The Rivalry of the Ages

Outline

Big Idea: The rivalry of the ages stands as a warning and an invitation. Embrace the invitation to see and savor God as the purpose for which we exist.

Introduction

Outside the Manual

A man decided he was going to save himself some time trimming a low tree branch in his yard. He didn’t feel like dragging out a ladder, so he parked his riding lawn mower underneath the branch, shut it off, set the brake, and climbed up onto the seat to get a little extra height.

Already—not what the mower was designed for.

He reached up with a chainsaw and started cutting. As the blade bit into the wood, sawdust kicked back into his face, the branch shifted under its own weight, and he instinctively leaned away. Standing on a curved vinyl seat with nothing to brace against, that slight shift was all it took. His foot slipped, his balance went, and he went over the side.

The chainsaw clattered to the ground. He followed it—thankfully not at the same time—and the job ended with bruises, embarrassment, and a renewed appreciation for ladders.

Nothing malfunctioned.

Nothing broke.

Everything behaved exactly as it was supposed to.

The problem wasn’t the equipment.

The problem was using a tool for something it was never designed to do.

And Scripture warns us that truth works the same way.

When it’s handled according to God’s design, it’s life-giving. But when it’s repurposed, leaned on wrongly, or used as a shortcut, it doesn’t just fail—it becomes dangerous.

As we engage with chapter 12, and step into the third and final interlude, we will experience a dramatic shift in tone.

As we have mentioned throughout our study, Revelation is filled with both literal and figurative language. It is critical that we let the text speak and tell us when we ought to understand text as literal or figurative.

We must always be wary of symbolizing or allegorizing texts that were not meant to be and to be wary of justifying it when we do to suit our own preference of interpretation.

Thankfully for us, chapter 12 gives us a clear indication that it is changing to figurative language.

And in so doing, it introduces us, or reminds us, of the rivalry of the ages.

The Dragon’s Rivalry with the Woman - Revelation 12:1-6

Revelation 12:1–6 ESV

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. 2 She was pregnant and was crying out in birth pains and the agony of giving birth. 3 And another sign appeared in heaven: behold, a great red dragon, with seven heads and ten horns, and on his heads seven diadems. 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. 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, 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.

In these few short verses, we are introduced to this rivalry and we will be pointed back to a truth that John assumes we already know about the nature of when and why this rivalry began.

But first, the clue that we have shifted into spiritual, rather than physical, categories.

Two key verses for us…

Revelation 12:1

Revelation 12:1 ESV

1 And a great sign appeared in heaven…

Revelation 12:3

Revelation 12:3 ESV

3 And another sign appeared…

In these two verses, we are told that a great sign appears in the sky.

A sign is a symbol that points to a reality.

It is the clue we need that what we are seeing is not the reality itself, but points to a very real reality, in symbolic imagery.

Great - either huge in size or of of great importance or maybe both.

This is not an actual woman but a symbol representing someone or group of someones.

In the same way that the second sign, the red dragon, is not a real dragon but a symbol representing a real person or persons.

What we are seeing in Revelation 12:1-6 shifts distinctly and clearly into figurative language.

It’s intent, to highlight three key characters that play a central role within the tribulation.

Beginning with this woman in the sky.

The Woman

Revelation 12:1 ESV

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.

So, who is this woman?

Her Identity - Revelation 12:1

This woman is the second of four symbolic woman in Revelation.

The first - Jezebel in Revelation 2:20. While she a literal woman, yes, but like the letter to the church that represent similar churches who tolerate her evil, she represented those like her who deceive and destroy through false teaching and sexual immorality.

I suppose, it might be more accurate to say, she served as a type, but in so doing, so stood as a symbolic representation of those who destroy through their wickedness.

The second is here.

The third - Revelation 17:1-7, a harlot will represent the apostate world wide church that the false prophet will set up during the tribulation to worship the anti-christ.

The fourth - Revelation 19:7-8 will be described as the Bride of the Lamb, which we know to be the Church. Us.

But, who is this woman, specifically?

It is my contention, based on the study of the text that this woman represent Israel.

At the end of chapter 11 we read..

Revelation 11:9; 12:5

Revelation 11:19 ESV

19 Then God’s temple in heaven was opened, and the ark of his covenant was seen within his temple. There were flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder, an earthquake, and heavy hail.

The temple and the Ark were things very specifically and clearly referencing Israel. Those things never had any significance to the Church.

