December 21
Zech 1:1-21 | PS 140:1-13 | Prov 30:17 | Rev 12:1-17
We read in Revelation 12:1-2, “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. Then being with child, she cried out in labor and in pain to give birth.” Many minimize the book of Revelation, stating that it is confusing, yet it is the only book that offers a blessing for the one who reads it. We need the Old Testament to understand the New Testament. The woman is the nation of Israel, as depicted from Joseph’s dreams in Genesis 37:5-11. The child to be born of the woman is the Messiah, Jesus Christ. We next read in Revelation 12:3-4, “And another sign appeared in heaven: behold, a great, fiery red dragon having seven heads and ten horns, and seven diadems on his heads. 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.” This dragon is Satan, his primary mission is to prevent Messiah from coming forth, and with him, he brought one-third of the angels, now demons with him. We read of his failed mission in 12:5, “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.” Jesus was indeed born, fulfilled His mission of salvation and is now in heaven on His throne.
Though Satan has always had an audience in heaven as depicted in the first two chapters of Job, there will be a cosmic battle as seen in Revelation 12:7-9 in which Satan is permanently cast out of heaven. We read of Satan’s response to this defeat in 12:12, “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.” Why are things so chaotic? Why does it seem lately that evil has gained a foothold in every segment of society? Those of us in Christ should see the writing on the wall, as Satan also realizes that his time as the usurper is coming to an end. We see our defense against our enemy the devil in 12:11, “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.” Satan is powerful, but we can overcome him by claiming our victory in the cross, by the blood of the lamb; by our testimony that Jesus is our Lord, and as we submit to Him and obey Him, Satan loses control over our lives; and by not even fearing death, not living our lives for ourselves, realizing that it is better to die for Jesus than live without Him.
We then read in Revelation 12:6, “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.” This is further elaborated upon in 12:13-14, “Now when the dragon saw that he had been cast to the earth, he persecuted the woman who gave birth to the male Child. But the woman was given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness to her place, where she is nourished for a time and times and half a time, from the presence of the serpent.” Though Satan pours out his full wrath against the Jewish people (never diminish the demonic forces behind anti-Semitism), we see during the Great Tribulation that God will supernaturally protect His people, most believe in the rock city of Petra, as prophesied in Isaiah 16:1-4. Realize if everything else is forgotten, the overlying theme of the book of Revelation, is no matter how evil things get, if you place yourself in Jesus, you win, because He wins. Hallelujah! What a Savior!
Messages from Pastor Lloyd Pulley: