Revelation Part 20
Revelation 12:5-9
Open to Revelation Chapter 12 but mark a place at Zechariah Chapter 12 and Matthew 24
Introduction
Last week we began with chapter 12 and we understood the roles of the woman and the dragon. The woman of course is Israel bringing forth the Messiah for the world – and the dragon represented Satan and his efforts to revolt against God and prevent the birth of Jesus.
Let’s press forward this morning - Chapter 12 has some application for the church and we need to respond!
Pray
Point 1 - The child - Jesus Christ (v5-6)
Remember that Isaiah predicted this would happen clearly in Isaiah 9:6-7, and this is the summary and conclusion of that prophecy.
Isaiah said that “For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name 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, Upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, To order it and establish it with judgment and justice From that time forward, even forever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.”
Jesus was to come into this world not only to save and bring God’s creation back to Him, but to rule the entire Earth. Because this particular passage in Revelation deals with this male child ruling the nations, this clearly indicates that they are referring to the birth and arrival of Jesus Christ.
When Jesus was caught (snatched) up, this is the story of the ascension from Acts 1:9 - when Jesus was taken up into the clouds before the disciples eyes, he gave a very important act of commission in Acts 1:8. This verse, is OUR mission today - to go into the world and not be discriminatory!
Acts 1:8 says “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
This next part is critical to understanding Israel’s role in the coming Tribulation. The phrase “the woman fled” refers to Israel escaping the persecution of the anti-Christ, and that they will be protected for 1260 days. This protection is for the second half of the Tribulation, and I believe that it is NOW when Israel realizes who Jesus is. (Go to Zechariah Chapter 12 and read verse 10. Zechariah 12:10 will be fulfilled when Israel emerges from their supernatural protection to behold Jesus the rejected Messiah. (Read))
Go to Zechariah Chapter 13:8-9
Zechariah 13:8-9 says “And it shall come to pass in all the land,” Says the LORD, “That two-thirds in it shall be cut off and die, But one-third shall be left in it: I will bring the one-third through the fire, Will refine them as silver is refined, And test them as gold is tested. They will call on My name, And I will answer them. I will say, ‘This is My people’; And each one will say, ‘The LORD is my God.’”
This verse is the confirmation that 2/3 of Israel will be destroyed during this time but 1/3 will make it through, to the Millennium (the reign of Jesus after the defeat and binding of Satan for 1000 years).
God physically protects Israel by having the 1/3 that is left flee to the mountains. The survivors of Israel will be responsible for re-populating the earth, in the Millennium, where the Messiah Jesus Christ, will rule over the Earth with His saints.
Let me show you this biblically so you can see it for yourself.
Go to Zechariah Chapter 14:1-5 -- READ
Here is the confirmation of this prophetic promise from Jesus himself …
Go to Matthew 24:15-20 -- READ
Jesus has given us specific instructions to understand who He is, and that this time must happen - we are to understand that Israel will be protected, and here is your biblical foundation. Israel does not acknowledge Him until this time, but WE (you and I) have a responsibility to tell others!
Our actions are commissioned today, and were commissioned the moment that Jesus ascended - and today there is no time to waste.
Let’s look ahead now to the war taking place in heaven during this time …
Point 2 - The War in Heaven (v7-9)
We discussed last week that this coming war began in the Garden of Eden, and now we are at a time when this war will finally complete. There have been many battles along the way -- but the war is finally going to end.
At the middle of the tribulation period, at this point in chapter 12, Satan’s power is confined to the earth as War breaks out in Heaven. Satan and his angels loose the position they had since the fall of man, and are cast to the earth.
Satan’s fall is amplified here, but this is the second fall -- when Michael finally throws him out!
The angel Michael is mentioned five times in the Bible.
He is a defender of the people of Israel according to Daniel 12:1. He is called “arch” angel or chief angel in Jude. The role Michael plays in Daniel 12:1 gives us additional light to the events taking place in the Revelation chapter 12.
The scene in Daniel 12:1 corresponds to the Tribulation period, the time when Michael actions corresponds to Israel’s history.
Daniel 12:1 says "At that time Michael shall stand up, the great prince who stands watch over the sons of your people; and there shall be a time of trouble, Such as never was since there was a nation, even to that time. And at that time your people shall be delivered, everyone who is found written in the book.
Both, Jesus (Matthew 24:15), and the angel in Daniel 12:11, link this period, to the Abomination of Desolation, which occurs at the middle of Daniel’s 70th week. At the middle of the Tribulation, Michael’s angelic forces are finally allowed to expel Satan and his angels from their heavenly access.
Michael and Satan are old enemies, their conflict in the bible dates back to death of Moses, when Michael dared not rebuke Satan, but left the prerogative open to Lord. Satan was a cherub who covered the throne of God (Ezekiel 28:16), while Michael was the archangel in charge of the angelic host (just as Jude1:9 refer too).
Remember that 1/3 of the angels left heaven (or were cast out) because they chose to follow Satan - who said he wanted to be more powerful than God - Michael threw them out. Satan and his angels know what follows their expulsion from Heaven, and they do not go peacefully.
STRONG EMPHASIS: Application for us: God used Michael to do His work, and He chooses to use his people to do his work as well because God wants his people to reap the reward of their work. You have a work to do today, just as Michael had a work to do here.
Satan has done so much to take away from this world it should fire us up to WANT TO make a difference! Whether you clean toilets, slice cake, mow lawns, serve on a committee, paqss tracts, etc. -- YOU can make a difference!
Note one very important aspect here … verse 9 says that Satan is “cast to earth”. Right now, Satan has a place in the heavens (not IN Heaven), but in the Heavens where his throne is.
Think back to the story of Lazarus and the rich man -- did the rich man not look across a cavern and see Lazarus being comforted by Abraham? Wasn’t the rich man in hell? What does a life of eternal separation from God mean to you? Does it mean that you cannot be with him? If you were separated from something, there would have to be something preventing you from going there -- perhaps the chasm that the rich man talks about?
Satan is kept under wraps by the authority of God -- not until he is cast out (finally) is he truly free to reign and roam across the Earth. Even today, Satan is under God’s authority and since you have God, there is NOTHING that Satan can do to you!
John is seeing Satan and his angels being cast out - cast to the Earth. Reading this tells me that Satan no longer has access to God’s throne. Remember that Satan went to God and asked to tempt Job … so he must have been able to get to God, right?
This casting out tells me that he no longer has access, and he is restricted to the Earth - thus beginning his 3.5 years to torment the Earth and its residents -- this casting out leads to his eventual destruction after the Tribulation.
Now, if you think this world is bad … how much worse could it get with Satan free to do as he chooses to this world, and to the inhabitants?
Conclusion
Invite singers
Today, WE have access to God --
Because of what Jesus did on the cross we have a direct line to God --
And through this access to God we ought to have comfort and safety to act.
Those who are lost will NOT come to you, you need to go to them! This is the mission of the church, and this is where we need to spur one another on bringing others into the kingdom.
Where will you be in the end? How does Acts 1:8 apply to today’s message?
Do we not each have a job to do? What are you waiting for?
Pray
* Research from TruthNet.org
