The Cosmic Battle - revelation 12
Revelation 1-11 lays out the end times- 70th week of Daniel, 7 year tribulation
(7seals, 7 trumpets, end)
Rev 12 begins series of vignettes to show overarching end times landscape, Biblical themes.
12-13 Cosmic War between Israel and Antichrist
14 - 144,000 and harvesting the earth (once for the believer and 2x for the damned)
15-16 The 7 bowl judgments – final chance to repent (mirror the 7 trumpets)
17-18 Mystery Babylon, the great prostitute
19-20 – Jesus on a white horse, defeats Beast, Millennium and White Throne Judgment
21-22 – New Heavens, New Earth, New Jerusalem and Epilogue
Message
Revelation 12 (NKJV)
1 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. 2 Then being with child, she cried out in labor and in pain to give birth. 3 And another sign appeared in heaven: behold, a great, fiery red dragon having seven heads and ten horns, and seven diadems on his heads. 4His 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. 5 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. 6 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. 7 And war broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels fought with the dragon; and the dragon and his angels fought, 8 but they did not prevail, nor was a place found for them in heaven any longer. 9 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. 10 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. 11 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. 12 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.” 13 Now when the dragon saw that he had been cast to the earth, he persecuted the woman who gave birth to the male Child. 14 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. 15 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. 16 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. 17 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.
WOW!
5 characters:
Woman, clothed with the sun
Dragon with 7 heads
Male child who rules with rod of iron
Michael and his angels
Rest of her (the woman’s) offspring
Lots of views on who the characters are, but let scripture do the explaining
INTERPRET SCRIPTURE WITH SCRIPTURE
NOT – MY CULTURE FORCING INTO THEIR CULTURE
Revelation 12:1-2 (NKJV)
1 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. 2 Then being with child, she cried out in labor and in pain to give birth.
GREAT SIGN (MEGA)
Woman – is pregnant (not the church, She is a bride prepared for Jesus)
Not Mary – woman is persecuted
Clothed with the sun, moon under her feet, garland of 12 stars – imagery from Genesis 37:9 – picture of nation of Israel
Stars a reminder of God’s promise to Abraham
Give birth -
Revelation 12:5
5 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.
Rule all the nations with rod of iron (referred to in Psalm 2:9) BUT Revelation later in the book tells us who this is:
Revelation 19:15–16 (NKJV)
15 Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. 16 And He has on Hisrobe and on His thigh a name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS
CHILD = JESUS!
(not the Church – forcing rapture)
Revelation 12:5
5 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.
Jesus “raptured”/ascended after His resurrection 40 days
REVELATION 12 SIGN
Hebrew Mazzaroth – Gospel in the zodiac (D. James Kennedy wrote about it)
Begins with Virgo – virgin with child,
Scorpio – scorpion – Satan
Leo – The Lion
September 23, 2017 – fulfilled in constellations
Not the primary fulfillment of this passage but a wake up call to us
Revelation 12:3-4
3 And another sign appeared in heaven: behold, a great, fiery red dragon having seven heads and ten horns, and seven diadems on his heads. 4 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.
Another Sign – NOT A MEGA SIGN
Dragon - Satan
Revelation 12:9
9 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.
BACK in Rev 12:3-4
7 Heads, 10 horns
7 heads speak of 7 world kingdoms that ruled over Israel
Egypt
Assyria
Babylon
Medo-Persian
Greek
Roman
Islam
Horns – speak of power – refer back to Daniel 7 (10 horns, 10 toes – Dan 2)
Revelation 12:3-4
3 And another sign appeared in heaven: behold, a great, fiery red dragon having seven heads and ten horns, and seven diadems on his heads. 4 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.
Tail drew 1/3 of stars – 1/3 of angels fall
Daniel 8:9–10 (NKJV)
9 And out of one of them came a little horn which grew exceedingly great toward the south, toward the east, and toward the Glorious Land. 10 And it grew up to the host of heaven; and it cast down some of the host and some of the stars to the ground, and trampled them.
Revelation 12:4
4 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.
Devour the child
Jesus birth – Bethlehem persecution
Revelation 12:5–6 (NKJV)
5 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. 6 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.
