In this chapter, John gets a more detailed look at BABYLON THE GREAT and the beast that God uses to destroy her.
v.1-2 "Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and talked with me, saying to me, 'Come, I will show you the judgment of the great harlot who sits on many waters, with whom the kings of the earth committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth were made drunk with the wine of her fornication.'
With the judgments of God complete, one of the angels used in the deployment of the judgments comes to show John the judgment of the “great harlot.” Which we come to see is the city of Babylon (v.18), and thus the fulfillment of the flying angel’s prophecy that Babylon would fall (Rev.14:8).
She is "the great harlot” because she is a spiritual fornicator that serves and worships gods other than Jehovah God.
She "sits on many waters" because she holds power, authority, and influence over many people, nations, and tongues.
She is the one "with whom the kings of the earth committed fornication" because she has caused world leaders to join with her in her idolatry, spiritual wickedness, and contempt for God and His people.
She is the one who has made the earth “drunk with the wine of her fornication” because she has caused the inhabitants of the earth to become intoxicated (deranged) because of her many idols, and in so doing has led multitudes away from the truth of God and the knowledge of Jesus Christ.
v.3-5 "So he carried me away in the Spirit into the wilderness, And I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast which was full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns. The woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls, having in her hand a golden cup full of the abominations and the filthiness of her fornication. And on her forehead a name was written: MYSTERY BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH."
The angel carries John away to the “wilderness” (or as the word implies, a “lonely and desolate” place) that is not identified. Some have suggested that this wilderness place speaks of some remote area of the earth, and others suggest that it might even be the earth itself. We don't know. But it’s not where John was, and it’s clearly far removed from the other activities in heaven (which is not explained).
Okay, let’s examine John’s eyewitness account of the woman, but for our purposes, in the reverse order, beginning with her name.
She is MYSTERY BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH. How she came to earn this name is explained in her history.
Babylon first appears in the Bible as a kingdom named “Babel” (Gen.10:10), a word that means “confusion” because of God’s confusion-of-tongues judgment upon the rebellious who lived there (Gen.11:9). Following the great flood, God instructed man to disperse and "fill the earth" in order to replenish it with humanity (Gen.9:1). In blatant disobedience to the will of God, however, a descendant of Cush called Nimrod rallied the people to built a city whose tower “may reach unto heaven” to gain “a name” for themselves, and lest they “be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth” (Gen.11:3-4). As a result, God changed their languages to prevent them from communicating amongst themselves, and thus forced them to disperse (Gen.11:5-8).
But not before Satan impregnated them with a taste and irresistible desire for a commercial and pagan “world-system” in defiance of God; which they in turn carried away with them to every region of the planet. The self-same God-less system of materialism, vain philosophy, and malignant religious practices known as “the world” which has opposed God in every generation since (Jas.4:4), and given breath to the spirit of “Babylon” in all ages.
Now let’s consider the rest of her.
She is “sitting on a scarlet beast, which is full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns.” The beast’s identity is interpreted for us later so allow me to defer a comment about this to another passage (v.15).
And she “was arrayed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls, having in her hand a golden cup full of the abominations and the filthiness of her fornication.” This speaks of her as both prominent and influentially wicked; with the prominence of a queen she has openly enticed man to drink from her cup of abominations and filthiness (check—Rev.18:3,7).
v.6-7 "And I saw the woman, drunk with the blood of the saints and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus. And when I saw her, I marveled with great amazement. But the angel said to me, 'Why did you marvel? I will tell you the mystery of the woman and of the beast that carries her, which has the seven heads and the ten horns.”
When the Godless world-system cannot subvert truth by infiltration and false teaching, it will seek to destroy it by persecution. Jesus said, “If the world hates you, you know it hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you” (John 15:18-19). As a result, through the ages, so many multitudes of true believers have shed their blood in the cause of Christ and during the Tribulation so many more, that John sees the woman “drunk with the blood of the saints and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus.”
“And when I saw her, I marveled with great amazement.” It’s uncertain whether John was bewildered by the image of the woman as in dumbfounded, or, merely surprised to see Babylon anywhere in the future. Especially in a place of prominence, for the glory Babylon had during the reign of Nebuchadnezzar had long since vanished many hundreds of years before the time of John.
v.8 'The beast you saw was, and is not, and will ascend out of the bottomless pit and go to perdition. And those who dwell on the earth will marvel, whose names are not written in the Book of Life from the foundation of the world, when they see the beast that was, and is not, and yet is.
