Revelation part 23 January 20th 2013
Chapter 12 verses 1-6.
In chapter 11 verses 15-19 John witnesses the sounding of the 7th seventh trumpet.
Although the trumpet is sounded the effects produced by the sounding are not described until chapters 15 -18.
Chapters 12-14 are explanatory prophesies that describe some of the major personages and movements of the second half
of the tribulation period.
In these chapters the prominence of the nation of Israel is brought before us.
In these chapters we will see why the nation of Israel is so important…
As well as the reason the enemy has repeatedly tried to stamp the nation of Israel and the Jews.
Verse 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 12 stars.
This verse speaks of the first of seven signs in the last half of Revelation.
The word sign can also mean: miracle, token or wonder.
The word appeared means to see physically with the eye.
Verse 1 says…The great sign appeared.
The word appeared is telling us John is not dreaming nor is he speaking metaphorically…
He is writing about what he is seeing or being shown by God.
God unveils to John the conflict of the ages through a visible sign.
John sees a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet and on her head a crown of 12 stars.
The key to the interpretation and understanding of the entire book of Revelation surrounds the identification of this
woman.
There are four major opinions of her identity.
1.
Some say she represents the church with the 12 stars representing the 12 Apostles.
2.
Some believe she represents the Virgin Mary with the 12 stars representing the 12 Apostles.
3.
Some believe she represents the redeemed and the 12 stars represent the Apostles and the tribes of Israel.
4.
The Christian Science church claims this woman is their founder Mary Eddy.
So who is this woman? And how can we be sure of her true identity?
There are several ways a person can be identified one of them is through fingerprints or identifying marks on the body.
This woman has identifying marks they are found in verse 1.
Her identity is found through her clothing…
She is clothed with the sun, moon and on her hand a garland of 12 stars.
The first mention of these 3 things is in Gen. 37 where Joseph dreamed a dream.
In that dream the son’s of Jacob are pictured as stars, and the moon and the sun as Jacob and Rachel.
That dream pertained directly to Israel.
Important to understand that this woman is not a literal woman she is a symbol.
The woman represents Israel.
In the O.T. Israel is often compared to a woman and even a woman in travail.
Being clothed with the sun speaks of the glory, dignity and exalted status of Israel this shows her as God’s chosen nation.
The picture of the moon under her feet describes God covenant relationship with Israel and alludes to God’s promise of
dominion.
The crown of 12 stars represent the 12 tribes of Israel.
Verse 2…Then being with child, she cried out in labor and in pain to give birth.
Every woman who has had a child knows that child birth involves pain.
Israel is often pictured in the Bible as a mother giving birth.
The pain refers to the period before the birth of Jesus Christ when Israel was waiting for redemption by the Messiah.
The labor refers to the time of longing for the Messiah to come and destroy satan, sin, death and to usher in the kingdom of God.
This Scripture is spiritually speaking of the birth of Jesus and of Christianity.
Verse 3…And another sign appeared in heaven; behold a great fiery red dragon having 7 heads and 10 horns and 7 diadems
on his head.
This verse defines the woman’s or Israel’s mortal enemy.
The red dragon is not a literal dragon it is a figure of satan verse 9 will tell us more.
The color red speaks of bloodshed and shows satan’s murderous and destructive personality.
He was a murderer from the beginning and he has no regard for human life at all.
Notice the Bible calls him great this is because of his vast power.
In the day and time we are living satan is presently controlling the nations of the world and trying his best to turn them
against God.
This is seen in Mt. 4 when satan offered Jesus the nations if He would worship him.
Satan hates Jesus Christ and Christianity because he knows the power they possess.
That is why Islam and other religions can do what they want where they want.
Satan has no problem with other religious or religious beliefs because he knows they are dead religions serving a dead
God.
His goal is for prayer in the name of Jesus to be stopped and the name of Jesus banned.
Just the other day I saw where the Bible may be banned from presidential inaugurations.
Satan has a major problem with Christianity and with Jesus Christ.
Satan wants worship for himself but if he doesn’t get it is not a big deal just so long as Jesus Christ isn’t worshipped.
We will see more as we go through Revelation on this.
He is called a dragon because of the viciousness of his character…
He is the most dangerous being in all of God’s creation.
