Revelation Chapter Twelve Part III

 

Revelation 12:10 And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.

This passage reflects Rev 11:16-18 and we see a later reflection in Rev 19:1-7. There are many passages in the Scriptures that tell us that the Lord God Almighty is the Ruler of all kings and kingdoms and that ultimately, a time is coming, but has not yet arrived, where all people and nations and kingdoms will acknowledge God’s sovereignty. For now, though, God allows evil to continue, and gives us a choice whether to follow Him or to follow evil.

When Yahweh was giving instructions to Israel about the time they would cross over Jordan and claim the Promised Land (Deut 27:1), he commanded, “So it shall be on the day when you cross the Jordan to the land which the LORD your God gives you, that you shall set up for yourself large stones and coat them with lime and write on them all the words of this law, when you cross over, so that you may enter the land which the LORD your God gives you, a land flowing with milk and honey, as the LORD, the God of your fathers, promised you” (Deut 27:2-3 NASB).

God had the Israelites write the words of the Law on those stones and put them on Mount Ebal. Mount Ebal is just north of ancient Shechem (modern Nablus). The city of Shechem existed (as does Nablus today) in the valley between Mount Ebal to the north, and Mount Gerazim to the south. Israel was to pass through these mountains as they entered the land.

God split the tribes into halves and one half stood on Mt. Ebal, and called out all the curses that would occur if Israel did not obey the laws on Mt. Ebal. The other half stood on Mt. Gerazim and call out all the blessings for following the law. The curses and blessings are listed in Deuteronomy Chapter 28. God then said to the Israelites, “I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse. So choose life in order that you may live, you and your descendants.” (Deut 30:19 NASB)

God extends that offer to all, that if we will obey the Lord God, we will have life, but if we choose to disobey the Lord, the result will be death. Unfortunately, we humans have decided to disobey God, that is to sin, and the curse of death is upon us without the blood of Christ covering our sins.

So the kingdoms of this world have flourished in spite of our sin because God gave us a choice. And though humans chose wrongly, God has allowed us to have our choice. That choice is whether or not to trust Christ as our Savior or to deny him. We will live out our lives on earth, and will either die in our sins at our physical death if we deny Him, or live forever with Christ at our death if we trust Him, depending upon our choice.

Kingdoms survived in spite of sinfulness and still flourish today just as sinfully. Yet as the verse we are studying states, there is coming a day when salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ will come (Rev 12:10); the kingdom of the world will become the kingdom of our Lord (Rev 11:15); and then we will rejoice, “Hallelujah! For the Lord our God, the Almighty, reigns” (Rev 19:6).

This will be a great and happy occasion. Satan will no longer be in heaven to accuse believers. Even when he did accuse them continually, they were able to overcome his accusations because their sins were covered by the shed blood of Jesus. But after this event Satan will never go before the LORD to accuse believers again.

This is the kingdom prophesied in Daniel 2:44, “And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever.” The kings Daniel refers to are the leaders of the final kingdoms of the world represented by iron mixed with miry clay in the feet and toes of Nebuchadnezzar’s giant statue. Read Daniel 2:31-45 for the complete history of this statue.

This is the final kingdom of the world, which is described in Daniel’s vision as a stone that “was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it brake in pieces the iron, the brass, the clay, the silver, and the gold.” These were the four empires of the world in Nebuchadnezzar’s dream. We will further discuss them in Chapter 13. The Scripture continues, “the great God hath made known to the king what shall come to pass hereafter: and the dream is certain, and the interpretation thereof sure” (Dan 2:45). It will happen as written. This echoes what John was told then he was taken to heaven in the spirit in Rev 1:1.

Revelation 12:11 And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.

Again, those of us who have put our faith and trust in Jesus and His shed blood, death, and resurrection have overcome death because of our faith in Jesus, the sacrificial lamb of God. But this also applies to overcoming tribulation, trouble, prison, anxiety, etc., which all believers will be able to do when put to the test. Along those lines, Jesus told us, “Be thou faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life” (Rev 2:10).

What is the word of our testimony? One could say it is our reputation. Our testimony is our witness. In fact the Greek word for testimony is very much like our English word martyr. It is μαρτυριας, martyrias. Our word, martyr, comes from the Greek word, μαρτυς, martus. It simply means a witness. In English, a Christian martyr is typically put under some sort of duress that he or she overcomes, usually by being “faithful until death” (Rev 12:11). Stephen, the Deacon (Act 6:5), was stoned for his testimony of Christ (Act 7:59). He is considered to be the first Christian martyr. His witness was for Christ even unto his own death. Our testimony is our witness, both verbally, and in our lifestyle.

