War on Earth
Revelation 12:13-14, “13And when the dragon realized that he had been thrown down to the earth, he pursued the woman who had given birth to the child. 14But she was given two wings like those of a great eagle. This allowed her to fly to a place prepared for her in the wilderness, where she would be cared for and protected from the dragon[2] for a time, times, and half a time.”
Matthew 24:15-22, “15"The time will come when you will see what Daniel the prophet spoke about: the sacrilegious object that causes desecration[2] standing in the Holy Place"--reader, pay attention! 16"Then those in Judea must flee to the hills. 17A person outside the house[3] must not go inside to pack. 18A person in the field must not return even to get a coat. 19How terrible it will be for pregnant women and for mothers nursing their babies in those days. 20And pray that your flight will not be in winter or on the Sabbath. 21For that will be a time of greater horror than anything the world has ever seen or will ever see again. 22In fact, unless that time of calamity is shortened, the entire human race will be destroyed. But it will be shortened for the sake of God’s chosen ones.”
As was discussed early the Jews often went to the wilderness which the only logical and fitting place would be Petra the rock city a protected place near Israel where the Jews and Gentiles could fly too be. The imagery is here taking from the Exodus where Israel traveled through the wilderness. So once again John is taking imagery from the Old Testament and here applying it to his prophetic image. In a very real sense we gain insight into John as we understand the nature of this wilderness passage.
The two wings of an eagle is taking from Exodus 19:4, “You yourselves have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings, and brought you to Myself.” Wings in Scripture symbolize strength (Isa 40:31) and speed (2 Sam 22:11; Pss 18:10; 104:3). Most commonly however wings speak of protection. Reference to this is found in Deut 32:9-11, and wings are repeatedly used of wings to describe God’s protection of His people in Psalms 17:8, 36:7, 57:1, 61:4, 63:7, Psalm 91:4.
Eagle translates aetos which can also refer to griffon, or vulture (Matthew 24:28; Luke 17:37). These large birds with enormous wingspans serve as a fitting symbol for God’s protection and sheltering of Israel. This is not of course ea reference to an actual eagle with literal wings rather it is a picturesque language depicting God’s miraculous assistance of the woman so that she could fly swiftly into the wilderness to her place of shelter and safety.
The location of the place however as we suggested earlier is the fortress like 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 though 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 (Matthew 3:1; Mark 1:4; John 11:54). Jesus warned as mentioned above to flee to the mountains that the place of refuge will 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 Petra as we see already because it was easy to defend against all attacks.
In her place of safety and refuge Israel will be supernaturally nourished or fed by God. Cut off from the world system and unable in any case to buy and sell (13:17), the Jews will need outside help to survive. God will supernaturally supply them with food, just as he did by providing their ancestors with manna and quail in the wilderness (ex 16:12), and Elijah with food at the brook Cherith (1 Kings 17:1-6). It is easy then to see that during this time God will supernaturally provide for His people in there time of need as He does when we are needy times as well. The nature and duration fo Israel’s hiding and God’s provision is defined as time, times, and half a time which refers back to Daniel 7:25 and 12:17, in reference to the second half of the Tribulation. It is the same time period defined in 12:6, as “one thousand two hundred and sixty days” (11:3) and in 13:5 as “forty-two months” (11:2). This period intiated by the setting up fo the abomination of desolation (Daniel 11:31; 12:11; Matthew 24:15; 2nd Thess 2:3-4), will mark the visibly overtly evil career of Antichrist. During that time God will protect Israel from the dragon. Although Satan will know more than likely where th Jews are hiding out he will be unable to get at them because of divine protection. Frustrated by the first assault on the Jewish people, the devil will launch a second attack.
Revelation 12:15-16, “15Then from his mouth the serpent spewed water like a river, to overtake the woman and sweep her away with the torrent. 16But the earth helped the woman by opening its mouth and swallowing the river that the dragon had spewed out of his mouth.”
The imagery here thus goes back to the Old Testament where floods symbolize trouble in general (2nd Samuel 22:17; Job 27:20; Pss 18:16; 32:6; 69:1-2; 13-14; 124:2-5; 144:7) and an invading, destroying army (Jer 46:8; 47:2; Dan 11:26). Satan’s attacking force will sweep toward the Jews’ hiding place like a great flood. Just as God protected Israel from all harm during the first onslaught by Satan so will he here. 16But the earth helped the woman by opening its mouth and swallowing the river that the dragon had spewed out of his mouth.” This imagery is reminiscent of Moses description of God’s destruction of Pharaoh’s army in Exodus 15:12, “You stretched our Your right hand, the earth swallowed them.” It may be that the frequent earthquakes here during the Tribulation(6:12:8:5; 11:13, 19:16:19; Matthew 24:7) cause the ground to split open and swallow Satan’s forces. It marks the end of the attacking army here and the end of Satan’s second assault.
Revelation 12:17, “17Then the dragon became angry at the woman, and he declared war against the rest of her children--all who keep God’s commandments and confess that they belong to Jesus.”
Satan will now make war with the 144,000 (7:2-8; 14:1-5); others see these as Gentile Tribulation saints (7:9-14), who are sons of Abraham by faith (Gal 3:7). This here would then include all those who call upon the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and have taking His name to be holy. Entolas (commandments) is a word used frequently in John’s writings to refer to New Testament commands (14:12; John 14:15, 21; 15:10,12 ; 1 John 2:3-4; 3:22-24; 5:2-3) The testimony of Jesus is not a testimony about Him, but the testimony He gave, the truths He taught that are revealed throughout the New Testament. These persecuted believers will give further evidence that their salvation is real by their obedience to the truth of Scripture as all true believers have done down throughout the centuries. Thus the words of Tertullian the early church father will become true, “The blood of the martyrs is the purification of the church.” Which would fit in just fine within this context because many will give of there lives for the Word of God and the testimony of Jesus because they have taking His commandments to be more seriously than there own.
Like the other two attacks were directed against Israel, Satan’s third attack on God’s people will also fail. At the sounding of the seventh trumpet, “loud voices in heaven will proclaim, “The kingdom fo the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ; and he will reign forever and ever (11:15). All of Satan’s erfors to prevent Christ’s kingdom from being established are doomed. The Lord Jesus Christ will triumph in power and glory, He will reign on earth and the surviving Tribulation saints, both Jews and Gentiles, will enter His earthly kingdom. For the long suffering people of Israel, the darkest hours lies ahead. But it will be followed by the greatest time known to mankind. The elect remnant of Israel, having survived the most savage persecution in the nation’s long history; will be saved and enjoy the bliss of the millennial kingdom, “And so all Israel will be saved; just as it is written” (Romans 11:26).
We now turn our attention to Revelation 13, the beast out of the sea, and the best out of the earth.
Pastor David