In Revelation 12:5 we read…

Revelation 12:5 ESV

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,

Who gave birth to a male child who was to rule the nations, who would be caught up into heaven?

Mary.

This is not a reference to Mary, specifically, but rather, the nation of Israel. Israel is the woman who would give birth to the Messiah, who would ultimately rule with a rod of iron.

This is not surprising to us, as we have been studying, the tribulation is ALL about Israel and their national salvation.

Not that every Israelite will be saved, for they will not be, but as a nation God will preserve and save them. And MANY from the nation will repent and believe by the end of the tribulation.

We studied Daniel’s prophecies at length to see that the tribulation is the 70th week that God has ordained and set aside to finish his dealings with Israel.

The fact that Israel is center stage in the tribulation should not be a surprise to us at this juncture.

The tribulation is the fulfillment of God’s promise and commitment to Israel for their continued existence. God cannot and will not deny them.

Consider the promise of Jeremiah 31:35-37.

Jeremiah 31:35–37 ESV

35 Thus says the Lord, who gives the sun for light by day and the fixed order of the moon and the stars for light by night, who stirs up the sea so that its waves roar— the Lord of hosts is his name: 36 “If this fixed order departs from before me, declares the Lord, then shall the offspring of Israel cease from being a nation before me forever.” 37 Thus says the Lord: “If the heavens above can be measured, and the foundations of the earth below can be explored, then I will cast off all the offspring of Israel for all that they have done, declares the Lord.”

If the fixed order departs…

If the heavens can be measured…

Both impossibilities…

THEN, will Israel cease to be, then shall they be cast off.

Point is, God won’t cast them off.

Application: Do you see the glory of our faithful God? Are you savoring the richness of who He is for us?

Listen, God has promised to save them as a nation (Zech 12:10-13:1; 13:8-9; Rom 11:26)

God WILL be faithful to His people. He must, or else He would not be God.

While Satan WILL intensify his persecution of Israel, of those who embrace God in the second half of the tribulation, he will not be able to completely destroy them.

Oh he WILL try. Given the depth of Satan’s arrogance and hatred, the forced limitations that God has placed upon him has likely only fueled his anger. When one knows they are limited and held back, when they are forced to comply, when nothing in them wants to, that anger and resentment boils.

When one has been thwarted time and time again…their anger boils

When one has seen their attempts turned against them time and time again and used for another’s purposes…their anger boils.

By this point in creation, Satan’s hatred, anger, and resentment are at such a point that he will hold nothing back.

And yet even here, nothing will change. Satan is on a leash. God is in control. And He will protect His people, refusing to allow their destruction to be complete.

Those who refuse Him, God will permit Satan’s wrath to fall on. But those who repent and believe, they will be kept. And if even their lives are taken, and we know many will be, they will still be kept. God will not lose those who are his.

So, this woman, Israel, appears as a sign in the sky.

Her apparel, though, unconventional to say to the least.

Her Apparel - Revelation 12:1

Revelation 12:1 ESV

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.

This description has often been compared to that of Joseph’s dream in Genesis 37:9-11.

Genesis 37:9–11 ESV

9 Then he dreamed another dream and told it to his brothers and said, “Behold, I have dreamed another dream. Behold, the sun, the moon, and eleven stars were bowing down to me.” 10 But when he told it to his father and to his brothers, his father rebuked him and said to him, “What is this dream that you have dreamed? Shall I and your mother and your brothers indeed come to bow ourselves to the ground before you?” 11 And his brothers were jealous of him, but his father kept the saying in mind.

In Joseph’s dream, what did the Sun, moon, and stars refer to?

The sun referred to his father, Jacob. The moon, his mother, Rachel, and the 11 stars referred to his brothers.

The similarities between the two descriptions seems to make a connection that we would be wise not to miss. The promised given to Abraham, through Isaac, to Jacob, to Joseph, and beyond is fulfilled through the nation of Israel that resulted from that promised child.

And interestingly enough, Joseph’s life parallel’s Israel’s history well. Both endured hardship, oppression, and suffering. But in the end, both would be elevated, protected, and given a place of prominence.

In the sign in the sky, we will see that the child she is carrying, refers to none other than Jesus.

The woman is Israel, and her child, is Christ.

The woman, representing Israel, pregnant with the Messiah, is the ultimate fulfillment of the promise given to Abraham.

The woman’s apparel is reflecting Israel’s dignity and glory as God’s chosen nation.