The word of the testimony of Christians that are living through this time of tribulation will be the words they speak. What words will they utter? Jesus said that even under extreme duress, Christians are not to worry about what to say: “And when they bring you unto the synagogues, and unto magistrates, and powers, take ye no thought how or what thing ye shall answer, or what ye shall say: For the Holy Ghost shall teach you in the same hour what ye ought to say” (Luk 12:11-12).

Christians are to trust God to see them through any type of adversity. Jesus also told us, “Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do” (Luk 12:4). After the body is dead, the spirit goes directly to God and no creature of any sort, either in the flesh or in the spirit, that is no created thing or being, can harm us (Rom 8:28-39). We are to fear God, instead.

And they loved not their lives unto the death:

Scripture abounds with accounts of God protecting and comforting His own in trials and tribulations of any kind. David wrote, “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me” (Psa 23:4).

Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah (AKA Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego) told the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter. If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king. But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up” (Dan 3:16-18).

God sent Ravens to care for Elijah by the brook Cherith and protected him there from the wrath of Jezebel and Ahab (1 Kin 17:4).

When we read of the two witnesses of Revelation chapter eleven being killed we do not read that they experienced any suffering before their death (Rev 11:7). Yet, even if we do suffer before being killed, we can rejoice that we, too, are allowed to suffer as Christ did for us (Act 5:40-41; Php 1:29).

Moses chose to suffer for the sake of Christ, even though he could have claimed to be the son of Pharaoh’s daughter (Heb 11:25).

Paul and Silas suffered many stripes and then their feet were placed in stocks for preaching the Gospel. Even though they suffered caning and then were thrown into prison with no medical help. Obviously in pain in discomfort, they still sang the praises of God (Act 16:19-25).

Paul wrote, “For all those led by God’s Spirit are God’s sons. You did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear. Instead, you received the Spirit of adoption, by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father!” The Spirit himself testifies together with our spirit that we are God’s children, and if children, also heirs—heirs of God and coheirs with Christ—if indeed we suffer with him so that we may also be glorified with him. For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is going to be revealed to us” (Rom 8:14-18 CSB).

If we are indeed Christians saved by the blood of Christ, we do all suffer. Truly, some Christians suffer more than others, but we all suffer. We suffer when Christians in general are bashed, we suffer from bigotry of unbelievers, we suffer when we are restricted from social networking because of our faith, we suffer when governments prohibit us from gathering for worship, we suffer when unbelievers laugh at us or shun us because of our beliefs, we suffer when employers prevent us from speaking about our faith, we suffer when we are attacked for witnessing, we suffer when mistreated for witnessing, many Christians in the world are tortured and/or killed for their faith, etc. True Christians suffer with Christ.

Revelation 12:12 “Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time.”

This is the final of three woes (see Rev 8:13; 9:12; 11:14). Satan is incredibly angry that he is undone. So he will take it out on the earthlings. This is the time of Satan’s anger which is directed at both the people and the nations. Jesus called that great tribulation (Mat 24:21). He did not say “The Great Tribulation,” which is a manmade concept. He simply called it great tribulation.

The term “The Great Tribulation” is not a biblical concept. It is a term used by C.I. Scofield in his notes on Mat 24:21 in the Scofield Reference Bible—notes that he authored. With those notes, Scofield popularized Dispensationalism, which is a false doctrine.

Scofield and other Dispensationalists seem to conflate tribulation (Greek, θλίψις, thilpsis) and wrath (Greek, οργη, orgē). Tribulation is when Satan, after he is cast to the earth and is incredibly angry, takes out his anger on God’s people, that is, on Christians. Afterward, the rapture occurs and then God pours out his wrath on unbelievers. When Dispensationalists say, “The Great Tribulation,” they mean the wrath of God upon the earth and the tribulation that occurs at that time. They mix tribulation and wrath together as a single occurrence.

We were told in Rev 11:15-17 that the kingdom age is ushered in and the wrath of God is come. That is the Day of the LORD, recorded by the prophets, and the Apostles Peter, John and Paul (Joel 1:15, 2:1-2, Isa 2:12 Eze 7:5-7, Obad 1:15, Mal 4:1, Act 2:29, 1Th 5:2, 1Pe 4:7 etc.) The distress will be great because the earth must suffer the unleashed wrath of God.

Revelation 12:13 “And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth, he persecuted the woman which brought forth the man child.”

