War In Heaven

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WAR IN HEAVEN (REVELATION 12)

Here are some of my favorite “Had I known” sayings from the web:

“If I knew than what I know now, things would be different.”

“I did then what I knew how to do. Now that I know better, I do better.” (Maya Angelou)

“If I knew then what I know now, I would have exactly the same thing.”

“I wish I’d known early what I had to learn late.”

“Beware of “Had I known” (British proverb)

“If I had known how wonderful it would be to have grandchildren, I'd have had them

first.” (Lois Wyse)

“Had I known that the Germans would not succeed in making an atomic bomb, I would not have lifted a finger.” (Albert Eistein)

“If I had read as much as older men, I would have known no more than they.”

Have you wondered what it is like to peep into the future, to peer or peek into the future – to see what is coming, becoming and upcoming? The events of the first 11 chapters or half of Revelation are basically earth events, including the seven churches (Rev 3-4), the four horses (Rev 6:10), the angels on earth (Rev 7:1, 10:2), locusts (9:3), inhabitants (8:13) and the two witnesses (11:6). Heaven is mentioned 7 times in chapter 12 more than any chapter in the book. The drama, developments and duel are now switched from earth to heaven, from Satan’s power to God’s omnipotence, from our present dread to our permanent deliverance, from deadlock.

The two witnesses’ appearance in the previous chapter (Rev 11:3) was the last straw to the loser Satan. As you remember the two witness were killed by the beast, but were resurrected and ascended to heaven like Christ. Who else would appear next when the beast could not get the job done? Chapter 12 will debut the dragon, who is also known as the enormous/great red dragon (v 3) or great dragon (v 9).

What is the destiny of the earth– the planet, her people and their plight? How are we to overcome Satan who accuses and attacks God’s people? Why is God’s love for us greater than Satan’s lies against us?

Ignore Satan’s Friendship

1 A great and wondrous sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet and a crown of twelve stars on her head. 2 She was pregnant and cried out in pain as she was about to give birth. 3 Then another sign appeared in heaven: an enormous red dragon with seven heads and ten horns and seven crowns on his heads. 4 His tail swept a third of the stars out of the sky and flung them to the earth. The dragon stood in front of the woman who was about to give birth, so that he might devour her child the moment it was born. 5 She gave birth to a son, a male child, who will rule all the nations with an iron scepter. And her child was snatched up to God and to his throne. 6 The woman fled into the desert to a place prepared for her by God, where she might be taken care of for 1,260 days.

The 2022 Academy Award is renowned for ‘the slap” Will Smith gave Chris Rock for a joke Rock made about physical appearance and ailment of Jada Smith, who had previously shaved her head after being diagnosed with alopecia. Chris Rock said live on national TV, “Jada, I love you. GI Jane 2 (war movie), can’t wait to see you,” in reference to Pinkett Smith’s shaved head.

Immediately at the break, fellow actors Denzel Washington, Tyler Perry and Bradley Cooper went up to a distraught Smith to comfort him. Ironically, Smith won Best Actor 15 minutes later, and said, “Denzel (Washington) said to me a few minutes ago: ‘In your highest moments, be careful, that’s when the devil comes for you’.”

Denzel Washington explained, "There's a saying when the devil ignores you, then you know you're doing something wrong. The devil goes, 'Oh no leave him alone, he's my favorite. Conversely, when the devil comes at you, maybe it's because he's trying to do something right. And for whatever reason, the devil got ahold of him that night."

https://www.msn.com/en-us/movies/oscars/denzel-washington-speaks-publicly-about-will-smith-slapping-chris-rock-the-only-solution-was-prayer/ar-AAVMQSV?cvid=d7ab49b2a3d04f71fadb3531abbb1832&ocid=winp1taskbar

Unlike the Lamb of God who has seven horn and seven eyes for the seven Spirits of God (Rev 5:6), the dragon (v 3) and subsequently the beast (Rev 13:1), has seven heads and ten horns for the ten kings (Rev 17:12). Seven is supposed to stand for completion but it now stands for competition. Ten is supposed to mean “perfection,” but it is now a means of pride. Seven and ten are supposedly to be superior but now it becomes self-importance.