Christmas in Revelation - Revelation 12:1-17
I. Signs in heaven: Vs.1: And a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars. Vs. 2: She was pregnant and was crying out in birth pains and the agony of giving birth. Vs. 3: And another sign appeared in heaven: behold, a great red dragon, with seven heads and ten horns, and on his heads seven diadems.
II. The Dragon and the Woman at Work: Vs. 4: His tail swept down a third of the stars of heaven and cast them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman who was about to give birth, so that when she bore her child he might devour it. Vs. 5: She gave birth to a male child, one who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron, but her child was caught up to God and to his throne, Vs. 6: and the woman fled into the wilderness, where she has a place prepared by God, in which she is to be nourished for 1,260 days.
III. The Cosmic War: Vs. 7: Now war arose in heaven, Michael and his angels fighting against the dragon. And the dragon and his angels fought back, Vs. 8: but he was defeated, and there was no longer any place for them in heaven. Vs. 9: And the great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world--he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him.
IV. Victorious proclamation: Vs. 10: And I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, "Now the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ have come, for the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God. Vs. 11 And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death. Vs. 12: Therefore, rejoice, O heavens and you who dwell in them! But woe to you, O earth and sea, for the devil has come down to you in great wrath, because he knows that his time is short!"
V. Deliverance of the Woman: Vs. 13: And when the dragon saw that he had been thrown down to the earth, he pursued the woman who had given birth to the male child. Vs. 14: But the woman was given the two wings of the great eagle so that she might fly from the serpent into the wilderness, to the place where she is to be nourished for a time, and times, and half a time. Vs. 15: The serpent poured water like a river out of his mouth after the woman, to sweep her away with a flood. Vs. 16: But the earth came to the help of the woman, and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed the river that the dragon had poured from his mouth.
VI. Persecution of the Woman’s offspring: Vs. 17: Then the dragon became furious with the woman and went off to make war on the rest of her offspring, on those who keep the commandments of God and hold to the testimony of Jesus. And he stood on the sand of the sea.
This vision begins in heaven. There is a naked pregnant woman, in the crisis of child birth, clothed by the sun and crowned with twelve stars and with the moon at her feet. Into this heavenly delivery room comes a red dragon with seven heads crowned with jewels and having ten horns. Red in scriptures is related to sin, war, and destruction (Isa 63:2; Zec 1:8; Rev 6:4). The purpose of the dragon is to devour the male child when He is born. In a sweeping motion of his tail the dragon empties the heavens of one-third of their stars and they fall to the earth. This is to show the greatness of the dragon.
Who is the woman? M. Eugene Boring says: "The woman is not Mary, or Israel, nor the church but less and more than all of these. John's imagery pulls together elements from the pagan myth of the queen of heaven; from the Genesis story of Eve, mother of all living, whose 'seed' shall bruise the head of the primeval serpent (Gen 3:1-16); from Israel who escapes from the dragon/Pharaoh into the wilderness on wings of an eagle (Exod. 19:4, cf. Ps 74:12-15); and Zion, 'mother' of the People of God through the ages, Israel and the church" (Commentary on Revelation; p. 152).
God inspires John to combine images from both the Old Testament and pagan myths to portray a universal Savior who will deliver the world from the devil’s power. God was working in History to bring about His Messianic Kingdom by the birth of this chosen male child. The promises of God would all find their “YES” in Jesus of Nazareth.
The dragon is identified as the devil, Satan, and the deceiver of the nations. These names mean that he is prone to slander, blaspheme and the one who opposes God, and strives to lead the nations of the earth astray. He is the revolutionary leader against the kingdom of God.
The male child that is born is the promised and prophesied Davidic Messianic heir who will bring God’s kingdom to the earth and rule with a “rod of iron” over all the nations (Psalm 2). This promised “seed of the woman” was predicted to come and crush the dragon’s head even as He is wounded in the conflict (Gen 3:15). This child is the chosen one of God who has been destined to take the curse from God’s creation which came with the first Adam joining the dragon in his rebellion against God.
The devil attempted to “devour” Messiah Jesus by having Herod kill the babies in Bethlehem at his birth, tempt Him in the wilderness, resisting Him by possessing multitudes in Israel during His first advent, and finally by inspiring the people to crucify Him. However, God used this blood sacrifice to actually defeat the devil and create a group of faithful witnessing martyrs to God’s kingdom. The death of Jesus the Messiah and His resurrection were the greatest defeat of the devil (John 12:31; 14:30; 16:11; Colossians 2:15; Hebrews 2:14). With the ascension of Messiah Jesus, the sins of God’s people had been paid for and the legal justification for the establishment of the kingdom of God had been laid.
The result of this victory Messiah is exalted from earth to heaven and the heavenly dragon is banned from heaven and quarantined to the earth. Michael, one of the chief angelic princes who is connected to the nation of Israel, led the heavenly charge in banning Satan from heaven and ending his accusations against God’s people armed with the blood of the lamb and the faith of the apostolic Church (Dan 10:13; 10:21; 12:1; Jud 1:9). The heavenly woman has also become incarnated upon the earth and represents some faithful remnant which suffers persecution by Satan who brings the war of the heavens to the earth. This action is one of desperation because the devil knows that the final day of reckoning is now approaching.
The two message of Revelation are clearly seen here. First, God is victorious in the Messiah Jesus and salvation has come through Him. Second, the disciples of Messiah Jesus will suffer persecution, but will ultimately be saved. The purpose of the book seems to be for “strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying that through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God.” Act 14:22
This Christmas let us remember that Jesus the Messiah coming was a vital part God’s work of redemption and bringing His kingdom to the earth. Christmas has guaranteed Easter. God has made His move and checkmated the dragon through the birth of His Son. May this faith give us joy this
Christmas.
