Note first of all the woman crowned with twelve stars (12 tribes?) who brings onto the earth a male child who will rule ALL the nations, and who was opposed by the dragon but taken to the position of rule in heaven. The child is obviously Jesus and that therefore makes the woman Israel .

The woman's end is significant - fleeing into the desert (the world) where she is "taken care of" for a period that is half the complete period of God's purposes. After the fall of Jerusalem in AD70, Israel was dispersed across the face of the earth and has been preserved until only this century has she been returning to her land. That might indicate that we are now in the second phase of God's two-phase plan, but the phases don't have to be the same length of time!

The dragon, we'll see in v.9 in the next study, is clearly Satan. He has seven heads, indicating much wisdom, ten horns indicating authority in the world, and seven crowns meaning he has a present right to rule. He appears to have taken a third of the angels with him when he rebelled in heaven and sought to destroy Jesus on earth. In the cases of both Jesus and Israel , God overrules Satan and allows him to move just as far as God's purposes permit.

D. Application?

1. God is supreme over all things - including Satan and his followers who

God makes use of!

2. God HAS a plan which He IS working out!

Chapter: Rev 12

Passage: Rev 12:7-12

A. Find Out:

1. Who were the two sides in the war? v.7

2. What was the outcome? v.8,9

3. What four things had now come? v.10a

4. How was Satan described? v.10b

5. What threefold way was he overcome? v.11

6. What was the "bad news"? v.12

B. Think :

1. How many names or descriptions or activities of the enemy are given in

these verses?

2. What appears to be the twofold result of the war?

3. How did the saints overcome the enemy?

C. Comment :

We must remember the passage that has gone before which involved the coming of Jesus. This passage starts with "And" implying it is happening at the same time. It would appear that Satan had the right to come before God to point out the failures of God's people on earth, to be the legal prosecuting counsel in heaven. Sin appears to have given him that right.

When Jesus died to take our sins, Satan no longer had a ground on which to demand our judgement, but the picture appears to indicate that he persisted in coming and so Michael (obviously a leading angel) resisted him and forced him and those angels who supported him (a third, see also v.4) out of heaven. Satan then took a new place of dominance on the earth.

The believers in Jesus now defeat Satan by trusting in Jesus' blood for their atonement, by testifying to what God has done for them and by giving their lives totally over to God for His purposes. Satan is thus left to war against unbelievers, which God allows him to do, to bring people either to their destruction or to their senses (see 1 Corinthians 5:5). God thus PERMITS Satan this time of activity to accord with all of the Lord's purposes for eternity.

D. Application?

1. Jesus died to destroy the works of the evil one (see 1 John 3:8)

2. God is THE Lord over all things, Satan included!

Chapter: Rev 12

Passage: Rev 12:13-17

A. Find Out:

1. What did Satan now do? v.13

2. But what happened to the woman? v.14a

3. How long would that be? v.14b

4. But what did Satan try to do? v.15

5. Why wasn't he successful? v.16

6. So what did Satan then do? v.17

B. Think :

1. Who did we previously say the woman was?

2. How has history shown this passage to be true?

3. What does it suggest about the sovereignty of God?

C. Comment :

This passage harmonises the two previous passages we have just considered. When at Calvary Satan was disarmed and was forced out of heaven, he first turned his attention to the woman, the natural nation of Israel . He attempted to destroy Israel but God in His sovereign will ensured that that didn't happen. We see this happening in history as in AD70 Jerusalem was overcome and the Jews scattered and spread across the face of the earth. There they have lived, continuing to maintain their identity even though scattered.

The time for this is three and a half periods, half of the seven, the perfect time for God's purposes. Their scattered state was to be the first part of that period for God working out His plans (although this isn't to imply that the second part is to be another 1900 years, for of course it was only part way through this century that they came together again as a nation). Although the Jews have continued to be persecuted the main thrust of Satan's attack since Jesus has been against His church, and persecution continued from the Acts of the Apostles to the present day, but as always God says "Thus far and no further" (as in the story of Job). He is still Lord!

D. Application?

1. Marvel at this special people who have survived across the world.

2. Marvel at the power of God that has kept His church despite all that

Satan has brought against it.

RECAP: "Overview" - Revelation 12

SUMMARY :

In these last 3 studies we have seen:

  - the picture of Israel bringing Jesus into the world

  - Satan rebelling in heaven and being cast down to the earth

  - Satan pursuing Israel who is hidden in the world

  - Satan pursuing the Christians

COMMENT :

Here we see the general picture of the great war: Satan against God. Through Israel on the earth, God brings His Son. Satan attacks Israel but she is protected by God using the world, so he then goes after the Son's offspring, the Christians. In the midst of all this, Satan is cast out of heaven and denied his right of accuser because Jesus had removed his ground of accusation.

In these few verses the wonder of the heavenly conflict is laid bare for all to see. All other Scripture, in one sense should be read in the light of the understanding of this passage.

LESSONS :

1. God is sovereign.

2. He permits Satan his activities for His own purposes but limits him accordingly.

3. Israel clearly was a prime part of His purpose in bringing Jesus onto the earth.

4. Israel appears to have a part in those purposes towards the end of time.

5. Satan's primary warfare today is against the saints of God.

PRAY :

Acknowledge the One who is working out His sovereign plans and purposes, who even uses Satan in them, despite his activities against the Lord.

Worship the One who is still working in the midst of His world today and who WILL bring all things to a planned climax in His time and His way.

Thank Him that you can rest in this knowledge, assured that He works all things involving us for our good (See Romans 8:28 )

SUMMARY

We have seen:

Chapter 1 : Introduction & vision of Jesus

    - Jesus' revelation to John

    - a description of Jesus

    - a vision of Jesus

Chapters 2 & 3 : Letters to the Seven Churches

- words of correction

- words of encouragement

Chapters 4 & 5 : A Glimpse into Heaven

    - God on the throne

    - the beings around the throne

    - Jesus at the centre of the throne

    - worship of God and Jesus

Chapters 6 - 8 : Opening the Seven Seals

    - disharmony after rejection

    - the slain saints

    - natural disaster

    - the redeemed Jew & Gentile

    - worship in heaven

    - silence

Chapters 8 - 11 : The Seven Trumpets

    - a third of the earth destroyed

    - the end proclaimed

    - testimony to God

    - time for judgement

Chapter 12 : An Overview of the war

    - Israel births the Christ

    - Satan seeks to destroy the Christ

    - Satan seeks to destroy Israel

    - Israel dispersed in the nations

    - Satan cast down from heaven

    - Satan seeks to destroy Christians

CONCLUSIONS

As we read through this book certain things should stand out to us:

1. About God

He is

- supreme over all

    - hidden from human eyes

    - worshipped by all of heaven

    - working out His plans in history

2. About Jesus

He is

    - Lord of the church

    - the Lamb of God

    - unrolling end time history

3. About the "world"

They

    - are in rebellion against God

    - will receive chastising judgements

    - refuse to repent

    - will face eternal judgement

4. About the Church

    - belongs to Jesus

    - is subject to His holy standards

    - is overseen by him

    - is subject to persecution by the world

    - is assured of its place in eternity

5. About Satan

He is

- seen as the one warring against the church

- limited by God in what he can do

6. About Ourselves

We can

    - rest in the knowledge that Jesus is Lord over all

       end time history

    - joy in being His possession

    - join in the heavenly worship of Him

    - be assured of our place in heaven after whatever

       this world holds for us.