Overcome The Dragon-Rev 12:1-17

New Testament, Revelation, Sermons

Revelation 12:1-17; Key Verses: Rev 12:11, 17b

 “They triumphed over him (the devil) by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death.” “(they) keep God’s commands and hold fast their testimony about Jesus.”

Accusations. “They” are those whom the dragon or Satan accuses (Rev 12:9-10). Accusations are always devastating to the soul because there is always truth to them. If anyone accuses you of being lazy, lustful, lackadaisical, licentious, lambasting, or lacking in godly ambition, it is surely likely true (unless you are a Pharisee!). Any blame or condemnation or vicious finger pointing accusation at others is originally from the Devil (Rev 12:10b), who rightly accuses us of being the sinners that we are. Such an accusatory person is not a man but a beast (Rev 13:5-7), whose power comes from the dragon (Rev 13:4), and who is blind to their own deviousness. How do we overcome accusations that we are indeed sinners without one plea?

 Victory. The numerous English translations say “they overcome him” (NIV ‘84, KJV, NASB), “they triumph over him” (NIV 2011, TNIV), “they conquered him” (ESV, RSV), “they defeated him” (NLT, The Message, CJB), “they gained the victory over him” (CEB), “they won the victory over him” (GW). This pronouncement and declaration of victory over the devil is decisive. And yet….

Why is the world the way it is? Why do the accusations continue? Why has war and rumors of war punctuated human history (Mt 24:6; Mk 13:7)? Rev 12:1-17–the “center” of Revelation–explains. The short answer is that the world is the devil’s playground (Rev 12:9, 12b-13). Rev 12:7 says there was a war in heaven. It is a cosmic conflict that is carried out in the playing fields of this world. There seems to be no end to war and conflicts in the world and in countless lives where blame, accusations and aspersions are viciously hurled at others. World War I, which claimed 37 million lives, was described as the war to end all wars. It birthed the League of Nations which was supposed to usher in peaceful dialogue between potential combatants. WWII followed and took 54 million lives! The UN was born of that war and was hailed as the foundation of a new era of peace. Instead, countless wars continue with no permanent resolution of international conflict and with no end in sight. But the war in heaven is the war to end all wars. It describes the core of the cosmic conflict. (Rev 12:1-6 [in six verses] summarizes the Bible from Genesis 12 to Acts 2–which is from Abraham, the father of Israel to the birth of the church.)

 Revelation 12 can be divided into four parts, comprising of three characters and a war:

  1. A woman (Rev 12:1-2) – the people of God (OT before child born; NT after child born).
  2. A dragon (Rev 12:3-4, 9, 10b, 12b, 17) – Satan (Jn 8:44; 2 Cor 11:3).
  3. A son (Rev 12:5) – Christ.
  4. A war (Rev 12:6-17) – expressed as Satan persecuting the church.

In this sermon, I will consider and contrast two things under the title “Overcoming The Dragon”:

  1. The rage of the dragon (The schemes of the devil)
  2. The triumph of the saints (The nature of salvation)
  1. The Rage of the Dragon (The schemes of the devil)

 1) Why he’s mad (Rev 12:7-9, 12-17)

  1. the child he wants to devour is snatched up to God (Rev 12:4-5).
  2. he lost the war in heaven and was hurled to the earth (Rev 12:7-8).
  3. he knows his time is short (Rev 12:12).

2) What he does

  1. he leads the whole world astray (Rev 12:9).
  2. he accuses (Rev 12:10b).
  3. he lies and kills (Gen 3:1-5; Jn 8:44).
  4. his target is the church (Rev 12:13, 17a).
  1. The Triumph of the Saints (The nature of salvation)

 How do we overcome vicious accusations and blame (from the devil and from people)?

