“We’re on the frontlines of a war, not at a holiday resort… what have millions of Christians done? They have stopped believing that we are in a war. No urgency, no watching, no vigilance, no strategic planning. Just easy peacetime and prosperity” (John Piper)

The Revelation – “apocalypse” – is the “unveiling” – it is taking us behind the curtain. The vision in ch-12-13 are at the very centre of the book. We are shown what is behind all the struggles of God’s people in this world. We’re shown in vivid pictures the spiritual war between the kingdom of God (the Lamb) and kingdom of Satan (the Dragon) – a battle for the hearts, minds and eternal destinies of all people. This cosmic conflict manifests itself in every era of history in anti-Christian forces, and will climax in the final days with the very worst of Satan’s allies – the Antichrist.

What God wants us to know as we go through this vision is that we’re embroiled in a serious conflict, and shouldn’t expect it to be easy, but that we are on the winning side if we are trusting in Jesus Christ.

Bible Study

(1)   How do the characters and events of 12:1-6 retell the OT story of Creation->First Coming?

• The Woman (cf. Genesis 37:9) [God’s gospel promise to Eve about a child that would defeat the serpent – Israel is the woman through whom the promised Messiah would be born into the world, echoing the symbols in Joseph’s dream. After birth of child, she will be protected in the desert, rescued from the persecutor for 3.5 years, like Israel in wilderness on way to the Promised Land]
• The Dragon (cf. Genesis 3:1) [God’s adversary, the deceiving and tempting serpent, Satan. Like the Hydra’s many heads he is hard to kill, and its many horns show his power and danger. His schemes are represented in all the wicked despots of the OT who have tried to destroy God’s people and prevent the birth of the Messiah: Pharaoh, Athaliah, Haman, Herod – yet God always preserves His people]
• The Child (cf. Genesis 3:15 and Daniel 7:13-14) [The FIRST coming of God’s messiah and the promised “son of man”]

(2)   12:7-12 repeats the key event of Jesus’ First Coming from a heavenly angle. How is the devil defeated and by whom? (cf. 1 John 3:8, Luke 10:18, Colossians 2:14-15)

• v.7: Angel armies of Michael and Satan fighting in the spiritual realm. Notice that Satan is not God’s equal – only Michael’s.
• v.8-9: Satan is defeated and “thrown down” (x3) – because Christ has been “caught up to God’s throne”. He is no longer able to “accuse” God’s people because of Christ’s work on the Cross (Romans 8:1 “There is now no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus”)
• v.10-12: the song in heaven interprets the vision of the fighting angel armies. Satan has been overcome through the work of Jesus on the earth in His first coming. The angels simply implement its consequences in heaven by throwing him out! Jesus saw “Satan fall like lightning” (Luke 10:18) in His earthly ministry overcoming Satan’s power… Jesus came to “destroy the works of the devil” (1 John 3:8). He has triumphed over Satan by the Cross (Colossians 2:14-15). One person has said: “Jesus poisoned death to death when it swallowed him. From the belly of that monster he killed it”. Jesus suffered the very worst that the Dragon could throw against Him, even death, but He rose again victorious!
• But it wasn’t a battle fought with weapons. Satan’s name means “accuser” – his greatest weapon is to stand in Gods’ courtroom and accuse us of having sinned and demanding we are punished. Jesus has disarmed the devil by silencing his accusations. When Jesus died all our sins were put on Him and He took all the punishment we deserved. If we in trust in Jesus, asking Him to forgive us of our sins, then all our sins are erased. The devil cannot accuse us or demand our punishment, because Jesus defends us saying: it’s already been done!

(3)   12:13-17 shows history between the First and Second Comings. What are the consequences of Satan’s expulsion for the earth and for God’s people?

• Implications of the salvation and revival of Israel (cf. Romans 11:26f)
• v.13 the dragon will persecute the “woman” (Israel) and her “other children” (Christians) seeking to destroy them
• v.14-16: God will frustrate some of the dragon’s efforts to destroy all of God’s people (Exodus language of Exodus 14:4, Deuteronomy 22:11 of being given refuge in desert)
• v.17: the devil summons two henchmen to assist in his persecution of God’s people – forming an “unholy Trinity”:
• The purpose of these visions is given in 13:10 “Here is a call for the endurance and faith of the saints”

(4)   Satan enlists the help of two Beasts in 13:1-18. What counterfeits of God and Jesus do you notice in their descriptions?

