Revelation Chapter 12
The first words of this chapter are key to understanding its meaning. John tells us that what he is about to describe is a sign. We know that Jesus taught with parables while He was on the earth. The word parable comes from two Greek words “para” which means alongside of and “ballo” which means to cast or throw. A parable is a story that comes alongside a truth to illustrate it. We also know that not everyone understood what the parables meant. It is with possession of the key, which is the Holy Spirit, that we can understand those important parables that Jesus taught. And it is with the same key that we believers can seek His help to understand His words in Revelations.
The sign that John describes is important for us to understand so that we will understand who all the characters are as the events of Revelations are poured out. There is the pregnant woman, the child and the dragon. We can easily tell that the dragon is Satan. Up until this point, Satan has had access to heaven. The Bible tells us that Satan accuses us (the believers), before the Father. But in this chapter, there will be a great battle in heaven between Micael and his angels and the dragon and his angels.
Let's Reflect
1. Looking at verses 7-9 what happens to the dragon and his angels after this great battle?
2. This dragon (Satan) will give power to the anti-christ as seen in Revelation 13:2. Please read Revelation 20:1-3 for a clear understanding of who the dragon is. What will happen to the dragon as described in Revelation 20?
3. After the dragon and his angels are permanently cast out of heaven, a loud voice is heard saying, “now the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ have come…” We know for sure that the baby is whom?
4. The believers who are continually accused by Satan before the Father, the believers have conquered him. The believer comes out the winner every time no matter what accusation the devil throws up. How? See verse 11.
5. The believer has so much to rejoice about because they are saved. But those on the earth will experience woe. Because now Satan is more determined than ever to destroy people out of pure spite because he knows he will not win in the end. He too knows what happens in Revelations 20 and then at the final judgement. Verse 12 tells us the dragon, or the devil will come in great wrath because he knows what?
6. Since we know that the baby is Jesus the Savior of the World, we might quickly assume that the mother is Mary. However, in this chapter the mother is seen fleeing from the dragon. In verse 14 we find that she hides in the wilderness for a time period of 3 and ½ years. This time span of 3 and a half years is associated with the tribulation. The time span of 3 and ½ years are described by what words?
7. Verse 17 helps us to understand that the one the dragon is trying to kill now, is the nation of Israel since the devil wants to thwart the plans of Jesus being crowned King in Jerusalem for 1,000 years. The enemies of Satan are those who keep the commandments of God and hold to the testimony of whom?
“Ever since the first curse in Genesis, the devil has done all he could to destroy the advent and the sustaining of the Jewish people. At first, it was so he could stop the coming Messiah. Now it is so that he can thwart God’s plans for His coming judgment on the world, including on Satan and his servants. In those final days of the tribulation, Satan will act purely out of spite in the hope that there will be no more Jews left. He wants to negate the promise that at the end, ‘all Israel will be saved’ (Romans 11:26).
When we look at the sorrow and grief the devil causes today while he still has access to heaven, imagine what it will be like when he is locked out and he knows that his days are numbered. His fury will have no limits… it will be the devil himself who will empower the Antichrist to carry out his schemes.” [Revealing Revelation by Amir Tsarfati]