This repeated thought that the beast “was…was not…was again” corresponds with what we read earlier about the Antichrist (see notes—Rev.13:3-4).
That at the height of his political notoriety he is struck down by an assassin, appears to die, then “miraculously” recovers to the awe of the world, or as this passage declares, “those who dwell on the earth will marvel…when they see the beast.” In other words, Antichrist "was" (a living person), "was not" (appeared dead), and "was again" (appeared resurrected back to life).
And the beast “will ascend out of the bottomless pit.” That is, when Antichrist resurrects from "death" he will be bodily possessed by Satan. The man who once ascended from the womb of a woman will now ascend from hell, and therein transform from the man that was into the most vile and evil human being that has ever lived.
And the beast will “go to perdition.” His reign of terror will be temporary, however. After three and a half years, God will judge him, remove him from this planet, and cast him, along with the false prophet, into eternal damnation (Rev.19:20).
v.9-11 'Here is the mind which has wisdom: The seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman sits. There are also seven kings. Five have fallen, one is, and the other has not yet come. And when he comes, he must continue a short time. And the beast that was, and is not, is himself also the eight, and is of the seven, and is going to perdition.
Some commentators interpret these seven heads that are "seven mountains” to mean the literal city of Rome because it sits upon seven hills; leading them to suggest that the woman in the image is the Catholic Church, because the Vatican is located in Rome. But I don’t agree with that interpretation.
A “mountain” is frequently used in Scripture figuratively to mean a “kingdom”. The kingdom of the Messiah, for example, is figured by a mountain (Dan.2:35), as is the ancient Babylonian kingdom (Jer.51:25). Moreover, this passage says there are “seven kings”, making it more logical to consider these as mountains of kingdoms, and not literal mountains.
At the time of John, five large and influential kingdoms had indeed fallen: Assyria, Egypt, Babylon, Media-Persia, and Greece. Rome, a sixth kingdom, was presently in power. And a seventh king—the man Antichrist—had “not yet come.” The woman sits upon these seven kingdoms to show her presiding as queen over these kingdoms; each a kingdom full of her abominations and wickedness.
“And when he comes, he must continue a short time.” This speaks of the seventh king, the man Antichrist. His reign will be a “short time” when compared to all other kingdoms that existed before him, lasting a mere three and a half years.
"And the beast…is himself also the eight." The idea that Antichrist, who is the seventh king, would also become the eighth king seems redundant. After all, if he were already king of an empire, why would he supplant himself?
The answer is that during the first half of the Tribulation, Antichrist is king over a confederation of European states only, not king over the entire world. He is a man, and his kingdom is of man. During the second half of Tribulation, however, having been possessed by Satan with his full authority and power, he will become the beastly eight king as the incarnation of Satan. And will rule, not as a man, but as the devil over the entire world.
v.12-14 'And the ten horns which you saw are ten kings who have received no kingdom as yet, but they receive authority for one hour as kings with the beast. These are of one mind, and they will give their power and authority to the beast. These will make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, for He is Lord of Lords and King of kings; and those who are with Him are called, chosen, and faithful.' "
The "ten horns" of the beast are ten kings that comprise the kingdom of Antichrist during the first half of Tribulation. None individually rules the world, but collectively “as kings with the beast”, become an empire that mutually shares in the “hour” of power allotted to Antichrist—perhaps like a United Nations.
The prophet Daniel tells us more about these nations along with the origin of the Antichrist inside two of his visions.
In one, Daniel saw a composite image of a man that had a head of gold, arms and chest of silver, belly of brass, legs of iron, and ten toes partly of iron and partly of clay which he later interprets to be a succession of Gentile empires: Babylon (the head of gold), Media-Persia (the arms of silver), Greece (the belly of brass), Rome (the legs of iron), and an unnamed empire of the last days being the ten toes of iron mingled with clay (Daniel 2).
In a subsequent vision, the prophet saw the same succession of Gentile empires in the form of animals. Babylon was a lion, Media-Persia was a bear, Greece was a leopard, Rome was a creature identified only as a "dreadful and terrible" beast, and the last day’s empire shown merely as ten horns growing from the head of this fourth dreadful and terrible beast. Then Daniel saw "another horn, a little one" coming up among the ten horns which plucked out three of the first horns, “And there, in this horn, were the eyes of a man, and a mouth speaking pompous words,” Daniel writes (Dan.7).
