THE REVELATION OF JESUS CHRISTPart V

REVELATION 12THE WOMAN, THE CHILD,

AND THE DRAGONLearning to Prophesy

Marco Lafebre

• Revelation 12:1-2

• 12 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.

THE WOMAN

• The woman “clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a garland of twelve stars” could represent Old Testament Israel.

• Some interpret “The Woman” as the Grace of God.

• In OT, God referred to His people as a woman whom He had dressed in honor and splendor (Ezekiel 16).

• The garland with 12 stars may be symbolic of the 12 tribes of Israel (Genesis 37:9-10).

THE WOMAN

• In NT God’s Church is symbolized as a woman. When Christ returns to earth, He is going to marry the Church, which is called “His wife” in Revelation 19:7.

• Based on these passages, it is clear that the woman in Revelation 12 represents God’s people.

• On the contrary, remember the image of a dishonorable woman, one called “the great harlot”, is used in Revelation 17:1 to depict a false church that deceives many.

THE DRAGON

• 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.

THE DRAGON

• (V 4). This verse represents Satan leading a third of the angels in a rebellion against God.

• Other passages show stars representing angels (Rev 1:20).

• Just as God has ministers of righteousness, Satan has his “ministers” who appear to be righteous yet who influence humans to sin

• Satan’s actions included convincing a third of the angels to follow him in his attempt to make himself like God,

• Attempting to have Christ killed as a child (Matthew 2:13-18),

• Working to deceive the entire world and persecuting God’s people.

THE CHILD

• 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.

THE CHILD

• The woman is described as giving birth to 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.” The language here makes it clear that Jesus is the “Child.”

• Jesus is the One who is prophesied to “strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron” (Revelation 19:15).

• He is also the One who, after His resurrection, was taken up in a cloud to heaven (Acts 1:9-11).

THE DRAGON VS. THE CHILD

• The dragon tried to devour the Child as soon as it was born.

• Maybe a historical reference to King Herod’s effort to destroy Jesus as a young child.

• Satan’s attempt failed, but he didn’t give up.

• Jesus before initiating His ministry, was in the wilderness tempted by the devil.

• Satan tried to get Jesus to violate God’s law and worship him instead of God.

• The devil offered Jesus “all the kingdoms of the world and their glory” if Jesus would worship him. But Jesus did not do so.

SATAN TRIED AND TRIED

• Satan influenced Judas Iscariot, to betray Jesus.

• Although Satan was clearly involved in the crucifixion of Jesus, this was actually part of God’s plan for the redemption of mankind.

• So why did Satan expend so much effort in his attempts to destroy Jesus? Because if there had not been a perfect Savior to pay the penalty for humanity’s sins, God’s plan would have been thwarted. Without a Savior, humans could not be forgiven of their sins nor could they live forever in God’s eternal family.

SATAN THROWN OUT OF HEAVEN

• 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[a] 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.

SATAN LOST HIS SECOND BATTLE IN HEAVEN

• This battle is different from Satan’s original rebellion, (V 4) and which occurred long before the birth of Christ.

• Satan persecutes “The Child” to heaven trying to snatched him of this place so he can devour Him.

• But Michael and his angels inflict on him and his angels a second and definite defeat.

• Satan access to God’s presence to accuse His people (Job 1:6-7; Job 2:1-2) has ended. Now he and his angels no longer have this access and are cast down to the earth.

THE VOICE IN HEAVEN

• 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.”

SIGNIFICANCE OF THIS BATTLE

• This battle and its significance is announced by a loud voice in heaven (verses 10-12).

• This battle is an indicator that “the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ have come” (verse 10).

• We cannot believe lies!

• The accuser cannot accuse us any longer.

• We have Jesus interceding for us!

ATTENTION TO SOME ROMANS CHAPTER 8 PASSAGES

• Free from Indwelling Sin

• 8 There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.

ROMANS 8:31-35

• God’s Everlasting Love

• 31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? 33 Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. 34 Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?

ROMANS 8:36-38

• 36 As it is written:

• “For Your sake we are killed all day long;We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.”[a]

• 37 Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. 38 For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, 39 nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

THE WOMAN PERSECUTED

• 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.

SHORTNESS OF TIME

• Satan knows he has a short time before Christ returns to establish the Kingdom of God on earth.

• So now he directs his rage toward God’s people, the ones who are the continuation of the woman who gave birth to the male Child.

• God, will not allow Satan to destroy His people. (Mat 16:18).

• The woman is “given two wings of a great eagle,” meaning she is safely taken into “her place,” where she will be protected for “a time, and times and half a time [apparently 3½ years], from the presence of the serpent” (Revelation 12:14).

• Even though Satan spewed “water out of his mouth like a flood,” to try to get at the woman, he will not be successful.

GOD’S PEOPLE

• 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.

