May 6, 2023
Please use the comment section on this page to share insights from today’s reading OR your own personal Bible reading.
Reading along with us in Revelation? Here’s today’s reading:
Revelation 12 (NIV)
The Woman and the Dragon
1 A great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet and a crown of twelve stars on her head. 2 She was pregnant and cried out in pain as she was about to give birth. 3 Then another sign appeared in heaven: an enormous red dragon with seven heads and ten horns and seven crowns on its heads..............Continue Reading
Satan’s hatred for God and his desire to destroy God’s plans are so evident here. He was actively trying to stop Jesus from becoming the way to save us from the start. I do believe he feels powerful here on earth and while he may win some battles by convincing some to turn away from God and how much evil has taken root here on earth, we know in the end he will be destroyed once again by God!
Revelation 12, I get verses 1 to 5, a recap of Israel, Jesus, his victory, ascension to heaven. Satan is seen as existing in earth with a number of stars, likely demons. What John sees in the rest of the chapter is shrouded in mystery. It pictures God securing and protecting Israel, and ends in victory over the plots of Satan. I am seeing Satan as pure evil, and always scheming to destroy God’s people and saints. I spare you my verse by verse take on this chapter, I find it disjointed and confusing. I don’t understand all of Scripture. But the take away is, Satan isn’t my friend, not the friend of Israel, and anti-God at every turn. Those trusting in God will not be disappointed. Those following Satan can expect shame, betrayal, and eternal separation from God and Christ. In America today, the evening News reminds us of Satan’s work in progress. Americans think kindness is always the best policy, acknowledging every dudturbed predilection regardless of how vile or perverted it may be, accept it as right, and bully, shame or silence any who disagree. Romans 1 helps me to understand why that is wrong. We blame things for the ills of society. Jesus said to chop off the body parts that cause you to sin, when he was really trying to say, it is your heart at fault. Gotta do something else with the heart, to make it right! Mark 9. We are quick to point out the wicked deeds of our nation’s leaders, but refuse to call out the same wickedness of our own champions, even when we hear them say it, and see it them do it. Jesus weighed in on the religious leaders of the time throughout the gospels, and called them out. Time for Christians to recognize evil leaders, spiritual wickedness in high places. Satan has America convinced sin is good, and it seems he has won in many arenas. All the world will see how untrue that is in due time. Revelation 12 proves it. The imminent second coming of Christ on earth, (He comes once and for all) preceded by great tribulation is soon. I believe when Jesus comes, there will be wailing on earth. Mt 24, Rev 1, Rev 19 too.
Off my soap box. Jesus wins. Somehow, may we be able to tell the lost. Peace to you all, gordy!
Amen Gordon/ Satan is alive and well on planet earth. He is the great deceiver and the prince and power of the air, He is the prince of darkness. He hates God the Father and Jesus Christ and all that are true believers in Christ. Be not fooled for he is at war against us. Whether we realize it or not. We are on the winning side but don`t we think we should be preparing spiritually for this battle/ We need to put on the whole armour of God. Ephesians 6; 10–20. This will help us to fight the wiles of the devil. Walking in truth [ God`s truth, Jesus is the truth]. There is no such a thing as your truth or my truth. Truth is always truth. It is not subject to change with the matter of one`s point of view. ] Walking in righteousness and peace. But walking in faith , and having the sword of the spirit which is the word of God. Also in much prayer for the believers and unbelievers. We should also be teaching our children and grandchildren the ways of God. We need to teach them correctly the word of God starting with the foundation which is the book of Genesis. The things that happened in the book of Genesis are not make believe stories but really did happen. Like the fall of man when Adam sinned against God and we inherit that sin nature. Or the fact that dinosaurs were created on the 6th day of creation like all land animals. The name dinosaur was invented in 1841. Before this they were called dragons in the Bible and through out the world. Facts of history and proof throughout the world. They did not exist before 6,000 years ago. There is plenty of proof in the fossil records also of a world wide flood that buried creatures suddenly. They are finding blood vessels etc. in the fossil records. They would not be able to see evidence of these things if it was millions of years. They are also finding dinosaurs with disease, cancer, etc. So if dinosaurs lived millions of years ago and they had these diseases because of sin then God is a liar for he said creation was good. Also if sin existed before Adam and Eve then why did Christ die for the sin of the world? Doesn`t make sense does it. I am glad that our church holds to the Biblical teaching. I have said some of this before but it is so very important. This year the Lord lead me to get active with Awana in our church. My grand daughter turned 3 years old last September 13. Then when Ken asked me if I could co-teach with Steve the Cubbies ,I of course said yes. Her and her older sister didn`t know who God is or Jesus. I had to teach. How many people in the United States don`t know who God is or why Jesus died on the cross. They may think it nonsense for they think the accounts in Genesis are make believe so why would they believe what Jesus died on the cross.
Revelation 12
Revelation 12, like so much of the book is hard to nail down in specifics, but general lessons are pretty clear. The beginning of the chapter does appear to be the spiritual account of Jesus’ birth and the opposition that satan had towards His coming. He knew Jesus was dangerous from the start. It is also quite possible that we have a symbolic representation of the Holy family’s escape to Egypt here as well, but what is most notable is the protection Jesus’ Heavenly Father provided. They did stay in Egypt for about 3 years so the 1260 could be a reference to that, but it is also a time frame of 3 1/2 years which is an important marker for Daniel’s 70th week. Verse 7 breaks away from whatever is being reflected about Jesus first coming and seems now to focus on the end times. Right now, satan is before the throne of God…as seen in the book of Job and represented here…accusing believers day and night. This war represented here is when satan is thrown out of heaven, for a second time, maybe at the 3 1/2 year mark? The first time satan is cast out of heaven in regards to his former position, but he is still allowed access there to press his case before God. Here he is kicked out and denied access and he is mad because he knows his time is short.
Now the vision goes back to the women, who I believe is no longer Mary specifically, but Mary as a representative of Israel….she did have 12 stars on her head at the beginning. And satan pursues the Jews and other believers and vents his anger on them. God still protects, but satan still opposes and attacks. And this could all point the halfway point of Daniel’s 70th week where the antichrist breaks his treaty with the Jews and is shown to be the tool of satan that he always really was but didn’t seem to be. We shouldn’ be surprised that satan would ramp up his tactics, destruction and deception at this point and he is doing the same in our time preparing the world for anitchrist to be accepted as the ruler of the world.
Revelation 12
Satan is our accuser; he tells us lies about ourselves and he accuses us before the Father. We must be aware that he is doing this and take these thoughts captive so we don’t believe what he is saying is true. He has waged war against us, because we strive to keep God’s commands and we are a testimony to the world that Jesus is our Savior.
John sees this sign in heaven, an explanation of a battle in heaven, in the past, in the present, and in the future.