You need to think closely on this one. It is easy to miss. The dragon is Satan and he has persecuted Israel throughout the ages and is doing so even today. But remember what we discussed about Israel and the church both being God’s people and the seed of Abraham, and the church being engrafted branches. Here we are talking about a future event. Satan will persecute God’s people during great tribulation for 3½ years (Rev 11:2; 11:3; 12:6; 12:14; 13:5; Dan 7:25-27). The rapture follows that period.

Revelation 12:14 “And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent.”

Let us remember that history has shown this exact thing happening to the early church in Israel in 67 AD, when they fled to Pella in Perea¹, to escape persecution.

A.T. Robertson, commenting on Rev 12:13 in his Word Pictures in the New Testament, labels this woman “the True Israel on earth.” That is what we have already discovered in the comments on verse one of this chapter. Here are two quotes from those comments:

“This woman represents God’s Chosen Race, the faithful Children of Israel both before and after the birth of Christ, which also includes both Jews and Gentiles saved by the blood of Christ (Gal 3:7).”

“John’s vision of the woman symbolizes the deliverance of God’s people, the True Israel, consisting of Jews and Gentiles saved by the blood of Christ.”

God will take care of His people, even though Satan will persecute them. The wings of an eagle are symbolic for the care and protection of God: “But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.” (Isaiah 40:31). There are many other verses that corroborate this, e.g., Ex 19:4 and Deut 32:11. The wilderness can be a place of refuge as we have already seen in our study. God will protect His people from the wrath of Satan and His own wrath is not directed at them.

Additionally, God said that He bore Israel on eagles’ wings when he led them out of Egypt (Ex 19:4). There are several places in Scripture where God sheltered and protected His people Israel. In fact He said that He sheltered them under His wings (Ps 36:7; 57:1; 91:4). Remembering that True Israel consists of all believers in Christ, both Jew and Gentile (Rom 11:13-24; Gal 3:7; 29; Eph 2:11); that means that Gentile believers are also covered by His wings and God will bear Gentile believers on eagles’ wings as well.

Some worry about the mark of the beast of Rev 13:16-17, because the word says that they will not be able to buy or sell if they do not have that mark in their foreheads or on their right hand. They worry about not being able to provide for themselves. This is actually very frightening. But there is really no cause for alarm. This verse says that God will provide a refuge, protection, and nourishment. Do not worry.

If you are alive when these events take place, God will mount you up on eagles’ wings and provide a place of refuge and will take care all of your needs. That does not mean there will be no suffering; it simply means that God will care of us even through suffering as we discussed in the comments on verse ten.

A time, times, and a half time is a phrase taken directly from the book of Daniel. In Daniel chapter four, God took away Nebuchadnezzar’s kingdom and drove him out into the country and caused him to live like an animal for seven years, literally until “seven times pass over thee” (Dan 4:32).

In Daniel 7:25, a king will arise that will “speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time.” That is the same as a time, times, and a half time. It is three and one-half years. That king was historically Antiochus IV Epiphanes. But the prophecy reverts to the end times in Daniel 12:1 and Antichrist, of whom Antiochus is a type, will bring about a time of tribulation against the saints.

Additionally, in Daniel we read, “And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book” (Dan 12:1).

We find in Dan 12:7 that the time of that trouble will be “for a time, times, and an half.” That time of trouble will last three and one-half years. During that period Antichrist will shatter the power of the holy people and then “everyone that shall be found written in the book“(Dan 12:1) will be delivered.

Let us note that there is no seven-year period specifically mentioned in the entire Book of Revelation. We only read of 3.5 years.

Revelation 12:15 “And the serpent cast out of his mouth water as a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away of the flood.”

This is not, as many teach, a literal flood of water. This is a flood that pours forth like water from the mouth of Satan. Many things can flood. There can be a flood of water, armies, wrath, hate, locusts, lies, or persecution. Many of these things have been used by Satan against the church. Satan has launched or caused men to launch floods of persecution against Christians since the beginning of the church. As stated in previous verses, the woman here is a picture of God’s people the True Israel.

David was a prophet: (2 Sam 23:1-2; Mat 22:43; Act 2:29-30; and others). The prophet David wrote about the Israelites being practically overcome by a flood of their enemies in Psalm 124. In the first three verses, David tells about being attacked and that if Yahweh had not been on their side, they would have been swallowed alive by the burning anger their attackers had for them.

Then David compared the attackers to a flood and torrent of water that would have swept over them. David wrote that their enemies would have ripped them apart by their teeth. He blessed Yahweh for protecting them. He wrote, “Our soul is escaped as a bird out of the snare of the fowlers: the snare is broken, and we are escaped. Our help is in the name of the LORD, who made heaven and earth” (Psa 124:7-8).

