| Revelation 12 enveloped in Judgment scene |
Rev. 11.18
And the nations were angry, and Your wrath is come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that You should give reward unto thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear thy name, small and great; and should destroy them which destroy the earth.
Rev. 11.19
And the temple of God was opened in heaven, and there was seen in his temple the ark of his testament:and there were lightnings, and voices, and thunderings, and an earthquake, and great hail.
Rev. 14.6
And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people,
Rev. 14.7
Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.
WHY THIS ENDTIME CALL to worship the Creator?
Why this announcement of A PRE-ADVENT JUDGMENT, before the execution judgment?
Rev.12.1
And there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars:
12.2
And she being with child cried, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered.
12.3
And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads.
12.4
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.
12.5
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.
12.6
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.
12.7
And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels,
12.8
And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven.
12.9
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.
12.10
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.
12.11
And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.
12.12
Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time.
12.13
And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth, he persecuted the woman which brought forth the man child.
12.14
And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent.
12.15
And the serpent cast out of his mouth water as a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away of the flood.
12.16
And the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed up the flood which the dragon cast out of his mouth.
12.17
And the dragon was angry with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.
Daniel describes the pre-advent judgment tht sits after the 1260 years, but before Christ establishes His kingdom. Daniel 7.9
I beheld till the thrones were set down, and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool: his throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire.
Daniel 7.10
A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him: thousand thousands ministered unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him: the judgment was set, and the books were opened.
7.13
I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him.
7.14
And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him:
Daniel 7.21
I beheld, and the horn (with eyes like the eyes of man, and a mouth speaking great things) made war with the saints, and prevailed against them;
7.22
Until the Ancient of days came, and judgment was given in favour of the saints of the most High; and the time came that the saints possessed the kingdom.
7.26
But the judgment shall sit, and they shall take away his (the beast with the horn) dominion, to consume and to destroy it unto the end.
Rev. 17:1
Come hither; I will show unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sits upon many waters:
17.2
With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication.
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The Beasts of Revelation have their background in Daniel's Prophecies.
Beasts in Revelation, what do they represent. To understand the formation of the beast who "shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces", (Dan.7:23)until God puts an end to it and establishes HIS KINGDOM,
we need to look at all four of the beasts in Daniel 7. For this chapter lays the foundation for understanding the beasts in Revelation.
picture credit: http://www.pathlights.com/theselastdays/lessons/lesson_21.htm
The four beasts are four kingdoms. Babylon.....Media Persia...Greece......Rome
The little horn on the terrible beast is blasphemous religious/political power, that rises up, carrying the name of the fourth beast and "bullying" or being "more stout" then the other divisions into which the Roman empire disintigrated.
However, the Bible is NOT just a history lesson. No, it depicts a battle of far greater magnitude! The whole depiction of Daniel and Revelation is the battle between two princes and which one will establish his kingdom over the citizens of earth.
The two Princes, who will win the woman?
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MESSIAH THE PRINCE
The Prince of Life. (Acts 3:15)
A Prince and a Savior, giving repentance and forgiveness of sins. (Acts 5:31)
Prince of hosts. (Daniel 8:11)
Messiah the Prince (Daniel 9:25)
Prince of the covenant (Daniel 11:22)
The great Prince who stands for the people. (Daniel 12:1)
He is KING of kings, and LORD of Lords. (Rev. 19:16)
He will win! for his will be the everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom shall not be destroyed.
(Dan. 7:14)
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THE PRINCE OF DARKNESS
Prince of demons (Matt. 12:24) Prince of power of disobedience (Eph. 2:2) Prince of the world who is cast out by Christ, tries to accuse and destroy Christ, but is judged. (John 12:31; 14:30; 16:11)
Prince of the people who destroy the sanctuary, prince of desolation. (Daniel 9:26)
He is the prince who said his in his heart, "I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north:
I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High." (Isaiah 14:13,14)
But judgment shall sit, and they shall take away his dominion, to consume and to destroy it. (Dan. 7:26) |
The Battle is revealed in Revelation 12.
Here we see a woman about to give birth under very hostile circumstances, for a seven headed dragon, called Satan, that old serpent, the devil, is seeking to devour that Child as soon as He comes forth.