• the parody of the Trinity in the Dragon/Antichrist/False Prophet;
• the parody of the death/resurrection of Jesus in the slain/healed Beast (False Prophet performs miracles to deceive world into worship the Beast)
• the parody of the spiritual seal of God in the physical mark of the Beast (those who worship the Beast become its slaves, even though they can participate in its socio-economic system)
• the parody of the worship of Christ with the worship of the Beast by people from every tribe, nation, tongue and language
• the Lamb of God, and the Lamb with the mouth of the Dragon
• 666 (the number of man, permanently short of perfection) vs God’s perfect 7

Living Between D-Day and VE-Day

The vision is ch.12 is about what happened up until Jesus first came into the world. The vision is ch.13 is about what will happen until Jesus returns to this world. Satan has been decisively defeated and his end is in sight but he has refused to surrender. Back at school I loved learning about the history of Germany and the Nazis. For 8 years Hitler took over countries in Europe, first subtly and later by force starting World War 2. For 4 years it seemed like nothing could stop Hitler’s armies. But then on June 6^th 1944 the allied forces landed in France, breaking the German lines and began moving towards Berlin. D-Day’s victory showed that Hitler was doomed, but it was almost a year before VE-Day when Hitler was killed and Germany surrendered. Today we live between the spiritual D-Day (Jesus’ resurrection) and VE-Day (Jesus’ return).

In-between Satan is fatally wounded but is lashing out and trying to do as much damage as he can before the end! The Dragon summons two henchmen: Two deformed, terrifying monsters – forming an unholy Trinity: Satan, the Antichrist and the False Prophet. These beasts represent the unnatural reality of evil which distorts and corrupts God’s good creation.

The first monster is an anti-Christian government that will attack God’s people, the second monster is anti-Christian religion that will deceive the world to worship Satan. These evil allies of Satan appear in various guises in history: in Paul’s day as Emperor Nero who people feared would rise from the dead… in John’s day as Emperor Domitian who demanded to be worshipped… in our day by various Antichristian forces… and worst of all they will appear in the last days. If the Satan cannot condemn Christians in heaven, he will at least try to destroy them on earth to stop the good news being shared with others.

“Fundamental clue to the understanding of biblical prophecy: eschatological events are foreshadowed in historical events… The beast (or Antichrist) is a central figure in Revelation. He is primarily an eschatological figure in whom will be concentrated the centuries-long hostility to God manifested in the history of godless nations; but this hostility is also foreshadowed in Rome and its emperor as it was in Antiochus Epiphanes… the beast represents both every hostile evil power that oppresses and persecutes God’s people, but primarily the eschatological figure at the end of the age” (Ladd)

It is important to look back to these beasts as described in Daniel 7. The Antichrist will conquer the world and “make war with the saints and prevail against them” (v.21). That’s awful news! But his rule will be limited: “for a time, times and half a time” (v.25) – the final 3.5 years. Evil will be allowed to do its worst and then God will stop it dead in its tracks. “Until the Ancient of Days came, and judgement was given for the saints of the Most High, and the time came when the saints possessed the kingdom” (v.22).

Discussion

• What examples/particular threats do we as Christians face from godless governments and false religions today?

• How are we to face the devil’s attacks today living between D-Day and VE-DAY? (Ephesians 6:10-17; 1 Peter 5:8-10; James 4:7-8)

Conclusion

Martin Luther wrote a song during the days of the Reformation in 1500s: “A Mighty Fortress is Our God”. It gives us some encouragement as we think about the power of Satan and evil that opposes us as God’s people:

“And though this world with devils filled

Should threaten to undo us.

We will not fear for God has willed

His truth to triumph through us.

The Prince of Darkness grim,

We tremble not for him.

His rage we can endure.

For lo, his doom is sure.

One little word shall fell him!”

“in the world you will have trouble but do not fear, I have overcome the world” (John 16:33)