Do We UNDERSTAND THE CONFLICT OF THE AGES
REVELATION 12
Part 3
Remember how God shares His plan with us by opening all the events to us by His servants like the Apostle John?
Remember the Seven Openings in Heaven?
Revelation 12 contains 2 Signs and describes four great things.
There are seven signs in Revelation 11:
THE PANORAMA: GOD HIGHLIGHTS FIVE CAST MEMBERS Woman: Israel Dragon: Satan Man: Christ Angel:
Michael Saints: True Believers
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.
Revelation has four women mentioned who represent special things.
There are many ways Bible teachers have identified this woman. Some like Barnhouse says it is the spiritual
conflict of all the ages from Eden onward including Israel and the Church; others have said it is Eve,
all women of all time, Mary, the Church and others Israel (Scott, Ironside, Newell, Gaebelein).
Lets look at the clues:
GOD OPENS FOR US A DOOR TO WORSHIP Revelation 4:1 After these things I looked, and behold, a door standing open in
heaven. And the first voice which I heard was like a trumpet speaking with me, saying, “Come up here, and I will
show you things which must take place after this.”
GOD OPENS FOR US THE SEALS OF HIS WRATH Revelation 6:1 Now I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals;
and I heard one of the four living creatures saying with a voice like thunder, “Come and see.”
GOD OPENS FOR US THE PIT OF DOOM Revelation 9:2 And he opened the bottomless pit, and smoke arose out of the pit
like the smoke of a great furnace. So the sun and the air were darkened because of the smoke of the pit.
GOD OPENS FOR US HIS TEMPLE IN HEAVEN Revelation 11:19 Then the temple of God was opened in heaven, and the ark
of His covenant was seen in His temple. And there were lightnings, noises, thunderings, an earthquake, and great hail.
GOD OPENS FOR US THE TABERNACLE OF HIS TESTIMONY Revelation 15:5 After these things I looked, and behold, the temple
of the tabernacle of the testimony in heaven was opened.
GOD OPENS FOR US THE GATES OF HEAVEN Revelation 19:11
Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in
righteousness He judges and makes war.
GOD OPENS FOR US THE BOOKS OF JUDGMENT Revelation 20:12 And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God,
and BOOKS were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according
to their works, by the things which were written in the books.
Revelation 12:1 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.
Revelation 12:3 And another sign appeared in heaven: behold, a great, fiery red dragon having seven heads and ten
horns, and seven diadems on his heads.
Revelation 13:13-14 He performs great signs, so that he even makes fire come down from heaven on the earth in the
sight of men.
14 And he deceives those who dwell on the earth by those signs which he was granted to do in the sight
of the beast, telling those who dwell on the earth to make an image to the beast who was wounded by the sword and lived.
Revelation 15:1 Then I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvelous: seven angels having the seven last plagues,
for in them the wrath of God is complete.
Revelation 16:14 For they are spirits of demons, performing signs, which go out to the kings of the earth and of
the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.
Revelation 19:20 Then the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet who worked signs in his presence,
by which he deceived those who received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image. These two were cast
alive into the lake of fire burning with brimstone.
Jezebel in (Rev. 2:20) Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel,
which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things
sacrificed unto idols. is a picture of Paganism in the church. The woman (12:6) is Israel. 6 And the woman fled
into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred
and threescore days..
The scarlet Woman (Rev 17:1) 1 And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and talked with me,
saying unto me, Come hither; I will shew unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters:
is the apostate church;
The Lamb’s wife (Rev 19:7) 7 Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come,
and his wife hath made herself ready.is the true church.
* First, her clothing corresponds to Genesis 37:9-11 Then he dreamed still another dream and told it to his brothers,
and said, “Look, I have dreamed another dream. And this time, the sun, the moon, and the eleven stars bowed down to me.
”10 So he told it to his father and his brothers; and his father rebuked him and said to him, “What is this dream that
you have dreamed? Shall your mother and I and your brothers indeed come to bow down to the earth before you?”11 And
his brothers envied him, but his father kept the matter in mind.
* Second, her cries. When God sent forth His Son to be born in Israel it was a time of oppression at the hand of Rome.
All of creation groans awaiting redemption. All women groan in childbirth.
* Third, her exalted child, it can only be Jesus. Rev 12:2
* Finally, her care by God in the tribulation hours.
