Last week, we saw how the Woman (Israel) fled to a "her place" in great haste, fleeing from the Dragon (Satan) at the midpoint of the Tribulation. The word picture of the two wings of a great eagle represented the strength, speed and protection of God. God will supernaturally protect and nourish those of Israel that have accepted Jesus Christ. Saved Israel will be protected in this manner for 3 1/2 years (time, times and half a time). This week, we will wrap up our study by examining verses 15-17.
As we saw last week, there are many passages in Revelation that are not literal but instead are "word pictures" or imagery. This is interpreted using the method of finding other scriptures that help us see what the Apostle John is saying. In other words, "Let Scripture interpret Scripture". For instance, we saw a parallel between verses 13 and 14 and the account of the Israel's departure from Egypt in Exodus (Exodus 19:4, "eagle's wings"). It is possible, though not certain, as we will see, that part of the passage we will study this week is imagery and not literal. In short, we really can't be certain and dogmatic about part of the interpretation.
This being said, buckle up and get ready for the rest of Revelation 12!
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. Revelation 12:14 (NKJV)
Destination of the Woman
It's important to note that we can't be absolutely certain as to the destination of saved Israel, the Woman. Scripture does not say unequivocally, so we should not be dogmatic or firm in our stance on any opinion. However, of all of the options, it would appear that the ancient city of Petra would seem to fit.
As we saw last week, H. L. Willmington gave three separate scriptures and reasoning for Petra. John MacArthur has a similar view:
Some have suggested the fortresslike city of Petra, carved into the rocky cliffs of Edom between the Dead Sea and the Gulf of Aqaba. Approachable only through a narrow gorge, Petra was easy to defend in ancient times. The term wilderness does not reveal the exact location of Israel's place of refuge, since that term is a general one often used to describe the desolate area east of Jerusalem (cf. Matt. 3:1; Mark 1:4; John 11:54). Jesus' warning to flee to the mountains (Matt. 24:15-16) suggests that the place of refuge will not be in the coastal plain to the west of Jerusalem, or the relatively flat Negev (desert region) to the south. More likely, it will be in the mountainous region east of Jerusalem. Daniel 11:41 provides further evidence for that view: "[Antichrist] will also enter the Beautiful Land, and many countries will fall; but these will be rescued out of his hand: Edom, Moab and the foremost of the sons of Ammon." Perhaps God will spare Edom, Moab, and Ammon, ancient countries to the east of Israel, to provide a refuge for His people.
There is really no particular reason other than to shelter saved Israel for God to spare Edom, Moab and Ammon. Why? Edom (meaning red) the alternate name for Jacob's brother Esau, was at times friendly with Israel and other times at war. Also, Moab (one of Lot's sons from incestuous relations with his daughter) shares a similar history of friendly and war like relations with Israel. All three of these nations of antiquity are now part of the country of Jordan.
There are a couple of reasons other than the Scriptural basis for Petra being saved Israel's destination. First, there is a history of settlement in Petra. The Jewish historian Josephus wrote that Israel fled to the mountains east and south east of Jerusalem when Titus sacked and burned Jerusalem in 70 AD; many fled to the fortress of Masada on top of a mountain. Before the Romans breached the defenses of Masada those Jews committed suicide to prevent capture and subsequent torture.
Secondly, Scripture teaches that invading forces of Antichrist will come from "Egypt, Lebanon, Syria or the Mediterranean Sea" (Israel's Escape to Petra, The Mountain Stronghold--Prof. Johana Malan, University of the North, South Africa). Also, Petra is vacant and has many ready-made living places in the cliffs of the mountains, and the only access is as narrow as five foot wide making it a difficult location to access by military forces.
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. 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. Revelation 12:14-15 (NKJV)
The Flood
Protected, saved Israel will run to the wilderness, which we have identified Petra as a highly likely candidate. How will these people get there is not certain. While some people may actually fly there by air, others may get there by car, motorcycle, four wheelers, bicycle or even on foot. However Satan will do all he can to not just stop the flight of saved Israel but to snuff out their lives.
In verse 15, we would think that this is a literal "water flood". It indeed may well be a literal flood, but I feel there is a good chance it is not. Dr. Tim LaHaye, the well known end times theologian and co-author of the popular "Left Behind" novel series, notes that there are three possible explanations for this flood:
1) "Satan will divert actual rivers and bodies of water into the desert, where Israel is being kept by God, and will try to drown her." The late Dr. John Walvoord, considered to be the "grandfather of modern prophecy study", noted that the "contour of the Holy Land" would allow Israel to "flee in every direction" as the land "does not lend itself to a flood". While possible, but not really plausible then to consider a literal flood as an option.
2) "He will attempt to flood her with false teachings." This may be, but another option more likely would be the slander of Israel with lies and propaganda by the Antichrist administration. The world will grow to hate Israel and the Tribulation saints. (cf. Life Application Commentary)
3) "Since this passage has already referred to symbols of "the Woman" and the "enormous red Dragon", the word "torrent" (flood) may be a symbol similar to the one used in Isaiah 59:19, which speaks of an army as it invades a country."
