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Lesson: Revelation 12 - The Woman and the Dragon

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SCRIPTURE READING: Revelation  12:1-17

GOLDEN TEXT:  Revelation 12:17

The seven trumpets are part of the seventh seal in the book of Revelation and in chapter 11 the seventh trumpet has sounded, which follows incredible disasters that have struck the earth and the people have been dying in the millions. This is like a bad nightmare to the apostle John who is on the isle of Patmos, and is in vision and he is seeing what is going to happen in the future end time events on the Day of the Lord. Now we come to Revelation 12 which is an explanation of what is going on, that includes some history in symbolic language, in order to bring you up to date as to what is happening so you can understand the pattern that you see before you. There are some things here that may not be clear until future events begin to happen and hopefully we then can make sense of it.

1. Does John now see a great sign in heaven? (Revelation 12:1). Was this woman clothed with the sun? What was under her feet? What did she have on her head? Was this woman pregnant and about to give birth? (Verse 2). This is not a real woman. This woman is a sign of something else.

2. Did Joseph have a dream? (Genesis 37:9-12). Did he dream that the sun, the moon, and the eleven stars bowed down to him? Joseph was one of the twelve sons of Jacob whose name was changed to Israel and his twelve sons became the twelve tribes of Israel. Did Jacob understand the meaning of the Joseph’s dream? (Verse 10).

Note: Joseph’s dream then reveals to us who the woman is in John’s vision in Revelation 12:1-2. The woman represents Old Testament Israel, the people of God. This woman Israel gave birth to the Messiah, who was Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ was born of the virgin Mary who was Jewish and He was also a descendant of king David who was Jewish, so obviously Jesus was Jewish (Hebrews 7:13) and you can trace His genealogy back to Judah in Matthew 1. Jesus was known as the ‘son of David’ (Matthew 21:9, 22:42, Mark 12:35) which is a term for the Messiahship of Jesus.

3. Was there another sign that appeared in heaven? (Revelation 12:3). How many heads, horns and diadems did this fiery red dragon have? (Same verse). Did this dragon’s tail draw one third of the stars of heaven? (Verse 4). Did the dragon desire to devour the woman’s child as soon as it was born? Did the woman bear a male child who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron? Was her child caught up to God at His throne?

4. Is Satan the Devil this fiery red dragon? (Revelation 12:9). Is the term ‘stars of heaven’ symbolic for ‘angels in heaven’? (Revelation 1:20, 12:9). Did Satan desire to kill Jesus when He was a small child under the age of two? (Matthew 2:16). Satan did this through Herod the king by inspiring him to kill all the male children who were in Bethlehem and in all its districts, from two years old and under. Jesus was protected by an angel appearing to Joseph in a dream saying: "Arise, take the young Child and His mother and flee to Egypt" (Matthew 2:13-14). Will Jesus rule with a rod of iron? (Revelation 19:15). Did Jesus ascend to God’s throne? (John 20:17, Hebrews 8:1).

5. Did this woman flee into the wilderness in a place of God’s protection for one thousand two hundred and sixty days? (Revelation 12:6). If we take this verse literally for what it says and we think of the time setting as being the end time ‘day of the Lord’ vision of John, then this verse is saying that the woman who is ‘believing Israel’, the one hundred and forty four thousand sealed servants of God of Revelation 7:1-8 will be protected by God for one thousand two hundred and sixty days which is three and one half years.

6. Does an angelic war break out in heaven? (Revelation 12:7.) Does the arch angel Michael and his angels fight with the ex-arch angel Satan and his demonic angels? Did Satan and his demonic angels lose this battle? (Verse 8). Where were they cast to? (Verse 9). Does Satan the Devil deceive the whole world? Was there a previous war in heaven? (Ezekiel 28:16-19, Isaiah 14:12-15, Luke 10:18)

7. What was the loud voice saying that John heard? (Revelation 12:10). Is Satan the accuser of the brethren? How often does he accuse a converted person before God? What three requirements could be required for a true Christian to overcome Satan the Devil? (Revelation 12:11).

