Rev. 12:1-12Rev. 12:1-12

Father in Heaven, we pray for Father in Heaven, we pray for knowledge and understanding as we knowledge and understanding as we

embark into Your Words, embark into Your Words, in Jesus’ name, Amen.in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Revelation 12:1 And there Revelation 12:1 And there appeared aappeared a great wonder in great wonder in

heavenheaven

A Heavenly VisionA Heavenly Vision

Revelation 12:1 Revelation 12:1 “The Woman”“The Woman”In the town of In the town of

Nazareth, noted for Nazareth, noted for its wickedness, its wickedness, lived a young lived a young

woman. woman. Gabriel came from Gabriel came from

the presence of the presence of God, and made God, and made

known to Mary that known to Mary that she, a virgin in she, a virgin in Israel, should Israel, should

become the mother become the mother of the Son of God.of the Son of God.In Bible language, In Bible language, the woman is also the woman is also

called called ““The Church”. The Church”.

Jeremiah 6:2Jeremiah 6:2

Revelation 12:1 “The Revelation 12:1 “The Sun and The Moon”Sun and The Moon”

Sun=N.T. Sun=N.T. ChurchChurch

Moon=O.T. Moon=O.T. ChurchChurch

Revelation 12:1 “The Revelation 12:1 “The Sun and The Moon”Sun and The Moon”•The natural light of God's The natural light of God's

creation. creation. •Jesus told the church, "Ye are the Jesus told the church, "Ye are the light of the world." Matthew 5:14. light of the world." Matthew 5:14.

•The sun represents the light of The sun represents the light of Jesus (Psalms 84:11; Malachi 4:2). Jesus (Psalms 84:11; Malachi 4:2).

•The moon under her feet The moon under her feet represents the types and shadows represents the types and shadows

of the Old Testament sacrificial of the Old Testament sacrificial system. system.

•As the moon reflects the light of As the moon reflects the light of the sun, so the sacrificial system the sun, so the sacrificial system was helpful because it reflected was helpful because it reflected the light of the Messiah to come the light of the Messiah to come (Colossians 2:16, 17; Hebrews (Colossians 2:16, 17; Hebrews

10:1).10:1).

Revelation 12:1 “A Revelation 12:1 “A Crown Of Twelve Stars”Crown Of Twelve Stars”

•The 12 stars The 12 stars above her head above her head symbolize the symbolize the

leadership of the leadership of the church- 12 tribes church- 12 tribes

in the Old in the Old Testament and Testament and 12 apostles in 12 apostles in

the New the New Testament. Testament.

•The one who is The one who is to rule all to rule all

nations with a nations with a rod of iron is rod of iron is

Jesus Jesus Psalms 2:7-9; Psalms 2:7-9;

Revelation 19:13-Revelation 19:13-1616

Revelation 12:2Revelation 12:2- And she being with - And she being with child cried, child cried, travailing in birth, and travailing in birth, and

pained to be delivered.pained to be delivered.

God’s God’s church, church,

via via Mary, Mary, gave gave

birth to birth to Jesus.Jesus.

Revelation 12:3Revelation 12:3•Another Another

Heavenly visionHeavenly vision•Satan in the Satan in the

form of dragonform of dragon•7 Heads and 7 Heads and Crowns is 7 Crowns is 7

earthly kingdoms earthly kingdoms from Babylon from Babylon until the 2until the 2ndnd

comingcoming•10 horns are the 10 horns are the

10 nations of 10 nations of Western Western

Europe(476-1798)Europe(476-1798)

Revelation 12:4Revelation 12:4• Pre Earth area: Pre Earth area: Revolt and war in Revolt and war in

Heaven Heaven • Rev. 12:7-9 Rev. 12:7-9

The dragon is Satan, The dragon is Satan, who at the time of who at the time of

Jesus' birth was Jesus' birth was working through working through the pagan Roman the pagan Roman