  1. The blood of the Lamb (Rev 12:11a; 7:14). We acknowledge, emphasize and highlight NOT ourselves, our efforts, our good intentions, our righteousness, and our good deeds. Rather, we see ourselves before the precious blood of Jesus (1 Pet 1:19) and the righteousness of Christ (Rom 1:17). We live in constant awe with the realization that pure, blameless and sinless Jesus became sin for us, so that we sinners may become the righteousness of God (2 Cor 5:21).
  2. The word of their testimony (Rev 12:11b, 17b; Eph 6:17; Ac 20:24b). They gossip the gospel. They bear witness to Christ with their life, deeds and speech because they can never forget how much Jesus loves them and gave himself for them (Gal 2:20). They think of themselves with sober judgment (Rom 12:3), and they value others above themselves (Phil 2:3). They truly B.L.E.S.S. others. If we do not bear witness to Christ with our lives, our own lives suffer as it becomes very difficult to overcome Satan’s relentless accusations.
  3. They did not love their lives (Rev 12:11c; 2:10b). They take up their cross daily (Lk 9:23). They do not consider their life worth anything (Ac 20:24a). They regard death as gain (Phil 1:21). They die every day (1 Cor 15:31). They do so not because they are coerced, forced, intimidated, guilt-tripped, or because they have no choice. Rather, they do so willingly with humility and tears (Ac 20:19) and with fear and trembling (Phil 2:12). Jesus says, “For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it” (Lk 9:24; Mt 16:25; Mk 8:35). It is estimated that over the past decade 160,000 Christians die each year. Taken over a lifespan worldwide 1 in 200 Christians will die a martyr’s death. Assuming we have 5-600 UBFers in all our Chicago area UBF chapters, 3 of us will be martyred for being a Christian.
  4. The power of God (Rev 12:10a; Rom 1:16).
  5. God protects and takes care of his people (Rev 12:6, 14).

 Questions for practical application based on Rev 12:11, 17b

  1. Do you live by the blood of the Lamb? (Or by your own [self] righteousness?)
  2. Do you share the word of your testimony by your deeds and your speech? (Or does your life have no influence on a watching world?) Do you share the gospel with unbelievers?
  3. Do you fear death? Love your life in this world? Take up your cross?
  4. Do you have a command of God that you are keeping?
  5. Do you know God’s grace and provision even if you live in the wilderness?

 Reflections:

  1. Our struggle is not against people but against the devil’s power…
  2. Therefore, don’t hate those who oppose you; pray for them, be compassionate, but also be unyielding and courageous.
  3. Be confident of final victory.
  4. Fight a spiritual warfare using spiritual weapons.

 No escape from accusation except one. The dragon, aka Satan, is a formidable foe. He is relentless in his vicious accusation that, “You are a rotten sinner!” He always points to our sin that nobody else knows about and says, “You can never change. Don’t even bother to try.” When we listen to the dragon’s accusation we are deceived and destroyed. Basically we believe his murderous lies. Then we live as defeated wimps before our formidable sins, or we become the dragon’s emmisaries who accuse others of the same. We smash others to the degree that we have been smashed by the dragon. There is no human resolution to the dragon’s heartless and ruthless accusations. We can only overcome the dragon by the blood of the Lamb. Read Rev 12:11.

As you live your life daily as a child of the King, are you consciously and palpably aware of the blood of the Lamb that was shed for you (Rev 12:11; 7:14; 1 Pet 1:19)?

 References:

  1. D.A. Carson. Satanic Rage (Rev 12:1-17). 59 min audio lecture given to seminary students at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, 1995.
  2. Johnson, Dennis E. Triumph of the Lamb: A Commentary on Revelation. Pillipsburg: P&R Publishing Company. 2001.
  3. Morris, Leon, The Book of Revelation: An Introduction and Commentary (Tyndale New Testament Commentaries). Downers Grove: Inter-Varsity Press, 1987.
  4. Sermons on the Book of Revelation. Kim Riddlebarger, Sr. Pastor, Christ Reformed Church. Anaheim.
  5. War In Heaven (Rev 12:7-12).
  6. Revelation: Notes on each chapter.
  7. Revelation links: Overview. Study outline. Study guide. Introduction.
  8. Revelation 11 (D.A. Carson).
  9. Revelation 12 (D.A. Carson).
  10. Revelation 13 (D.A. Carson).

