Lesson #33

REVELATION AND THE SECOND COMING
LESSON #33
THE CONFLICT BETWEEN THE WOMAN AND THE DRAGON – REV 12

• MEMORY VERSE: REV 12:11

• READ REV 12:1-17 THE HISTORICAL PANORAMA FROM GOD’S PERSPECTIVE:
• THE WOMAN:
• A WOMAN IS OFTEN USED IN SCRIPTURE TO REPRESENT A RELIGIOUS SYSTEM. FOR EXAMPLE:
• APOSTATE ISRAEL WAS CALLED THE UNFAITHFUL HARLOT WIFE OF THE LORD (JER 3 HOS).
• IMMORAL, FALSE TEACHING WAS REFERRED TO AS “JEZEBEL” (REV 2:20)
• THE WORLD FALSE RELIGION IS CALLED THE GREAT HARLOT (MYSTERY BABYLON) (REV 17).
• BELIEVERS IN JESUS CHRIST ARE CALLED THE WIFE OF THE LAMB. (REV 19:7)
• THE ETERNAL DWELLING PLACE OF THE CHURCH IS CALLED THE BRIDE OF CHRIST. (REV 21:9)
• THE NATION OF ISRAEL, AS A REPOSITORY OF GOD’S WORD, IS THE WOMAN WITH CHILD (REV 12:1-2).
• THE WOMAN REPRESENTS THE NATION OF ISRAEL. HOW DO WE KNOW THIS?
• READ GEN 37:8-10
• SHE IS CLOTHED WITH THE SUN = GOD’S LIGHT AND GLORY.
• SHE HAS THE MOON UNDER HER FEET = SHE IS TO RULE OVER.
• SHE HAS A CROWN OF 12 STARS = THE 12 TRIBES OF ISRAEL.
• SHE IS WITH CHILD. WHO IS THE CHILD AND HOW DO WE KNOW?
• THE CHILD IS THE MESSIAH.
• READ ISA 66:7-8 AND PSA 2
• THE CHILD WILL RULE WITH A ROD OF IRON.
• THIS IS A SYMBOL OF CORRECTION, JUDGMENT, AND LAW.
• THE TIME OF JESUS’ BIRTH WAS A TIME OF GREAT PAIN FOR THE JEWISH NATION UNDER THE HEEL OF ROME.
• WHO IS THE RED DRAGON AND HOW DO WE KNOW?
• THE RED DRAGON REPRESENTS SATAN (GEN 3).
• RED = A FIERY, MURDEROUS NATURE
• 7 HEADS = COMPLETE INTELLIGENCE
• 10 HORNS = GREAT TESTING POWER
• 7 CROWNS = COMPLETE AUTHORITY FOR A TIME AND IN CERTAIN AREAS.
• HEAD, HORNS, AND CROWNS INDICATE HIS INVOLVEMENT IN THE GOVERNMENTS OF THE NATIONS OF THE WORLD.
• WHAT DO THE “THE THIRD PART OF THE STARS” REPRESENT?
• THIS REPRESENTS THE FALL OF LUCIFER, THE CHERUBIM ANGEL THAT BECAME SATAN AND 1/3 OF THE ALL THE ANGELS THAT FELL WITH HIM.
• READ EZE 28:11-19
• READ ISA 14:12-17
• READ LUK 10:18
• REMEMBER THE LAW OF DOUBLE REFERENCE IN REGARDS TO PROPHECY? WE MUST UNDERSTAND THE DOUBLE FULFILLMENT HERE IN REV12 IN REGARDS TO SATAN.
• THE FIRST FULFILLMENT WAS THE FALL OF LUCIFER BEFORE THE CREATION OF THE WORLD. (4)
• SECOND FULFILLMENT IS THE FALL OF SATAN IN THE MIDDLE OF THE TRIBULATION (REV 12:9) WHEN SATAN IS FINALLY DENIED ACCESS TO HEAVEN AND COMES TO INDWELLS THE ANTI-CHRIST.
• THIS IS THE LAST TIME SATAN HAS ACCESS TO HEAVEN. (12)
• THE DRAGON’S DESIRE TO DEVOUR THE CHILD:
• SATAN PERSECUTES THE JEWS DOWN THROUGH HISTORY BECAUSE OF GIVING BIRTH TO THE MESSIAH IN FULFILLMENT OF THE PROPHECY IN GEN 3:15.
• GEN 4:1 THE SIN OF CAIN
• THE NAME, ABEL, MEANS = “THE” MAN OF THE LORD.
• ADAM AND EVE ORIGINALLY BELIEVED THAT ABEL WOULD BE THE MESSIAH TO FULFILL THE PROPHECY OF GEN 3:15.
• EST 3:6 THE ATTEMPTED ANNIHILATION OF THE BLOODLINE.
