Study of End Times Week 29
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Dragon, Woman and Child - August 10
Dragon, Woman and Child - August 10
Tonight we are starting to look at the second half of the tribulation period as we begin chapter 12, and will see the main character of the second half of the tribulation period, the Dragon.
I listed the Dragon first in the title, even though we will first see and talk about the woman.
The dragon is Satan as we mentioned last week, the dragon is one of the three key characters, with the other two being, the beast from the sea is the false Christ/ Antichrist, and then the beast from the earth is the false prophet; these three make up the evil or false trinity.
We are living in some crazy days, we can all realize that right now, the cost of food, and well really everything is outrageous.
The weather is has been crazy, with the ocean temps in the Atlantic being in the upper 80’s right now and here we are over a week into August and have had three named storms but no hurricanes, thank God, but we have seen some very strong thunderstorms, Monday evening we had a storm come through that produced hail, strong winds, that Donetta and I were driving in and I tell you it was like being in a hurricane.
These are weird and dangerous days in which we live in! The storm clouds are gathering, the lightning is flashing the lightning rod is Israel.
Christians cannot deny or ignore the significance of the nation of Israel.
If you read Bible prophecy, you will discover that Israel is, in some way, in 100 percent of all prophecy about the future.
Indeed, the eyes of the entire world are upon this tiny state of Israel, and your eyes need to be there, too, because the Jews and Israel are the people and the land of destiny.
As the Jews go, so goes the world. Israel is God’s yardstick, Israel is God’s measuring rod. Israel is God’s blueprint. Israel is God’s program for what He is doing in the world.
Let’s look at what God tells us about the nation of Israel from Revelation 12.
I. Israel’s Special Favor
I. Israel’s Special Favor
1 A great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet and a crown of twelve stars on her head. 2 She was pregnant and cried out in labor and agony as she was about to give birth.
Who is this wonder woman in heaven?
First let me say who she is not. She is not the Virgin Mary. She gave birth to the Lord Jesus Christ, Second, it is not the church, even though it is spoken of as the bride of Christ. The woman in this passage gives birth to Jesus; Jesus gave birth to the church. It is not the church.
It seems clear that this wonder woman is Israel. Jesus came from the nation of Israel.
When God gave Joseph a dream, Israel was described as having the sun, moon, and 11 stars.
9 Then he had another dream and told it to his brothers. “Look,” he said, “I had another dream, and this time the sun, moon, and eleven stars were bowing down to me.”
Joseph was the twelfth star. Elsewhere in the Old Testament, Israel is called the wife of Jehovah. God said to Israel in Isaiah 54:5-6
5 Indeed, your husband is your Maker—
his name is the Lord of Armies—
and the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer;
he is called the God of the whole earth.
6 For the Lord has called you,
like a wife deserted and wounded in spirit,
a wife of one’s youth when she is rejected,”
says your God.
Then we see a key passage in Romans that explains this woman. Paul spoke about his concern for the nation of Israel. He describes the Jews this way in Romans 9:4-5
4 They are Israelites, and to them belong the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the temple service, and the promises. 5 The ancestors are theirs, and from them, by physical descent, came the Christ, who is God over all, praised forever. Amen.
What is Paul saying? That Israel gave us the Messiah, and thank God for it. Israel is a God-ordained, God-called, God-protected, and God-blessed nation.
Did God call and ordain Israel to make them only a blessing? No, He called Israel in order to bless the entire world through them.
Let’s look at another passage of Scripture. God is speaking to Abraham in Genesis 12:3
3 I will bless those who bless you,
I will curse anyone who treats you with contempt,
and all the peoples on earth
will be blessed through you.
Every Christian is blessed because of Israel. We have a Bible that is a Jewish book.
We serve a Jewish Messiah. And God has made Abraham a blessing to all the nations of the world.
Here’s a word of warning: You would be foolish and on dangerous ground if you should pronounce a curse on Israel.
We are to bless what God has blessed, love what God has loved, and pray for Israel.
