17, 18. (a) What heavenly reaction does John report as to the fall of Satan from heaven? (b) What is the likely source of the loud voice that John hears?

¹⁷ John reports a joyous heavenly reaction to this stupendous fall of Satan: “And I heard a loud voice in heaven say: ‘Now have come to pass the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ, because the accuser of our brothers has been hurled down, who accuses them day and night before our God! And they conquered him because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their witnessing, and they did not love their souls even in the face of death. On this account be glad, you heavens and you who reside in them!’”​—Revelation 12:10-12a.

20. How have faithful Christians conquered Satan?

²⁰ Anointed Christians, who are counted righteous “because of the blood of the Lamb,” are continuing to bear witness to God and to Jesus Christ despite persecutions. For more than 120 years, this John class has been pointing to the great issues involved with the ending of the Gentile Times in 1914. (Luke 21:24, King James Version) And the great crowd are now serving loyally by their side. None of these are “fearful of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul,” as real-life experiences of Jehovah’s Witnesses have demonstrated over and over again during our time. By word of mouth and by proper Christian conduct, they have conquered Satan, consistently proving him to be a liar. (Matthew 10:28; Proverbs 27:11; Revelation 7:9) On being resurrected to heaven, how happy anointed Christians must be, since Satan is no longer up there to accuse their brothers! It is the time, indeed, for all the angelic host to respond joyously to the call: “Be glad, you heavens and you who reside in them!”

A Rival Woe!

21. How has Satan brought woe to the earth and to the sea?

²¹ Chafing because of the third woe, Satan is now intent on afflicting mankind with his own particular brand of woe. It is: “Woe for the earth and for the sea, because the Devil has come down to you, having great anger, knowing he has a short period of time.” (Revelation 12:12b) Satan’s ouster from heaven does indeed mean woe for the literal earth, which is being ruined by selfish humans under his control. (Deuteronomy 32:5) Even more so, Satan’s policy of ‘rule or ruin’ brings woe to the symbolic earth, the structure of human society, as well as to the symbolic sea, the turbulent mass of mankind itself. During the two world wars, Satan’s wrath was reflected in the wrath of the nations subject to him, and similar explosions of demonic rage continue to this day​—though not for much longer! (Mark 13:7, 8) But terrible as the Devil’s devices may be, they will never approach the woeful effect that the third woe​—action by God’s Kingdom—​will produce on Satan’s visible organization!