• THE MESSIAH WOULD COME THROUGH THE BLOODLINE OF THE JEWS, BUT IF THE BLOODLINE WAS DESTROYED, THE MESSIAH WOULD NOT COME. THIS WAS SATAN’S THINKING.
• MAT 2:16 THE KILLING OF THE INFANTS.
• SATAN PRESSURED KING HEROD TO KILL ALL THE JEWISH BABIES UNDER TWO YEARS OLD TO PREVENT THE COMING OF THE MESSIAH.
• JOH 8:59 A STONING ATTEMPT
• SATAN INSPIRED THE JEWISH LEADERS TO KILL JESUS BEFORE THE CRUCIFIXION SO HE WOULD NOT PURCHASE OUR SALVATION ON CALVARY.
• LUK 4:29-30 AN ATTEMPT TO THROW HIM OVER A CLIFF.
• LUK 8:22-24 THE DANGEROUS STORM AT SEA.
• LUK 22:43-44 IN THE GARDEN BEFORE THE CRUCIFIXION, THE ANGELS STRENGTHENED HIM.
• “HER CHILD WAS CAUGHT UP TO GOD” (5) =
• THIS PHRASE SPEAKS OF JESUS’ ASCENSION INTO HEAVEN AFTER HIS RESURRECTION.
• “AND THE WOMAN FLED INTO THE WILDERNESS” (6) =
• THIS IS THE FLIGHT OF THE JEWS THAT JESUS SPOKE ABOUT IN MAT 24.
• READ MAT 24:15-21
• REMEMBER THE LAW OF DOUBLE REFERENCE FOR PROPHECY.
• THE FIRST FULFILLMENT OF THIS FLIGHT WAS IN 70 AD WHEN THE JEWS FLED THE DESTRUCTION OF JERUSALEM BY THE ROMANS. THEY FLED TO MASADA.
• THE SECOND FULFILLMENT IS THE FLIGHT BEGINNING IN THE MIDDLE OF THE TRIBULATION AND CONTINUING DURING THE LAST 3 1/2 YEARS OF THE TRIBULATION WHEN THE ANTI-CHRIST WILL PERSECUTE THE JEWS. (13-14)
• WAR WITH THE REMNANT = THOSE JEWS NOT PROTECTED ARE TAKEN INTO SLAVERY AND SENT TO A PENAL COLONY IN EGYPT FOR FINAL EXTERMINATION.(DEU 28:64-68 ISA 19:18)
• GOD HAS PREPARED A PLACE FOR HER IN THE WILDERNESS (6) =
• MANY, IF NOT ALL, OF THESE JEWS WILL BE PART OF THE 144,000 WHO WERE SEALED AS BELIEVERS IN JESUS CHRIST. (13, 17)
• HOWEVER, THERE WILL BE MANY TRIBULATION MARTYRS. (11)
• GOD’S PURPOSE FOR THIS SPECIAL PROTECTION:
• GOD PREPARES A PLACE FOR THE JEWS SO THAT A REMNANT IS PROTECTED. WHY?
• GOD MADE MANY UNCONDITIONAL PROMISES TO THE JEWS THAT HAVE NEVER BEEN FULFILLED. THEREFORE, THE JEWS AS A PEOPLE MUST CONTINUE TO EXIST SO THAT GOD CAN FULFILL HIS PROMISES IN THE MILLENNIAL KINGDOM. AS A RESULT, ALL THROUGH THE BIBLE GOD PROMISES THAT A REMNANT WILL SURVIVE.
• THE MIRACLE OF PROTECTION:
• “WINGS OF A GREAT EAGLE” (14) = POSSIBLY A NATIONAL AIRLIFT.
• READ EXO 19:4 AND DEU 32:10-12
• EVEN NATURE HELPS BY SWALLOWING UP A FLOOD (16)
• DO WE CONSIDER THIS LITERALLY OR FIGURATIVELY?
• AT THIS POINT IN TIME IT IS UNCLEAR HOW TO INTERPRET THIS PHRASE. PERHAPS IT IS LITERALLY A FLOOD OF WATER OR PERHAPS IT IS FIGURATIVELY A FLOOD OF SOLDIERS SENT BY THE ANTI-CHRIST.
• HOW LONG IS THE WOMAN PROTECTED?
• “A THOUSAND TWO HUNDRED AND THREESCORE DAYS” (6) = 3 ½ YEARS
• “TIME, TIME, AND HALF A TIME” (14) = 3 ½ YEARS
• CAN WE DETERMINE THE LOCATION IN THE WILDERNESS WHERE GOD WILL PROTECT THE JEWS?
• PERHAPS, YES, THOUGH WE CANNOT KNOW FOR CERTAIN. HIGH ON THE LIST OF POSSIBILITIES IS THE ANCIENT CITY OF PETRA IN JORDAN.