This has lead some commentators to conclude that Antichrist’s kingdom and origin consists of a conglomerate of ten nations once a part of the old Roman Empire; comprising a revived form of that Empire (see also notes—Rev.13:2).
Some go further. They see the European Union as the fulfillment of this kingdom. Since it was founded in 1951, the EU not only has become one of this world's most formidable political, economic, and military blocks, but all of the European nations currently in the EU can be traced back to the old Roman Empire. If this is correct, that the EU becomes man's final kingdom on earth, than we are witnesses, dear ones, to what shall become the body of nations from which Antichrist will one day emerge.
“These are of one mind, and they will give their power and authority to the beast...” Sovereign nations willing to give up their power and authority to one world leader is already becoming a reality in our present day. We need only to look at NATO, the United Nations, or the EU to see how the global quest for peace has brought nations together with treaties and contractual agreements into a single unified body. So the stage is set. The charismatic Antichrist needs only to surface to win them over and lead them, and for Satan to “resurrect” inside him to become their king.
“These will make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, for He is Lord of Lords and King of kings; and those who are with Him are called, chosen, and faithful." There will be no other power on earth but the kingdom of Satan during the second half of the Tribulation. And only the Lamb, the Lord of Lords, can overcome it.
v.15-18 "And he said to me, 'The waters which you saw, where the harlot sits, are peoples, multitudes, nations, and tongues. And the ten horns which you saw on the beast, these will hate the harlot, make her desolate and naked, eat her flesh and burn her with fire. For God has put it into their hearts to fulfill His purpose, to be of one mind, and to give their kingdom to the beast, until the words of God are fulfilled. And the woman whom you saw is that great city which reigns over the kings of the earth.' "
This chapter ends with additional information about Mystery Babylon: She is a city, and she is destroyed by the government of Antichrist.
We’ve discussed how the harlot Babylon characterizes the corrupt world-system of false religion and commercialism diabolically opposed to God. That she is "seated upon" the beast (v. 3-4) to show her authority and influence over the beast and the masses of people influenced by the corrupt world system she personifies.
We haven't yet considered, however, that she is also a literal city. Nor have we reconciled how a literal city might subject Antichrist, cause people in every nation, culture, and ethnic background to surrender sovereignty, or why Antichrist would destroy it.
Let’s start with a prophecy that concerns the ancient city of Babylon’s destruction.
During the reign of Nebuchadnezzar Babylon was at the height of its glory as the capital city of the vast and formidable Babylonian empire. After God brought judgment against her, however, she was over thrown and destroyed. But according to Jeremiah, God's judgment stated that nothing would remain of her, not even a stone to build a foundation (Jer.50:26; 51:26).
Yet, as one commentator points out, stones from Babylon were found in a rock quarry in the 1800’s, suggesting that the prophecy against the city has not yet been fulfilled. Moreover, beginning in 1970 Saddam Hussein spent millions rebuilding Babylon, thus seeming to contradict God’s proclamation to make Babylon “desolate forever” (Jer.51:26). The notion is that God intended to fulfill the prophecy at a future time, and would ultimately destroy the literal city of Babylon during the Tribulation.
Okay, now let's see how a city might influence the people and the beast.
Sometime during the first half of Tribulation, I believe that some event will bring about a consolidated Arab alliance that unites their people and causes them to make Babylon their capitol. The Arabs currently possess half of this planet's oil reserves and Islam is the largest, fastest growing, and most influential religion in the world. So it’s at least conceivable that a merger of these economic and spiritual blocks of powers could give Babylon influential control over the world, including the European government of Antichrist. Yes, such an amalgamation seems unlikely currently because the Arab oil cartels are fractured by greed and Islam is divided. But we can’t deny the ability of spiritual forces to arrange it.
Finally, let’s consider why a composite of nations as civilized as the Europeans would agree to wage war against the Arabs at a literal city of Babylon, and for that matter, why Satan would want to eliminate the world-system (characterized by Babylon) that has long been his virtual "stronghold" of evil throughout the ages.
The answer to the first part is given to us. "And the ten horns…will hate the harlot, make her desolate and naked…and burn her with fire. For God has put it in their hearts to fulfill His purpose, to be of one mind, and to give their kingdom to the beast.” It's straightforward: God motivates the decision-makers to give their kingdom to Antichrist, and in turn to hate and subsequently destroy any power on earth that controls him, or would prevent him from achieving absolute worship from all men.