Yet he wasn’t created as a viscous creation.
Ezekiel 28:12 speaks of how satan was at his origin.
Before he was called satan his name was Lucifer or Shining star.
Ezekiel 28:12-15 gives a description of satan.
Full of wisdom and perfect in beauty every precious stone was his covering, the sardius, the emerald, and the diamond, the beryl,
the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the topaz, and the carbuncle, and gold, the workmanship of his tabrets and his pipes was in
him when he was created.
But today because of his rebellion he is seen as a dragon or a monster.
Verse 3 also speaks of 7 heads…
The seven heads refer to the city from which the anti-christ will reign.
It is the city referred to throughout history as…
The city of seven hills and we are not talking about Lynchburg but here it is Rome.
The 7 heads are heads of evil governments.
The 7 crowned heads refers to universal rule.
And the 10 horns mean world power to the utmost.
Verse 4…His tail drew a third of the stars of heaven and threw them to the earth.
This is describing satan’s uprising against God found in Ezekiel 28.
Satan managed to somehow convince a 1/3rd of all God’s angels to join him in a rebellion to overthrow God.
The angels that joined in with him are called fallen angels or demons they serve satan and assist him in carrying out his evil deeds.
These fallen angels are the principalities and powers that God’s people wrestle against seen in Eph. 6:12.
Verse 4 continues…And the dragon stood before the woman who was ready to give birth to devour her Child as soon as it was
born.
Notice the word Child is capitalized…
This is talking about the birth of Jesus.
Throughout the O.T. history satan tried to prevent the birth of Jesus.
There was always a dragon standing by waiting to destroy Israel or the ancestors of the Messiah.
In Eze. 29:3 Pharaoh is called a dragon.
In Jer. 51:34 Nebuchadnezzar is called a dragon.
Satan used another dragon called Herod to try to kill Jesus the moment He was born but God protected Him.
This also speaks of the birth of the church which the devil has tried to kill every way he could.
But since satan could not stop the birth of Jesus or the birth of the church…
He has tried and continues to try to stop Jesus from fulfilling the prophecies of His return and ruling and reigning His people in
Jerusalem.
From the beginning satan has attempted to annihilate Israel.
He has done that through Pharaoh, Haman, Herod, and Hitler.
The reason the Jews and Israel has been and are persecuted and attempts have been made to be wiped them out is…
Because if there is no Jerusalem, or no Israel and no Jewish people…
Satan knows that Jesus cannot fulfill the prophecies of His return to rule and reign His people in Jerusalem.
The plan of satan is to keep the Messiah from returning to Israel by wiping out Israel and the Jews.
Pharaoh failed…
Haman failed and was hung by and on his own rope…
Herod failed…
Hitler failed…
All those who tried to wipe Israel out are dead and gone…
But today Israel is still alive and well.
That is why it is so important for America to stand with Israel…
That is why it is so important we pray for Israel every day.
Satan would love to destroy her but he is fighting a losing battle because God has Israel protected.
Verse 5…She bore a male Child who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron.
The male child who will rule with a rod of iron is a reference to Ps. 2:9
This child is Jesus Christ.
The iron rod is one that cannot be broken and speaks of the resoluteness of Jesus’ rule.
He will swiftly and immediately judge all sin and put down any rebellion upon His return.
Verse 5 goes on to say…
And her Child was caught up to God and His throne.
This is speaking of the ascension of Jesus after His resurrection.
Jesus was caught up or ascended up unto God and is not seated on the right hand of God.
But one day Jesus will return He will rule all nations as Lord of lords and King of kings.
A friend of mine who works at a funeral home said a woman’s husband died and she told him he was atheist.
He said he replied before he thought it out and said…he’s not anymore.
Verse 6…And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she has a place prepared by God that they should feed her there 1260
days.
1260 days represents the mid-point of the tribulation at that time the anti-christ will break his covenant with Israel.
He will put a stop to temple worship and devastate Jerusalem.
At that time many Jews will run for their lives this is seen in Mt. 24.
They will run into the wilderness.
The wilderness represents a place of spiritual refuge and protection from satan.
God will protect Israel or the Jews from satan by preparing for her a place in the wilderness.
A place prepared by God means God graciously and lovingly provides and protects His people.