And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven.
And prevailed not – Satan and his angels failed in their purpose.
Neither was their place found any more in heaven – They were cast out, and were seen there no more. The idea is, that they were defeated and driven away, though for a time they were suffered to carry on the warfare elsewhere.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
NOTES ON CHAP. XII., BY J. E. C.
Verse 8. And prevailed not] Against the cause of Christianity.
Neither was their place found any more in heaven.] The advocates of the heathen idolatry were prevented from having any farther share in the government of the empire. The wonderful success of Constantine over all his enemies, and his final triumph over Licinius, correspond exactly to the symbolical language in this verse.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
The pagans were at length routed in this battle; the Christians overcame them by the preaching of the gospel, and by their faith and patience; and paganism found no place within the same territories where the church was. This was fulfilled in the time of Constantine the Great, who altered the face of the Roman empire; and more eminently in the time of Theodosius, about the year 380.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
8. prevailed notA and Copticread, “He prevailed not.” But B and C read asEnglish Version.
neitherA, B, and Cread, “not even” (Greek, “oude“): aclimax. Not only did they not prevail, but not even their placewas found any more in heaven. There are four gradations in theever deeper downfall of Satan: (1) He is deprived of his heavenlyexcellency, though having still access to heaven as man’s accuser, upto Christ’s first coming. As heaven was not fully yet opened to man(Joh 3:13), so it was not yetshut against Satan and his demons. The Old Testament dispensationcould not overcome him. (2) From Christ, down to the millennium, heis judicially cast out of heaven as the accuser of the elect, andshortly before the millennium loses his power against Israel, and hassentence of expulsion fully executed on him and his by Michael. Hisrage on earth is consequently the greater, his power beingconcentrated on it, especially towards the end, when “he knoweththat he hath but a short time” (Re12:12). (3) He is bound during the millennium (Re20:1-3). (4) After having been loosed for a while, he is cast forever into the lake of fire.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And prevailed not,…. That is, the dragon, or the devil, and his angels, prevailed not against Michael and his angels; but, on the other hand, were conquered by them, as the above tyrants were by Constantine and Theodosius: some copies read in the singular number, “and he prevailed not”, as the Alexandrian copy, the Complutensian edition the Arabic and Ethiopic versions; and other copies in the plural number, “they prevailed not”: and as the Vulgate Latin and Syriac versions:
neither was their place found any more in heaven; in the Roman empire; or “his place”, as some copies and versions: this was the time of the judgment of the world, or of the empire as Pagan; Satan the prince of the world, who had long governed in it, was now cast out of all power and authority in it, and all the idol gods in whom he was worshipped, with all the idolatrous priests; nor were there any more any Heathen emperors, for after Constantine’s time there was only Julian the apostate, and who reigned but a little while; and after Theodosius, who cleared the empire of Paganism, there never was any, and there is reason to believe there never will be.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
And they prevailed not ( ). Here equals “and yet” or “but.” A few MSS. read the singular like , but wrongly so.
Neither was their place found any more ( ). First aorist passive indicative of , to find. Probably is the objective genitive (place for them), just as in 20:11 (dative, for them) is used with . The phrase occurs in Da 2:35 Theod. and Zec 10:10. The dragon is finally expelled from heaven (cf. Job 1:6), though to us it seems a difficult conception to think of Satan having had access to heaven.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
Prevailed [] . See on Luk 14:30; Luk 16:3; Jas 5:16.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “And prevailed not,” (kai ouk ischusen) “And they did no t prevail,” in heaven. The “they” who prevailed not, who did not succeed in battle, was the dragon and his angels, demon spirits, even as he prevailed not in his rebellion against God, Isa 14:12-16; Eze 28:11-19.
2) “Neither was their place found,” (oude topoes heurethe auton) “Nor was there even a place (location, place to abide, to stay) found,” to be thereafter found, Rev 12:10. Though Satan (as Lucifer) and his angels rebelled against God, were cast out of heaven to the earth, and placed under chains (restraints) to the day of judgment, it appears that their area of present activity exists over the earth and to the throne of God, where Jesus sits as Priest, interceding, Heb 7:25; 1Jn 2:1-2; Jud 1:6; Rev 12:10.
