Coffeeville First Baptist Church by Craig Baker 3/13/25

By Marie | March 11, 2025 |

In our study of Revelation, we are in the section of the book that covers what we know as the “Great Tribulation” which encompasses the last 3.5 years of the end times tribulation. Jesus said the sign that the Great Tribulation period is beginning will be the Antichrist setting himself up in the temple as the object of worship. This is known as the Abomination of Desolation. Apart from the 144,000 saved Jews who are sealed from the terrible tragedies to come in chapter 7, the only people who remain on earth at the beginning of the Great Tribulation are the unsaved. John’s visions of the Great Tribulation is recorded in Revelation 8 to 18. In this second half of the tribulation, beginning in Chapter 8, we have the judgment of God poured out on the earth in a series of trumpet judgments then concludes with the final bowl judgments. With the Antichrist taking control of the temple, chapter 11 tells us that Jerusalem, the holy city, and the temple, the earth’s most holy place, will be trampled underfoot, controlled, by the Antichrist’s followers during the Great Tribulation and ultimately, destroyed as the Great Tribulation comes to an end. We are also told in chapter 11 that throughout the Great Tribulation, God will have two witnesses present on earth who will proclaim truth and repentance to the world. Many will hate them and try to kill them for their message, but God grants them supernatural powers to protect themselves. During the Great Tribulation, some will repent and turn to Jesus for salvation. However, most of the world will continue to reject God and remain rebellious and sinful. At the end of the 3.5 year Great Tribulation, the ministry of the two witnesses will be complete, and God allows the Antichrist to kill them. Their bodies lay in the streets of Jerusalem for 3.5 days before they are resurrected and called to heaven. With that the seventh trumpet will blow signaling the time of salvation has ended, and the final and total judgments of God are about to commence. However, before we are told of the nature and outcome of God’s final judgments on the earth, John tells us of visions he received of other events that take place during the Great Tribulation (Rev. 12-14). This week we consider chapter 12, and what we could be call the dragon wars. In the first part of this vision John tells of seeing a woman give birth to a male child and the dragon that tries to destroy the child. To understand this chapter, we need to first identify these figures. The key to identifying the woman in these verses is in how she is described and the identity the child she bares. John said this woman was clothed with the sun, has the moon under her feet and a garland of 12 stars on her head. John’s description of the woman parallels Joseph’s dream or vision of his father, mother, and brothers in Genesis 37. Joseph was given a dream of his father, Jacob represented by the sun, his mother, Rachel represented by the moon, and his eleven brothers, each represented by a star bowing down to him. Joseph and his 11 brothers are the stars, the founding fathers, of the 12 tribes of Israel. From this and other Old Testament references, we know this woman represents the Nation of Israel. With that in mind, let us consider who the child is who rules the nations with a rod of iron. Again, we go to the Old Testament where we are told in Psalm 2:9 that the Son of the Lord will be given the nations as His inheritance and shall break those who oppose Him with a rod of iron. John also wrote of the child being caught up to God and His throne. From this we know the child is Jesus. Now who is the dragon. Revelation 12:9 tells us plainly that the great dragon John saw in this vision is Satan. In these 6 verses John summed up the history of the coming of Jesus, His death, His resurrection, and His ascension. John also summed up the spiritual war that has been going on throughout history and continues today between Satan and God’s people, especially how Satan tried to destroy Jesus and prevent Him from giving Himself on the cross as a sacrifice for our sins. No doubt Herod’s murderous decree that all male children under 2 years old were to be killed was nothing but the work of Satan. The Jews attempting to kill Jesus on several occasions was again the work of Satan. We are also told that Satan himself tempted Jesus in the wilderness. All of Satan’s attempts to destroy Jesus before He could fulfill His purpose of salvation failed. John’s vision began with things these things that were and had already taken place to give us the background to understand the things that are to come as he saw them in verses 7-17. Again, like chapter 11, the events John describes here in these verses of chapter 12 occur throughout the Great Tribulation. Despite being initially cast out of heaven all those ages ago, the Bible indicates that Satan still has access to heaven and God in some way. We know this from the events of Job and other passages where we are told that Satan accuses us before God. However, as the 3.5 years of the Great Tribulation begins, there will be a final battle (second war of the dragon) in heaven, and Satan will be defeated and cast from heaven for good (Rev. 12:7-12). At this point, John said heaven was commanded to rejoice, but woe to the inhabitants of the earth and sea for Satan has come down to them. After being cast out of heaven to earth, we are told Satan will make war (third war of the dragon) against the inhabitants of the earth. Satan will initially turn his wrath towards the woman, the faithful Jews who remain on earth during the Great Tribulation. Yet, they are protected by God from his attacks. I believe this is the 144,000 of the Tribes of Israel who were sealed by God in chapter 7. Realizing he cannot harm those who are sealed, Satan is enraged and turns his wrath to her other offspring who are those who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ. These will be those who are saved, who accept Jesus, during the Great Tribulation. We are not told all the terrible things Satan and his fallen angels bring against these believers, but in chapter 9, we are told it is Satan who leads the demonic locust creatures and likely the demonic horsemen as well that are released from the bottomless pit with the blowing of the fifth and sixth trumpets of judgment. Satan’s war against God’s people will continue throughout the Great Tribulation. Though chapter 12 talks of past and future events, we need to realize that we live in a time when Satan (the Great Dragon) is still raging war against Jesus by attacking His church. If you are a follower of Jesus, know that Satan will attack you at various times in various ways. It may be through your health. It may be through your relationships. It may be through your emotional state. It may be any number of ways, but regardless of the exact method, Satan is going to attack. He is going to tempt you to sin. He is going to take your sins and use them to accuse you, to cause you emotional turmoil, perhaps even get you to doubt God and your faith. The Apostle Paul warned the church that we are at war against the evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers of darkness who rule this world, and against wicked spirits in the heavenly realms. The Apostle Peter warned us that Satan is like a roaring lion walking among us looking for whom he may devour. This is a war we cannot win on our own, but the Bible tells us how we overcome, how we defeat Satan. John said in Revelation 12:11, “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.” When we consider we are in a battle against a great dragon, we realize that victory requires us to use the armor God has given us. The waistband of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, feet shod in preparation, the shield of faith, the sword of the spirit, and the helmet of salvation. Notice there is no armor given to protect our backside because we are not to turn and run from the attacks of Satan. We are to boldly stand and fight, knowing that our hope and salvation, our victory is already won through our faith in Jesus.

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