On December 26, 2004 a 9.0 Richter earthquake struck in the Indian Ocean, not far from Indonesia. It caused a tsunami that devastated the coastlands from Sumatra to Africa. This quake occurred 1,260 days after the end of our prayer battle, July 15, 2001.

If you recall from chapters 24 and 25, the New Gideon's Army had a major series of battles in the first half of July in 2001. These ended fully on July 15, 2001 with the binding of Apollyon, the Prince of Persia, and the following day was the installation of the Archangels over the various continents. This installation was established in the heavens but would take time to manifest as an earthly reality.

In Revelation 12 the dragon is cast down to the earth, and then it takes another 1,260 days to overcome him (Rev. 12:11). John saw this event in his day as well, though it was not yet an earthly reality. Daniel himself fought the Prince of Persia (Dan. 10). We are all in the same spiritual war, fighting in our part of the battlefield in each generation, though in the heavens, the battle is timeless.

A few days after the tsunami, someone directed me to Chad Taylor's website, where I found an article posted on Dec. 23, 2004, Apocalyptic Anomalies and End-Time Paradigms. This was posted just 3 days before the tsunami:

“The Beast of the East will fall at your feet.”

“I saw a dragon falling from the sky and into the eastern ocean. The blood of this ocean turned red like blood. A triune counsel of wickedness is being broken. Iraq, Iran, and Afghanistan. This unholy trinity will no longer possess its authority. For in these days many have said, 'God would not judge them,' but I say that I have already judged them, and I will now set their captives free. . . The dragon of Islam will be pushed out as a flood as My servants enter these borders and establish My Kingdom on earth as it is in heaven. I will place My representatives into positions of rulership and authority, creating a spiritual paradigm thus manifesting a harvest unparalleled in modern history. Iraq, Iran, and Afghanistan, you are in the palm of My hand, says the Lord. Islam is a dying dragon wounded by the prayers of the saints and from her bowels billions will be saved.”

When I read this, it got my attention. I learned in 1986 that “the dragon of Islam” is the Prince of Persia, who keeps captive many people. Daniel 10:13 calls him by his TITLE: The Prince of the Kingdom of Persia. Revelation 9:11 gives us his name in both Hebrew and Greek. In Hebrew it is Abaddon; in Greek it is Apollyon.

The city at the north end of the Persian Gulf is Abadon, named after this “dragon.”

1,260 days earlier we understood that the overthrow and binding of Apollyon (July 15, 2001) would result in the release of captives and would result ultimately in the salvation of “billions.” The purpose of our warfare was not to destroy the people, but to release the people from blind subservience. We witnessed the overthrow of many “dragons” in 2001.

The revelation above says that this “dragon” would fall into the “eastern ocean,” obviously the Indian Ocean, turning it “red.” On CNN for Dec. 29, 2004, shortly after the tsunami, they issued a report from Africa about events occurring when the tsunami hit.

“The water began to change color . . . The color of the sea had changed to RED. On return, I saw on BBC about the major Asia quake and the effect it has had and the lives it has claimed. I'm wondering if today's event had anything to do with the tidal wave that swept Asia.”

Yes, I think it did. A portion of our battle in July 2001 emerged into the earth 1,260 days later, almost as if we had passed a “window of heaven.” I believe that the tsunami was the earthly manifestation of the dragon's fall on July 15, 2001. It was the spiritual cause of the earthly event, and the ocean turned red at least in one place off the coast of Africa as a result.

There was one town in Indonesia, Banda Ache, which was most affected by the tsunami. It was the place where Islam first penetrated Indonesia. However, the Christians in that town were not affected, because it was Christmas, and they were not allowed to celebrate the holiday in the town. So they went up to the top of a mountain to celebrate Christmas and were there when the tsunami hit the town below. This gave them opportunity to show love to the victims, along with the Christian aid workers who came later to help them.

Apollyon, the Prince of Persia, has been overthrown. It is only a matter of time before the effects of this spiritual warfare is fully seen in earth as it is in heaven. The tsunami is a double witness of this event, seen 1,260 days after Apollyon was bound. Chad Taylor also bears witness to the purpose and final effect of this event. He mentions specifically Iraq, Iran, and Afghanistan, but the Prince of Persia ruled a far more extensive territory. Those people will be set free into the glorious liberty of the sons of God, along with all of creation (Rom. 8:21).