Only Israel is promised such care.
Revelation 12:3 And another sign appeared in heaven: behold, a great,
fiery red dragon having seven heads and ten horns, and seven diadems on his heads.
* The 2nd sign is easy. Satan has been well identified as: 1. Prince of the world John 12:31 “Now is the judgment
of this world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out. (Also John 14:30; 16:11).
2. Murderer John 8:44
“You are of your father the Devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the
beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks
from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it.
3. Adversary the Lion 1 Peter 5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the Devil walks about like a roaring
lion, seeking whom he may devour.
4. The seven heads are later stated to be (17:10) seven past kingdoms and the ten horns (17:12) to be ten kings of
the end times. This beast is quite similar to the one Daniel saw with one head and ten horns (Dan. 7:7, 20, 24)
HIS PAST HISTORY IS DESCRIBED:14 HIS PRESENT ACTIVITY IS DETAILED15:
13 THE PROMISED SEED OF THE WOMAN: Genesis 3:15 And I will put enmity between you and the woman, And between your
seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, And you shall bruise His heel.” OF THE TRIBE OF JUDAH: Genesis 49:10
The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, Until Shiloh comes; And to Him shall
be the obedience of the people. THE STAR OF JACOB: Numbers 24:17-19 “I see Him, but not now; I behold Him, but not
near; A Star shall come out of Jacob; A Scepter shall rise out of Israel, And batter the brow of Moab, And destroy
all the sons of tumult.18 “And Edom shall be a possession; Seir also, his enemies, shall be a possession, While
Israel does valiantly. 19 Out of Jacob One shall have dominion, And destroy the remains of the city.” GOD WITH US:
Isaiah 7:14 “Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and
shall call His name Immanuel. SON OF ABRAHAM AND DAVID: Matthew 1:1 The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the
Son of David, the Son of Abraham:
Revelation 12:4 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. Satan is powerful.
WHAT CAN HE DO? Only what God allows, but that is substantial. He tempted Eve [Gen. 3]; he tempted Christ [Matt. 4];
he perverted God’s Word [Matt. 4]; he hindered God’s servant, [I Thess. 2]; he fought with Michael [Jude 9];
he brought sin into the World [Gen 3]; he hinders the gospel [2 Cor. 4]; he snares the wicked [I Tim. 3];
he desires the Nations [Rev. 16]; he has the World in his lap [I Jn. 5].
WHAT IS HE LIKE? His character: He is described by our Lord in John 8:44 as a murderer and liar.
He works overtly and covertly with doctrines of devils and seducing spirits. He is a sinner [I Jn. 3:8],
an oppressor [Rev. 12:10], a perverter [I Tim. 4:3] and an imitator [2 Cor. 11:13-15].
Revelation 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
* Three elements unique to Jesus in all the Universe are noted:
1. His Incarnation
2. His Ascension
3. His 2nd Coming to Psalm 2:8 Ask of Me, and I will give You the Nations for Your inheritance, And the ends of
the earth for Your possession.9 You shall break them with a rod of iron; You shall dash them to pieces like a
potter’s vessel.’ ”
* The Man-child who is to rule all nations with a rod of iron.
1. This is Christ (Scott, Newell,Gaebelein, Alford).
2. It is Christ and the true Church, His body (Ironside).
3. It is the invisible church (Seiss).
* The word for Jesus being caught up is harpadzo and is the same word used for the Rapture (I Th. 4:17) as well
as Paul going to the 3rd heaven (II Cor. 12:2)
14 In Isaiah 14:12 “How you are fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How you are cut down to the ground,
You who weakened the nations! 13 For you have said in your heart: ‘I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne
above the stars of God; I will also sit on the mount of the congregation On the farthest sides of the north;
14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the Most High.’
15 Satan is seen in 2 Corinthians 4:3 But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing,
4 whose minds THE GOD OF THIS AGE has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ,
who is the image of God, should shine on them. 2 Corinthians 11:13 For such are false apostles, deceitful workers,
transforming themselves into apostles of Christ.14 And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into AN ANGEL
OF LIGHT.
15 Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness, whose
end will be according to their works.
“Only one life to live and soon is past
Only what’s done for Christ will last!”
Hoping to make the time I have left count for the glory of God.
Do We UNDERSTAND THE CONFLICT OF THE AGES REVELATION 12 Part 3