The sun clothing is meant to show her unique glory as the one chosen by God through which to work His plan of redemption and salvation - Deuteronomy 7:6

Deuteronomy 7:6 ESV

6 “For you are a people holy to the Lord your God. The Lord your God has chosen you to be a people for his treasured possession, out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth.

The Moon under her feet, though not certain, could be another illusion to her exalted status as a nation, her chosen and special place among the nations of the world.

The crown on her head, with 12 stars, most certainly seems to represent the 12 tribes.

The crown itself is stephanos, which is the crown that depicts triumph in the midst of suffering and hardship. The victor’s crown.

Israel WILL prevail. They WILL come out victorious. They will suffer. They have been. They will some more. But the outcome is assured. They are the victors because of the grace and might of God.

In this vision that John is seeing, in the symbol in the sky, we also see her pregnancy and pain.

Her Pregnancy and Pain - Revelation 12:2

Revelation 12:2 ESV

2 She was pregnant and was crying out in birth pains and the agony of giving birth.

Israel is the mother of the Messiah.

Though one specific woman is given that honor, the nation as a whole gave birth to the Messiah.

Through this one nation, all other nations are blessed.

Blessed because the gospel and salvation comes through Israel.

Blessed as we support and protect God’s chosen people.

The woman in the sky that John sees, though is said to be pregnant and in the pain of childbirth.

What does this mean?

The nation of Israel is in pain, awaiting the final coming of her Messiah.

They are in pain from the antichrist who is waging war on them.

They are in pain from the judgements falling upon the earth.

Israel is painfully awaiting the full consummation of their deliverance. That deliverance demands the final coming of the Messiah, of Jesus.

And for those who still refuse to acknowledge that Christ is that Messiah, they are most despairing indeed that He has not come yet.

For those who do embrace him, they still await the full and final fulfilment of God’s promises — in the same way that we do.

In the same way that they were in pain the first time Christ came, they are in pain again now awaiting His second coming.

But she is not the only one that is introduced in these verses. Without waiting, after the first sign shows up to reveal the woman/Israel, God gives John a second sign.

The Dragon - Revelation 12:3-4

Revelation 12:3–4 ESV

3 And another sign appeared in heaven: behold, a great red dragon, with seven heads and ten horns, and on his heads seven diadems. 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.

ANOTHER sign…

Again, we are being told, clearly, that what we are seeing is a sign, a symbol. Not reality but something that represents reality.

But it is a different sign than that which represented the woman.

Revelation 12:9 will unmistakably identify the dragon as Satan.

Revelation 12:9 ESV

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.

Satan, is not an actual dragon, but is symbolized by one.

What might the identification of Satan as a dragon depict?

He is fierce, unyielding, vicious, relentless, and malevolent.

Names mean something, particularly in the Bible. There is a reason why God has so many names. There is a reason that Satan is given so many as well. Each one reveals a different aspect of the person they describe.

So, Satan is given lots of names in scripture. In this case, it is dragon.

In fact, it is only ever in the book of Revelation that Satan is given the name, Dragon. No where else in scripture is he referred to as such. Which is also indicative of his nature and character during these dark days of history.

Furthermore, this dragon, Satan, is describe as red (possibly explaining why the modern day of renderings of Satan with horns and pitchfork are also usually red).

His Color - Revelation 12:3

Red seems a fitting color—bloodshed.

Red is also used to depict that of anger and rage.

In the animated movies Inside Out and Inside out 2, the emotion of anger is red. In charts that depict certain emotions, it is always red.

Red depicts heat. When you are angry, you are said “to be heated.”

Satan, the antichrist, will attack and fiercely persecute Israel and any who follow Christ.

He will bring about a bloodbath on earth in the heat of his rage against God.

By the way, it is not even really personal. We are crosshairs of Satans wrath, primarily, because he detests God and as God’s creation are the means to get back at God.

Yes, red, seems fitting.

It is a clear image of his destructive nature, his angry personality, and his malicious intentions.

Consider John 8:44 when Jesus Himself says, (speaking to the religious leaders)

John 8:44 ESV

44 You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies.

Satan has been a murderer, liar, and the father of evil since the beginning of time. Dragon is an apt description.

As it should be since GOD is the one who called him such…lol…this is not man’s description, but Gods.

