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You can turn with me in your 
Bibles to the book of Revelation, Revelation chapter 12. Revelation chapter 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 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 accused 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 death. "'Therefore rejoice, 
O 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. 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 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, and 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 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 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 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 chapter 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 chapter 12 is a bit of a behind-the-scenes 
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 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 about 
discipleship, he says, the foxes have their holes and the birds 
of the air have their nests, but the son of man has nowhere 
to lay his head. But it's not just the sort of animus that 
he received from his fellow man, but there were things going on 
behind the scenes. And as I said, Revelation chapter 
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 1-6. Secondly, the defeat of the dragon 
in verses 7-12. And then thirdly, the persecution 
of the woman in verses 13-17. 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's 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'll be no tribulation. There will 
be hardship. There will be difficulty. There 
will be 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 Son. I want to identify the various 
persons that are mentioned in verses 1 to 6. We have first 
the woman in verses 1 and 2, secondly the dragon in verses 
3 and 4, thirdly the child in verse 5, and then his church 
actually in verse 6. So note first the woman in verses 
1 and 2. Now a great sign appeared in 
heaven. Perhaps put your finger there 
and look back to Revelation chapter 1 just so you can kind of understand 
the nature of the book of Revelation. It's not straightforward narrative. 
There's a lot of vision, there's a lot of metaphor, there's a 
lot of allusion, there's a lot of Old Testament quotation. In 
fact, one has commented that the Book of Revelation is the 
most Old Testament-ish book in the entirety of the New Testament. 
That doesn't mean it contains the most direct quotations, but 
there are several allusions. There's a lot of background in 
terms of what John is doing. Its taproots are in the Old Testament. 
So notice in Revelation 1 at verse 1, 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 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. He's functioning here as a seer. 
He is 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 foreboding things. 
It's full of things that give us a bit of cause and concern 
concerning our future. 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 chapters like this is his triumph, it is his victory. So 
back to the text, in verses 1 and 2, 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 twelve 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 referent 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 chapter 3, that the 
seed of the woman would crush the head of the serpent. And 
having given that promise to the Old Covenant community, 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 chapter 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 what we see in terms of the 
woman. David S. Clarke 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 three and four. Notice 
his identification in verses three and four A. 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. The great dragon 
is the serpent of old. Remember the cunning of the serpent 
in Genesis chapter 3? 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 
decisive 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 specific 
plan that the devil employs here. 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 proto-gospel 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 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 chapter 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 Ur to 
Tamar. But Ur was wicked in the sight 
of God, so God killed him. And then he gave his other son, 
Onan. Well, Onan followed in the heels of his brother and 
was wicked as well, and God killed him. And then Judah promised 
Tamar that she could have his other son, Shelah. Well, Shelah 
grew up and he was not given to Tamar. So what does Tamar 
do? She lay 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 
2 Kings chapter 11, there was a wicked woman that usurped the 
crown, and her name was Athaliah. And the way that she tried to 
secure and preserve 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 Jehoshabah. And Jehoshabah spirited away 
Joash, so that Athaliah 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. We call it the massacre of the 
innocents. Remember Herod ordered the slaying 
of 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 chapter 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, 
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 Pilate 
says, do you want me to release for you Barabbas or Jesus? They 
said, well, give us Barabbas. All things being equal, we'd 
rather have a revolutionary. We'd rather have a terrorist. 
We'd rather have a murdering insurrectionist. 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 cross work, 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 
omnipowerful. He is not able to do whatever 
it is that he wants to do. He's thwarted and frustrated 
by the Lord God Most High. Now notice, thirdly, the child 
in verse 5. It says in verse 5, "...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 Son. That doesn't destroy the 
life, the ministry, the act of obedience. It simply confines 
or brings in this brief reference to Incarnation Ascension all 
the things appropriate to the ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ. 
So verse 5, 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. 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 of Genesis 3 15 and crush 
the head of the serpent. So the reference to the incarnation 
and ascension I think is well explained by G.K. Beale. He says 
that temporal Telescoping is involved in verse 4, 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. 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 Athaliah and Joash situation. God Most High 
overcame. There's another place 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 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 himself. And then finally, 
notice his church in verse six. Then the woman fled. Again, that's 
the woman of verses one and two, and the woman of verse 13. Verse 
six 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 
is just okay in this world. Well, Jesus has ascended on high. 
He led captivity captive. He gave gifts to men. He's ruling 
and reigning over all things with that rod of iron, which, 
by the way, is an allusion to Psalm 2. Therefore, the children 
of the king will never be molested, will never be affected, will 
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 overcome-ness 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 ought 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 whom 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 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 1 Samuel chapter 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 Ark of the Covenant wasn't a lucky charm. It wasn't 
a holy horseshoe. It wasn't a four-leaf 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 rod of iron, does not mitigate the trials, the 
afflictions, the hardships, and the sufferings that the people 
of 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 the 
peoples plot of vain things? They cry out against Yahweh and 
against His Christ. They essentially said, we don't 
want Him to rule over us. The kings of the earth, they 
take their stand together. The rulers all take counsel together. 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. Well, the book of Revelation 
goes in that same trajectory. Revelation chapters two and three. 
