things are not as they seem – cosmic battle scripture reading revelation 12 this series follows...

Things are Not as They Seem – Cosmic Battle

Scripture Reading

Revelation 12

This series follows the outline and material provided by Darrell Johnson in his book,

Discipleship on the Edge


Last time we read:‘The seventh angel sounded his trumpet, and there were loud

voices in heaven, which said: "The kingdom of the world has

become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he will

reign for ever and ever.” Rev. 11:15


The question you may be asking:

“If Jesus is on the throne right now,

why are things still messed up?


If you think that you have reason to ask that question,

imagine the 1st century Christians,

won’t they have asked that same question?


Immediately after the sounding of the seventh trumpet, Jesus

gives John and the churches this weird vision.

I believe it is to answer that very question, “If Jesus is on the throne, why are things still

messed up.”


Let’s look at the vision more closely.

Let’s see if we can’t hear it with the ears of first century

Christians?

What looks bizarre to us would have made more sense to them.


Let’s meet the characters:

“A great and wondrous sign appeared in heaven: a woman

clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet and a crown of

twelve stars on her head. She was pregnant and cried out in pain as

she was about to give birth.” vv.1-2


““A great and wondrous sign appeared in heaven: a woman A great and wondrous sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet and a clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet and a crown of twelve stars on her head. She was pregnant and crown of twelve stars on her head. She was pregnant and

cried out in pain as she was about to give birth.” vv.1-2cried out in pain as she was about to give birth.” vv.1-2

Who is the woman a sign of?Who is the woman a sign of?

Mary?Mary?

Israel?Israel?

God’s people?God’s people?


““A great and wondrous sign appeared in heaven: a woman A great and wondrous sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet and a clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet and a crown of twelve stars on her head. She was pregnant and crown of twelve stars on her head. She was pregnant and

cried out in pain as she was about to give birth.” vv.1-2cried out in pain as she was about to give birth.” vv.1-2

Let’s look at Genesis 37:9:Let’s look at Genesis 37:9:

Then he [Joseph] had another dream, and he told it to his

brothers. "Listen," he said, "I had another dream, and this time the sun and moon and eleven stars

were bowing down to me."


The woman represents the people of God waiting

expectantly for the coming Messiah, Mary, and as we will see later, followers of Jesus.


“Then another sign appeared in heaven: an enormous red dragon

with seven heads and ten horns and seven crowns on his heads. His tail swept a third of the stars out of the

sky and flung them to the earth. The dragon stood in front of the

woman who was about to give birth, so that he might devour her child the moment it was born.” vv.3-4


““Then another sign appeared in heaven: an Then another sign appeared in heaven: an enormous red dragon with seven heads and ten horns and enormous red dragon with seven heads and ten horns and

seven crowns on his heads. His tail swept a third of the seven crowns on his heads. His tail swept a third of the stars out of the sky and flung them to the earth. The stars out of the sky and flung them to the earth. The

dragon stood in front of the woman who was about to give dragon stood in front of the woman who was about to give birth, so that he might devour her child the moment it was birth, so that he might devour her child the moment it was

born.” vv.3-4born.” vv.3-4

Who is the dragon a sign of?Who is the dragon a sign of?

SatanSatan

In the Old Testament dragons In the Old Testament dragons [Leviathan & Behemoth] [Leviathan & Behemoth]

represented chaos and evil.represented chaos and evil.


“ “Then another sign appeared in heaven: an Then another sign appeared in heaven: an enormous red dragon with seven heads and ten horns enormous red dragon with seven heads and ten horns

and seven crowns on his heads. His tail swept a third of the and seven crowns on his heads. His tail swept a third of the stars out of the sky and flung them to the earth. The stars out of the sky and flung them to the earth. The

dragon stood in front of the woman who was about to give dragon stood in front of the woman who was about to give birth, so that he might devour her child the moment it was birth, so that he might devour her child the moment it was

born.” vv.3-4born.” vv.3-4

And for those of Greek And for those of Greek background this story would background this story would

remind them of the Greek Myth remind them of the Greek Myth about the birth of Apollo.about the birth of Apollo.


