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Question Title	Posted By	Question Date
Question about Jesus defeating Satan on the Cross	Rebecca	Monday, January 11, 2010
Question: On another forum, a user asked about the meaning of Revelation 12, and I posted this: The Woman Clothed with the Sun (Rev 12:1) Here Mary is seen in her assumed and crowned glory as the Queen-Mother of the male child who will "rule all the nations with a rod of iron" (Rev 12:5). While this feminine image also refers to the Church, it must in the first place refer to Mary, as only Mary gave birth to the "male child" who is Jesus, King and ruler of all nations. The passage immediately preceding the description of this heavenly woman crowned in glory is the powerful revelation of the Ark of the Covenant as appearing in heaven: "Then God's temple in heaven was opened, and the ark of his covenant was seen within his temple and there were flashes of lightning, loud noises, peals of thunder, an earthquake, and heavy hail" (Rev 11:19). As Mary is the New Ark of the New and everlasting Covenant, the appearance of the Ark of the Covenant in heaven to St. John which is immediately followed by the description of the Woman clothed with the Sun, further identifies and confirms the first meaning of the Woman of Revelation 12 as revealing the Mother of Jesus. This woman is also in mortal combat with Satan, the ancient dragon (cf. Rev. 12:3-6). Hence the perennial battle between God's greatest creature, Mary, and his most evil creature, Satan, constitutes the "bookends of Scripture" as found in the first book of the Bible (cf. Gen 3:15) and in the final book of the Bible (cf. Rev 12:1-6). The labor pains referred to in Revelations 12:2 while at first glance might be mistakenly attributed to Mary in giving birth to Jesus, are actually a reference to the pains experienced by Mary in giving "spiritual birth" to the Church with and under Jesus at Calvary (cf. Jn. 19:25-27), a "mystical birth" by the "new Eve" which brings forth children of God who are spiritually conceived and baptized in the blood of Jesus Christ, the "New Adam." Source: Introduction to Mary: The Heart of Marian Doctrine and Devotion by Mark Miravalle, pages 37-38 To which someone replied that she didn't understand the part about Mary being in mortal combat with Satan. She asked, "How is Mary in mortal combat with Satan if Mary is immortal. This confuses me." My reply to that was, Our Lady is in combat with Satan over human souls who will either be saved or suffer eternal death in hell. The mortal part refers to us. She also asked, "Didn't Jesus defeat Satan on the Cross once and for all?" How do I answer this one? I understand that Jesus defeated Satan on the Cross, but clearly we are still doing battle with him. So is the answer that the "once and for all" isn't until the end of the world, when Satan is thrown into the lake of fire?
Question Answered by Bro. Ignatius Mary, OLSM Dear Rebecca: During World War II the Germans were defeated but they kept fighting until they were forced to surrender. Satan has been defeated, but he still fights to make man miserable and to take as many with him to hell as he can. He will continue to fight despite the fact that he is defeated, until he forced into the Lake of Fire at the Great White Throne Judgment. We see this economy of "continuing on" despite defeat all the time in a positive way. A football has a defeated season, but fights on next season. A business man may be defeated and lose his business but continues to fight on to start another business. A student may get an "F" on a test, but fights on to get a "A" next time. These people do not quit when they are defeated, unless they forced to quit. These examples are positive responses to defeat, but the examples belong to the same economy. The devil, though defeated, never quits and continues to fight for his cause until that day when God forces him to quit. God has His purpose for allowing the devil to continue to bother and harass us -- such as perhaps, to keep us humble (like He did with St. Paul and thorn in his side, which was a demon), to test us in our faith, to strengthen us in the faith, etc. Jesus' death on the Cross and His Resurrection by His own power defeated death and thus allows us the opportunity for eternal life. The Cross does not guarantee our salvation, for God does not force anyone into His heaven, but the Cross does open the way to heaven. Because of Christ's sacrifice death as lost its sting. The Cross gives us the opportunity to move from spiritual death to spiritual life. Thus, death is not death, but a re-birth into Heaven (for some of us). The Cross defeats Satan and Death in that singular act, but God still allows Satan and Death to exist until His Salvation History is fully matured and death is no more and Satan and his angels are cast and locked into the pit forevermore. This Salvific grace is for all who desire salvation. God will never force anyone, we must choose the grace the Cross offers us. God Bless, Bro. Ignatius Mary For information on how to receive help see our Help page. We suggest that before contacting us directly for help you try the Seven Steps to Self-Deliverance. These self-help steps will often resolve the problem. Also our Spiritual Warfare Prayer Catalog contains many prayers that may be helpful. If needed you can ask for a Personal Consultation.