I. Signs in heaven: Vs.1: And a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars. Vs. 2: She was pregnant and was crying out in birth pains and the agony of giving birth. Vs. 3: And another sign appeared in heaven: behold, a great red dragon, with seven heads and ten horns, and on his heads seven diadems.
II. The Dragon and the Woman at Work: Vs. 4: His tail swept down a third of the stars of heaven and cast them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman who was about to give birth, so that when she bore her child he might devour it. Vs. 5: She gave birth to a male child, one who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron, but her child was caught up to God and to his throne, Vs. 6: and the woman fled into the wilderness, where she has a place prepared by God, in which she is to be nourished for 1,260 days.
III. The Cosmic War: Vs. 7: Now war arose in heaven, Michael and his angels fighting against the dragon. And the dragon and his angels fought back, Vs. 8: but he was defeated, and there was no longer any place for them in heaven. Vs. 9: And the great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world--he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him.
IV. Victorious proclamation: Vs. 10: And I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, "Now the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ have come, for the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God. Vs. 11 And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death. Vs. 12: Therefore, rejoice, O heavens and you who dwell in them! But woe to you, O earth and sea, for the devil has come down to you in great wrath, because he knows that his time is short!"
V. Deliverance of the Woman: Vs. 13: And when the dragon saw that he had been thrown down to the earth, he pursued the woman who had given birth to the male child. Vs. 14: But the woman was given the two wings of the great eagle so that she might fly from the serpent into the wilderness, to the place where she is to be nourished for a time, and times, and half a time. Vs. 15: The serpent poured water like a river out of his mouth after the woman, to sweep her away with a flood. Vs. 16: But the earth came to the help of the woman, and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed the river that the dragon had poured from his mouth.
VI. Persecution of the Woman’s offspring: Vs. 17: Then the dragon became furious with the woman and went off to make war on the rest of her offspring, on those who keep the commandments of God and hold to the testimony of Jesus. And he stood on the sand of the sea.
This vision begins in heaven. There is a naked pregnant woman, in the crisis of child birth, clothed by the sun and crowned with twelve stars and with the moon at her feet. Into this heavenly delivery room comes a red dragon with seven heads crowned with jewels and having ten horns. Red in scriptures is related to sin, war, and destruction (Isa 63:2; Zec 1:8; Rev 6:4). The purpose of the dragon is to devour the male child when He is born. In a sweeping motion of his tail the dragon empties the heavens of one-third of their stars and they fall to the earth. This is to show the greatness of the dragon.
Who is the woman? M. Eugene Boring says: "The woman is not Mary, or Israel, nor the church but less and more than all of these. John's imagery pulls together elements from the pagan myth of the queen of heaven; from the Genesis story of Eve, mother of all living, whose 'seed' shall bruise the head of the primeval serpent (Gen 3:1-16); from Israel who escapes from the dragon/Pharaoh into the wilderness on wings of an eagle (Exod. 19:4, cf. Ps 74:12-15); and Zion, 'mother' of the People of God through the ages, Israel and the church" (Commentary on Revelation; p. 152).
God inspires John to combine images from both the Old Testament and pagan myths to portray a universal Savior who will deliver the world from the devil’s power. God was working in History to bring about His Messianic Kingdom by the birth of this chosen male child. The promises of God would all find their “YES” in Jesus of Nazareth.
The dragon is identified as the devil, Satan, and the deceiver of the nations. These names mean that he is prone to slander, blaspheme and the one who opposes God, and strives to lead the nations of the earth astray. He is the revolutionary leader against the kingdom of God.
The male child that is born is the promised and prophesied Davidic Messianic heir who will bring God’s kingdom to the earth and rule with a “rod of iron” over all the nations (Psalm 2). This promised “seed of the woman” was predicted to come and crush the dragon’s head even as He is wounded in the conflict (Gen 3:15). This child is the chosen one of God who has been destined to take the curse from God’s creation which came with the first Adam joining the dragon in his rebellion against God.
The devil attempted to “devour” Messiah Jesus by having Herod kill the babies in Bethlehem at his birth, tempt Him in the wilderness, resisting Him by possessing multitudes in Israel during His first advent, and finally by inspiring the people to crucify Him. However, God used this blood sacrifice to actually defeat the devil and create a group of faithful witnessing martyrs to God’s kingdom. The death of Jesus the Messiah and His resurrection were the greatest defeat of the devil (John 12:31; 14:30; 16:11; Colossians 2:15; Hebrews 2:14). With the ascension of Messiah Jesus, the sins of God’s people had been paid for and the legal justification for the establishment of the kingdom of God had been laid.
The result of this victory Messiah is exalted from earth to heaven and the heavenly dragon is banned from heaven and quarantined to the earth. Michael, one of the chief angelic princes who is connected to the nation of Israel, led the heavenly charge in banning Satan from heaven and ending his accusations against God’s people armed with the blood of the lamb and the faith of the apostolic Church (Dan 10:13; 10:21; 12:1; Jud 1:9). The heavenly woman has also become incarnated upon the earth and represents some faithful remnant which suffers persecution by Satan who brings the war of the heavens to the earth. This action is one of desperation because the devil knows that the final day of reckoning is now approaching.
The two message of Revelation are clearly seen here. First, God is victorious in the Messiah Jesus and salvation has come through Him. Second, the disciples of Messiah Jesus will suffer persecution, but will ultimately be saved. The purpose of the book seems to be for “strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying that through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God.” Act 14:22
This Christmas let us remember that Jesus the Messiah coming was a vital part God’s work of redemption and bringing His kingdom to the earth. Christmas has guaranteed Easter. God has made His move and checkmated the dragon through the birth of His Son. May this faith give us joy this
Christmas.
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