The Hebrew word for serpent, nachash, used in Genesis 3:1, when referring to Satan’s temptation of Eve, is used interchangeably in some texts with the word, tannin, which is the Hebrew word for dragon. BOTH words, actually, can be translated either serpent or dragon, depending on the context.

As I said before, the only place in scripture where Satan is referred to as a dragon, is here in Revelation. But the meaning is the same elsewhere when he is called a serpent.

Since the beginning of time, Satan has been described as a serpent, as a dragon. Since his fall, he has been a vicious deceiver, a malignant cancer on God’s creation. He has been an enraged antagonist against God’s glory since the inception of time.

As such, he has waged war on Israel. He has waged war on all those who love, fear, and served Him. This is why, in some respects, we are just collateral damage in a rivalry that has been raging since God finished his creation.

Satan knows that if he can successfully destroy Israel, he can make it impossible for God to keep his promises to the Jewish people (and to the world). So he has long been a dragon towards the people of God.

But God will not allow that to happen. He will keep his promises. He will protect, preserve, and keep Israel for His own.

The Dragon holds no power over Israel.

The serpent holds no sway.

Ironically, God will use Satan over and over again to rebuke Israel even while protecting Israel from Satan. Even in Satan’s rage and maliciousness, he will ever and always be a tool in the hands of the Almighty!

Application: Do you see God in his total control over all creation? Are you savoring Him for His omnipotence in the presence of the dragon’s rage?

In this description of this great dragon, like the woman, the description of his head give us insight into reality.

His Heads - Revelation 12:3

Revelation 12:3 ESV

3 And another sign appeared in heaven: behold, a great red dragon, with seven heads and ten horns, and on his heads seven diadems.

The dragon, now identified as Satan, will have seven heads and ten horns. And on those seven heads, will be seven diadems (or crowns).

Why seven heads?

Why ten horns?

Why seven diadems (crowns)

Flip over to Revelation 17 for a moment.

Revelation 17:1-10

Revelation 17:1–10 ESV

1 Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and said to me, “Come, I will show you the judgment of the great prostitute who is seated on many waters, 2 with whom the kings of the earth have committed sexual immorality, and with the wine of whose sexual immorality the dwellers on earth have become drunk.” 3 And he carried me away in the Spirit into a wilderness, and I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast that was full of blasphemous names, and it had seven heads and ten horns. 4 The woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and jewels and pearls, holding in her hand a golden cup full of abominations and the impurities of her sexual immorality. 5 And on her forehead was written a name of mystery: “Babylon the great, mother of prostitutes and of earth’s abominations.” 6 And I saw the woman, drunk with the blood of the saints, the blood of the martyrs of Jesus. When I saw her, I marveled greatly. 7 But the angel said to me, “Why do you marvel? I will tell you the mystery of the woman, and of the beast with seven heads and ten horns that carries her. 8 The beast that you saw was, and is not, and is about to rise from the bottomless pit and go to destruction. And the dwellers on earth whose names have not been written in the book of life from the foundation of the world will marvel to see the beast, because it was and is not and is to come. 9 This calls for a mind with wisdom: the seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman is seated; 10 they are also seven kings, five of whom have fallen, one is, the other has not yet come, and when he does come he must remain only a little while.

Here, this woman, the great prostitute, who is referred to as Babylon is said to sit on this same beast who has seven heads, ten horns, and 7 diadems on their heads.

In verses 9-10, the heads are identified as seven kings, five who have fallen, one that is, and one who must come and (when it does come) will remain only for a little while.

While not said explicitly in the text, it would appear to bear out that these refer to world empires that have (or will) run their course under Satan’s rule.

Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece (the five that have fallen), Rome (The one that is), and the Anti-Christ’s future kingdom (the one that will be and that will only last for a short while).

Revelation 17:12 will go on to identify the 10 horns as the ten kings who will rule under the antichrist during the tribulation period.

He will appoint ten regents to rule under him during the tribulation.

In fact, you may remember that Daniel 7:23-25 prophesied of these ten who would come.

Daniel 7:23–25 ESV

23 “Thus he said: ‘As for the fourth beast, there shall be a fourth kingdom on earth, which shall be different from all the kingdoms, and it shall devour the whole earth, and trample it down, and break it to pieces. 24 As for the ten horns, out of this kingdom ten kings shall arise, and another shall arise after them; he shall be different from the former ones, and shall put down three kings. 25 He shall speak words against the Most High, and shall wear out the saints of the Most High, and shall think to change the times and the law; and they shall be given into his hand for a time, times, and half a time.

