The Time of Jacob's Trouble - Part 1 - Revelation 12:1-17
INTRODUCTION:
This morning we enter into chapter 12 of Revelation; chapters 12-13 are parenthetical in that they introduce us to the key characters in the Great Tribulation. The interpretation of these two chapters is crucial to our understanding of the end times.
Our chapter for this morning was a big news item a few months ago in the world of astronomy as people began to claim that this chapter was being fulfilled in the heavens. Certain constellations and plants and the sun and the moon were all lining up in fulfillment of this chapter. But the time came and went without anything happening, without the rest of the chapter being fulfilled. I was not surprised because although John saw these signs in his vision they will not be visible in our day and the church will not be here on the earth when these things take place on the earth.
It is significant that chapter 11 ended with the opening of the temple in heaven and the unveiling of the ark of the covenant, this was an introduction for us to this parenthetical section because the ark of the covenant reminded Israel that they are bound to God by covenant and God will fulfill the terms of that covenant. As we turn to this chapter this morning we will see that God is beginning to deal with His covenant people. Let’s pray and then get into our passage this morning.
--LET’S PRAY--
SCRIPTURE:
Turn in your Bibles to Revelation 12, I have no hope of getting through this whole chapter this morning, but we are going to read the whole chapter, verses 1-17. Please stand if you are able in honor of the reading of God’s Word.
Revelation 12:1-17,
“A great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars; and she was with child; and she cried out, being in labor and in pain to give birth. Then another sign appeared in heaven: and behold, a great red dragon having seven heads and ten horns, and on his heads were seven diadems. And his tail swept away a third of the stars of heaven and threw them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman who was about to give birth, so that when she gave birth he might devour her child. And she gave birth to a son, a male child, who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron; and her child was caught up to God and to His throne. Then the woman fled into the wilderness where she had a place prepared by God, so that there she would be nourished for one thousand two hundred and sixty days. And there was war in heaven, Michael and his angels waging war with the dragon. The dragon and his angels waged war, and they were not strong enough, and there was no longer a place found for them in heaven. And the great dragon was thrown down, the serpent of old who is called the devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him. Then I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, ‘Now the salvation, and the power, and the kingdom of our God and the authority of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren has been thrown down, he who accuses them before our God day and night. And they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their testimony, and they did not love their life even when faced with death. For this reason, rejoice, O heavens and you who dwell in them. Woe to the earth and the sea, because the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, knowing that he has only a short time.’ And when the dragon saw that he was thrown down to the earth, he persecuted the woman who gave birth to the male child. But the two wings of the great eagle were given to the woman, so that she could fly into the wilderness to her place, where she was nourished for a time and times and half a time, from the presence of the serpent. And the serpent poured water like a river out of his mouth after the woman, so that he might cause her to be swept away with the flood. But the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened its mouth and drank up the river which the dragon poured out of his mouth. So the dragon was enraged with the woman, and went off to make war with the rest of her children, who keep the commandments of God and hold to the testimony of Jesus.” (Revelation 12:1–17, NASB95)[1]
THE WOMAN (Revelation 12:1-2)
As John looks on he writes that a great sign appeared in heaven. Depending on your version it might say wonder instead of sign, but this is not the Greek word for “wonder” it is the Greek word for “sign” and John says it is a “great sign” which means it carries great significance. John MacArthur writes, “This ‘sign’ describes a symbol that points to a reality.”[2] In this sign the description shows us that the woman John sees in his vision is not an actual woman. Also, the reference in verse 17 to the rest of her children show that this woman is a symbolic mother. The interpretation of this woman is crucial to our understanding of the end times. This “sign” is the first of seven signs that John will see in the last half of Revelation.
This woman is also the second of four symbolic women in Revelation. The first was an actual woman, but she was given the symbolic name of Jezebel (Revelation 2:20) and she represented paganism. The third, appears in chapter 17 and is pictured as a harlot and she represents the apostate church. The fourth appears in chapter 19 and she is the bride of the Lamb and represents the true church. Some teach that this present sign in chapter 12 is also symbolic of the church, but the context makes it clear that this woman represents Israel.
Even in the Old Testament Israel is pictured as a woman. For the sake of time I will just look at one. God speaking to Israel through the prophet Jeremiah says in Jeremiah 3:20, “’Surely, as a woman treacherously departs from her lover, So you have dealt treacherously with Me, O house of Israel,’ declares the Lord.” (Jeremiah 3:20, NASB95)[3] A few other references that you can look up: Jeremiah 3:1; Ezekiel 16:32-35; Hosea 2:2. John also describes this woman in his vision as pregnant and in the pains of giving birth. Israel is also described as giving birth and being in the pains of child birth in the Old Testament. Again, for the sake of time here are some references you can look up: Isaiah 26:17-18; Isaiah 66:7-9; Jeremiah 4:31. Just as when a woman is giving birth and she experiences pain, Israel also was in pain as she waited for the Messiah to come forth. Some of this pain was caused by Satan as he tried to prevent the Messiah from being born by destroying the mother, Israel.