As for the second part, I believe the reason why Satan destroys the Babylon-ish world-system of commercialism and false religion is to subject all men to him by the elimination of entrepreneurial and moral freedom. Between the mark of the beast and his image, and no other available choice, all men will be required to seek, serve, and worship him alone.
Showing posts with label ten horns. Show all posts
Showing posts with label ten horns. Show all posts
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Revelation 12, The Conflict of the Ages
Satan's age-long conflict with God and His nation Israel are the focus of this chapter. And with the use of highly graphic word pictures and symbols it reveals the reason for Satan’s disdain for the Jews and the motive behind his savage attempt to utterly destroy them during the second half of Tribulation.
v.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 pain to give birth."
The "sun" the "moon" and the "garland of twelve stars" clothing this woman are all interpreted elsewhere in Scripture to signify the nation Israel (Gen.37:9,10). The child she carries is Jesus, the Messiah of Israel, Who is the true offspring of the nation, and through the ancestral line of Mary was indelibly linked to Israel through every generation back to Abraham (Luke 3:23-34).
Therefore, this great sign shows the Nation of Israel, long in labor, about to give birth to its Messiah the Savior of the world and our Lord Jesus Christ. (See also—Luke 2:25-32).
Allow me to point out why I don't believe that this woman is either the church or the Virgin Mary. The church didn’t exist when Christ was born, but itself was born only after a miraculous outpouring of the Holy Spirit subsequent to His death and resurrection (Acts 1,2). Plus, it was Christ who gave birth to the church (Matt.16:18), not the other way around. Moreover, the image is a “sign” (a symbol) not a literal person. The image doesn't exclude Mary because she did conceive and give physical birth to Jesus, but the sign is greater than, and extends beyond, the mother in the manger.
v.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."
This is Satan, who is named the dragon (Revelation 20:2).
He is called "great" because of his great power. Once the “anointed cherub who covers” (Ez.28:14), Satan was corrupted by pride and removed from his angelic office, yet still maintains a great power that even Michael the Archangel dares not challenge (Jude, v.9). He is called a "fiery red dragon" because of his ferocious and cruel nature; a "murderer from the beginning" Jesus said (John 8:44). His "seven [crowned] heads" are seven kingdoms (see notes—17:9-11), and his "ten horns" are ten kings who comprise the ruling world government empowered by Satan during the Great Tribulation (see notes--17:12).
This sign shows Satan as a powerful and ferocious entity that rules over the governmental affairs of man. He is the malignant and sinister force that influences the nations of the earth to oppose God both openly and contemptuously (see Dan.10:13,20-21).
v.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."
The two most prominent Scriptural references to the origin, rebellion, and fall of Lucifer are found in Isaiah 14 and Ezekiel 28. In this sign, John is shown more.
"His tail drew a third of the stars of heaven and threw them to the earth.” The “stars of heaven” is interpreted to mean angels (Job 38:7), suggesting that Lucifer, staging his rebellion against God, was able to influence one third of the angels against God and in so doing, by “his tail” brought them into contempt before God and thus cast from heaven down to 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's rebellion against God didn’t end on the earth. In the Garden of Eden, he successfully assaulted man with a temptation that created the enmity between God and man that has existed to this day.
Upon learning that God would deliver One through humanity Who would bring an eternal judgment upon him (Gen.3:15), Satan set out like a roaring lion seeking to devour humanity before it could produce the Offspring. Without hesitation he attacked Eve's family by inspiring the murder of one of her sons, and causing a curse to be brought upon the other (Gen.4:8,11). Later, in an attempt to contaminate man’s bloodline some believe he influenced copulation between women and demons, resulting in the flood that destroyed all but Noah and his family (Gen.6:2-4, 8-12).
When subsequent prophecies made it clear that Jesus would be a descendant of Abraham (Gen.12:3; 18:18), Satan set out to exterminate the nation Israel (the origin of Antisemitism). He murdered their children (Acts 7:19; Matt.2:16), attempted their genocide (Esther 3:6; Ps.83:4), and morally corrupted them as a people (Num.31:16).
Notwithstanding, God’s plan was not defeated, humanity survived, and inside humanity the nation chosen of God from whom the Messiah would come (Israel) survived. Therefore, in a tense confrontation with the woman, having failed in every other attempt, Satan stands ready to devour the Child Himself (check—Matt.2:13).
v.5 "And she bore a male Child who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron. And her child was caught up to God as to His throne."
