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good evening welcome back to the house of the Lord for the second time let's uh turn our Bibles uh to begin worship this evening to Jeremiah Jeremiah we'll turn to Jeremiah chapter 23 and we will read the first eight verses Jeremiah 23 beginning at verse one woe to the Shepherds who destroy and Scatter the Sheep of my pasture says the Lord therefore thus says the Lord God of Israel against the Shepherds who Feed My People you have scattered my flock driven them away and not attended to them behold I will attend to you for the evil of your doing doings says the Lord but I will gather the remnant of my flock out of all countries where I have driven them and bring them back to their folds and they shall be fruitful and increase I will set up Shepherds over them who will feed them and they shall fear no more nor be dismayed nor shall they be lacking says the Lord behold the days are coming says the Lord that I will raise to David a branch of righteousness a king shall reign and prosper and execute judgment and righteousness in the earth in his days Judah will be saved and Israel will dwell safely now this is his name by which he will be called the Lord our righteousness therefore behold the days are coming says the Lord that they shall no longer say as the Lord Lives who brought up the children of Israel from the land of Egypt but as the Lord Lives who brought up and led the descendants of the House of Israel from the North country and from all the countries where I had driven them and they shall dwell in their own land amen well let's respond in worship to turn uh by turning to hymn number 110a 110a I'll ask you to please [Music] stand [Music] to to you all his mighty [Music] well let's go to God in prayer and ask his Blessing to be upon this evening let's pray our gracious and our loving Heavenly Father we come into your holy presence this evening father we are thankful that that we have a place to come into this night um out of the elements and father you've given to us this building this place but it's not just a physical building father you promise to meet with your people where two or three are gathered together in your name there you are with us and we praise you father for that great condescension that you uh would uh would Tabernacle with we your people thank you Father that we do not have to uh conjure conjure up in our own minds our own thoughts ideas that you are with us but father you have promised to be with your people with your church and you're leading your church and for that we give you our grateful thanks we thank you Father for the gift of our Salvation truly may we never uh become complacent with that great gift of uh of of your son the Lord Jesus Christ we are grateful father for such a such a savior as the person of your of your son the Lord Jesus we pray Lord that he would be raised up here in this place this this night we pray that we truly would Revel uh in the Salvation that we share together Lord may we encourage one another other and all the more as we see the day Drawing Near that as we gather together father as we worship you this evening that you'd be pleased to cause us to to have single-mindedness in in our in our thoughts of you help us to remove from our thoughts uh uh thoughts that would that would distract us this night and help us Lord to concentrate and and be purposeful uh in our worship of you we thank you Lord that you are the the Triune God that you are the the the governor of the whole universe that every detail of our lives every detail of this world father works for your honor and For Your Glory and we praise you for that we do pray Lord that you'd be pleased to bless your word this night as it goes forth here and all over this world we pray Lord that it would not return to your Void but rather that you would bless it and cause it to uh cause it to be multiplied and and we do pray for the the success and the ongoing work work of the of the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ we thank you Father for those churches that we are familiar with we think of those in Africa in Elder uh uh we think of the pastors there in in in that in that Church in that Baptist Church we thank you Lord for each one for pastor naal Remy uh for Moses we pray Lord that your blessing might be upon them that you would be pleased to cause them to be worshippers of you this this day as well as they've already had their day of worship and we pray Lord that that there would be much fruit upon that vine father we do pray for the churches all over this Earth those that we are familiar with those in our own hemisphere those on the other side of the world father we do pray that you would be pleased to cause the the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ to progress and and March forward as you have promised that the Gates of Hell will not Prevail but rather the Church of Christ will march on tearing down those Gates and and and increasing and we praise you father for that father we do pray for any and all in our midst who who are ill who are not well we pray that you would be pleased to strengthen for those who will be traveling we pray your blessing to be upon each of them cause them Lord to know your your help your Aid we do pray that you you'd be pleased to also bless bless our pastor this night we thank you for again the the gift that you've given to us in himm that you have blessed us with with with with Shepherds with those who are uh who have been called and we do pray Lord that you'd be pleased to to cause him to be kept and hedged in by your Holy Spirit as he brings the word this night Lord we do pray your blessing to be upon other churches and our own uh city as well as Reformed Baptist Churches here in here in Canada we pray Lord that you would bless each one cause uh cause those men who stand in those pulpits this night or this day father to be used by you and to be blessed by you we pray they would preach with power uh because the holy spirit is gifted gifted them and we pray that it would again that they would preach with power that you'd be pleased to bless that holy word so Lord cause us this night to to be mindful of the god with whom we have come here this evening to deal with and we pray Lord that you would uh that you would forgive us of our sins cleanse Us aresh in that precious blood of your son the Lord Jesus Christ and it's in his name we pray amen amen well please turn with me in your hym books to a second hymn which is 313 313 and once again I'll ask you to please [Music] stand GL Earth and worship and worship [Music] worship sh and and worship and worship worship CHR all he his and wor and wor worr wor all the Lord is standing in his Temple sh and wor and wor wor Christ all cre prising father your voice is raing to eternal and wor and wor wor and please turn with me in your Bibles to Deuteronomy chapter 16 Deuteronomy chapter 16 Deuteronomy 16 beginning at verse one we'll read the entire chapter observe the month of abib and keep the Passover to the Lord your God for in the month of abib the Lord your God brought you out of Egypt By Night therefore you shall sacrifice the Passover to the Lord your God from the flock and the herd in the place where the Lord Lord chooses to put his name you shall eat no leavened bread with it seven days you shall eat unleavened bread with it that is the bread of Affliction for you came out of the land of Egypt in haste that you may remember the day in which you came out of the land of Egypt all the days of your life and no leaven shall be seen among you in all your territory for 7even days nor shall any of the meat which you sacrifice the first day at Twilight light remain overnight until morning you may not sacrifice the Passover within any of your Gates which the Lord your God gives you but at the place where the Lord