8. After this war in heaven and Satan has been cast down to the earth, will he be upset? (Revelation 12:12). Why will he be filled with great wrath? When this happens will end time events happen quickly? (Matthew 24:42-44).

Note: After Satan has been cast down to the earth and realizes he only has a short time, this then is when end time events will begin to happen very quickly and unexpectedly like a thief in the night as Jesus said.

9. Does Satan the dragon pursue and persecute the woman Israel who gave birth to the male child? (Revelation 12:13). Some people might think that in this verse that the woman is referring to the Church but it says the woman who gave birth to the male child. The Church did not give birth to Jesus Christ, Jesus Christ gave birth to the Church. Jesus said: "On this rock I will build My church" (Matthew 16:18).

10. Was this woman given two wings of a great eagle that she could fly into the wilderness? (Revelation 12:14). Did Moses and Isaiah talk about being given wings of an eagle? (Exodus 19:4, Isaiah 40:31). Who will help protect God’s people? (Daniel 12:1).

Note: Ancient Israel walked out of Egypt. The phrase ‘wings of an eagle’ means to be in a hurry, to do it quickly, you don’t have much time to think about it.

11. Is Satan called a serpent? (Revelation 20:2). Did Satan spew a flood of water after the woman Israel? (Revelation 12:15). Did the earth help the woman? (Verse 16). Can a flood symbolize the army of the enemy? (Isaiah 59:19, Jeremiah 46:7-8). Did Korah have an earth swallowing experience? (Numbers 16:26-32).

Note: Satan the Devil has been trying to destroy Israel for a very long time. The holocaust of World War II took the lives of six million Jews and is only a late example of Satan’s insane mind to destroy God’s people.

12. Who did Satan make war with next? (Revelation 12:17). Now Satan makes war with the Church, those who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.



Scriptures


Scripture Reading: 

The Woman and the Dragon

(Revelation 12 NKJV) 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. {2} Then being with child, she cried out in labor and in pain to give birth. {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. {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. {5} She bore a male Child who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron. And her Child was caught up to God and His throne. {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. {7} And war broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels fought with the dragon; and the dragon and his angels fought, {8} but they did not prevail, nor was a place found for them in heaven any longer. {9} 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 the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. {10} 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. {11} "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. {12} "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." {13} Now when the dragon saw that he had been cast to the earth, he persecuted the woman who gave birth to the male Child. {14} 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. {15} 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. {16} 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. {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.


Golden Text:   (Revelation 12:17 NKJV) "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."


1.) See Scripture Reading

(Genesis 37:9-12 NKJV) Then he dreamed still another dream and told it to his brothers, and said, "Look, I have dreamed another dream. And this time, the sun, the moon, and the eleven stars bowed down to me." {10} So he told it to his father and his brothers; and his father rebuked him and said to him, "What is this dream that you have dreamed? Shall your mother and I and your brothers indeed come to bow down to the earth before you?" {11} And his brothers envied him, but his father kept the matter in mind. {12} Then his brothers went to feed their father's flock in Shechem.

2. See Scripture Reading

(Hebrews 7:13 NKJV) For He of whom these things are spoken belongs to another tribe, from which no man has officiated at the altar.

(Matthew 21:9 NKJV) Then the multitudes who went before and those who followed cried out, saying: "Hosanna to the Son of David! 'Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!' Hosanna in the highest!"

(Matthew 22:42 NKJV) saying, "What do you think about the Christ? Whose Son is He?" They said to Him, "The Son of David."

(Mark 12:35 NKJV) Then Jesus answered and said, while He taught in the temple, "How is it that the scribes say that the Christ is the Son of David?

3. See Scripture Reading

4. See Scripture Reading

(Revelation 1:20 NKJV) "The mystery of the seven stars which you saw in My right hand, and the seven golden lampstands: The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands which you saw are the seven churches.

(Revelation 12:9 NKJV) 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 the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.

(Matthew 2:16 NKJV) Then Herod, when he saw that he was deceived by the wise men, was exceedingly angry; and he sent forth and put to death all the male children who were in Bethlehem and in all its districts, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had determined from the wise men.