Question Title

Posted By

Question Date

Question about Jesus defeating Satan on the Cross

Rebecca

Monday, January 11, 2010

Question:

On another forum, a user asked about the meaning of Revelation 12, and I posted this:

The Woman Clothed with the Sun (Rev 12:1)

Here Mary is seen in her assumed and crowned glory as the Queen-Mother of the male child who will "rule all the nations with a rod of iron" (Rev 12:5). While this feminine image also refers to the Church, it must in the first place refer to Mary, as only Mary gave birth to the "male child" who is Jesus, King and ruler of all nations.

The passage immediately preceding the description of this heavenly woman crowned in glory is the powerful revelation of the Ark of the Covenant as appearing in heaven: "Then God's temple in heaven was opened, and the ark of his covenant was seen within his temple and there were flashes of lightning, loud noises, peals of thunder, an earthquake, and heavy hail" (Rev 11:19). As Mary is the New Ark of the New and everlasting Covenant, the appearance of the Ark of the Covenant in heaven to St. John which is immediately followed by the description of the Woman clothed with the Sun, further identifies and confirms the first meaning of the Woman of Revelation 12 as revealing the Mother of Jesus.

This woman is also in mortal combat with Satan, the ancient dragon (cf. Rev. 12:3-6). Hence the perennial battle between God's greatest creature, Mary, and his most evil creature, Satan, constitutes the "bookends of Scripture" as found in the first book of the Bible (cf. Gen 3:15) and in the final book of the Bible (cf. Rev 12:1-6). The labor pains referred to in Revelations 12:2 while at first glance might be mistakenly attributed to Mary in giving birth to Jesus, are actually a reference to the pains experienced by Mary in giving "spiritual birth" to the Church with and under Jesus at Calvary (cf. Jn. 19:25-27), a "mystical birth" by the "new Eve" which brings forth children of God who are spiritually conceived and baptized in the blood of Jesus Christ, the "New Adam."

Source: Introduction to Mary: The Heart of Marian Doctrine and Devotion by Mark Miravalle, pages 37-38

To which someone replied that she didn't understand the part about Mary being in mortal combat with Satan. She asked, "How is Mary in mortal combat with Satan if Mary is immortal. This confuses me."

My reply to that was,

Our Lady is in combat with Satan over human souls who will either be saved or suffer eternal death in hell. The mortal part refers to us.

She also asked, "Didn't Jesus defeat Satan on the Cross once and for all?"

How do I answer this one? I understand that Jesus defeated Satan on the Cross, but clearly we are still doing battle with him. So is the answer that the "once and for all" isn't until the end of the world, when Satan is thrown into the lake of fire?

Question Answered by Bro. Ignatius Mary, OLSM

Dear Rebecca:

During World War II the Germans were defeated but they kept fighting until they were forced to surrender.

Satan has been defeated, but he still fights to make man miserable and to take as many with him to hell as he can. He will continue to fight despite the fact that he is defeated, until he forced into the Lake of Fire at the Great White Throne Judgment.

We see this economy of "continuing on" despite defeat all the time in a positive way. A football has a defeated season, but fights on next season. A business man may be defeated and lose his business but continues to fight on to start another business. A student may get an "F" on a test, but fights on to get a "A" next time. These people do not quit when they are defeated, unless they forced to quit.

These examples are positive responses to defeat, but the examples belong to the same economy. The devil, though defeated, never quits and continues to fight for his cause until that day when God forces him to quit.

God has His purpose for allowing the devil to continue to bother and harass us -- such as perhaps, to keep us humble (like He did with St. Paul and thorn in his side, which was a demon), to test us in our faith, to strengthen us in the faith, etc.

Jesus' death on the Cross and His Resurrection by His own power defeated death and thus allows us the opportunity for eternal life. The Cross does not guarantee our salvation, for God does not force anyone into His heaven, but the Cross does open the way to heaven. Because of Christ's sacrifice death as lost its sting. The Cross gives us the opportunity to move from spiritual death to spiritual life. Thus, death is not death, but a re-birth into Heaven (for some of us).

The Cross defeats Satan and Death in that singular act, but God still allows Satan and Death to exist until His Salvation History is fully matured and death is no more and Satan and his angels are cast and locked into the pit forevermore. This Salvific grace is for all who desire salvation. God will never force anyone, we must choose the grace the Cross offers us.

God Bless,
Bro. Ignatius Mary

For information on how to receive help see our Help page. We suggest that before contacting us directly for help you try the Seven Steps to Self-Deliverance. These self-help steps will often resolve the problem. Also our Spiritual Warfare Prayer Catalog contains many prayers that may be helpful. If needed you can ask for a Personal Consultation.