Rev. 12:1-17, A woman and a dragon (The protection and victory of the …

Rev. 12:1-17, A woman and a dragon (The protection and victory of the church)

 12:1-17, 1. A great and wondrous sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet and a crown of twelve stars on her head.
2. She was pregnant and cried out in pain as she was about to give birth.
3. Then another sign appeared in heaven: an enormous red dragon with seven heads and ten horns and seven crowns on his heads.
4. His tail swept a third of the stars out of the sky and flung them to the earth. The dragon stood in front of the woman who was about to give birth, so that he might devour her child the moment it was born.
5. She gave birth to a son, a male child, who will rule all the nations with an iron scepter. And her child was snatched up to God and to his throne.
6. The woman fled into the desert to a place prepared for her by God, where she might be taken care of for 1,260 days.
7. And there was war in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back.
8. But he was not strong enough, and they lost their place in heaven.
9. The great dragon was hurled down -- that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him.
10. Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say: "Now have come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Christ. For the accuser of our brothers, who accuses them before our God day and night, has been hurled down.
11. They overcame him 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.
12. Therefore rejoice, you heavens and you who dwell in them! But woe to the earth and the sea, because the devil has gone down to you! He is filled with fury, because he knows that his time is short."
13. When the dragon saw that he had been hurled to the earth, he pursued the woman who had given birth to the male child.
14. The woman was given the two wings of a great eagle, so that she might fly to the place prepared for her in the desert, where she would be taken care of for a time, times and half a time, out of the serpent's reach.
15. Then from his mouth the serpent spewed water like a river, to overtake the woman and sweep her away with the torrent.
16. But the earth helped the woman by opening its mouth and swallowing the river that the dragon had spewed out of his mouth.
17. Then the dragon was enraged at the woman and went off to make war against the rest of her offspring -- those who obey God's commandments and hold to the testimony of Jesus.

<Summary of Sermon> A woman & a dragon (The protection & victory of the church)

  Revelation chapters 12-14 show the history of mankind, especially the history of the holy war. The dragon (the devil) opposes the world ruled by God and Jesus.

  Chapter 12 today is the story of a woman (church) and a dragon. The woman signifies the persecuted, glorious spiritual Israel, that is, all the churches, and in suffering gives birth to a child (Christ). She wears the sun of glory, and treads the moon of majesty. Her head is crowned with twelve stars, triumphal (1-2). The dragon (Devil = Old Serpent = Satan), on the other hand, has seven great, red heads (ruling power), ten horns (power), and seven crowns (fake, disguising the power of a king) on ​​her head (3-4). It means the mighty power and authority of Satan. He constantly threatens the woman (the church), but God nurtures and protects the church and the child (Christ) even in the desert where they fled (6). The child is the one who rules over the nations with a scepter of iron (19:15, Psalm 2:9, and ascends to the throne of God, 5, Ascension).
*19:5, Out of his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. "He will rule them with an iron scepter." He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty.
*Ps.2:9, You will rule them with an iron scepter; you will dash them to pieces like pottery.

  Then in heaven the dragon and his angels make war with the archangel Michael and his angels, but are defeated and banished to earth (7-9). Even today, the devil persecutes the church and the saints, deceives us and accuses us (9). However, if we rely on the blood of the Lamb, testify of the Lord with the word of God, and keep the faith until death (Pastor Joo-Kichul, Stephen and Paul, etc.), we will eventually be victorious (11). As Jesus overcame, so we will be victorious (John 16:33, Rom. 8:37). Even if we live in the world, if we live while looking at the heavenly kingdom, we can be joyful. However, if you only look at the earth, you will live under a curse (12). Let's live only looking at God and heaven.
 *Jn. 16:33, "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.“
 *Rom. 8:37, "No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.“

  In anger, the devil persecutes woman(church) on earth, the church, and wages wars (13,15,17). But with God's help (14,16) we will have victory. When we keep God's commandments and have the testimony of Jesus, we overcome Satan (17). Our faith life, the holy war, is not easy, but hard and difficult. But God will keep us and give us victory. All our temptations are bearable, and in the time of temptation, God also gives us a way of escape (1 Corinthians 10:13).
 *1 Cor. 10:13, No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.

  All we need to do is hold on to God and His Word and go forward with faith and patience. Let us all rely on the blood and word of the Lamb to win the spiritual war against Satan. I pray that you will live as heavenly people who diligently preach Jesus, who is life and salvation, and serve our church. Amen.