An Intro to the Woman, the Child, and the Dragon
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
Have you ever had someone break their promises to you? Maybe a parent...a spouse...a child...a boss. Unfortunately if we live long enough in this broken world, we will be on the receiving end of broken promises.
Thankfully we have a God who always keeps His promises. We see this throughout Scripture and we see this in the passage before us today:
Now a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a garland of twelve stars. Then being with child, she cried out in labor and in pain to give birth.
God Keeps His Promises (vv. 1-2)
God Keeps His Promises (vv. 1-2)
John sees a sign in Heaven (this is the 1st sign of 7)—a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a garland of twelve stars.
A logical question would be “who is this woman?” It seems logical to assume that this may be a figure of speech, considering the fact that John says she is “clothed with the sun” and has the “moon under her feet” and has a garland of 12 stars on her head.
I believe it is best understood to see this woman as a representation of Israel. MacArthur notes that women are used symbolically in the book of Revelation on more than one occasion:
Jezebel, who represents paganism
The Scarlet woman in Rev 17, which symbolizes the apostate church
The Wife of the Lamb in Rev 19, which symbolizes the true church.
So why do many believe the woman here in Revelation 12 represents the Nation of Israel. For that we need to go back to Joseph’s dream in Genesis 37:9–11
“Then he dreamed still another dream and told it to his brothers, and said, “Look, I have dreamed another dream. And this time, the sun, the moon, and the eleven stars bowed down to me.” So he told it to his father and his brothers; and his father rebuked him and said to him, “What is this dream that you have dreamed? Shall your mother and I and your brothers indeed come to bow down to the earth before you?” And his brothers envied him, but his father kept the matter in mind.”
Jacob, Joseph’s father, understood Joseph’s dream to indicate that the sun, moon, and 11 stars represented he, his wife, and his 11 sons (12 including Joseph).
Does anyone remember what Jacob’s name was changed to? Yes, Israel...therefore those who were born through Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob’s lineage became known as the “Children of Israel.”
Not only does John see a woman, but he tells us in verse 2 that this woman is WITH CHILD and is CRYING OUT in labor pains, ready to give birth.
What is the significance of this? I think we will see in the following verses this is a reference to the Messiah that God had promised all the way back in Genesis 3:15
And I will put enmity
Between you and the woman,
And between your seed and her Seed;
He shall bruise your head,
And you shall bruise His heel.”
Did Satan try to “bruise His heel?” Take a look at the next few verses...
And another sign appeared in heaven: behold, a great, fiery red dragon having seven heads and ten horns, and seven diadems on his heads. His tail drew a third of the stars of heaven and threw them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman who was ready to give birth, to devour her Child as soon as it was born. She bore a male Child who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron. And her Child was caught up to God and His throne.
In this passage not only are we introduced to a dragon but we also see...
God the Father Honors the Son (vv. 3-5)
God the Father Honors the Son (vv. 3-5)
This dragon is described as “great, fiery red, and has 7 heads, 10 horns, and has 7 diadems.”
Who can this dragon be? It will become clear that this dragon is a representation of SATAN himself. As a matter of fact he is called a “dragon” on 13 different occasions in Revelation alone.
Many associate the “fiery, red” color with his murderous intentions.
We are also given a description that includes 7 heads wearing 7 diadems. We are not told the significance of the 7 heads, but many ancient civilizations feared beasts with multiple heads. Greek mythology spoke about a beast called “HYDRA” that had multiple heads. This may also signify power or the fact that the dragon is difficult to kill. Some believe the 7 heads represent 7 kingdoms of the past. The 7 diadems certainly suggest power...
This dragon also has 10 horns which mean that some of the heads had more than 1 horn. This is very reminiscent of Daniel’s vision that he had hundreds of years earlier in Daniel 7:7
“After this I saw in the night visions, and behold, a fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, exceedingly strong. It had huge iron teeth; it was devouring, breaking in pieces, and trampling the residue with its feet. It was different from all the beasts that were before it, and it had ten horns.”
It is believed that these 10 horns point to a conglomeration of 10 world leaders (kings) that will rule in the future, under the influence of the devil himself. They will serve under the Antichrist...maybe a 10 nation/region confederacy.
Notice what he does in Revelation 12:4 “His tail drew a third of the stars of heaven and threw them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman who was ready to give birth, to devour her Child as soon as it was born.”