THE DRAGON VS. GOD’S PEOPLE

• God’s Church, represented by the woman in the latter portions of Revelation 12, has suffered the attack of Satan since its early beginnings.

• God allowed the woman to flee “into the wilderness, where she has a place prepared by God, that they should feed her there one thousand two hundred and sixty days” (verse 6).

• … wilderness

• …place prepared by God

• …they should feed her there

THE DRAGON VS. YOU

• You realize it or not, Satan hates you and will do everything possible to keep you from loving and obeying your Creator.

• Humans were created by God with the potential to be higher than what the dragon was (Heb. 2:6-8).

• Peter clearly caution us, “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour” (1 Peter 5:8).

• The true Gospel is not veiled to us, because Satan, “the god of this age,” had blinded the minds of unbelievers (2 Corinthians 4:3-4).

• The good news is that this “veil is taken away in Christ” (2 Cor 3:14).

REVELATION CHAPTER 13THE BEAST FROM THE SEA AND THE BEAST FROM THE EARTH

REVELATION 13:

• The Beast from the Sea

• 13 Then I stood on the sand of the sea. And I saw a beast rising up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and on his horns ten crowns, and on his heads a blasphemous name. 2 Now the beast which I saw was like a leopard, his feet were like the feet of a bear, and his mouth like the mouth of a lion. The dragon gave him his power, his throne, and great authority.

THE LEOPARD-LIKE BEAST WITH SEVEN HEADS AND TEN

HORNS • Serves the dragon.

• Blasphemes against God and heaven,

• Leads the whole world into evil.

• He makes war against the saints.

• It comes from the sea.

ONLY JESUS IS THE INCARNATED GOD

• The beast has heads, horns, crowns just like the Dragon because the Dragon’s authority is given and exercised to through the Beast.

• These heads, horns, and crowns are signs of political authority, military might, and financial dominion.

• leopard, bear, lion. Creatures swift, strong, and feared. Represent power, throne, and authority.

• The vision is of a a powerful kingdom enclosing several nations.

• blasphemous name, signifying total corruption of this completely antichristian kingdom.

REVELATION 13: 3-5

• 3 And I saw one of his heads as if it had been mortally wounded, and his deadly wound was healed. And all the world marveled and followed the beast. 4 So they worshiped the dragon who gave authority to the beast; and they worshiped the beast, saying, “Who is like the beast? Who is able to make war with him?” 5 And he was given a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies, and he was given authority to continue for forty-two months.

THE PARODY• Mortally, wounded, healed. The beast exhibits a deadly wound in one head,

and then shows it healed.

• The world marvels at this “miracle” and at the beast’s mighty power. All a deception and a lie.

• Worse than that, it's a parody of the death and resurrection of Christ.

• This evil kingdom sets up its own false religion.

• Its king is worshipped as God incarnate.

• 42 months. Being three and a half years. Half the time of 7. Shorter time

• The tribulations caused by this beast are severe, but temporary, and their time is set.

• The beast will not overcome the saints forever.

REVELATION 13:6-8

• 6 Then he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme His name, His tabernacle, and those who dwell in heaven. 7 It was granted to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them. And authority was given him over every tribe, tongue, and nation. 8 All who dwell on the earth will worship him, whose names have not been written in the Book of Life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.

AUTHORITY GIVEN TO THE BEAST

• to make war The Dragon granted great authority to the beast.

• The Beast was given power "to make war with the saints and overcome them" .

• This war is the spiritual battle between good and evil of which Paul refers

• overcome them Christians will suffer persecution and even martyrdom.

• However this war will be won by the holy people of Christ, not by Satan, there is a set time when the tables will be turned over.

THE BOOK OF LIFE

• The world is divided into two groups:

• First, those whose names are not found written in the Book of Life.

• Second, by deduction, those whose names are written in the book of life.

• From the foundation of the world

• Phrase producing some confusion in the translations as to whether the words "from the foundation of the world" apply to the names not being written in the book of life.

• Or to the Lamb being slain, “from the foundation of the world”

Revelation 13: 9-10

• 9 If anyone has an ear, let him hear. 10 He who leads into captivity shall go into captivity; he who kills with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints.

THE BEAST FROM THE EARTH

• 11 Then I saw another beast coming up out of the earth, and he had two horns like a lamb and spoke like a dragon. 12 And he exercises all the authority of the first beast in his presence, and causes the earth and those who dwell in it to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed. 13 He performs great signs, so that he even makes fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men.

THE FALSE PROPHET• Lamb and dragon. The figure of a lamb indicates priesthood,

• He is called “the false prophet” because his words are the false doctrines of the Dragon. He is echoing the dragon.

• Authority Satan’s and the authority of the first beast is given to this False Prophet, and exercised through him.

• Great signs Satan provides the power to this false religion to do great signs and thereby deceive many.

