REVELATION
John was able to witness
many events as if there was a movie playing right in front of his eyes. All of
the events that God showed him were given 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 will be the ones to witness these things as they unfold
prior to the 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 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 in the present and future.
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
Revelation 12:1-5 (1)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. (2)She was pregnant and cried out in pain as she was about to give birth. (3)Then another sign appeared in heaven: an enormous red dragon with seven heads and ten horns and seven crowns on its heads. (4)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. (5)She gave birth to a son, a male child, who “will rule all the nations with an iron scepter.” (NIV)
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. The woman in the Bible often represents the bride of
Christ, meaning His church. 2 Corinthians 11:2 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. (NIV) We are married to Christ and
therefore becomes 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 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.
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. Genesis 17:5 No longer will you be called
Abram; your name will be Abraham, for I have made you a father of many nations.
(NIV)
Through Abraham came Isaac and then his son, Jacob who was the father of twelve sons (Genesis 35:22-26). 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 (Luke 1:26-35). 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. Matthew 2:16 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. (NIV)
John described a large red dragon
with seven heads, ten horns and seven crowns on the 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 cost. This is why he aims to stop any gifts of God as they
are being birthed for if he can destroy it in the beginning, he can keep it
from maturing into adulthood as was his desire with Jesus. The seven heads with
seven crowns represents 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 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. Isaiah 14:12 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! (NIV) 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 ruler of all
nations. That ruler is Jesus! Isaiah 9:6-7
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. (NIV)
Revelation
12:5-6 (5)And her child was snatched up to
God and to his throne. (6)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.
(NIV)
John saw the child snatched up to God
and the woman fled into the wilderness to a place that God had prepared for her
in order to take care of her for 1,260 days. The child is Jesus who went back
to Heaven after His death and resurrection. Mark
16:19 After the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, he was taken up into heaven
and he sat at the right hand of God. (NIV) 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 period where the church may be going through an even
greater persecution than many are already experiencing now in various countries
as well.
Revelation 12:7-9 (7)Then war broke out in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back. (8)But he was not strong enough, and they lost their place in heaven. (9)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. (NIV)
John saw a war that broke out in Heaven. Michael the
archangel and his angels fought against the dragon (Satan) and his angels. 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. Isaiah 14:12-15 (12)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! (13)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. (14)I will
ascend above the tops of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.” (15)But
you are brought down to the realm of the dead, to the depths of the pit. (NIV)
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. Pride is a sin, which 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. John 8:44
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. (NIV)
Revelation
12:10-12 (10)Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say:
“Now have come the salvation and the power and the kingdom
of our God, and the authority of his Messiah. For the accuser of
our brothers and sisters, who accuses them before our God day
and night, has been hurled down. (11)They triumphed over him by
the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they
did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death. (12)
Therefore rejoice, you heavens and you who dwell in them! But
woe to the earth and the sea, because the devil has gone down to
you! He is filled with fury, because he knows that his time is
short.” (NIV)
“Now have come the salvation and the power and the kingdom
of our God, and the authority of his Messiah. For the accuser of
our brothers and sisters, who accuses them before our God day
and night, has been hurled down. (11)They triumphed over him by
the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they
did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death. (12)
Therefore rejoice, you heavens and you who dwell in them! But
woe to the earth and the sea, because the devil has gone down to
you! He is filled with fury, because he knows that his time is
short.” (NIV)
John describes the voice that proclaims
the Salvation and power of our God. His great kingdom and the authority of
Christ. There is no one more powerful than our God. He sent His son Jesus to
save the world from the evils of the enemy. Matthew
28:18 Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and
on earth has been given to me. (NIV) Jesus had to come because the
devil accuses us day and night, but we are saved by the Blood of the Lamb. Romans 8:1-2 (1)Therefore, there is
now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, (2)because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who
gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death. (NIV)
Therefore, because Christ came and died for our sins, we do not have to feel
condemned over our former lives because we are new creatures in Christ.
The saints were triumphant because of
Christ death and their testimony. We are to share our testimony with others, so
that we can be a witness as to what God can and has done in our lives. Acts 22:14-15
(14)“Then he said: ‘The God of our ancestors has chosen you to know
his will and to see the Righteous One and to hear words from his mouth. (15)You
will be his witness to all people of what you have seen and heard. (NIV)
The enemy would like for us to live in the past, but Jesus has set us free and
we can live on this promise anytime the devil wants to play a marathon in our
mind. We can rejoice for all who are in God
because we know that we have Salvation in God. The world has to worry because
they are not in right standing with the Lord and the devil has them bound.
Revelation
12:13-17 (13)When the dragon saw
that he had been hurled to the earth, he pursued the woman who had given birth
to the male child. (14)The woman was given the two wings of a great
eagle, so that she might fly to the place prepared for her in the wilderness,
where she would be taken care of for a time, times and half a time, out of the
serpent’s reach. (15)Then from his mouth the serpent spewed water
like a river, to overtake the woman and sweep her away with the torrent. (16)But
the earth helped the woman by opening its mouth and swallowing the river that
the dragon had spewed out of his mouth. (17)Then the dragon was enraged
at the woman and went off to wage war against the rest of her offspring—those
who keep God’s commands and hold fast their testimony about Jesus. (NIV)
and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” (NIV) The devil had a hatred for God and went on the pursuit to corrupt mankind. However, the woman in John’s vision was given wings of an eagle to fly, so God could take care of her for times, times and half a time equivalent to:
Time = 1 year
Times = 2 Years
½ Time = 6 months
This all adds up to 3 ½ year period that Revelation
has quite often referred to. Isaiah
40:29-31 (29)He gives strength to the weary and increases the power
of the weak. (30)Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men
stumble and fall; (31)but those who hope in the Lord will renew
their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow
weary, they will walk and not be faint. (NIV) God takes care of His
people even during persecution.
John then described the dragon spewing
water out of its mouth to overtake the woman. However, the earth opened up to
soak in the water and the dragon continued to fight her children who remained
steadfast to God. The devil is doing his best to come up against the children
of God. There is Christian persecution in various countries and religious
freedoms are quickly being taken away. Despite all that is happening on the
earth and what will soon come, God has promised those who stay close to Him
will receive a reward of eternal life. John 10:10
The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. (NIV)
We will continue our study in the book of Revelation on Tomorrow. You can purchase these lessons on Amazon.com.
Revelation: Removing the Prophetic Veil Bible Lessons 1-11.
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