When we last met, God’s two witnesses had been killed and their bodies left in the streets for others to gawk at. A worldwide celebration took place because, as Scripture tells us, these two witnesses tormented people. They tormented them with God’s truth.
People were delirious with merriment and cheer to the point of exchanging gifts to commemorate this joyous occasion. In the midst of the celebration, God reminds the gawkers that He is in control. There’s movement in the bodies. As God breathes life back into the two witnesses, their chests swell. The festivity ceases and the world is filled with terror as the two witnesses regain their posture. Before anyone can reason out what’s happening, a loud voice from Heaven calls down to them, “Come up here.”
While the world watches, the two witnesses ascend to Heaven in a cloud.
An earthquake immediately follows. A tenth of the city (Jerusalem) collapses and 7,000 people lose their lives.
We are told that the second woe has passed and the third and final woe is coming soon.
Then there’s an intermission of praise as Heaven worships the Conqueror and King.
Revelation 11:17 ERV “17 The elders said,
“We give thanks to you, Lord God All-Powerful.
You are the one who is and who always was.
We thank you because you have used your great power
and have begun to rule.
18 The people of the world were angry,
but now is the time for your anger.
Now is the time for the dead to be judged.
It is time to reward your servants, the prophets,
and to reward your holy people,
the people, great and small, who respect you.
It is time to destroy those people who destroy the earth!”
That’s where we left off last time. With this proclamation that it’s time. Time for God’s anger, time for the dead to be judged, time to reward God’s servants and those who respect Him, and also time to destroy those who have destroyed the earth.
Chapter 11, you may recall, began with John measuring the temple on Earth. Chapter 11 will end with the temple in Heaven.
“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.” (Revelation 11:19 NKJV)
The main focus to John is the Ark of the Covenant which was symbolic of God’s presence with His people. You may recall that on top of the Ark of the Covenant was the Mercy Seat where, once a year, the high priest would make atonement for the sins of the Israelites.
As John is looking upon the Heavenly temple and the Ark of the covenant, John sees and hears signs of another storm. Warren W. Wiersbe says, “Greater judgment is about to fall on the rebellious people of earth! But God’s people need not fear the storms, for He is in control. The ark reminds them of His presence and the faithfulness of His promises. And on that ark was the mercy seat on which the blood was sprinkled each day of Atonement (Lev. 16:15-17). Even in wrath, God remembers His mercy (Hab 3:2).”[i]
As terrifying and horrific as it’s been so far in Revelation, it’s going to get worse. But there’s an intentional reminder here of God’s merciful character.
As we begin with chapter 12 of Revelation, we need to think a little differently than we have been. Since the first chapter, John has been writing about what he sees, what is now, and what comes later. Chapters 12 through 13 are shown to John, but they contain a great deal of the backstory of it all– from the beginning to the end. In these two chapters, we are going to step off of the chronological merry-go-round for these chapters, and, instead focus on the significant players. These chapters help us to understand the who’s, the what’s the whys, and the where’s of the spiritual warfare and the battle of good against evil.
The style of writing in this chapter is known as chiasmus (ki – AS – mus). It’s “mirror” writing and is used frequently throughout the Bible. A simple example is found in Matthew 23:12 NIV. “12 For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.” This is an ABBA pattern. Whereas A= those who exalt themselves B= those who humble themselves.
Here’s a chiasmus illustration of the phrase “When the going gets tough, the tough get going.”
The purpose of a chiasmus is to repeat something of importance and to emphasize the message. We have the privilege of having probably multiple Bibles; nowadays, we have electronic copies at our disposal. When the Word of God was written and for many years after, people didn’t have those resources. Instead, they would listen as someone read the Bible to them. Chiasmus in Scripture were often used because it made it easier for the listener to understand and memorize.
There are several chiasmus patterns, but one of the most common is the ABXBA pattern in which the message is given and then repeated in reverse order, but in the middle of those is the main focal point or the main message. This is what occurs in Revelation 12. We’ll see that as we go along.
“12 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. 2 Then being with child, she cried out in labor and in pain to give birth.” (Revelation 12:1 NKJV)
“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.” (Revelation 12:5 NKJV)
Before we discuss the woman, let’s identify the child. The things we know are that the child is a male. He was born. He is to rule all nations with a rod of iron and He was called up to the throne of God. This is a very brief description, however, “this verse contains a remarkable summary of three significant events in Christ’s life, namely, His Incarnation, Ascension, and Second Coming to earth to rule. No other person in history fits into the details here.”[ii]
The original Greek word used for “rule” in verse 5 was actually poimainó (poy-mah’-ee-no) which means to “shepherd”.[iii] When we think of leaders or rulers, I doubt any of them would be considered as shepherds. But Jesus will be.
