REVELATION Lesson 22

REVELATION

Lesson 22

Are We Living in the End Times?

Revelation 12:4   ⁴ And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth: and the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born.

Stars are symbols of Angels. The fact that Satan swept a third of the stars out of the sky means that he caused one third of the angels to fall. Satan’s mutiny was a tremendous rebellion involving millions of angels.

Satan has tried to destroy Jesus, or at least Jesus’ mission of dying on the cross many times. When Jesus was on the earth Satan waited for the birth of Jesus because he wanted to destroy Jesus. When Jesus was born Satan stirred the wrath of Herod, the king of Judea to have all male babies in and around Bethlehem killed.

God sent an angel to warn Jesus’ earthly father Joseph to take Mary and Jesus and flee to Egypt. At the beginning of Jesus’ ministry Satan offered Jesus the kingdom of the world if he would bow down and worship him.

Matthew 4:9-10   ⁹ And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me.

¹⁰ Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.

Later when Jesus told his disciples he would die, peter disagreed and Jesus answered saying to Peter, “get behind me Satan”, Satan was working through Peter to tempt Jesus to not go to the cross. This is an example of just how easy it is for Satan to deceive the flesh.

Before Jesus was crucified on the cross, he went to the garden to pray. Satan came against Jesus there with such power that God sent an angel to strengthen Jesus. Satan put Jesus under such pressure that it caused Jesus to suffer such agony and temptation that he sweat great drops of blood. Jesus loved his heavenly father so much and wanted to obey the Father and go ahead with the plan that was laid out in order to save the people of Earth. Jesus prevailed against everything the Devil threw at him.

John predicted that the tail of the beast will throw a third part of the stars “angles” to the earth. This is probably referring to the time of his power in the end time. He will eventually conquer the world at the beginning of the great tribulation.

Revelation 12:5   ⁵ And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and to his throne.

The dragon is pictured as awaiting the birth of the man child to devour it as soon as it is born. This of course refers to the birth of Christ. John then recorded, she gave birth to a son, a male child, who will rule all the nations with an iron rod.

And her child was caught up to God and to His throne. Notice that Jesus will not rule the nations with love, but with a rod of iron. The world at this point is full of people who are in rebellion against God. Because they are following false teachings or religions Christ will crush this rebellion when he returns with a iron rod.

Revelation 12:6   ⁶ And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days.

The statement, “the woman fled into the desert to a place prepared for her by God where she might be taken care of for 1260 days” is a reference to Israel being preserved through the great tribulation.

1,260 days is the exact length of the great tribulation which will usher in the second coming of Jesus. Israel as a nation will be preserved and rescued by Christ when he comes.

Romans 11:26-27   ²⁶ And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Si-on the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob:

²⁷ For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins.

Revelation 12:7-8   ⁷ And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels,

⁸ And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven.

In the beginning of the great tribulation, which is the last half of the seven-year period, is Israel’s special time of trouble. It is also marked by war in Heaven. John wrote and there was a war in Heaven, Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon (which is Satan) and his angels fought back, but the dragon was not strong enough and they lost their place in heaven.

Revelation 12:9-10   ⁹ And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.

¹⁰ And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night. 

The great dragon was cast down, that old serpent called the devil or Satan who leads the world astray. He was hurled to the earth from the second heaven. He and his fallen angels with him.

After being cast to Earth he controls the world government in the time period right before the second coming of Christ Jesus.

The casting of Satan to the earth also marks the beginning of the most awful period in human history. The great tribulation. John recorded the voice from heaven speaking of this event, now has come the salvation and the power and the Kingdom of our God, and the authority of His Son, Christ Jesus.

For the accuser who accuses them before our God day and night has been hurled down, and they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony. Woe to the earth and the sea because the devil has gone down to you. He is filled with his fury because he knows that his time is short.

Until the next lesson,

Stay in the word.

Brother Andy.