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WAR OVER THE MAN CHILD I. COMPLIMENTARY TEXTS 1. Malachi 4:1-6 - The Sun of Righteousness will appear with healing in His wings. 2. Daniel 12:1-13 - Those who are wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament. 3. Ezekiel 11:13-20 - God promised to gather His scattered people to Jerusalem and to give them a new spirit. 4. Job 2:1-5 - Satan always seeks to destroy God's faithful people. 5. Psalms 2:1-12 - God gives his Son the nations for His inheritance; He shall rule them with a rod of iron. II. MAIN THEME: Revelation 12 - The glorious woman gives birth to a man Child
who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron. Satan
attempts to devour the Child, who is caught up to heaven. There is war in heaven and Satan and his angels are cast down to the earth where they persecute the
woman, and then turn to persecute Christians. 1. Textual Discussion of Revelation 12 and related passages from Revelation. 1). The woman clothed with the sun and with a garland of twelve stars - verses 1-2. a. The sun is a symbol of God's blessings and power - Rev 1:16; 10:1. b. Twelve is a number showing Godly design; twelve tribes, twelve apostles, twelve gates. c. She cried out in labor to give birth to the promised seed of David - Rev 5:5. 2). The great dragon attempts to devour the Child - verses 3-4. a. The dragon is Satan - verse 9; 20:2. b. He drew a third of the stars of heaven and threw them to the earth - Rev 8:10; 9:1. 3). The woman bore a male Child who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron - verses 5-6. a. Jesus is that male Child - Rev 3:26-27; 19:15. b. God's promise to David is fulfilled - Rev 5:5. . The woman fled into the wilderness and was protected for 3 1/2 years - Rev 11:2, 3, 11; 12:14. 4). There is war in heaven, and Satan is cast down to the earth - verses 7-10. a. His angels were cast out with him - verse 9 b. He had accused the brethren before God day and night - verse 10. 5). The brethren overcame Satan by the blood of the lamb - verses 10-11. a. Now salvation, strength, the kingdom, and the power of Christ have come - verse 10; 1:6, 9. b. The brethren overcame Satan by the blood of the Lamb, and the word of their testimony - verse 11; 5:9-10; 7:14; 11:3-7 c. They were willing to die for their faith in Jesus - verse 11; 2:7, 11, 17, 25-28; 3:5, 12, 21; 11:7. 6). Satan is enraged because he has been cast down to the earth - verses 12-17. a. First he persecuted the woman who gave birth to the male Child - verse 13. b. But the woman is protected in the wilderness for a time, times, and half a time - verse 14. (See Rev. 11:3, 9, 11; 12:6, 14; 13:5) 14; 13:5) c. He makes war on the rest of the woman's offspring (Christians) - verse 17; 13:7; 17:6, 14. 2. Related Topics: 1). Who is the woman who gives birth to the man Child? The remnant of Israel preserved by God. a. The promise to Eve - Genesis 3:15. b. The promise to Abraham - Genesis 12:1-3; 17:19; 18:18; 22:18; 26:4; 28:14. c. The promise to David - 1 Chronicles 17:11; Psalms 89:4, 29, 36. d. The promise of a remnant to be preserved - Mic 7:18-20; Joel 2:32-3:21; Jeremiah 31; Isaiah 7:14; 9:1-7; 10:20-23; Ezekiel 5:1-4; 6:8-10; 11:13-20; 20:33-44.; Mal 2:10. 2). Jesus is the man Child who is to rule all nations with a rod of iron - Psalms 2:1-12; Revelation 2:26-27; 5:5; 19:11-21; 1 Corinthians 15:24-25; Isaiah 9:6-7. 3). Satan is the accuser of the brethren who tried to destroy Jesus - John 8:44. a. He accused Job openly before God - Job 1:8-11; 2:1-5. b. He sought to destroy the Child Jesus - Matthew 2:16-19. c. He tempted Jesus following His baptism - Matthew 4:1-11; Luke 4:1-13. 4). Satan lost his exalted position when Jesus began His ministry: a. The evil spirits were cast out by Jesus' disciples - Luke 10:17-18. b. Satan was cast down to the earth - Revelation 12:9; 20:1-3; Ezekiel 28:12-17; Jude 6; 2 Pet 2:4. 5). What is the persecution of the woman and her protection in the wilderness for 1260 days? a. Jesus' promise concerning the destruction of Jerusalem and the persecution of Jews was fulfilled in AD 70 – Matt 23:37-39; 24:14-22; Luke 13:34-35; 21:20-24; 23:28-31; Romans 9:25-33. b. Time, times, and half a time: in the middle of the week he shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering. And on the wing of abominations shall be one who makes desolate, even until the consummation, which is determined, is poured out on the desolate - Daniel 9:26-27; 8:13-14; 12:7-13. (see appendix) 6). After the woman flies into the wilderness, Satan turns to persecution of the rest of the woman's offspring. a. The first offspring is Jesus Christ - Revelations 5:5; 12:2; Isaiah 7:14; 9:6-7; 11:1-10. b. The rest of her offspring are Christians - Revelations 12:17; Galatians 4:26-31; Romans 9:6-8. c. Christians keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ - Revelation 1:3; John 14:21; 15:10-14; 1 Corinthians 7:19; 1 John 3:22-24; Ephesians 3:8-12; Colossians 1:24-29. III. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS 1. This vision of chapter 12 helps us to understand how Satan is opposed to God's purpose of salvation through Jesus Christ, and is a warning to us to be on our guard against Satan's opposition. Just as Satan opposed the life and service of Jesus, he is opposed to the spread of the gospel. He will always work to try to distort the saving message of the gospel. 1 Peter 5:8; 2 Corinthians 2:10-11; 11:14; Ephesians 4:14; Galatians 1:6-9; Matthew 10:16. 2. We need to understand the important role that God gave Israel in bringing Jesus Christ into the world without getting caught up in wild ideas about the role of fleshly Israel in the spiritual kingdom of God today. The scriptures plainly teach that both Jew and Gentile are members of God's family through faith in Jesus Christ, and that the wall between Jew and Gentile has been removed in Christ. Ephesians 2:8-22; Galatians 2:14-21; 3:6-29; 4:22-31. 3.
Remember that the focus of Revelation is on a spiritual battle, not a
physical battle. Even though physical
persecution may take place, our spiritual victory is assured, and God will
preserve His people. Revelation
19:11-16; Romans 8:28-39; Ephesians 6:12; 2 Corinthians 10:3-5. 4. Do not try to give a date to anything using 1260 days and a day for a year. Many people have fallen into the trap of giving a date to events using a system that obviously is symbolic. 1/2 week means the time for God to accomplish His purpose of allowing Satan to do his work of desolation and ending the dominant role of fleshly Israel. The struggle between the church and Satan will continue until the end. Revelation 20:7-10; 1 Cor 15:24-26. 5. Remember that God is able to do all things according to His plan and purpose - Revelation 2:26-28; 7:9-17; 19:11-21; 21:2-8; Ephesians 1:17-23; 2:1-10; 4:12-16; 6:10-17. IV. MEMORY VERSE - REVELATION 12:5 |