Hi, Echo.
Although you didn't specifically mention Revelation chapter 12, I'm assuming that this is the chapter that you're referring to because of the title of this thread, "War in Heaven", and also because it is "the chapter preceding THIRTEEN!!". Anyhow, with such an assumption, yes, there is great correlation between the two chapters. For example, we read:
Daniel chapter 11
[31] And arms shall stand on his part, and they shall pollute the sanctuary of strength, and shall take away the daily sacrifice, and they shall place the abomination that maketh desolate.
[32] And such as do wickedly against the covenant shall he corrupt by flatteries: but the people that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits.
[33] And they that understand among the people shall instruct many: yet they shall fall by the sword, and by flame, by captivity, and by spoil, many days.
[34] Now when they shall fall, they shall be holpen with a little help: but many shall cleave to them with flatteries.
[35] And some of them of understanding shall fall, to try them, and to purge, and to make them white, even to the time of the end: because it is yet for a time appointed.
[36] And the king shall do according to his will; and he shall exalt himself, and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak marvellous things against the God of gods, and shall prosper till the indignation be accomplished: for that that is determined shall be done.
[37] Neither shall he regard the God of his fathers, nor the desire of women, nor regard any god: for he shall magnify himself above all.
[38] But in his estate shall he honour the God of forces: and a god whom his fathers knew not shall he honour with gold, and silver, and with precious stones, and pleasant things.
[39] Thus shall he do in the most strong holds with a strange god, whom he shall acknowledge and increase with glory: and he shall cause them to rule over many, and shall divide the land for gain.
[40] And at the time of the end shall the king of the south push at him: and the king of the north shall come against him like a whirlwind, with chariots, and with horsemen, and with many ships; and he shall enter into the countries, and shall overflow and pass over.
[41] He shall enter also into the glorious land, and many countries shall be overthrown: but these shall escape out of his hand, even Edom, and Moab, and the chief of the children of Ammon.
[42] He shall stretch forth his hand also upon the countries: and the land of Egypt shall not escape.
[43] But he shall have power over the treasures of gold and of silver, and over all the precious things of Egypt: and the Libyans and the Ethiopians shall be at his steps.
[44] But tidings out of the east and out of the north shall trouble him: therefore he shall go forth with great fury to destroy, and utterly to make away many.
[45] And he shall plant the tabernacles of his palace between the seas in the glorious holy mountain; yet he shall come to his end, and none shall help him.
Daniel chapter 12
[1] And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book.
The prophet Daniel had been mourning and praying for three full weeks (Daniel 10:1-12) and then he was visited by an angel who revealed unto him what would happen in relation to his people ("thy people" - Daniel 12:1), the Israelites/Jews, in the end times. Yes, the angel forewarned Daniel of the antichrist who would "enter also into the glorious land" (Daniel 11:41) or enter into Israel and "plant the tabernacles of his palace between the seas in the glorious holy mountain" (Daniel 11:45). IOW, the antichrist will be situated in Israel in the last days. Yes, the antichrist will "exalt himself, and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak marvellous things against the God of gods" (Daniel 11:36). Furthermore, the antichrist will also "pollute the sanctuary of strength, and shall take away the daily sacrifice, and they shall place the abomination that maketh desolate" (Daniel 11:31). IOW, there is a coming rebuilt temple in Jerusalem in which "the daily sacrifice" will be restored until the time comes that the antichrist "takes away" the same and "places the abomination that maketh desolate" in "the sanctuary of strength", thereby "polluting" it. Yes, it's called "the abomination that maketh desolate" because when said "abomination" is placed within the rebuilt temple, then God will allow invading armies into Jerusalem to "make it desolate". Anyhow, it is at this juncture in time, when "the abomination that maketh desolate" is set up within the coming rebuilt temple in Jerusalem, that "Michael shall stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time" (Daniel 12:1) or when what is commonly called "the great tribulation" begins. With this prophetic background before us, let's now shift our focus to Revelation chapter 12:
Revelation chapter 12
[1] And there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars:
[2] And she being with child cried, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered.
[3] And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads.
[4] And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth: and the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born.
[5] And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and to his throne.
[6] And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days.
[7] And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels,
[8] And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven.
[9] 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.
[10] 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.
[11] 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.
[12] 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.
[13] And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth, he persecuted the woman which brought forth the man child.
[14] And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent.
[15] And the serpent cast out of his mouth water as a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away of the flood.
[16] And the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed up the flood which the dragon cast out of his mouth.
[17] And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.