Empire. Satan Empire. Satan influenced Herod, a influenced Herod, a ruler under Rome, ruler under Rome, to try to murder to try to murder baby Jesus by baby Jesus by killing all the killing all the

infants in infants in Bethlehem Bethlehem

Matthew 2:16-18: Matthew 2:16-18: Jeremiah 31:15-16Jeremiah 31:15-16

Revelation 12:5Revelation 12:5•Man child means Man child means Christ was born a Christ was born a

humanhuman•His government His government can not be brokencan not be broken

•He was risen after He was risen after deathdeath

After His After His resurrection, Jesus resurrection, Jesus

ascended up to ascended up to heaven and to heaven and to

God's throne where God's throne where He was beyond the He was beyond the

reach of Satan.reach of Satan.Acts 1:9-11Acts 1:9-11

Revelation Revelation 12:6,11,& 1412:6,11,& 14God’s true church was on God’s true church was on

the run from persecution the run from persecution where He, God, personally where He, God, personally took care of her for 1260 took care of her for 1260

years. (538-1798) years. (538-1798) The woman (God's church) The woman (God's church)

fled into the wilderness (the fled into the wilderness (the remote places of earth) to remote places of earth) to

hide from her enemies. It is hide from her enemies. It is a well-known historical fact a well-known historical fact that during the Dark Ages, that during the Dark Ages,

God's people fled to the God's people fled to the caves and solitary places of caves and solitary places of earth, including the shores earth, including the shores

of America, to seek religious of America, to seek religious freedom and protection freedom and protection from papal persecution. from papal persecution.

The 1,260 days (also The 1,260 days (also described in the Bible as 42 described in the Bible as 42

months or as three and a months or as three and a half years) refers to the half years) refers to the

terrible 1,260-year period of terrible 1,260-year period of persecution during which persecution during which

millions died for their faith. millions died for their faith. During this time period, During this time period,

God's church was alive but God's church was alive but was not identifiable as an was not identifiable as an

official, visible organization.official, visible organization.

Revelation 12:7-9Revelation 12:7-9Lucifer’s Lucifer’s rebellion rebellion

in in Heaven Heaven

and and ultimate ultimate expulsioexpulsio

nn

Revelation 12:10Revelation 12:10•The death of ChristThe death of Christ

•When the dying Son of When the dying Son of man exclaimed, "It is man exclaimed, "It is finished", a shout of finished", a shout of victory rang through victory rang through

heaven. heaven. •Christ's “ear caught the Christ's “ear caught the

distant music and the distant music and the shouts of victory in the shouts of victory in the

heavenly courts. He knew heavenly courts. He knew that the death bell of that the death bell of Satan's empire had Satan's empire had

sounded, and the name of sounded, and the name of Christ would be heralded Christ would be heralded

from world to world from world to world throughout the universe”throughout the universe”

•The life of Christ as a The life of Christ as a man, formed the strongest man, formed the strongest bonds between angels and bonds between angels and human beings, so that in human beings, so that in

heaven, men are spoken of heaven, men are spoken of as "our brethren."as "our brethren."

Revelation 12:11Revelation 12:11•They-God’s They-God’s

people people This was a dark This was a dark

hour for the hour for the disciples, who disciples, who

stood blinded by stood blinded by grief, beside a grief, beside a

sealed sepulcher; sealed sepulcher; But angels, who But angels, who knew the power knew the power of eternal life, of eternal life, witnessing the witnessing the

exaltation of the exaltation of the Son of God and Son of God and the final casting the final casting

out of Satan, out of Satan, sang halleluiahs.sang halleluiahs.

Revelation 12:12Revelation 12:12•Two parts to this Two parts to this

verseverse•This was at the time This was at the time of the resurrection of of the resurrection of

Christ Christ And while joy rang And while joy rang

through heaven, and through heaven, and the strains echoed the strains echoed

and re-echoed again and re-echoed again at His ascension, at His ascension,

•The world was not The world was not yet free from the yet free from the

wiles of the devil. wiles of the devil. Having been cast to Having been cast to

the earth, he put the earth, he put forth redoubled forth redoubled

efforts to overthrow efforts to overthrow the truth.the truth.

Revelation 12:13Revelation 12:13•This verse goes along This verse goes along

with verse 4with verse 4•Should point us to Gen. Should point us to Gen.

3:153:15When Satan could no When Satan could no longer vent his hatred longer vent his hatred on Jesus, he decided to on Jesus, he decided to hurt Jesus by turning hurt Jesus by turning his fury against the his fury against the

church.church. Through the various Through the various governments he had governments he had worked, only to meet worked, only to meet

with defeat in the end. with defeat in the end. Subtlety took the place Subtlety took the place of opposition. Paganism of opposition. Paganism melted away before the melted away before the increasing light of the increasing light of the

Gospel; but pagan Gospel; but pagan principles were principles were

accepted by Christians, accepted by Christians, and clothed in the garb and clothed in the garb

of Christianity.of Christianity.