We also read of Deborah and Barak when the Armies of Israel defeated Sisera’s army. In the song of Deborah, Judges 5:20-21, we read that the ancient Kishon (now known as the Tabor River) river swept away Sisera’s army. Also note that in verse 20, the soldiers of Israel were compared to the stars of Heaven.

David again writes, “Deliver me from the mire and do not let me sink; May I be delivered from my foes and from the deep waters. May the flood of water not overflow me Nor the deep swallow me up, Nor the pit shut its mouth on me” (Psa 69:14-15).

Proverbs 15:28 tells us that the mouths of the wicked pour out evil things and Proverbs 18:4 tells us that the words of a person’s mouth are deep waters.

Daniel 9:26 tells us that the end of Jerusalem and the Temple will come like flood and that flood is the people or armies of the prince that will come. History tells us that this occurred in 70 AD, then General Titus and his armies overwhelmed and destroyed Jerusalem and the Temple. Ecclesiastes 1:9 tells us that this will happened again and we understand that will be at the end of the age, which is what John illustrates here in Revelation.

Here are several Scriptures that use flood as a metaphor for calamity: Judg 5:20; Job 27:20, 38:25; Psa 18:4, 32:6, 90:5; Isa 59:19; Prov 27:4; Jer 46:7; Dan 11:22; Amos 9:5; Nah 1:8.

We can see the similarities between Satan spewing a flood from his mouth had Israel’s enemies overtaking them. Based on the Scriptures above, this flood is likely a flood of persecutions brought on by the lies of Satan. The imagery John uses here was taken from the imagery of overwhelming floods of enemies overtaking God’s people but God preventing the floods from hurting His people. They will escape on the wings of an eagle, similarly David said his people escaped like a bird escapes from a snare.

Jesus called Satan the father of lies. The word devil means false accuser; Satan means slanderer. The Devil is a liar. He lied to Eve, he lied to Jesus, he lies to all. This flood can also be reckoned as a flood of lies because it comes out of the mouth of the father of lies, that great deceiver, Satan What else would come out of his mouth but lies?

These lies about Christians are the way Satan induces people to hate Christians and thus to persecute them. Thus the flood out of his mouth is a flood of lies causing a flood of harsh persecution. Here are a few of those lies.

• • The Lies of Satan:
  • The Bible is full of myths and superstitions
  • Christians are ignorant, uneducated, simpletons
  • Christians do not recognize government authority
  • Christians are violent against unbelievers
  • Christians are polytheists
  • Christians are superstitious
  • Christians are bigots
  • Christians are anti-science
  • Christians are intolerant
  • Christians are murderers
  • Christians are outlaws
  • Christians are animalistic
  • Christians are sub-humans
  • There are many more than these.

Many think these aspersions against Christians are modern. That is not so. These types of slanders have been around since the beginning of Christianity. Satan has used them to instigate persecution against Christians throughout history. The persecutions are going on to this day in many corners of the globe. They will continue until the end. The persecutions of Nero, Domitian, and Hadrian were based upon many of the lies in that list. Modern persecutions like those in China and Africa are based on those lies.

Here is a quote about this verse from The Pulpit Commentary, with which this author agrees:

The flood is typical of every form of destruction with which the devil seeks to overwhelm the Church of God. At the period of the writing of the Apocalypse, it plainly symbolized the bitter persecutions to which Christians were subjected; but its meaning need not be limited to this one form of destruction. Thus all those writers are correct, so far as they go, who interpret the flood of the Mohammedan power, of heresy, of the Gothic invasion, etc. (The Pulpit Commentary, 1880 – 1919, by Joseph S. Exell, Henry Donald Maurice Spence-Jones.)

Satan spreads a flood of lies throughout the world to get people to help him persecute and attempt to destroy God’s people. He will not be able to destroy them because of the previous verse and future verses. But he will still try.

Revelation 12:16 “And the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed up the flood which the dragon cast out of his mouth.”

 Obviously, the personification of the earth must be symbolic. There is a place in the scriptures where God literally caused the earth to open up and swallow the family of Korah for his rebellion against Moses and Aaron. The earth broke up beneath the feet of Korah, Dathan, Abiram, and their families. (Numbers 16) They fell into the rend and the earth closed over them and swallowed them alive.

That was factual, but this is symbolic. The earth may represent the peoples of the earth. They may help the woman by refusing to believe Satan’s lies and ending them as soon as the words were heard. That would be like having the deception swallowed by the earth stopping the flood. But, whatever the method, Satan’s lies and deception are overcome and God’s people are protected.

