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| Photo of Jon Tracy, by Jim Tracy |
Just a reminder here that God called Israel His wife (Isaiah 54:5, Jeremiah 31:31-32,) who committed adultery by worshiping other gods (Jeremiah 3:9, 5:7, Ezekiel 23:37,) God divorced Israel (Jerimiah 3:8, Isaiah 50:1, Hoshea 2:2) and “remarried” the Christian church.
1 And there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars:
This is a review for the Apostle John of what had just been happening “in heaven” (the religious world) so he would have it in his mind to properly understand what is to come.
The woman is the true believers within the nation of Israel. She is clothed with (covered by) the Son. Her foundation is a reflection of the Son (the Mosaic Law*) Her authority (crown) comes from being the twelve tribes of Israel, God’s anointed people.
(*The Mosaic Law was a type of Christ and the church. Though we don’t follow the Law today, the greater standards of righteousness assigned to us by Christ and the New Testament are founded in the Law.)
2 And she being with child cried, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered.
This child was the Christian church. The church’s birth was painful to those from Israel who birthed her. They loved their nation, but could see that she was rejecting God.
3 And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads.
Throughout the Bible, Satan is represented as a reptile (snake or dragon). His name literally means “accuser.”
This “dragon” is Satan working through the non-believing Jews.
Jerusalem sits on seven hills (the seven heads).
Horn means “power.” Rome was divided into ten Providences at this time (Italy, Achaia, Asia, Syria, Egypt, Africa, Spain, Gaul, Britain, and Germany), though many more were added shortly thereafter. Rome gave the Jews the power to persecute the Christians.
4 And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth: and the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born.
The Jews and Romans (especially under Nero) killed many Christians and caused many to turn their back on Christ because of the persecution. The Romans and Jews tried to totally destroy the Christian church the moment is was born.
5 And she brought forth a man-child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and to his throne.
The Christian church has set the standard of righteousness for the planet since the first century. This standard gives no excuse for cruelty or selfishness. We, in fact, judge the world by our holding to the laws of God, showing it very much is possible to be righteous. This standard keeps the rest of the planet in line. It rules it.
The Church was Divinely protected by God Himself.
6 And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days.
This was Pella, a city in the wilderness of Palestine on the eastern side of Jordon. It is surrounded by many mountains, making it very difficult and very out of the way for the Roman army to conquer.
The Christians listened to Christ’s warning in Matthew 24 and all fled to Pella when Rome fist marched into the region. They stayed holed up there until the war was over- about three and a half years (1260 days divided by 365 days per year is 3.45 years. Divided by 360 days per year [Jewish calendar] it would be exactly 3.5 years). During this time, the Jews went on a rampage killing everyone who didn’t believe the same as they did, and since there were a number of different belief systems within Judaism, this meant they killed each other.
7 And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels,
Michael means “One who is like God.” In other words, this is Jesus Himself.
Satan (working through Rome and the Jews) ran a spiritual battle to destroy the baby Christian church and the Christ-fearing Jews who founded it. God fought for her survival.
8 And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven.
There wasn’t room for the unbelieving Jews in “Heaven” (God's realm) anymore.
9 And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.
The Jews were finally cast out of the place of authority in the “Heavenly” realm, the church. They had lied and killed the Messiah; and now they and all their helpers were totally removed from power.
Jesus identified the Jewish leaders as children of Satan (John 8:44) and thus the “angels” or ministers of Satan. (This is not speaking of Satan being an angel that blindsided God and then was cast out of Heaven before the creation of the world. In fact, that teaching is not found in the Bible but is an old pagan legend “Christianized” by John Milton’s “Paradise Lost” in the Middle Ages. See http://www.breadoflifecf.com/satan.html)
10 And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, “Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren (Satan’s ministers- the Jews) is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.
11 And they (the Church) overcame him (Satan) by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.”
The Kingdom of God began at Calvary, and with the destruction of the Jewish nation, salvation was taken to the ends of the known world. (Romans 16:25-26; Romans 1:5,8; Acts 8:1-5,14,25; Acts 8:1-5,14,25; Titus 2:11; 1 Timothy 3:16) Victory was brought to the True Church by the preaching of the Crucifixion of Christ, and the sacrifice of the believers.
12 “Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and of the sea! For the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knows that he hath but a short time.
13 And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth, he persecuted the woman which brought forth the man child.
When the leaders of the Jewish nation realized their time was up as the anointed people of God, instead of repenting and following the truth, they persecuted the church even more.
14 And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent.
Jesus warns His followers in Luke 21:20 to flee from the city of Jerusalem when they see it surrounded by foreign armies. The Jews rebelled against Rome in AD 66/67, who sent General Cestius Gallus (under the command of Vespasian) to take the city. He surrounded it with his armies and then for no explainable reason, withdrew! At this point all Christians (according to Josephus) left the city and took refuge in Pella. It would be 3 ½ years before Titus would finally conquer Jerusalem.
God opened up the paths so the Christians could escape the entire region during this persecution. They fled to the utmost parts of the known earth (to the farthest reaches of the Roman Empire and beyond). A large number went to Pella.
15 And the serpent cast out of his mouth water as a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away of the flood.
Satan sent the Roman army as well as many heresies into the church itself like a flood to try to catch and stop the early church.
16 And the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed up the flood which the dragon cast out of his mouth.
17 And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.
The remnant is the Jews who had accepted Christ; the “remains” of the God-fearing Jews. The dragon tried to kill them all. This is Nero’s persecution.