Revelation 12

Revelation 12:1

Chapter 12 is a great chapter, for we find a great wonder in verse Rev_12:1, a great dragon in verse Rev_12:3, a great wrath in verse Rev_12:12, a great eagle in verse Rev_12:14. In it, we also find great help, for it is here we find great insight about our Enemy. Who is this woman? Throughout history, there have been a number of suggestions… Many believe this is the Virgin Mary. But I disagree because if this was Mary, she wouldn’t experience birth pains in heavena skewed image on many counts. Others believe this is Mary Baker Eddy, and Christian Science is the birthed child. Others believe it’s the church. But again, this interpretation paints a twisted picture of the church giving birth to the One who will rule and reign. The church doesn’t give birth to Jesus. Jesus gives birth to the church. How so? It was the rib taken from Adam’s side that birthed Eve. So, too, as He hung on the Cross, it was the blood and water flowing from the side of the Last Adam (1Co_15:45) that birthed the church. I believe the only contextual and theological solution to the question of the identity of this woman in Revelation 12 is Israel. Contextually, while the church is the bride of Christ, Isaiah and Hosea identify Israel as the wife of Jehovah. Theologically, the answer to questions regarding any particular issue can most often be found by looking to its first mention in Scripture. Employing this principle of first mention, we first see sun, moon, and stars in a dream that pertains directly to Israel (Genesis 37). And it is Israel who births the One who will rule with righteousness, for Jesus was born of the tribe of Judah.

Revelation 12:3

Throughout the remainder of Revelation, the dragon refers to Satan, as it does elsewhere in Scripture (Isa_27:1; Isa_51:9). The seven heads refer to the city from which Antichrist will reignthe city referred to throughout history as the City of Seven Hills: Rome. While the seven heads refer to a geographical place, the ten horns refer to Satan’s political base. The horns, like the ten toes of Daniel 2, typify the ten-nation confederation that will emerge from the old Roman Empire.

Revelation 12:4

Lucifer was chief of all created beings in heaven. When he launched a rebellion against God, one third of the “stars"a biblical term that refers to angelswere cast out of heaven with him. Satan’s attempt to annihilate Israel is an overriding theme throughout both biblical and secular history. Whether it be through Cain or Pharaoh, Haman, Herod, or Hitler, Satan has been so relentless in his drive to destroy God’s people that at one point, only one son of the house of David was left alive. Why have the Jews been perpetually persecuted? The only explanation must be the one we see here in Revelation 12: The dragon is determined to devour the child of the woman. You see, if there is no Jerusalem, if there is no Israel, if there are no Jewish people, how could Jesus fulfill the prophecies of His return to rule and reign His people in Jerusalem? Consequently, the plan of the dragon is to keep Messiah from returning to Israel by annihilating the Jews. If you don’t grasp this, you’ll never have a satisfactory answer for the mystery of anti-Semitism.

Revelation 12:5

This One who will rule all nations, who ascended into heaven, is, of course, Jesus.

Revelation 12:6

As we shall see, when Antichrist enters the temple and demands to be worshiped, the great Tribulation Jesus spoke of in Matthew 24 begins. And 1,260 days, or 3.5 biblical years, of unparalleled hostility will break loose against the Jews. That is why Jesus told the Jews to flee to the wilderness when they see this day dawn (Mat_24:15). Isaiah tells us exactly where this wilderness is: Send ye the lamb to the ruler of the land from Sela to the wilderness, unto the mount of the daughter of Zion. For it shall be, that, as a wandering bird cast out of the nest, so the daughters of Moab shall be at the fords of Arnon. Take counsel, execute judgment; make thy shadow as the night in the midst of the noonday; hide the outcasts; bewray not him that wandereth. Let mine outcasts dwell with thee, Moab; be thou a covert to them from the face of the spoiler: for the extortioner is at an end, the spoiler ceaseth, the oppressors are consumed out of the land.Isa_16:1-4 As your margin might say, “Sela” means “Rock” or “Petra.” Petra is truly an amazing city. Located in Moab, or present-day Jordan, this city carved of stone has stood for centuries, preserved largely because the sole entrance is a passageway only twelve feet wide.

Revelation 12:7

“Wait a minute,” you say. “I thought Satan was already cast out of heaven.” He was, but as seen in Job 1, he still has access to heaven.

Revelation 12:9

The word “devil” means “accuser” or “slanderer.” “Satan” means “adversary” or “one who lies in wait.”