your God chooses to make his name abide there you shall sacrifice the Passover at Twilight at the going down of the Sun at the time you came out of Egypt and you shall roast and eat it in the place which the Lord your God chooses and in the morning you shall turn and go to your tent six days you shall eat on leaven bread and on the seventh day sh there shall be a sacred assembly to the Lord your God you shall do no work on it you shall count seven weeks for yourself begin to count the seven weeks from the time you begin to put the sickle to the grain then you shall keep the Feast of Weeks to the Lord your God with the tribute of a free will offering from your hand which you shall give as the Lord your God blesses you you shall rejoice before the Lord your God you and your son and your daughter your male servant and your female servant the levite who is within your Gates The Stranger and the fatherless and the Widow who are among you at the place where the Lord your God chooses to make his name abide and you shall remember that you were a slave in Egypt and you shall be careful to observe these statutes you shall observe the Feast of Tabernacles 7even days when you have gathered from your threshing floor and from your wine press and you shall rejoice in your Feast you and your son and your daughter your male servant and your female servant and the levite The Stranger and the fatherless and the Widow who are within your Gates 7even days you shall keep a sacred Feast to the Lord your God in the place which the Lord chooses because the Lord your God will bless you in all your produce and in all the work of your hands so that you sure so that that you surely Rejoice three times a year all your males shall appear before the Lord your God in the place which he chooses at the Feast of unleavened bread at the Feast of Weeks and at the Feast of Tabernacles and they shall not appear before the Lord empty-handed every man shall give as he is able according to the blessing of the Lord your God which he has given you you shall appoint judges and officers in all your Gates which the Lord your God gives you according to your tribes and they shall judge the people with just judgment you shall not pervert Justice you shall not show partiality nor take a bribe for a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and twists the words of the righteous you shall follow what is altogether just that you may live and inherit the land which the Lord your God is giving you you shall not plant for yourself any tree as a wooden image near the altar which you built for yourself to the Lord your God you shall not set up a sacred pillar which the Lord your God hates amen let's pray our loving Heavenly Father these these these feasts these that that we've read of here this evening remind us of the great sacrifice of your son the Lord Jesus Christ and Lord because we live in the New Covenant we we we certainly can reflect upon the old Covenant here and and and see the the great uh lengths to which you caused your people uh to remember that they were sinful people that you save them and how we praise you father for the the these things look forward to the coming of your son the Lord Jesus Christ as we saw in the baptism this morning a reflection of of of of that of what of what we read here this evening uh that that putting off of sin uh that that taking uh to oneself the Lord Jesus Christ and becoming uh and being saved how we praise you father for the gift of our Salvation in the person of your son the Lord Jesus Christ and uh we pray father you'd bless this evening cause us to to to grow in our in our spiritual lives cause cause us to love the Lord Jesus Christ more and more with all of our heart soul mind and strength and for any here this evening father who who have not uh who have not embraced the things of Christ who have not embraced forgiveness of sins through Christ how we pray Lord that you would be pleased to to cause the the work of the spirit to be to be here in this place this evening working all things for your honor and For Your Glory we do pray empower the P our pastor cause him Lord to to speak uh truth and we pray that he would know uh the aid and the help of your Holy Spirit to bring your word and cause us Lord to be focused and and to be mindful uh of the great God with whom we have come this evening to deal with and we thank you for all the things that we enjoy in Christ Jesus all those spiritual blessings that we enjoy and most of all the Forgiveness of sins and for these things we give you our grateful thanks for it's in Jesus precious name we pray amen well please turn me turn with me in your him books once again to 318 318 I'll ask you to please [Music] stand and [Music] there his sheers by your heav is glor [Music] to the Angels Sing our on Christ the lord the k will you can turn with me in your Bibles to the Book of Revelation Revelation 12 Revelation 12 I'll read beginning in verse one now a great sign appeared in heaven a woman clothed with the sun with the moon under her feet and on her head a Garland of 12 stars then being with child she cried out in labor and in pain to give birth and another sign appeared in heaven Behold a great fiery red dragon having seven heads and 10 horns and seven diadems on his heads his tail drew a third of the stars of heaven and threw them to the earth and the Dragon stood before the woman who was ready to give birth to devour her child as soon as it was born she bore a male child who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron and her child was caught up to God and his throne then the woman fled Into the Wilderness where she has a place prepared by God that they should feed her there 1,260 days and war broke out in heaven Michael and his angels fought with the dragon and the dragon and his angels fought but they did not Prevail nor was was there nor was a place found for them in heaven any longer so the Great Dragon was cast out that Serpent of old called the devil and Satan who deceives the whole world he was cast to the Earth and his angels were cast out with him then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven now salvation and strength and the kingdom of our God and the power of His Christ have come for the accuser of our Brethren who accuse them before our God day and night has been cast down and they overcame him by the blood of the lamb and by the word of their testimony and they did not love their lives to the to the death therefore Rejoice oh heavens and you who dwell in them woe to the inhabitants of the earth and sea for the devil has come down to you having great wrath because he knows that he has a short time now when the dragon saw that he had been cast to the Earth he persecuted the woman who gave birth to the male child but the woman was given two wings of a great Eagle that she might fly into the Wilderness to her place where she is nourished for a time and times and half a time from the presence of the serpent so the serpent spewed water out of his mouth like a flood after the woman that he might cause her to be carried away by the flood but the Earth helped the woman and the Earth opened its mouth and swallowed up the flood which the dragon had spewed out of his mouth and the dragon was enraged with the woman and he went to make war with the rest of her Offspring who keep the Commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ amen well let us pray pray our gracious God and Holy Father we thank you for this time that we can gather together for worship we thank you for the blessedness of salvation by grace alone through faith alone in Jesus Christ Alone what a glorious and a wondrous savior we thank you that the word became flesh and dwelt among us we thank you for his life of perfect obedience to that Divine Law thank you for his death on calvary's Cross as our substitute and sacrifice