The Woman and the Dragon
Revelation, Part 16, Revelation 11:19-12:6
Introduction
- Let me sum the purpose of the two witnesses in three small phrases:
-- There’s a resurrection of life
-- There’s a focus on worship
-- There’s a promise to redeem
- What does this say about us today?
-- Do we not have the same road-map for our lives?
-- We are promised when we surrender to Jesus Christ’s calling on our lives
- This morning, we open up the beginning of the final three and a half years, starting with the final verse in Chapter 11 which gives us another look into the Temple of Heaven.
- Read Revelation 11:19-12:6
Ω Point 1 - The Temple in Heaven
- Verse 19 again shows us that God has a temple in heaven
-- One that is so magnificent that all the wonders of this world respond to it
-- Respond with thunder, lightning, earthquakes, etc.
- This same temple is discussed in Revelation 14, 16 and 17
-- The temple on the Earth (in Jerusalem) was a mere shadow of this temple
-- Paul writes to us in Hebrews 8:5 and tells of this temple: “They serve at a sanctuary that is a copy and shadow of what is in heaven. This is why Moses was warned when he was about to build the tabernacle: "See to it that you make everything according to the pattern shown you on the mountain.”
-- APP: God was specific in His plans … as He is specific in our lives.
- There’s something very special that John sees in the temple:
-- He sees the actual Ark of the Covenant!
-- As Old Testament history will reveal, the Ark was used to carry the 10 Commandments, a jar of manna, and Aaron’s staff (the same staff that became a snake when thrown down before Pharaoh)
-- It was believed that whoever possessed the Ark would have great power
- APP: As John looked into Heaven’s temple, he saw the power of God
- BUT … John seeing the Ark represents several things:
-- 1) The Ark represents the Law that WE are to be judged by
-- 2) All are judged by the Law without Christ as our Savior
- Heaven at this time is preparing to wage war against evil
-- John is about to have many mysteries explained to him -- as we are too
- Background of Chapter 12:
- John describes two great signs:
-- 1) The first sign is of a woman, she gives birth to a male-child, who will rule the nations, and he is “caught up” to the throne of God in Heaven
-- 2) The second is of a great red dragon, which pursues the woman, who gave birth to the child
- John is being shown that this is now the time for an epic battle
-- This battle began in the Garden of Eden, and now it’s time to finish it
- Once Satan is free to move about the Earth in the form of the Anti-Christ
-- Realizes he only has 3 ½ years to seek his vengeance on the Earth
-- According to the Word, Satan does not waste any time in his plot
-- This is why he goes directly after the apple of God’s eye … Israel
- The final battles of this Earth will be waged in the hills outside of Israel
-- Why? It was in Jerusalem that the Messiah came into the world
-- It was in Jerusalem in which he also died
-- Israel is extremely important to God, and so the devil goes after it
-- EX: Like a parent: hurt my kids and we’re going to have a problem
- At the mid-point of the Tribulation, Satan takes control of the Anti-Christ
-- We will see more of this in Revelation Chapter 13
-- However, it is in Israel that the Anti-Christ will rebuild the temple
-- He will demand the world to worship him (2 Thess 2:4, “He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God's temple, proclaiming himself to be God.”)
TRANS: Let’s discuss the woman in detail
Ω Point 2 - The Woman of Revelation
Ω - John sees a great sign in Heaven and he is describing an event he sees
-- The Greek word for appeared, Optanomai (optical or optometry)
-- Means to physically see, not to dream or speak metaphorically
- John sees a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet
-- She has a crown of 12 stars (Greek word is stephanos … victor’s crown)
- The identity of the woman has been the subject of much debate …
1) Represents the church with 12 stars representing the 12 apostles
2) Represents Mary with the 12 stars representing the 12 apostles
3) Represents Israel and the 12 stars represent the 12 tribes
4) Represents the redeemed & 12 stars represent the apostles/tribes of Israel
- FALSE DOCTRINE: Christian Science founder Mary Baker Eddy (1879) claimed that she is the woman in Revelation 12 (since she recovered from a fall) and the male child is her church … the Christian Science Church
-- Christian Scientology is a lie, a self-serving/promoting lie of humanity
-- APP: Many cults use this chapter to justify their own doctrines
- IMP: The woman could not possibly be the church as some try to say
-- The church did not bring Christ into the world …
-- Jesus Christ brought the church!!
- The woman could be confused as being Mary, but after the birth of Jesus she was not chased after by the devil for 1260 days - so it is not Mary.