Revelation 12:10

When rewards are given to believers at the judgment seat of Christ, Satanthe accuser of the brethrensays, “What? Him? Her?! Why are they getting rewards?” And what happens in heaven occurs every day on earth as Satan whispers in your ear, “You’re not worthy to be blessed. You’re not good enough to be used.” Please understand the difference between condemnationwhich is from Satan, and convictionwhich is from the Holy Spirit. The condemning work of Satan always pushes you away from God. The conviction of the Holy Spirit, on the other hand, always draws you closer to God. The condemnation of Satan is always about self, about never measuring up, about hopelessness. The conviction of the Spirit is always about forgiveness, about going on, about God’s glory and grace.

Revelation 12:11

Satan is overcome in heaven. He can be overcome on earth the same way… Overcoming the Enemy A Topical Study of Rev_12:11 …for we are not ignorant of his devices.2Co_1:10 Because far too many believers are ignorant of who our foe is and the way he works, we’re going to join the apostle John as he looks at our enemy… Past History Before our enemy was called the devil, his name was Lucifer, or “Shining Star.” But he developed an “I” problem… For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.Isa_14:13 According to the Book of Ezekiel, which describes Lucifer as the power behind the king of Tyre, Lucifer was not only a worship leader in heaven, but he was unparalleled in beauty and uniquely anointed… Son of man, take up a lamentation upon the king of Tyrus, and say unto him, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Thou sealest up the sum, full of wisdom, and perfect in beauty. Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God; every precious stone was thy covering, the sardius, topaz, and the diamond, the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the emerald, and the carbuncle, and gold: the workmanship of thy tabrets and of thy pipes was prepared in thee in the day that thou wast created. Thou art the anointed cherub that covereth; and I have set thee so: thou wast upon the holy mountain of God; thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire. Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee.Eze_28:12-15 Lucifer wasn’t merely a good musician; he was a musical instrumentwith tambourines for hands and a pipe organ for a voice. And there he was, year after decade after millennia leading all of heaven in worshipuntil the day he began to wonder why all of the praise was going to someone else. Those who serve the Lord must keep this in mind, for that same tendency can creep in anytime we think, Here I am doing this, but no one seems to appreciate what I’m doing; no one acknowledges what I’ve done. Be careful. That’s the iniquity of Lucifer. Lucifer was cast out of heaven and became Satan, or “Adversary”; the Devil, or “Accuser.” And to this day, like fingernails on a blackboard, praise and worship drive him crazy because they remind him of what he once was, but will never be again. King Jehoshaphat was surrounded by the Edomites, Ammonites, and Moabitesjust as you may have been surrounded by depression, discouragement, and defeat. After the Spirit of the Lord came upon him, a man named Jahaziel stood up and said, “Don’t fear, Jehoshaphat. The battle is not yours but the Lord’s. There is no need to fight. Stand still and see the salvation of the Lord.” So, instead of soldiers, Jehoshaphat sent the choir into battle, and as they began to sing, the Ammonites, Moabites, and Edomites, became so confused that they began to fight among themselvesleaving the Israelites the victors (2 Chronicles 20). There is power in praise! Future Hostility Following the loss of his position in heaven, Satan will spew his anger upon God’s people on earth in the Tribulation as he continues to accuse the believers in heaven. “What’s he doing in heaven?” you say. “I thought he was cast out.” He was. But as we read in Job 1, he still has access to heaven. Consequently, in the middle of the Tribulation, Michael the archangel wages war against Satan in heaven. It is possible that Michael, whose name means “Who is like God?” took the place of this one who claimed, “I will be like God.” Be that as it may, Michael and the angels prevail over Satan and his demons. In his anger, Satan continues his campaign against the church as he “accuses the brethren day and night” (see Rev_12:10). Of what does he accuse the believers? Of not deserving the rewards they are given. You see, here in the middle of the Tribulation, believers stand before the judgment seat of Christ. Called the bema because that was the term used for the place where rewards were given for athletic events, the judgment seat of Christ is not where we will be judged for our sin because our sin was completely forgivenpast, present, and futurethrough the finished work of the Cross. Rather, the judgment seat of Christ is the place where rewards are givencrowns that will determine our position, our ministry in eternity. And who’s on the sidelines, hooting and hollering, “What?! You’re giving Mike a