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Continuing our discussion from part three, to my knowledge, the Roman historian Tacitus was not a Christian. Yet for some unknown reason, he thought it important enough to include this amazing description of events in the skies overlooking Jerusalem in his account. Due to the variety of sources that he utilized, I am not certain from where he obtained this particular information. Considering that he and Roman Jewish historian Flavius Josephus were contemporaries and friends, I have pondered the possibility that Josephus may have been the original source of the account. After all, Josephus does tell us that he was an eyewitness to the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD. At any rate, some scholars regard Tacitus as the greatest of Roman historians, and he is viewed as being both scrupulous and meticulous in his work. This would seem to add a great deal of reliability to his account concerning what is apparently the Heavenly Host engaging in Celestial Battle over Jerusalem in 70 AD. Personally, I am amazed by this; particularly because it is coming from a non-believer.

It is plain to see then that we are certainly not alone. Not only is Jesus symbolically right by our side and fighting our battles with us, but He also has the entire Heavenly Host at His royal command. While by God's Design these mighty Angelic Forces may remain invisible to our human eyes at this current time, we must indeed believe that they are there, simply because God's Word says they are there.

Having now understood the great power that is at the command of God the Father and Jesus His Son, it seems rather silly for us to worry about Satan's futile attempts to defeat us. Clearly, he is no match for the Heavenly Pair, and the great Celestial Army who do their bidding. In fact, you may recall that the Apostle Paul referred to our current tribulations in this life as "our light affliction". This is a person who not only suffered all manner of threats and persecutions at the hands of his enemies, but who also -- according to some sources -- was ultimately beheaded by the Roman authorities. Yet, in spite of his personal tribulations, Paul stood firm until the end and wrote the following words, because he had the Heavenly Vision, and the hope of Salvation, burning in his heart:

"For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal. For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven: If so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked. For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened: not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life."


Please understand that when Paul uses the words "tabernacle" and "house", he is actually talking about our body of flesh, and not about a physical building or tent. He is saying that even though our flesh body shall someday perish -- either by way of persecution or natural death -- when that happens, we will be clothed in our immortal body of the Spirit; exactly as we find discussed in the following verses as well:

"Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself."


"Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is."


"There are also celestial bodies, and bodies terrestrial: but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another. There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars: for one star differeth from another star in glory. So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption: It is sown in dishonour; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power: It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body. And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit. Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual. The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven. As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy: and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly. And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly. Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption. Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed."


Having this knowledge regarding Satan's defeat, and realizing what a glorious future lies ahead for us, should encourage us all, and motivate us to go on the defense. Have no doubt; his doom is sure. Furthermore, as I explain in a number of other articles, in reality, Satan was defeated two thousand years ago when Jesus was victorious over death and hell. Not only that, the Scriptures indicate that Satan is permanently cast out of Heaven. Ultimately, we know that Satan meets his final fate when he is cast into the Lake of Fire, as we can see by the following verses:

"How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!"


"And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven."


"And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven. And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night. And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death. Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time."


"And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season . . . And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever."


"Every one that is proud in heart is an abomination to the LORD: though hand join in hand, he shall not be unpunished . . . Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall."


Thus we see why Satan is described as being so full of rage in the Book of Revelation. He knows that his time is short, and so he wants to wreak as much death and destruction on the Earth as he possibly can, before his time runs out. So again, when you feel that you are under demonic attack, you need to go on the offense, instead of allowing those dark forces to put you on the defense. Rebuke those lying spirits which try to deceive you. Rebuke that black cloud that tries to envelop you. Quote the Word, just as Jesus did with the Devil in Matthew chapter four. If you do this by the Power of God's Spirit, those dark forces, whatever they are, and wherever they come from, will be forced to retreat from the battle. Consider the following verses:

". . . and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it."


"Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong."


"Neither give place to the devil."


". . . Resist the devil, and he will flee from you."


With these thoughts, I will bring this article to a close. It is my hope that you have found it informative, enlightening, and I pray that it has been a blessing in your life as well. If you have an account with Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr or with any other social network, I would really appreciate if you'd take the time to click or tap on the corresponding link that is found on this page. Thanks so much, and may God bless you abundantly!

For additional information and further study, you may want to refer to the list of reading resources below which were either mentioned in this article, or which contain topics which are related to this article. All of these articles are likewise located on the Bill's Bible Basics web server. To read these articles, simply click or tap on any link you see below.

Are You Redeeming the Time?
Beholding the Evil and the Good
Demonic Possession and Sickness: A Biblical Perspective
Elijah: Where Are the True Prophets of God?
Have You Read the New Scriptures Yet?
Lies and Deceptions of the Roman Catholic Church
Love, Mercy, Forgiveness and Chastisement
Nature of the Alien: ETs, Demons or a Government Plot?
Peter: Faith Tried in the Fire
The Children of God and Politics
The Fruits of Disobedience
The Kings of the North and the South
The Lord Will Lift You Up
Prophetic Comparisons: Moshiach, Mahdi and Messiah

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