The blessed truth is that Satan failed to prevent the birth, or to devour the Child. Jesus Christ was born (Luke 1:8-14), “The Word became flesh and dwelt amongst man” (Jo.1:14). Moreover, Jesus completed His earthly ministry, and following His death and resurrection was caught up to heaven (Acts 1:9), seated with the Father, and given rule, authority, power and dominion over all things (Eph.1:17-23). Despite every evil intention Satan waged to prevent it, Satan has been defeated.
Okay, let’s consider it.
When Satan failed to avert the birth of Christ, or to devour Him (Matt.2:19-20), he set out to obstruct and spoil His ministry. He was there tempting Jesus to compromise Himself as His ministry began (Matt.4:1-11). Throughout its duration, he influenced many to mock Christ’s Divine authority (Matt.12:24). He silenced others from openly speaking of Him (Jo.7:13), and assaulted some closest to Him (Jo.12:10).
When that failed, he launched his plan to murder Him (Jo.11:53; Matt.12:14); ultimately choosing crucifixion to destroy Him knowing that Christ would be cursed by God in crucifixion (check—Deu.21:23).
But Satan failed to see the true intention of God. For it was the will of God that Christ be crucified (Jo.18:32), and the purposes of the Father for Jesus to be made a curse (Gal.3:13). When God raised Christ from the dead three days later, however, it was too late for Satan. The glorious triumph of God over the works of the devil became one of public record. “Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it” (Col.2:15). Scripture tells us that Satan "would not have crucified the Lord of glory" had he known (I Cor.2:7-8).
So the Child was born, and having prevailed, was caught up to God and given authority to rule all nations with a rod of iron (Ps.2:9; Rev.19:15).
v.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."
The balance of this chapter surrounds the bitter struggle that ensues between the dragon and the woman and the subsequent persecution of her offspring. It marks the middle of the Tribulation throughout the days remaining until the end of Tribulation.
Let's summarize it.
In an unholy alliance with Antichrist, Israel will sign a seven-year agreement with Antichrist at the beginning of the Tribulation. But after three and a half years he will betray Israel and break the agreement by invading Jerusalem, overthrowing the temple worshippers, and placing an image of himself in the Holy of Holies, thereby desecrating it (Isa.28:18; Dan.9:26-27). As a result, in the event also foretold by Jesus (Matt.24:15-21), one-third of the nation will flee Jerusalem and go into hiding (Zech.13:8).
This remnant of Jews will remain in hiding, miraculously cared for by God for the entire last half of the Tribulation, three and a half years, or one thousand two hundred and sixty days. They will surface, refined as silver is refined, fully acknowledging Jesus Christ as Lord (Zech.13:9).
v.7-9 "And war broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon and his angels fought, but they did not prevail, nor was a place found for them in heaven any longer. 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 earth, and his angels with him."
At the same time Israel flees the Antichrist (during the middle of the Tribulation) a full-scale angelic war erupts in Heaven that enables Michael and his angels to cast Satan and his angels from heaven to earth.
For reasons unknown to us, Satan’s freedom to access heaven and approach God was not revoked after his rebellion. We read that he accused Job before God (Job 1:6-12; 2:1-7), stood by to oppose Joshua the high priest before God (Zech.3:1), and accuses us before God (v.10). Moreover, none of his power was taken away; he is able to stand his ground and has power to defend it. Seemingly, he is under no command to relinquish anything, resolved to lose nothing, and all things must be wrestled away from him by the angels of God (check—Eph.6:12).
Let’s take a look his names.
v.10-12 "Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, 'Now salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down. And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death. Therefore rejoice, O heavens, and you who dwell in them! Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and the sea! For the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, because he knows that he has a short time.' "
Satan’s permanent expulsion from heaven gets a thunderous response from God’s angels. Surely, they must dread his presence in heaven and be anxious for this moment, and relieved when it finally does happen. As another puts it, “You can almost see the angels nudging one another and saying, ‘It’s about time.’ ”
But even within the throws of their exuberant celebration, the angels display infinite pity for the inhabitants of the earth. They know Satan is enraged because his time is short, and that the inhabitants of the earth will become the objects of his great and diabolical wrath. This is the third and final prophetic “woe” announced earlier upon the inhabitants of the earth (Rev.8:13).
v.13-15 "Now when the dragon saw that he had been cast to the earth, he persecuted the woman who gave birth to the male child. But the woman was given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness to her place, where she is nourished for a time and times and half a time, from the presence of the serpent. So the serpent spewed water out of his mouth like a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away by the flood. But the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed up the flood which the dragon had spewed out of his mouth."
