Revelation 12

Chapter 12 THE LORD OF THE EARTH THE WAR BY SATAN AGAINST GOD AND HIS PEOPLE CH.12

1. Signs in heaven. 12:1-6

2. Satan thrown out of heaven to the earth. 12:7-12

3. Struggle upon of the earth. 12:13-17

4. The Murderer. v.1-6

5. The Deceiver. v.7-9

6. The Accuser. v.10-12

7. The Persecutor. v.13-17 SEVEN OF CHAPTER 12 - 13

8. First Person The woman clothed with sun - Israel. 12:1-2

9. Second Person The great red dragon - Satan. 12:3-4

10. Third Person The Man Child - Christ. 12:5-6

11. Fourth Person The archangel - Michael. 12:7-12

12. Fifth Person The remnant of Israel - Messianic Jews. 12:13-17

13. Sixth Person The beast out of the sea - Antichrist. 13:1-10

14. Seventh Person The beast out of the earth - The false prophet. 13:11-18

Revelation 12:1-6

1. Signs in heaven. 12:1-6 V.1 a) Clothed woman - First sign in heaven.

I. The woman is not Mary the mother of Jesus, for this woman will experience persecution on the earth during the great tribulation. v.13 II. The woman is not the Church for this woman is giving birth, the bridal Church is to be presented as a chaste virgin to Christ her Bridegroom; The Church didn’ t give birth to Christ. 2.Cor.11:2 III. The woman is Israel:

A. Joseph’ s dream reveals it: Gen. 1:14-19; 37:9-11; Psalms 89:36-37 The sun speaks of Jacob, the moon of Rachel and the 12 stars of the 12 tribes of Israel.

B. Isaiah’ s prophecy reveals it: The Child was born to Israel “ us” . Isaiah 9:6 C. Paul stated that Christ came from Israel. Rom.9:4-5 IV. There are four women in Revelation; two of them are spoken good about and two of them evil about:

1. Jezebel. Revelation 2:20

2. The Harlot. Rev. Ch. 17, 18

3. The woman in heaven. Rev. Ch.12

4. The Bride. Revelation 19:7; 21:2, 9 V.2 b) Childbirth -

Mary gave birth to Christ, but since Abraham and throughout all generations until Christ was born, the Jews had been travailing in preparing for Christ coming through teaching, persecution and prayer. Isaiah 26:17; 66:7-8; Micah 4:10; 5:3 V.3 c) Crowned dragon - Second sign in heaven.

I. The red dragon speaks of Satan and occurs 12 times in the New Testament, all of these in Revelation. 12:3, 4, 7, 9, 13, 16, 17; 13:2, 4, 11; 16:13; 20:2 II. The dragon had 7 heads and crowns, speaking of 7 empires: 17:7-11; Matt.4:9 1st empire - Egypt. 3000-1100 B.C.

2nd empire - Assyria. 750-612 B.C.

3rd empire - Babylon. 612-539 B.C. Dan.7:4; 8:4 4th empire - Medo-Persia. 539-331 B.C. Dan.7:5; 8:3 5th empire - Greece. 331-146 B.C. Dan.7:6 6th empire - Rome. 146 B.C. - Dan.7:7 7th empire - Revived Roman Empire. Dan.9:26-27 III. The red dragon had 10 horns, speaking of 10 kings of the Revived Roman Empire. 17:12-17

IV. The red dragon is similar to the beast from the sea 17:7, for he is the real ruler behind the beast and these 7 empires.

V. The dragon is red because the Devil was a murderer from the beginning. John 8:44 V.4 d) Celestial Cast down VS Child Coming down -

I. Satan perhaps caused 1/3 of all angels (stars) to rebel against the Lord; the result was a downfall of these celestial beings.

