February 12, 2017
Evening Service

In chapter 11 we were introduced to the two witnesses who testified for 31/2 years.  They had power to close up the sky so no rain could fall and if anyone tried to harm them they were consumed with fire that came out of their mouths.  When their time was complete and they had fulfilled their task, the beast made war with them and killed them.  Their bodies lay in the streets for 31/2 day as the world celebrated their demise.  The celebration was short lived however as the two witnesses received the spirit of life from God and arose.  God then called them to heaven as all their enemies watched.  We also then heard the 7^th and final trumpet sounded.

Revelation 11:15 And the seventh angel sounded. And there were great voices in Heaven, saying, “The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of His Christ. And He will reign forever and ever.”

 

Here is where the scene changes for the next few chapters.  John is given a revelation of the origin of the conflict between God and Satan and the beginnings of sin, evil, persecution and suffering.  Most of this is imagery and symbolism and I am relying greatly on my commentaries to explain this tonight.

 

Revelation 12:1-2  And there appeared a great sign in the heavens, a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon was under her feet, and a crown of twelve stars on her head,  (2)  and having a babe in womb, she cries, being in travail, having been distressed to bear.

·         The woman represents God’s faithful church that has been waiting on the coming of the Messiah.  The sun and the moon stand for the glory the church has been promised and the twelve stars represent the twelve tribes of Israel.  The time of His arrival is very near.

 

Revelation 12:3-4  And another sign was seen in the heavens. And behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns and seven crowns on his heads!  (4)  And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and cast them onto the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman being about to bear, so that when she bears he might devour her child.

·         The red dragon is Satan himself.  The heads, horns and crowns show the power he possesses upon this earth.  The fallen stars are usually considered to be fallen angels that become his demons.  He stands in ready to devour the coming Messiah.

 

 Revelation 12:5-6  And she bore a son, a male, who is going to rule all nations with a rod of iron. And her child was caught up to God and to His throne.  (6)  And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she had a place prepared by God, so that they might nourish her there a thousand, two hundred and sixty days.

·         This brings to mind the failed attempt of King Herod to kill the new born Savior (Matt. 2) by massacring all the children under age 2 in the Bethlehem area.  God saved Jesus by showing Joseph in a dream to escape into Egypt for a time before returning to Nazareth.

·         This text here shows no measurable time line as it places Jesus’ birth and His ascension in one short sentence.  Verse 6 then skips forward to the tribulation time and speaks of God’s protective cover over the church.

·         This scene depicts the birth of a single child in a very small town, but it really portrays the true cosmic impact it had on all of humanity.  

 

Revelation 12:7-9 And there was war in Heaven. Michael and his angels warring against the dragon. And the dragon and his angels warred, (8) but did not prevail. Nor was place found for them in Heaven any more.  (9)  And the great dragon was cast out, the old serpent called Devil, and Satan, who deceives the whole world. He was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.

·         War is waged in heaven between the angels and the dragon.  I believe this is the “spiritual warfare” that Paul speaks of in his letters to the Romans and Ephesians.  Again we have no true timeline to go by so this could have been at Jesus’ birth, resurrection or through that entire time.  We really don’t know when but we know the result.  Isaiah also speaks of this occurrence in his writings.

 

Isaiah 14:12-15  How you are fallen from the heavens, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How you are cut down to the ground, you who weakened the nations!  (13)  For you have said in your heart, I will go up to the heavens, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will also sit on the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north.  (14)  I will go up above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the Most High.  (15)  Yet you shall be brought down to hell, to the sides of the Pit.

·         Lucifer which means “light bearer,” coveted the power and glory of God and tried to overthrow God and take His throne.

·         The result is that Satan is barred from heaven and he and his angels are cast down to earth.  It is very clear here as well that Satan is real and is against God and all those who follow Him.  His name here is called the “Accuser” and the “Deceiver.”  We as the church certainly need to be aware of him, but should not fear him because he is a defeated being.

 

Revelation 12:10-12  And I heard a great voice saying in Heaven, “Now has come the salvation and power and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of His Christ; for the accuser of our brothers is cast down, who accused them before our God day and night.  (11)  And they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb, and because of the word of their testimony. And they did not love their soul until death.  (12)  Therefore rejoice O heavens, and those tabernacling in them. Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and in the sea! For the Devil came down to you, having great wrath, knowing that he has but a little time.”

·         Victory is assured by of the “blood of the lamb.”  It is the blood of Jesus that ultimately defeats Satan.  Jesus pays the steep price for mankind’s’ sin and grace prevails.  Without the blood, we are helpless against our adversary, but with it we are guaranteed victory.  Our testimony is one of how God delivered us from our sin and the wages of it.

·         Satan is now more dangerous as he is defeated and his time is short.  Peter warns us to be careful and gives us a game plan to prevail his attacks.

 

1 Peter 5:6-10  Therefore be humbled under the mighty hand of God, so that He may exalt you in due time,  (7)  casting all your anxiety onto Him, for He cares for you.  (8)  Be sensible and vigilant, because your adversary the Devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking someone he may devour; (9)  whom firmly resist in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions in the world are being completed in your brotherhood  (10)  But the God of all grace, He calling us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a little, He will perfect, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.

·         Peter calls us to be humble, trusting in prayer, vigilant and to resist our adversary knowing we all face the same afflictions.  We also have the advantage of knowing that at the end of our trials, no matter how difficult, we win.

·         Notice also God uses Satan to fulfill His own will.  He allows him to bring suffering and persecution upon us and then turns around and uses that to perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you.  Satan is a tool God is using to mold us into the true, tested followers He desires us to be.

 

Revelation 12:13-17  And when the dragon saw that he was cast to the earth, he persecuted the woman who bore the man child .  (14)  And two wings of a great eagle were given to the woman, so 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 serpent's face.  (15)  And the serpent cast out of his mouth water like a flood after the woman, so that he might cause her to be carried away by the river.  (16)  And the earth helped the woman. And the earth opened its mouth and swallowed up the river which the dragon cast out of his mouth.  (17)  And the dragon was enraged over the woman, and went to make war with the rest of her seed, who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.

·         This again is the spiritual battle we, as the church, continue to fight.  Satan attacks and God protects us in miraculous ways.  Paul warns us to be prepared to fight in his letter to the Ephesian church.  This chapter in Revelations certainly gives these verses an even deeper meaning.

 

Ephesians 6:10-13 Finally, my brothers, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.  (11)  Put on the whole armor of God so that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.  (12)  For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the world's rulers, of the darkness of this age, against spiritual wickedness in high places.  (13)  Therefore take to yourselves the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

·         We cannot fight our enemy with our own powers alone; we must place upon ourselves the armor God provides for us.  Don’t be caught under estimating our enemy, but make the preparations needed to win the fight.

 

Lord,  we thank you that the war against our enemy has already been won, and ask that we be fully prepared to fight the battles that lie ahead of us.