Revelation 2012 #8: The War With The Dragon Series

REVELATION 2012: #8 – THE WAR WITH THE DRAGON

REVIEW: Revelation 1-11

THE BIG IDEA: In Revelation 12, we gain a greater understanding of our war with the dragon - Satan, the devil, the serpent of old, and how to overcome him.

REVELATION CHAPTER #12: THE BIRTH OF JESUS:

“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. Then being with child, she cried out in labor and in pain to give birth.” (Rev. 12:1-2).

• Who is this woman? Israel (see Joseph’s dream in Genesis 37:5-11).

“And another sign appeared in heaven: behold, a great, fiery red dragon having seven heads and ten horns, and seven diadems on his heads. 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.” (Rev. 12:3-4).

• Stars = angels – one third of the fallen angels followed Satan in his rebellion

• The devil tried to kill Jesus as soon as He was born: “Herod put to death all male children in Bethlehem two years old and under.” (Matt. 2:16).

“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. 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.” (Rev. 12:5-6).

• A male Child to rule all nations with an iron rod – this is Jesus (see. Psalm 2:7-9).

• He was caught up to God and His throne – “Jesus has gone into Heaven.” (1 Peter 3:22).

“And war broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels fought with the dragon; and the dragon and his angels fought, but they did not prevail, nor was a place found for them in heaven any longer.” (Rev. 12:7-8).

• Great war – the archangel Michael led the angels to remove Satan from Heaven

WHO IS OUR ENEMY?

“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.” (Rev. 12:9).

• the ancient serpent - who tempted Eve in the beginning (Gen. 3:1-15)

• the Devil (the Slanderer); the father of lies (John 8:44); Satan (the adversary)

“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. 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. 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.” (Rev. 12:10-12).

• This battle was fought and won in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus – past tense.

• Jesus said, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand!” (Mark 1:15)

• They defeated him by the blood of the Lamb – symbolic of Jesus’ death

• We overcome the enemy today through the Cross and the word of our testimonies

“Jesus said, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you. Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven.” (Luke 10:18-20).

• Satan’s fall occurred during the ministry of Jesus.

GOD’S PROTECTION AND DELIVERANCE OF HIS PEOPLE:

“Now when the dragon saw that he had been cast to the earth, he persecuted the woman who gave birth to the male Child. 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. 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. 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.” (Rev. 12:13-17).