Christmas According to John

The Woman

The New International Greek Testament Commentary: The Book of Revelation God Protects Christ and the Messianic Community against Satanic Harm (12:1–6)

Many ancient mythologies contain a story of an evil usurper who is doomed to be vanquished by a yet unborn prince. The usurper tries to escape his destiny by killing the prince when he is born. But the prince is unexpectedly snatched away from danger until he is old enough to kill the fiend and claim his rightful inheritance and throne. The version of this story best known in Asia Minor was that of the goddess Leto who was pregnant with Apollo, the son of Zeus. She was attacked by the dragon, Python, because he knew that her offspring had been appointed to kill him. But she was carried to a safe island by winds sent by Zeus. The god Poseidon hid the island under the water so that Python could not find the woman and her child. Four days after Apollo was born, he found the dragon and slew it.

Genesis 37:9 ESV

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.”

gen

The crown the crown of saints

Vs 2 her pains

Isaiah 7:10 ESV

Again the Lord spoke to Ahaz:

isa 7.10, 14

Isaiah 7:14 ESV

Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.

The Dragon

The New International Greek Testament Commentary: The Book of Revelation God Protects Christ and the Messianic Community against Satanic Harm (12:1–6)

“Another sign appeared in the heaven,” namely “a great red dragon.” The dragon had “seven heads and ten horns, and on his heads seven diadems.” A mosaic of OT imagery is used to draw the contours of this monster—all imagery of evil kingdoms who persecute God’s people. “Dragon” (δράκων) is another OT word for the evil sea monster that symbolizes evil kingdoms who oppress Israel. Often the wicked kingdom of Egypt is portrayed by this emblem. God is spoken of as defeating the Pharaoh as a sea dragon at the exodus deliverance and at later points in Egypt’s history (Pss. 73(74):13–14; 89:10; Isa. 30:7; 51:9; Ezek. 29:3; 32:2–3; Hab. 3:8–15; Pss. Sol. 2:29–30; see Ps. 87:4, where “Rahab” is a synonym for Egypt, and Jer. 51:34, where Babylon is the subject; cf. Amos 9:3)

Isaiah 27:1 ESV

In that day the Lord with his hard and great and strong sword will punish Leviathan the fleeing serpent, Leviathan the twisting serpent, and he will slay the dragon that is in the sea.

Ezekiel 29:3 ESV

speak, and say, Thus says the Lord God: “Behold, I am against you, Pharaoh king of Egypt, the great dragon that lies in the midst of his streams, that says, ‘My Nile is my own; I made it for myself.’

Daniel 7:7 ESV

After this I saw in the night visions, and behold, a fourth beast, terrifying and dreadful and exceedingly strong. It had great iron teeth; it devoured and broke in pieces and stamped what was left with its feet. It was different from all the beasts that were before it, and it had ten horns.

The devil himself

Revelation 12:9 ESV

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.

Revelation 20:2 ESV

And he seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years,

Revelation 17:3–6 ESV

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. 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. And on her forehead was written a name of mystery: “Babylon the great, mother of prostitutes and of earth’s abominations.” 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.

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Daniel 8:10 ESV

It grew great, even to the host of heaven. And some of the host and some of the stars it threw down to the ground and trampled on them.

3-6

The War (4ff)

1 Timothy 3:16 ESV

Great indeed, we confess, is the mystery of godliness: He was manifested in the flesh, vindicated by the Spirit, seen by angels, proclaimed among the nations, believed on in the world, taken up in glory.

Highlight the victory

Inaguared victory

Psalm 2:7–9 ESV

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

Revelation 19:15 ESV

From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty.

rev 2

Isaiah 66:7 ESV

“Before she was in labor she gave birth; before her pain came upon her she delivered a son.

Isaiah 66:8 ESV

Who has heard such a thing? Who has seen such things? Shall a land be born in one day? Shall a nation be brought forth in one moment? For as soon as Zion was in labor she brought forth her children.

Restoration of

Verse 6

1262 Days

3 1/2 years

1 half of on 7

Revelation 13:5 ESV

And the beast was given a mouth uttering haughty and blasphemous words, and it was allowed to exercise authority for forty-two months.

[ 5-49

Revelation 11:2–3 ESV

but do not measure the court outside the temple; leave that out, for it is given over to the nations, and they will trample the holy city for forty-two months. And I will grant authority to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260 days, clothed in sackcloth.”

The New International Greek Testament Commentary: The Book of Revelation God Protects Christ and the Messianic Community against Satanic Harm (12:1–6)

This divine protection and assistance lasts for “twelve hundred and sixty days.” This is the same period as in 11:2–3, where for that length of time God protects the church as his invisible, inviolable temple and gives it power to witness despite ongoing persecution (see on 11:1–6). God gives his heavenly aid to the church throughout its existence on earth, since the earth is the sphere of the dragon’s activities after his heavenly expulsion (narrated in vv 7–12). The period described in ch. 11 is climaxed by an increase in Satanic oppression, during which it appears that God’s protection has ceased and the church has been exterminated (see on 11:7ff.). Likewise, the protection and nourishment given in 12:6 assures the continued existence of God’s worshiping community on earth and enables it to function as a witness (so also 12:11, 17). The “place prepared [passive participle of ἑτοιμάζω] by God” for latter-day Israel is another metaphor of protection along with the sealing of the 144,000 in ch. 7 (see on σφραγίζω in 7:4, 8; 9:4).