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LESSON 17 - CHAPTER 12:1-17
R E V E L A T I O N
Charles Caldwell Ryrie, p. 107-112
A Reminder
Charles C. Ryrie's [1996]
Book
REVELATION
Everyday Bible Commentary
Moody
Publishers
Chicago
ISBN: 978-0-8024-1825-8
(You Must Own your
own copy)
(Ryrie's book text is
not included in these lessons)
WAR
The Things Which Shall Take
Place 4:1-22:21
Section Three:
War on earth—Phase I 12:1-6
Two Wonders: 12:1-4a
A great sign appeared in heaven:
Wonder #1
The Woman, Israel 12:1-2
12:1
A woman
clothed with the sun, and
the moon under her feet, and
on her head a crown of twelve stars; 2 and
she was with child; and
she cries out, being
in labor and
in pain
to give birth.
Ryrie, Pg. 107 2nd
Paragraph
OUR COMMENT
The items in parenthesis have been added by me.
Ryrie’s comment just wasn’t clear enough to me that the vision was of Mary, the
mother of Jesus representing the Nation of Israel as the symbolic mother
(nation) in whom Jesus was born. Secondly that the nation was placed into
“travail” with the birth of Jesus, as the bible story tells us that Israel’s
leadership was all about trying to put Him to death all of His lifetime. The
Nation’s travail continues.
Wonder #2
The Red Dragon, Satan 12:3
3 Then another
sign appeared in heaven: and
behold, a great red dragon
having seven heads and
ten horns, and
on his heads were seven
diadems.
Ryrie, Pg. 108 2nd
Paragraph
OUR COMMENT
Once again, we’re into the world of Sevens. That wonderful place of the
Perfection of God. Why represent Satan as having seven heads – I expect it is
because The Lord God is telling John, and us, what Satan thinks about himself
and his authority and power. He has come to demonstrate his presence as the
Antichrist who will try to convince the world that he is “The Christ.”
The war on Earth 12:4-6
4 And
his tail
sweeps away a third of the stars of heaven
and
threw them to the earth. And
the dragon stood before the woman
who was about to give birth,
so that when she gave birth
he might devour her child.
Ryrie, Pg. 108 Last
sentence of 2nd
Paragraph
OUR COMMENT
Ezekiel 28: The
whole chapter is about “The King of Tyre” that is used to describe the removal
of one of God’s most powerful angels who has turned his heart and mind away from
God and declared himself to be as “I am a god.” And then thrown him down to the
earth (28:17).
Second Peter 2 relates what God had done with the angels who
followed Satan by sending them to the pit. Jude 6, to be held till “the judgment
of the Great Day.” There is also the possibility that “sweeping the stars” could
also be in reference to what had been done to Lucifer’s angels when he was
thrown to the earth.
Verse 4b begins a separate sentence and refers back
to the time of the birth of Christ and Satan's efforts to destroy Him (Matt.
2:13). A final note… This time it is Satan’s tail doing the sweeping – not the
hand of God.
The Male Child, Christ 12:5-6
5 And she
gave birth to a son,
a male child,
who is to shepherd
all the nations
with a rod of iron; and
her child was caught up to God and to His
throne.
6 Then
the woman
fled into the wilderness
where she has a place prepared by God,
so that there she would be nourished
for one thousand
two hundred and sixty days.
Ryrie Pg. 108 Bottom
OUR COMMENT
None
War in heaven 12:7—12
The Angel - Michael
The Opponents 12:7
7 And there was war in heaven,
Michael and his angels waging war with the dragon.
The dragon and his angels waged war,
Ryrie, Pg. 109 2nd
Paragraph
OUR COMMENT
Only to clarify the last sentence. This war is
between Michael and his army and Satan and his army.
The Outcome 12:8—12
In
Relation to the Earth vv. 8-9, 12b
THE VISUALIZED TEXT
8 and they [the dragon and his angels]
were not strong enough, and
there was no longer a place found for them in
heaven.
9 And the great dragon
was thrown down,
the serpent of old who is called
the devil and
Satan,
who deceives the inhabited earth;
he was thrown down to the earth, and
his angels were thrown down with him.