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Miscellaneous notes:

D.A. Carson’s 3 part outline of Revelation 12 is:

  1. John outlines the occasion for this Satanic rage (Rev 12:1-9)
  2. The reasons for the Satanic rage (Rev 12:12-17)
  3. How Christians overcome this Satanic rage (Rev 12:10-11)

John sees a war in heaven. Satan is cast down to the earth where he wages war on the saints. Protected by God they overcome the Devil through the blood of the Lamb (Rev 12:11). Revelation 12 is the literary center of this book. It is an important turning point in the apocalyptic drama.

The seal and trumpet judgments. Revelation 6-7 (7 seals) shows God’s judgment on 1/4th of the earth. When the 7 seals run their course, Christ returns to judge the world and make all things new. Revelation 8-11 (7 trumpets) is more intense, effecting 1/3rd of the earth. The trumpet and seal judgments run simultaneously but from a different “camera angle.” The trumpet judgments are the result of the prayers of the suffering saints. But despite God’s judgment, the earth’s inhabitants do not repent. They worship the beast and their idolatries. When the 7th seal was opened there was silence in heaven. But when the 7th trumpet sounds, heaven is opened and the ark of the covenant is seen.

Both interludes describe the church militant on the earth struggling against the beast and the church triumphant in heaven, which has conquered her enemies and is now safe awaiting the day of resurrection. The interlude between the 6th and 7th seal judgment (Revelation 7) shows the church on the earth (the 144,000) sealed with the name of Christ and protected from his wrath, and the church in heaven (the great multitude no one can count). The interlude between the 6th and 7th trumpet judgments, likewise, shows the church on earth and in heaven: the heavenly temple–the mystical body of Christ–and the church on earth, the outer court of the temple, trampled by the Gentiles for 42 months (3½ years), which is the last half of the 70th week of Daniel’s prophecy of the 70 weeks (Dan 9:24-27).

The purpose of these two interludes gives the persecuted church of John’s day hope in the face of persecution from the Roman empire. It explains the nature of the spiritual warfare 2,000 years later. In Revelation 10 an angel gave a little scroll to John to eat. It contained the bittersweet word of the law and the gospel, and the final word of woe coming on the earth when the 7th trumpet sounds and Christ returns to judge the world. Our mission to preach the gospel and warn the world of the final judgment to come.

The two witnesses are symbolic of the church. In Revelation 11, John describes two mysterious witnesses, who like Zerubabbel, build the temple of God, who like Joshua, serve as priests, who like Elijah, can shut up the heavens and call down fire on the earth, and who like Moses, can bring plagues on those who oppose the kingdom of God. They mirror the first four seal and trumpet judgments. When empowered by Satan and allowed by God, the beast kills the two witnesses, leaving their bodies in the street of the city of man, the sign of the world’s disdain for their message–the bittersweet words given to John.

Satan cannot win or triumph. When the beast silences the preaching of the gospel, God intervenes and vindicates his witnesses by raising them from the dead and taking them to heaven. He also raises up more witnesses to preach the gospel after them. Satan cannot win or triumph. The beast kills the witnesses of Christ. God raises up new ones to take their places. But this struggle will come to an end when the 7th trumpet sounds on the day of judgment, when the kingdoms of this world become the kingdoms of Christ (Rev 11:15). When the 7th trumpet sounds, the elders around the throne worship God. God’s will is now done on earth, as it is in heaven. Babylon the Great is no more! The New Jerusalem takes its place.

Revelation 12 begins a new vision. The seal and trumpet judgments view the same period of time from different perspectives or “camera angles.” Revelation 12 (after Revelation 6-11) is not descriptive of what comes after the seal and trumpet judgments, but is the beginning of a new vision which takes us from the 1st to Christ’s 2nd advent, as depicted in Rev 14:14-20.

7 main characters–in symbolic form–of the primary combatants in the cosmic war between Christ and Satan are discussed (from Revelation 12 on) during this present age: period between the two comings of Christ and spoken of as the “last days,” “the great tribulation,” “the thousand years,” “the forty-two months,” and the “1260 days”. The seven histories of the seven symbolic characters include the account of the dragon, the woman, the beast, the false prophet, the angelic announcers, the 144,000 and the Son of Man.