that that atonement for sin thank you for the resurrection that third day and the Ascension on high we give praise to you for his current session now we look forward to his return again in glory to judge the living and the dead we pray that your spirit would be with us now that you would guide our thoughts as we consider this passage of Holy Scripture as we see the Triumph of the lamb as we see the power and the Victory of our Lord Jesus may this be a great encouragement to each of your each of your people for certainly we live in chaotic times we live in a world filled with sin and rebellion and transgression we have our own remaining corruption to contend with and we are ever mindful of that devil who roams about like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour God steady us stabilize us grant us Grace to be still and to know that you are God to know that you will be exalted among the Nations and in the earth and as well for any and all who are still dead in their trespasses and sins we pray that they would hear the good news of Salvation by Jesus Christ Our blessed Lord may they learn may they understand that there is forgiveness with you that you may may be feared that if we confess our sins you are faithful and just to forgive us and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness what a wonderful gospel this is and what a blessed uh privilege it is to share this with one another tonight forgive us now for all of our sins and we pray through Jesus Christ Our Lord amen well as we look here at Revelation 12 we see that there is a lot going on we'll not deal with all of the particular details but what we have essentially in chap 12 is a bit of a behindth scenes look look at what went on with reference to Christ's Incarnation and Ascension in other words we see that he came to his own and his own received him not we see the mistreatment the maltreatment he re received at the hands of his own countrymen John announces in his prologue that very thing he came to his own and his own did not receive him I mentioned Isaiah 53 this morning he was a Man of Sorrows he was acquainted with grief he says when he's asked to about discipleship he says the father foxes have their holes and the birds of the air have their nest but the son of man has nowhere to lay his hat but it's not just the sort of animist that he received from his fellow man but there were things going on behind the scenes and as I said Revelation 12 illustrates that or underscores that or gives us that in terms of a vision as well Revelation 12 is intimately connected to Revelation 13 when you get to Revelation 13 you see the beast from the sea and the Beast from the land well these are I suspect a political power and a religious power they do not operate autonomously rather the devil is behind them this wicked one this Dragon he is the one that activates them he is the one that empowers them and enables them or rather wants to enable them so that they can rise up against Christ and against his people so I want to look at this particular chapter of scripture under three considerations first the Incarnation of the son in verses 1 to6 secondly the defeat feet of the Dragon in verses 7 to2 and then thirdly the persecution of the woman in verses 13-1 17 one of the things that we are struck by in this particular chapter is the reality that even though Christ lived died and was raised again even though he stationed presently at the right hand of God most high even though these things are true that does not mean that in this present evil age there will be no tribulation there will be hardship there will be difficulty there will be that that Rage Against the church waged by the devil and he wages it through Lawless governments he wages it through Lawless Men He wages it through a whole host of things similar to what the Apostle says in Ephesians chapter 6 we don't wrestle against flesh and blood but against principalities and Powers we wrestle against those unseen forces that work through in and by those things that we see in this present evil age so let's look first at the Incarnation of the sun I want to identify the various persons that are mentioned in verses 1 to6 we have first the woman in verses 1 and 2 secondly the dragon in verses three and four thirdly the child in verse five uh and then his church actually in verse 6 so note first the woman in verses 1 and two now a great sign appeared in heaven perhaps put your finger there and look back to Revelation CH 1 just so you can kind of understand the nature of the Book of Revelation not straightforward narrative there's a lot of vision there's a lot of metaphor there's a lot of Illusion there's a lot of Old Testament quotation in fact one has commented that the The Book of Revelation is the most old testen is book in the entirety of the New Testament that doesn't mean it contains the most direct quotations but there are several Illusions there's a lot of background in terms of what John is doing uh its tap roots are in the Old Testament so notice in Revelation 1 at verse one the revelation of Jesus Christ which God gave him to show his servants things which must shortly take place and he sent and notice the next language and signified it by his Angel to his servant John Who Bore witness to the word of God and to the testimony of Jesus Christ to all things that he saw blessed is He who reads and and those who hear the words of this prophecy and keep those things which are written in it for the time is near but that's important he sent and signified it he signifies it through vision he signifies it through this manifestation by God to John the Apostle he's functioning here as a prophet functioning here as a Seer he's functioning here as one who receives the mysteries of God and writes them down to encourage the people of God and I would submit that the Book of Revelation is most encouraging a lot of times we treat it as if it's very discouraging it's full of gloom and doom it's full of forboding things it's full of things that that give us a bit of cause and and concern concerning our future the the emphasis throughout in the Book of Revelation is on the crown rights of our Lord Jesus Christ and of his power majesty and glory in fact what we see in p uh chapters like this is his Triumph it is his victory so back to the text in verses 1 and two now a great sign appeared in heaven a woman clothed with the sun with the moon under her feet and on her head a Garland of 12 stars then being with child she cried out in labor and in pain to give birth now the most obvious explanation for this is that this is Mary the mother of Jesus I would suggest that that's not the only reference here it certainly includes Mary the mother of Jesus but I think more expansively what we see is that the old Covenant Community is in view last week we considered the first promise of God's gospel in Genesis chter 3 that the seed of the woman would crush the head of the serpent and having given that promise to the old Covenant Community the there was an expectation within them that Messiah would come that the Lord's Christ would come that Jesus would come he would be born of a woman and he would ultimately render a decisive Victory against the Devil Himself so Mary is included to be sure but it's the old Covenant people of God the woman of Revelation 12 is the true Israel of God and the language is suggestive of Genesis 37 and a dream that Joseph had in terms of Prestige and in terms of personages the reference in verses 6 and 13 indicates that the woman is the church the people of God so when the devil does not defeat the Lord Jesus he turns his attention and his efforts or he redoubles them against the people of God and that's what you see in verses 6 and 13 so the uh what we see in terms of the woman uh David es Clark says the 12 Stars may have reference to the 12 