God’s intervention alone prevents Israel’s annihilation. As Satan, through the person of the Antichrist, attacks Israel and besieges Jerusalem in order to destroy the Nation, God will give Israel “two wings of a great eagle” and deliver a remnant of the Nation—the same idiom used in the Old Testament to describe God's liberation of Israel from Egypt (Ex.19:4). He will prevent the serpent’s "flood" (probably alluding to a military force) from overtaking them, and then in turn will destroy the military force (see also—Ex.14:13-14). And God will nourish this remnant of Israel in the wilderness (from the presence of the serpent) for the entire second half of the Tribulation (see notes—v.6). During which time He will speak comfort and show mercy and as a result will forge unto Himself a holy and godly people. Listen to the prophet,
The “rest of her offspring” speaks of those believers that come to know Christ as Savior during the Tribulation. The dragon’s war against them speaks of the murderous persecution that causes many of them to be martyred (Rev. 6:9-11; 20:4).
Okay, now let’s consider what might be the root cause behind Satan’s rage with Israel and the rest of her offspring, and his frantic rush to destroy them.
If we take it to be retaliation against Israel for having given birth to Christ, we would have to conclude that Satan’s aim is merely to hurt God by hurting the people of God. But I don’t think so. It’s my opinion that the rage isn’t vengeance, but Satan’s attempt to prevent the Second Coming of Christ. And it's not merely his hatred of the Nation, but the threat it poses to his survival by its very existence, that enrages him.
Just days before His crucifixion, while lamenting over Jerusalem, Jesus seemingly revealed a condition upon which His Second Coming is determined. Listen to what He said:
It seems so.
In any case, dear ones, the greatest persecution of Jews and Gentile believers this world has ever known is scheduled to occur inside the second half of the tribulation. And it all stems because of this unseen spiritual conflict between God and the devil.
v.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 pain to give birth."
The "sun" the "moon" and the "garland of twelve stars" clothing this woman are all interpreted elsewhere in Scripture to signify the nation Israel (Gen.37:9,10). The child she carries is Jesus, the Messiah of Israel, Who is the true offspring of the nation, and through the ancestral line of Mary was indelibly linked to Israel through every generation back to Abraham (Luke 3:23-34).
Therefore, this great sign shows the Nation of Israel, long in labor, about to give birth to its Messiah the Savior of the world and our Lord Jesus Christ. (See also—Luke 2:25-32).
Allow me to point out why I don't believe that this woman is either the church or the Virgin Mary. The church didn’t exist when Christ was born, but itself was born only after a miraculous outpouring of the Holy Spirit subsequent to His death and resurrection (Acts 1,2). Plus, it was Christ who gave birth to the church (Matt.16:18), not the other way around. Moreover, the image is a “sign” (a symbol) not a literal person. The image doesn't exclude Mary because she did conceive and give physical birth to Jesus, but the sign is greater than, and extends beyond, the mother in the manger.
v.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."
This is Satan, who is named the dragon (Revelation 20:2).
He is called "great" because of his great power. Once the “anointed cherub who covers” (Ez.28:14), Satan was corrupted by pride and removed from his angelic office, yet still maintains a great power that even Michael the Archangel dares not challenge (Jude, v.9). He is called a "fiery red dragon" because of his ferocious and cruel nature; a "murderer from the beginning" Jesus said (John 8:44). His "seven [crowned] heads" are seven kingdoms (see notes—17:9-11), and his "ten horns" are ten kings who comprise the ruling world government empowered by Satan during the Great Tribulation (see notes--17:12).
This sign shows Satan as a powerful and ferocious entity that rules over the governmental affairs of man. He is the malignant and sinister force that influences the nations of the earth to oppose God both openly and contemptuously (see Dan.10:13,20-21).
v.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."
The two most prominent Scriptural references to the origin, rebellion, and fall of Lucifer are found in Isaiah 14 and Ezekiel 28. In this sign, John is shown more.
"His tail drew a third of the stars of heaven and threw them to the earth.” The “stars of heaven” is interpreted to mean angels (Job 38:7), suggesting that Lucifer, staging his rebellion against God, was able to influence one third of the angels against God and in so doing, by “his tail” brought them into contempt before God and thus cast from heaven down to 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's rebellion against God didn’t end on the earth. In the Garden of Eden, he successfully assaulted man with a temptation that created the enmity between God and man that has existed to this day.
