Behind the Scenes - Revelation 12

Chapter 12 of Revelation is sort of an interlude to the main narrative we’ve been told. The first 11 chapters have given us heaven’s perspective of the conflict taking place. Chapters 12-19 will give us earth’s perspective. Much like how chapters 1-5 set the stage and showed us the behind the scenes, the scene of God on the throne; chapter 12 gives us a behinds the scenes look at the conflict taking place. 

There are 3 main characters described in chapter 12. The woman (God’s people), the child (Jesus), and the dragon (Satan). It is Satan who is at war with God’s people. He has since the very beginning. His purpose is death. His aim is destruction. Satan will stop at nothing to win the battle for your soul. 

This chapter gives us the “why?” Why was Rome persecuting Christians? Why were they suffering? Why do we today face persecution for our faith? One answer: Satan. The real adversary was not Rome – it was Satan. He used a world empire to persecute God’s people. 

What does this mean for us? Revelation is a book of victory. We read of the victory of Christ and His people. The victory is promised. Satan’s defeat is announced. And yet he is still hard at work. He will take as many as he can down with him. He will work to destroy homes, marriages, churches. He will use friends, family, brethren, nations and empires to accomplish his goals. Don’t be naïve in thinking Satan is done. Don’t be deceived into thinking that Satan’s influence is weak. And for each of us – be on guard – don’t let Satan use us (our words, our attitude, our behavior) to accomplish his desires. 

Can we overcome? Can we win? Yes. We can. In Christ we will. Verse 11 tells us how: 1. Stay in the Word. 2. Die to self and live for Christ (even if one day that would require my actual death). 3. Lean on the Lord – it is through His blood, the victory of His death and resurrection that hope, forgiveness, and victory are found. We sing the song, “In Christ alone my hope is found – he is my light, my strength, my song.” Can we overcome Satan? Yes – in Christ. Today live in Christ. 

“Amazing God, thank You for these words we’ve read today. They remind us of the conflict taking place from the beginning. The enemy is real. His weapons are great. His intent is grave. And yet we know that in You we have all we need – You are our strength and shield, our strong-tower and defense – by Your strength we will be victorious. Keep Satan from me today. Guard the hearts of my family, my mate, my kids, my brethren, and my own, from his evil and enticing snares. Help me see through his empty promises. Help me cut down his lies with the power of Your words. I know, God, that today I can live in You, and fight this good fight for You – and because of You – be victorious.” 

God’s Message Wil Not Be Stopped - Revelation 11

The difference between those on the inside and those on the outside is how they accept God’s standard of divine authority. Only as one lives by the divine standard, truth, does he experience God’s blessings, protection, comfort and constant care (Rev. 11:1-2).

John says, “Rise and measure the temple of God, the altar, and those who worship there.”(Revelation 11:1). The temple is referring to believers. All who walk in harmony with God’s divine authority find fellowship. Those outside stand for everyone who has rejected God's standard of divine authority. Also included in the outer court are worldly and indifferent Christians who may appear to be God's children, but in fact are not faithful. God promises no protection to those who only make a pretense of coming to serve him (Luke 6:46).

The message is clear. Those who accept the gospel have life, but those who reject it, it is a message of death. For example, the message of Elijah, Ahaziah’s soldiers aredestroyed by fire until they approach the prophet with respect (2Kings 1:10). Also, Elijah asked that God shut up the sky before Ahab (1 Kings 18). In both cases God’s spokesman prevailed against wicked government authorities. The point is, God will achieve His purposes. All who, down through the ages, have declared His truth will not have done so in vain. 

No one will be able to stop God’s witnesses before their mission is complete. They will finish the work the Lord commissioned before He ascended to heaven when He sent out His apostles to preach the gospel to all the world, to every creature (Mark 16:15-16). Within a thirty year period after the resurrection of Christ, the gospel had been extended to "all the world" (Col. 1:6) and to "every creature" (Col. 1:23). These two witnesses had given clear testimony, confirmed with miracles, that their message was from God.

