IT Iz FINISHED with Dr. K L Rich (DMin)

REVELATION

John witnessed many events as if a movie were playing right in front of his eyes. All the events God showed him were meant for him to write down and give to the seven churches of Asia Minor. However, the events that he saw were mostly for the church of today. We are seeing many of these events unfold even now and may witness more before the rapture and return of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

In this next lesson, we will understand the enemy’s attack upon the body of Christ and why he has hated the things of God from the very beginning. There is an increasing hatred toward the Saints of God, and if we are not careful, we could easily become discouraged and deceived. However, God has warned us in His word of what’s to come. so that we will not be fooled by the enemy. The devil comes to kill, steal, and destroy. He is trying to take as many people down to the pits of hell with him as he can. However, in the end, he will be and already has been defeated, and it is through the blood of Jesus that we will stand in victory with Christ. The Bible says no weapon formed against us shall prosper, and even when it seems as if the devil may be getting the upper hand, God’s word will reign supreme. These are the last days. We must be ready to fight against the enemy. He will use government, people, places, and things to attack our faith, but by wearing the whole armor of God, we will be able to stand. Let us see what else God has to say to the church, so that we can be ready for the days ahead.

Quick Review from Lesson 6

a.) There was another angel that came from Heaven and he

held a little scroll.

b.) The angel had his right foot on the sea and his left foot

on the land.

c.) The angel swore by God that there would be no more

delay.

d.) John was told to eat the scroll, which would taste sweet,

but turn his stomach sour.

e.) John was told to measure the temple.

f.) There would be two witnesses who would prophecy for

1,260 days.

g.) If anyone tried to harm the two witnesses’ fire would

come out of their mouth to devour their enemies.

h.) The beast of the Abyss would overpower and kill them,

but they would be raised back to life in 3 ½ days.

i.) The seventh trumpet will sound at the return of Jesus.

j.) All will fall before God and worship Him.

The Woman and the Dragon

The Attack on the Woman

“A great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet and a crown of twelve stars on her head. She was pregnant and cried out in pain as she was about to give birth. Then another sign appeared in heaven: an enormous red dragon with seven heads and ten horns and seven crowns on its heads. Its tail swept a third of the stars out of the sky and flung them to the earth. The dragon stood in front of the woman who was about to give birth, so that it might devour her child the moment he was born. She gave birth to a son, a male child, who “will rule all the nations with an iron scepter” (Revelation 12:1-5).

John witnessed a woman being dressed in the sun with the moon being under her feet and a crown of 12 stars on her head. She was in labor and about to give birth. Biblical scholars have debated the meaning of the woman in Revelation 12. However, there are two symbolisms of the woman described in John’s vision. The first is that the woman in Revelation 12 represents Israel, as the male child she carries comes from Abraham’s lineage, as foretold by the prophets of old prior to Jesus’ birth. The Bible says: “For your Maker is your husband—the Lord Almighty is his name—the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer; he is called the God of all the earth. The Lord will call you back as if you were a wife deserted and distressed in spirit—a wife who married young, only to be rejected,” says your God” (Isaiah 54:5-6). Israel was often compared to a woman who had been unfaithful to the Lord. She was supposed to be married to God, but often left Him for other lovers or gods made of wood and stone.

Second, she also symbolizes the bride of Christ, His church. The Bible says: “I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy. I promised you to one husband, to Christ, so that I might present you as a pure virgin to him” (2 Corinthians 11:2). We are married to Christ and therefore become His body. We were chosen to represent Him because of his enduring love for us. All who accept Jesus as their personal Savior are invited into His fold. We are to be faithful to Him for He is our husband, and we are His bride. There is no one who comes before God, and therefore, no one is to be worshipped more than Him. The bride of Christ takes on His character and is adorned with the glory of God, which is represented through the sun in this text. The Bible says: “The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word” (Hebrews 1:3).

Under her feet was the moon, which is the light for the earth at night. The woman was about to go through a dark period where it would seem to be dim at times. At night, the moon shines, but it doesn’t give as much light as the sun does in the daytime. Therefore, the woman had the glory of the sun around her representing God, but she was going to experience a dimness due to the tribulation that would be brought on from the devil. The twelve stars represent the twelve tribes of Israel through which the woman was from. God promised Abraham that he would be a great nation. The Bible says: “No longer will you be called Abram; your name will be Abraham, for I have made you a father of many nations” (Genesis 17:5).

Through Abraham came Isaac and then his son,

Jacob who was the father of twelve sons. These sons were the twelve tribes of Israel through whom Jesus would later come. Because of Jesus coming through this lineage, we are able to appreciate the Children of Israel for what we have today as Christianity—the belief in Christ. Therefore, we are Christians because we follow Christ.

