The Revelation of Christ – Part 28: The Woman and the Dragon I

The Revelation of Christ – Part 28:

The Woman and the Dragon I

Pastor Bruce A. Shields

House of Faith Church | www.PS127.org | www.TruthDigest.org

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SERMON INTRODUCTION

The Book of Revelation, or the Revelation of Christ, is the most challenging book in the bible.

Because of this fact, many avoid it or ignore it altogether. Some fear lack of understanding; others afraid to misinterpret, which I guess it is better to avoid than dive in and get it completely wrong.

Many times, when a new believer comes to me for direction, they want to jump right into Revelation and find out what’s to come.

This is equivalent to deciding one day to learn Mandarin and sitting down to author a novel in Chinese that very same day.

Or, a kindergartner learning how to count, and then trying to calculate quantum mechanics calculations.

The words in Revelation have caused much debate on rapture, judgment, even some who claim John was writing about the events in his day in code rather than Jesus Christ revealing to him about the coming events and Judgment.

A special blessing is promised to those who read Revelation.

Although it may be a difficult book, we could all use a special blessing, reading this is good for us all, and with the help of the Holy Spirit, we will take the Revelation of Christ in small portions and gain understanding, little by little.

 SERMON SERIES

THE THINGS WHICH ARE – The Church Age (Age of Grace)

Part 3 – Ephesus The Backsliding Church

Part 4 – Smyrna The Steadfast Church

Part 5 – Pergamos The Immoral Church

Part 6 – Thyatira The Careless Pagan Church

Part 7 – Sardis The Spiritless Church

Part 8 – Philadelphia The Favored Church

Part 9 – Laodicea The Church God Hates

THE THINGS WHICH SHALL BE – The Coming Judgment

Part 10 – The Throne of God

Part 11 – The Scroll and Seven Seals

Part 12 – The Lamb is Worthy

Part 13 – The First Seal

Part 14 – The Second Seal

Part 15 – The Third Seal

Part 16 – The Fourth Seal

Part 17 – The Fifth Seal

Part 18 – The Sixth Seal

Part 19 – The 144,000 Sealed

Part 20 – The Great Multitude

Part 21 – The Seventh Seal

Part 22 – Trumpets 1-4

Part 23 – The 5^th Trumpet (1^st woe)

Part 24 – The 6^th Trumpet (2^nd woe)

Part 25 – The Mighty Angel

Part 26 – The Two Witnesses 

Part 27 – The 7^th Trumpet and 3^rd Woe 

TODAY’S SERMON - THE THINGS WHICH SHALL BE – The Coming Judgment

Part 28 – The Woman and the Dragon I

SCRIPTURE READING

Revelation 12:1-9

A great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet and a crown of twelve stars on her head. 2 She was pregnant and cried out in pain as she was about to give birth. 3 Then another sign appeared in heaven: an enormous red dragon with seven heads and ten horns and seven crowns on its heads. 4 Its tail swept a third of the stars out of the sky and flung them to the earth. The dragon stood in front of the woman who was about to give birth, so that it might devour her child the moment he was born. 5 She gave birth to a son, a male child, who “will rule all the nations with an iron scepter.” And her child was snatched up to God and to his throne. 6 The woman fled into the wilderness to a place prepared for her by God, where she might be taken care of for 1,260 days.

7 Then war broke out in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back. 8 But he was not strong enough, and they lost their place in heaven. 9 The great dragon was hurled down—that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him.

          I.      A GREAT SIGN APPEARED IN HEAVEN

a.   A woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet and a crown of twelve stars on her head

                                     i.   She was pregnant about to give birth

                                    ii.   This is the 4^th woman spoke of in Revelation;

1.   Jezebel (false teachings) 2:20

2.   The Harlot (feigns love) 17:4

3.   The Bride (followers of Christ) 19:7

4.   The Woman (Israelite's obedient to God)

                                   iii.   This woman has two identities

1.   Clothed with sun, moon under her feet, crown of 12 stars

2.   This is the reference to Joseph’s dream in Genesis 37:9 and represents the family of Jacob or the people of Israel.

3.   However, it is also Mary (who is part of that family of Israel and a descendant of David)

                                   iv.   The Child is Christ (not just born of Mary, but from the line of Judah, and David)

