THINGS WHICH MUST SHORTLY COME TO PASS A STUDY OF REVELATION PART 18 As we come to Chapter 12 of Revelation, we meet the main actors in the entire book. We see the battle of the ages where good and evil vie for supremacy. We are spectators watching the conflict which began in eternity past playing itself out. I. CHAPTER 12 IS A CHAPTER OF GREAT THINGS A. A great woman (12:1) B. A great dragon (12:9) C. Great wrath (12:12) D. A great eagle (12:14) II. THE BOOK OF REVELATION DEPICTS FOUR WOMEN A. Jezebel Chapter 2 Representative of false religion B. The sun clothed woman Chapter 12 Represents Israel C. The great prostitute Chapter 17 Represents the apostate church D. The Bride of the Lamb Chapter 19 Represents the true church III. THE FIRST OF TWO WONDERS OF REVELATION 12 IS SEEN (REVELATION 12:1, 2) A. Note who she is not: 1. Mary the mother of Jesus Verse 6 places here in the last half of the Tribulation. 2. The Church The Church did not give birth to Christ but Christ gave birth to the Church. 3. Mary Baker Glover Patterson Eddie The male child she supposedly bore was Christian Science. Her movement was neither Christian nor scientific. B. Note who she is (12:1, 2): 1. According to Genesis 37:9-11, the woman clothed with the sun and moon represents Jacob and Rachel. 2. The stars represent the 12 patriarchs of Israel. 3. Paul enlarged on this truth in Romans 9:5: Whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen. C. Note what she did (12:2): 1. For centuries, Israel looked for her Messiah. 2. Israel has travailed through history looking for her Messiah. 3. Israel was a nation in travail at the birth of Christ.
a. Israel was a captive nation to the Romans. b. Israel had to submit to Roman leaders. c. Israel had to pay Roman taxes. d. Israel had to obey Roman laws. 4. The Child she brought forth namely Jesus was to rule the nations with a rod of iron. (Revelation 12:5) IV. THE SECOND OF TWO WONDERS OF REVELATION 12 IS SEEN (REVELATION 12:3) A. The description of this wonder is given. (12:3) 1. A great red dragon. (12:3) a. The dragon is the Devil. (Revelation 12:9) b. The symbolic language describes the reality of the person of Satan. c. Red is the picture of blood which stresses his deadly nature. (John 8:44) d. Red is a fitting color since he attacks both the woman and her child. (12:4) 2. Seven heads and ten horns and seven crowns (12:3) a. According to Daniel 7:7, 8, 24, and Revelation 13 and 17, this refers to world empires over which Satan controlled historically, or will control during the Tribulation. b. The ten horns represent the feet of Daniel s image, which are the final federated nations who eventually give their power to the Anti-Christ. c. The shifting of the crowns from the head (12:3) to the horns (13:1) reveals a shift in world power during the Tribulation. d. We will further identify these when we arrive at Revelation 13 and 17. B. A further description of this wonder is given. (12:4) 1. Most believe this is a reference to the original fall of Satan. 2. Satan did not go quietly from Heaven. 3. Satan took one in three angels with him. 4. These fallen demons are skilled in administration. 5. These fallen angels are fired with enthusiasm. 6. These fallen angels are movers and shakers in this world. 7. These fallen angels have what it takes to control the world behind the scenes. C. The desire of the Devil is given. (12:4) 1. His desire has been to destroy Jesus Christ from the Beginning. 2. He was present to try to destroy Christ at His birth. (12:4) a. His birth stirred the hatred of Herod. b. All male children were to be killed. (Matthew 2:16) 3. Satan influenced Peter, hoping to get Christ to bypass the Cross. (Matthew 16:23)
4. Christ was challenged to come down from the Cross. (Matthew 27:42, 43) V. WHAT ISRAEL PRODUCED (REVELATION 12:5) A. Through Israel, the Messiah was born. (Galatians 4:4: But when the fullness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of woman made under the law. ) B. After Jesus had finished His passion, He was caught up into Heaven. (12:5) 1. These are words of triumph. 