The Most Unfair Fight (Round 1)

The Apocalypse: A Recap

Timeline review

What we are seeing in this chapter

John introduces new characters that reveal a wider view of this ongoing story

We go back to time of Abraham

In this process, we witness a remarkable drama

The numerous attempts by Satan to ruin God’s plan for the redemption of the human race

Defeated…over and over again

Head-scratcher

What we discover in this:

Never underestimate the depth of the evil and depravity in this creation

Courtesy of the one and only Satan

The Most Unfair Fight

Revelation 12:1-12

Revelation 12:1–12 NKJV

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. 7 And war broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels fought with the dragon; and the dragon and his angels fought, 8 but they did not prevail, nor was a place found for them in heaven any longer. 9 So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. 10 Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, “Now salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down. 11 And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death. 12 Therefore rejoice, O heavens, and you who dwell in them! Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and the sea! For the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, because he knows that he has a short time.”

In One Corner

Vv.1-2

Woman

Clothed with the sun

Moon under her feet

Garland of 12 stars on her head

Israel

“With child”

Cried out in labor

In the Other Corner

V.3

Dragon

Fiery red

Seven heads

Ten horns

Seven diadems on his heads

Identified

V.9

“that serpent of old”

Devil

Satan

First Battle

V.4

Dragon

draws 1/3 stars of heaven

Throws them to the earth

Stands before woman

Looking to devour Child

As soon as Child was born

What that means

Satan sought to prevent the Son of God from accomplishing the atonement for the sin of the world

V.5

Woman

Gives birth to male Child

Child to rule all nations with rod of iron

What that means

With the death and resurrection of Jesus

He would then usher in an eternal kingdom for Himself, ruling with absolute authority, justice, and righteousness

The End of the Battle

Child was caught up to God and His throne

Woman fled into wilderness

To safe place prepared for her by God

Safe for 3.5 years

Second Battle

Vv.7-9

War in heaven

Michael and his angels

Dragon and his angels

Winner

Michael

Banished

Satan and angels kicked out of heaven

Ushers in the Great Tribulation

Vv.10-12

Color commentator

“Now...”

Salvation

Strength

Kingdom of our God

The Power of His Christ

Have come”

“The accuser of our brethren”

Who accused them before our God day and night

Has been cast down

“Our brethren”

Overcame the accuser

By the blood of the Lamb

By the word of their testimony

Did not love their lives

“Therefore”

Rejoice O heavens

You who dwell in them

Woe to earth and sea’s inhabitants

Satan has come down

Great wrath

He know time is ticking

What that means

3.5 years on the clock

Then…he gets a 1,000-year time out

Now What?

Lost Battalion of World War I story

The “Lost Battalion” consisted of several different companies from the 77th Division of the American Expeditionary Force (AEF) stationed in France.

Included in the fateful mission were Companies A, B, C, E, G, and H from the 308th Infantry Regiment, Company K, from the 307th Infantry Regiment, and Companies C and D from the 306th Machine Gun Regiment.

During the mission that earned them the name, Maj. Charles W. Whittlesey of the 308th led the “Lost Battalion.”

Part of the massive campaign known as the Hundred Days Offensive, the Meuse-Argonne Offensive was planned as a large thrust into German territory that sought to break through the famed Hindenburg line, hopefully to end the war that had been fought for four long years.

Early on October 2, with the American 28th Division on their right and parts of the Corps of the French 4th Army on their left, Major Whittlesey and his men entered the heavily wired and entrenched position in the Argonne forest, with “Hill 198” as their goal. As they advanced into the forest, they encountered resistance but were confident their flanks were secure.

However, late on October 2, disaster stuck. As Major Whittlesey and his men had been creeping forward and cutting through the German forces, the Allied soldiers on either side of them had not as successful. While the “Lost Battalion” had captured their goal of Hill 198 and were digging in, fierce German counter-strikes had turned back both the French forces on their left and the other American forces on their right.

With Major Whittlesey unaware of these reversals, German forces encircled the “Lost Battalion.”

Upon learning of their predicament, Major Whittlesey knew he had only two options: to hold or retreat. Unwilling to disobey orders and keeping with the finest traditions of the American armed forces, Major Whittlesey and his brave men declined to give up their position for the relative safety of retreat.

They instead braced themselves to defend their objective, at whatever the cost. For five days and nights, the American soldiers withstood the German assault, beset on all sides by German gunfire and destructive grenade attacks.

American forces attempted to direct an artillery barrage onto the German positions to help them in their defense, maintaining communication through carrier pigeon messages. Although the engagement of artillery forces was successful, their aim as not. While the direct cause is unknown, the American artillery unfortunately started shelling Major Whittlesey and his men instead of the opposing forces.

Although successive carrier pigeons had been unable to get through, the “Lost Battalion” released their last bird, Cher Ami, carrying a desperate plea to stop the barrage: “We are along the road parallel 276.4. Our artillery is dropping a barrage directly on us. For heaven’s sake stop it.”

Even though Cher Ami sustained debilitating injuries, she was able to successfully carry the message, although she eventually died from her wounds.

Later, a released American prisoner gave Major Whittlesey a message from the German commander asking the American forces to surrender. Citing the cries of the American wounded, the German officer attempted to appeal to Major Whittlesey’s humanitarian side.

Both the after-action report and Major Whittlesey himself stated that he did not reply at all, instead treating the surrender request with the silent contempt it deserved.

Late on October 7, after failing to break the American position with one last assault, the German forces retreated northward as the American 82nd division farther north had broken through and threatened to encircle them.

After breaking through, an Allied relief force gave whatever food they had to the starving men and immediately began attending to the many wounded.

The final casualty count lists 107 killed, 190 wounded, and 63 missing out of the 554 men who engaged in the defense. The U.S. Army award the Medal of Honor to three soldiers involved in the siege, including Major Whittlesey, who was also immediately given a battlefield promotion to lieutenant-colonel immediately.

The men of the “Lost Battalion” helped keep the Meuse-Argonne Offensive alive. The actions of these brave men helped defeat the German Empire and their efforts should never be forgotten.

Maybe you are struggling with fatigue in various forms

Battle fatigue with our culture

Pandemic fatigue

Screen fatigue

Fatigue with stress from work

Fatigue with stress at home

Fatigue with financial pressures

If you have believed in Jesus for everlasting life

I’m not saying to you that you will win

I’m saying you’ve already won

So HOLD THE HILL

Do NOT surrender

What will you do now?

Need to be certain you are on the winning side?

Text LIFE to 858.210.0291

Need to stay on your “hill?”

Text HOLD HILL to 858.210.0291

Need support with your “hill?”

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