God said about Israel in Deuteronomy 7:6
6 For you are a holy people belonging to the Lord your God. The Lord your God has chosen you to be his own possession out of all the peoples on the face of the earth.
Our Jewish friends need to learn that the best friends they have on the face of this earth are Bible-believing Christians. Satan does not want them to know that.
II. Israel’s Satanic Foe
II. Israel’s Satanic Foe
Revelation gives us the symbols of a wonder woman and a dreadful dragon.
3 Then another sign appeared in heaven: There was a great fiery red dragon having seven heads and ten horns, and on its heads were seven crowns. 4 Its tail swept away a third of the stars in heaven and hurled them to the earth. And the dragon stood in front of the woman who was about to give birth, so that when she did give birth it might devour her child. 5 She gave birth to a Son, a male who is going to rule all nations with an iron rod. Her child was caught up to God and to his throne.
Who is this ferocious dragon?
It is Satan himself, he is red because of his lust for blood.
44 You are of your father the devil, and you want to carry out 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 tells a lie, he speaks from his own nature, because he is a liar and the father of lies.
He has seven heads, ten horns, and seven crowns. You may recall that seven means perfection and ten means complete. Horns in the Bible are symbolic of power, so when you put seven and ten together, these things are symbolic of Satan’s diabolical earthly power and wisdom.
Satan is the ultimate rebel. Isaiah tells us what happened to Satan in Isaiah 14:12-15
Isaiah 14:12–15 (KJV 1900)
12 How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning!
How art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!
13 For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven,
I will exalt my throne above the stars of God:
I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north:
14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.
15 Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit.
Lucifer was a beautiful angel in heaven, but one day he decided he was too wise, strong, glorious, and mighty to be anything less than God.
He wanted to exalt himself above the stars of God, so Revelation tells us that his tail swept a third of the stars [angels] from heaven when he led a rebellion and ultimately fell.
No sooner had he unsheathed his sword of rebellion than the thunders of Jehovah’s wrath rolled through heaven. Do
Does the number of angels who became demons bother you? 1/3
* If it does, then we should remember that 2/3 of the angels did not fall so there are two angels for every demon. *
Hell is the destiny of Satan and his demons.
This is what Jesus taught about those who will be judged in the final day in Matthew 25:41
41 “Then he will also say to those on the left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels!
God did not make hell for you. God made heel for Satan and the demons. But if you choose to follow Satan, or reject Jesus, that will be your destiny. You will be an intruder.
While Satan wars with Israel, his ultimate war is with the Lord Jesus Christ. Look at what the second half of Revelation 12:4
Revelation 12:4 (CSB)
4 the dragon stood in front of the woman who was about to give birth, so that when she did give birth it might devour her child.
Who is her child? The Lord Jesus Christ. What does Satan want to do? He wants to destroy the Lord Jesus Christ.
Who do you think influenced Herod to murder all the baby boys who were two years old and under?
16 Then Herod, when he realized that he had been outwitted by the wise men, flew into a rage. He gave orders to massacre all the boys in and around Bethlehem who were two years old and under, in keeping with the time he had learned from the wise men. 17 Then what was spoken through Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled:
18 A voice was heard in Ramah,
weeping, and great mourning,
Rachel weeping for her children;
and she refused to be consoled,
because they are no more.
Satan was trying to devour the child as soon as the child was born. But he could not stop the plan of God.
5 She gave birth to a Son, a male who is going to rule all nations with an iron rod. Her child was caught up to God and to his throne.
Jesus Christ was born. He lived a perfect and sinless life, died on the cross, was buried, and rose from the tomb a victorious Savior. Now He has ascended the high hills of glory.
Song writer John Wilbur Chapman said it best:
video -
Satan is anti-Christ, and he is anti-Semitic. Satan hates Jesus, and he hates the Jews.
If you were to study the history of God’s chosen people, you would discover that they have endured satanically-inspired persecution and atrocities under Pharaoh, Nebuchadnezzar, Alexander the Great, Nero, the Turks, the Ottoman Empire, Russia, Arab nations, and sadly, even Christians.