John’s description of her being clothed with the sun and the moon under her feet and the crown of 12 stars on her head should cause us to see the parallels between this description and Joseph’s dream back in Genesis 37 where he saw the sun, moon and eleven stars bowing down to him. The sun links this woman with Jacob, the sun in Joseph’s dream, and the heir to the Abrahamic covenant. The sun as her clothing may also represent the unique glory and exalted status of redeemed Israel as God’s chosen nation. The moon links this woman with the mothers of the twelve tribes of Israel as represented in Joseph’s dream. The moon could also represent the idea of God’s covenantal relationship with Israel since the phases of the moon were part of the cycle of Israel’s required times of worship. Finally, the crown of 12 stars represents the 12 tribes of Israel, in Joseph’s dream there were only 11 because they were bowing to him, but here Joseph is included in the crown.
This woman that John sees as a great sign in heaven is a symbol of the reality that is Israel, God’s covenant nation who he begins to deal with especially in the last 3½ years of the Tribulation.
THE DRAGON (Revelation 12:3-4)
In verse 3 John sees the second sign of the seven signs that he sees in this last half of Revelation. This second sign introduces us to another key character in the book of Revelation and the Great Tribulation, the last 3½ years of the 7-year tribulation period.
John tells us that this second sign that appeared in heaven was a great red dragon, this dragon had seven heads and ten horns and he wore seven diadems on his heads. Verse nine clearly tells us that this dragon is Satan. Understand that this is a sign, Satan is not an actual dragon, actually he is a fallen angel. The symbolic language use here describes for us Satan’s true character and his true nature. In Ezekiel 28, one of the passages that describes the fall of Satan, he is described before his fall to be full of wisdom and perfect in beauty, but the wickedness of sin has turned his nature and character into that of a hideous dragon.
He is described as a great dragon, not someone to be trifled with but one that we have victory over in Jesus Christ. He is also described as red or fiery red, the color red is the color of destruction and blood. Satan is a murderer and out to shed blood, describing him as red further stresses his vicious nature. Jesus speaking to the religious leaders of Satan said of him in John 8:44-45, “You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies. But because I speak the truth, you do not believe Me.” (John 8:44–45, NASB95)[4] Satan as the great red dragon is a murderer and a liar, this murderous red is a fitting color for this dragon that seeks to attack both the woman and the child she is about to bear.
John goes on in his description of this great red dragon telling us that he has seven heads and ten horns and seven diadems are on his heads. Satan is pictured as a seven-headed monster that rules the world. The seven heads represent the seven world empires that ruled the world under Satan’s dominion: Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, Rome, and the seventh being the future empire of the Antichrist. That final empire will be a ten-nation confederacy. The ten horns represent the ten kings that will rule under the authority of the Antichrist. Note that the dragon wears diadems, this is the crown of royalty, the kingly crown. Most of the crowns that we have read about so far in Revelation are the crowns of victors, the victor’s wreaths. This is the first that we have read of diadems, or royal crowns.
John goes onto describe the tail of this great dragon sweeping a third of the stars out of heaven. This language shows us that Satan’s evil influence is not limited to the earth, but first that evil influence was used in the spiritual realm or the angelic realm. This sweeping away of a third of the stars and throwing them to the earth speaks of Satan rebellion and when he fell from his position of anointed cherub he took a third of the angelic host with him. Verses 7 and 9 speaks of the dragon and his angels, these angels are the stars that were swept out of heaven and cast to the earth, they are his demons. We do not know the number of angels that fell with Satan in his rebellion, but even a third is a vast number. The holy angels in Revelation 5 were described as myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands, an innumerable host so the number of angels that fell with Satan must be enormous.
John continues and tells us that the dragon, this hideous, murderous creature that represents Satan stood before the woman that was about to give birth, so that when she gave birth he might devour her child. John MacArthur writes, “Throughout history, Satan has bent all his efforts towards persecuting the people of God. Having failed to wipe out the people of God and the messianic line, Satan desperately attempted to murder the Messiah Himself before He could do His saving work. Yet Satan could not defeat the Son of God.”[5] Satan has known since God spoke Genesis 3:15 that the seed of the woman would crush his head, this is God’s plan and it will be fulfilled. But Satan’s activities throughout history are carried on under a double motive: (1) an ambition to rule and be worshipped, and (2) hatred toward the One whom God has chosen to take the kingdom Satan has usurped.
