Revelation Twelve Series

In this chapter, we will be going back in time. We will see things that have already happened and will also see what will happen in the future. If you're wondering how that's possible, keep in mind that God Himself can go back into the past and go into the future while doing things in the present. It's amazing how limitless He truly is. He can go into our past and heal it while arranging things in the future to ensure His will is done. So grateful for that!

Once again, John sees another great and wonderous sign. He sees a woman clothed in the sun wearing a crown with 12 stars. She's pregnant and crying out in pain as she's about to give birth. Another sign appears and it's a great red dragon with 7 heads and ten horns. And on his heads are 7 crowns. His tail takes out a third of the stars. He stands before the woman hoping to devour her child when it is born. She gives birth to a son and the child is caught up to heaven. This child will rule the nations with a rod of iron. The woman then runs to the wilderness where she has a place prepared for her by God. She will be nourished there for 1,260 days. (3 1/2 years)

So, who are the woman, the child, and the dragon? What is the significance of the crown of 12 stars and the third of the stars taken out by the dragon's tail? The woman is Israel. The crown she's wearing represent the 12 tribes of Israel. Though a small nation, Israel has birthed several prophets, priests, and kings to declare God's message. But the greatest person this nation has birthed is Jesus Christ. This is who the child is. Some sources say the child represents the Church, but if we look closely, the passage speaks of the child ruling the nations with a rod of iron. During the Millennium, Jesus will rule out of Israel with a rod of iron. While the church will rule with Him, Jesus will be the ultimate authority.

The dragon is Satan and the third of the stars taken down are the angels that followed him during his rebellion against God. This dragon used to be an angel called Lucifer. He was beautiful and talented. It is believed that he was the worship leader in heaven according to Ezekiel 28:12-15. Unfortunately, Lucifer allowed pride to enter his heart and ultimately destroy him. He believed that he should be worshipped instead of God due to his beauty and talent. He was lifted in his heart, and he influenced a third of the angels to follow him.

A war breaks out in heaven between the archangel Michael, the heavenly angels, the dragon, and his angels. They fought for all their worth and in the end, the dragon was defeated. He and the rebellious angels were cast out of heaven to the earth. Lucifer's downfall is recorded in Isaiah 14:12-17 and Jesus Himself speaks of seeing the downfall in Luke 10:18.

A loud voice from heaven says, "Now have come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of His Christ. For the accuser of the brethren who accuses them before our God day and night has been hurled down. They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death. 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 his time is short."

Today, Satan walks on the earth like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour. (1 Peter 5:8) He knows that he can never again be the angel he once was. He knows that he is forever a curse, a disgrace, a horror. He knows that in a very short time, he will be thrown into the lake of fire and there will be no getting out. I believe he got very angry when God created human beings because we reflect God's glory. When we are willing, we become vessels in which God can blow through us and create a beautiful sound that glorifies Him. The enemy knows he can no longer do that and is very jealous. Therefore, from day one, he's been deceiving the world into rebelling against God. He wants to get back at the Heavenly Father by destroying His creation. He only comes to rob, to kill, and to destroy. (John 10:10)

Many people have questioned why God would create hell. According to Matthew 25:41, hell was created for the devil and his angels. It wasn't created for humans. But humans go there because they choose not to accept what Jesus did on the Cross for us. They choose to live only for themselves and therefore turn their backs on God. God doesn't send anybody to hell. People send themselves there by not accepting Jesus as Lord and Savior, not having a relationship with Him, and not living according to His Word.