Upon learning that God would deliver One through humanity Who would bring an eternal judgment upon him (Gen.3:15), Satan set out like a roaring lion seeking to devour humanity before it could produce the Offspring. Without hesitation he attacked Eve's family by inspiring the murder of one of her sons, and causing a curse to be brought upon the other (Gen.4:8,11). Later, in an attempt to contaminate man’s bloodline some believe he influenced copulation between women and demons, resulting in the flood that destroyed all but Noah and his family (Gen.6:2-4, 8-12).
When subsequent prophecies made it clear that Jesus would be a descendant of Abraham (Gen.12:3; 18:18), Satan set out to exterminate the nation Israel (the origin of Antisemitism). He murdered their children (Acts 7:19; Matt.2:16), attempted their genocide (Esther 3:6; Ps.83:4), and morally corrupted them as a people (Num.31:16).
Notwithstanding, God’s plan was not defeated, humanity survived, and inside humanity the nation chosen of God from whom the Messiah would come (Israel) survived. Therefore, in a tense confrontation with the woman, having failed in every other attempt, Satan stands ready to devour the Child Himself (check—Matt.2:13).
v.5 "And she bore a male Child who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron. And her child was caught up to God as to His throne."
The blessed truth is that Satan failed to prevent the birth, or to devour the Child. Jesus Christ was born (Luke 1:8-14), “The Word became flesh and dwelt amongst man” (Jo.1:14). Moreover, Jesus completed His earthly ministry, and following His death and resurrection was caught up to heaven (Acts 1:9), seated with the Father, and given rule, authority, power and dominion over all things (Eph.1:17-23). Despite every evil intention Satan waged to prevent it, Satan has been defeated.
Okay, let’s consider it.
When Satan failed to avert the birth of Christ, or to devour Him (Matt.2:19-20), he set out to obstruct and spoil His ministry. He was there tempting Jesus to compromise Himself as His ministry began (Matt.4:1-11). Throughout its duration, he influenced many to mock Christ’s Divine authority (Matt.12:24). He silenced others from openly speaking of Him (Jo.7:13), and assaulted some closest to Him (Jo.12:10).
When that failed, he launched his plan to murder Him (Jo.11:53; Matt.12:14); ultimately choosing crucifixion to destroy Him knowing that Christ would be cursed by God in crucifixion (check—Deu.21:23).
But Satan failed to see the true intention of God. For it was the will of God that Christ be crucified (Jo.18:32), and the purposes of the Father for Jesus to be made a curse (Gal.3:13). When God raised Christ from the dead three days later, however, it was too late for Satan. The glorious triumph of God over the works of the devil became one of public record. “Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it” (Col.2:15). Scripture tells us that Satan "would not have crucified the Lord of glory" had he known (I Cor.2:7-8).
So the Child was born, and having prevailed, was caught up to God and given authority to rule all nations with a rod of iron (Ps.2:9; Rev.19:15).
v.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."
The balance of this chapter surrounds the bitter struggle that ensues between the dragon and the woman and the subsequent persecution of her offspring. It marks the middle of the Tribulation throughout the days remaining until the end of Tribulation.
Let's summarize it.
In an unholy alliance with Antichrist, Israel will sign a seven-year agreement with Antichrist at the beginning of the Tribulation. But after three and a half years he will betray Israel and break the agreement by invading Jerusalem, overthrowing the temple worshippers, and placing an image of himself in the Holy of Holies, thereby desecrating it (Isa.28:18; Dan.9:26-27). As a result, in the event also foretold by Jesus (Matt.24:15-21), one-third of the nation will flee Jerusalem and go into hiding (Zech.13:8).
This remnant of Jews will remain in hiding, miraculously cared for by God for the entire last half of the Tribulation, three and a half years, or one thousand two hundred and sixty days. They will surface, refined as silver is refined, fully acknowledging Jesus Christ as Lord (Zech.13:9).
v.7-9 "And war broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon and his angels fought, but they did not prevail, nor was a place found for them in heaven any longer. 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 earth, and his angels with him."
At the same time Israel flees the Antichrist (during the middle of the Tribulation) a full-scale angelic war erupts in Heaven that enables Michael and his angels to cast Satan and his angels from heaven to earth.