Ω - The Woman is actually identified as Israel (the seed bearer of Messiah)
-- It’s thru Israel that the Messiah came into this world
-- Rev 12 shows a woman who gives birth to a male child
-- The child is caught up to Heaven to rule the nations with an iron scepter
- The crown of 12 stars represents the 12 tribes of Israel
-- John is seeing what God put into place in the OT represented here
- The male child with the iron scepter is referring to the Messiah
-- The messiah is a king pictured ruling the Earth with a rod of Iron
-- Psalm 2:9, “You will break them with a rod of iron; you will dash them to pieces like pottery.”
- The Messiah is also to rule over the nations
-- The over-comers of the church of Thyatira are promised to reign with Christ with a rod of Iron. (Rev 2:27 quotes Psalm 2:9).
-- The picture of the dragon is a representation of Satan’s effort to prevent Messiah birth throughout history
TRANS: The second vision is of the Red Dragon
Ω Point 3 - The Red Dragon
Ω - John sees a red dragon appear in the heavens
-- Greek translation the word used here is Purrhos (color of fire / red)
-- During the 2nd portion of the Tribulation, this dragon will be just a tool
-- Satan will use him to attack the Earth and intimidate all to obey
- It is very important to understand what the dragon represents
-- Let’s unpack the heads, horns, and crowns that are worn on its head
Ω - This dragon represents the kingdom of the coming Antichrist
-- APP: This is not a representation of Satan, but of the Kingdom he creates
- The final kingdom of Antichrist will be a confederation of 10 nations
-- This is known as the “Revived Roman Kingdom”
-- This is the “Prince who shall come” of Daniel 9:26, “After the sixty-two 'sevens,' the Anointed One will be cut off and will have nothing. The people of the ruler (prince in KJV) who will come will destroy the city and the sanctuary. The end will come like a flood: War will continue until the end, and desolations have been decreed.”
- The prince makes a 7-year agreement with Israel for peace; at the midpoint
-- He enters the rebuilt Jerusalem Temple and proclaims himself God
-- He then demands worship from the world (Abomination of Desolation)
-- The temple is for worshiping/sacrificing to God; claims to BE God now
Ω - The dragon pictured here has 7 heads and 10 horns
-- Rev 17 discusses these in great detail, but here are 7 kingdoms (heads):
1. Egypt – they tried to assimilate Israel
2. Assyria - Exiled 10 tribes of Israel and tried to exile Judah
3. Babylon - Destroyed Jerusalem and slaughtered Israel
4. Persia - Attempted to destroy the Jews during the time of Esther
5. Greece - Antiochus Epiphanies, Abomination of Desolation 164 B.C.
6. Rome - Destroyed Jerusalem, over 1.5 million Jews, killed Jesus
7. Revived Kingdom - Future Kingdom during the Time of the Antichrist
-- NOTE: Everything else has happened; this is all that is left!
Ω - The ten horns represent 10 future kings
-- These are ten kingdoms which unite under satanic power
-- At the midpoint of the tribulation, they give their power to Anti-Christ
-- These 10 horns will be 10 Kingdoms that are established on this Earth
-- APP: We must note here that these Kingdoms may be forming today … thus our time may be VERY short to tell others about Jesus
- When Satan was expelled from Heaven, he took 1/3 of the angels with him
-- This is symbolized with his tail drawing away 1/3 of the stars
-- But, this is/was not Satan’s defeat; for God still allows him to act today
-- APP: All things tie into God’s word and are opened up for us
- However, the prophesy does not end there, re-read v6
-- Who is this woman who has fled to the wilderness for 1,260 days?
-- Remember the woman is Israel (God’s chosen or REDEEMED people)
-- 1,260 days is exactly 3.5 years … or the second half of the tribulation
-- See Zech 14:1-5 … prophecy of this time is foretold clearly!
- APP: The Christians on the Earth will now go into hiding
-- But look, the verses says “to a place prepared for her by God”
-- Even though God’s children will flee, they are STILL provided for!
- APP: This is where we find ourselves today …
Ω Big Ideas
- We are still being cared for
-- God still has plans for us and paves the way
-- The challenge is: what are you and I doing about it?
- Are we self-serving and simply getting a little Jesus now and then?
- Or, are we fully devoted to Him and to telling others about Him?
-- APP: There is no middle ground on this
- One of the greatest indicators of our faith’s strength is our commitment to the church and to bringing others to Christ which is the Gospel ministry
- The bible tells us that the times ahead will be difficult
-- There will be trials and persecutions and even death
-- John 14:3 says, “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.”
- So, if God has prepared the place … what are we afraid of doing?
-- It isn’t time to go hiding in the wilderness like we see in Chapter 12
- Pray
