The Woman And The Dragon

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 …