tribes of Israel the true Israel the Zion of God gives us the Incarnate Christ out of the bosom of the church comes Jesus Christ into the world as the promised Messiah who was to be the seed of the woman so we're dealing with the old Covenant people of God who bring to us because of God's promise in Genesis 3:15 the Messiah that brings us to consider the dragon in verses 3 and 4 notice his identification in verses 3 and 4 a and another sign appeared in heaven Behold a great fiery red Dragon having seven heads and 10 horns and seven diadems on it diadems on his heads his tail drew a third of the stars of heaven and through them to the Earth the Great Dragon is the serpent of old remember the cunning of the serpent in Genesis chapter three it is the one that God pronounces the curse upon and then God through the serpent condemns the devil and makes that Proto gospel concerning the seed of the woman that would crush the head of the serpent there would be this disciple Ive Victory the Great Dragon The Serpent of old is called the devil and Satan if you drop down to verse 9 so the Great Dragon was cast out that Serpent of old called the devil and Satan who deceives the whole world he was cast to the Earth and his angels were cast out with him and notice the the specific plan that the devil employs here so we not only get his identification in verses 3 and 4 but we notice as well his particular plan in verse 4B it's almost like he understood at least a little bit about that protog gopel in Genesis 3:15 that it would be the seed of the woman that would render that decisive victory over the serpent himself and so note what the devil attempts to do in history according to verse 4B and the dragon stood before the woman who was ready to give birth to devour her child as soon as it was born makes perfect sense in a diabolical way if the promise of God is tied up in the seed of the woman then it makes sense in terms of the wicked one to try to decimate the seed of the woman doesn't that seem to have a a bit of logic about it and then when you move through Redemptive history you see there are times when the seed of the woman is jeopardized Genesis CH 38 there was a man by the name of Judah and he wanted to take a wife for his son and he does so and her name is Tamar he first gives his son ER to Tamar but ER was wicked in the sight of God so God killed him and then he gave his other son Onin well Onin followed in the heels of his brother and was wicked as well and God killed him and then Judah promised Tamar that he that she could have his other son Shaya well Shayla grew up and that was not and he was not given to Tamar so what does Tamar do she with Judah and it's a kind of repulsive story that you read there in Genesis 38 but in the Providence of God it moved the ball down the field if Tamar humanly speaking hadn't have done that we wouldn't have the seed of the woman pass from generation to generation and then at about the time of Second Kings chap 11 there was a a wicked woman that usurped the crown and her name was aalia and the way that she tried to secure and Preserve of her power was to destroy all the rightful heirs to the crown and so she does that or attempts to do that but thankfully there was a woman by the name of josah and josah uh Spirited Away joash so that aolia could not kill him again the seed survives but you see the devil working very intently to try to stop the seed as well you have the attempt at destruction in Matthew's gospel El we call it the massacre of the Innocents remember Herod ordered the slaying of all male all male sons that were two years and under why do you think he wanted to do that because he's moved and motivated by the power of the devil to try and eradicate the seed you see the attempt at destruction in Matthew CH 4 as well when Jesus is led by the spirit out into the Wilderness and there he is tempted by the devil for 40 days and 40 nights what's the nature of the tempter's Temptation it's to try to Dethrone Christ it is to try to mitigate his effect it is to try to stop him in his tracks so that he is not successful in rendering that death blow against the devil and so this one's attempt to try and destroy the seed of the woman is always frustrated it is always met by God's grace is or rather overcome by God's grace to the point where when Jesus has come when he has died when he has been raised again he has affected that death blow over the Devil Himself and intriguingly there was this attempt and success on the part of the devil through the unbelieving Jews remember that scene when when pilate says do you want me to release for you barabus or Jesus they said well give us barabus all things being equal we'd rather have a revolutionary we'd rather have a terrorist we'd rather have a a murdering insurrectionist well well what shall I do with Jesus what do they say they said away with him away with him crucify him again what's the power behind the scene little does that power behind the scene know that it is through his crosswork through the blood of the Lamb that he would indeed achieve that decisive victory over the Devil Himself so whatever the devil is he is not omniscient he's not all knowing he is not Omni powerful he is not able to to do whatever it is that he wants to do he's th thwarted and frustrated by the the Lord God most high now notice thirdly the child in verse 5 it says in verse five she bore a male child who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron and her child was caught up to God and his throne so two things are referenced here by John the Incarnation of the son and as well the Ascension of the Sun that doesn't destroy the life the ministry the act of obedience it simply confines or or or brings in this uh brief reference to Incarnation ascension all the things appropriate to the ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ so verse five she bore a malech child who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron and her child was caught up to God and his throne this is the one that was prophesied in Isaiah 9 and in Micah 5 the one who came from the Ancient of Days in order to rule in order to govern in order to lead in order to fulfill that promise in Genesis 3:15 and crush the head of the serpent so the reference to the Incarnation and Ascension I think is well explained by GK Beal he says that temporal telescoping is involved in verse four is suggested by verse 5 now a snapshot of Christ's entire life his birth his Destiny of kingship and his incipient fulfillment of that Destiny in his Ascent to God's Heavenly Throne after his post-resurrection ministry is given in one line so Incarnation and Ascension certainly involves and includes the life of obedience and the death on the cross in fact if you look specifically at verse 11 the decisive element in the Saints victory over the devil in Christ's victory over the devil is due and owing to his blood notice in verse 11 they overcame him by what by the blood of the lamb and by the word of their testimony and they did not love their lives to the death death so Life Death Resurrection Ascension on high the devil tried to thwart the devil tried to frustrate the devil tried to stop but God most high is Sovereign God most high is glorious God most high overcame the Judah and Tamar situation God most high overcame the the athaliah and joash situation God most high overcame there's another place in the in the religious reformers Ezra and Nehemiah where the children of Israel were taking on Pagan wives and Ezra tells them to divorce them to put them away why is that because they didn't want to jeopardize the seed of the woman they didn't want to jeopardize the the reality of a coming Messiah that would destroy the serpent and then in Matthew and all throughout the scripture we see there was this attempt but God overruled it and he brought glory