But they were all killed. It seems they failed. The world’s having a party over their death. They are gloating over their demise (vs. 10). Enemies might seem to be in control  for the moment but they cannot destroy God’s truth.  Their joy will not last long. The cause of Christ shall not be stamped out by Satan (Heb. 12:28; Dan. 2:44). Even the enemies shall fear (vs. 11). But those faithful to God will be victorious (vs. 11-13). 

“This scene shows, in mini-version, the gist of all of the book of Revelation. When God's word is preached it will be followed by persecution. But God's cause will be vindicated in the form of divine retribution against his enemies. All attempts to correlate these signs to specific, historical events is an impossible task and fraught with speculation and imagination. However, when these signs are correlated with the theme of Revelation, the rest of the book unfolds as a picture of a victorious church. Though the saints are in the midst of persecution, they will not perish. God will overthrow all enemies. The true spiritual Israel will be protected and preserved by God in the troubles that lie ahead.” (Robert Harkrider).

The Little Book - Revelation 10

The 10th chapter begins with an interruption of the trumpets blasting. The last trumpet won’t sound till chapter 11. In this chapter John is told to take a little book, being held by an angel, and to eat it. We’ve seen something similar in Ezekiel, when he was told to eat the scroll (Ez. 2:8-3:4). Jeremiah spoke of eating God’s words (Jer. 15:16). 

John is told that the book will make his stomach bitter, but it will taste like honey. When we hear the sweet as honey, our minds go to Psalm 19:10. We understand just how sweet, how pleasant, how delightful God’s words are to our soul. We understand how they enrich our lives, how they comfort our hearts. But the words are also bitter – they will contain a message that’s unpleasant to hear – perhaps exposing sin? Perhaps announcing future judgment? Perhaps unpleasant due to those who would not heed his message?

Whatever this book was, the message was magnificent. John was to appreciate, admire, and accept this message. Perhaps one of the greatest needs for God’s people today is to consume God’s words. Our faith is directly tied to those words (Rom. 10:17). Becoming more like Christ, making His will our own, being reproved by His correction, finding hope through His promises – it comes from reading the Word. But catch the language – not nibbling, not snacking – eating – consuming the Word. Perhaps the greatest challenge we have is getting into the Word of God daily – reading and studying this word, thinking deeply about the things we’ve read – putting to action the things we’ve studied. It is digging deep into God’s words, making them become part of our hearts (Col. 3:16). 

Take in the questions that come from this chapter – what does the Word of God mean to you? Are you feasting on the Word of God? Do you have time daily set aside to read, think, and pray on the Bible? The message given to John is a message that applies to us – take this Word – eat it – make it part of your life – and make sure to share it (v. 11). Never underestimate the power of God’s word, nor the need for it in your life. Let’s come hungry to the table of God and find our fill as we feast on His words. 

“Holy God, how wonderful are You and Your words. I love Your Words. I cherish the time spent in reading them. You lead me through life. You comfort my weary heart. You fill me with hope. You show me who You are. Forgive me of all the times I fill up on the junk of the world, rather than finding my fill through Your words. Help me daily to come to Your table hungry, to come thirsty – only to find my satisfaction with time in Your book. What a precious gift You’ve given me. Help me to cherish these words, to consume these word, and to share these words today.  

Satan Loses- Revelation 9

We must be reminded that as John shares these signs and symbols of a vison, God shows him that he has not been dealing with literal hail, fire, burning mountain, sea of blood, etc. or now with real locusts, scorpions, and horsemen. The signs and symbols are used to convey ideas and reveal messages from God to man.  Neither should we become enamored with looking back in history for some terrible event. We need to see spiritual forces at work in the world of wicked men, forces which are symbolized by these monsters of the infernal realm. 