In chapter 13 (when we get there), we will see this same beast, same 7 heads, and ten horns, but in chapter 13, the crowns have switched to the horns instead of the heads.

This shift depicts the transition of power from the 7 kings/empires to the 10 rulers who will rise to power in the tribulation period.

As we move into verse 4, we will be taken back to a previous time and be reminded of Satan’s influence in ages past that continues to have effect in present day.

His Influence - Revelation 12:4

Revelation 12:4 ESV

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.

This verse is pointing us back to Satan’s original fall from glory in the beginning off time.

The dragons tail, Satan’s tail, swept down a third of the stars from the sky with him when he fell.

It is in the book of Job that we get our understanding of what this is referring to.

In Job 38:7, God refers to His created angels as stars. The morning stars/angels sang at creation.

Side note, this means that angels were created somewhere early in creation week, before the creation of all things was complete, because they were present, at least for parts of it.

The tragic truth given to us in two OT passages reveals that these stars, these angels, became divided at the time of Satan’s rebellion.

Isaiah 14:12-15; Ezekiel 28:2-17

Isaiah 14:12–15 ESV

12 “How you are fallen from heaven, O Day Star, son of Dawn! How you are cut down to the ground, you who laid the nations low! 13 You said in your heart, ‘I will ascend to heaven; above the stars of God I will set my throne on high; I will sit on the mount of assembly in the far reaches of the north; 14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.’ 15 But you are brought down to Sheol, to the far reaches of the pit.

Ezekiel 28:12–17 ESV

12 “Son of man, raise a lamentation over the king of Tyre, and say to him, Thus says the Lord God: “You were the signet of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty. 13 You were in Eden, the garden of God; every precious stone was your covering, sardius, topaz, and diamond, beryl, onyx, and jasper, sapphire, emerald, and carbuncle; and crafted in gold were your settings and your engravings. On the day that you were created they were prepared. 14 You were an anointed guardian cherub. I placed you; you were on the holy mountain of God; in the midst of the stones of fire you walked. 15 You were blameless in your ways from the day you were created, till unrighteousness was found in you. 16 In the abundance of your trade you were filled with violence in your midst, and you sinned; so I cast you as a profane thing from the mountain of God, and I destroyed you, O guardian cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire. 17 Your heart was proud because of your beauty; you corrupted your wisdom for the sake of your splendor. I cast you to the ground; I exposed you before kings, to feast their eyes on you.

Both of these passages speak to Satan’s original fall from heaven; his original rebellion.

In his pride and arrogance, Satan wanted to be God.

He was created in beauty.

He was created as an angel.

2 Corinthians 11:14 tells us that he still masquerades as an angel of light, using his original created beauty to twist and deceive.

He was appointed to a place of high authority in God’s kingdom.

But he let his beauty and his place of importance inflate him beyond what was right.

He thought he could be God.

He thought he deserved to be so.

So, he rebelled.

And he was cast down for it.

And when he went, he took 1/3 of the created angels with him, those stars in the heavens.

Those angels who fell with him, now serve him. These are the demons, the fallen angels.

When we fail to SEE and SAVOR God, in all his glory, this is the devastating result.

Application: Our hearts were created to revel in glory. When we refuse to see God’s glory and allow our hearts to savor it, we have to replace it with something. Sin makes that “something” ourselves.

E.G. - We all struggle (If we are honest) about not liking the person we see looking back at us from the mirror sometimes. We look and we see our lack. We see what others (culture, society, or even the church) elevate as important and we struggle when we do not see it. We strive to look good, to meet others expectations, all the while having lost sight that what we are supposed to living in light of is His glory.

When we think we know better than the Potter Himself, and when we seek to redefine our purpose, place for that which we never designed for, we make a mess of things.

This is what Satan and his angels did and for it, they were cast down.

That is what Revelation 12:4 is referring to.

Revelation 12:4 is reflecting back to the dragon’s original fall. When he went, his tail swept 1/3 of the stars from the heavens, from their proper abode and they were cast down here to earth, where they did not belong.

How many angels was this?

We do not know for sure.

The word myriad in Revelation 5:11, used to describe the angels worshipping around the throne, was the Greeks highest word to express the highest number they could contrive. And though no exact number was given, it is substantial.

These are said to be the angels in heaven, worshipping, who did NOT rebel.