to him to himself and then finally notice his church in verse 6 then the woman fled again that's the woman of verses 1 and 2 and the woman of verse 13 Verse 6 tells us then the woman fled Into the Wilderness where she has a place prepared by God that they should feed her there 1,260 days I think it simply means that after the Ascension of Jesus Christ as I've already intimated it doesn't mean that now we just live unaffected now everything's just okay in this world well Jesus ascended on high he led captivity cap he gave gifts to men he's ruling and reigning over all things with that Rod of iron which by the way is an illusion to Psalm 2 therefore the children of the king will will never be molested we'll never be affected we'll never have problems you see the king himself said that in this world you will have tribulation the emphasis is on be of good cheer for I have overcome the world so we're in this state of overcomes by the power of the Lord Jesus Christ but we're not yet fully in that Eternal state of consummated Glory there's going to be tension there's going to be hardship there's going to be the reality of 2 Timothy 3:12 all who desire to live Godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution if you're not a Believer here tonight when I say to you you want to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ look to him in faith it is for the Forgiveness of sins it is for the Salvation wrought by god notice what I'll not say to you come to Jesus and you'll never have a problem again come to Jesus and there'll be no more remaining corruption there'll be no more malicious World there'll be no more roaming lion or devil roaming about like a roaring lion seeking who may he may devour no in this world you will have tribulation but be of good cheer for Jesus has overcome the world the fact of the Ascension of our Lord Jesus Christ does not argue against the presence of trouble and trial and difficulty in this present evil Age Again go back to the old Covenant they had Yahweh of Israel as their King they had a Divine Monarch they had a a a God who was for them that would fight their battles for them but there were times that he fought their battles in such a way that they lost I mentioned the capture of the Ark of the Covenant this morning in 1st Samuel chter 4 well why does God do that if he's the powerful all glorious God Of Heaven and Earth why does he let Israel fail because Israel needed to learn some lessons they needed to learn the lesson that the the Ark of the Covenant wasn't a lucky charm it wasn't a holy horseshoe it wasn't a fourleaf clover that you just Trot out and thus render victory over all your enemies no God would rather have them lose the Ark of the Covenant so they understand where their help lies so God most high being absolutely Sovereign in control of all things glorious powerful and Majestic Christ at his right hand reigning the nations with a rule of ir a rod of iron does not mitigate the trials the afflictions the hardships and the sufferings that the people have God undergo Brethren I think that you need to get this you need to understand this in fact in the Book of Revelation you see something very similar it's kind of like that Motif in Psalm 2 Psalm 2 starts off with a question why do the Nations rage and and the people's plot of vain things they cry out to against Yahweh and against his Christ they essentially said we don't want him to rule over us the kings of the earth they they take their Stand Together the rulers all all take counsel together they they shake their fist at God most high that's the tumult and the chaos and the problems and the Mutiny in this present evil age and then the scene shifts to that Holy Hill of Zion where God the Father stations his son as the King on that Holy Hill of Zion The Book of Revelation goes in that same trajectory Revelation chapters 2 and 3 what do you see there you see letters to the seven churches in Asia Minor and what happens when those churches are written to I know everything is great I know everything is always wonder wonderful I know that you've got cars in the driveway you've got chickens in your pots you've got well- behaved children you've got good high-paying jobs you've got perfect sort of Acceptance in this present evil age no the book uh uh the the the the churches in Asia Minor they're suffering there's hardship there's woe there's difficulty there's trial there's Affliction but then the scene shifts in four and five to God most high ruling and reigning over all things see Brethren the take-home lesson of the Bible is that when you come to Jesus you are Justified freely by his grace when you come to Jesus you receive every spiritual blessing in the Heavenly places in Christ you're Justified you're Sanctified you'll be glorified but that does not remove you from the present travail that is associated with life in a Godless world it's just not the case all who desire to live Godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution remember that scene in Acts 5 when they couldn't silence the apostles for preaching the gospel so they whipped them and they beat them and then we see that scene where the apostles uh leave from there and they're rejoicing why because they were counted worthy to suffer shame for the name of the Lord Jesus Christ this idea that when we come to Jesus all our cares will be gone all our cares will be vanquished all our problems will disappear is simply unbiblical in terms of our relationship with God it's perfectly right therefore having been justified by faith we have peace with God that is most blessed and the World the Flesh and the devil can never strip that away from us but the World the Flesh and the devil are always going to mount an opposition against us to try to get at us to try to persecute and oppress us so don't interpret things in the way of I just can't believe these things are happening well you better believe it because it's always happened to the people of God in this his present evil age but we have the good news of Christ's Triumph even in the midst of that that brings us then secondly to the defeat of the Dragon in verses 7 to2 verses 7 to 12 explain the dragon's ejection from heaven and his subsequent rage directed toward the Church in this section John provides a theological explanation for the casting out of Satan from Heaven which is associated with the series of events concerning Christ's Ministry death and Resurrection reported in ch 12 at: 5 and 6 says I said it's a behind the scenes okay we know what happened on the cross when Jesus cried my God my God why hast Thou forsaken me when that veil was rent from top to bottom signifying the acceptance by God of Sinners unto himself through the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ well what was happening in heaven what was going on behind the scenes what was happening in terms of the powers and the principality uh uh principalities in those high places well notice first the victory of Christ in verses 7 to 11 and war broke out in heaven Michael and his angels fought with the dragon and the dragon and his angels fought but they did not Prevail nor was a place found uh for them in heaven any longer so basically the chapter here is heavily charged with prophetic imagery you go back to the Book of Daniel to see references there to Michael you go back to the Book of Daniel to see that he's this Angelic being that is that is engaging in Victory on behalf of God most high and notice the specifics Michael and his angels fought with the dragon and the dragon and his angels fought but they did not Prevail nor was a place found for them in heaven any longer so at the death of our Lord Jesus at the the the time when he offered up that sacrifice to God most high there was a decisive blow rendered upon the serpent I mentioned those text last week when we looked