• READ DAN 11:41
• THIS SECTION OF JORDAN WILL NOT BE CONTROLLED BY THE ANTI-CHRIST.
• HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE ON THE ANCIENT CITY OF PETRA:
• PETRA WAS A NABATAEAN CITY. THE NABATAEANS WERE A NOMADIC ARAB TRIBE THAT OCCUPIED THE AREA OF WHAT IS NOW JORDAN. THEY CONTROLLED THE TRADE ROUTES FROM THE ORIENT TO THE MEDITERRANEAN. THESE PEOPLE WERE SELF-STYLED ENGINEERS WHO SACRIFICED TO MANY GODS. PETRA WAS THE CAPITAL CITY OF THE NABATAEAN KINGDOM IN JESUS’ TIME. IT IS LOCATED 50 MILES SOUTH OF THE DEAD SEA. THIS CITY WAS THEIR BASE OF OPERATION FOR ATTACKING TRADE CARAVANS THAT FAILED TO PAY THEM TOLL.
• THESE PEOPLE DEVELOPED VILLAGES AND INTENSELY CULTIVATED BARREN DESERT AREAS. THEY PROTECTED THEIR TERRITORY WITH A WELL-ORGANIZED SYSTEM OF FRONTIER OUTPOSTS. THEY WERE MASTERS AT IRRIGATION SYSTEMS, SKILLFULLY CONSTRUCTING DAMS AND RESERVOIRS TO PRESERVE THE SCANTY RAINFALL. (NOTE THAT REVELATION MENTIONS A “FLOOD”). THESE DAMS AND RESERVOIRS ARE STILL USABLE.
• PETRA FIRST APPEARS IN RECORDED HISTORY IN 312 BC WHEN THE GREEK, ANTIGONUS, WHO GAINED POWER IN SYRIA AFTER ALEXANDER THE GREAT’S DEATH, DECIDED TO ATTACK THESE PEOPLE OF PETRA CALLED THE NABATAEANS. HE SENT TWO EXPEDITIONS TO CONQUER THE CITY BUT FAILED.
• FROM 170 BC THE NABATAEANS HAD A SYSTEM OF SAFE GUARDING CARAVANS THROUGH THEIR TERRITORY FOR LARGE FEES FOR PASSAGE RIGHTS.
• IN 25 BC AUGUSTUS FAILED TO CONQUER ARABIA AND THIS LED TO A RE-DIRECTION OF TRADE ROUTES AFFECTING THE NABATAEAN ECONOMY SO THEY MOVED THEIR CAPITAL FROM PETRA.
• KING ARETAS IV WAS A NABATAEAN KING WHO CONTROLLED DAMASCUS WHEN PAUL ESCAPED OVER THE WALL IN A BASKET IN 2COR 11:32.
• THE NABATAEANS WERE FINALLY OVERCOME BY THE ROMANS IN 106 AD. THE ROMANS MADE THE CITY OF PETRA THE TRADING CAPITAL OF A PROVINCE. EVENTUALLY, THE NABATAEANS WON TRADE AWAY FROM ROMAN CONTROLLED PETRA BY DIRECTING TRADE CARAVANS TO SYRIA.
• WITH THE FALL OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE, PETRA DECLINED AND THE MOSLEMS CONQUERED IT IN 600 AD BUT NEVER DID MUCH WITH IT.
• ONE FINAL NOTE: IN THE BIBLE THE CITY OF PETRA IS CALLED BY VARIOUS NAMES WHICH INCLUDE, MT. SEIR, MT. HOR, SELA, AND EDOM’S STRONG CITY.

HOMEWORK
REVELATION 13
THIS IS A SELF-STUDY. PLEASE DO NOT SEND HOMEWORK ANSWERS TO THE TEACHER FORCORRECTION.

• APPLICATION OF REV 12
• LIST SOME SPECIFIC TIMES AND WAYS GOD HAS PROTECTED YOU AND PROVIDED FOR YOU IN YOUR LIFETIME WITH HIM.

• PREPARATION FOR REV 13
• READ REV 13:1-10
• READ DANIEL 7 AND 8
• REVIEW ANY NOTES YOU HAVE FROM YOUR STUDY OF DANIEL

• IDENTIFY THE BEAST FROM THE SEA IN REV 13:1

• IDENTIFY THE LEOPARD, THE BEAR, AND THE LION IN REV 13:2

• FROM WHERE DOES THE BEAST OF REV 13:1 GET HIS POWER?

• MEMORY VERSE: REV 13:10