• We should not receive every miracle, wonder, and sign as being from God.

• Fire This vision presents two examples of signs that deceivers can do:

• "make fire come down from heaven to earth”... and

• “give breath to the image of the beast so that the image would speak"

• Revelation 13:14-15• 14 And he deceives those who dwell on the earth by those signs

which he was granted to do in the sight of the beast, telling those who dwell on the earth to make an image to the beast who was wounded by the sword and lived. 15 He was granted power to give breath to the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak and cause as many as would not worship the image of the beast to be killed.

IMAGE OF THE BEAST

• The beast is represented as a priest.

• The False Prophet makes an image of the beast, and forces people to either worship the image or be killed.

• This is only an example of the character of this false religion

• In church life, people have actually been threatened with death if they refused to practise idolatry.

• This happened to Daniel and his friends .

• It happened to the early Christians.

• It is happening nowadays. ISIS is an example of Antichrist persecuting Christians.

• Revelation 13:16-17

• 16 He causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hand or on their foreheads, 17 and that no one may buy or sell except one who has the mark or the name of the beast, or the number of his name

MARK, NAME, NUMBER

• All those who worshipped the image received a mark on their right hand or forehead. This mark was the name of the beast or a number representing the name.

• In the messages to the seven churches, Jesus promised to write upon every one of his followers his new and heavenly name (Rev 3:12-18 Rev 14:1).

• Consequently, the beast writes his own name upon those who follow him.

• We cannot wear both names, neither can we reject both names.

• We must choose our mark: Either the name of God and his kingdom, or the name of the beast and his kingdom.

• We are citizens in one or the other.

BUY AND SELL

• The antichristian kingdom consist of several powers : political, military, financial, judicial, and religious, all in one. This is a corrupt kingdom that has merge all powers under one hand.

• Democratic nations around the world have their constitution separating these powers.

• John describes that nobody was allowed to buy or sell unless marked with the Beast’s name.

• The False Prophet rules with false justice.

• If it is the mark of the Beast, they are okay,

• If it is the mark of Jesus Christ, they are captivated and sentenced to death.

• Revelation 13:18

• 18 Here is wisdom. Let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man: His number is 666.

• Number• The "number of the beast and of his name"(Revelation 13:16,18) is 666,

• 666 is the sum of the inferior than thousand Roman numerals in descending order.

• DCLXVI=666.

• Remember at the time of John, the Roman Empire was in full power.

REVELATION CHAPTER 14THE LAMB STANDING

ON MOUNT ZION

THE LAMB AND THE 144,000

• 14 Then I looked, and behold, a Lamb standing on Mount Zion, and with Him one hundred and forty-four thousand, having His Father’s name written on their foreheads. 2 And I heard a voice from heaven, like the voice of many waters, and like the voice of loud thunder. And I heard the sound of harpists playing their harps. 3 They sang as it were a new song before the throne, before the four living creatures, and the elders; and no one could learn that song except the hundred and forty-four thousand who were redeemed from the earth. 4 These are the ones who were not defiled with women, for they are virgins. These are the ones who follow the Lamb wherever He goes. These were redeemed from among men, being firstfruits to God and to the Lamb. 5 And in their mouth was found no deceit, for they are without fault before the throne of God.

CHRIST APPEARS AS A LAMB STANDING UPON MOUNT ZION.

• Mount Zion is the gospel church. Christ is with his church, therefore she is not consumed.

• A counterfeit lamb was mentioned in chapter 13, which was really a dragon.

• 144.000 sealed members, not one of them lost in all the tribulations through which they have gone.

• Their badge of distinction: the name of God written in their foreheads.

• Their praises are loud as thunder, or as the voice of many waters; they were melodious, as of harpers; they were heavenly, before the throne of God.

• The song was new, unknown to others.

• Others might learn and repeat the words of the song, but they are not able to catch the true sense and spirit of what is said in the song.

THE PROCLAMATIONS OF THREE ANGELS• 6 Then I saw another angel flying in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting

gospel to preach to those who dwell on the earth—to every nation, tribe, tongue, and people— 7 saying with a loud voice, “Fear God and give glory to Him, for the hour of His judgment has come; and worship Him who made heaven and earth, the sea and springs of water.”

• 8 And another angel followed, saying, “Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she has made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.”

• 9 Then a third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, “If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives his mark on his forehead or on his hand, 10 he himself shall also drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out full strength into the cup of His indignation. He shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. 11 And the smoke of their torment ascends forever and ever; and they have no rest day or night, who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name.”

THREE ANGELS FROM HEAVEN GIVE NOTICE OF THE FALL OF BABYLON,

• The first angel was sent to preach the everlasting gospel.

• Imagen an angel sent to preach this everlasting gospel! Such is the dignity, and such is the difficulty of that work! And yet we have this treasure in earthen vessels.