So shall they fear The name of the LORD from the west, And His glory from the rising of the sun; When the enemy comes in like a flood, The Spirit of the LORD will lift up a standard against him. Isaiah 59:19 (NKJV)
The late Dr. Henry Morris, well known from his books on Creationism, had a slightly different take on this passage: "Not able to reach the woman directly, the serpent resorts to long-range artillery, as it were, shooting forth a "river" from his mouth with which to flood her out of her haven. Again, the symbol is somewhat ambiguous. It can hardly be a literal river, since it comes from the symbolic "mouth" of the symbolic "serpent.""
The best view, in my humble opinion, is an attack by Antichrist's forces mostly military and also to a degree political. More tomorrow.
The Earthquake
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. Revelation 12:16
God here will supernaturally create events of nature that will stop this "flood" by causing the "earth to (open) its mouth". Again, letting "Scripture interpret Scripture", we can see from the Old Testament that this most likely means an earthquake. Let's look at a few passages that show this word picture:
Drowning of the Egyptian Army: You stretched out Your right hand; The earth swallowed them. Exodus 15:12 (NKJV) Here, Moses describes the destruction of the Egyptian army at the Red Sea after leading the nation out of Egypt. Israel walked through the parted waters of the Red Sea on dry land, and when they had exited safely the waters slammed on the Egyptian army drowning them all.
Death of the Israeli Rebels:
Now it came to pass, as he finished speaking all these words, that the ground split apart under them, and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up, with their households and all the men with Korah, with all their goods. So they and all those with them went down alive into the pit; the earth closed over them, and they perished from among the assembly. Numbers 16:31-33 (NKJV)
Korah, Dathan and Abiram had rebelled against Moses and God sent an earthquake that opened up a breach in the ground that swallowed up not only those three but all that followed them. None could accuse Moses of any impropriety or impartiality as this was solely an action of God (see vs 28-30).
Earthquakes during the Tribulation: Both Matthew and John record seismic activity gone amok during the Last Days. John writes here in Revelation of earthquakes in Revelation 6:12; 8:5; 11:13, 19; 16:18 while Matthew quotes Jesus in his gospel in the Olivet Discourse:
For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. Matthew 24:7 (NKJV).
Again, God will supernaturally protect those that follow Jesus of the nation of Israel and even use the forces of nature to do just that. Armies sent by the Antichrist will be swallowed up as were Korah, Dathan, Abiram and their cohorts. More tomorrow.
The Offspring
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 12:17 (NKJV)
As angry as Satan has been up to this point, the anger meter goes off the scale when his attack against protected Israel is thwarted by God. Knowing then, that he cannot successfully attack this segment of protected Israel, he instead goes after the woman's offspring.
Who are "the offspring"? We do know that whomever these people are, they are saved people; people that keep the commandments and have the testimony of Jesus Christ are saved people. This does not mean that keeping the commandments brings salvation nor keep salvation, but instead are evidence of being saved. In other words, if you are saved (have the testimony of Jesus) then you will do the works of God (keep the commandments of God).
There is a divergence of opinion on just whom these people are. Many commentators view the offspring as saved people both Jew and non Jew; the idea is that those saved Gentiles are children of Abraham as well, and in a spiritual sense as Paul indicated in Romans 4 (Lasseigne, Unlocking the Last Days). The Life Application Commentary also writes that the offspring is the church and a few others.
However, more feel this is actually Jews that for some reason did not make it to the refuge provided by God in the mountains. Dr. Ed Hindson of Liberty University states that the offspring are "converted Jews that come to faith in Jesus as their Messiah"
Hindson further states "This is the only explanation that makes proper sense of the text and maintains the distinction between Israel and the Church. If "the rest of her offspring" are church age believers, how are we to distinguish between them and the woman if the woman is also the church? Only by viewing the woman as Israel and the rest of her offspring as converted Jews of the Great Tribulation does this section make any sense at all. By chapter 14, we again see the 144,000 Jews with Christ, the Lamb of God. The entire context of chapters 12-14 is Jewish" (Hindson, The Book of Revelation, Unlocking the Future; Twenty-First Century Biblical Commentary Series).
There are, however, still Gentiles that will be saved. Yet, there will come a time during those horrible last days--the Great Tribulation--when a great delusion will come upon people, and many people will take the mark of Antichrist and be lost forever (2 Thessalonians 2:8-12; Revelation 14:17; 19:20). Being saved in those last days of the Tribulation will be incredible difficult, and living in ANY part of the Tribulation period will be living through a "great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be. (Matt 24:21, NKJV).
If you are saved, you have the greatest news in the world--the Gospel--and this news saves souls forever and from that horrible day. Why would we ever withhold this great saving truth from anyone?
