Episode Transcript
[00:00:00] Speaker A: I now can sing Since I've been redeemed I'm on the everlasting, everlasting rock I faith in Christ my redeemer king I'm on the everlasting, everlasting rock Then roll, roll pillows.
[00:00:20] Speaker B: Welcome to the Voice of Hope, a Bible teaching program produced by Heralds of Hope. I'm your host, Anthony High.
In this episode, we continue our study through the book of Revelation.
Most of us know what it feels like to face an accuser.
You know that voice, whether from someone else or from within, that keeps bringing up failures and shame.
In Revelation, chapter 12, we see Satan described as exactly that, the accuser. And we watch him lose.
He is thrown down from heaven and defeated once and for all.
By the blood of the Lamb Saved
[00:01:04] Speaker A: by the blood of the crucified one.
Present from sin and a new work begun.
Sing praise to the Father and praise to the sun Saved by the blood of the crucified one.
Glory and save.
Glory and save. My sins are pardoned My guilt is all gone.
Glory and save. Glory and save. I am saved by the blood of the crucifixion. Crucified one.
Saved by the blood of the crucified one.
The angels rejoicing because it is done.
A child of the Father joins him with the Son.
Saved by the blood of the crucified one.
Glory, I'm saved.
Glory, I'm saved.
My sins are apart and my guilt is all gone.
Glory and save. Glory and saved. I am saved by the blood of the crucified one.
[00:02:38] Speaker B: Now join us as J. Mark Horse teaches from Revelation, chapter 12, verses 7 through 17.
And let's open God's word together.
[00:02:52] Speaker C: An important part of the history of the United States was the Civil War, sometimes called the War between the States.
That was a brutal conflict that nearly destroyed the nation.
In some cases, brothers faced each other on the battlefield and they were committed to killing their own flesh and blood. It's hard to imagine deaths numbered somewhere between 600 and 750,000.
And you know, it's really hard to wrap your mind around such staggering carnage, especially when you know this, that the number of casualties combined in all the other major wars that involved the United States was less than the number of the casualties in that civil war during that time. William Tecumseh Sherman was a well known Union army general during the years of 1861 to 1865.
He's probably best remembered for his scorched earth march to the sea. He marched from Atlanta to Savannah and destroyed much of the South's agriculture and their industrial resources.
And then after the war was over, he gave a speech to the Michigan Military Academy, a graduation speech in 1879, and he made a statement that later he became famous for. And I'm There is many a boy here today who looks on war as all glory.
But, boys, it is all hell.
Now, we understand that nothing on earth can compare to the horrors of eternal hell, but we can also understand the feeling in Sherman's remarks, war is a result of man's sin, and it's almost as old as humanity itself.
Technically, war is defined as a prolonged, violent conflict between states or governments or organized groups.
It involves the use of armed forces, and it is typically characterized by things like widespread destruction and loss of life and the attempt by one side to impose its political will on the other side.
Eventually, one side wins the struggle, and then it imposes requirements or obligations on the losing side.
In more recent times of history, the end of the fighting has enabled the allocation of resources then to construction and things like humanitarian aid.
Now, while we often think of war between humans, we're less inclined to think about war in the spirit world because we don't see it. And yet it's very real and very active. Paul writes, we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.
And so in our study of the book of Revelation today, we come face to face with this conflict, which, as I said, often plays out all around us without our knowing it.
In our previous study of Revelation, chapter 12, verses 1 to 6, we examined three signs. The woman, the dragon, and the male child.
These three continue to play a prominent part in our text for today, and I've titled our study Deliverance has Come.
Listen now as I read the text, Revelation, chapter 12, beginning with verse 7.
And war broke out in heaven. Michael and his angels fought with the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought, but they did not prevail, nor was place found for them in heaven any longer.
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 and his angels were cast out with him.
Then I heard a loud voice saying, in heaven now the salvation and the 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, and they did not love their lives to the death.
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 now. When the dragon saw that he had been cast to the earth, he persecuted the woman who gave birth to the male child.
