Cosmic Conflict

Bottom line

In the face of spiritual opposition and cosmic conflict, we must hold fast to our faith in the victorious lamb, who has already won the battle on our behalf.

Opening Line

How many people here follow March Madness?

Introduction

If you have no idea what I’m talking about, here is the short version. Every year in the states, there is this massive basketball tournament. 64 teams enter the tournament, only 1 teams exits as champion. There are four divisions, each team ranked according by their record from 1 - 16 within the division. The top ranked teams play the bottom ranked teams. When a first place team plays a 16th place team, the outcome should be guaranteed, right?

Well this is why it is called March Madness. Though every team does not look equal on paper, every team comes in with the same expectation; win or you’re done. Just because a team is the top ranked does not always mean they will go far. It is the upsets that make the madness, and on any given year, a team of prestige will get knocked out by someone who just squeaked into the tournament, and that is the madness. All it takes is one team having a good game, and another having a bad one, and the whole bracket gets flipped on its head.

That is actually the challenge of the tournament. Will a top ranked team actually play up to their potential and win, or will they take the game for granted and get caught off guard?

Main Point

As we dive into the next scene of Revelation, this is actually the challenge for the church. The truth is, if you are a believer in Christ, you have been sealed, and the victory has been won. But there is still a battle that needs to be fought. As disciples, you must remain diligent and alert. It is why in Ephesians 6, the Apostle Paul uses armor language, and repeatedly tells the reader to be alert. The war is won, but there is still a cosmic conflict happening. You still have an enemy whose sole purpose in existing is to steal, kill, and destroy God’s people.

Why it matters

The call to be alert and diligent in God’s word should never be more clear as it is this morning. One of the things Jesus said in Matthew 24 was that if it is possible, the believers in Christ will be deceived. How confident are you in your ability to spot a lie when it comes, because what John is going to describe in his vision is going to be a level of deception the world has never seen. The church needs to be discerning and alert, not sleeping and unaware, or you might just fall into one of the enemy’s traps!

Scripture

We are in Revelation 12 this morning, starting at verse 1

Revelation 12:1–6 NLT

Then I witnessed in heaven an event of great significance. I saw a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon beneath her feet, and a crown of twelve stars on her head. She was pregnant, and she cried out because of her labor pains and the agony of giving birth. Then I witnessed in heaven another significant event. I saw a large red dragon with seven heads and ten horns, with seven crowns on his heads. His tail swept away one-third of the stars in the sky, and he threw them to the earth. He stood in front of the woman as she was about to give birth, ready to devour her baby as soon as it was born. She gave birth to a son who was to rule all nations with an iron rod. And her child was snatched away from the dragon and was caught up to God and to his throne. And the woman fled into the wilderness, where God had prepared a place to care for her for 1,260 days.

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The scene kicks off with three important characters. The first is the woman. She represents God’s people. All throughout the Old Testament, the imagery of Israel as a woman, both faithful and unfaithful, abounds, especially in the prophets. The imagery is meant to replicate a marriage, where God is committed to and loves Israel, and the people are in turn supposed to be committed to and love God. The imagery continues in the New Testament, now the church described as the bride of Christ, as well as husbands being told to love their wives the way Christ loves the church.

The second character is the dragon, who we are told in v. 9 is Satan or the devil, the enemy of God and his people. The third of the stars that his tail swept away was a third of the angels who sided with Satan when he rebelled against God. Over the course of this scene, you are going to see how the devil continues to try to destroy the people of God.

The third character is the son born to the woman. This is the Christ. Jesus is the prophesied Messiah, the son of David who would rule over the nations, and what is one thing the devil tried to do during his time on earth; he tried to destroy him, either through Herod when He was born, or through the Pharisees who tried to discredit his and ultimately had him crucified. But now, Jesus is seated at the right hand of God, waiting for the day when he returns and establishes he perfect rule over all creation.

Which brings us to the next scene. Rev 12:7-9

Revelation 12:7–9 NLT

Then there was war in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon and his angels. And the dragon lost the battle, and he and his angels were forced out of heaven. This great dragon—the ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, the one deceiving the whole world—was thrown down to the earth with all his angels.

Revelation 12:13–14 NLT

When the dragon realized that he had been thrown down to the earth, he pursued the woman who had given birth to the male child. But she was given two wings like those of a great eagle so she could fly to the place prepared for her in the wilderness. There she would be cared for and protected from the dragon for a time, times, and half a time.

Revelation 12:17 NLT

And the dragon was angry at the woman and declared war against the rest of her children—all who keep God’s commandments and maintain their testimony for Jesus.

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There is war in heaven. The dragon rises up with his forces, and he is ultimately defeated by heaven’s forces and thrown to earth. In his anger, he turns his attention to the woman, the people of God, all who keep God’s commandments.

This is why sometimes life as a believer can be so challenging, but you are to take courage. This is why the church that originally heard the letter would have been encouraged. Despite the persecution, despite the hardship, despite the challenges you might be facing, you are fighting a defeated enemy. But you still have to stand your ground, not just in your own strength, but the strength of the one who cares for you and protects you. The war is won, the devil is defeated, but he is not done fighting yet. If he is going down, he has made it his mission to take as many down with him as he can. Which brings us to the next part.

Revelation 13:3–8 NLT

I saw that one of the heads of the beast seemed wounded beyond recovery—but the fatal wound was healed! The whole world marveled at this miracle and gave allegiance to the beast. They worshiped the dragon for giving the beast such power, and they also worshiped the beast. “Who is as great as the beast?” they exclaimed. “Who is able to fight against him?” Then the beast was allowed to speak great blasphemies against God. And he was given authority to do whatever he wanted for forty-two months. And he spoke terrible words of blasphemy against God, slandering his name and his dwelling—that is, those who dwell in heaven. And the beast was allowed to wage war against God’s holy people and to conquer them. And he was given authority to rule over every tribe and people and language and nation. And all the people who belong to this world worshiped the beast. They are the ones whose names were not written in the Book of Life that belongs to the Lamb who was slaughtered before the world was made.