In Revelation 9:16, we are told that 200 million demons would be released from the bottomless pit to wage war on the earth.

Based on that number alone, since 2/3 more did not rebel and remained with God, there is a minimum of 400 million holy angels.

However, there are countless other demons free and roaming the earth now, doing Satan’s bidding. Thus, the number of fallen angels is low.

So, the reality is, we do not know how many holy angels there are. And we do not know how many fallen ones there are. Truth is, it does not matter.

What matters is that we understand there were created to serve God and 1/3 of them rejected the glory of God, refused to see and savor God, and rebelled against their design to follow Satan.

We would do well to heed the warning that their life and outcome give.

Instead of directing our gaze to a false glory that we perceive within ourselves, we must direct our gaze upward to the true glory of God’s eternal worth. Directing our gaze downward or inward will only end in catastrophe. Directing our gaze upward to delight in God will result in our eternal satisfaction in Him.

The 1/3 that rebelled, set themselves against God in every possible fashion.

With these angels who he took with him, Satan wages his war.

His War - Revelation 12:4-5

Revelation 12:4–5 ESV

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. 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,

Having been cast down in defeat, his pride stunted, Satan makes God his rival and sets to usurp him.

Either because he now knows he cannot do so directly or thinking that he still can but not through a direct frontal attack, Satan makes war on the woman, on Israel, and her unborn child.

Thus, since day one of creation, Satan has been hell bent (pun intended) on destroying God’s people, thwarting God’s plan, and wreaking as much havoc against God’s glory as possible.

His anger and jealousy, and his slight (perceived) at the hands of God, has only grown in its rage over the centuries. And, every loss, only increases it more so.

Consider Satan’s attempts over the years. This is not exhaustive, but it is a sampling…

Abel was righteous and did was was pleasing in the sight of God and Satan incited Cain to kill him. (Genesis 4)

Seeking to destroy the human race as we know it, Satan sent fallen angels to cohabitate with man (Genesis 6:1-4)

After Joseph’s death, Satan enslaved Israel in Egypt (Exodus 1:8-2:10)

Throughout the period of Judges, pagan nations repeatedly tried to wipe Israel out.

Saul tried to kill David. If he had succeeded, he would have been able to eliminate the messianic line (1 Samuel 18:10-11)

Twice, the messianic line dwindled down to one lone child to carry the line forward (2 Chronicles 21:17; 22:10-12)

Haman, in the days of Esther, tried to commit genocide of the entire nation, in part because of his own insecurity and pride at Mordecai’s slight. (Esther 3-9)

Time and time again, Satan has tried, and failed, to take out the people of God.

God simply won’t allow it.

And truthfully, Satan has to know it.

And either he has still deluded himself into thinking he can succeed

Or

He is so angry and resentful, despite knowing he cannot, he will cause as much harm as he can along the way.

Application: Be very wary of a defeated enemy who knows he cannot win and yet resists still. He is not your friend. No matter what promises he makes, his only intent is to see you burn.

Satan will not hesitate to strike at you, take you out if he can.

Satan tried to take out the Messiah Himself.

Do you think he will do any less to you and I?

This vision in Revelation 12 refers to that attempt to take out the Messiah Himself.

The dragon stood before the woman who was about to give birth, to Christ, the Messiah, so that when she did give birth, he could devour the child.

His first attempt was with Herod. - Matthew 2:13-16.

Herod had no intention of worshipping him as king. He wanted to kill him. And when he could not, he murdered every baby boy age 2 and under in the hopes to catch him. And I am sure that he exaggerated the age beyond the time span given just “to be safe.”

Later, Satan would try to take the Messiah out, the child out through temptation. Matthew 4:1-11. If Jesus succumbed in the wilderness to the temptation, he would have won the upper hand.

And he DID later orchestrate events to have Jesus crucified.

I sometimes wonder if Satan truly thought he was successful.

I struggle to think that Satan was that stupid or naive. But sin does make one stupid

I am sure he was as ignorant as the religious leaders were as to what kind of Messiah God intended to bring.

So perhaps, he thought he had been successful.

Or maybe he knew he was not but just delighted in the pain and suffering that he caused to His creator through His actions.

Either way, the result is the same. Satan is vicious.

Time and time again, we see where Satan put it into the hearts of people kill Jesus. The religious leaders were especially keen to do it. But he always escaped their grasp and they could never do it.

At least not until He was good and ready to lay down his own life.

