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Revelation Study Series 17 - God’s Mysterious Plan Fulfilled (Chapter 12) Series
Contributed by Clayton Beck on Mar 7, 2023 (message contributor)
Summary: Jesus came! He died! He resurrected! He is coming back!
Revelation Study Series 17
God’s Mysterious Plan Fulfilled (Chapter 12)
03.06.22
Message…
1 Then I witnessed in heaven an event of great significance. I saw a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon beneath her feet, and a crown of twelve stars on her head.
2 She was pregnant, and she cried out because of her labor pains and the agony of giving birth.
“...event of great significance” - “wonder” or “sign”
We have the symbolic picture here of a woman…This woman represents the nation of Israel.
“clothed with the sun”- exalted status of God’s chosen people
“crown of twelve stars on her head”- representing the twelve tribes of Israel.
Young Joseph shared a dream with his brothers and father…
Soon Joseph had another dream, and again he told his brothers about it. “Listen, I have had another dream,” he said. “The sun, moon, and eleven stars bowed low before me!”
Jacob was Joseph’s father…God changed his name to Israel. Jacob’s twelve sons became the twelve tribes of Israel.
This woman symbolically refers to the nation of Israel.
John saw her as pregnant, in labor and agony about to give birth…
3 Then I witnessed in heaven another significant event. I saw a large red dragon with seven heads and ten horns, with seven crowns on his heads.
4 his tail swept away one-third of the stars in the sky, and he threw them to the earth. he stood in front of the woman as she was about to give birth, ready to devour her baby as soon as it was born.
Thirteen times in the book of Revelation satan appears described as a “dragon”.
The “seven heads”, “ten horns”, and “seven crowns” all speak of past and future kingdoms that he has influenced and will rule until his reign will be ended by our Lord.
“one-third of the stars in the sky” swept away…obviously references the 1/3rd of angels that fell with satan when pride overtook him and he thought himself to be as God.
satan could not prevent the virgin birth of Christ. he tried to have Jesus killed…as Herod decreed that all the male children should be put to death…but, an angel appeared to Joseph in a dream, telling him to flee with Mary and the Christ child into Egypt…later returning to Nazareth.
She gave birth to a Son who was to rule all nations with an iron rod. And her Child was snatched away from the dragon and was caught up to God and to His throne.
Israel delivered the Messiah…the promised Savior!
Immanuel, God with us, was born. And, He ascended to His rightful throne after His death and resurrection.
And the woman fled into the wilderness, where God had prepared a place to care for her for 1,260 days.
As events of the Great Tribulation grow in their intensity, there will be a remnant of Jews who flee and will be protected by God for 1,260 days, or 3.5 years.
7 Then there was war in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon and his angels.
8 And the dragon lost the battle, and he and his angels were forced out of heaven.
9 This great dragon—the ancient serpent called the devil, or satan, the one deceiving the whole world—was thrown down to the earth with all his angels.
Since the fall of satan, there has been an ongoing war in heaven. Good and Truth versus evil and deception.
Author Tim Lehaye makes some interesting observations about this passage of scripture in his book, “Revelation”…
“Michael seems to be the “commanding general” of the heavenly hosts. It is suggested on the basis of Isaiah 14 and Ezekiel 28 that Michael is superior to the majority of the angels, but somewhat lower in created order than satan himself.”
When Moses died, scripture says that God covered him up. In the book of Jude satan and Michael battled one another over Moses' body.
Yet Michael the archangel, in contending with the devil, when he disputed about the body of Moses, dared not bring against him a reviling accusation, but said, “The Lord rebuke you!”
Author Lahaye, goes on to say, “Michael does not seem able to cope with satan himself but must rely on the power of God for his defense.”
He adds, “This is an excellent object lesson to Christians! If the archangel Michael, commander of God’s heavenly host, is not adequate to take on satan in conflict, neither are we! Our only defense against the devil is to flee to God.”
Daniel 12:1 “At that time Michael, the archangel who stands guard over your nation, will arise. Then there will be a time of anguish greater than any since nations first came into existence. But at that time every one of your people whose name is written in the book will be rescued.