Think of the little nation of Israel today. There is a population of just over 9 million people in Israel today, of that 6.8 million of the 9 million is Jews, leaving the other 2.2 million non-Jews, most being Arabs - Muslims.
In the Middle East countries, which is a total of 17 countries there is a population roughly right now of 475.3 million, with roughly 85% being of the Muslim faith.
Israel is bordered by 4 countries, Lebanon has a population of 5.4 million with not only lowest population but also the lowest Muslim population of only 54% Muslim which gives 3 million Muslims.
Then there is Jordan with a population of 11.2 million of which 82% is Muslim which gives 9.2 million.
Then Syria has 22 million population that is 80% Muslim for 17.6 million.
The finally is Egypt with the largest population of 111 million and 90% that makes up 99.9 million Muslims.
That is a population of 149.6 million people bordering Israel, of that 129.7 million of them are Muslims that are right on Israel’s boarders so that is 86.7% of the population that is immediately surrounding the small nation of Israel is Muslim, then there is also the 2.2 million living right inside the country itself.
I say all of that to say, the the Arabs, the Muslims, have fought, and wish that Israel and the Jewish people did not exist, and would be happy to see Israel whipped clean off the map.
How would you like to go into a supermarket and wonder if a bomb will explode while you are inside?
How would you like to get on a bus and wonder if you will make it to your destination?
In an issue of Harper’s Magazine (July 2002), Stanley Fish shares what a Muslim mother said after she learned of her son’s success in a suicide bombing that killed her son and ten Jews.
She said, “Because I love my son, I encouraged him to die a martyr’s death for the sake of Allah. Jihad is a religious obligation encumbered upon us and we must carry it out. I sacrificed Mohammad [her son’s name] as a part of my obligation. I asked Allah to give me ten Israelis for Mohammad, and Allah granted my request, and Mohammad made his dream come true, killing ten Israeli settlers and soldiers. Our god honored him even more in that there were more in that there were many Israelis wounded.”
Who is the author of all this hatred toward the Jewish nation of Israel? That diabolical dragon named Satan.
III. Israel’s Spiritual Fight
III. Israel’s Spiritual Fight
6 The woman fled into the wilderness, where she had a place prepared by God, to be nourished there for 1,260 days.
7 Then war broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon. The dragon and his angels also fought, 8 but he could not prevail, and there was no place for them in heaven any longer. 9 So the great dragon was thrown out—the ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, the one who deceives the whole world. He was thrown to earth, and his angels with him. 10 Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say,
The salvation and the power
and the kingdom of our God
and the authority of his Christ
have now come,
because the accuser of our brothers and sisters,
who accuses them
before our God day and night,
has been thrown down.
Two battles are taking place in this passage: one in heaven and one on earth, and the purpose of the war is to cast Satan out of heaven. On one side are the dreadful dragon and his demons; on the other side are Michael and his angels.
A. The War in Heaven
A. The War in Heaven
The dragon is described as a serpent because he is so subtle. He is also called the devil, which means accuser, and Satan, which means adversary.
We might think was not Satan already cast out of heaven? Yes, but he still has limited access to heaven.
6 One day the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came with them.
In the mystery, providence, and plan of God, Stan has been allowed this limited access to heaven. Although Satan has been formally expelled, God has still allowed him to come and accuse all the saints before Him.
10 Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say,
The salvation and the power
and the kingdom of our God
and the authority of his Christ
have now come,
because the accuser of our brothers and sisters,
who accuses them
before our God day and night,
has been thrown down.
But now Michael and his angels are telling Satan that he does not have access to heaven any longer and will be cast down to earth.
Do you know that Satan is watching everything you do?
You know that is if you have felt the sting of his accusations, perhaps of a lustful thought, a bad temper, a selfishness.
We can be guilty of these things, but there is a difference between accusing and convicting us of our sins.
Satan comes as a prosecuting attorney and says: “Look at that Chris, he is supposed to be a pastor, but did you hear what he said? Did you see what he thought? God, how can you honor him? You claim to be so righteous, You claim to be so just, why don’t you cast him into hell?
