Albert Barnes Commentary Revelation 12:10

"And I heard a great voice in heaven, saying, Now is come the salvation, and the power, and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, who accuseth them before our God day and night." — Revelation 12:10 (ASV)

And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven. The great enemy was expelled, the cause of God and truth was triumphant, and the conquering hosts united in celebrating the victor. This representation of a song, resulting from victory, is in accordance with the visual representations in the Bible (see the song of Moses at the Red Sea, Exodus 15:1; the song of Deborah, Judges 5:1; the song of David when the Lord had delivered him out of the hand of all his enemies, 2 Samuel 22:1; and Isaiah 12-25).

On no occasion could such a song be more appropriate than on the complete routing and defeat of Satan and his rebellious hosts. Viewed in reference to the time symbolized here, this would relate to the certain triumph of the church and of truth on earth. In reference to the language, there is an allusion to the joy and triumph of the heavenly hosts when Satan and his apostate legions were expelled.

Now is come salvation. That is, complete deliverance from the power of Satan.

And strength. That is, now the mighty power of God is manifested in casting down and subduing the great enemy of the church.

And the kingdom of our God. The reign of our God (see Barnes on Matthew 3:2).

This kingdom is now established among humanity, and God will henceforth rule. This refers to the certain ultimate triumph of his cause in the world.

And the power of his Christ. His Anointed; that is, the kingdom of Christ as the Messiah, or as anointed and set apart to rule over the world (see Barnes on Matthew 1:1).

For the accuser of our brethren is cast down. The phrase "our brethren" shows by whom this song is celebrated. It is sung in heaven, but it is by those who belonged to the redeemed church, and whose brethren were still suffering persecution and trial on earth. It shows the tenderness of the tie that unites all the redeemed as brethren, whether on earth or in heaven; and it shows the interest that they "who have passed the flood" have in the trials, the sorrows, and the triumphs of those who are still on earth.

We have here another title given to the great enemy: "accuser of the brethren." The word used here—kathgoros (in later editions of the New Testament, katēgōr)—properly means an accuser, one who blames another or charges another with a crime. The word occurs in John 8:10; Acts 23:30, 35; Acts 24:8; Acts 25:16, 18; and Revelation 12:10, in all of which places it is rendered accuser or accusers, though only in the latter place applied to Satan.

The verb form frequently occurs (e.g., Matthew 12:10; 27:12; Mark 3:2; Mark 15:3; et al.). The description of Satan as an accuser accords with the opinion of the ancient Hebrews regarding his character, as he is represented in Job 1:9-11; 2:4-5; Zechariah 3:1–2; and 1 Chronicles 21:1.

The phrase "of the brethren" refers to Christians, or to the people of God. The meaning here is that one of the characteristics of Satan—a characteristic so well-known as to make it proper to designate him by it—is that he is an accuser of the righteous; that he is employed in bringing charges against them that affect their character and destroy their influence.

The appropriateness of this title cannot be doubted. It is, as it has always been, one of the characteristics of Satan—one of the means by which he maintains his influence in the world—to bring accusations against the people of God. Thus, under his suggestions and by his agents, they are charged with hypocrisy, insincerity, being influenced by bad motives, pursuing sinister designs under the cloak of religion, and with secret vices and crimes.

Thus the martyrs were accused. Thus it is that unfounded accusations are often brought against ministers of the gospel, paralyzing their power and diminishing their influence, or that when a professed Christian falls, the church is made to suffer by an effort to cast suspicion on all who bear the Christian name. Perhaps the most skillful thing that Satan does, and the thing by which he most contributes to diminishing the influence of the church, is in this way causing "accusations" to be brought against the people of God.

Is cast down. The period referred to here was, doubtless, the time when the church was about to be established and to flourish in the world, and when accusations would be brought against Christians by various classes of slanderers and informers. It is well known that in the early ages of Christianity, crimes of the most horrible nature were charged against Christians, and it was by these slanders that the effort was made to prevent the extension of the Christian church.

Which accused them before our God (see Barnes on Job 1:9-10).

The meaning is that he accused them, as it were, in the very presence of God. Day and night. He never ceased bringing these accusations and sought by the perseverance and persistence with which they were urged to convince the world that there was no sincerity in the church and no reality in religion.