Ryrie, Pg. 109 3rd
Paragraph
OUR COMMENT
Satan will now do what he can do to make God’s earth creation a miserable place.
He now turns to killing and torturing all of remaining humanity both good and
evil. What he does not seem to recognize is that Almighty God will now use him
for His purposes in separating remaining humanity either destination for God’s
family (many willing to give their lives and become martyrs) – or those whose
destination is the Lake of Fire (whose stand is: I will not believe and you
can’t make me!).
In Relation to Heaven vv. 10-12a
10 Then I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying,
“Now
the salvation, and
the power, and
the kingdom of our God and
the authority of His Christ have come,
for the accuser of our brethren
has been thrown down,
he who accuses them
before our God day and night. 11 And
they overcame him
because of the blood of the Lamb and
because of the word of their testimony, and
they did not love their life
even when faced with death.
12 For this reason, rejoice,
O heavens and
you who dwell in them.
Woe to the earth and the sea,
because the devil has come down to you,
having great wrath,
knowing that he has only a short time.”
Ryrie, Page 109, last line, bottom of the page
OUR COMMENT
With eternity in mind it is important to see the
comparison in these verses between Satan, who wants to do everything he can to
dishonor God and God’s believers… and God and His believers who are ready to
give even their lives in order to honor their precious Savior and Lord Jesus –
to the great honor of His heavenly Father – for all of eternity. All of their
suffering is but a moment, for an eternal place as the Children of God.
War on earth—Phase II 12:13-17
The Antagonists 12:13
13 And when the dragon saw
that he was thrown down to the earth,
he persecuted the woman
who gave birth to the male child.
Ryrie, Pg. 111 Top
OUR COMMENT
The Church is not the intended center of God’s
attraction here in the Tribulation – It is the family line of Abraham, the
Hebrew, now better known as the Jew. The testing period of mankind and the world
around him is rapidly coming to a close. All of God’s men and women will be
found, honored, and blessed forever. All of Satan’s humans and angels will be
disciplined forever and kept away from all of God’s holy creation – again…
forever!
The Asylum 12:14
14 But
the two wings of the great eagle
were given to the woman,
so that she could fly
into the wilderness
to her place,
where she is nourishing for
a time and
times and
half a time,
from the presence of the serpent.
Ryrie, Pg. 111 2nd
Paragraph
OUR COMMENT
Here we see God’s provision for His people –
will it be tough times – Yes, absolutely – but God makes His provisions for His
people. He is forever faithful and true. You should see that the more you are
like His Son – in your life and suffering – the greater the honor and blessing.
The message to His people is just that.
The Attack 12:15—17
15 And the serpent poured water
like a river
out of his mouth
after the woman,
so that he might cause her to be swept away
with the flood.
16 But
the earth helped the woman, and
the earth opened its mouth and
drank up the river
which the dragon poured out of his mouth.
17 So the dragon
was enraged
with the woman, and
went off to make war
with the rest of her children,
who keep the commandments
of God and
[who] hold to the testimony
of Jesus.
Ryrie, Pg. 111 Last Section
OUR COMMENT
What a time to leave our story. The evil one will now turn against the surviving
Jewish believers… and 10 chapters still to go.
A final comment – You may already be putting things together about Almighty God’s overall plan for His children’s time on earth. In this chapter we have a glimpse of what I mean. Way back, before mankind, God had His plan and purposes for the Angels. It is apparent that there in heaven, the angels were created and served God and seemingly had a story similar to our own – for there came a time when Lucifer (Satan) rebelled against God and a third of the angels followed him. At the point of God’s judgment, they were thrown from heaven to the earth. Here in the book of revelation, we can see that what happened a very long time ago is now going to be repeated with a little twist. It will be Satan who casts some angels down to earth in order to persecute the nation of Israel. This event, found in verse 4 is a kind of completion in the plan of God. We always need to remember that the Bible is one book – one story – one history/future of God’s story for us. For we who believe that story recognize that it is the story of God’s love for us and His love for the believing nation of Israel – the descendants of Abraham – who was willing to slay his own son at God’s request.
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