The dragon is named-- we know he is the Prince of darkness, Satan, the devil.
The CHILD is the Messiah Prince, the CHRIST, the Word made flesh, come to redeem the kingdom, which was lost in the Garden of Eden, when that old serpent, the devil beguiled the woman to render obedience to himself, rather than obedience to Christ their Creator.
Picture credit: Russell Harlan (RH)
 "And the Lord God said unto the serpent...I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed, and her Seed; IT shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel." Gen.2:15
The SEED is the child of the woman.
He is MESSIAH the PRINCE!
Galatians 3.16
"And to thy seed, which is Christ."
The Woman represents God's people, who put their trust in Him.
Isaiah 6.2
"I have likened the daughter of Zion to a comely and delicate woman."
Psalm 9.10,11
"And they that know thy name will put their trust in thee:
Sing praises to the LORD, which dwelleth in Zion."
Heb.12.22
"You are come unto mount Zion, and unto the city of the living God,
the heavenly Jerusalem."
People are the citizens of the kingdoms. The pure woman represents the citizens of the heavenly Jerusalem. The citizens of God's kingdom. Revelation 21:2, portrays this woman of ZION, the Heavenly Jerusalem (complete with the citizens) prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
So we see 12 stars about the head of woman, for the Bible says:
(Rev.3:11-12) "Behold I come quickly" hold fast that which thou hast, that no man take your crown. He that overcomes will I write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem."
(Rev. 21:9,21,12; 22:14) "Come I will show you the bride, the Lamb's wife...the holy Jerusalem descending...having the glory of God...with twelve gates which are twelve pearls...and names written thereon are the twelve tribes of the children of Israel. Blessed are those who wash their robes, (who do His commandments) so that they will have the right...to enter the city by the the gates. This woman represents the people from all ages who have the name of GOD'S kingdom written upon their foreheads, who will enter those pearly gates as citizens of the heavenly kingdom.She is clothed with the sun--the Sun of Righteousness (Mal.4:2) for she has "washed her robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb" (Rev. 7:14).
Rev. 19.7,8
Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready.
And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints. Who is the husband? Isaiah 54.5, tells us who the true husband is.
"For your Maker is your husband; the LORD of hosts is his name; and your Redeemer the Holy One of Israel." Christ is our MAKER (John 1:2) Christ is our Redeemer (Rev. 5:9) The pure woman is the FAITHFUL bride of Christ, (the citizens for the heavenly kingdom, from all ages) who "has made herself ready, to whom is granted to be clothed with fine linen bright and pure, the fine linen of righteous deeds, for the marriage of the Lamb has come." (see Rev. 19:7,8) An Impure, or harlot woman, (as pictured in Rev. 17) is one who has accepted the name of Christ, but has in actuality joined herself with the wrong prince, she is unfaithful, she is dressed in the robes of earthly kingdoms, and hasupon her forehead the name of the EARTHLY KINGDOM
BABYLON and is a citizen of the kingdom of the wrong prince. She will join him in his fate. Who is this dragon king of Babylon? Rev. 12 makes it very clear. It is the serpent, the Devil and Satan.
 Before the creation of this earth, Lucifer, the covering cherub, an exalted angel in the heavenly courts, rebelled against God, (Is. 14:12-17 Ez. 28:13-18) and declared that he had better ideas on how to run a kingdom then God. A third of the angels believed him! They were cast out of heaven, no longer could it be their home. After the earth was created, Satan visited the tree of knowledge of good and evil in the garden of Eden, (the only place where he was allowed to tempt Adam and Eve) and there the serpent beguiled our first parents to distrust the Prince of Life, and put their trust in him. Thus, through deception, the serpent usurped control of the earth. But even then, right back there in Eden, Christ promised He would crush the head of the usurper, put enmity in our hearts against the serpent. He would do all, to give us another chance to be drawn into HIS kingdom of righteousness! In the meantime the kingdom of the usurper was to be given a chance to show that his ideas of running a kingdom were highly destructive and malignant of character-- that all might see and know that God's government is righteous, just, and good.
