Scripture reading: Revelation 12:1-6.

Sermon text: Revelation 12:7-17.

Powerful witnesses. Tragic earthquakes. Mysteries revealed, trumpets blown, believers gone. No one can deny that chapter 11 of Revelation described enough action to leave readers breathless.

Unfortunately, St. John gives us no rest in chapter 12. In spite of the scene shift from earth to heaven, the action continues to escalate. Time rushes pell mell to the final judgment, in which rebellious humanity will receive its due reward and the ultimate deceiver — Satan himself — will receive his ultimate, humiliating end.

However, Satan has quite a few scores to settle. Therefore, St. John’s vision of the woman and war sets the scene for Satan’s final, open reign on earth. Fortunately for us today, St. John also demonstrates God’s control even in the face of outright revolt. God remains in control of the situation, even as He remains in control of the situations in our lives today. God continues to protect His saints in the midst of trials and dangers.

Following events in chapter 11, St. John saw a “sign” in heaven in the form of a woman clothed in a way that fashion models would envy: the sun for her clothes, the moon under her feet, and stars forming her crown. Who is this woman clothed with the heavens? The woman’s identity seems to revolve around the identity of the child she bears. While many people would say her identity matters little to events, incorrect interpretations have led to erroneous doctrines in parts of the Church today.

Most early Church teachers believed the woman represented the Church, clothed in the splendors of creation as the Bride of Christ. Many Christians in the Church continue to hold this view. However, anyone who holds this view must then identify her child, “who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron.” Has the Church produced such a child?

When we examine the Scriptures, we see only 4 occasions where a person is said to rule with a “rod of iron.” The first instance occurs in Psalm 2, a coronation psalm for Israel’s kings. St. John will quote this psalm quite frequently in the book; in fact, the elders in chapter 11 quoted this psalm in verse 18. This psalm is considered a Messianic psalm that pointed ahead in time to the ultimate fulfillment of God’s “son” reigning on the earth.

The only other 3 instances of one ruling with iron, and all 3 occur in this book. In chapter 2 verse 27, Jesus had promised the faithful in Thyatira that they would receive “authority over the nations” and “rule them with a rod of iron.”

The remaining references refer more specifically to Psalm 2. In this chapter, the woman’s son is prophesied to rule the nations with a rod of iron. Then, in chapter 19 — which we’ll discuss in November — Jesus Himself will return victoriously to earth and rule with a rod of iron. The prophecy of Psalm 2 will find its ultimate fulfillment.

Given the evidence in Scripture, I believe we can agree that Jesus Himself fulfills the identity of the child in chapter 12. Following His crucifixion and resurrection, Jesus returned to heaven as this chapter describes.

If Jesus matches the identity of the Child, who then is the woman? This leaves us two possibilities.

Some would say that the Virgin Mary is the obvious choice. This interpretation has enjoyed wide popularity throughout the centuries, as artwork describing the Virgin attests. However, we see no instance in Scripture of God so honoring any individual.

Therefore, our next choice — and, I believe, the correct choice — identifies the woman as Israel. Scripture supports this identification. In Genesis 37, in his dream regarding his rule over the family, Joseph identified the stars in the dream as his brothers. Notice the woman’s crown consists of 12 stars. Joseph’s dream alone, of all the Scriptures, identifies 12 stars, and Joseph recognized them as his brothers.

God has always used the nation of Israel in His plan for creation. God chose Abraham and promised to bless all nations through him (Genesis 12). In Exodus 19, God told Moses His plan to make Israel a “holy nation” and a “kingdom of priests.” St. Paul told the Galatians that “when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons” (Galatians 4:4-5).

However, as we discussed last week in St. Paul’s mysteries, Israel mysteriously did not recognize its Messiah, but this mistake actually opened the doors for Gentiles to receive salvation. When you read the rest of St. Paul’s argument regarding Israel in the book of Romans, you see that he concludes the history of his nation by saying “all Israel will be saved” (Romans 11:25-27). This doesn’t mean that every genetic Jew of all time will receive salvation. Instead, St. Paul foresaw a time when every Jew on earth would recognize Jesus as their Messiah and confess Him as Lord.

We also find another player in the drama: a dragon with 7 heads, 7 crowns, and 10 horns. If you think of the Greek mythological figure the hydra, you probably have an accurate picture of this dragon. This dragon had stirred trouble everywhere we find him: At the birth of the child, after the child’s ascension to heaven, and even in heaven itself. The dragon identity requires no elaboration: Satan himself makes an appearance in chapter 12.

