SCRIPTURE: Revelation 12
OBSERVATION:
Another amazing vision. Here we see the story of the Bible visualized with a woman (God’s people, Israel, 12 tribes = 12 stars) having a baby (the promised messiah, and Satan doing everything in his power to prevent the messiah from coming. The messiah is victorious, snatched up to the throne (all authority is given to Him), and the Satan is defeated (symbolized by war in heaven, and being cast down with his demons (1/3 of the stars). There is rejoicing in heaven, but earth becomes the battleground, and the age of the church (God’s people, still represented by the woman) is one of warfare. Satan knows he is defeated, but he is raging to take down as many as he can. But God protects His people, and will hold them secure through the fury to the victory at the end.
APPLICATION:
I am a member of this community, symbolized by the woman, against whom Satan is raging and furious. Peter warns us that Satan roars around like a lion, looking for someone to devour. We need to remember that Satan is defeated and disarmed. His only power is the power of the lie, and he leads many astray. Like a lion on a chain, he sweet-talks unsuspecting people into coming within his reach, then he pounces.
We are guaranteed security. Satan cannot separate us from God’s love. If we resist him, he will flee from us. With Jesus, we are secure for eternity. This is no guarantee of an easy life, we do go through persecution. But all that is thrown against us cannot defeat it. It only draws us closer to the final victory.
Satan’s only hope is to discourage us, to get us to look away from Jesus and believe his lies. I need to stop letting my guard down, and I need to dwell on Jesus’ victory, and Jesus’ promises, especially when it looks like everything is falling apart around me. This was the encouragement for John while in exile, while Christ-followers all around him were being persecuted and martyred. Satan is defeated, despite what we see!
PRAYER:
Lord, remind me daily that You are in charge, and that everything is working out according to Your plan. Help me to stay on guard against the devil’s deceptive and destructive ways.
This passage describes the war that took place in heaven – Satan was defeated and hurled to the earth. The earth came to be the new battleground. And although Satan was defeated in Heaven and with the limited time on earth, he is still able to be very destructive on the creation and the people. In the vison Satan made war on those who obey God’s commands and live for Jesus.
Satan is still very active today. My eyes must be focussed on Jesus As God took care of the woman in the desert, so too, will He take care of His people today. Satan is contained but his attractiveness, his lure is still very great. As we saw in the OT the destructive forces at work and so too today we see the destructive forces at work. We need to place our security in the fact that God is in charge and He is the Ruler at all times.
This is my Father’s world.
O let me ne’er forget
that though the wrong seems oft so strong,
God is the ruler yet.
This is my Father’s world:
why should my heart be sad?
The Lord is King; let the heavens ring!
God reigns; let the earth be glad!