Citywide Baptist Church
The defeated Dragon
Revelation unveils the active force of evil in the world as the ancient serpent, Satan, and also the fact that he has been defeated.
Locations & Times
Citywide Baptist Church (Mornington)
400 Cambridge Rd, Mornington TAS 7018, Australia
Sunday 10:00 AM
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https://www.citywidehobart.org.au/2024/07/25/ask-your-questions-about-revelation/The five principles of reading Revelation
1) Correct reading of the bible leads to the fruit of the spirit and not fear
2) Revelation should be interpreted symbolically unless you are forced by the text to read it literally. Numbers, particularly are very symbolic.
3) The most important key to Revelation is understanding the Old Testament and what the over 200 allusions to the Old Testament mean in that context
4)Reading Revelation requires imagination.
5) Revelation was written to shape people as dissidents who give their allegiance not to the world but to the Kingdom of God.
1) Correct reading of the bible leads to the fruit of the spirit and not fear
2) Revelation should be interpreted symbolically unless you are forced by the text to read it literally. Numbers, particularly are very symbolic.
3) The most important key to Revelation is understanding the Old Testament and what the over 200 allusions to the Old Testament mean in that context
4)Reading Revelation requires imagination.
5) Revelation was written to shape people as dissidents who give their allegiance not to the world but to the Kingdom of God.
Revelation chapter 12 is the key to the whole book, revealing the nature of the battle, which happens both in heaven and on earth.
This woman represents Israel and the twelve stars are the twelve tribes (based on Genesis 37:9)
The great dragon (which in verse 9 we are told is Satan) knows that this baby is a threat and gives all its energy to attempting to destroy the baby.
The woman gives birth to Jesus, whose entire life is summed up in one verse referencing a prophecy about the Messiah.
We get two explanations of the same moment in verse 6 and verse 13 and 14
As in vv 1 and 2, the woman represents the community of faith, though now it is not that of the OT epoch, but the messianic community after Christ’s resurrection. The woman is now on earth and not in heaven because she now represents the true people of God on earth.
-G.K. Beale
She is taken into the wilderness, which is a direct allusion to Israel being taken into the wilderness in Exodus, on their way to the promised Land. She has not only protection but also “nourishment,” which enables her to continue to exist.
The 1260 days or “three and a half years” have been established as the time of tribulation predicted by Daniel 7, 9, and 12, which commences at Christ’s ascension and continues until his return.
-G.K. Beale
She is taken into the wilderness, which is a direct allusion to Israel being taken into the wilderness in Exodus, on their way to the promised Land. She has not only protection but also “nourishment,” which enables her to continue to exist.
The 1260 days or “three and a half years” have been established as the time of tribulation predicted by Daniel 7, 9, and 12, which commences at Christ’s ascension and continues until his return.
The three and a half years or forty-two months here and in v 14 also echo Israel’s wanderings in the wilderness for forty-two years or in forty-two stages
This is the same period as in chapter 12, where for that length of time God protects the church as his invisible, inviolable temple and gives it power to witness despite ongoing persecution.
Daniel 10 introduces Michael as one of the chief princes of Heaven who comes to fight alongside the one “like a man” (Dan 10:18). In Jewish literature Michael played the role of an advocate, defending Israel from the accusations made by Satan.
Revelation unveils the reality that what happens on earth has ramifications in the heavenly realm and vice versa. Michael’s role in the battle was prophesied by Daniel:
It is appropriate that Michael reflects Jesus’ earthly actions in heaven, since Jesus represents ideal Israel in his own person. Michael’s actions on behalf of true Israel must be linked to Dan. 12:1, which predicts that he will “stand up” in the latter-day tribulation to defend them from destruction. The defeat of Satan’s forces is described through the precise wording of Dan. 10:20 and Dan. 7:21
- G.K. Beale
- G.K. Beale
Verse 10 is a hymn that interprets the vision, which is the familiar pattern in Revelation
((New International Greek Testament Commentary) see 4:1-7 and 4:8-10; 5:5 and 5:6-14; 14:1 and 14:2-5; 15:2 and 15:3-4; 17:1-6 and 17:7-18;)
((New International Greek Testament Commentary) see 4:1-7 and 4:8-10; 5:5 and 5:6-14; 14:1 and 14:2-5; 15:2 and 15:3-4; 17:1-6 and 17:7-18;)
The hymn in 12:10-12 interprets vv 7-9 to show clearly that what Michael does is a heavenly reflection of what Christ does on earth. Vv 10-12 say that Christ’s “authority” (resulting from the resurrection) and “blood” have conquered the serpent and cast him from heaven.