Night and day Satan accuses us, but praise God, we have a defense attorney named Jesus.
1 My little children, I am writing you these things so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father—Jesus Christ the righteous one.
Jesus turns to the judge and says in our defense: “Yes, Father, Chris has sinned, but Father, I ask you to look at my wounds, I died for those sins, You see my shed blood on him. And God, as judge, rules in our favor because of the shed blood of His Son.
B. The War on Earth
B. The War on Earth
Revelation 12:11-12, speaks of the saints and notice what it says about them: Revelation 12:11-12
Revelation 12:11–12 (CSB)
11 They conquered him [Satan that is]
by the blood of the Lamb
and by the word of their testimony;
for they did not love their lives
to the point of death.
12 Therefore rejoice, you heavens,
and you who dwell in them!
Woe to the earth and the sea,
because the devil has come down to you
with great fury,
because he knows his time is short.
Satan , who was cast out of heaven, is now upon the earth, and he is filled with violent rage. He is like a cornered animal that knows things are closing in on him.
He begins to fight against the saints with an intensity that he’s never shown before, and thankfully, there is a threefold formula for victory.
1. The Believer’s Cleansing.
1. The Believer’s Cleansing.
First, the believers overcame Satan by the blood of the Lamb. Jesus won the victory over Satan on the cross.
Looking to the cross, Jesus said in John 12:31
31 Now is the judgment of this world. Now the ruler of this world will be cast out.
Satan’s back was broken at the cross. Ever since then, Stan has been sailing a sinking ship. He rules a doomed domain.
The blood of Jesus Christ conquers and cleanses. Do you believe that?
7 If we walk in the light as he himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.
How are we going to overcome Satan? We will never have victory over Satan as long as there is sin in our heart that we have not confessed and repented of.
Is there bitterness, lust, or some habit in your life that you know is sinful, yet you are withholding it from God’s cleansing power?
Whatever it is, it is not worth it. You can be as clean as the pure, white snow by repenting of your sin and claiming the blood of Jesus Christ to forgive you.
If you go to war against Satan, you had better make certain your heart is clean.
27 and don’t give the devil an opportunity.
If there is sin in your heart, you have given the devil an unholy place to wage war on the rest of you. Be clean.
2. The Believer’s Confession
2. The Believer’s Confession
The believers also overcame Satan by the word of their testimony.
Did you know that your testimony is a mighty power to overcome the devil? When you testify of who Jesus is in your life, you are throwing water on Satan’s fire that is trying to devour you.
17 So the dragon was furious with the woman and went off to wage war against the rest of her offspring—those who keep the commands of God and hold firmly to the testimony about Jesus.
Do you know Jesus? He is Lord, He is the Lamb who died, He is the Lion who rules.
When Satan comes against you, testify about what Jesus did at Calvary and the empty tomb. Testify also about who you are.
Tell him that when Jesus died, you died. You were crucified with Christ, when Jesus was buried, you were buried, when Jesus was raised, you were raised, when Jesus ascended, you ascended, and when Jesus was enthroned and seated in the heavenlies, you were also enthroned in Christ.
Tell Satan you are redeemed, accepted, and empowered by the Lord Jesus Christ, you are now a king and a priest.
3. The Believer’s Courage
3. The Believer’s Courage
The day of martyrs is not past. More people died in the twentieth century for Jesus than have died in any other century [more than one hundred million persons have given their lives for the Lord Jesus Christ].
What is the attitude of a martyr?
11 They conquered him
by the blood of the Lamb
and by the word of their testimony;
for they did not love their lives
to the point of death.
They kept on loving Jesus even if they died, if their testimony cost them their lives, they could say, “I am going with the Lord Jesus Christ.”
But this sounds like I could get hurt, yes, but you cannot be harmed. There is a difference.
Remember how, in a previous week we discussed believers are sovereignly protected? When we are in the center of God’s will, your work will never lack for God’s provision or God’s protection.
IV. Israel’s Strategic Flight
IV. Israel’s Strategic Flight
Satan realizes what has happened to him. He no longer has access before God so he turns with intensity to the woman and begins to persecute Israel.