1.   We know because of the promise in Psalm 2:9 and it being repeated in Revelation 19:15

2.   He will rule all nations with a rod of iron

b.   Another sign appeared in heaven

                                     i.   An enormous red dragon – the serpent, Satan

                                    ii.   With Seven heads, ten horns and seven crowns – Foreshadowing of the coming chapters and the work of Satan during the Great Tribulation (referring to the revived Roman Empire)

                                   iii.   This part of what John is witnessing is telling the story of Jesus first coming (which already happened) to put into perspective the battle between Satan and God, so there will be understanding when John is shown the Second Coming, and that continuing battle between Satan and God

c.   Its tail swept 1/3 of the stars out of the sky and swung them to earth

                                     i.   Noting when Satan originally “fell” 1/3 of heavenly angels followed him (his tail)

                                    ii.   Stars meaning angelic beings as in 9:1; Job 38:7; Revelation 1:20

                                   iii.   The dragon then (after leaving heaven with 1/3 of angels) stood in front of the woman about to give birth to devour the child the moment it was born

1.   We see Herod, led by the spirit of Satan kill infant male children in Bethlehem.

         II.      SHE GAVE BIRTH TO A SON

a.   One who will “rule all the nations with an iron scepter”

                                     i.   A promise given in Psalm 2:9 reveals this is Christ because of “ruling all nations with a rod of iron”

b.   And her child was snatched up to God and to His throne

                                     i.   Skipping from the First Coming and Satan’s failed attempt at killing Christ to the Crucifixion and Christ sitting at God’s right hand

                                    ii.   And will now “skip” to the Second Coming of Christ.

c.   The woman fled into the wilderness

                                     i.   To a place “prepared for her by God”

1.   As it was with Israelite's in Exodus 19:4; Deuteronomy 32:11-14, God once again protects the children of Israel and leads them to safety during Tribulation.

                                    ii.   Where she (Israelite's) might be taken care of for 1,260 days

1.   This being the second half of tribulation as described in Daniel 9:24-27 as the second half of the 70^th week.

2.   This is the last 3 ½ years until the Second Coming of Christ

                                   iii.   This is the parallel view of Christ’s First Coming (as the Lamb of God we see in Revelation 5:6 “The Lamb standing as though He had been slain” opening the Scroll with Seven Seals) with the Second Coming of Christ as the Lion of Judah.

        III.      THEN WAR BROKE OUT IN HEAVEN

a.   This is not the original fall of Satan

                                     i.   This is the War in Heaven by Satan because he had already left heaven with 1/3 of angels, tried to kill Christ when he was a baby at His First coming and failed, tried to kill the woman (Israel) and failed, so his plan now is to try and overthrow heaven.

                                    ii.   Original fall took place before the serpent in the garden of Eden

                                   iii.   But sometime after the creation of angelic beings

                                   iv.   Ezekiel 28; Isaiah 14 are where the bible speaks of this

b.   This War is future

                                     i.   Satan appeared before the Lord in Job 1-2. Satan “seen” before the Lord, so this must have taken place before Revelation 12

                                    ii.   Zechariah 3 Satan appeared before God to accuse Joshua, this had to happen before Revelation 12

                                   iii.   Revelation 12:6 sounds like this war will take place in the mid-point of Tribulation

                                   iv.   What event takes place at the mid-point of revelation?

1.   Daniel 11:36 “Then the king will do as he pleases and will exalt and magnify himself above every god, and he will speak monstrous things against the God of gods. He will be successful until the time of wrath is completed, for what has been decreed must be accomplished.”

2.   Paul gives a further description of Antichrist: “Who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or an object of worship, so that he seats himself in the temple of God, proclaiming himself that he is God.” This fulfills the prophecy concerning Antichrist in Daniel 11:36 - 37. This will take place in the midst of the last week, as prophesied in Daniel 9:27

c.   Satan was not strong enough and they lost their place in heaven

                                     i.   9 The great dragon was hurled down—that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray.

                                    ii.   He was hurled to the earth, and his angels (double meaning! They are angelic beings, but messengers of Satan’s lie as opposed to messengers of the Lord!) with him.

CONCLUSION –

Next week we will examine the Voice in Heaven speaking and the Dragons response

The next sermon: The Voice in Heaven

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