at Genesis chter 3 you see it in John 12 now the ruler of this world is cast out if I be lifted up I will draw all men to myself Colossians 1: 13 the father delivers us from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of the son of his love Colossians 2:15 Christ triumphs over the principalities and Powers at the cross First John 3 one of the purposes for which the Lord Jesus came into the world was to destroy the works of the devil Hebrews chapter 2 the very same emphasis and so you see that behind the scenes what is happening we see the cross we see what Jesus renders we see that he satisfies Divine justice but what's happening in those heavenly places well this is a behindthescenes snapshot the war in heaven is the counterpart of the Earthly events in versus 1 to six the devil tries to stop the seed but he doesn't the seed comes he's born he does what the seed was intended to do and in that he crushes the head of the serpent the devil and his angels could not Prevail against the lamb it is very obvious it is very specific there and the devil and his angels notice in verse 9 were cast out of Heaven verse 9 so the Great Dragon was cast out that Serpent of old called the devil and Satan who deceives the whole world he was cast to the Earth and his angels were cast out with him now this is a reference not to the creation account in genis 1 but to the new creation account inaugurated by our Lord Jesus Christ at his death the devil is cast out at his death the devil is bound at his death the devil is rendered ineffective I mean he's still there roaming about like a roaring lion but as Luther said he's like a dog on a leash he can go so far and no further he can go so far and no further but he's cast out David S Clark again says when Christ arose from from the dead and ascended to the throne of God it was eviction notice served on Satan verse 5 gave us the scene of Ascension and the following verses give us the Victory and Prelude of coming victories consequent upon that Ascension it is the aftermath of Christ's Victory from the time of his Ascension with which we are dealing here notice in light of this there's a shout why do we sing hymns and Psalms and praises to God most high to glorify him for what he's accomplished why do we sing the the various things that we sing is it just cuz we all have Splendid singing voices and we really are an encouragement to one another I mean there is an encouragement to one another aspect there's a proclamation aspect when we when we uh uh speak and and sing the Psalms and hymns and spiritual songs but it is to bring glory and praise and honor to God notice that shout of victory in verse 10 the devil is cast out so verse 10 says then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven now salvation and strength in the Kingdom of our God and the power of His Christ have come for the accuser of our Brethren who accused them before our God day and night has been cast down you'll notice that all of the references here they're not to the second Advent of Christ it isn't to the second coming of Christ when he comes in overwhelming power when he comes with the Glory of his father and all of his Holy Angels taking Vengeance on them that know not God and on them that do not obey the gospel this is associated with the first Advent It's associated with the first coming it's associated with his life his death and his resurrection and you see that specifically there in verse 11 the vital component by which the devil has been cast out the vital component by which the devil has been defanged verse 11 they overcame him by the blood of the lamb and by the word of their testimony and they did not love their lives to the death in other words these ones understand the glory of Jesus Christ in his first coming they understand the decisive blow that's been dealt to the devil in fulfillment of and in application of Genesis 3 the skull crushing seed of the woman has rendered decisive victory over the CC over the devil over that Dragon of old and then notice the the announcement of warning again this seems so perplexing to us because I think we have this mindset that I'm a Christian now everything should be great and it is great I'm not suggesting it's not there's nothing greater than being able to pillow your head tonight having been justified by faith there's nothing greater than to know the joy of the Forgiveness of sins there's nothing greater than to know the righteousness of Jesus Christ to be cleansed in his blood clothed in his righteousness fit and accepted by the father there's nothing better than that but when it comes to life in this present evil age we we expect more we're we're Children of the king there's an incipient amount an incipient amount of the health wealth and Prosperity Gospel in all of us well well if I'm a Christian and and God is for me as the Bible says then then why all these bad things why all these tough things why all these difficulties why is it that my life at times looks so different than the Godless who seem to be flourishing and thriving you're not the first one to make that connection Asaf in Psalm 73 says God is good to Israel to such as fear him and then he speaks not only of God's goodness but of his own sort of declen he says but as for me my foot nearly slipped what happened as he says well I I looked around in the world and I I saw the the righteous suffer I saw the righteous just having the the the toughest of goes at it and then I saw the wicked flourish I I saw their new cars I'm paraphrasing Asaf here I I saw their big mansions I saw their summer homes I I saw their their clothing I saw their their bank accounts I I saw how they just seem to thrive and and to flourish and and to abound he said I I couldn't make heads or Tales of it until I went into the sanctuary it was when he as it were put on the lenses of scripture and interpreted things properly that everything was in its right perspective he says Thou does set them in Slippery places other words there's going to be a reckoning the Godless are going to be judged they're going to be cast off by our Lord into Everlasting punishment the righteous who perhaps have suffered in this present evil age are going to go to Glory they're going to go to emanuel's land so when we ask the question well why is it designed this way well remember those whom he fornew he predestined to be what to be conformed to the image of his son how did the son learn obedience according to Hebrews chapter 5 he learned obedience not by reading the recent Christian author's bestseller on how to you know embibe o uh uh obedience it was through suffering and so if the people of God who follow the Lamb of God who are Justified freely by his grace are going to be conformed ever more to the Son of God expect there's going to be some trials expect there's going to be some oppression expect there's going to be some persecution there's going to be distress never forget the language of Our Lord in this world you will have tribulation that's a promise from the master but again be of good cheer for I have overcome the world so on the heels of this decisive Victory honor Earth verses 1-6 in heaven veres 7 to 11 now note the warning in verse 12 therefore oh Rejoice oh heavens and you who dwell in them doesn't that make sense the devil's been cast out so what's the accurate response from the heavens Rejoice but when the devil is cast out guess where he turns his energy guess where he turns his attention guess where he turns his animosity here comes the warning in verse 12b woe to the inhabitants of the earth and the Sea for the devil has come down to you having great wrath because he knows that he has a short time the blood of our Lord Jesus Christ has fixed our record with a holy God but it certainly hasn't helped us with an Unholy world and a devil that despises both Christ and his people