reward? I know him. I’ve been watching him for years. He’s done this and that and he failed to do the other. Why is he getting a crown?” Satan will not only do this in the middle of the Tribulation, but he will appear in your present situation… Present Strategy As he does in heaven, Satan will try to keep you from being used and blessed by accusing you night and day, saying, “You’re not worthy to be in ministry. You’re not good enough to have your family blessed. You’re not spiritual enough to have your prayers answered.” But he can be overcome on earth the same way he’s overcome in heaven: by the blood of the Lamb, the word of testimony, the dying to self. The Blood of the Lamb It was the blood applied to the door in the shape of a Cross that spared the firstborn as the death angel flew over Egypt (Exodus 12). So, too, God will bless your home, marriage, family not on the basis of how much you’ve prayed or how good you’ve been, but on your understanding of the potency and the sufficiency of the blood of Calvary. 1Jn_2:1 says if any man sin, he has an advocate, a defense lawyer in the person of Jesus Christ. Satan is the prosecuting attorney, accusing and condemning us endlessly. Jesus, however, is our defense attorney, our advocate. And what would our defense attorney have us do? He would have us agree with our adversarya truly brilliant strategy. The word “Satan” means “adversary.” And what did Jesus tell us to do with our adversary? Agree with him (Mat_5:25). When Satan condemns you, don’t fight him. Don’t say, “I didn’t really mean it” or, “I’m not that bad,” or, “I can’t help it.” Say, “You’re right. In fact, I’m a lot worse than you even know because, since you’re not omniscient, Satan, you can’t see the deceitful and desperately wicked state of my heart (Jer_17:9). But the blood of my defense attorney has cleansed me from my sinpast, present, and future. Therefore, it’s not about anything I do or don’t do. It’s all about what He’s done on my behalf. It’s all about the blood.” The Word of Their Testimony What is my testimony? What has the Lord done for me? As He did with David, He rescued me from a horrible pit, brought me out of miry clay, and set my feet upon the Rock (Psalms 40). Every cult, every false religious system has man reaching up to God. Whether it be through knocking on doors, selling Watchtower magazines, or being baptized in holy underwearall religions say, “I can make it to heaven’s gate by my own efforts, my own wisdom.” Only the Christian says, “I didn’t seek after God (see Rom_3:11). He reached down to me.” The accuser of the brethren is silenced when the blood is applied and the testimony of grace is shared. If you are still trying to impress God with anything you do or don’t do, the Enemy will beat you every time. It’s when you come to a place where you say, “The word of my testimony is simply graceamazing grace.” Dying to Self Many Christians aren’t blessed because they constantly monitor their own spiritual condition. “Am I spiritually fit enough for God to bless me? Is my spiritual temperature high enough for God to use me on the job or with my kids?” Yet Jesus taught us to deny ourselves (Mat_16:24), which is why Paul didn’t judge even himself (1Co_4:3). Here’s the key: Forget yourself and let God bless you for no reason. Let Him use you regardless of what you think or how you feel. And in so doing, you’ll overcome the Enemy. In Isaiah 7, we see this all come together… “Ask a sign of God,” said Isaiah to wicked King Ahaz. “I will not ask a sign. I don’t want to tempt God,” Ahaz answered. Although Ahaz’s response sounds pious, the real reason behind his refusal was that he was looking to the Assyrians for help. Thus, Isaiah responded, “Hear ye now, O house of David; Is it a small thing for you to weary men, but will ye weary my God also?” (see Isa_7:13). It’s not our asking that wearies God, gang. It’s our refusal to ask. That’s why in the original language, Jesus’ words in Mat_7:7 are, “Keep asking and it shall be given you; keep seeking and you shall find; keep knocking and it shall be opened unto you.” Perhaps you’re saying, “I’m not going to ask God for that job, for that healing in my marriage, for that miracle.” And it sounds so pious, so selflessbut in reality, it’s the result of listening to the accuser of the brethren saying, “You’re a failure. God can’t work in your life until you study harder, pray longer, do better.” Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.Isa_7:14 God gave Ahaz the greatest sign of all in spite of the fact that Ahaz refused to even ask. Truly, God draws grace from a bottomless well. “Come boldly to My throne,” He says, “for there you will find grace to help. When? Every time you have need” (see Heb_4:16). There is no measure of what God can do in the lives of those who overcome the Enemy as they love not their own lives but instead rejoice in the blood of the Lamb and cling to His amazing grace. May we be those people.

Revelation 12:13

Unable to accuse the believers in heaven, Satan makes his last attempt to thwart fulfillment of the prophetic plan as he spews his anger upon God’s people.