Remember, this is the time of the great tribulation, and Israel will be persecuted in a tremendous way. This will be a dark time for Israel.
13 When the dragon saw that he had been thrown down to the earth, he persecuted the woman who had given birth to the male child. 14 The woman was given two wings of a great eagle, so that she could fly from the serpent’s presence to her place in the wilderness, where she was nourished for a time, times, and half a time. 15 From his mouth the serpent spewed water like a river flowing after the woman, to sweep her away with a flood. 16 But the earth helped the woman. The earth opened its mouth and swallowed up the river that the dragon had spewed from his mouth.
Let’s review what we have learned so far about the great tribulation, which begins after the rapture of the church.
In the middle of the seven-year period, the temple will be rebuilt. And when that happens, the Antichrist will move in and declare himself to be God.
Then Israel will realize that a false Messiah has betrayed her, and she will refuse to serve him.
During this time Satan will turn against Israel in a way he has never done before. Then what happens?
Jesus prophesied it in Matthew 24:16-21
16 “then those in Judea must flee to the mountains. 17 A man on the housetop must not come down to get things out of his house, 18 and a man in the field must not go back to get his coat. 19 Woe to pregnant women and nursing mothers in those days! 20 Pray that your escape may not be in winter or on a Sabbath. 21 For at that time there will be great distress, the kind that hasn’t taken place from the beginning of the world until now and never will again.
The Jews take flight for three and half years as Jesus prophesied above and as Revelation 12:14
14 The woman was given two wings of a great eagle, so that she could fly from the serpent’s presence to her place in the wilderness, where she was nourished for a time, times, and half a time.
When the devil sees them flee, he will send a flood of persecution. But Isaiah 59:19B [NKJV] says
Isaiah 59:19 (NKJV)
19 When the enemy comes in like a flood,
The Spirit of the Lord will lift up a standard against him.
What does all of this mean? It means God knows the future. And God is in control.
No one could write a book like the Bible apart from divine inspiration, as you see everything that is happening today fitting into the socket of prophecy.
V. Israel’s Saving Faith
V. Israel’s Saving Faith
17 So the dragon was furious with the woman and went off to wage war against the rest of her offspring—those who keep the commands of God and hold firmly to the testimony about Jesus.
There will come a time when many Jews will come to Jesus Christ as their Messiah.
10 “Then I will pour out a spirit of grace and prayer on the house of David and the residents of Jerusalem, and they will look at me whom they pierced. They will mourn for him as one mourns for an only child and weep bitterly for him as one weeps for a firstborn.
How can Jehovah God be pierced? The only one way is for God to become a man and die on a cross.
1 “On that day a fountain will be opened for the house of David and for the residents of Jerusalem, to wash away sin and impurity.
We also hear from the apostle Paul who says in Romans 11:25-26
25 I don’t want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers and sisters, so that you will not be conceited: A partial hardening has come upon Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. 26 And in this way all Israel will be saved, as it is written,
The Deliverer will come from Zion;
he will turn godlessness away from Jacob.
The second part of verse 26 is quoted from Isaiah 59:20
20 “The Redeemer will come to Zion,
and to those in Jacob who turn from transgression.”
This is the Lord’s declaration.
What is the fullness of the Gentiles? The church.
Does this bless you? It makes me want to shout with Joy to know that God has a plan. God has not forsaken His ancient people.
God has blessed Israel so Israel might be a blessing to all the world. There will be a fountain open to them just like the song goes that was written by William Cowpen, There Is a Fountain.
- Video
How can we continue living in these pivotal days without giving everything we have to Jesus Christ?
We are to love Him with a burning, blazing, passionate, emotional love.
We are to love what God loves, and God loves His Son, and His chosen people the Jews.
Thank God, a day is coming - and it may not be far off - when all of these prophecies will begin to unfold.
I am grateful for Revelation. I may not have every jot and tittle correct because we are dealing with difficult matters to interpret, but I have this much correct - Jesus is Lord and He is coming again. Praise His Name!