Thus far, in our Drama, we have identified the first personality, in verse 1, as Israel, portrayed as a woman about to give birth, and the second personality, is Satan, portrayed as a great red dragon, who is just waiting to grab the baby when it is born.  Today, in verses 5 and 6, we see our 3rd personality.

    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 desert to a place prepared for her by God, where she might be taken care of for 1,260 days. 

 

     Verse 5 is the clearest indication that the male child is Jesus.  This is a reference to the ascension of Jesus after His resurrection from the dead.         Verse 6, during the most intense part of the great tribulation, the remnant of Israel will be protected by God.   The 1,260 days references the last half of the tribulation.  The antichrist has now shown himself to be indwelled by Satan.  The People of Israel know they have been tricked and are in danger.

                                                                                                 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

     7.  And there was war 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.

     

      This is describing a war in heaven – a future war.  It is hard to imagine war in heaven but remember that Satan still had access to heaven, and still does, even today, and if he does, there will be this problem.  We find, in Job 1 and 2 that Satan came with the sons if God to appear before God.  He apparently still has the privilege of being there, Also Zechariah 3:1-2 says that Satan has access to God.

 

      Michael is our 4th personality.  He is an archangel (Jude 9)  There are obviously others, but Michael has the distinction of being the guardian angel of Israel (Daniel 10:21) – since the Lord is talking to Daniel, this refers to Daniel’s people, he refers to Daniels people, Israel, and calls Michael, your prince, again in Daniel 12:1.  There will come a time when Michael will step up with his angels and kick Satan out of heaven for good.  This is what Luke has reference to in Luke 10:18 “And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightening fall from heaven.” (also in the 5th trumpet judgment in Revelation 9:1)

     Notice how he is identified.

1.  The old serpent – back in the Garden of Eden.

2.   Devil – comes from the Greek word diabolos, meaning slanderer or accuser.  Verse 10 says he is the accuser of our brethren.

3. Satan – means adversary, 1 Peter 5:8

4. He that deceives the whole world. Today he can only partially deceive but in the tribulation, he will deceive the whole world totally, as the Holy Spirit will no longer be present to intervene.

 

    10.Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say: “Now have come the salvation and the power, and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of His Christ.  For the accuser of our brothers, who accuses them before our God day and night, has been hurled down.

    11. They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the Word if their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death.

    12.  Therefore rejoice, you heavens and you who dwell in them! But woe to the earth and the sea because the devil has gone down to you!  He is filled with fury because he knows that his time is short.”

 

     There will be two distinct reactions to Satan’s banishment, causing great rejoicing among the redeemed who are in heaven.  This is the beginning of the takeover by Jesus, the first great demonstration of power against Satan since the death and resurrection of Christ.  First, it says “Now is come salvation” – our salvation will not end until we are in His presence.  Next “(now will come) strength” – or power – nations have abused power, but it will be wonderful when Christ takes that power and controls the earth.  Then “(Now is come) the Kingdom of our God”.  This proves that His kingdom was not established at His first coming but at His second.  How wonderful that will be.  And then “the power of His Christ” – all of the judgments are in preparation for His establishing His kingdom and taking His throne.

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   But look in verse 11 how the saints on earth overcome Satan.

1. By the blood of the Lamb,

2. By the word of their testimony – true martyrs, there is something that is strengthening in giving a testimony.  The time to give a testimony is out there in the world.  When you are up against the godless, blaspheming crowd.  Let them know that you belong to Christ and that you are in Him.  These tribulation saints are the ones who witness for him.  The word martus where we get our word martyr, means witness.

3. Loved not their life even unto death – Loved Jesus more than life.

 

     Now we said there were two reactions to Satan’s banishment.  Excitement in heaven but the other is woe on the earth.  The oy consolation is that Satan won’t be there very long, 42 months to be exact.  That’s 3 ½ years.  The tribulation intensifies during this time because Satan is literally in their midst in the flesh, in the person of anti-Christ.  Now what does Satan do when he sees that he is banished from heaven?

     

     13 – When the dragon saw that he had been hurled to the earth, he pursued the woman who had given birth to the male child.

     

     14. The woman was given the two wings of a great eagle, so that she might fy to the place prepared for her in the desert, where she would be taken care of for a time times, and half a time, out of the serpent’s reach. 

   

     Satan hates Israel because Christ came from this nation and the nation is special to the Father. So Satan makes war with Israel.  But God will not be thwarted.  Verse 14 mentions “Two wings of a great eagle: - for reference here, look at Exodus 19:4 “You have seen what I did to the Egyptians and how I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to Myself.”  They came out of Egypt because God brought them out, and eagles’ wings became a symbol to them.  Here in the great tribulation, Israel cannot deliver themselves and no one is interested in delivering them.  But God will get them out on the wings of His grace.  This could also refer to a gigantic airlift.  We’ve already seen this once with regards to Jews.  Several years ago, there was a massive airlift of Jews returning to Israel mainly from Russia and Ethiopia.   Some think that it might be the US because our symbol is the eagle.  I suppose it is possible, however very unlikely because America does not figure into the final 7 years because we no longer have the power or the prestige of a world leadership.

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      “into the wilderness” – references a hiding place.  It could be a literal wilderness; however the important thing is not the place but that God will protect them by His grace.  “Where she is nourished” – reminds us of God’s provisions in the past, manna from heaven, water for the rock.  You get the picture?

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    15.  Then from his mouth the serpent spewed water like a river, to overtake the woman and sweep her away with the torrent.

 

    16. But the earth helped the woman by opening its mouth and swallowing the river that the dragon had spewed out of his mouth.

 

    This could be a literal flood of water.  It has happened before at the beginning of the wilderness journey at the red Sea in Exodus, and again at the end of their journey at the Jordan river.   This could also be a flood of armies.  It is also used this way in Isaiah 8: 7,8. 

 

    Now we are introduced to the 5th personality – The Jewish Remnant .

 

    v. 17 Then the dragon was enraged at the woman and went off to make war against the rest of her offspring – those who obey God’s commandments and hold to the testimony of Jesus.’

 

      When Satan cannot destroy the Jews he goes after “the rest of her seed”.  This probably refers to the remnant who is God’s witnesses in this period – the 144,000 who have been sealed.  They are probably witnessing throughout the world at this time.  “who keep the commandments of God”indicates that they are back under the law, they are Jews.  And “have the testimony of Jesus Christ” indicates that they are saved Jews.

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Here’s a little test for you to make sure you understand this drama. Print it off and keep it.

                     

                   IDENTIFY THE FOLLOWING SEVEN PERSONALITIES

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1. WOMAN ____________________________________________________________

2. GREAT RED DRAGON_________________________________________________

3. MALE CHILD__________________________________________________________

4. MICHAEL_____________________________________________________________

5. THE REMNANT________________________________________________________

6. THE BEAST FROM THE SEA_____________________________________________

7. THE BEAST FROM THE EARTH___________________________________________ 

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                                            SYMBOLS MEANING

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 SUN______________________________________________________________________                                                                                                           MOON____________________________________________________________________                                                                                                           STARS ____________________________________________________________________                                                                                                           SEVEN HEADS_____________________________________________________________                                                                                                           TEN HORNS _______________________________________________________________

 SEVEN  CROWNS___________________________________________________________

 3RD OF THE STARS OF HEAVEN______________________________________________

 ONE THOUSAND TW O-_HUNDRED & THREESCORE DAYS_____________________

 

Read ahead dear ones.  It really gets exciting now.  Hope you are having as much fun and I am and are being blessed.  Love y’all.   See you next week.

Blessings

Maggie