There are two significant things this dragon does in verse 4:
He Throws 1/3 of the Stars in Heaven to Earth
He Throws 1/3 of the Stars in Heaven to Earth
Most scholars agree this refers to the war in heaven that took place either before or during the creation of the earth when Satan rebelled against God and took a third of the angels with him who we now know as demons.
Many believe Job 38:7 uses the analogy of angels being referred to as stars
Job 38:7 “When the morning stars sang together, And all the sons of God shouted for joy?”
There’s an OT passage that sheds some light onto this in Isaiah 14:12-15
“How you are fallen from heaven,
O Lucifer, son of the morning!
How you are cut down to the ground,
You who weakened the nations!
For you have said in your heart:
‘I will ascend into heaven,
I will exalt my throne above the stars of God;
I will also sit on the mount of the congregation
On the farthest sides of the north;
I will ascend above the heights of the clouds,
I will be like the Most High.’
Yet you shall be brought down to Sheol,
To the lowest depths of the Pit.
Notice what else he does:
He Stands Before the Woman to Devour Her Child
He Stands Before the Woman to Devour Her Child
Throughout history Satan has repeatedly tried to destroy God’s plan to bring forth the Messiah through the seed of a woman.
Let’s go back to Genesis 3:15
And I will put enmity
Between you and the woman,
And between your seed and her Seed;
He shall bruise your head,
And you shall bruise His heel.”
Who do you think was behind Cain murdering Abel?
Who do you think was behind Pharoah murdering the baby Hebrew boys?
Who do you think was behind King Saul trying to murder David?
Who do you think was behind Haman trying to wipe out the Jews in Esther’s day?
WHO DO YOU THINK WAS BEHIND HEROD HAVING ALL THE BABY BOYS 2 YEARS AND YOUNGER SLAUGHTERED IN BETHLEHEM?
But he wasn’t successful. He though he was successful when he saw Jesus pour out His life’s blood and suffer and die on the cross, but on the 3rd day Jesus arose, victorious over death, hell, and the grave and STOMPED ON THE SERPANT’S HEAD DELIVERING A BLOW THAT WOULD LEAD TO IT’S FINAL DEMISE!
Then after 40 days Jesus ascended into Heaven and the Jewish people have been scattered and persecuted throughout history. The final persecution will take place the last 3 1/2 years of this tribulation period
Revelation 12:6 “Then the woman fled into the wilderness, where she has a place prepared by God, that they should feed her there one thousand two hundred and sixty days.”
God Cares for His People (v. 6)
God Cares for His People (v. 6)
This isn’t the first time the “woman” has found herself in the Wilderness. The Israelites wandered in the wilderness for 40 years. God sustained them, led them, fed them, ministered to them, protected them.
Joseph and Mary had to flee to Egypt sometime after Jesus’ birth and God provided for, sustained, and protected them and brought them safely back home.
Even though wicked men have tried to annihilate them throughout history God has always kept a remnant of His people alive and once again they will find themselves having to flee their homeland, but God will supernaturally protect them for 1,260 days—3 1/2 years.
I’m so thankful that God knows those who are His! As one songwriter said, “I’m a winner either way, if I go or if I stay.”
You cannot threaten the child of God with death. If our physical life ends on this earth, we will be more alive than we’ve ever been on the other side and nothing will be able to touch us there! But there are times when God decides to supernaturally step in and protect us on this side of Heaven, because He still has work for us to do and this will be the case here.
As we close this morning I want to leave you with some challenges that I hope you will take home with you this week and really spend some time meditating on God’s Truth
Spiritual Warfare and Demonic Oppression is Real
Spiritual Warfare and Demonic Oppression is Real
Be sober-minded, be alert. Your adversary the devil is prowling around like a roaring lion, looking for anyone he can devour. Resist him, firm in the faith, knowing that the same kind of sufferings are being experienced by your fellow believers throughout the world.
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm.
Even Though the Dragon Still Rages, Christ has Secured the Victory!
Even Though the Dragon Still Rages, Christ has Secured the Victory!
As mentioned earlier Christ has delivered the death blow to this serpent when He walked out of the tomb 2,000 years ago.
Someone said that the 2nd most dangerous animal in the world is a Cape Buffalo and the most dangerous animal in the world an injured Cape Buffalo.
Satan knows his time is short and he is grasping at straws unleashing all he can before he is finally thrown into the lake of fire forever. No matter what he throws against us we can remember:
You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.
We Don’t Have to Fight FOR Victory, we Can FROM Victory!
We Don’t Have to Fight FOR Victory, we Can FROM Victory!
Christ has already won. The victory is secure. We can be confident in Him.
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