(JESUS IS LORD!)
Revelation- the Last Half Revelation 12:1-17NKJ
Now a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a garland of twelve stars. 2 Then being with child, she cried out in labor and in pain to give birth. 3 And another sign appeared in heaven: behold, a great, fiery red dragon having seven heads and ten horns, and seven diadems on his heads. 4 His tail drew a third of the stars of heaven and threw them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman who was ready to give birth, to devour her Child as soon as it was born. 5 She bore a male Child who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron. And her Child was caught up to God and His throne. 6 Then the woman fled into the wilderness, where she has a place prepared by God, that they should feed her there one thousand two hundred and sixty days. 7 And war broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels fought with the dragon; and the dragon and his angels fought, 8 but they did not prevail, nor was a place found for them in heaven any longer. 9 So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. 10 Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, “Now salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down. 11 And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death. 12 Therefore rejoice, O heavens, and you who dwell in them! Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and the sea! For the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, because he knows that he has a short time.” 13 Now when the dragon saw that he had been cast to the earth, he persecuted the woman who gave birth to the male Child. 14 But the woman was given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness to her place, where she is nourished for a time and times and half a time, from the presence of the serpent. 15 So the serpent spewed water out of his mouth like a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away by the flood. 16 But the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed up the flood which the dragon had spewed out of his mouth. 17 And the dragon was enraged with the woman, and he went to make war with the rest of her offspring, who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.
Revelation 12 begins with a symbol pointing to something else. This is the first of seven signs in the last half of Revelation.
Revelation 12:1NLT Then I witnessed in heaven an event of great significance. I saw a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon beneath her feet, and a crown of twelve stars on her head.
Not an actual woman, but a symbolic representation of Israel, picture in the OT as the wife of God. (Is.54:5-6, Jer.3:6-8)
Verse 1 say’s, she was clothed with the sun...moon under her feet...twelve stars.
Being clothed with the sun speaks of the glory, dignity, and exalted status of Israel.
The picture of the moon under her feet possibly describes God’s covenant relationship with Israel. While the 12 stars represent the 12 tribes of Israel.
Revelation 12:2NLT She was pregnant, and she cried out because of her labor pains and the agony of giving birth.
Israel is pictured as a mother giving birth, she has agonized and suffered for centuries, longing for the Messiah to come.
Revelation 12:3NLT Then I witnessed in heaven another significant event. I saw a large red dragon with seven heads and ten horns, with seven crowns on his heads.
The woman’s mortal enemy is satan, who appears as a dragon 13 times in the book of Revelation.
The seven heads and ten horns and seven crowns... depict satan’s domination of 7 past worldly kingdoms and 10 future kingdoms.
Satan has and will rule the world until the seventh trumpet blows. (Rev.11:15) He has tried to destroy her (Israel) before she could have a child.
Revelation 12:4NLT His tail swept away one-third of the stars in the sky, and he threw them to the earth. He stood in front of the woman as she was about to give birth, ready to devour her baby as soon as it was born.
Satan’s original rebellion resulted in one-third of the angelic host joining his rebellion and becoming his demons.
There several references here’s just one, Listen to Matthew 2:13-18NLT After the wise men were gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up! Flee to Egypt with the child and his mother,” the angel said. “Stay there until I tell you to return, because Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.” 14 That night Joseph left for Egypt with the child and Mary, his mother, 15 and they stayed there until Herod’s death. This fulfilled what the Lord had spoken through the prophet: “I called my Son out of Egypt.” 16 Herod was furious when he realized that the wise men had outwitted him. He sent soldiers to kill all the boys in and around Bethlehem who were two years old and under, based on the wise men’s report of the star’s first appearance. 17 Herod’s brutal action fulfilled what God had spoken through the prophet Jeremiah: 18 “A cry was heard in Ramah—weeping and great mourning. Rachel weeps for her children, refusing to be comforted, for they are dead.” (Luke 4:28-29)
Revelation 12:5NLT She gave birth to a son who was to rule all nations with an iron rod. And her child was snatched away from the dragon and was caught up to God and to his throne.