For reasons unknown to us, Satan’s freedom to access heaven and approach God was not revoked after his rebellion. We read that he accused Job before God (Job 1:6-12; 2:1-7), stood by to oppose Joshua the high priest before God (Zech.3:1), and accuses us before God (v.10). Moreover, none of his power was taken away; he is able to stand his ground and has power to defend it. Seemingly, he is under no command to relinquish anything, resolved to lose nothing, and all things must be wrestled away from him by the angels of God (check—Eph.6:12).
Let’s take a look his names.
- He is called the “dragon” because he is the great dragon in the Revelation shown to be the enemy of God from the beginning
- He is called "the old serpent" because he was the serpent in the Garden of Eden who introduced man to sin
- He is called “the Devil" (Gr.diabolos, meaning “accuser”) because he accuses man before God, and accuses God before man
- He is called "Satan" (which means "adversary") because he is the enemy of both God and man.
v.10-12 "Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, 'Now salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down. And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death. Therefore rejoice, O heavens, and you who dwell in them! Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and the sea! For the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, because he knows that he has a short time.' "
Satan’s permanent expulsion from heaven gets a thunderous response from God’s angels. Surely, they must dread his presence in heaven and be anxious for this moment, and relieved when it finally does happen. As another puts it, “You can almost see the angels nudging one another and saying, ‘It’s about time.’ ”
But even within the throws of their exuberant celebration, the angels display infinite pity for the inhabitants of the earth. They know Satan is enraged because his time is short, and that the inhabitants of the earth will become the objects of his great and diabolical wrath. This is the third and final prophetic “woe” announced earlier upon the inhabitants of the earth (Rev.8:13).
v.13-15 "Now when the dragon saw that he had been cast to the earth, he persecuted the woman who gave birth to the male child. But the woman was given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness to her place, where she is nourished for a time and times and half a time, from the presence of the serpent. So the serpent spewed water out of his mouth like a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away by the flood. But the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed up the flood which the dragon had spewed out of his mouth."
God’s intervention alone prevents Israel’s annihilation. As Satan, through the person of the Antichrist, attacks Israel and besieges Jerusalem in order to destroy the Nation, God will give Israel “two wings of a great eagle” and deliver a remnant of the Nation—the same idiom used in the Old Testament to describe God's liberation of Israel from Egypt (Ex.19:4). He will prevent the serpent’s "flood" (probably alluding to a military force) from overtaking them, and then in turn will destroy the military force (see also—Ex.14:13-14). And God will nourish this remnant of Israel in the wilderness (from the presence of the serpent) for the entire second half of the Tribulation (see notes—v.6). During which time He will speak comfort and show mercy and as a result will forge unto Himself a holy and godly people. Listen to the prophet,
“Therefore, behold, I will allure her, will bring her into the wilderness, and speak comfort to her…Then I will sow her for Myself in the earth, and I will have mercy on her who had not obtained mercy; then I will say to those who were not My people, ‘You are My people!’ And they shall say, ‘You are my God!’ “ (Hosea 2:14,23).v.17 "And the dragon was enraged with the woman, and he went to make war with the rest of her offspring, who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ."
The “rest of her offspring” speaks of those believers that come to know Christ as Savior during the Tribulation. The dragon’s war against them speaks of the murderous persecution that causes many of them to be martyred (Rev. 6:9-11; 20:4).
Okay, now let’s consider what might be the root cause behind Satan’s rage with Israel and the rest of her offspring, and his frantic rush to destroy them.
If we take it to be retaliation against Israel for having given birth to Christ, we would have to conclude that Satan’s aim is merely to hurt God by hurting the people of God. But I don’t think so. It’s my opinion that the rage isn’t vengeance, but Satan’s attempt to prevent the Second Coming of Christ. And it's not merely his hatred of the Nation, but the threat it poses to his survival by its very existence, that enrages him.
Just days before His crucifixion, while lamenting over Jerusalem, Jesus seemingly revealed a condition upon which His Second Coming is determined. Listen to what He said:
"See! Your house is left to you desolate; and assuredly, I say to you, you shall not see Me until the time comes when you say, 'Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!' " (Luke 13:34,35)Is it possible that Jesus was disclosing a truth that Satan understood and seeks to prevent, perhaps explaining why Satan so desperately desires to annihilate Israel and their converts? That the Second Coming of Christ will occur, but only after a repentant Nation of Israel is birth and made ready to receive Jesus as their Messiah, and yet not until it does.
It seems so.
In any case, dear ones, the greatest persecution of Jews and Gentile believers this world has ever known is scheduled to occur inside the second half of the tribulation. And it all stems because of this unseen spiritual conflict between God and the devil.
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