alford); cf. Revelation 7:10 ; Revelation 19:1 . "The authority of his Christ" is first manifested in heaven; Satan is cast down to the earth, and here again at a subsequent epoch the authority of Christ is displayed, and another victory won over the devil. This seems to be the conclusion of the heavenly song. As before stated (see on Revelation 19:7 ), the three and a half verses now concluded seem to relate to a period previous to the creation of the world. It seems equally probable that the following two and a half verses refer to those earthly martyrs and suffering Christians for whom this book is specially written. These two views can be reconciled by supposing the song of the heavenly voice to cease at the word "Christ" ( Revelation 19:10 ); and then the writer adds words of his own, as if he would say, "The cause of the victorious song which I have just recited was the fact that the devil was cast down, the same who is constantly accusing ( ὁ κατηγορῶν ) our brethren. But they (our brethren) overcame him, and valued not their lives, etc. Well may ye heavens rejoice over your happy lot, though it means woe to the earth for a short time." For the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night. The one accusing them ( ὁ κατηρορῶν ) ; not the past tense. Satan does not cease to accuse, though he may not do so with effect, since he may be overcome by the "blood of the Lamb." The heavenly beings are henceforth beyond his reach. He can yet accuse men—our brethren—says St. John; but even here his power is limited by the victory of the death and resurrection of Christ referred to in verse 5. "Accuser" ( κατήγορος ) is found in א , B, C, P, Andreas, Arethas. The form κατήγωρ , found in A, is rather the Targumic and rabbinic corruption of the word רוגיטק , than the Greek word itself. "Of our brethren," the saints and martyrs (see above); "is cast down" (or, "was cast down") from heaven.