Satan tried his best to destroy the messianic line; however, Jesus’ birth took place just as predicted. Jesus’ iron rod, represents Him being the King. (His coronation)
Revelation 12:5c...and was caught up to God and to his throne.
Jesus’ ascension is in view in (Acts 1:9, 2:33, Heb.1:1-3)
Acts 1:9NLT After saying this, he was taken up into a cloud while they were watching, and they could no longer see him.
Revelation 12:6NLT And the woman fled into the wilderness, where God had prepared a place to care for her for 1,260 days.
The wilderness, is a place where greatness occurs, Interestingly, this area of the middles east will be speared by the antichrist.
1,260 days will be the mid-point where satan breaks his covenant with Israel. He will put a stop to temple worship, as he puts in place the abomination of desolation. As many Jews flee for their lives, God will protect them.
Revelation 12:7-8NLT Then there was war in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon and his angels. 8 And the dragon lost the battle, and he and his angels were forced out of heaven.
A person has to admit that a state of war has existed since the fall of satan. This warfare will intensify most likely as God’s raptured saints pass through the heavens.
Revelation 12:9NLT This great dragon—the ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, the one deceiving the whole world—was thrown down to the earth with all his angels.
Presently, satan accuses every saint before God, but Jesus has become our Advocate. (Devil means “to slander” or falsely accuse.”)
John 8:44NLT For you are the children of your father the devil, and you love to do the evil things he does. He was a murderer from the beginning. He has always hated the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, it is consistent with his character; for he is a liar and the father of lies.
Revelation 12:10NLT Then I heard a loud voice shouting across the heavens, “It has come at last—salvation and power and the Kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Christ. For the accuser of our brothers and sisters has been thrown down to earth—the one who accuses them before our God day and night.
Listen to Job 1:9NLT Satan replied to the Lord, “Yes, but Job has good reason to fear God.
Satan’s access to heaven will be denied forever. He will no longer be able to accuse.
Revelation 12:11NLT And they have defeated him by the blood of the Lamb and by their testimony. And they did not love their lives so much that they were afraid to die.
No accusation will stand because of Jesus’ sacrificial death.
Listen to Romans 8:33-39NLT Who dares accuse us whom God has chosen for his own? No one—for God himself has given us right standing with himself. 34 Who then will condemn us? No one—for Christ Jesus died for us and was raised to life for us, and he is sitting in the place of honor at God’s right hand, pleading for us.
35 Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death? 36 (As the Scriptures say, “For your sake we are killed every day; we are being slaughtered like sheep.”) 37 No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us. 38 And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. 39 No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Revelation 12:12-13NLT Therefore, rejoice, O heavens! And you who live in the heavens, rejoice! But terror will come on the earth and the sea, for the devil has come down to you in great anger, knowing that he has little time.” When the dragon realized that he had been thrown down to the earth, he pursued the woman who had given birth to the male child.
Knowing that his days are limited he will intensify his efforts and God, and His people.
Listen to Psalm 96:10-12NLT Tell all the nations, “The Lord reigns!” The world stands firm and cannot be shaken. He will judge all peoples fairly. 11 Let the heavens be glad, and the earth rejoice! Let the sea and everything in it shout his praise! 12 Let the fields and their crops burst out with joy! Let the trees of the forest rustle with praise.
Satan’s efforts will be in vain!
Revelation 12:14-15NLT But she was given two wings like those of a great eagle so she could fly to the place prepared for her in the wilderness. There she would be cared for and protected from the dragon for a time, times, and half a time. 15 Then the dragon tried to drown the woman with a flood of water that flowed from his mouth.
For 31/2 years, God’s providential protection will be upon Israel.
Revelation 12:16NLT But the earth helped her by opening its mouth and swallowing the river that gushed out from the mouth of the dragon.
A great army will come against Israel, but the very earth that God created will protect Israel.
Revelation 12:17-18NLT And the dragon was angry at the woman and declared war against the rest of her children—all who keep God’s commandments and maintain their testimony for Jesus. 18 Then the dragon took his stand on the shore beside the sea.
Jews and Gentiles will become under satan’s threat, but Jesus!
Verse 17 say’s... those who keep God’s commandments and maintain their testimony for Jesus.
John 8:32NLT And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
Benediction.
