Season 3 Podcast 173 Milton’s Paradise Lost Bk VI, Pt XII, The War in Heaven Pt 2 Michael and Lucifer
Milton’s Paradise Lost Bk VI, Pt XII, The War in Heaven Pt 2 Michael and Lucifer
The first day of battle favored Michael. With his usual arrogant confidence Satan led his rebels.
From skirt to skirt a fiery region, stretched
In battailous aspect, and nearer view
Bristled with upright beams innumerable
Of rigid spears, and helmets thronged, and shields
Various, with boastful argument portrayed,
The banded Powers of Satan hasting on
With furious expedition; for they weened
That self-same day, by fight or by surprise,
To win the mount of God, and on his throne
To set the Envier of his state, the proud
Aspirer;
The allusion is from Isaiah,
13 For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north:
14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the moist High. (Isaiah 14:13-14)
Satan is a formidable foe, standing in unrighteous majesty at the head of his eager army. He tries to imitate God with a chariot as bright as the sun, with flaming Cherubim’s, and sitting on a golden throne.
High in the midst, exalted as a God,
The Apostate in his sun-bright chariot sat,
Idol of majesty divine, enclosed
With flaming Cherubim, and golden shields;
Then lighted from his gorgeous throne, for now
’Twixt host and host but narrow space was left,
A dreadful interval, and front to front
Presented stood in terrible array
Of hideous length: Before the cloudy van,
On the rough edge of battle ere it joined,
Satan, with vast and haughty strides advanced,
Came towering, armed in adamant and gold;
But Michael looks to God and not himself for strength.
Whereat Michael bid sound
The Arch-Angel trumpet; through the vast of Heaven
It sounded, and the faithful armies rung
Hosanna to the Highest:
Michael is equal to but not superior to Satan. Both are still in heaven and Satan’s powers have not been as severely modified as they will be on earth. In fact, the powers of both the armies are limited by God or the destruction would be even more horrible.
All Heaven
Resounded; and had Earth been then, all Earth
Had to her center shook. What wonder? when
Millions of fierce encountering Angels fought
On either side, the least of whom could wield
These elements, and arm him with the force
Of all their regions: How much more of power
Army against army numberless to raise
Dreadful combustion warring, and disturb,
Though not destroy, their happy native seat;
Had not the Eternal King Omnipotent,
From his strong hold of Heaven, high over-ruled
And limited their might;
This is a precursor of what happens on earth. On earth Satan is more powerful than man, but not more powerful that God; therefore, God severely limits Satan’s authority. In Genesis we read
14 And the Lord God said unto the serpent, because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life:
15 And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel. (Genesis 3:14-15)
Paul echoes that same curse.
20 And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen. (Romans 16:20)
We are told that Satan cannot tempt us more than we are able to resist, thus preserving our agency.
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