The dragon is Satan, and we have recorded for us here the beginning of the end of the great warfare between God and His adversary, Satan, that began in the Garden of Eden.
THE CHILD (Revelation 12:5-6)
In verse 5 John records that the woman, Israel, gave birth to a son, a male child, despite the relentless efforts of Satan to prevent the child from being born. This son, this male child is the incarnation of the Lord Jesus Christ. Romans 1:3 tells us, “concerning His [God’s] Son, who was born of a descendant of David according to the flesh,” (Romans 1:3, NASB95)[6] was the fulfillment of prophecy beginning in Genesis 3:15. Israel brought forth the Messiah, the anointed One. Satan could not stop Christ from accomplishing redemption. But we are not told about Jesus Christ’s life, or death, or resurrection, but only that He was caught up to God and to His throne. This child is destined to rule all the nations with a rod of iron, and there in heaven on the Father’s throne He waits to receive the kingdom. Even Old Testament prophecy does not separate the first advent of Jesus Christ from the second. We saw during the month of December that many of the Old Testament prophecies spoke of the birth of the Messiah and then spoke of Him as the King ruling the nations. Only in the New Testament beginning in the Gospels do we fill in the space between His first coming and His second coming. William Newell writes, “It is necessary to remember that God emphasizes the fact in Revelation 12, that He is speaking in sign-language. Prophecy often speaks thus, noting desired facts, irrespective of chronological arrangement.”[7] The apostle John see Jesus exalted to the right hand of the Father as a perfect Savior awaiting His kingdom.
Even though he is defeated, even though he failed in his attempt to stop the birth of the Messiah, Satan will not give up. Unable to defeat and stop Jesus Christ, Satan still viciously assaults God’s people. During the last half of the Tribulation Satan will increase His efforts to destroy the Jewish people so that the nation cannot be saved as the Bible promises. Romans 11:25-27 promises that a remnant of believing Jews will be saved through the Great Tribulation. Satan desires that no Jews will be left to enter the millennial kingdom, so he works to exterminate them during the time that he has left.
John in verse 6 gives us a brief glimpse of what he will expand upon more fully in verses 13-17, John writes, “Then the woman fled into the wilderness where she had a place prepared by God, so that there she would be nourished for one thousand two hundred and sixty days.” (Revelation 12:6, NASB95)[8] God will frustrate Satan’s attempt to destroy believing Israel during the Great Tribulation by hiding His people and providing for them for 1260 days or 3½ years. Just as Jesus had predicted in our Scripture reading from this morning in Matthew 24:15-21.
CONCLUSION:
I am going to stop here this morning and we will pick up next week beginning in verse 7. This morning the apostle John saw two signs, the first sign is a reminder to us that God is not yet finished with Israel. There are those who believe that the church has replaced Israel, even some mainline denominations teach this, that the universal church is the new Israel. God’s Word does not teach this, if it did then that would mean that God has broken His covenant with the nation of Israel because there are specific terms of that covenant that are yet to be met. The church is the bride of Christ, but the nation of Israel is the people of God and God will be faithful to Israel in fulfilling all the terms of His covenant with His people.
Satan is actively at work in our world today seeking to deceive the world, to draw our attention away from God. We must remember that we are in a constant battle for the souls of men, women and children. Paul speaks of this spiritual battle we are in when he writes in Ephesians 6:10-13, “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm.” (Ephesians 6:10–13, NASB95)[9] Satan is a defeated enemy, but he is still powerful, and we must wage war and be actively sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ with the world that Satan is seeking to deceive. Tell the world the truth that Jesus Christ died paying the price for sin, that He was buried, and that He rose from the dead triumphant forever over Satan, sin, and death and by agreeing with God and believing in Jesus Christ you forgiven and will be triumphant in Christ over Satan, sin, and death.
[1]New American Standard Bible : 1995 Update. La Habra, CA : The Lockman Foundation, 1995
[2]MacArthur, John, Because the Time is Near : John MacArthur Explains the Book of Revelation. Chicago, IL : Moody Publishers, 2007
[3]New American Standard Bible : 1995 Update. La Habra, CA : The Lockman Foundation, 1995
[4]New American Standard Bible : 1995 Update. La Habra, CA : The Lockman Foundation, 1995
[5]MacArthur, John, Because the Time is Near : John MacArthur Explains the Book of Revelation. Chicago, IL : Moody Publishers, 2007
[6]New American Standard Bible : 1995 Update. La Habra, CA : The Lockman Foundation, 1995
[7]Newell, William R., The Book of the Revelation. Chicago, IL : Moody Press, © 1935, Reprinted 1978
[8]New American Standard Bible : 1995 Update. La Habra, CA : The Lockman Foundation, 1995
[9]New American Standard Bible : 1995 Update. La Habra, CA : The Lockman Foundation, 1995