Paradise Lost Books V-VI: All Heaven Rages
The Bible, in the book of Revelation, divines a future assault on Heaven in the last days; the aggressing army, of course, is Satan and his demonic host. Whether or not a similar celestial battle occurred at Satan's initial rebellion is not known (as far as I can remember), but I would not be surprised in the slightest to hear that it happened. While I have wondered before what sort of warfare spiritual powers make combat with, it only just now occurred to me while reading Book Six to ask why warfare happens in Heaven in the first place. The Almighty God could deport Satan and his followers to Hell with a mere word; why does He allow them to bring potential harm and damage to the angels and Heaven?
Milton, of course, has his hypothesis. Lines 135-148 of Book Six begin with the very train of thought most Christians would have, as God openly declares that He could obliterate the fallen angels in an instant if He chose. Yet He withholds His crushing hand, and makes his reasoning known. God wanted two things: to show Satan's legions the hopelessness and finality of their unruly assault, and to strengthen His own angels in the knowledge that their stand is right.
Book Six lines 691-694 comprise God's message to the doomed demons. "Insensibly, for I suspend their doom/ Whence in perpetual fight they needs must last/ Endless and no solution will be found." They cannot win this war. Worse yet, the war for them will never end. The hellbound rebels must learn the pains of the fiery weapons utilized in battle, for they will never escape those pains. Damnation's flame will be an ever-present torture.
Yet the ravaging battle simultaneously holds a vision of hope for God's faithful followers. Lines 401-405 depict the power God grants to those who remain in Him. His angels can see that they have the upper hand, free from weariness and pain-- after all, neither of those are supposed to exist in God's paradisal kingdom! These blessings come from their faith, not just the fact that they live in Heaven. Satan's servants exist in Heaven also, yet they obviously are not receiving the benefits in combat.
While Milton's writings obviously are not inspired, canonical Scripture, I am appreciating his ideas immensely. The explanations he gives for so many of Christianity's smaller, tougher questions are very plausible, not contradicting God's Word for the most part (we talked about the whole Trinity thing in class). I can say that Paradise Lost has been getting me to think more into the first few chapters of the Bible every time I read it.
P.S. I commented on Darby and Ty's posts.
Milton, of course, has his hypothesis. Lines 135-148 of Book Six begin with the very train of thought most Christians would have, as God openly declares that He could obliterate the fallen angels in an instant if He chose. Yet He withholds His crushing hand, and makes his reasoning known. God wanted two things: to show Satan's legions the hopelessness and finality of their unruly assault, and to strengthen His own angels in the knowledge that their stand is right.
Book Six lines 691-694 comprise God's message to the doomed demons. "Insensibly, for I suspend their doom/ Whence in perpetual fight they needs must last/ Endless and no solution will be found." They cannot win this war. Worse yet, the war for them will never end. The hellbound rebels must learn the pains of the fiery weapons utilized in battle, for they will never escape those pains. Damnation's flame will be an ever-present torture.
Yet the ravaging battle simultaneously holds a vision of hope for God's faithful followers. Lines 401-405 depict the power God grants to those who remain in Him. His angels can see that they have the upper hand, free from weariness and pain-- after all, neither of those are supposed to exist in God's paradisal kingdom! These blessings come from their faith, not just the fact that they live in Heaven. Satan's servants exist in Heaven also, yet they obviously are not receiving the benefits in combat.
While Milton's writings obviously are not inspired, canonical Scripture, I am appreciating his ideas immensely. The explanations he gives for so many of Christianity's smaller, tougher questions are very plausible, not contradicting God's Word for the most part (we talked about the whole Trinity thing in class). I can say that Paradise Lost has been getting me to think more into the first few chapters of the Bible every time I read it.
P.S. I commented on Darby and Ty's posts.
I completely agree with your last statement. Ive often gone back and read the first few chapters of Genesis during our study of Paradise Lost and I am amazed at Milton's imagination. I am well aware that this epic is a fictional view of Genesis but i will admit sometimes I have to remind myself that this is someone else's idea of what happened and not what actualy happened.
ReplyDeleteI think Satan's servants do not reap the benefits of Heaven is because they ONCE existed there. Now they do not because they have succumbed to Satan's manipulations. I think all this comes out of their choice (which we have already discussed) but Satan and his followers chose this "life". Their own pride and desires lead them to this warfare.
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