Here, we see the "dragon", the Devil or Satan (Revelation 12:9), "making war with the remnant of her", the "woman's" or Israel's, "seed which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ" (Revelation 12:17). IOW, in the last days, Israel will enter into an end time agreement with the antichrist and the aforementioned Jewish temple will be rebuilt and the antichrist will ultimately "shew himself that he is God" (II Thessalonians 2:4) from within the same. There will be a "remnant" of believing Jews at this time who will flee from Judaea unto "a place prepared of God" and she, "the remnant", "shall be fed there a thousand two hundred and threescore days" or for 1260 days or for 3 1/2 years with a Biblical calendar consisting of 360 days a year. Yes, this 1260 days is the same exact timeframe as "a time, and times, and half a time" (Revelation 12:14) with "a time" equalling one year. IOW, "the great tribulation" will only be a 3 1/2 year timeframe and it will be triggered IN THE NATURAL REALM by the setting up of "the abomination which maketh desolate" and brought about IN THE SPIRITUAL REALM by the "war in heaven" between "Michael and his angels" and "the dragon and his angels" (Revelation 12:7). Yes, when such a "war" is waged in the heavenlies and Satan and his angels are cast down to this earth (Satan still has access to heaven as I type), THEN "the devil will come down to us, having great wrath, because he knows that he has but a short time" (Revelation 12:12)...and that "short time" is the aforementioned 1260 days or the aforementioned "a time, and times, and half a time" or 3 1/2 years. Keep this in mind as we read the following from Jesus' Olivet discourse:
Matthew chapter 24
[15] When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand):
[16] Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains:
[17] Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take any thing out of his house:
[18] Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes.
[19] And woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days!
[20] But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day:
[21] For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.
[22] And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened.
Again, "when we shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place" (Matthew 24:16) or when we shall see the antichrist "pollute the sanctuary of strength" or pollute the sanctuary of the coming rebuilt temple in Jerusalem "and take away the daily sacrifice, and place the abomination that maketh desolate" (Daniel 11:31), THEN we should also expect to see "them which be in Judaea flee into the mountians" (Matthew 24:16) or then we should expect to see "the remnant" of believing Jews in Judaea flee unto "a place prepared of God" where she, "the remnant", "shall be fed there a thousand two hundred and threescore days" (Revelation 12:6) or for 1260 days or for "a time, and times, and half a time" (Revelation 12:14) or for 3 1/2 years with a Biblical calendar consisting of 360 days a year. Yes, this 3 1/2 year timeframe which begins IN THE NATURAL REALM when "the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stands in the holy place" (Matthew 24:15) or this 3 1/2 year timeframe which begins IN THE SPIRITUAL REALM when Satan and his angels are cast down to earth and "the devil comes down to us, having great wrath, because he knows that he has but a short time" (Revelation 12:12) coincides perfectly with the "shortened days" (Matthew 24:22) that Jesus spoke of in His Olivet discourse. IOW, seeing how Satan will be cast down to the earth and seeing how he will "come down to us, having great wrath, because he knows that he has but a short time" (3 1/2 years), if God didn't limit the time of Satan's wrath to the same 3 1/2 year timeframe, then "there should no flesh be saved" or nobody would be spared from Satan's wrath. Anyhow, there is great correlation between Daniel chapter 12 and Revelation chapter 12 and also great correlation between those two chapters of the Bible and other portions of the Bible as well.
What we commonly call "the book of Revelation" is DEFINITELY greatly related to "the words" of "the book" which Daniel was told to "shut up and seal". In relation to the same, we read:
Revelation chapter 5
[1] And I saw in the right hand of him that sat on the throne a book written within and on the backside, sealed with seven seals.
[2] And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, Who is worthy to open the book, and to loose the seals thereof?
[3] And no man in heaven, nor in earth, neither under the earth, was able to open the book, neither to look thereon.
[4] And I wept much, because no man was found worthy to open and to read the book, neither to look thereon.
[5] And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof.
[6] And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth.
[7] And he came and took the book out of the right hand of him that sat upon the throne.
[8] And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints.
[9] And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation;
[10] And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.
[11] And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the beasts and the elders: and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands;
[12] Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing.
[13] And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever.
[14] And the four beasts said, Amen. And the four and twenty elders fell down and worshipped him that liveth for ever and ever.
Revelation chapter 6
[1] And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals, and I heard, as it were the noise of thunder, one of the four beasts saying, Come and see.
"The book of Revelation" is basically all about Jesus Christ "taking a book" (Revelation 5:7-9) which had previously been "sealed" (Revelation 5:1) and "loosing the seals" (Revelation 5:2, 5) thereof or "opening the seals thereof" (Revelation 5:9, 6:1), thereby "revealing" unto us exactly what will transpire in the last days.
Here, I most definitely disagree with you. In relation to "666", we read:
Revelation chapter 13
[16] And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads:
[17] And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.
[18] Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six.
Here, John wrote of "the number of his name...and his number is Six hundred threescore and six" or the infamous "666". IOW, the numerical value of the antichrist's name will equal "666". In Hebrew and Greek, each and every letter of the alphabet has a corresponding numerical value attached to it. Similarly, in Latin, certain letters of the alphabet also have corresponding numerical values attached to them (Remember your "Roman numerals"?). As such, when the numerical values of each letter of the antichrist's name are added together, the sum of the same will equal "666". Can we know today EXACTLY WHO THE ANTICHRIST IS by calculating "the number of his name"? Well, yes, as a matter of fact, we can. If you want to discuss EXACTLY WHO THE ANTICHRIST IS by finding the fulfillment of this prophecy as well as a host of other prophecies which are contained in Daniel, Revelation or other parts of the Bible, then I'll be more than happy to enter into such a discussion with you or anybody else who might be interested in the same. For now, I'll just tell you plainly that the Biblical antichrist (I know that the Bible speaks of "many antichrists", but there is also a final fulfillment in relation to THE antichrist) is none other than Papal Rome/the Vatican and such can easily be proven from both scripture and recorded history.