But the woman was given two wings of a great eagle, and 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.
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.
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.
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.
This text illuminates several graphic scenes that clearly picture for us the deliverance that is granted to the saints and also the defeat of Satan.
The first scene I see is Satan's humiliation.
And so our text opens with the dramatic statement that war broke out in heaven.
Is that something new?
I mean, hasn't this been going on since the fall of Satan as it's recorded for us in Isaiah 14 and Ezekiel 28?
Satan's domain is the earth and the air that surrounds the earth. And that's why the Bible describes him as the God of this world. That's 2 Corinthians 4, 4 and the prince of the power of the air, Ephesians 2, 2.
However, at the present, he has access to the throne of God.
Now, some of us may struggle to think about Satan having access to heaven, but Job chapter 1 and verse 6 and other scriptures clearly support that understanding.
The combatants are spelled out for us in verse 7.
Michael and his angels fought with the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought.
Now, I don't believe that the war that's described in our text is the original rebellion of Satan.
I believe that just as Jesus first coming aroused demonic opposition, so his return to heaven in verse five is pictured as being the occasion of this renewed battle.
Michael is designated as the archangel in Jude, verse 9.
And according to Daniel 10, verses 13 and 21 and 12, 1, he is the champion of the Jewish people.
Archangel means chief or highest messenger, because of his supreme rank over the heavenly hosts and his role as the ultimate defender of God's people. In the Scripture, his name is translated to who is like God.
And it highlights his status as the champion of that divine sovereignty.
But that raises another what causes this fresh outbreak of war? And here, I believe, Daniel 12 helps us. I'm reading at that time, that is the time of the end. 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 so this action by Michael will result in a great war in heaven, which has been Satan's domain and where the Lord has met with his redeemed and raptured saints.
Satan and his angels, we read, will be defeated and cast down to the earth. Verse nine of this chapter.
Who starts this war and how it will be fought?
Those things haven't been revealed to us, but both the faithful and the fallen angels, who possess tremendous energies and powers, of which you and I know very little then our text.
But they, that is, the fallen angels were not strong enough to prevail, nor was a place found for them in heaven any longer.
Satan's expulsion from heaven will be final and it will be total.
This decisive battle led to the consequences that are outlined for us in verse nine.
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.
Now, when I study the Scriptures, one of the things I look for is things that are repeated. And so the triple use of the Greek verb balo ensures the completeness of the expulsion. And so what utter humiliation for Satan and and his hosts.
This one Satan, whose aim it was to destroy the whole inhabited world, has now been cast out into the earth with all of his demonic host. The Scriptures inform us he is so artful in the practices of sin that he can even teach us to deceive ourselves according to 1 John 1:8, and can almost lead astray the very elect of God. Jesus warned about that in Matthew 24:24.
And so the great dragon Satan is cast down once and for all.
Jesus said in John 12:31, now is the judgment of this world. Now the ruler of this world will be cast out. And then in Luke 10:18, Jesus said, I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.
This dramatic description of Satan's humiliation then leads us directly to the next scene, which I've called Heaven's jubilation.
So as a result of this decisive battle, John heard a loud voice in heaven just now has fully come the salvation and the strength and the kingdom of our God and the power or authority of his Christian. For the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night has been cast down.
The prophecy of 1 Corinthians 15:24 28 is nearly complete.
Now we're not told who is speaking, but we can conclude it must be someone who can sympathize with human beings.
Could it be the faithful martyrs in heaven?
That would fit well with Revelation 11:15. 1.
Even though John sees this in the prophetic future, the casting down is in the aorist tense. And what that means is Satan's defeat is so sure that it is treated as an event that has already taken place in the past. And as a result of that, heaven breaks out in joyous praise and worship.
Here Satan is called the accuser of the brethren. In this context, I believe that refers to the faithful tribulation saints that will still be on earth at this time.
But you and I both know he is the accuser of all believers all throughout history.
That is his constant occupation.