A counterfeit trinity. The antagonists are the dragon (Satan), and his primary henchmen, the beast and the false prophet. They form a counterfeit “trinity” of sorts to lead the world and the church away from Christ. Eph 6:12 says, “our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” The two main protagonists are the woman (Israel) and the 144,000 (the redeemed people of God). This spiritual conflict plays out in redemptive history as a whole, as well as in this present evil age in which we live.

Rev 12:1-6 contain the central characters in the great drama of redemption: the woman (Israel) and the dragon (Satan). The vision opens with a dramatic scene in Rev 12:1-2. Who is this woman? Some, most notably Roman Catholic interpreters, argue that this is the virgin–to whom they refer as the queen of heaven–in part, based upon this vision. But the key to proper interpretation is the OT. This vision recalls Gen 37:9-10 and the account of Joseph’s dream. The stars represent Jacob, his wife and the heads of the tribes of Israel. This foreshadows the coming messiah. Isa 54:1-8 speak of Israel, using the metaphor of a mother whose house is filled with the children of the husband-redeemer. From such passages–and many more–the woman in John’s vision is symbolic of the nation of Israel, which includes the virgin, who has given birth to the Messiah as well as the chosen remnant who will become his people.

The dragon is Satan (Rev 12:3, 9). That Satan is depicted as a dragon symbolizes his ferocity. The hideous imagery of 7 crowned heads and 10 horns suggests that there are many different manifestations of Satan’s power in history, seen in the kingdoms of this world which arise and persecute the church. 7–the number of fullness or perfection–indicates that Satan’s kingdom is spread throughout the whole world and that his kingdom imitates the kingdom of God–the very height of blasphemy and idolatry.

Blasphemous arrogance. In a demonstration of the Devil’s power, “his tail swept a third of the stars out of the sky and flung them to the earth” (Rev 12:4), perhaps a reference to those angelic beings who followed Satan in his revolt against God. More likely it is an echo from Daniel 8 in which a great kingdom grows so powerful it displaces part of the heavens. In any case, the primary image is one of blasphemous arrogance, first seen in Antiochus Epiphanes, who attacked the Jews two centuries before the coming of Christ and who desecrated the Jerusalem temple after it was rebuilt. Antiochus becomes a type of all god-hating, self-deifying emperors who oppose the kingdom of God, including Caesar Nero.

The conflict. The struggle between the woman and the dragon is as old as redemptive history itself (Gen 3:15). Rev 12:4 is another stage in this conflict when the dragon attempts to kill the promised seed (Jesus Christ), before he can bring redemption to God’s people and usher in the messianic kingdom.

Rev 12:4b-5 describes in apocalyptic form, the account of the birth, life, death, burial, resurrection, and ascension of Christ, and God’s protection of Jesus and Mary from Herod ordering the death of all young Hebrew males in Bethlehem (Mt 2:1-11).

Rev 12:6. Having given birth to the Savior, the dragon turns upon the woman–who is now protected by God from the wrath of Satan. Rev 12:6 recalls OT events. God kept Israel safe during their 400 years of Egyptian captivity as the people of Israel dwelt safely in Goshen while God’s judgment fell on Egypt. During the Exodus, God protected Israel in the wilderness providing them with manna. God provided for Elijah, being fed by ravens while he hid in the wilderness (1 Kings 17:2-6). Now God provides for the woman, throughout the entire period of time between Christ’s first and second coming (the 1,260 days).

The church–the new Israel–is protected from Satan’s attacks and given everything she needs during her exile in the wilderness until at last she enters the promised land. The church, like Israel, is in the midst of a great exodus from the city of man (John calls it “Egypt”), wandering in the wilderness, protected by God who feeds us with bread from heaven and gives us living water, until one day, he brings us to the promised land, the New Jerusalem.

Rev 12:7 describes the same period of time from a different perspective–not that of the struggle on earth between the woman and the dragon which we see throughout the great drama of redemptive history–but a “behind the scenes glimpse” of the cosmic and heavenly struggle, which culminates in the banishment of Satan from the presence of God. Once the woman gives birth and the Messiah has come, Satan is defeated. In apocalyptic terms, it is a war between angelic beings (Rev 12:7). Satan lost (Rev 12:8-9). In Lk 10:18 Jesus says, “I saw Satan fall like lightening from heaven.” This is described in Rev 20:1-3.