Jesus goes up, Israel goes to wilderness 1260 days
Focus is on the persecution of Israel by the dragon
Israel persecuted last 2000 years since Jesus
Revelation 12:7–9 (NKJV)
7 And war broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels fought with the dragon; and the dragon and his angels fought, 8but they did not prevail, nor was a place found for them in heaven any longer. 9 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.
War in Heaven –
Ephesians 6 – wrestle not with flesh and blood
Ephesians 6:12 (NKJV)
12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.
BATTLE IN HEAVEN – satan loses and cast out
Job – Satan has access
Jesus says he saw Satan fall like lightning…
Angels cast with Satan
Revelation 12:10 (NKJV)
10 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.
Accuser of brethren – constantly talking to God and us
Accusing us DAY AND NIGHT
God says – paid in full, remember our sins no more
Revelation 12:11–12 (NKJV)
11 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. 12 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.”
Overcame Satan by:
Blood of the Lamb
Word of their testimony
Did not love their lives to the death
Revelation 12:12
12 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.”
Rejoice Heavens! (Satan is gone!)
Woe to the earth and sea!
Time is short!
Revelation 12:13–17 (NKJV)
13 Now when the dragon saw that he had been cast to the earth, he persecuted the woman who gave birth to the male Child. 14 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. 15 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. 16 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. 17And 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.
Satan on earth – persecute Israel
Israel “given two wings of great eagle”
REMIND OF
Exodus 19:3–5 (NKJV)
3 And Moses went up to God, and the Lord called to him from the mountain, saying, “Thus you shall say to the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel: 4 ‘You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to Myself. 5 Now therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Me above all people; for all the earth is Mine.
“nourished for a time times and half a time” from serpent
Isaiah 16:1–5 (NKJV)
1 Send the lamb to the ruler of the land, From Sela to the wilderness, To the mount of the daughter of Zion. 2 For it shall be as a wandering bird thrown out of the nest; So shall be the daughters of Moab at the fords of the Arnon. 3 “Take counsel, execute judgment; Make your shadow like the night in the middle of the day; Hide the outcasts, Do not betray him who escapes. 4 Let My outcasts dwell with you, O Moab; Be a shelter to them from the face of the spoiler. For the extortioner is at an end, Devastation ceases, The oppressors are consumed out of the land. 5 In mercy the throne will be established; And One will sit on it in truth, in the tabernacle of David, Judging and seeking justice and hastening righteousness.”
Petra - about 100 miles from Jerusalem
In Jordan – highway widens into an airstrip about 12 miles from Petra.
Water – a picture of army? (Wadis – flash floods)
FLOOD – army, flash flood, wadi
Daniel 12:1–2 (NKJV)
1 “At that time Michael shall stand up, The great prince who stands watch over the sons of your people; And there shall be a time of trouble, Such as never was since there was a nation, Even to that time. And at that time your people shall be delivered, Every one who is found written in the book. 2 And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, Some to everlasting life, Some to shame and everlasting contempt.
Daniel 12:6-9
6 And one said to the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, “How long shall the fulfillment of these wonders be?” 7 Then I heard the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, when he held up his right hand and his left hand to heaven, and swore by Him who lives forever, that it shall be for a time, times, and half a time;and when the power of the holy people has been completely shattered, all these things shall be finished. 8 Although I heard, I did not understand. Then I said, “My lord, what shall be the end of these things?” 9 And he said, “Go your way,Daniel, for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end.
Israel will be tested – power shattered, once humbled, they will humble themselves
Hosea 5:15–6:3 (NKJV)
15 I will return again to My place Till they acknowledge their offense. Then they will seek My face; In their affliction they will earnestly seek Me.” 1 Come, and let us return to the Lord; For He has torn, but He will heal us; He has stricken, but He will bind us up. 2 After two days He will revive us; On the third day He will raise us up, That we may live in His sight. 3 Let us know, Let us pursue the knowledge of the Lord. His going forth is established as the morning; He will come to us like the rain, Like the latter and former rain to the earth.
Romans 11:25–27 (NKJV)
25 For I do not desire, brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery, lest you should be wise in your own opinion, that blindness in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. 26 And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written: “The Deliverer will come out of Zion, And He will turn away ungodliness from Jacob; 27 For this is My covenant with them, When I take away their sins.”
Revelation 12:17 (NKJV)
17 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.