3) “Any more in heaven,” (eti en to ourano) “Anymore (at all) in the heaven,” as there had been granted to them permission previously to approach the throne of God and bring accusations and derogatory charges against the people of God, Job 1:6-12; Rev 12:10.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
(8) And prevailed not . . .Better, And their power failed them, and not even was place for them found any more in the heaven. The result of the war was the dragons defeat. The whole power of the evil hosts failed them. There is an inherent weakness in evil: a spot which may be touched whereupon all its vaunted strength withers. So complete was the overthrow, that even their place knew them no more. I went by, and, lo! he was gone; I sought him, but he could nowhere be found.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
Rev 12:8 . Properly, after the full contents of the subject . . have preceded, the plur. form [3096] is now introduced, although the sing. (Rev 12:7 ) stood in express relation only to the chief subject . The sense of the is like the Heb. phrase , Gen 32:26 ; [3097] Psa 13:5 ; [3098] Gen 30:8 : [3099] “They could not prevail.”
. The [3100] puts a second negative expression by the side of and opposite to the first, so that the meaning of the connection can be explained: Not only the dragon and his angels could not prevail, but he could no longer maintain his place in heaven: he is conquered in heaven and cast out of heaven. This idea Hengstenb. himself indicates in an entirely rationalistic way, by explaining, according to the accepted fundamental statement: “Every thing mighty is placed in heaven,” [3101] as follows: “That Satan could not maintain himself in heaven, simply means that his power is broken, broken, according to Rev 12:11 , by the blood of Christ, whereby the forgiveness of sins is obtained, and thus his most dangerous weapon is wrested from Satan.” On the other hand, a preposterous dogmatizing on this verse appears in Hofm., Ebrard, and Auberlen, who here find the presupposition, that until then, [3102] Satan with his angels have actually had their place in heaven, make a comparison with the coming-forth of Satan in Job 1 , as though it were an historical fact, and, at the same time, explain from Zec 3 , that the business of Satan in heaven is that of accusing. But this idea, impossible in itself [3103] to considerate Christian feeling, is gathered from the text only by the ascription of objective reality to that which is indeed improperly regarded a pure fiction, [3104] yet to which only the reality of the vision belongs. The real truth on which the visionary contemplation of the discomfiture of the dragon, after the withdrawal of the Messianic child, depends, is as may be explained from Rev 12:10 , but in no way from Rev 12:11 [3105] the Christian fundamental doctrine of the conquest of Satan and his kingdom by Christ, the Redeemer and Lord of the kingdom of heaven; but the subject treated in this passage (as also in Rev 12:3-6 ) is no doctrinal definition, but only the illustration, extending to the deepest foundation, of the rage of the arch-fiend against believers. Against them he turns (Rev 12:17 sqq.), after he has pursued in vain the Lord himself (Rev 12:4 sqq.) and the woman; the earth becomes the theatre of his wrath, after he has been cast thither from heaven, and that, too, as one vanquished, so that even believers can overcome the already overcome enemy, let him rage as he may. The description, Rev 12:7-8 (and 9), portrays an actual, historical or superhistorical, fact, past or entirely future, which was revealed to John by his vision, no more than Rev 12:3-6 describe actual facts as such; but also in this passage the form of the vision in the mind of the seer seems to be morally conditioned by his remembrance of the fact, firmly established in biblical revelation, of the overthrow of the fallen angels. In itself, and as such, this fact has nothing to do with the present connection; but in the mind of the seer, the particular conception which he here expresses clothes itself in the form of that fact.[See Note LXVIII. ( b ), p. 359.]
[3096] Cf., directly afterwards,
.
[3097] LXX.: .
[3098] LXX.: .
[3099] LXX.: .
[3100] So Winer also (pp. 457, 572) writes.
[3101] Cf. Isa 14:12 .
[3102] Until the ascension of Christ (Rev 12:5 ). Auberlen: During “the entire world-period.” Ebrard.
[3103] Which, especially in Ebrard, appears utterly inconceivable.
[3104] Against Heinr. and other rationalists.
[3105] Against Hengstenb.
Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary
8 And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven.
Ver. 8. And prevailed not ] They were so totally routed and ruined, that they could never rally or rage any more. Iucundum Christiano homini spectaculum est, quasi coram cernere certantem Christum cum Antichristo, saith one, concerning Luther’s reformation. (Scultet. Annal.) It was a pleasant sight to see Christ and Antichrist striving for the better. For whatsoever the pope with his bulls, or the emperor with his lightbolts, did to hinder it, still the gospel ran and was glorified; and as then, so ever since, maugre (defy) the malice of Rome and of hell. Their late utmost endeavours, and some successes for a season, were but as the last spruntings or bitter bites of dying beasts.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
prevailed. Greek. ischuo, as Act 19:16, Act 19:20. Only here in Rev. Compare App-172.
neither. Greek. oude.
more. First occurance: Mat 5:13 (thenceforth).