Revelation 12:14

What are these two wings? The eagle being the symbol of America, some suggest this could be a reference to United States military power. Could it be America, the only country who has consistently stood by Israel since her return to the Land in 1940? Could it be the firepower of the sixth fleet stationed off the Mediterranean Sea? Could it be that the United States will airlift the people of Israel to Petra? I don’t know. I don’t think so. But somehow the Lord will take His people to the place He has prepared for them in the wilderness. Although we can’t be certain of the identity of the two wings of the eagle, this much we do know: God has used this terminology before… Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagles’ wings, and brought you unto myself.Exo_19:4 For the LORD’s portion is his people; Jacob is the lot of his inheritance. He found him in a desert land, and in the waste howling wilderness; he led him about, he instructed him, he kept him as the apple of his eye. As an eagle stirreth up her nest, fluttereth over her young, spreadeth abroad her wings, taketh them, beareth them on her wings: So the LORD alone did lead him, and there was no strange god with him.Deu_32:9-12 After choosing a site on a rocky cliff sometimes thousands of feet above the ground, a mother eagle constructs her nest. For protection, she arranges sharp sticks along the perimeter. But inside, the nest is soft and comfortable for the eggs. So, when Ernie Eaglet pops out of his shell, he finds his accommodations quite to his liking. “Wow! What a view!” And with Mama Eagle dropping breakfast, lunch, dinner, and an after-dinner mint into his beak every day, he’s a happy eaglet indeeduntil his girth increases and he begins to bump into the sharp sticks Mama purposefully placed around the nest. Suddenly, the once-cozy abode becomes a little uncomfortable. The same goes for us. When what was once so cozythat group you were in, those people you were linked to, the job you hadgets a little irritating, you may have a tendency to grumble. But you must realize God does this intentionally because He will not allow you to perpetually nest in a place of fatness and flightlessness. Then, just when Ernie thinks he can’t stand one more poke, Mama Eagle comes and, with her powerful wings, bumps the nestsending Ernie tumbling out. Flapping his little wings frantically yet futilely, he falls hundreds of feet and is about to crash when Mama Eagle scoops him up on her wings and takes him back to the nest. “Whew! What was that about?” Ernie wonders. And for a couple of days, he’s happy again, being served breakfast, brunch, lunch, and dinner. But then the pesky sticks begin to bother him again, and after a couple of daysbump goes the nest and out he falls. Once more, right when he thinks his life is over, there’s Mom bearing him on her wings, returning him to the nest. Now Ernie’s really wondering. “Every time I get comfortable, every time I settle back in, Mama comes and turns my nest over. What kind of parent is she, anyway?” Yet the process is repeated five or six times, until one dayErnie soars. And as he does, he understands that the pokes, the overturned nest, the perilous plummeting were all about spurring him to do what he never would have done on his own. They were all about teaching him to fly. Precious saint, if you’ve been flapping or squawking or crying, this word is for you: God says, “I found you in a wasteland. You are the apple of My eye. I’ve got nothing but the best in My heart for you. You’re not going to crash. I’ll always be there to catch you. But I’m going to continue working with you that you might fly.” As a result, I am slowly learning not to be quite so squawky, quite so angry, quite so fearfulbut to remember the plan of the Father to bear me on eagles wings. The pokey sticks are preparatory for the overturning of the nest. And the overturned nest is absolutely essential to teach me to fly.

Revelation 12:15

Satan, through Antichrist, spews his hostility and anger upon the Jewish people, chasing them like a flood. How many Jews will survive? According to Zec_13:9, two out of three will die. But the end result will be that one-third of Israel will finally acknowledge the Lord and will enter the kingdom, the Millennium, the thousand years of peace.

Revelation 12:16

In the Book of Numbers, we find another account of the earth ingesting someone. After rebelling against Moses, the ground “clave assunder” under the feet of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, swallowing not only them, but their possessions and allies (Numbers 16). “That may be,” you may say, “but the text before us is not the account of a few men, tents, and camels being swallowed. This is about an entire army complete with bombers and missiles, troop carriers and helicopters. How could this be?” Look at recent history… When diplomacy failed to bring about the release of Americans held hostage in Iran in the 1980s, we decided to unleash our military prowess. After months of planning, we sent our most advanced technology and our finest fighting men to Iran. However, as they approached the Iranian Embassy, a sandstorm broke loose so severe that it shut the mission downand, in so doing, eventually contributed to the demise of the Carter Administration. The Middle East is a tricky place, folks. The earth could easily swallow an army through a sandstorm or a multiplicity of other events. However it transpires, this much is sure: The army of Antichrist will be thwarted in its attempt to decimate the Jews.