and that brings us finally to the persecution tion of his people the woman in verses 13 to 17 notice the outrage of the Dragon this passage and I'll summarize it when we get to application we don't have much longer here so you know you can give yourself a pinch and wake up and hopefully receive the rest of this because I think it's very encouraging but with reference to the to the devil have you noticed a theme here he keeps losing doesn't he he loses and he loses and he loses and he loses the Triumph of Christ spells the defeat of the devil in foreheads the Triumph of Jesus spells the defeat of the devil in four particulars and again I'll summarize that in just a few moments but notice the outrage of the Dragon in verse 13 now when the dragon saw that he had been cast to the Earth he persecuted the woman who gave birth to the male child the Church of the Lord Jesus Jesus Christ The Covenant people of God that true Israel of God that brought forth Messiah that now worships and serves and glorifies Messiah what does the devil do he turns his outrage against them that's the specifics now when the dragon saw that he had been cast to the Earth he persecuted the woman who gave birth to the male child the troubles and the trials in your life do not argue for the absence of God conversely they argue for the presence of God God David prior to his being anointed by by Samuel for the kingly office had a pretty uneventful life other than a few tigers and bears but once he becomes anointed king of Israel the fun begins he's hunted like a dog by Saul he's hunted like a dog by the Philistines he's got both internal and external threat everybody wants a piece of David and not in the right sense they want to kill him they want to decimate him they want to destroy him but I thought he was the anointed king of Israel he is what about the Lord Jesus Christ he passes through the waters of baptism he hears the word of approval from his father this is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased and then immediately on the heels of that he's led by the spirit Into the Wilderness to be what tempted by the devil there's a pattern here Brethren the cross always precedes the crown this was the fault of the sons of Zebedee they come and they jockey for position Lord when come into your kingdom grant that we may sit on your right and sit on your left he says you don't know what you're asking I've got a baptism to undergo and I've got a cup to drink that you know nothing of now incidentally they would know later in terms of their own deaths at the hands of the Godless but the devil is outraged he turns his attention against the church and again we see that look just for one instance at Ephesians look at the book of Ephesians a book we've been going through in our evening Services notice in Ephesians chapter 1 specifically at verses 19 to 23 Paul wants the Saints in Ephesus to know something of the power of God and he illustrates that power of God in the resurrection and Ascension and current session of our Lord Jesus so in 1119 he says what is the exceeding greatness of his power toward us who believe according to the working of his mighty power which he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the Heavenly places far above all principality and power and might and dominion and every name that is named not only in the this age but also in that which is to come and he put all things under his feet and gave him to be head over all things to the church which is his body the fullness of him who fills all in all now you couldn't make it more clear and obvious where Christ is you couldn't make it more clear and obvious what Christ does he's the head of the body and as the head of the body what does he do he rules her and governs her he protects her and he defends her but in that protection and defense it doesn't mean the absolute elimination of his enemies turn over to Ephesians 6 Ephesians chapter 6 at verse 10 finally my brethren be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might put on the whole armor of God that you may be able to stand against the Ws of the devil for we do not wrestle against flesh and blood but against principalities against Powers against the rulers of the darkness of this age against the spiritual hosts of wickedness in Heavenly in the Heavenly places so you see there's this Motif that is rampant throughout scripture the people of God are not immune to suffering the people of God are not immune to cancer the people of God are not immune to governmental pression the people of God are not immune to to persecution it's just not the case and you see that the devil leads that charge here according to verse 13 but then notice this reference to wings of an e Eagle in verse 14 but the woman was given two wings of a great Eagle that she might fly into the Wilderness to her place where she is nourished for a time and times and half a time from the presence of the serpent I think this is a reference to Israel in the old uh in the Old Testament in the wilderness remember when God Liber Ates uh Israel out of bondage in Egypt and he brings them to the Wilderness they interpreted that as a bad thing they in fact longed to be back in Egypt eating the garlic and the leaks and the melons that they had they wanted three Hots and a cot they didn't like this whole Wilderness scene that didn't impress them but see God's interpretation in Deuteronomy 1 29-31 is that God carried Israel in the wilderness the way that a father carries his son it was a time of protection it was a time of blessing it was a time of provision whether they interpreted it that way or not and I think that's the reference here in verse 14 God cares for his persecuted church God cares for his oppressed people God defends them God protects them doesn't eliminate all of the hardship and woe because the hardship and woe is used by God for formative things in our lives but with reference to this you you see the blessing when Israel gathered at Mount Si the Lord spoke of his care for them in this manner Exodus 19:4 you have seen what I did to the Egyptians and how I bore you on Eagle wings and brought you to myself or in Deuteronomy 3210 to 12 prior to entry into the promised land there on the plains of Moab as he's summarizing as he's finalizing as he's declaring the greatness of God in the provision and kindness to his people it says he found him in a desert land and in the way land a howling Wilderness he encircled him he instructed him he kept him as the apple of his eye as an eagle stirs up its nest hovers over its young spreading out its wings taking them up carrying them on its wings so the Lord alone led him and there was no foreign god with him Deuteronomy 3210 to12 I think that's what's going on here in verse 14 this backdrop of God's provision for the children of Israel in that Wilderness setting and then finally notice the attack of the serpent he just keeps trying I mean you have to give him an a for effort f for uh f for results but an a for effort notice so the serpent spewed water out of his mouth like a flood after the woman that he might cause her to be carried away by the flood but the Earth helped the woman and the Earth opened its mouth and swallowed up the flood which the dragon had spewed out of his mouth I think the image of the flood this is Beal is proceeding from the Serpent's mouth po portrays his attempt to destroy the church by deception and false teaching and uh Greg says this is a general reference to the devil's campaigns against the church so he tries to do this he tries to affect her and then he fails again in that first century context just on the heels of the Ascension of our Lord Jesus Christ but then notice verse 17 confirms what we face in our own generation he doesn't stop again A for effort just an F for effect and the Dragon was enraged with the woman and he