Those who know our Lord Jesus have an idea of how powerful He is. We know that He has already overcome the Devil, but what does that mean in the terms of the fight that had to ensue? In reading this latest assigned reading, I was astounded by the sheer power displayed in Milton's writing. On the third day, when Jesus came rolling down the hills to meet Satan's army and subdue it, I could not help thinking about my own life. What could I gain if Jesus came to me, when all hope seems lost, and told me that "Number to this days work is not ordain'd, / Nor multitude, stand only and behold / God's indignation on these godless pour'd / By Me; not you, but me they have despised" (Milton Book 6). This battle will no longer be fought by you, He seems to say. This battle is against me, and you will observe what happens to adversaries who go to battle against Me.
Furthermore, how awesome would it have been to be one of the angels watching Jesus corral the adversaries into their cage? His power and wrath was considered worse than the punishment of Hell. He was so fearsome, hell herself wanted to flee, but had to stay in order for her victims to be claimed. Personally, we, as a generation, do not recognize the might and the strength of our God, the one who vanquished our foe in one fell swoop.
To close, think about how this battle related to the battle fought by the Puritans to gain the throne. I believe that the angels represented the Puritan people, with the archangels as their leader, like Cromwell and Milton. If this is the case, then Jesus in this narrative is Jesus, leading the Puritans to their victory in overthrowing the monarchy. They believe that God is their guide, and because of that faith, He rewarded them for their worthy cause.
PS I commented on Rachael Gregson's and Stephen Davis's Post
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When Milton threw in this epic battle scene, it seemed as if he too was wondering, "How can God have already won the battle, if no battle has even ensued?" By creating this artfully woven tale of good vs evil, Milton alludes that this was the battle in which God first revealed His awesome power and finalized that He alone would win the ultimate battle, and that He alone, in fact, already had.
In today's society, we always talk about how merciful and loving our Lord is. And while these things are undoubtedly true, we often forget to mention how powerful and how just our God is as well. We focus so intently at the one side of God, that we often forget to flip the coin over and view His other side!