II. It could also be that at Christ birth 1/3 of the fallen angels were released on the earth to help Satan in conquering the Christ. Heb.4:15 III. It could also refer to 1/3 of the Old Testament saints through the Jewish history, which are killed or falls in their travail in bringing forth the messiah. Dan.8:10 IV. Satan tried to kill Jesus by slaughtering the children from 2 years old and under. Matt.2:13-20 V.5 e) Child Caught up -

I. His Authority -

A. The Male Child is Christ, for only He alone has the promise that He will rule all the nations. Dan.7:13-14; 1.Cor.15:24-28; Matt.25:31-46 B. Christ will rule the nations with a rod of iron during the millennium. Psalms 2:8-12 II. His Ascension - Christ ascended and sat on His throne. 3:21; Acts 2:30 V.6 f) Care-place for the woman -

I. The time clock concerning Israel stopped when they rejected Christ, about the time when the Church is raptured the time clock will begin again.

II. There is a time gap between verse 5 and 6 from the Rejection of Christ to the Rapture of the Church. Dan.9:24-27 III. Christ Himself referred to this future event. Matt.24:15-21 VI. God will provide for Israel there 3½ years, like He provided for the Israelites during the exodus for 40 years. Deu.8:1-16 V. While a great part of Israel is in the wilderness during the great tribulation, Satan tramples down Jerusalem. 11:2

Revelation 12:7-12

2. Satan thrown out of heaven to the earth. 12:7-12 V.7 a) The Last heavenly battle -

I. The first war happened in the past when Satan and his angels were thrown out of the 3rd heaven (Paradise), now he has only momentarily access. Luke 10:18; Job 1:6-7 II. The angel Michael is the only archangel mentioned by name in Scripture. Dan.10:13, 21; 12:1; Jude 9 V.8 b) The Looser of the heavenly battle -

The 2nd and last heavenly battle is yet future, when the archangel Michael and his angels will defeat Satan and his angels and throw them out of the 2nd heaven (Universe) down to the earth.

V.9 c) The Liar is thrown out of heaven - John 12:31; 16:11 I. Lucifer’ s 4 names:

A. The great dragon (Gr. drakon) - Refer to him as a wild ancient beast.

B. The old serpent (Gr. ophis) - Refer to him as the ancient deceiver. Gen.3:1-5; 2.Cor.11:3 C. The Devil (Gr. diabolos) - Refer to him as an accuser and slanderer.

D. Satan (Gr. satanas) - Refer to him as an adversary.

II. In the Old Testament we read of a sea creature called Leviathan and Rahab. Job 41:1; Psalms 74:14; 89:10; 106:26; Isaiah 27:1; 51:9 III. The great tribulation is a period of dominance of evil spirits:

A. The Demonic airborne army were released on the earth in chapter 9 verses 1-12.

B. The 200 million demonic ground troops were released in chapter 9 verses 13-21.

C. All the ruling angels - The chief, the principalities, the lords, the thrones, the rulers, spiritual hosts of wickedness and powers are now thrown down and released on the earth. Eph.6:12; Col.1:16 IV. The 3 downfall of Satan in Revelation:

1. His fall from the 2nd heaven - The universe. 12:9

2. His fall into the bottomless pit. 20:3

3. His fall into the lake of fire. 20:10

V. Antichrist is revealed perhaps after Satan and his angels are thrown down on the earth, increased demonic activity happens on the earth during the great tribulation.

VI. The casting out of the dragon from heaven is perhaps connected with the work of redemption of Jesus on the cross. Matt.12:28-29; Acts 10:38; Col.2:15; 1.John 3:8 V.10 d) The Loud voice proclaiming -

I. The Coming of the kingdom of God is by His salvation and strength revealed through the power of Christ.

II. The Continual accuser is thrown down through the power shown in Christ. Job 1:6-12 V.11 e) The Lover’ s of God - 1:9; 6:9; 14:12; 20:4

I. The overcomers:

A. In verses 7-9 we have the angelic overcomers.

B. In verse 11 we have the human overcomers.

II. They overcame the Devil by:

A. Washing by the blood of the Lamb. Rom.6:11-13; 8:37-39; Heb.7:25; 9:12; 1.John 2:1 B. Witness of their Words. Matt.4:4-10; Eph.6:10-18 III. They had lost their lives for Christ. Matt.16:24-25 They Loved the Lamb not their Lives.