This is what Jesus said would happen
This is what Jesus said would happen
Both in Jewish Literature of the time and in Job and Zechariah we have a picture of Satan having a role of accuser before God.
Jesus’ victory means that his followers can now triumph over Satan. This was the purpose of the cross.
Jesus’ victory on the cross means that Satan has no heavenly authority any more
The legal defeat of Satan is part of the essence of the inaugurated kingdom that has “now come about.” The actual execution of the devil and his hordes comes at the consummation of history (Revelation 18; 19:20-21; 20:10-15). In Caird’s often-quoted analogy, Michael “is not the field officer who does the actual fighting, but the staff officer who is able to remove Satan’s flag from the heavenly map because the real victory had been won on Calvary.
G.K. Beale
G.K. Beale
The woman, the church, is now the target of Satan’s fury, because he knows the his time is short.
The dragon has no authority over the church, because of Jesus’ victory.
The woman (the church) is carried by an eagle (God) in the same way Israel was, and is promised to be.
Together with the allusion to the Exodus and Deuteronomy image of God as a protecting eagle, v 14 also recalls Isa. 40:31, which predicts that in the future Israel “will mount up with wings like eagles” in the process of returning through “the wilderness” (Isa. 40:3) to their land in the second exodus from Babylon.
G.K. Beale
Satan throws everything he can at the church, but can’t defeat her.
The river from his mouth is a symbol of Satan's lies, which contrasts to the sword that comes from Jesus' mouth, which is the truth.
G.K. Beale
Satan throws everything he can at the church, but can’t defeat her.
The river from his mouth is a symbol of Satan's lies, which contrasts to the sword that comes from Jesus' mouth, which is the truth.
The waters of v 15 include allusion to at least three OT ideas.
(1) In the exodus from Egypt, Israel’s safe flight into the wilderness was threatened by the barrier of the Red Sea, which God overcame for them (cf. also Exod. 1:22, where the Hebrew infants were threatened by Pharaoh’s command to drown them in the Nile).
(2) In the second, end-time, exodus, the sea and rivers will again be a danger for God’s people, but he will dry up the sea and rivers (Isa. 42:15; 43:2; 44:27; 50:2).
(3) Dan. 9:26 predicts that during Israel’s future tribulation their end-time foe “will destroy the city and the sanctuary . . . [which] will be cut off by a flood
(1) In the exodus from Egypt, Israel’s safe flight into the wilderness was threatened by the barrier of the Red Sea, which God overcame for them (cf. also Exod. 1:22, where the Hebrew infants were threatened by Pharaoh’s command to drown them in the Nile).
(2) In the second, end-time, exodus, the sea and rivers will again be a danger for God’s people, but he will dry up the sea and rivers (Isa. 42:15; 43:2; 44:27; 50:2).
(3) Dan. 9:26 predicts that during Israel’s future tribulation their end-time foe “will destroy the city and the sanctuary . . . [which] will be cut off by a flood
The devil will continue to attack the individuals within the church, but those who defeat him are those who hold fast to the truth.
The church as a whole will not be harmed, but each one of us is in a battle.
Revelation unveils the battle that we are actually in.
Small Group Questions:
1) Revelation shows that there is a battle both in heaven and on earth and what happens on earth affects what happens in heaven. How seriously do you take what happens in the heavenly realms? Does this chapter affect how you see your life at all?
2) The woman is taken into the wilderness... the in between place between captivity and the promised land. How do you respond to the sense that we are in the wilderness between the cross and Jesus' return?
3) Michael fights on behalf of God's chosen people. Does any of the description of Michael's role surprise you? How do you respond to the idea that angels represent what is happening on earth in the heavenly realms?
4)How does verse 10 and 11 impact your understanding of what Jesus achieved on the cross and how that impacts how we live our lives?
5) Read through the spiritual armor and its introduction in Ephesians 6:10-20. How does Revelation affect how you understand this? What aspects of the spiritual battle do you need to take more seriously?
1) Revelation shows that there is a battle both in heaven and on earth and what happens on earth affects what happens in heaven. How seriously do you take what happens in the heavenly realms? Does this chapter affect how you see your life at all?
2) The woman is taken into the wilderness... the in between place between captivity and the promised land. How do you respond to the sense that we are in the wilderness between the cross and Jesus' return?
3) Michael fights on behalf of God's chosen people. Does any of the description of Michael's role surprise you? How do you respond to the idea that angels represent what is happening on earth in the heavenly realms?
4)How does verse 10 and 11 impact your understanding of what Jesus achieved on the cross and how that impacts how we live our lives?
5) Read through the spiritual armor and its introduction in Ephesians 6:10-20. How does Revelation affect how you understand this? What aspects of the spiritual battle do you need to take more seriously?