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Rev 12:8. -) Others read, , .[126] If the plural number were correct, it would be (not ), as it is expressed in Rev 20:11; Dan 2:35, also Job 16:18. Victorinus also has, and there was not found FOR HIM (not, OF THEM) a place in heaven. And Cassiod. in his Complex., The Dragon being cast headlong to the earth, was overthrown, so that he no longer HAD the place of blessedness. The explanation of Andreas likewise speaks of the dragon only, and not of his angels. In which point of view almost all the testimonies for the plural are set aside. The style of the Apocalypse usually attributes the good which is done, or the adversity which happens to the prince or leading person concerned, in the singular number, rather than to those whom he has for his subjects. This is the case in this passage also; for in Rev 12:7, in the battle, the dragon is described at first alone, and then the same with his angels. Afterwards this book makes mention of the dragon only; wherefore the angels of the dragon, where occasion requires it, will have to be understood from this passage. The simple verb, , for which Pricus would prefer , is used in this passage, as in the Septuagint, Psalms 13(12):5; Dan 7:21, .- , in heaven) in which, all along from the triumph of Christ up to the time then present, he had accused the brethren of the dwellers in heaven, Rev 12:10. Comp. Rev 12:12. The earth is included in the heaven: not the opposite.
[126] A Memph. read . But BC Vulg. Syr. . ABC Vulg. Syr. read ; but Memph. .-E.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
prevailed not: Rev 12:11, Psa 13:4, Psa 118:10-13, Psa 129:2, Jer 1:19, Jer 5:22, Mat 16:18, Rom 8:31-39
their: Job 7:10, Job 8:18, Job 20:9, Job 27:21-23, Psa 37:10, Act 1:25, Jud 1:6
Reciprocal: Gen 3:15 – it shall Dan 2:35 – no place Rev 18:21 – and shall Rev 20:11 – and there
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Rev 12:8. Satan was defeated and neither was their place found any more in heaven. This means that the enemy not only was vanquished but driven from the field.
Comments by Foy E. Wallace
Verse 8.
2. “And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven”- – Rev 12:8. The almost universal belief that Satan originated in heaven with God and Christ, apostatized from his created angelic state, caused war among the sinless world of God’s own heaven, and because he could not be tolerated there, he was expelled to this mundane sphere to trouble and torment all humanity for all time-that is an inherited belief or notion completely out of harmony with the character of heaven. It is a great incongruity. Heaven, where God dwells, is the divine domain of light, where is no darkness, no evil, no apostasy. Hell is the diabolical realm of darkness, where there is no purity, no good, and where light cannot penetrate. The generally accepted view that Satan became a wicked angel in heaven where God dwells, and that he corrupted and recruited other angels for his revolution, puts apostasy in heaven and is incompatible with the nature of the angels of God in heaven.
If apostasy can befall the inhabitants of heaven, in consequence it would render insecure all who obtain that world, in that being subject to apostasy they, too, might be expelled. No sin, nothing evil, can enter or prevail in the abode of the pure and holy in the eternal mansions of God’s habitation.
The passage in Isa 14:12 was descriptive of the degeneration of the king: “How art thou fallen from heaven, 0 Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which did weaken the nations.” In his degeneracy this wicked king of ancient history, whose depravity weakened the nations, was cut down; he fell from his high place of dominion. The meaning of the heaven from which the Satanic dragon was cast is the same as the heaven from which fell Lucifer, the wicked Babylonian king.
When Jesus said to the disciples (Luk 10:18) that he “beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven,” he did not mean that with physical sight he had seen the devil as a physical object fall-it was rather the Lord’s forecast that he had foreseen Satan’s complete defeat and downfall from his throne of evil dominion. It was Satan’s own heaven or domain of rulership from which he would fall, and it would come soon and as swiftly as lightning–and it did.
When Peter mentioned (2Pe 2:4) the angels that sinned, and were cast down to hell, and delivered to chains of darkness, and reserved to judgment–it was undoubtedly in reference to the downfall of certain representatives of the human race in high estate, the era and details of which the apostle left unmentioned and therefore remains unrevealed.
It is more reasonable to theorize that Satan and his devils originated in this manner than to hypothesize that he inhabited and corrupted heaven, the abode of God.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
12:8 {15} And prevailed not; neither was their {a} place found any more in heaven.
(15) The description of the victory, by the denying of the thing in this verse, and by affirming the opposite in Rev 12:9 . As Satan gained nothing in heaven, but was by the power of God thrown down into the world of which he is the prince, Christ himself and his elect members standing still by the throne of God.
(a) They were cast out so, that they were never seen any more in heaven.
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
In John’s vision Satan’s forces proved weaker, and God threw them out of heaven. Consequently Satan no longer had access to heaven (cf. Rev 20:11; Job 1-2; Dan 2:35; Zec 10:10). God will no longer hear Satan’s accusations against believers.