This brings us to verses 5-6. The child.

The Child - Revelation 12:5-6

Revelation 12:5–6 ESV

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, 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.

Despite Satan’s repeated attempts to prevent Christ’s coming…He came.

She gave birth to Him.

Israel produced the Messiah, through Mary.

Side Note to consider:

Do you think that Joseph and Mary ever considered that humbly embracing this role could even be dangerous?

Whether they thought about it then or not, they certainly did when they were warned to flee to Egypt to avoid Herod. And had to remain there until after his death when it was safe to return.

Not only could Satan NOT prevent His coming, He WOULD rule with a rod of iron.

This is about His rule during the Millennium. This rule is yet to be realized but will be soon enough, especially for these Tribulation saints who are living through terrible days but whose end is rapidly approaching.

What does it mean to rule with a Rod of Iron though?

His Rule - Revelation 12:5

Psalm 2:7-9 helps us understand.

Psalm 2:7–9 ESV

7 I will tell of the decree: The Lord said to me, “You are my Son; today I have begotten you. 8 Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage, and the ends of the earth your possession. 9 You shall break them with a rod of iron and dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.”

This is judgment language.

His rule, with the rod of iron, is a rule that will bring judgment and perfect justice every time.

The word for “rule” carries the idea of destruction.

In order words, Jesus will comes, in judgement, and destroy all the nations. A fulfillment we will see in Revelation 19:11-21.

All opposing nations will be destroyed

And those who enter his rule, will be judged and ruled rightly by His just and righteous hand.

An iron rod is one that cannot be broken or bent. It is absolute and firm. Just as His rule will be.

He WILL rule. But the time for that is not yet.

So, in between His incarnation and His second coming (His coming to rule), He is caught up to God.

His Heavenly Status - Revelation 12:5

Revelation 12:5 ESV

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,

Her child, Jesus, was CAUGHT UP to God and to His throne.

Caught up — to snatch or seize. To carry off or grab suddenly.

Jesus was SNATCHED up by God, and taken up. Acts 1:6-11

Acts 1:6–11 ESV

6 So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” 7 He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” 9 And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. 10 And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, 11 and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.”

Hebrews 1:3 makes clear, this elevations was God’s affirmation of His approval of Christ’s redemptive work.

Hebrews 1:3 ESV

3 He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,

The work was done.

It was fulfilled.

And God was satisfied!

So, while He waited for the day of His rule to come, He was taken back up and given the seat of rule, authority, and honor at the Father’s right hand.

As for the woman, for Israel, she is yet in the crosshairs of The Adversary.

And yet, God’s protection will remain.

Her Protection - Revelation 12:6

Revelation 12:6 ESV

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.

We will see this again in verse 13, so we will come back to it in full then, but suffice it to say, until the end of time, Satan will have it out for the people of Israel. Even when defeated, and knowing he is defeated and can no longer stop what it is coming, he will seek to destroy the people of God.

But God will not allow their destruction.

He will protect them. He will prepare a place in the wilderness where they will be protected from the antichrists attacks. This is the promise of God.

Conclusion

In the face of this rivalry of the ages, how are we to respond?

FIRST, SEE God. Heed the warning. Satan did not. He rejected the very glory he was created to see and serve. Do not make the same mistake.

If you are here today and you have not repented of your sin, trusted in the God of heaven to save you through the work of Christ on the cross, today is the day. Look up and SEE GOD. Make SAVORING him the purpose of your life. Or rather EMBRACE the purpose of savoring Him the goal of your life. You will not be disappointed.

Church, for those of us already following Him…live everyday embracing the high and holy calling of seeing and savoring the glory of God as THE purpose for why we live and breath. Kill every other passion that stands in the way. Look up. See. Savor. And press on in the delight of the Lord!

Satan: saw glory, rejected it

Christ: embraced humility, received glory

Us: invitation stands

Big Idea: The rivalry of the ages stands as a warning and an invitation. Embrace the invitation to see and savor God as the purpose for which we exist.

Application

What steps can we take to embrace the purpose of savoring God amidst life's challenges?

How does understanding the rivalry of the ages help us trust in God's promises for our own lives?

In what ways can we help each other see and savor God more fully in our community?

How can contemplating the imagery of the woman and the dragon in Revelation influence our understanding of spiritual warfare today?

What are some distractions in your life that prevent you from focusing on your relationship with God?

How does knowing God is in control provide comfort when facing personal challenges?