And so that's why Peter told us, be sober, be vigilant, because your adversary, the devil, walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.
Resist him steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world.
The rejoicing that breaks out in heaven is also a result of the brethren of verse 10.
They overcame the accuser, and here again a future act is spoken of in the past tense.
And how did they overcome him?
Because of the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony. And they did not love their lives to the death.
Let's unpack this sentence.
We know the blood of the Lamb is central to the defeat of Satan and to our ability to overcome.
Peter reminds us that we were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from our feudal way of life, inherited from our forefathers, but with the precious blood as of a lamb, unblemished and spotless. The blood of Christ.
That's 1 Peter 1, 18 and 19.
These suffering believers knew the forgiveness that Paul wrote about in Romans 4, 7, 8. Blessed are those whose lawless deeds have been forgiven and whose sins have been covered. Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord will not take into account.
The accusations of Satan are nullified by the blood of the Lamb. Praise God. That renders the believer pure and makes possible our spiritual victory.
The word of the saints testimony opposes the deceiving work of Satan. For the preaching of the gospel is the power of God unto salvation, according to what Paul wrote in Romans 1:16.
And so despite all the persecution and even martyrdom, these faithful ones suffered and remained faithful witnesses to Jesus Christ.
Their testimony will never waver.
The suffering tribulation Saints were also able to fend off Satan's onslaught because they did not love their lives even when they were faced with death, so their faithfulness extended even to death. They willingly paid the ultimate price for their loyalty to Christ.
They knew that all martyrdom could do for them was to usher them into the eternal bliss of Christ's presence.
And because their faith was genuine, it not only justified and sanctified them, but it also enabled them to persevere all the way to glorification.
And so a sure mark of believers is that they continue in the faith even to death, in the words of Jesus, the one who endures to the end, he will be saved.
This section of our text concludes with a final note of praise, but also a sobering Therefore rejoice, O heavens and you who dwell in them.
Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and of the sea, for the devil has come down to you having great wrath, or we could say in a fit of rage, because he knows that he has only a short time.
The devil's departure from his warfare in the heavens tells him that his time for harming men is limited and hence his great wrath. Thuman It's a boiling rage.
Satan's humiliation and heaven's jubilation point us to the final scene of deliverance, and that is the woman's preservation.
This final section of verses returns to the narrative of the first part of the chapter.
Now, when the dragon saw that he had been cast to the earth, he persecuted the woman who gave birth to the male child.
In his rage at being kicked out of heaven, the dragon immediately goes off in hostile pursuit of the Jewish people and perhaps Jewish believers in the Messiah in particular.
The precise meaning of these details isn't clear to us. The general sense is that God foils Satan's most demonic attempts to to destroy his ancient chosen earthly people.
This verse corresponds with Matthew 24:15 and as a means of deliverance, the woman is given two wings of a great eagle, enabling her to fly into the wilderness to a place that is prepared for her succor.
This metaphor of deliverance is common throughout the scriptures.
In Exodus 19:3,4 we read this and Moses went up to God and The Lord called to him from the mountain, saying, thus you shall say to the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel, you have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagle's wings and brought you to myself.
Deuteronomy 32, 11:12 and Isaiah 40:31 are well known companion passages.
So when the woman reaches the prepared place, the text says that God will care for her for three and a half years. He will protect her from the rule of the serpent and those who serve him during the last part of the tribulation.
And so this time corresponds with the 1260 days of verse 6, as well as the times, time and half a time of Daniel, chapter 7, verse 25.
Now, whether natural or supernatural means are used, one thing is God does preserve a godly remnant, though According to Zechariah 13:8, 2/3 of Israel in the land will perish during this time.
In his impotent rage, Satan casts out of his mouth water as a river to carry the woman away and to destroy her. And remember, we previously said that the woman is Israel, but the earth helps a woman by splitting open and drinking down the water which the dragon cast out of his mouth.
Now let's remember, Satan is a spirit being, and because of that, this flood is most likely symbolic.
The imagery derives from the Old Testament, where floods symbolize trouble in general and are used to describe an invading, destroying army.