went to make war with the rest of her Offspring the church and subsequent ages the people of God throughout history the people of God and the persecutions under the Roman Empire the people of God and the persecutions of the various false religions the people of God at the time of the Roman Catholic you know persecution at the Reformation we we we see the The Rage of the devil and then notice how the people of God are described in a wonderful summary statement there at the end of verse 17 who keep the Commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ so that's Revelation 12 that's a behindthescenes look at what's going on in terms of Christ's life death and Resurrection this is as well the the power behind the beasts in Revelation chap 13 which is countermanded or counteracted by the lamb and his fair Army in Revelation 14 so you see there is is this attempt on the part of the devil to destroy the people of God but he is always bested by our wondrous Lord Jesus so in conclusion we have the Triumph of the Lamb all throughout this chapter again that's what Revelation is about if you're like man I don't know much about Revelation just keep reading it there's a blessing pronounced on those who hear the words of this prophecy you're not going to learn it by not reading it you're not going to learn it by avoiding it you're not going to learn it by saying well you know I've heard this and I've heard just read the book just read it again and again and again and again and again if you want a helpful hint or pointer there's good helps and pointers out there for for for instruction and and and guidance and the reading of the Book of Revelation but it's all about Christ's Victory it's all about Christ's Triumph it's all about Christ's Crown as I mentioned secondly the utter defeat of the devil the devil fails in his attempt to destroy the child verses 1 to5 the devil fails in heaven verses 7 to2 the devil fails with the woman the church in verses 13 to 16 and the devil fails with the rest of the woman's seed in verse 17 I mean this chapter alone should invite reader readership this chapter alone should encourage you well I I don't know about that devil well read Revelation 12 you'll seiz a miserable failure again A for effort but a miserable failure in terms of execution he doesn't do what he wants to do he couldn't kill Jesus verses 1 to5 he couldn't remain in heaven verses 7 to2 he couldn't stop the woman in its incipient phase and then he can't stop the church in succeeding ages why because Jesus Christ has promised to build his church and the Gates of Hell shall not Prevail against it as Davis summarizes he says the good news of Satan's abject failure Revelation 12 is the application of Genesis 3:15 the seed of the woman crushes the head of the serpent you need to see that and be encouraged by it yes the devil goes about like a roaming lion a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour but remember Luther please don't forget this he's tethered he can go so far and no further and that is an encouragement he is not able to do the things that I think at times we give him credit for the Apostle says greater is he that is in you than than he that is in the world it's idea that the devil made me do it ought never to be uttered by a Christian never to be uttered by a Christian the devil doesn't make you do anything greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world thirdly we see here the persecution of the church again Beal Christians can be assured that the serpent begins to battle against their bodies only after he has lost the battle over their souls notice that he turns his attention and his aggression again he wants to eradicate them he wants to wants to crush them he wants to stop them this expresses one of the major themes of the book The Suffering of Christians is a sign not of Satan's Victory but of the Saints victory over Satan because of their belief in the Triumph of the cross with which their suffering identifies them I would suggest that if you're having a miserable go at it that may not necessarily be indicative that God is AB from you it may actually be proof positive that God is with you in fact turn to Hebrews 12 where the Apostle quotes The Book of Proverbs and he applies it to New Covenant Christians notice in 123 uh uh uh 12 yeah 123 for consider him who endured such hostility from Sinners against himself lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls you have not yet resisted to Bloodshed striving against sin and you have forgotten the exhortation which speaks to you as to Sons my son do not despise the chastening of the Lord nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by him for whom the Lord loves he chastens and scourges every son whom he receives in fact the fact that he scourges the fact that he chastens the fact that there's discipline argues for his presence in the same Book of Revelation turn back to Revelation 3 the church in leoda which arguably was the wor first of the seven churches in Asia Minor notice what Jesus says to them Revelation 3 specifically at verse 17 because you say I am rich have become wealthy and have need of nothing and do not know that you are wretched miserable poor blind and naked I counsel you to buy for me gold refined in the fire that you may be rich and white garments that you may be clothed that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed and anoint your eyes with isav that you may see notice verse 19 and again arguably Leo deia is the worst of the churches uh he says as many as I love I rebuke and Chase it therefore be zealous and repent so this idea that problems in the Christian Life argues for the absence of God is unbiblical problems in the Christian Life are perfectly consistent with the presence of God in the Christian life and that's another emphasis that we find here in Revelation 12 and then the final thing that I want to score is the way of Salvation now verse 17 describes the church and in verse 17b it says who keep the Commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ well why do they do that are they a superior race of God-fearing folk are they the the righteous that just come out of the womb and everything they do is on par is that the ones that keep the Commandments of God and have the test testimony of Jesus they only do this because of verse 11 they only do this because they're Justified freely by God's grace through the blood of the Lamb verse 11 they overcame him by what not their obedience not their faithfulness not their goodness not their Works they overcame him by the blood of the lamb and by the word of their testimony and did they did not love their lives to the death the way of Salvation is by grace alone through faith in Jesus Christ Alone his life his death his resurrection faith is the empty hand that receives the gift given by God most high it is the instrument by which we appropriate every spiritual blessing in the Heavenly places in Christ Jesus so believe on him that is fortification that is strength that is protection from this world from the Devil Himself and even from your own remaining corruption to be able to invoke the blood and righteousness of Jesus Christ is the Most Blessed thing any man woman boy or girl possesses ever having faith in Jesus Christ let us pray Our God and our father we thank you for your word we thank you for this passage in Revelation 12 obviously highly charged and symbolic and old Covenant ish but we thank you that it does depict for us the life death and resurrection of our savior and the utter defeat the decimation of the devil we thank you that Genesis 3:15 is fulfilled we thank you that we live in light of that and may you encourage each and every one of us build us up in our Most Holy Faith and we pray this through Jesus Christ Our Lord amen we'll close with a brief time of meditation