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 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 churches in Asia Minor, there's suffering, there's hardship, 
there's woe, there's difficulty, there's trial, there's affliction. 
But then the scene shifts in 4 and 5 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 chapter 
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 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 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 to 12. 
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 chapter 12 at verses 5 and 6. So as 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 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 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 for them in heaven any 
longer. So basically, the chapter here 
is heavily charged with prophetic imagery. 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 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 time when 
he offered up that sacrifice to God Most High, there was a 
decisive blow rendered upon the serpent. I mentioned those texts 
last week when we looked at Genesis chapter 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, verse 13, the Father 
delivers us from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom 
of the Son of His love. Colossians 2, verse 15, Christ 
triumphs over the principalities and powers at the cross. 1 John 3, one of the purposes 
for which the Lord Jesus came into the world was to destroy 
the works of the devil. Hebrews 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 behind-the-scenes 
snapshot. The war in heaven is the counterpart 
of the earthly events in verses 1 to 6. 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 Genesis chapter 
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 the dead and ascended to the throne of God, 
it was eviction notice served on Satan. Verse five 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 various things 
that we sing? Is it just because 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 speak 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 chapter three. The skull crushing seed 
of the woman has rendered decisive victory over the serpent, over 
the devil, over that dragon of old. And then notice 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 expect 
more. We're children of the king. There's 
an incipient amount of the health, wealth, and prosperity gospel 
in all of us. Well, if I'm a Christian and 
God is for me, as the Bible says, 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. Asaph, in Psalm 73, he 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 declension. 
He says, but as for me, my foot nearly slipped. Well, what happened, 
Asaph? He says, well, I looked around 
in the world and I saw the righteous suffer. I saw the righteous just 
having the toughest of goes at it. And then I saw the wicked 
flourish. I saw their new cars. I'm paraphrasing 
Asaph here. I saw their big mansions. I saw 
their summer homes. I saw their clothing. I saw their 
bank accounts. I saw how they just seemed to 
thrive and to flourish and to abound. He says, I couldn't make 
heads or tails 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 dost set them in slippery places. In 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 Emmanuel's 
land. So when we ask the question, well, why is it designed this 
way? Well, remember, those whom he foreknew, 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 
imbibe 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 evermore 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 on earth, verses one 
to six, in heaven, verses seven to 11, now note the warning in 
verse 12. Therefore rejoice, O heavens, 
in 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 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 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 devil, have you noticed the 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 four heads. 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 
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. David, prior 
to his being anointed 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 you 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 one, 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 119 he says, far above all principality, and 
power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, 
not only in this age, but also in that which is to come. And 
he put all things under his feet, and gave him to behead 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. could 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. 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 pressure. The 
people of God are not immune 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 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 Testament in the wilderness. Remember when 
God liberates 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 leeks 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 
of Deuteronomy 1, 29 to 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 referent 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 
see the blessing. When Israel gathered at Mount 
Sinai, 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 eagles' wings and brought you to myself. Or in 
Deuteronomy 32, 10 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 wasteland. 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 32, 10 to 12. 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 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, portrays his attempt to destroy the church by deception 
and false teaching. And 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 persecution, at the Reformation. We see 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 behind-the-scenes look 
at what's going on in terms of Christ's life, death, and resurrection. This is, as well, the power behind 
the beasts in Revelation 13, which is counteracted by the 
Lamb and His fair army in Revelation 14. So you see, there 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, well, 
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 
that. 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 instruction 
and guidance in 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 to 5. The devil fails in heaven, 
verses 7 to 12. 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 readership. This chapter alone should encourage 
you Well, I don't know about that devil. Well, read Revelation 
chapter 12. You'll see he's 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 
one to five. He couldn't remain in heaven, 
verses seven to 12. 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 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 he that is in the world. This 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 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 absent from you. It may actually be 
proof positive that God is with you. In fact, turn to Hebrews 
chapter 12, where the apostle quotes the book of Proverbs, 
and he applies it to New Covenant Christians. Notice in 12.3. 12, yeah, 12.3, 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 the 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 chapter 3, the church in Laodicea, which 
arguably was the worst of the seven churches in Asia Minor. Notice what Jesus says to them. 
Revelation chapter 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 eye salve, that you may see. Notice verse 19, and 
again, arguably, Laodicea is the worst of the churches. He 
says, "...as many as I love I rebuke and chasten, 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 chapter 12. And then the final thing 
that I want to underscore 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 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 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 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.