Picture Credit "Frank Breaden, Pictorial Aid for Bible study"
Revelation 12 begins it's focus at the point in history when CHRIST enters the world as a human being. He is pictured in the helpless condition of a BABY, at the mercy of the people He has come to redeem. The dragon, in full array, is set to destroy HIM. Through all the ages past the dragon had sought to destroy the "woman" (God's people) by preverting the true doctrines, thus weaning her away from her true "husaband" and unto himself. Then, seeing God could no longer sustain her (God's people) in her wickedness, the dragon roused the kingdoms of the world to come against her and destroy her. Yet there was always the faithful remnant, true to God, and the dragon did not succeed in destroying the woman before Christ was born.
Now, in the first part of Revelation 12, he focuses all his forces upon Christ, HIMSELF. He works through the earthly kingdom in control, as Herod, sought to destoy Christ at birth. He worked through the Israelites, as people sought to throw Him over cliffs, (luke 4:29)or stone Him (John 10:31). The devil assualted HIM with temptations. Finally, working through both Rome and Israel, a brutal wound was inflicted upon our Savior as HE hung upon the cross. But the very wound Satan inflicted upon Christ, was the death blow to himself. The dragon wounded Christ's heel, but Christ inflicted a defeating blow upon the dragon's head. For here in Rev. 12 we see that it was AT THE CROSS that Satan was totally cast out of heaven, where he had accused the brethren before God day and night--but now he is cast down, BY THE BLOOD OF THE LAMB and by the word of their testimony. 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...Rejoice O heavens and you who dwell in them! Woe unto the inhabitants of the earth and the sea fro the devil has come down to you having great wrath, because he knows that he has a short time."
The devil is defeated--and that defeat is beyond repair, it is eternally sure!
He is ETERNALLY DEFEATED at the cross. He is living with that mortal wound which will NEVER HEAL. Yet, though defeated, the dragon YET IS, and he is working with even greater fury, knowing his time is short.
THE SEVEN-HEADED DRAGON IN REVELATION 12 This dragon, which is Satan, has seven heads, with crowns. These are the kingdoms the dragon works through to set up his own kingdom. Before Christ was born the dragon had set up his four major kingdoms--(the four beasts in Daniel 7)
4. ROME -- the fierce and terrible beast, trampling upon all nations.
ROME, through Herod, sought to kill Christ,
ROME carried out the crucifixion, ROME destroyed
 the earthly temple and Jerusalem, ROME persecuted the Christ's followers. Rome is the symbol of tyrannical power that sets out to crush God's kingdom.
3. GREECE (the leopard's head) Alexander brought together the east and the west, and it is particularly in religion that the Hellenistic fusion of Greek and Oriental can be seen. They brought in many philosophies that mixed with, and polluted the truth, these philosophies not only affected the Jews, but Christians later on as well. Greeks polluted the truth, and forced their "hellenization" on nations under them. We also know one of their kings polluted the sanctuary with swine sacrifices.
2. MEDIA PERSIA (bear's head)-- first was a big help to God's people. Liberating them from Babylon, and allowing freedom of religion. Yet, the Persian king, ended up signing a death decree against God's people!
1. BABYLON (lion's head) -- the cradle of mystical religion. Babylon destroyed Jerusalem, and it's temple and took it's people captive. Seeking to indoctrinate all into her mysteries.
These are the four major kingdoms established before the cross. Their culture and ideologies remain to this day. BUT when Christ came He announced His kingdom. Many times He spoke of the kingdom of heaven and expounded on ideals and ideologies of HIS KINGDOM, which stood in direct opposition to the ideologies and practices of the kingdoms of this world. At the cross, that heavenly kingdom was made sure. Yet the bridegroom must go away for a time, and minister in heaven, yet HE WILL COME AGAIN to get HIS PEOPLE.
 When the dragon realized his defeat, and saw the kingdom of Christ being established in the hearts and minds of the people; when he saw that the dark clouds of his deceptions were being swept aside, he renewed his efforts and went forth with great wrath to persecute and destroy, for he knows his time is short. He would now work on re-establishing his kingdom. You will notice a strange mirror image as you study the three heads that emerge after the cross. Also note, that the ROMAN runs all the way through to the end.
Now what do the last three heads represent?The dragon WAS present, to devour Christ at His birth and with terrible vengence, to destroy Him at the crucifixion. This was the done through ROME, the fourth head.