Revelation 12:14Revelation 12:14•This verse This verse goes along goes along

with verses 6 with verses 6 and 11 went and 11 went

God take care God take care of His church of His church for a period for a period

of 1260 yearsof 1260 years•538-1798538-1798

•Papal Rome Papal Rome EraEra

Revelation 12:15Revelation 12:15•Water represents Water represents

peoplepeopleFrom the mouth From the mouth of the "dragon" of the "dragon" was cast out a was cast out a

flood of iniquity, flood of iniquity, of false doctrines, of false doctrines, of false teachings, of false teachings, of persecutions, in of persecutions, in

the hope of the hope of forever drowning forever drowning

the truth.the truth.

Revelation 12:16Revelation 12:16•The earth The earth helped the helped the woman by woman by giving her giving her

a a sanctuary sanctuary to freely to freely

worship via worship via AmericaAmerica

•1798- 21798- 2ndnd ComingComing

Revelation 12:17Revelation 12:17•Final BattleFinal Battle

•FutureFuture•God’s True Church or God’s True Church or

PeoplePeople•God's remnant church, God's remnant church,

into which He is calling all into which He is calling all His people, will keep God's His people, will keep God's

Ten Commandments Ten Commandments (including the Sabbath). It (including the Sabbath). It will also have the testimony will also have the testimony of Jesus, which is the spirit, of Jesus, which is the spirit,

or gift, of prophecy or gift, of prophecy (Revelation 19:10). (Revelation 19:10).

•God calls His end-time God calls His end-time church "the remnant," church "the remnant,"

because it is identical in because it is identical in doctrine and doctrine and

characteristics to the characteristics to the apostolic church. A apostolic church. A

"remnant" is the last "remnant" is the last remaining portion of a bolt remaining portion of a bolt of cloth. It is exactly like of cloth. It is exactly like the first piece from the the first piece from the

same bolt.same bolt.

Revelation 14:6-Revelation 14:6-1212•God’s ultimatum to God’s ultimatum to

the people of earththe people of earth•These three angelic These three angelic statements represent statements represent

the three urgent the three urgent messages that God's messages that God's church will preach church will preach

before Jesus returns.before Jesus returns.•God's end-time God's end-time

church will preach this church will preach this great three-point great three-point message to every message to every nation on earth.nation on earth.

God’s True God’s True ChurchChurch1. It will appear and do its visible work after 1. It will appear and do its visible work after

it emerges from the wilderness in 1798 it emerges from the wilderness in 1798 (Revelation 12:6, 13-17).(Revelation 12:6, 13-17).

2. It will teach the same truths the apostles 2. It will teach the same truths the apostles taught, and all of its teachings will agree taught, and all of its teachings will agree with the Bible (Revelation 12:17). with the Bible (Revelation 12:17).

3. It will keep the Ten Commandments, 3. It will keep the Ten Commandments, including the Bible Sabbath (Revelation including the Bible Sabbath (Revelation 12:17).12:17).

4. It will have the spirit of prophecy 4. It will have the spirit of prophecy (Revelation 12:17; 19:10).(Revelation 12:17; 19:10).

5. It will proclaim God's three end-time 5. It will proclaim God's three end-time messages with a loud voice (Revelation messages with a loud voice (Revelation 14:6-14).14:6-14).

6. It will be a worldwide movement 6. It will be a worldwide movement (Revelation 14:6).(Revelation 14:6).

7. It will teach the everlasting gospel, which 7. It will teach the everlasting gospel, which is salvation through Jesus Christ alone is salvation through Jesus Christ alone (Revelation 14:6). (Revelation 14:6).

Many lovely Christians are members of Many lovely Christians are members of churches that do not meet the above churches that do not meet the above seven specifications. However, no such seven specifications. However, no such church can be God's remnant which He is church can be God's remnant which He is calling all His sincere children calling all His sincere children intointo, , because His end-time church must meet because His end-time church must meet all seven specifications.all seven specifications.