Isaiah 59:19 would be an example of that.
And so I see the flood being cast after Israel as the total effort of Satan to exterminate the nation.
And then there's the resistance of the earth is the natural difficulty in executing such a massive program.
If you know anything about the nature of the terrain in the Middle east, it provides countless places of refuge for people who are fleeing danger.
Whether the exact meaning of these two verses can be determined with certainty, the implication is Satan will strive with all his power to persecute and exterminate the people of Israel by divine intervention. Both natural and supernatural means are used to evade his program, and then to carry a remnant of Israel safely through their time of this great tribulation.
And so, frustrated yet again, Satan goes off in a great rage to make war with the scattered followers of the Lamb who are not being nourished and protected in the wilderness.
The devil carries on a relentless war with all those which keep the commandments of God and hold the testimony of Jesus.
These two qualities provoke the wrath of Satan, as they always have. We have other examples in Revelation 1:9 and chapter 6, verse 9 taken as a whole, chapter 12 is a fitting introduction to the important revelations that we will see in chapter 13.
In this chapter 13 are the principal actors of the Great Tribulation. Along with the historical background which provides so much additional information for us, Israel, Satan, Christ the Archangel, and the godly remnant figure largely in the closing scenes of this age.
Next, the two principal human actors are introduced.
The beast out of the sea and the beast out of the earth. The human instruments Satan will use to carry out his program during the Great Tribulation.
Yes, deliverance has come.
While the time and the events described in our text still lie in the future, their fulfillment is so sure that we can pronounce them done.
Satan's humiliation, Heaven's jubilation, and the woman's preservation are, as we sometimes say, a done deal.
I base that confidence, at least in part, on 2 Corinthians 1, 1920.
For the son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by us, by me, Silas and Timothy, was not yes and no, but in him was yes. For all the promises of God in him are yes and and in him, amen to the glory of God through us.
And then further, Jesus himself, in the Context of Matthew 24 and the end of time, said, heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.
That's Matthew 24:35.
And so today you and I are left with a binary choice.
We either accept by faith what the Scriptures tell us and act upon that belief, or we reject God's word and expose ourselves to his wrath and judgment.
So I ask you, what is your choice?
[00:24:41] Speaker A: We will stand when the battle rages Trusting in the Lord Resisting powers of darkness with shield and sword we will lift our eyes to Jesus when courage seems small and we will find the strength to stand through it all the trial of our faith brings its reward Endurance for the battle in the name of the Lord and the truth that keeps this hope alive is the promise that he gives when we face the greatest struggle we will stand we will stand stand when the battle rages Trusting in the Lord Resisting powers of darkness with shield and sword we will lift our eyes to Jesus when courage seems small and we will find the strength to understand through it all we will lift our eyes to Jesus when courage seems small and we will find the strength to stand.
Through.
[00:26:48] Speaker B: Satan may still be active, but he's not undefeated. His rage in this passage is a rage of someone who knows his time is short.
That's worth remembering the next time his accusations feel really loud. In your own life if today's teaching stirred something within you, we'd encourage you to open Revelation chapter 12 for yourself and ask honestly, what accusations have I been believing that the blood of the Lamb has already answered?
We'd love to hear from you. Your stories and responses mean so much to us.
Reach us at heraldsofhope.org contact by email at hopeheraldsofhope.org or by phone at 866-960-0292.
To explore more Bible teaching and encouragement, you can visit heraldsofhope.org programs. You can also listen to and share the Voice of Hope wherever you get your podcasts.
Join us the next time as we continue our journey through Scripture. And until then, may God's Word strengthen your faith and remind you that his work in the world is far from finished. Thank you for listening to the Voice of Hope.
[00:28:16] Speaker A: We will stand when the battle rages Trusting in the Lord Resisting powers of darkness with shield and sword we will lift our eyes to Jesus when courage seems small then we will find the strength to stand through it all.
We will lift our eyes to Jesus when courage seems small and we will find the.