• This everlasting Gospel should be made known to all, to every tribe, tongue and nation.

• The gospel is the power by which men learn to fear God, and to give glory to him.

• By preaching the gospel, and by the power of the Holy Spirit, men are turned from idols to serve the living God.

• To worship any God besides him who created the world is idolatry.

A SECOND ANGEL FOLLOWS THE FIRST ONE

• He proclaims the actual fall of Babylon.

• The preaching of the everlasting gospel had shaken the foundations of anti Christianism in the world, and hastened its downfall.

• By Babylon is generally understood Rome, which was before called Sodom and Egypt, due to its wickedness and cruelty, and is now called Babylon, for pride and idolatry.

• The wickedness of Babylon consists, in corrupting, debauching, and intoxicating the nations round about her, will make her fall just and will declare the righteousness of God in her utter ruin,

• Similarity to any nation/nations now days?

A THIRD ANGEL FOLLOWS THE OTHER TWO

• Giving a warning to all, that divine vengeance will overtake all those that obstinately adhered to the anti Christian interest, after God had proclaimed its downfall.

• Jesus Christ will inflict this punishment upon them, and the holy angels will behold it and approve it.

• Idolatry, is a terribly sin in its own nature; the guilt and ruin of such incorrigible idolaters contrast with the excellency of the patience and obedience of the saints.

• Revelation 14:12-13• 12 Here is the patience of the saints; here are those who keep the

commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.

• 13 Then I heard a voice from heaven saying to me, “Write: ‘Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.’”

• “Yes,” says the Spirit, “that they may rest from their labors, and their works follow them.”

A VOICE FROM HEAVEN• Not from men, but from heaven, therefore it has truth and great authority.

• The prophecy should be preserved by writing, it has to be recorded to show the blessedness of the faithful saints and servants of God, both in death and after death.

• These saints die in a state of vital union with Christ, those found in Christ when death comes.

• They rest from their labours, and their works do follow them.

• They are blessed in their rest; they rest from all sin, temptation, sorrow, and persecution.

• Their works follow them as their evidence of having lived and died in the Lord; and the memory of them will be pleasant, and the reward glorious,

• They are happy in the time of their dying, as they have seen the cause of God reviving, the peace of the church returning, and the wrath of God falling upon their idolatrous cruel enemies.

REAPING THE EARTH’S HARVEST

• Revelation 14:14-16

• 14 Then I looked, and behold, a white cloud, and on the cloud sat One like the Son of Man, having on His head a golden crown, and in His hand a sharp sickle. 15 And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to Him who sat on the cloud, “Thrust in Your sickle and reap, for the time has come for You to reap, for the harvest of the earth is ripe.” 16 So He who sat on the cloud thrust in His sickle on the earth, and the earth was reaped.

THE HARVEST OF FIRST FRUITS TO GOD• An angel from the temple in heaven calls to Christ on the cloud.

• Christ has a sharp sickle in his hand. The angel says, "Put in your sickle and reap... the harvest of the earth is ripe“.

• All who have been consecrated to God and are likened to the first fruits that were taken to the temple and offered to God back in Moses’s day.

• Moreover, this is the judgment day, harvest of the saved.

• Those who have the name of Christ upon them, and their names in his book of life.

• The sickle is the sword of God’s justice.

• The field is the world; reaping is cutting down the inhabitants of the earth and carrying them off.

REAPING THE GRAPES OF WRATH

Revelation 14:17-20

• 17 Then another angel came out of the temple which is in heaven, he also having a sharp sickle.

• 18 And another angel came out from the altar, who had power over fire, and he cried with a loud cry to him who had the sharp sickle, saying, “Thrust in your sharp sickle and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth, for her grapes are fully ripe.” 19 So the angel thrust his sickle into the earth and gathered the vine of the earth, and threw it into the great winepress of the wrath of God. 20 And the winepress was trampled outside the city, and blood came out of the winepress, up to the horses’ bridles, for one thousand six hundred furlongs.

THE SECOND REAPER• Another angel comes out of the heavenly temple with another sharp sickle.

• Then a third angel follows and calls out to the second angel. He tells the second angel to put in the sickle and reap what Christ, the first reaper, has left on the vine.

• Wine press. He throws the grapes "into the winepress of God’s wrath"

• In a winepress, grapes are pulped to extract the juice. A simple winepress consists of a large bin in which the grapes are trampled barefoot. The bin has an outlet for the juice to run out into buckets or jars.

• This wine-press is located outside the city, where can be easily trampled.

• The quantity of the wine, representing the blood that was drawn forth by this judgment: it was, for depth, up to the horses’ bridles, and for about 200 miles in square.

• The harvest-time; when the measure of the sin of men is complete, and they are ripe for destruction.

• https://www.biblestudytools.com/commentaries/matthew-henry-complete/revelation/14.html