Satan’s actions throughout history fit the description of this dragon. He appeared in the Garden to destroy the creation of God, only to hear his destruction prophesied by the woman’s seed (Genesis 3:15). He worked in humanity to assure its judgment at the Flood, only to see its survival through Noah and his family (Genesis 6-9). Then, in spite of his best efforts to stamp out the Jewish people (cf. Esther for a good example), the Messiah was born in Bethlehem. Satan had a good servant in the person of Herod standing by for just such emergencies, but Herod himself could not destroy the Messiah. In spite of everything, Satan saw Jesus’ life, death and resurrection destroy any hope of his success.

Satan’s very presence in this book leads to a question: How did history come to this? What led to such a horrible creature inhabiting creation, destroying everything it touched and leading humanity into ruinous rebellion against its Creator? Does Scripture tell us anything about the situation?

The prophet Isaiah, in something of a “flashback,” witnessed the beginnings of the conflict. The dragon — Satan — exalted himself above all angels and attempted to overthrow the very throne of God (cf. Isaiah 14:12-14, where Isaiah began prophesying about the king of Babylon and inexplicably veers off into describing a being far more powerful and deadly than any human monarch). Following this futile attempt, Satan found himself thrown from heaven to earth, where he deceived Adam and Eve and spread his poisonous attitude “to be as God” (Genesis 3:5).

Job wrote that Satan retained access to heaven as one of the “sons of God” (Job 1:6). However, this access comes to a brutal end in St. John’s vision. St. John witnessed Satan in open war against Michael and angels who remained loyal to God. Michael overcame Satan, but he did not succeed in his own strength. The book of Jude tells us that even Michael dared not do more with Satan at Moses’ death but say, “The Lord rebuke you” (Jude 9). Michael acted with the authority of Almighty God; Satan had no choice but to accept his exile.

Again, as with last chapter, heaven breaks out in praise at the victory of Michael and the angels. A loud voice shouted out the victory of God and proclaimed the end of Satan’s accusations against God’s people. Those accused “have conquered by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony.” As Michael conquers Satan through the strength of God, we will conquer him through the victory of Jesus Christ at the cross and the tomb.

However, the voice also warns the earth: “woe to you, O earth and sea, for the devil has come down to you in great wrath, because he knows that his time is short!”

Satan wasted no time fulfilling this prediction. Satan immediately turned his wrath on the woman, Israel. Had God not provided protection for Israel, the nation would have perished. Consider the history of Israel. No other ethnic group has maintained its distinct identity without a viable nation-state. Even Satan’s worst attempts to eliminate it failed. The Romans nearly annihilated the nation in A.D. 70 and again in A.D. 135. Anti-Semitic attacks throughout the Middle Ages caused immense suffering; Jews faced regular expulsions from the nations they had adopted as their homelands. Then, in Nazi Germany, the Jewish race faced its ultimate threat when it lost nearly 6 million of its people. Still, God preserved the nation.

It seems, given St. John’s vision, that the Satan the dragon will try one last time to eliminate the people of God. However, the nation will again experience God’s miraculous protection. Satan’s will turn his fury on “the rest of her offspring.” We’ll examine this action more thoroughly next week, as well as Satan’s actions “on the sand of the sea.”

What do we take home from this chapter?

First, know that God protects His people. We may think of the martyrs of the ages and believe that God forgot about His people. However, God worked in our behalf through the birth of His Son, Jesus Christ, in whom we have the assurance of eternal life through of confession of Him as Lord of our lives. Since God has protected us from eternal condemnation, He has already provided for the worst of our enemies. Furthermore, remember that history tells us about more than the deaths of martyrs; it also contains countless stories of miraculous escapes from danger as God has protected His people. If God has protected others in life, He can protect you as well.

However, we also see that God’s protection will not contradict His greater plan. This chapter describes intense suffering in both heaven and earth. Nonetheless, our suffering can lift God’s name in this world and contribute to His eternal glory. As His children, God’s glory should remain our greatest concern in life.

We also see that God maintains control of history. Satan has constantly attempted to rule the earth under his own authority, but God has thus far thwarted every attempt. Some may believe that God has nothing to do with the events of nations and the movement of history; Scripture says otherwise. One day, the world will experience complete peace and justice as Jesus Christ, the Son of God, will rule “with a rod of iron” and bring perfect government to the earth.

Lastly, we need to see that our accuser has no power over us. We are forgiven of our sins when we confess Jesus as Lord, believing God raised Him from the dead. Any sin you commit is covered by the blood of Jesus Christ at our conversion and again when we confess our sins to Him and ask forgiveness. If you've already been born again, rejoice in your forgiveness. If you've never experienced the spiritual birth, confess Him, believing in His resurrection. Then, celebrate the defeat of your accuser and your forgiveness of your sins.