Like a mortally wounded animal, Satan is more dangerous now than ever. Having been defeated by Christ, Satan is cast down to the earth, banished to an abyss, bound by the preaching of the gospel, and now enraged because his days are numbered.

Rev 12:10-12. Heaven resounds with the sounds of victory as a result of Satan’s defeat. “He is filled with fury, because he knows that his time is short” (Rev 12:12b). No longer can Satan enter heaven and make accusations against the saints! For they overcome the Devil by the blood of the Lamb, since their sins have been paid in full, and since Christ’s blood washes them, removing every hint and trace of sin. How can Satan accuse us of anything, since God himself has cleansed us from our sins? The saints don’t fear death, nor do they fear Satan, who can kill the body but cannot touch the soul.

Rev 12:13-14. John returns to describing the battle which rages on the earth between Satan and the woman, this time as the battle takes shape after Satan is cast down from heaven. The apocalyptic symbols draw upon OT images of Exodus (Exo 19:4). As YHWH had done for Israel, so now he does for the woman, preserving her in the wilderness for the now familiar period of three and a half years–“a time, a times and half a time.”

Rev 12:15. Enraged by his defeat and his impending doom, and frustrated by his inability to overcome the woman or her offspring, Satan opens his mouth and “spew[ing] water like a river, to overtake the woman and sweep her away with the torrent.” The image is not literal, but symbolic. Rev 1:16 describes a sharp sword coming from the mouth of the Son of Man. This was not a literal sword, but was symbolic of the power of God’s word, able to divide bone from marrow (Heb 4:12). Unable to conquer the church directly, Satan will attempt to deceive. The serpent (dragon) opens his mouth and imitating the powers of the Son of Man, spews forth his own deceptive word to deceive the people of God, symbolized by a great flood. This is the spirit of antichrist which goes forth into the world to deceive the people of God through false teaching as described in the 7 letters of Revelation 1-3 (1 John 2:18 ff).

Rev 12:16. The woman sought refuge in the safe place prepared for her by God, who protects her (Rev 12:16). John’s mysterious language makes perfect sense in light of the OT. In Num 16:31-33 the ground opened and swallowed the false priests of Israel, who sought to deceive his people. So too, God will ensure that the flood of Satanic lies will not overwhelm the church. Not only do we have the image of God’s judgment coming upon false teachers–symbolically depicted by the earth swallowing the river of Satanic lies–there are covenant promises to be considered as well.

Rev 12:17. Through Isaiah, God promises his people, “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze” (Isa 43:2). When we take refuge in Christ and in his covenant promises, Satan’s lies are of no avail. Satan is defeated by the truth. The dragon will wage his battles through the agency of the beast–the anti-Christian governments who persecute the church (Rev 12:17)–and who, at times, is allowed by God to wage war on the saints.

Christ’s church must face the rage of Satan after he is cast down to earth. Despite the Devil’s rage, he cannot defeat us! Rather, John says, [we] overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of [our] testimony; [we] did not love [our] lives so much as to shrink from death (Rev 12:11). The weapons God has given to us to equip us for this great struggle is the gospel–the power of God salvation. Since the guilt of our sins has been removed–Christ paying our debt in full–Satan’s accusations have no merit. No longer can he accuse us before God. Sin no longer has any hold upon us. Its power over us is broken. The penalty has paid in full. The truth of the gospel has set us free.

Since Christ has conquered death and the grave in his resurrection, we need not fear death. Even if the beast is permitted to take our lives, we come to life and reign with Christ. Then we take our places before the throne, and join that multitude so vast they cannot be counted as we await the resurrection at the end of the age.

John’s point is this. We overcome the Devil and all his works by the blood of the Lamb. Therefore, we need not fear the sword of the beast, nor lies of the Devil. We need not fear even death. Through the shed blood and triumphant resurrection of Christ, we have overcome all our enemies. Amen!

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