Just a Thought on Revelation 12 (Part 1)

In our lesson, today, we are looking at Just a Thought on Revelation chapter 12. This is part one of our study chapter 12.  So get your bible and let’s get right into our study.

Just a Thought on Revelation!

Revelation 12

Introduction:

1. Dr. Peter Ruckman and others tell us:
   1. Revelation gives us 4 views of Tribulation.
      1. 4-6: Seals
      1. 7-11: Trumpets
      1. 12-14: Work and ministry of the antichrist
      1. 15-19: Vials, or bowls
   1. Divisions of Revelation:
      1. 1:4 “which is” “which was” “which is to come”
      1. 1-3: Church Age
      1. 4-19: Tribulation
      1. 20-22: Millennium
   1. Chapter 12 reveals:
      1. The time period of 3 ½ years given (v. 6 “a thousand two hundred and threescore days”
      1. Same as what is described in chapter 13.
      1. Possible ministry of Moses and Elijah during this time.
   1. Chapter 11-14 gives a bird’s eye view of the last 3 ½ years of the Tribulation.
2. Dr. Jack Hyles: This begins the last 3 ½ years of the Tribulation, the time of Jacob’s trouble.

This Brings us to vs. 1:

Revelation 12:1 And there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars:

1. “a great wonder in heaven”
   1. Wonder deals with signs and symbols.
      1. God reveals we are dealing with signs and symbols not literal
2. “a woman”
   1. Misunderstood, misrepresented by many.
      1. Why? Failure to compare scripture with scripture. (Isaiah 28:10 For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little:)
      1. Why? Failure to study (2 Timothy 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.)
   1. Misinterpretation:
      1. Is Mary (Rome)
      1. Is the Church (Protestant)
   1. Neither meet the truth when compared with scripture:
      1. Mary flees to Egypt not the wilderness (Matthew 2:13-14  And when they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him.  [14] When he arose, he took the young child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt:)
      1. Church:
         1. Does not keep the Law
         1. Does not need access to the tree of life as these will (Revelation 22:14 Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city. Cp with 1 John 5:12 He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.)
         1. Church raptured (Revelation 4:1  After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter.)
3. Identity: “sun…moon…stars”
   1. Genesis 37:9-10 And he dreamed yet another dream, and told it his brethren, and said, Behold, I have dreamed a dream more; and, behold, the sun and the moon and the eleven stars made obeisance to me.  [10] And he told it to his father, and to his brethren: and his father rebuked him, and said unto him, What is this dream that thou hast dreamed? Shall I and thy mother and thy brethren indeed come to bow down ourselves to thee to the earth?
      1. Joseph is the twelfth star.
   1. The whole 70^th week deals with Israel: Daniel 9:27  And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.
4. Israel often ID’d in OT as a “woman”
   1. Isaiah 54:1-6 Sing, O barren, thou that didst not bear; break forth into singing, and cry aloud, thou that didst not travail with child: for more are the children of the desolate than the children of the married wife, saith the LORD.  [2] Enlarge the place of thy tent, and let them stretch forth the curtains of thine habitations: spare not, lengthen thy cords, and strengthen thy stakes;  [3]  For thou shalt break forth on the right hand and on the left; and thy seed shall inherit the Gentiles, and make the desolate cities to be inhabited.  [4] Fear not; for thou shalt not be ashamed: neither be thou confounded; for thou shalt not be put to shame: for thou shalt forget the shame of thy youth, and shalt not remember the reproach of thy widowhood any more.  [5] For thy Maker is thine husband; the LORD of hosts is his name; and thy Redeemer the Holy One of Israel; The God of the whole earth shall he be called.  [6] For the LORD hath called thee as a woman forsaken and grieved in spirit, and a wife of youth, when thou wast refused, saith thy God.
   1. Adulterous wife (Jeremiah 3:1-14; Hosea 2:14-23)
   1. Divorced woman: “Thus saith the LORD, Where is the bill of your mother’s divorcement, whom I have put away? Or which of my creditors is it to whom I have sold you? Behold, for your iniquities have ye sold yourselves, And for your transgressions is your mother put away.” (Isaiah 50:1)

Revelation 12:2 And she being with child cried, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered.

1. “she being with child”
   1. Id’s Israel brings forth the Savior
      1. Jesus is called the “seed of the woman”
      1. the “seed of Abraham” (Galatians 3:16 Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.)
      1. “seed of David” (Romans 1:3 Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh;)
      1. Israel is spoken of as bringing forth a man child (Isaiah 66:7-8 Before she travailed, she brought forth; before her pain came, she was delivered of a man child.  Who hath heard such a thing? who hath seen such things? Shall the earth be made to bring forth in one day? or shall a nation be born at once? for as soon as Zion travailed, she brought forth her children.)
      1. God promised Israel a Child to be their Messiah (Isaiah 9:6-7 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counseller, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.)