5. PAPAL ROME persecutes the woman (God's people) for 1260 year period. And the woman fled into the wilderness where God nourishes her for a time and times and half a time, from the presence of the serpent. --It was Papal Rome that persecuted God's people throughout the Middle Ages, Papal Rome, a head of the dragon-serpent. You will also notice in Daniel 7, Papal Rome emerges out of the head of the ROMAN beast as the stout horn. Papal Rome mixes the truths of God with ideologies of paganism--she pollutes the truths and forced her adulterated doctrines on the nations. She obscured Christ's heavenly sanctuary work.
6. THE EARTH BEAST "But the earth helped the woman" (12:16) "Then I saw another beast coming up out of the earth, and he had two horns like a lamb"(13:11) This beast emerged in the 1700's. This power emmerged with concepts from the so-called "new enlightened age" which actually came from 2 opposite directions-- Protestantism and Reneassonce/humanism ideology. This halted the papal tyranny. Yet in it's very foundation are laid with plans for a "new world order".
It was in America where the two ideologies (Protestantism and Humanistic Renaissance) merged.
AMERICA, the land of the free which started out "helping the woman"--Over the years it has shown "lamb-like" qualities of peace, having offered people freedom from tyranny and allowed freedom of religion. Precious privileges we should not take for granted! Yet, as prophecy reveals, it will end up "speaking as the dragon" (13:11), turning into a tyrannical force, becoming another head of the dragon. 7. The IMAGE TO THE BEAST--THE NEW WORLD ORDER Upon which "Babylon" sits (Rev. 17)
Rev. 12:17 tells us the dragon is GREATLY ENRAGED with the woman and makes war with the last of her offspring (persecution restored) WHO KEEP THE COMMANDMENTS OF GOD AND HAVE THE TESTIMONY OF JESUS." This is the IMAGE OF THE BEAST spoken of in Rev: 13-- when the 6th head gives life to the seventh head--the image of the BEAST. There will then be a great attempt to force the whole world into one worship system, and under the PRIMACY OF THE PAPACY.
(More on that when dealing with Rev. 13 & 14) The whole thing ends up being "full of evil spirits, the dwelling place of demons". (18:2) Thus showing the true source of the whole movement is from the dragon.
These last three heads will be discussed in much greater detail when we deal with Revelation 13, and 17.
We establish the identities of the seven heads by counting the "beastly powers" revealed in repeated sequence in Daniel and Revelation.
- 1. Babylon-------- Head of Gold (Dan. 2:32,38) Lion (Daniel 7:4)
- 2. Media Persia-- Chest of Silver (Dan. 2:32,39) Bear (Dan.7:5) Ram with 2 horns (Dan.8:20)
- 3. Grecian----- Thighs of brass (Dan.2:32,39) Leopard (Dan.7:6) Goat with great horn (Dan.8:21)
- 4. Rome--------- Legs of Iron (Dan. 2:33,40) Dreadful Beast (Dan. 7:7) Phase one of horn (Dan.8)
- 5. Papal Rome-- Iron and Clay (Dan. 2:33,41)Stout Horn (Dan.7:20,25)Phase two of horn (Dan.8)
......... First Beast of Rev. 13.........
6. Earth Beast--USA Beast with lamb-like horns (Rev. 13:11)
.......... Second Beast in Rev. 13---America.........
7. Image to Beast--New World Order (Rev.13:15)
......Head #6 gives it life, and forces all to worship or reverence,
head #5, Papal Rome......
Do you see a mirror image emerge?
ROME oppressive power
Greece, pollution truth............Papal pollution of truth
Persia, helps woman, death decree.............America, helps woman, death laws
Babylon.....................................................................Babylon.
