Today’s Reading: Revelation 12; Psalm 108

What took place next during John’s Revelation is like something you would expect to see in a science fiction movie. I imagine it was hard for John to comprehend, let alone write down. Perhaps this is why God commanded John to eat the scroll. By internalizing God’s message, John was able to communicate all that he saw — even down to the smallest detail.

Then I witnessed in heaven an event of great significance. I saw a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon beneath her feet, and a crown of twelve stars on her head. She was pregnant, and she cried out because of her labor pains and the agony of giving birth. – Revelation 12:1-2

These two verses describe an event of great significance. Let’s consider this momentous occurrence and the impact it has on our relationship with God. Verse 5 tells us that this baby had a purpose. He was to rule all nations with an iron rod. The woman labored for the sake of God’s magnificent plan of salvation and judgment, as the enemy positioned himself to intervene for the sake of death and evil.

Then I witnessed in heaven another significant event. – Revelation 12:3a

A large red dragon with seven heads and ten horns and with seven crowns on his head stood in front of the pregnant woman, ready to devour the baby as soon as it was born. His tail was so massive that it swept away one-third of the stars in the sky, and he threw them down to the earth. But the child was snatched away from the dragon and caught up to God and His throne. The enemy attempted to thwart the plan of God, but instead God thwarted the plan of the enemy. But the battle was not over and the enemy was not giving up.

Next a war broke out in heaven — Michael and his angels against the dragon and his angels. The dragon lost the battle and he and his angels were forced out of heaven. This great dragon was identified as the ancient serpent called the devil or Satan. Satan’s attempts to destroy the child born out of Israel were unsuccessful as Jesus was resurrected from the dead and taken up to heaven. The one who was deceiving the whole world was thrown down to the earth with all his angels.

“It has come at last – salvation and power
and the Kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Christ.
For the accuser of our brothers and sisters has been thrown down to earth –
the one who accuses them before our God day and night.
And they have defeated him by the blood of the Lamb and by their testimony.
And they did not love their lives so much that they were afraid to die.
Therefore, rejoice, O heavens!
And you who live in the heavens, rejoice!
But terror will come on the earth and the sea, for the devil has come down to you in great anger, knowing that he has little time.” – Revelation 12:10-12

This explains why Satan pursues God’s people. He has lost the battle and now, in anger, seeks to destroy God’s people. He has waged war against the woman and against the rest of her children – all who keep God’s commandments and maintain their testimony for Jesus (12:17). But God is not absent when his people are persecuted. Consider God’s protection of the woman:

After giving birth, the woman fled into the wilderness where God had prepared a place to care for her for 1,260 days (12:6). When the devil was thrown down to earth, he pursued the woman. But she was given two wings like that of an eagle so that she could fly away to the place God had prepared for her in the wilderness. There she would be cared for and protected from the dragon “for a time, times, and half a time” (12:13-14).

Then the dragon tried to drown the woman with a flood of water that flowed from his mouth. But the earth helped her by opening its mouth and swallowing the river that gushed out from the mouth of the dragon. And the dragon was angry at the woman and declared war against the rest of her children—all who keep God’s commandments and maintain their testimony for Jesus. – Revelation 12:15-17

At times, it feels like Satan is winning. As we see the evidence of his manipulation and scheming, perhaps we wonder if God will intervene. But we can clearly see who God is when we study Revelation 12 — He is the God who protects us, who cares for us, and who diverts the attempts of the enemy to drown us with the power of his words and lies. God is always victorious! The enemy may have declared war on us, but we can have confidence that his fate has already been sealed.

Then the dragon took his stand on the shore beside the sea. – Revelation 12:18