Conflict with the Forces of Evil

Revelation 12:1-17

The Wonders in Heaven, vv. 1-6

A. The Woman

1. The nation of Israel pictured as a woman and mother, see Isaiah 54:5 and Jeremiah 3:6-10.
2. The nation of Israel gives birth to Christ.
3. This woman is clothed with the sun and moon under her feet, 12 stars crown her head, compare Genesis 37:9-11.
4. The pain of her travail is the Roman (world government system) occupation and oppression.

B. The Dragon–>Satan, see Revelation 13:1 and 17:3.

1. Verse 4 recalls the Fall of Satan, see Isaiah 14:12.
2. Satan has always been a murderer, and he seeks to kill Christ, Matthew 2:16.
3. Satan attacked Christ many times and ultimately at the cross.
4. Satan attacks the Israelis.

a. History is replete with Jewish pogroms.

b. Although 144,000 Israelis are sealed and protected by God, there will me many Israelis unprotected.

c. Jesus told the Jews when the Beast is revealed to flee and hide, Matthew 24:15-21.

d. Jesus will judge the Gentiles of the Tribulation for what they did for or to the Jews, Matthew 25:31-46.

The War in Heaven, vv. 7-12

A. Satan’s Access to Heaven

1. Job says that Satan now has access.
2. Zechariah 3:1-10 reveals that Satan accuses the saints before God.

B. Satan finally expelled from heaven.

1. In the middle of the Tribulation, Satan is finally cast out of heaven to earth.
2. Satan is called the “old serpent” from Genesis 3:1-24.

C. Satan has been accusing the saints, but the saints overcome him with 3 weapons:

1. the blood of Christ, which cleanses us from all sin, 1 John 1:9 to 2:2.
2. the Word of God, which is the Sword of the Spirit.
3. their submission to death, we would rather die than obey Satan and renounce Christ.

D. There is joy in heaven because Satan is defeated, but there will be woe on earth.

E. Satan’s time is short (only the last 3.5 yrs); then he will be cast into the bottomless pit, see Revelation 20:1-3.

The Wrath on Earth, vv. 13-16

A. Since Satan can no longer accuse the saints before God in heaven, he will persecute the unsealed Israelis on earth!

B. Satan could not kill the woman’s Son, so now he tries to exterminate her seed, the believing Israel.

C. God protects the Jewish remnant, v. 14.

1. When God delivered Israel out of Egypt, it was “on eagles’ wings,” Exodus 19:4.
2. God cared for them in the wilderness as a mother eagle cares for her brood, Deuteronomy 32:11-12.
3. When the Jews returned from the Babylonian Captivity, they came “on wings as eagles,” Isaiah 40:31.
4. God will take His believing remnant to a special place of protection, v. 6, where Satan cannot penetrate (Edom, Moab, Ammon, rock caves, Daniel 11:4).

D. Satan uses “water as a flood” to try to exterminate the Jews through the flood of Gentile persecution.

E. In the last 3.5 yrs of Tribulation:

1. God is at war against the unbelieving world, and
2. Satan, through the Beast, is making war on the saints, Revelation 13:7.

F. No wonder Jesus said in Matthew 24:22

“Except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened,” –>3.5 yrs.

Lessons from this Chapter

A. Satan is at war with the saints; we overcome him by the Word, the Blood, and Faith.

B. Satan is the accuser of the brethren.

1. Confess and repent of our sins.
2. Let us not accuse the saints, for if we do, we are on Satan’s side, not the Lord’s.

C. We must not be anti-Semites. The Israelis are God’s people!

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