Near John’s island prison is the island of Delos where Leto fled to escape the dragon Python

who wanted to kill the newborn son of Zeus.

Instead of being killed, Apollo returns to Delphi and kills the

dragon.

Eugene Boring, Revelation, p. 151


It’s the same story that George Lucas tells in the movies “Star

Wars.”The dark side of the Force seeks

to eradicate the Light side.

The gospel story always competes with other “stories”


Who is the dragon?

Genesis 3:15:

“And I will put enmity [war] between you and the woman, and between

your offspring and hers; he will crush your head,

and you will strike his heal.”


And that brings us to “her offspring.”

Rev. 12:5: “She gave birth to a son, a male child, who will rule

all the nations with an iron scepter. And her child was

snatched up to God and to his throne.”


““She gave birth to a son, a male child, who She gave birth to a son, a male child, who will rule all the nations with an iron will rule all the nations with an iron

scepter. And her child was snatched up to scepter. And her child was snatched up to God and to his throne.” Rev. 12:5God and to his throne.” Rev. 12:5

Notice that the woman was a Notice that the woman was a sign or symbol of something sign or symbol of something

else. The dragon was a sign of else. The dragon was a sign of something else.something else.

But the son is not a sign. But the son is not a sign. He is the reality.He is the reality.


““She gave birth to a son, a male child, She gave birth to a son, a male child, who who will rule all the nations with an iron will rule all the nations with an iron

scepterscepter. And her child was snatched up to . And her child was snatched up to God and to his throne.” Rev. 12:5God and to his throne.” Rev. 12:5

From Psalm 2, a Messianic From Psalm 2, a Messianic Psalm, most quoted passage of Psalm, most quoted passage of

the OT:the OT:

””You will rule them with an iron scepter” Psalm 2:9


““She gave birth to a son, a male child, She gave birth to a son, a male child, who who will rule all the nations with an iron will rule all the nations with an iron

scepterscepter. And her child was snatched up to . And her child was snatched up to God and to his throne.” Rev. 12:5God and to his throne.” Rev. 12:5

““Rod of Iron”Rod of Iron”

= shepherd’s rod = shepherd’s rod

[Ps.23:4 “Your rod and your [Ps.23:4 “Your rod and your staff they comfort me.”]staff they comfort me.”]

“ “Rule” = shepherdRule” = shepherd


““She gave birth to a son, a male child, who She gave birth to a son, a male child, who will rule all the nations with an iron scepter. will rule all the nations with an iron scepter. And her child was snatched up to God and to And her child was snatched up to God and to

his throne.” Rev. 12:5his throne.” Rev. 12:5

When did what John saw in When did what John saw in Revelation 12 happen?Revelation 12 happen?

It took place when Jesus was born; It took place when Jesus was born;

it takes place today; it takes place today;

it will take place until Jesus returns.it will take place until Jesus returns.


““She gave birth to a son, a male child, who She gave birth to a son, a male child, who will rule all the nations with an iron will rule all the nations with an iron

scepter. And her child was snatched up to scepter. And her child was snatched up to God and to his throne.” Rev. 12:5God and to his throne.” Rev. 12:5

This is an other version of the This is an other version of the Christmas story.Christmas story.

Matthew 2:16-18: Matthew 2:16-18: King Herod ordering all the boys King Herod ordering all the boys

2 and under to be killed2 and under to be killed


““She gave birth to a son, a male child, who She gave birth to a son, a male child, who will rule all the nations with an iron scepter. will rule all the nations with an iron scepter. And her child was snatched up to God and to And her child was snatched up to God and to

his throne.his throne.” Rev. 12:5” Rev. 12:5

Why born and then snatched up to Why born and then snatched up to God and to his throne?God and to his throne?

Jesus’ reply to Pilate’s implied Jesus’ reply to Pilate’s implied question “You are a king then!” question “You are a king then!”

"You are right in saying I am a king. In fact, for this reason I was born,

…” John 18:37


Christmas Carol “Joy to the World”:

“Joy to the World , the Lord is come!

Let earth receive her King;”


Satan is defeated in heaven by Satan is defeated in heaven by what Jesus did on earth.what Jesus did on earth.