Another point of interest is the fact that He will rule (shepherd) with a rod of iron. We’ve heard the saying of ruling with an iron fist and that indicates a leader who is controlling and has full and unwavering power over everything. That’s not Jesus. He, instead, rules with a rod or scepter of iron. “To rule with a scepter of iron, is not to rule with a harsh and tyrannical sway, but with power that is firm and invincible. It denotes a government of strength, or one that cannot be successfully opposed; one in which the subjects are effectually subdued.”[iv]
Here’s something glorious to think about. Jesus won’t be campaigning to get votes. There will be no debates, no political ads, no discussions or arguments over who the best candidate is. Jesus will simply and effectively take back what is His.
On to the woman. Some interpret this to be referring to the Virgin Mary because she was the one who gave birth to Jesus. But verse 1 calls this a “sign” meaning that this is not a literal description but rather a symbolic description. Others see the woman as representing the church, but that doesn’t seem plausible because the church didn’t give birth to Jesus. To get a real understanding of who this woman represents, let’s turn all the way back to Genesis 37.
Do you remember the dreams that Joseph had that he shared with his brothers? The dreams, along with the favoritism shown to him, are what caused Joseph’s brothers to be jealous of him and desire to get rid of him. Here in Genesis 37, Joseph shares his dreams. “9 Then he had another dream, and he told it to his brothers. “Listen,” he said, “I had another dream, and this time the sun and moon and eleven stars were bowing down to me.”
10 When he told his father as well as his brothers, his father rebuked him and said, “What is this dream you had? Will your mother and I and your brothers actually come and bow down to the ground before you?” 11 His brothers were jealous of him, but his father kept the matter in mind.” (Genesis 37:9 NIV)
We know the story of Joseph and how his life turned out. He ended up in a position of great authority under Pharoah, and did, in fact, witness his own brothers bowing before him. But the dream has a deeper meaning than just this.
Jacob, Scripture tells us, “kept the matter in mind”. Remember, Jacob’s twelve sons represented the twelve tribes which formed the foundation of Israel. Therefore, Jacob seemed to understand the significance of this dream and that it represented the entire Israeli nation.
Joseph dreamed of eleven stars. The woman in Revelation 12 is surrounded by twelve stars which represents all 12 tribes. Based on that, the woman in Revelation 12 appears to symbolize Israel because it is through Israel that Jesus came forth. To add some credibility to that, Paul, in Galatians 4, refers to Jerusalem as their mother.
Our next significant player enters the scene in verse 3.
“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. 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.” (Revelation 12:3 NKJV)
Jump down to verse 9 and any question as to the dragon’s identity is revealed.
“ 9 So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.” (Revelation 12:9 NKJV)
Again, this is a sign. Satan isn’t really a dragon, but the illustration gives us a clear picture of his “his fierce power and murderous nature… a picture of the fullness of evil in all its hideous strength.”[v] This is where the cartoonish perception of the devil comes in. The red suit, the horns on his head, the pointed tail, etc. are a caricature of this image.
The dragon has seven heads, ten horns, and seven diadems (or crowns) on his head. Here again, these are all symbolic and in the next few chapters, we’ll find out more about what these represent. But for now, we’ll settle on just knowing that horns are symbolic of power and strength. The heads represent power and authority. And the crowns are signs of kingship. Satan has multiple of all of these which indicates his significant power, authority, and desire to be king.
We’re told that, with his tail, he removed a third of the stars from Heaven and sent them to Earth. This is thought to reference the fall of Satan and the presumed fallen angels that he took with him. The fallen angels are who we talked about in Revelation 9 when the fifth trumpet was sounded. Revelation 9:1 HCSB “9 The fifth angel blew his trumpet, and I saw a star that had fallen from heaven to earth. The key to the shaft of the abyss was given to him.”
If you recall, we talked about the demons who had possessed the man we know as Legion. . “30 Jesus asked him, “What is your name?”
“Legion,” he replied, because many demons had gone into him. 31 And they begged Jesus repeatedly not to order them to go into the Abyss.” (Luke 8:30 NIV)
Who had possessed the man? Demons.
And where did the demons beg Jesus not to send them? The Abyss.
We know from Jude 1 who resides in the abyss.
Jude 1:6 NLT “And I remind you of the angels who did not stay within the limits of authority God gave them but left the place where they belonged. God has kept them securely chained in prisons of darkness, waiting for the great day of judgment.”
All of these things describe Satan. At the end of verse 4 of Revelation 12, we are told Satan’s mission. What is it? To devour the Child as soon as He is born. The reason is found in Genesis 3. In the beginning.