V.12 f) The Last time of Satan is on the earth -

I. The inhabitants in the heavens are told to rejoice and the earth to woe.

II. The wrath of the Devil will be more severe than ever, for he knows that from the time when he is thrown out from heaven his time of sinning and rebellion is very short - 3½ years. 20:1-2

Revelation 12:13-17

3. Struggle upon of the earth. 12:13-17 V.13 a) Persecution of the woman -

The first he persecutes in his wrath is Israel.

V.14 b) Prepared Place for the woman -

I. Jesus prophesied of this escape. Matt.24:15-28; Mark 13:14-23 II. The wings might refer to the Israelites flying by airplanes or to their swiftness of their flight. Isaiah 40:31; Acts 8:39 III. God bore the Israelites “On eagles wings” when He assisted them in their escape from Pharaoh. Ex.19:4; Deut.32:11 IV. The Israelites flees from the dragon like they fled in the past from Pharaoh. Ex.14:5; Joshua 24:6 V. Its only 1/3 of the Israelites that makes it in the escape, the rest is killed. Zech.13:7-9 VI. In the wilderness God will purge Israel and bring them into His covenant. Ezek.20:33-38 VII. The wilderness could perhaps (Its only a suggestion) be referring to Petra in Jordan:

A. Petra is an empty city in Jordan in a rocky place:

1. Petra lays about 80 kilometres south of the Dead Sea.

2. Its about 900 meters wide and 1600 meters long.

3. The city has many buildings carved into the rocky cliffs.

4. There is only one entrance into the city through a narrow entrance way in the rock. B. Modern Jordan is equal to ancient Ammon, Moab and Edom.

5. Jesus at His 2nd coming first appears in Bozrah (an ancient city of Edom). Isaiah 63:1; Jer.49:20-22

6. The remnant of Israel will be assembled in Bozrah. Micah 2:12-13

7. Jordan will escape Antichrist’ s dominion. Dan.11:41 C. Some believes that the city Sela mentioned in Old Testament is modern Petra. Judges 1:36; 2.Kings 14:7 D. The remnant of Israel will go to Sela and the Moabites (modern Jordan) are exhorted to take care of them. Isaiah 16:1-4 VIII. It’ s a period where no one can buy or sell without the mark of the beast. 13:17 God will supernaturally provide for Israel 3½ years, like He provided for the Israelites during the exodus for 40 years. Deu.8:1-16 V.15 c) Panic response of the serpent - Isaiah 59:19 I. The Devil spews a flood of water after the Israelites in the wilderness.

II. The flood could be a real flood.

III. It could also be an army of soldiers. Jer.46:7-8; 47:2-3 IV. It could refer to any evil outpouring. Psalm.18:4 V. Perhaps Psalm Ch. 124 refers to this attack.

V.16 d) Protection by the earth -

I. The earth helps the woman, perhaps by an earthquake that swallows the flood, or the earth can be referring to a people that aid her.

II. In the exodus from Egypt, the earth swallowed Pharaoh’ s soldiers Ex.15:12 V.17 e) Persecution of the woman’ s offspring -

I. The Devil’ s Wrath is shown toward her offspring:

A. Its not her Male Child for its caught up to the throne of God. v.5

B. Its not the Church for its caught up before the tribulation period. Luke 21:36; 1.Thess.1:10; 4:16-17; 5:9; Rev.3:10 C. It’ s not Israel for it’ s the woman that gives birth. 12:1-6

D. It could be the tribulation saints but perhaps best interpreted as the Messianic Jewish Christians.

E. In context with chapter 13 and 14 it seems to be the 144.000 thousands Messianic Jewish Christians that he makes war with and kills. 14:1-5

II. The Devil makes War against the Messianic Jewish Christians.