The Child and The Great Red Dragon
– Revelation
Twelve –
Revelation
twelve is a dividing line in the book of Revelation. The picture in this
chapter takes us back to Genesis 3:15. "And I will put enmity between thee
and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and
thou shalt bruise his heel." The seed of a woman was in a struggle with
Satan. Satan was ready to devour the child. Here we do not see the battles.
Those are pictured in the Gospels.
The
woman in this story is the whole family of God or the true Israel of God for
all times. "Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named."
(Ephesians 3:15) God's people are in a war against Satan. There is also war in
heaven, a struggle between the powers of heaven and the great red dragon. (Revelation
12:7-9) Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, in behalf of the
people of God.
A
shout of victory is heard because of the blood of the Lamb. "And I heard a
loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation,
and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the
accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and
night. And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their
testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death. Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the
inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil
is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but
a short time." (Revelation 12:10-12)
Satan,
through his lies, works to destroy the church but victory belongs to the
faithful people of God.
A
woman and a great red dragon – Revelation 12:1-3:
Who is this woman? The woman is the true Israel of
God. "Sing, O barren, thou that didst not bear; break forth into singing,
and cry aloud, thou that didst not travail with child: for more are the
children of the desolate than the children of the married wife, saith the
LORD." (Isaiah 54:1)
The
woman includes the Old Testament Israel, because through them the Messiah was
born. The nation of
Those
may look upon the people of God on earth as lowly, persecuted, and hated
people. God, from the heavenly viewpoint, sees His people through radiant
glory--Arrayed with the sun, and the moon under her and a crown with twelve
stars upon her head. God's covenant people will see victory. "And as many
as walk according to this rule, peace be on them, and mercy, and upon the
Israel of God." (Galatians 6:16) The Devil is a looser man, but the
faithful of God always win!
Who
is the child that is brought forth? The only logical conclusion is that He is
Jesus. He is to rule all nations with a rod of iron. "And out of his mouth
goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall
rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness
and wrath of Almighty God." (Revelation 19:15)
In
contrast with the woman and her child is the great red dragon. This can only be
Satan. He is pictured with: (1) Seven heads--authority or world dominion, (2)
Ten horns--complete destructive power, and (3) Seven crowns--symbolizing a
ruler and not victory. This can only be the one first pictured in Genesis 3:15.
The
child and the dragon – Revelation 12:4-6: The great red dragon was so
cunning that at his fall he took with him a third of the angels of heaven. He
even did his best to destroy the child that was born. However, the child lived
to become the Lamb of God. Satan could do nothing as Jesus is caught up into
heaven. The Devil then turns to destroy the woman but God also has a place of
protection for her.
In spite of all that the Devil did the woman brought forth a man-child.
"For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government
shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor,
The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of
Peace." (Isaiah 9:6) The picture in Revelation twelve is not just that of
the birth of Jesus, but also His death, resurrection and ascension.
Just
as
War
in heaven – Revelation 12:7-12:
Michael and his
angels fought against the Devil and his angels. The Devil had once been in
heaven in the presence of God. (Job 1-2) Now there is joy in heaven because he
is cast out. Now the Devil can be overcome.
God's people overcome by the blood of Christ. It is not by their
merit at all. They overcome by the word of His testimony. The only ones going
to heaven are those who personally live by God's word and teach it to others.
They overcome by loving God more than they love their own lives. They will be
faithful even if it means death!
War
on the earth – Revelation 12:13-17:
The war on earth had
to do with the persecution of the church by man and the protection of the
church by God. God's people were given strength--two wings of the great eagle.
They were in a place of nourishment. The three and one half years is the entire
Christian age. God protects preserves and loves His people.
During all this time the Devil is still trying to win. He dumps
rives of water upon God's people in the form of ungodliness, destruction and
wickedness. The destructive lies of Satan are just another attempt to destroy
the church. "In this chapter, Satan, the great enemy of mankind, depicted
here as the dragon, has been introduced; but he will appear repeatedly in
several different guises in the subsequent chapters of this prophecy."
It must be the goal of every true Christian to honor God regardless
of the difficulty in doing so. The gospel is God's great news that
Jesus died for sinners. Jesus said, "He that believeth and is baptized
shall be saved." (Mark