Genesis 3:14a ERV “14 So the Lord God said to the snake,”
15 I will make you and the woman enemies to each other.
Your children and her children will be enemies.
You will bite her child’s foot,
but he will crush your head.” (Genesis 3:14 ERV)
What John has written about in Revelation 12 that we’ve read so far happened long ago. This is the backstory to it all. Since Satan’s fall, and since the threat issued to him after the fall of man, Satan has used resources, leaders, rulers, and ordinary people to devour and destroy Jesus.
It’s been a pursuit since the beginning. For many years, it was about Satan’s desire to destroy the seed.
In Genesis 4, Cain kills Abel, the righteous son. Satan probably thought he had nipped the problem in the bud! Ah, but then Seth was born. Seth whose name means “appointed”.[vi]
The devil was busy, contaminating the world with sinfulness and evil. So much so that God desired a clean slate. In Genesis 6, everything and everyone was destroyed except for Noah and his family. Noah, a man who walked with God, and his sons were saved and the line continued.
In Genesis 12, God makes some hefty promises to Abraham and his descendants. “The LORD had said to Abram, “Leave your country, your people and your father’s household and go to the land I will show you. “I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you” (Genesis 12:1-3).
This signals to Satan that it’s the Hebrew lineage he needs to focus on.
In Exodus, Pharaoh orders the Hebrew newborn males to killed. His reasoning was that he feared the Israelites would outnumber and overpower the Egyptians. But don’t doubt for a second that Satan didn’t have a hand in that.
Saul seeks to kill David, a man after God’s own heart, and a major ancestor of Jesus.
In the book of Esther, Hamen wants genocide of all Jews – not just newborn baby boys. Here again, Satan’s plan to eradicate any threat.
In Matthew 2:2, the Wisemen innocently ask about the new king. “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we saw His star in the east and have come to worship Him.’ (Matthew 2:2 NASB) King Herod feels threatened and as a result, orders all boys in Jerusalem, two years of age and under to be killed. That would surely take care of any king of the Jews in his mind, and Satan was certain that would eliminate his enemy.
Of course, it didn’t. Jesus lived on for thirty-three years.
In the end, Satan used Judas to betray Him, Pilate to not have a backbone, the crowds to cry out for His death, and Roman soldiers to crucify Him. And when the body of Jesus was removed from the cross and sealed in the tomb, Satan assumed he was victorious. But then Sunday came, Satan realized the fight wasn’t over, and the pursuit continued even to this day.
Hold onto your seats, because we’re going to time-travel between the first five verses of Revelation 12 and the sixth verse.
“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.” (Revelation 12:6 NKJV)
That 1,260 days helps us to understand that this is speaking of the second half of the Tribulation period. Remember the Antichrist will turn on the Jewish nation and will rescind the covenant that he made with them at the beginning. His promise to rebuild their temple will end with the Antichrist taking over the temple and demanding all to worship him. Many Jews will remember the warning Jesus gave them in Matthew 24. “15 “So when you see the abomination of desolation spoken of by the prophet Daniel, standing in the holy place (let the reader understand), 16 then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains.” (Matthew 24:15 ERV)
Understanding the warning given by Jesus helps us to understand verse 6 of Revelation 12 that the Jews will flee into an area provided by and prepared by God so that they remain safe and unharmed for the last half of the Tribulation.
Let’s take a quick look at part of the chiasmus of Revelation 12 that we’ve covered today.
The dragon pursues the Child. (A)
The woman flees to the wilderness and is nourished for 1,260 days. (B)
Our chiasmus will go unfinished for this week, but know this. Through this study of Revelation, we should be even more convinced that God leaves nothing unfinished. Despite Satan’s numerous attempts, ploys, and small victories, God is still on top, on the throne, and in charge! Despite our own screwups, regretful decisions, and outright disobedience, God still loves us, wants to use us, and calls us His own. Job 42:2 GW tells us, “I know that you can do everything and that your plans are unstoppable.”
Let this quote remind you of Who He is.
“If you think you’ve blown God’s plan for your life, rest in this. You, my beautiful friend, are not that powerful!” (unknown)
[i] Be Victorious by Warren W. Wiersbe
[ii] Revelation by Lehman Strauss
[iii] Strong’s Greek: 4165. ποιμαίνω (poimainó) — to act as a shepherd (biblehub.com)
[iv] Revelation 2:27 Commentaries: AND HE SHALL RULE THEM WITH A ROD OF IRON, AS THE VESSELS OF THE POTTER ARE BROKEN TO PIECES, as I also have received authority from My Father; (biblehub.com)
Beacons of Light 