We understand from Gen 4:11, that when Cain spilled the bold of his brother Abel, that the earth symbolically opened its mouth to receive his blood. The blood of Abel was soaked up by the ground as through the earth swallowed it.

Isa 5:8 begins a narrative about woes that fall upon the wicked who are greedy among His people and who exploit the poor by taking their property from them. The next few verses explain how that poor are exploited. Isaiah wrote, “Therefore my people have gone into captivity, Because they have no knowledge; Their honorable men are famished, And their multitude dried up with thirst. Therefore Sheol has enlarged itself And opened its mouth beyond measure; Their glory and their multitude and their pomp, And he who is jubilant, shall descend into it. People shall be brought down, Each man shall be humbled, And the eyes of the lofty shall be humbled. But the LORD of hosts shall be exalted in judgment, And God who is holy shall be hallowed in righteousness” (Isa 5:13-16 NKJV, emphasis added).

Sheol is the grave, the pit, and the place where the wicked go after death. It was considered to be beneath the surface of the earth. God uses this metaphor of Sheol opening into mouth to swallow the proud, the wicked, the vain, and those who oppose Yahweh. They actually went into captivity. The woes in Isaiah chapter 5 are:

• Woe to:
• Liars (Isa 5:18)
• Mockers (Isa 5:19)
• Those who call evil good and good evil (Isa 5:20)
• Those who are wise in their own eyes (Isa 5:21)
• Drunkards (Isa 5:22)
• Those who accept bribes and deprive the innocent (Isa 5:23)

In the Song of Moses in Exodus, the earth opened up and swallowed the armies of Pharaoh, the enemies of Israel (Exodus 15:12). This refers to God opening the Red Sea and allowing the Israelites through and then causing the sea to overwhelm and drown Pharaoh’s armies.

The earth opening its mouth to swallow something is another way of saying that something was covered up, hidden, stopped, or done away with. In the case of the Israelite fleeing Pharaoh, God annihilated Pharaoh’s army. In the case of Cain, he tried to hide the murder of his brother. In the case of Korah and his kin, it was to punish the guilty. In the case of God’s people becoming wicked, it was to humble the haughty.

In the case of the woman in this chapter, it tells us that though His people may suffer persecution in the time of the end, there will be a refuge. God will put an end to the flood out of the dragon’s mouth and to his persecution of God’s people. This will ultimately happen when Jesus smites the nations with the sharp sword out of His mouth in Rev. 19:15. We will learn more about this as we continue in our study.

 Revelation 12:17 “And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.”

This enrages Satan even more so he sets forth to engage God’s people in actual battle. This is what Jesus called great tribulation in Mat 24:21. Remember that our struggle has never been with flesh and blood but with principalities, powers, and the rulers of the darkness of this age. These are agencies of spiritual wickedness in the heavenlies. In other words, Satan and his minions.

In order to resist Satan, the church has always needed the armor of God. Here are the components of that armor: the helmet of salvation, the breastplate (corselet) of righteousness, the belt of truth, shoes of the gospel of peace, the shield of faith, the sword of the spirit (God’s Word), and prayer.

Let us look back at verse five:

“And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and to his throne.“

The woman gives birth to Christ, who grows into a man and ministers to the people for three and one half years. During that time thousands become believers that He is the Messiah and because of their belief they receive eternal life. He is crucified and gives up his life as the sacrifice for the atonement of the sins of those that believe in Him. Satan thinks he has won but then Jesus arises there days later.

He was witnessed alive by at least five hundred witnesses (1 Cor 15:6) and forty days after His resurrection, He ascended to Heaven. The dragon wanted to devour the Child at His birth but failed to do so. He tried to end Christ by crucifixion and that failed when Christ arose from the dead. Then when Christ arose from the dead and ascended to Heaven, His followers, who remained on the earth, made up the remnant that John references. A remnant will remain at the end of the age. That is the remnant in view here.

The Remnant is made up of believers in Christ. They are those who believe in Jesus and are loyal to God and His teachings. They are Christians. They are all men, women, and children, both Jew and Gentile who have faith in Jesus Christ as their Savior. They are the church, or as the Apostle Paul puts it “the Israel of God” (Gal 6:16). They are also known as saints, those sanctified by the blood of Jesus.

The Dragon makes war with the saints with great tribulation, described in the next few chapters.

Do you know Jesus Christ as your Savior? He is going to return to the world soon. Are you ready? When He does if you do not know Him as your Savior, you will join all those who do not know Him in “Outer Darkness where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” (Mat 22:13-14).

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Mark Oaks,  August 25, 2020

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