Rev.
{12:1} 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
*Woman-
Rev. {17:18} And the woman which thou sawest is that great city, which reigneth over the kings of the earth.
*John {3:28} Ye yourselves bear me witness, that I said, I am not the Christ, but that I am sent before him. {3:29} He that hath the bride is the bridegroom: but the friend of the bridegroom, which standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice: this my joy therefore is fulfilled.
He that hath the bride is the bridegroom. Christ has the bride- and Christ's bride are His people, Christ's bride is His church.
*Gal. {4:26} But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all.
The great wonder in heaven. God's people victorious.
Light we equate with goodness, darkness we equate with evil. To be clothed with light is to be clothed with goodness. To have the moon under her feet is to have the darkness (because the moon has NO light of her own) under her. Victorious over the darkness. A crown of victory, twleve stars- perfected, the perfect crown.
1. Twelve PATRIARCHS - from Seth to Noah and his family, and twelve from Shem to Jacob.
2. 12 Tribes of Isreal
3. 12 Judges
4. In the Temple the number 12 is a predominant number.
5. The twelve Apostles.
6. The twelve foundations in the heavenly Jerusalem.
7. The twelve gates.
8. The twelve pearls.
9. The twelve angels.
The Measurement of New Jerusalem will be 12,000 furlongs square, while the wall will be 144 (12 x 12) cubits, Revelation 21:16,17.
You can see that the number 12 is important, having 12 stars in the crown is perfect victory the woman possesses as God's people.
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{12:2} And she being with child cried, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered.
From God's people a child was ready to be born. A special child and God's people were in need of this child. As with any child about to be birthed there is travail, there is pain in delivery and it was the same for this special child. The woman- God's people were suffering under the yoke of their existence. As God's people captive by the Egyptians lived in a time of suffering and travail, God's people under the oppressive rule of the Romans suffered.
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{12:3} 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.
One wonder was the woman of God- God's victorous people. Another wonder was a great fiery dragon with seven heads and ten horns and seven crowns upon his head. A great beast existed at the same time as God's people, victorous because they are God's an no one else's. The great beast comprised of many heads, many horns with crowns on those heads- this beast's rule extends outward and encompasses many. While having only 7 heads it has 10 horns, the crowns are not upon the horns but the heads. We see similar beasts in the book of Daniel.
We have two opposites here representing Good and Evil. God and Satan.
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{12:4} 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.
This second wonder the great fiery dragon drew a third part of the stars of heaven with him and cast them to earth. Who cast them? The tail of the dragon took the stars- and stars represent angels. Job {38:7} When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?
The dragon took 1/3 part of the stars, the angels with him to earth. And the dragon- Satan stood before the woman, the church, God's people right before Christ was born, ready to devour the child, ready to defeat Christ.
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{12:5} 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.
{12:6} 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.
The child was born! Christ was born! Christ who would rule all nations with a rod of iron. The child was caught up to God and to his throne. The church- God's people fled into the wilderness they were preserved for a long, long time. And it's true. God's people have suffered a lot and have prevailed even as they were almost wiped out over and over again. The wilderness where things can hide, it's not a city, not the mainstream, not where the great poplace exists.
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{12:7} And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels
{12:8} And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven.
{12:9} 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.
{12:10} 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 is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.
When was Satan cast down? When was the war in heaven? When did the dragon and angels fight?
It says NOW is come salvation, when was salvation come? When Jesus came to the world to save us, right? So the war in heaven took place AFTER Jesus was come into the world to give us salvation. The war took place and then the dragon was cast out and those 1/3rd of the angels were cast out with him.
It makes sense that they would have been cast out to earth AFTER the earth was well formed and man established upon it. Some say that Satan was cast out to earth before man was put on earth and they'd be wrong. What sort of God would throw the lambs to the lion like that? Remember in Job -- {1:6} Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them. {1:7} And the LORD said unto Satan, Whence comest thou? Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it. {1:8} And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that [there is] none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil? {1:9} Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, Doth Job fear God for nought? {1:10} Hast not thou made an hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side? thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land. {1:11} But put forth thine hand now, and touch all that he hath, and he will curse thee to thy face. {1:12} And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold, all that he hath [is] in thy power; only upon himself put not forth thine hand. So Satan went forth from the presence of the LORD.
Satan was going to heaven to stand before God then, he hadn't been cast out to earth. Jesus had not yet come to earth to bring salvation to man. Satan was telling God that he was walking the earth as if it were his and God said what about Job. And Satan accused God of favoring Job and if he no longer favored him then he wouldn't be his. So...God removed the protection from all but Job's life so Satan could try to tear Job away from loving God. The whole earth wasn't Satan's, it wasn't his and God loves those who love Him and there were those that loved him and didn't follow Satan and his evil ways. While Satan could work on earth he wasn't cast out to earth until salvation was assured for man.
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{12:11} And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.
{12:12} Therefore rejoice, [ye] heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time.
{12:13} And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth, he persecuted the woman which brought forth the man [child. ]
{12:14} 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.
{12:15} 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.
{12:16} 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.
{12:17} 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.
We overcome by the blood of the Lamb. We overcome by the word of the testimony of Jesus. We overcome because we love not our lives to death.
Satan would have us, Satan would devour us, Satan makes war with us who claim to be the Lord's, His church, His people. We keep the commandments of God and the have the testimony of Jesus Christ.
Make no mistake, Satan would have each of us and he will stop at nothing to get us, to get ANY who are truly God's. Having the Love of Jesus in us makes us targets of Satan's and our only hope is to hold fast to Jesus, hold fast and never let go. By His grace and mercy will will overcome, only by his grace and mercy and not loving our own lives unto death- being willing to die for Jesus, for His love. May we be His now and forever.
Amen.
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