In order to have a more in-depth understanding of the text, we must revisit the story of Mary and Joseph. The angel Gabriel was sent to Mary to give her the news that she would be the mother of the Savior of the world. This conception wouldn’t be through ordinary means, but it would be by the power of the Holy Spirit. The Bible says: “Gabriel appeared to her and said, “Greetings, favored woman! The Lord is with you!” Confused and disturbed, Mary tried to think what the angel could mean. “Don’t be afraid, Mary,” the angel told her, “for you have found favor with God! You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus” (Luke 1:26-31). The news was also given to Joseph who was engaged to be married to Mary. However, after Jesus’ birth, King Herod wanted to kill him for he was afraid that his kingdom would be taken from him after the Magi had told them that they were in search of him.

Although King Herod was the tool used to attempt to kill Jesus, the devil was the one behind it for he hated Jesus and wanted to destroy him prior to his mission being complete on earth. This coincides with the text here in Revelation where the dragon (Satan) tried to kill Jesus as soon as he was born. The Bible says: “When Herod realized that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was furious, and he gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had learned from the Magi” (Matthew 2:16).

John described a large red dragon with seven heads, ten horns, and seven crowns on its heads. The red dragon is Satan, full of evil and sin. He wants to destroy the body of Christ, and as he tried to kill Jesus when He was a baby, the devil is still trying to kill the saints of God. We have a ministry that is birthed into all the world, and the devil wants to ensure that he stops it at all costs. This is why he aims to stop any gifts of God as they are being birthed, for if he can destroy them in the beginning, he can keep them from maturing into adulthood as was his desire with Jesus.

The seven heads with seven crowns on each head represent rulers of government. These seven governments were part of the Roman Empire. They are:

1.) Babylon (lion)

2.) Persia (bear)

3.) Greece (4 head leopard)

4.) Turkey

5.) Syria

6.) Egypt

7.) Rome

The beast's tail swept a third of the stars out of the sky, and they fell to the earth. This is speaking of when Lucifer was kicked out of Heaven and took a third of the angels (stars) with him. The Bible says: “How you have fallen from heaven, O morning star, son of the dawn! You have been cast down to the earth, you who once laid low the nations!” (Isaiah 14:12). Lucifer allowed pride to overtake his heart and therefore turned against God by wanting to set himself up like God. However, he was thrown down to earth, where he became known as the devil.

John says that the dragon stood in front of the woman, so he could eat the child as soon as he was born. Again, Satan used King Herod to attempt to kill Jesus, but God protected Him. The devil is also trying to kill the saints, but the message that is birth through so many of God’s children will not be stopped regardless of what man does to the physical body. The woman gave birth to a boy who was to be the ruler of all nations. That ruler is Jesus! The Bible says: “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this” (Isaiah 9:6-7).

The Woman and Child

“And her child was snatched up to God and to his throne. The woman fled into the wilderness to a place prepared for her by God, where she might be taken care of for 1,260 days” (Revelation 12:5-6).

John saw the child snatched up to God, and the woman fled into the wilderness to a place that God had prepared for her to take care of her for 1,260 days. The child is Jesus, who went back to Heaven after His death and resurrection. The Bible says: “After the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, he was taken up into heaven and he sat at the right hand of God” (Mark 16:19). God took care of the woman who represents His church for approximately 3 ½ years. Remember, in the previous lesson, we studied about the two witnesses who prophesied for 3 ½ years and were caught up to heaven after they were resurrected from death. This could be the same time when the church may be going through an even greater persecution than many are already experiencing now in various countries of the world.

War in Heaven

“Then war broke out in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back. But he was not strong enough, and they lost their place in heaven. The great dragon was hurled down—that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him” (Revelation 12:7-9).

John saw a war that broke out in Heaven. Michael the archangel and his angels fought against the dragon (Lucifer, Satan) and his angels. Lucifer, a high-ranking angel, grew proud and rebelled against God, challenging His authority and seeking equality with God. The devil and his angels could not win against them and were kicked out of Heaven. There has been a fight of good versus evil since the very beginning. The Bible says: “How you have fallen from heaven, morning star, son of the dawn! You have been cast down to the earth, you who once laid low the nations! You said in your heart, “I will ascend to the heavens; I will raise my throne above the stars of God; I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly, on the utmost heights of Mount Zaphon. I will ascend above the tops of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.” But you are brought down to the realm of the dead, to the depths of the pit” (Isaiah 14:12-15). Lucifer had pride. He did not want to humble himself before his Creator. Therefore, due to his pride and that of the other angels, they were kicked out of Heaven.

Now biblical scholars argue that Satan still has a certain access to appear before God, as in the story of Job (Job 1:1-2:8), and again in Zechariah 3, where he appears before God to accuse Joshua, the high priest. Satan’s very name means accuser, and he is constantly making accusations before the Lord against His people (Revelation 12:10).

Pride is a sin that cannot remain in the presence of a Righteous God. Satan has led the whole world into deception. He has turned many against God as he did with the angels that were cast out of heaven with him. The devil is a liar. The Bible says: “You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father's desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies” (John 8:44).