The Plan of the Ages
Notes
Transcript
1 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. 2 Then being with child, she cried out in labor and in pain to give birth. 3 And another sign appeared in heaven: behold, a great, fiery red dragon having seven heads and ten horns, and seven diadems on his heads. 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. 5 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. 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.
Introduction:
As I have normally done in this series, i will explain the passage from a futuristic perspective and make allusions to some various interpretations before getting into the heart of the message.
The woman is Israel as God many times compares it to.
The sun, moon and stars are most probably a flash back to Joseph’s dream Genesis 37:9 that he shared with his family.
9 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.” 10 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?” 11 And his brothers envied him, but his father kept the matter in mind.
The Revelation of Jesus Christ The First Great Wonder, The Woman Clothed with the Sun: Israel (12:1-2)
The description of the woman as clothed with the sun and the moon is an allusion to Genesis 37:9–11, where these heavenly bodies represent Jacob and Rachel, thereby identifying the woman with the fulfillment of the Abrahamic Covenant. In the same context, the stars represent the patriarchs, the sons of Jacob. The symbolism may extend beyond this to represent in some sense the glory of Israel and her ultimate triumph over her enemies. This identification of the woman as Israel seems to be supported by the evidence from this chapter. Israel is obviously the source from which have come many of the blessings of God including the Bible, Christ, and the apostles. The twelve stars seem to refer to the twelve tribes. The persecution of the woman coincides with the persecution of Israel.
Other fantastic interpretations have been essentially immortalized in idolatrous ways. For example, the Madonna used in Catholicism and Marry worship.
The Sistine Madonna is perhaps the most celebrated painting in the world. It is called “Sistine” because it was originally painted for Pope Sixtus who was the great art patron of Raphael’s period. The beauty of the Sistine Madonna lies in its grace and in the self-sacrifice, the deep, universal love which pervades the mother’s countenance.
The prophecy of the birth of Christ echoes through all the prophets; not only in many passages from Isaiah, but in Jeremiah, 31, 22; in Daniel, 9, 24–26; in Ezekiel, 34, 23, and in several of the lesser prophets, especially Hosea and Zechariah. The picture of the virgin mother with her son has always been the favorite theme of religious art. St. Luke, the writer of the gospel, is reputed to have painted from life the earliest picture of Christ’s mother. This strange little painting, almost black with age, is still preserved at Rome, as an object of deepest reverence. Sketches of the Madonna have been found in the early catacombs, and when the great period of Italian art culminated in the beautiful works of Raphael, the master chiefly devoted his genius to copies of this subject.
Israel’s hardships because of the dragon’s hatred for God’s great plan, takes it’s toll on the generations of God’s chosen.
The Great red dragon, typifying here Satan the ruler of all heathen governments, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven diadems (Crowns of position not the victorious crown given to the saints who overcome) on his heads.
This sign speaks of the influence and rule He has been allowed under God, for the purging of mankind that the righteous would be distinguished from the rest.
His tale, or the wake of his wrath, draws a third of the masses and casts them down. Yet, he does not act independently of earthly governments which we will see in chapter thirteen.
I. God’s Great Plan of the Ages.
I. God’s Great Plan of the Ages.
A. Israel must and will come under the banner of Christ.
There are no second class citizens in God’s kingdom.
There is no people group outside of God’s dominion.
There is no one exempt from the effect of His plan.
B. The saints are involved because we have been brought into the commonwealth of Israel.
12 that at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. 13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.
C. Christ is the only equalizer for the present evil.
I’ll have you to remember that this book is the Revelation of Jesus Christ.
1 The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show His servants—things which must shortly take place. And He sent and signified it by His angel to His servant John,
You see, everything in this book centers around Him. It is His revelation to us!
II. Satan’s Counterfeit Plan.
II. Satan’s Counterfeit Plan.
A. He appears as an angel of light.
14 And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light.
Yes He appears, but he isn’t even close.
It is interesting that our text says that another sign appeared in Heaven, but not a great sign as is Israel’s description.
B. He has been fighting God’s plan since the beginning of time.
To Eve in the garden of Eden, “Has God said?”
To Job through his wife, telling him to curse God and die.
C. He brings destruction and persecution upon the godly.
I find it perplexing that even Christians cannot see this, when they expect God to make their lives happy and void of any hurt or hardship, sickness or poverty.