The Harlot WomanMany theories abound in contemporary Christian circles regarding the coming New World Order. Yes, there is a New World Order being planned, it is Satan's counterfeit kingdom, but one crucial point needs to be clarified from the start. The final persecution of God's people will take place through a SUPPOSEDLY CHRISTIAN--RELIGIOUS power gaining the upper hand over the governments of the world! It will NOT BE atheistic secular powers gaining the upper hand over the churches. Prophecy reveals that the endtime apostate power will not only be religious, but will be professedly Christian in nature (See also 2Thess. 2)
Christians are being urged to unite and fight against a secular/humanistic government which they are told will forbid Christians to share their faith in public and eventually outlaw Christianity altogether. And it is true that secularism is sweeping the world! But what are Christians doing about? They are preaching with ever more enthusiasm that obedience to God has nothing to do with salvation. Is there any wonder that secularism is sweeping the world? Then, having lost the POWER of the GOSPEL, the churches turn to the POWER of the STATE, to enforce their mandates. Prophecy clearly points out WHO WILL GET THE UPPER HAND, and WHO will force everyone into their line of worship, and WHO will persecute GOD'S commandment keeping people. Picture Credit: U Unruh
 Revelation 17 shows the harlot woman riding the scarlet beast. This is a woman, who claims the name of Christ (as a wife takes on the name of her husband) she calls herself CHRISTIAN, yet she is a harlot, making deals with the kings of the earth, flirting with ENEMY PRINCE. A harlot, or unfaith woman is deceptive, she plays for advantage, not truth. She wants POWER in return--she's in every government, striving for power over the people. The humility the righteous PRINCE requires is not what she's after, instead she wants that sense of POWER, which the prince of darkness gave her. In return she is attempting to build the dragon's New World Order kingdom. Can we deny that this is taking shape? Does Papal Rome not have ambassadors in over a hundred countries of the world? Isn't the world wondering after the Papacy? The Pope goes to any country and people flock to see him as to no other? Aren't they looking to him as the "moral leader" of the world? Have there not been cries for the Pope to settle the disputes in the Middle East? Is there not a tremendous movement to bring all the churches into unity? Has not the Papacy declared it must have PRIMACY?
The apostate woman is called "Babylon" the mother of harlots. (Rev. 17:5)
It is interesting that in the ecumenical movement the Papacy has declared itself to be the MOTHER! "It must always be clear, when the expression sister churches is used in this proper sense, that the one, holy, Catholic and apostolic Universal Church is not sister but MOTHER of all the particular Churches."
Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Leter "Communionis notio (28-5-1992) http://www.etwn.com/library/curia/cdfsisch.htm
The "Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith" is none other than the re-instated office of "inquisition" that persecuted the "heretics" when the Papacy HAD PRIMACY! Now this same office, is issuing publications saying they must have PRIMACY, they are the MOTHER church, the ONE true church. She will be the HEAD, of the whole ecumenical union. Every indication reveals that once again church power will employ or control the power of the state, that religious observances may be enforced by secular laws. When the Protestant nation of the USA gives her power to this end, then the persecution against those who "keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus" will begin in earnest.
But there is a higher court than the re-established inquisition.
Daniel Seven describes this court. It is a heavenly court where it will be determined who the true saints are. Who are they which Rev. 14:12 describes as the saints "who keep the commandments of GOD, and have the faith of Jesus"? The judgment is against the little horn which is thinking to change God's laws, trying to establish an earthly counterfeit kingdom of a counterfeit god, in which the primacy of the papacy has the power over people's conscience.
The everlasting kingdom of God will be inherited by the true saints of God.
Picture Credit: Harry Anderson (PPA)
 Therefore LET NO MAN judge you.
(Romans 14:10-13,4) "For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.
For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.
So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God....Who are you that judgest another man's servant? To his own master he stands or falls. Which Prince our YOU faithful too? Which kingdom are you a citizen of?
Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumblingblock or an occasion to fall in his brother's way."
Here the true citizens of Christ's kingdom are determined. God, Himself, who sees all things, makes the decision. The false kingdom will be destroyed and Christ will receive His kingdom, and all who OVERCOME in the blood of the Lamb will receive the blessings pronounced in Revelation 2 and 3, and live with Christ for all eternity.
For indeed this is the battle between TWO PRINCES
The TRUE PRINCE--CHRIST JESUS--the Prince of Life and righteousness.
And the usurper prince, which is the dragon, that old serpent, the devil.
There are two kingdoms
The heavenly Jerusalem and Babylon (who may very well try to set up headquarters in earthly Jerusalem).
Rev. 12 shows the prince of BABYLON--the dragon-- was defeated at the cross. YET he still is, and will yet make his final assault. We are the trophies of war. Whose trophy will we be? Whose kingdom will we be citizens of? |