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The beast that rises out of the sea. The significance of coming out of the sea is to represent a world in turmoil and chaos, like the waves of the sea. This figure emerges, someone of great power and authority. This is believed to be the Antichrist. This great deceiver, a bringer of peace in this midst of chaos, and one who blasphemes God, in a time when the world has rejected him completely. He is given authority to wage war on God’s people. The world will be enamored by him, while he sets out to destroy the church.

Revelation 13:11–13 NLT

Then I saw another beast come up out of the earth. He had two horns like those of a lamb, but he spoke with the voice of a dragon. He exercised all the authority of the first beast. And he required all the earth and its people to worship the first beast, whose fatal wound had been healed. He did astounding miracles, even making fire flash down to earth from the sky while everyone was watching.

Revelation 13:16–18 NLT

He required everyone—small and great, rich and poor, free and slave—to be given a mark on the right hand or on the forehead. And no one could buy or sell anything without that mark, which was either the name of the beast or the number representing his name. Wisdom is needed here. Let the one with understanding solve the meaning of the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man. His number is 666.

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As if the first beast wasn’t enough, a second one appears. This second beast is the false prophets, and he will perform miracles and deceive many into worshiping the first beast. The epitome of the deception of the second beast is convincing people to take the mark of the beast. Honestly, this could be anything, but the reality is that is a mark of allegiance to the dragon.

The warning of chapter 13 is not necessarily to keep your eye out for a particular political figure or spiritual leader that may cause deception, though it would be worth taking note of anyone who fits the descriptions. It is the reminder to remain diligent in the face of all the lies and deceptions of the world. Paul says in the Romans 12 that you are not to be conformed to the patterns of the world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. The deception is to be lax in your convictions, to live by the teachings that make you feel good and reject the things that don’t fit your worldview. The challenge is to be anchored in the truth so that even the most powerful miracle is met with testing, understanding that anyone who teaches a truth other than gospel truth is a deceiver, trying to lead you away from Jesus. Don’t wait for someone of prominence, there are false prophets, teachings, and misguided people of the influence all around you. Be careful who you put your trust in, and be sure your faith lies in Jesus above all.

Revelation 14:1–5 NLT

Then I saw the Lamb standing on Mount Zion, and with him were 144,000 who had his name and his Father’s name written on their foreheads. And I heard a sound from heaven like the roar of mighty ocean waves or the rolling of loud thunder. It was like the sound of many harpists playing together. This great choir sang a wonderful new song in front of the throne of God and before the four living beings and the twenty-four elders. No one could learn this song except the 144,000 who had been redeemed from the earth. They have kept themselves as pure as virgins, following the Lamb wherever he goes. They have been purchased from among the people on the earth as a special offering to God and to the Lamb. They have told no lies; they are without blame.

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There are several times, especially in the New Testament, where the church is told to remain blameless, the pursue righteousness. The apostle Paul write in 1 Corinthians that you are not your own, you were bought at a price. After two chapters of conflict and chaos, John has this vision where all is right, and those sealed by the Holy Spirit are rescued from the judgment that is to come.

The rest of chapter 14 plays out that judgment is unleashed on those who have rejected Christ and aligned themselves with the beast of the sea. The image of the wine press, as the enemies of God are crushed.

Transition to Application

But this is where I want to end this morning. Twice over the course of these three chapters, John writes this

Revelation 12:17 NLT

And the dragon was angry at the woman and declared war against the rest of her children—all who keep God’s commandments and maintain their testimony for Jesus.

Revelation 13:10 NLT

Anyone who is destined for prison will be taken to prison. Anyone destined to die by the sword will die by the sword. This means that God’s holy people must endure persecution patiently and remain faithful.

Revelation 14:12 NLT

This means that God’s holy people must endure persecution patiently, obeying his commands and maintaining their faith in Jesus.

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Main To Do

I don’t want you to read Revelation as though persecution is something that will come one day. Remember that this letter was written to a church that was experiencing severe persecution already. Do not forget that there are millions of believers who face intense persecution for their faith every single day.

So how are you preparing yourself for persecution? Are you making sure you got your good running shoes on so you can make a break for it? Are you keeping your faith shoved in your closet, I mean prayer closet, safe and sound so that no one knows?

Or are you spending time with Jesus, worshiping him and spending time in his word so he can speak to you? Are you praying for you neighbor so that you might have an opportunity to share with them about how Jesus changed your life and He can change theirs? Is your faith obvious enough to the world that if someone had questions or comments, they would come to you for answers?

Why it matters

I believe that the reason that many of us, including myself, don’t experience persecution is that you don’t wear your faith on your sleeve. If you’re like me, you wear your emotions on your sleeve, you wear your opinions on your sleeve, but not your faith. Yet Jesus said in Matthew 5 that you should let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that your heavenly Father will be praised. I worry sometimes that my heavenly Father is slandered because of how his people live, more then he is praised.

Closing Line

How are you ensuring that your faith will withstand persecution? How can you strengthen your faith this week?

Discussion Questions

What stood out from the message?

How can you ensure that your faith remains strong in the face of spiritual opposition?

How are you preparing yourself spiritually for potential persecution?

In what ways can you share your faith more openly with friends and family?

How does the idea of fighting from a place of victory change your perspective on spiritual battles?

What are some practical ways you can remain alert to the deception around you?