Chapter 9 is the ultimate expression that Satan and those who follow him will not be victorious. “As a man sows so shall he reap” (Gal. 6:7-8). If man turns from God and follows Satan he will live in misery (vs. 6). The burdens in the flesh produced by a life of sin are weighty.  There are many who live in misery as a consequence of sin. Disease, hunger and sorrow make life under the sun difficult. So miserable is a life of sin, man might rather die to find relief from his suffering, but even death eludes them. Sin produces its pleasure but it is only temporary (Heb. 11:25).  When the pleasure passes and turns into misery hurtful consequences follow because of the seeds sown. Life is lived in misery. Why would anyone bring on themselves such misery that produces bitterness and hurt?  The answer lies in the fact they were deceived by the things that at first seemed to be advantages. Fooled by fools gold. The promise of earthly pleasure, victory but ultimately, like sin, bring only calamity.

What is worse is there was no repentance (vs. 20-21).  This is the effect of sin. During war, it is said that when in great danger the most immoral men pray with all their heart. But once out of the foxholes and in safety, they return to their sinful ways.

We can see every day what sin does to others, and even ourselves: drug addiction, alcoholism, broken homes, shattered lives, imprisonment.  Yet cling tightly to hug this deadly serpent, receiving into their hearts and minds a constant flow of its poisonous venom. Both nature and revelation teach us that we must reap what we sow (Gal. 6:7-8). We deceive ourselves into thinking that we are the exception. How can the devil so blind the eyes of rational beings?  Because we are not always rational. Why will they not see that God has inalterably decreed that all must repent or perish (Lk.13: 3, 5). That they must turn to God or suffer the torment. We cannot live a life of sin and die the death of the righteous. And before we can stand righteous before God we must have the cancer of sin removed from our soul by the blood of the Lamb. And before that can be done we must repent (or turn) from our sinful ways and crucify ourselves, by absolute submission to the Lord's divine plan leaning upon the grace and mercy of God who made us.

The Trumpets - Revelation 8

With the breaking of the 7^th seal, there are 7 angels, and 7 trumpets were given to them (one each). There’s something about Revelation and the number 7! 

Trumpets were used in various ways back in the OT. They were used to warn, to summon armies, to call an assembly, etc. (Joel 2:15; Ezek. 33:3). What’s interesting with these trumpets are their similarities to the plagues of Egypt. 

In chapter 7 the first four trumpets are blown, and with them come judgment upon the earth. We see the calamities on the earth – on the land, sea, waters, and even universe. The chapter ends with an eagle preparing the way for the final 3 trumpet blasts. They are called the 3 “woes” from the words of the eagle. 

To me, what’s most noticeable in this chapter is not the judgment of the trumpets, but what takes place before them. Before the sounding of these trumpets there is silence in heaven (8:1), and the prayers of the saints (pictured as the smoke of incense) are heard by God (8:3-4). There’s something to be said about a time of silent reflection, a time of meditation in prayer, before one acts or speaks. 

There’s also an interesting relationship between the prayers and the trumpets/judgments of the Lord (v. 3-5). One writer said, “[Prayer is the Christian’s] one form of direct participation in the rule of God” (D.T. Niles). Or, as Homer Hailey put it, “[In the battle with evil] the Christian’s secret weapon [is] the divine response to the prayer of faith.” This chapter reminds us of the strong confidence we can have that when God’s people pray, heaven listens, and heaven responds. 

Why pray for the sick? Why pray for the hurting? Why pray for our rulers, kings, and those in authority? Why pray about the harsh conditions we face in our life? Because God hears, God cares, and God answers (1 Pet. 5:7; Ps. 55:16-17). Don’t stop praying. 

“Gracious Father, it is an honor and privilege to speak to You, and to know You listen. There’s great comfort and strength knowing You care for Me, and will listen to my hearts cry to You, and that You will respond what is best – letting Your will be done. I long for the day we will speak face to face. Until then, draw me back to Your courts. Fill my heart with longing for Your presence. Like a deer who thirsts for water, let me thirst for You. Whether in news of great joy, or of sorrow and loss, let my first response be to come to You – to seek You – to pour my heart out to You. Thank You for prayer. Thank You for listening to someone like me. Help me today to listen to You – to hear Your words, to appreciate Your silence. Thank You for sharing this moment with me today, my Lord and my God.”