(Matthew 2:13-14 NKJV) Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, "Arise, take the young Child and His mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I bring you word; for Herod will seek the young Child to destroy Him." {14} When he arose, he took the young Child and His mother by night and departed for Egypt,

(Revelation 19:15 NKJV) Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.

(John 20:17 NKJV) Jesus said to her, "Do not cling to Me, for I have not yet ascended to My Father; but go to My brethren and say to them, 'I am ascending to My Father and your Father, and to My God and your God.'"

(Hebrews 8:1 NKJV) Now this is the main point of the things we are saying: We have such a High Priest, who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens,

5. See Scripture Reading

(Numbers 14:34 NKJV) 'According to the number of the days in which you spied out the land, forty days, for each day you shall bear your guilt one year, namely forty years, and you shall know My rejection.

(Ezekiel 4:6 NKJV) "And when you have completed them, lie again on your right side; then you shall bear the iniquity of the house of Judah forty days. I have laid on you a day for each year.

6. See Scripture Reading

(Ezekiel 28:16-19 NKJV) "By the abundance of your trading You became filled with violence within, And you sinned; Therefore I cast you as a profane thing Out of the mountain of God; And I destroyed you, O covering cherub, From the midst of the fiery stones. {17} "Your heart was lifted up because of your beauty; You corrupted your wisdom for the sake of your splendor; I cast you to the ground, I laid you before kings, That they might gaze at you. {18} "You defiled your sanctuaries By the multitude of your iniquities, By the iniquity of your trading; Therefore I brought fire from your midst; It devoured you, And I turned you to ashes upon the earth In the sight of all who saw you. {19} All who knew you among the peoples are astonished at you; You have become a horror, And shall be no more forever."' "

(Isaiah 14:12-15 NKJV) "How you are fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How you are cut down to the ground, You who weakened the nations! {13} For you have said in your heart: 'I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will also sit on the mount of the congregation On the farthest sides of the north; {14} I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the Most High.' {15} Yet you shall be brought down to Sheol, To the lowest depths of the Pit.

(Luke 10:18 NKJV) And He said to them, "I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.

7. See Scripture Reading

8. See Scripture Reading

(Matthew 24:42-44 NKJV) "Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming. {43} "But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into. {44} "Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.

9. See Scripture Reading

(Matthew 16:18 NKJV) "And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.

10. See Scripture Reading

(Isaiah 40:31 NKJV) But those who wait on the LORD Shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint.

(Exodus 19:4 NKJV) 'You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles' wings and brought you to Myself.

(Daniel 12:1 NKJV) "At that time Michael shall stand up, The great prince who stands watch over the sons of your people; And there shall be a time of trouble, Such as never was since there was a nation, Even to that time. And at that time your people shall be delivered, Every one who is found written in the book.

11. See Scripture Reading

(Revelation 20:2 NKJV) He laid hold of the dragon, that serpent of old, who is the Devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years;

(Isaiah 59:19 NKJV) So shall they fear The name of the LORD from the west, And His glory from the rising of the sun; When the enemy comes in like a flood, The Spirit of the LORD will lift up a standard against him.

(Jeremiah 46:7-8 NKJV) "Who is this coming up like a flood, Whose waters move like the rivers? {8} Egypt rises up like a flood, And its waters move like the rivers; And he says, 'I will go up and cover the earth, I will destroy the city and its inhabitants.'

(Numbers 16:26-32 NKJV) And he spoke to the congregation, saying, "Depart now from the tents of these wicked men! Touch nothing of theirs, lest you be consumed in all their sins." {27} So they got away from around the tents of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram; and Dathan and Abiram came out and stood at the door of their tents, with their wives, their sons, and their little children. {28} And Moses said: "By this you shall know that the LORD has sent me to do all these works, for I have not done them of my own will. {29} "If these men die naturally like all men, or if they are visited by the common fate of all men, then the LORD has not sent me. {30} "But if the LORD creates a new thing, and the earth opens its mouth and swallows them up with all that belongs to them, and they go down alive into the pit, then you will understand that these men have rejected the LORD." {31} Now it came to pass, as he finished speaking all these words, that the ground split apart under them, {32} and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up, with their households and all the men with Korah, with all their goods.

12. See Scripture Reading