When is the war in heaven and how long does it last?

[dad]

When thinking about the war in heaven today, it occurred to me that this is probably going to happen when Jesus returns to gather His saints in the air to be with Him. It could be an interesting discussion point. Let's start with a few things that are known.
- We know that God is in control in heaven, it is His kingdom.
- We know that some fallen angels were removed from the heaven of heavens, that place where God's throne etc are.
- We know that Satan was allowed to visit somewhere that God and His angels were and partake in a session or discussion (present themselves to God in the book of Job)
- We know that some fallen angels dwell in space somewhere, because Gabriel was slowed down one time on the way to earth to visit Daniel. Also Satan is called the prince of the power of the air. We also know some demons live on earth and some under the earth who are imprisoned there at the moment.
- We know that the only place the war in heaven is directly spoken about is one chapter in Revelation. The same chapter talking about the Great Tribulation and Satan on earth etc.

So, for the moment, (subject to biblical evidence that may be offered here) my opinion is that this war happens in the lower heavens (not the third heaven but in 'space' (and above planet earth in particular) when Jesus returns in the air (Rapture) to gather His children there to be with Him forever. Apparently fallen angels in some way try to fight this or attack us up there or whatever. So God casts Satan and all his angels to the earth, where they will be restricted to. (till He returns with us later to land on earth and rule, and then disposes of them altogether from the planet surface)

This scenario puts the power of the evil angels in perspective. It would not be a war in the heaven of heavens with bad spirits internally fighting the Almighty. It is simply a battle (war) when the Almighty is carrying out His plans and will for His children and needs to take action against fallen angels trying to interfere.

 

[Jay Ross]

Perhaps the only reference to the end of the war is found in Daniel 9:26b.

The war in heaven probably started from the time of Christ's birth and has continued for two ages up and until the heavenly hosts are judged in Heaven and gathered together with the judged kings of the earth to be imprisoned in the Bottomless pit for 1,000 years, i.e. for a season.

Since the last age consists of a season and a little while period which happens after the Bottomless pit is unlocked to release the entities imprisoned in it, we know that the last age will begin after 96 years have passed since the fig tree began budding leaves once more.

When Satan goes away to get himself a kingdom, we know that Israel sent a delegation after Satan to go to confirm that they no longer want Satan to be their king. Paul tells us that the end of Israel oppression will end with Armageddon when the kings of the earth are gathered to be Judged for their 2,300 years of trampling God's Earthly Hosts, after which God will once more begin to Gather Israel to Himself.

Rev 12: 7-12 tells us when Satan is judged in Heaven at the beginning of the last age, and after he is released from the Bottomless Pit he is is full of great wrath because he knows that his time is limited to the little while period at the end of the last age.

Shalom