Sermon Notes
Date: 27th August 2023
Revelation 12:1-6
Earlier this week, I was asked: “Where in the Bible do we read about the fall of Satan and one-third of Heaven’s angels?” The question intrigued me, and after pondering the question, I decided to preach through the vision many use as a proof text.
“And a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars. 2 She was pregnant and was crying out in birth pains and the agony of giving birth. And another sign appeared in heaven: behold, a great red dragon, with seven heads and ten horns, and on his heads seven diadems. His tail swept down a third of the stars of heaven and cast them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman who was about to give birth, so that when she bore her child he might devour it. She gave birth to a male child, one who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron, but her child was caught up to God and to his throne, and the woman fled into the wilderness, where she has a place prepared by God, in which she is to be nourished for 1,260 days.”
How do we make sense of this vision? Well, allow scripture to interpret scripture.
About the Woman, the Child, and the Dragon
The woman symbolises the people of God through whom the Messiah will descend. Compare the details of Revelation 12:1 with Joesph’s second dream.
“Then he dreamed still another dream and told it to his brothers, and said, “Look, I have dreamed another dream. And this time, the sun, the moon, and the eleven stars bowed down to me. So he told it to his father and his brothers, and his father rebuked him and said to him, “What is this dream that you have dreamed? Shall your mother and I and your brothers indeed come to bow down to the earth before you?” And his brothers envied him, but his father kept the matter in mind.” (Gen 37:
The eleven stars are Joesph’s brothers, the sun and moon symbolise his father and mother, and Joesph is the star to whom they bow. The same symbolism is used in Revelation 12 in connection with the woman.
The child is the Lord Jesus Christ. The text describes the Messiah’s rule with a rod of iron, which is a fulfilment of Psalm 2:9 and a call back to Rev 2:27. The child being caught up to God refers to the glorification of the once dead but now resurrected and ascended Christ. The dragon is the devil (v9). The tail sweeping down one-third of stars to the earth refers not to the fall of angels but to the devil’s onslaught against the people of God in an attempt to foil the promise of Genesis 3:15.
Compare Daniel’s vision in 8:9,10 and Gabriel’s explanation in verse 24.
“And out of one of them came a little horn which grew exceedingly great toward the south, toward the east, and toward the Glorious Land. And it grew up to the host of heaven; and it cast down some of the host and some of the stars to the ground, and trampled them.” (Dan 8:9,10)
Gabriel explains the symbol of thrown down and trampled stars as follows:
“And in the latter time of their kingdom, When the transgressors have reached their fullness, A king shall arise, Having fierce features, Who understands sinister schemes. His power shall be mighty, but not by his own power; He shall destroy fearfully, And shall prosper and thrive; He shall destroy the mighty, and also the holy people (the people who are saints – ESV).” (Dan 8:23,24)
Believers being pictured as stars isn’t unusual in scripture. Remember God’s promise to Abram:
“After these things, the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision: “Fear not, Abram, I am your shield; your reward shall be very great.” But Abram said, “O Lord GOD, what will you give me, for I continue childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?” And Abram said, “Behold, you have given me no offspring, and a member of my household will be my heir.” And behold, the word of the LORD came to him: “This man shall not be your heir; your very own son shall be your heir.”And he brought him outside and said, “Look toward heaven, and number the stars, if you are able to number them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your offspring be.” And he believed the LORD, and he counted it to him as righteousness.” (Gen 15:1-6)
The vision summarises the history of the struggle prophesied in Genesis 3:15, which would end in salvation for all in Christ and the ultimate defeat of Satan and all who follow Him.
Points to be derived from the vision:
*The symbols used to describe the woman highlight that despite its current problems, weaknesses, and failures, the church of Jesus Christ is both precious, glorious and treasured by God. How? It is made up of the redeemed whom he loves and for whom he died (Eph 5:25). Peter also tells us that the redeemed are “a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.” (1 Pet 2:9).
*God’s promise was fulfilled, and Satan’s attempts to thwart the Messiah’s coming and his inevitable defeat failed. The Lord Jesus was born, which should remind us of God’s sovereignty, that Satan has failed in his attempt to foil the promise of Gen 3:15, and despite his continued rage against the church as described in the remainder of chapter 12 and chapter 13 through the rising two beasts, God’s sovereignty and promise will never fail. Every believer will stand victorious with Christ upon the heavenly Mount Zion (Rev 14:1). “In all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.” (Rom 8:7)
Quote… Unquote
“All the promises of God are absolutely sure and indestructible. Satan could not thwart God’s promise to send Christ, and he will not be able to defeat any of his other promises.” (Rodger Ellsworth)
A small note about verse 6:
Steve Whilmshurst points out that Verse 6 uses imagery that takes us back to the time of the Exodus and Israel’s redemption from Egypt. Israel was redeemed from bondage to Pharaoh (likened in scripture to a dragon-type monster Ezekiel 29:3) into the wilderness, where they enjoyed God’s provision and fellowship before its entrance into the promised land. Likewise, the church is now pictured as in the wilderness, under God’s care, for 1260 days (the new covenant era), waiting for our entrance into the promised land (Heb 4: 1,8)
None of the points above are new, and I owe a lot to books by William Hendrickson, Richard Brooks, and Steve Whilmshurst.