2. The Holy Spirit is letting us know that God was successful in the giving of His Only Begotten Son from the cradle to the Throne. (12:5) 3. Jesus will rule the world with a rod of iron. (12:5) a. Notice Jesus will not rule the nations with love. b. The world continues to live in rebellion against God. c. All rebellion will be crushed by the God of Love. d. Today, the Love of God is manifested at Calvary, but in the Tribulation the world will experience the wrath of the Lamb. (Revelation 6:16: And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb: ) 4. The Dragon failed; Jesus was enthroned in Heaven. (12:5) VI. THE MIDPOINT OF THE TRIBULATION IS SEEN (REVELATION 12:6) A. Jesus predicted this day When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand;) Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains: (Matthew 24:15, 16) B. The White Horse Rider now breaks his agreement with Israel. (6:2) C. We are in the midst of the seventieth week of Daniel. (Daniel 9:27) D. Many believe the Jews will flee to Petra, about 80 miles south of Jerusalem. 1. Petra is called the Rose Red City. 2. The city has been long deserted and has only one entrance, about one mile long at the end of a one-thousand-foot-deep gorge. 3. The city was built by the Edomites around 500 BC. 4. The Edomites carved temples, houses, and businesses directly out of the rock face. E. Israel will flee into the wilderness, A thousand two hundred and threescore days. (Three and one-half years.) (Revelation 12:6)
VII. ISRAEL GOES OUT AND THE DEVIL IS FLUNG DOWN (REVELATION 12:7-9) A. As soon as Israel flees, a great war begins in Heaven. (12:7) B. Two forces are seen fighting: 1. Michael and the Angels which did not fall. (12:7) a. Michael is called a chief prince. (Daniel 10:13) b. Michael is also called The great price (Daniel 12:1) c. The name Michael means Who is like God? d. Michael seems to be a special guardian of Israel. e. Michael contended with the Devil about the body of Moses. (Jude 9) 2. The Devil and the fallen Angels fight against Michael and the holy angels. (12:7) C. Up until this time the Devil had limited access to the throne of God 1. Satan is the accuser of the brethren. (Revelation 12:10) 2. Satan falsely accused Job before the throne of God. (Job 1) 3. Satan is seen in Zechariah accusing God s people. (Zechariah 3:1: And he shewed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the LORD, and Satan standing at his right hand to resist him. ) 4. In Revelation 12:7-9, when the smoke clears from the Heavenly battlefield, Satan is permanently excused from Heaven. D. Satan is a looser Why would anyone want to follow such a loser? 1. Satan and one-third of the angels was cast out of Heaven. (12:4) a. Isaiah 14:12-14 describes the fall of Satan. b. Ezekiel 28: 11-18 also describes the fall of Satan. 2. Satan is permanently expelled from Heaven. (12:7-9) 3. Satan will be cast into the bottomless pit. (20:3) 4. Satan will eventually be cast into the Lake of Fire forever. (20:10) E. The fourfold description of Satan is given. (12:9) 1. He is called that old serpent. (12:9) a. This name takes us back to the beginning of creation. (Genesis 3:1) b. This name identifies his as subtle and treacherous. 2. He is called the devil. (12:9) a. The word means slanderer or false accuser. b. The devil constantly tries to falsely accuse the brethren before the throne of Grace. 3. He is called Satan. (12:9) a. Satan is a Hebrew word which means adversary. b. At the beginning, Satan assaulted God in the dawn of creation. c. Satan is an opponent of God s people. 4. He is a deceiver. (12:9)
a. The tense of the word teaches us that he is a habitual, continual Deceiver. b. He seduces people to believe his lie instead of God s Truth. c. Through this deceiver, he provides seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils. (I Timothy 4:1) d. The whole world lies in his lap. (I John 5:19) F. Two truths about this deceiver, Satan: 1. He is anti-christ He hates the Lord Jesus Christ. 2. He is anti-semitic He hates the Jews Satan has caused suffering for the Jews under: a. Pharaoh b. Nebuchadnezzar c. Alexander the Great d. Nero e. The Ottoman Empire f. Russia g. Arab nations h. Hitler G. In an issue of Harpers Magazine, a Muslim mother shared her appreciation for her son who blew himself up and killed 10 Jews. 1. She stated, Because I love my son, I encouraged him to die a martyr s death for the sake of Allah. 2. She further stated, I sacrificed Mohammad (her son s name) as a part of my obligation. VIII. IT S SHOUTING TIME IN GLORY (REVELATION 12:10) A. It is obvious they rejoice because Satan has been barred from Heaven. 1. For years, Satan has been pointing his accusing finger at the people of God. 2. There will be no more finger-pointing, because for him the door has been barred and bolted God has slammed the door in his evil face. B. It is obvious they rejoice because they know that the coming of King Jesus is near. (12:10)