Revelation 12 repeats 5 times, that Satan is “hurled down.”


“The great dragon was hurled down—that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world

astray. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him. 10Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say: "Now have come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Christ. For the accuser of our brothers, who accuses them before our God day and

night, has been hurled down. 11They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony;

they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death. 12Therefore rejoice, you heavens and you who

dwell in them! But woe to the earth and the sea, because the devil has gone down to you! He is filled with fury,

because he knows that his time is short." 13When the dragon saw that he had been hurled to the earth, …”


But if Satan is thrown down and defeated, why are things still so

bad?

It is because as John writes in verse 12, Satan knows that “he

has only a short time.”


“The devil believes the New Testament proclamation that Jesus Christ is coming and that time is short. The devil believes better than most Christians! That is why he is so active; he is going to get as much

dirty work done as he can. If we really believed that Jesus is coming and can

break through in all his glory any time, would we not also be more eager to do the

work of the kingdom? The dragon is a better student of the gospel than the

church.”

Darrell Johnson, Discipleship on the Edge, pp, 224-225


Satan is ticked!

He is defeated but hasn’t surrendered.

He wants to take down as many as possible.


“The suffering of the church in the world is not a sign of Satan’s

victory. It is a sign of his realization of

defeat.”

Darrell Johnson, Discipleship on the Edge, pp, 225


Revelation 12, the theological centre of the

book of Revelation, proclaims the truth that there is

a cosmic battle going on, a battle between the kingdom of

Light and the kingdom of Darkness.


Satan goes after the woman [12:13],

after the people of God [12:17],& after the woman’s offspring

[12:17], who “keep the commandments of God and hold

to the testimony of Jesus.”


Satan goes after Satan goes after

God’s people in 3 ways:God’s people in 3 ways:1.As Accuser Vs. 10: “For the accuser of our brothers, who accuses them before our God day and night, …” - Satan [Hebrew] = accuser - reminding us of our quilt - “you don’t deserve God’s love”


Satan goes after Satan goes after God’s people in 3 ways:God’s people in 3 ways:

2.As Deceiver Vs. 9: “that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray.” - John 8:44 Jesus called him the “father of all lies.” - he deceives people about himself and about ourselves. - “you can’t resist me and my temptations”


Satan goes after Satan goes after God’s people in 3 ways:God’s people in 3 ways:

3.As Killer Vs. 3: “an enormous red dragon…. The dragon stood in front of the woman who was about to give birth, so that he might devour her child the moment it was born..” - Hebrews 2:14-15: ”Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil— and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death.”


Gerhard Krodel: “The flood of water, spit out by

the dragon, is the counter-image to ‘the river of water of life’ that flows from the throne of God and from the Lamb through the city

of God…”

Krodel, Revelation, p. 245


How do God’s people stand against Satan and his torrent of

accusations, lies and threats?

Rev. 12:11:“They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from

death.”


“They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to

shrink from death.” Rev. 12:11

1. We overcome the Accuser - by the blood of the Lamb - yes, we are sinners not deserving God’s love - but Jesus’ blood cleanses us


“They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death.” Rev. 12:11

2. We overcome the Deceiver - by the word of their testimony - “we overcome by seeking with our whole being to know the truth, to speak the truth, to walk in the truth.” Johnson, p.227

- John 8:32: “You shall know the truth and the truth will set you free.”


“They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from

death.” Rev. 12:11

3. We overcome the Threats - by knowing our lives are in God’s hands - by trusting that death is no longer the

victor, but that Jesus has won the victory over the grave

- So we can say to Satan, kill me if you want but that makes me a winner because I will be with Jesus.


Look! Be awake to the fact that a defeated but still strong

dragon is thrown down from heaven.

You can overcome him, by the blood of the Lamb,

by the power of truth, and by not being afraid to lose

your life.


Martin Luther:

“And though this world with devils filled,Should threaten to undo us,

We will not fear, for God hath willedHis Truth to triumph through us.

The prince of darkness grim,We tremble not for him – His rage we can endure,For lo, his doom is sure:

One little word will fell him.”

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