and talk with me. We're going to read Revelation chapter 12 this morning, chapter 12, 1, 17.
The title we've given this talk this morning is The Dragon Slayer, so I hope all that becomes
clear as we read. Revelation chapter 12, starting at verse 1.
A great 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. She was pregnant and cried out in pain as she was about
to give birth. Then another sign appeared in heaven. An enormous red dragon with seven heads
and ten horns and seven crowns on its head. Its 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 it might devour her child the moment he was born. 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,
to his throne. The woman fled into the wilderness to a place prepared for her by God,
where she might be taken care of for 1,260 days. Then war broke out in heaven. Michael and his angels
fought against the dragon, and the dragon against his angels fought back. But he was not strong enough,
and they lost their place in heaven. The great dragon was hurled down. That ancient snake called the devil,
or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him.
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 Messiah.
For the accuser of our brothers and sisters, who accuses them before God day and night,
has been hurled down. They triumphed over 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.
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.
When the dragon saw that he had been hurled to the earth,
he pursued the woman who had given birth to the male child.
The woman was given the two wings of a great eagle,
so that she might fly to the place prepared for her in the wilderness,
where she would be taken care of for a time, times, and half a time,
out of the snake's reach.
Then from his mouth the snake spewed water like a river,
to overtake the woman, sweep her away from the torrent.
But the earth helped the woman by opening its mouth
and swallowing the river that the dragon spewed out of its mouth.
Then the dragon was enraged at the woman
and went off to wage war against the rest of her offspring,
those who keep God's commands
and hold fast their testimony about Jesus.
Well, let's pray.
Father God, we come here today
as those who seek to keep God's commands
and who seek to hold fast
our testimony about Jesus.
and yet we recognise that doing so
is going to be hard
for we have an enemy.
We need your help, Father, to know
that the victory has been won by the Lord Jesus.
help us to stand strong in his strength
and in his power
so that we too might overcome.
Father, please,
may not one of us fall,
but may each one of us
walk closely with you.
may your word do its work in our lives today.
In Jesus' name.
Amen.
Well, it's like something out of Lord of the Rings, isn't it?
Or a novel by J.K. Rowling.
The three main characters in chapter 12,
we've got a woman,
a son,
and a dragon.
The woman, verse 2,
was pregnant
and cried out in pain
as she was about to give birth.
Well, giving birth is always painful,
but this is much more than just physical pain.
Something dark and sinister
is prowling around in the shadows.
Look at the middle of verse 4.
The dragon stood in front of the woman
who was about to give birth
so that it might devour her child
the moment he was born.
What should be a moment of joy
is turning out to be filled with dread.
Before this baby is born
and has time to draw breath,
he's going to be devoured by the dragon.
The woman is in fear.
The child is helpless.
And when all seems hopelessly lost,
look at the end of verse 5.
Her child was snatched up to God
and to his throne.
We can all breathe a sigh of relief.
That was a close one.
Now as we read that,
there's something very familiar
about the vision, isn't there?
In our minds we can't help
but think about these three characters,
the woman, the son, and this dragon
and we begin to interpret, don't we?
We can't help but think,
Johnny, is that Mary?
And is this Jesus?
And is this Satan?
Well, while the characters in John's vision
are not real,
they do convey a literal truth.
It's not that there is a real woman
clothed with the sun
and a dragon with seven heads
wandering around the place.
No, John is using symbolism
to communicate a literal truth.
This isn't fantasy.
This is real.
This vision of a woman,
a son, and a dragon
retell the true story
of the whole Bible.
It's the epic battle
between God and Satan.
And we know Satan's objective
is crystal clear
to oppose Christ
and destroy the church.
Well, chapter 12
has been written
to remind us
in no uncertain terms
that God has the final victory
over Satan
and we can have assurance
that this victory
is ours too.
God has the final victory
over Satan
and we can have assurance
that this victory
is ours too.
So we're going to look
at three things.
There's three main scenes here
as we look at these characters.
We're going to see
Satan's promised defeat,
Jesus' triumphant victory,
and the church's guaranteed protection.
So first, scene one,
Satan's promised defeat.
Now to begin,
we need to go back
to an earlier true story.
Let's go back
to the beginning of the Bible,
to Genesis chapter 3.
So find your way back.
It's the first book in the Bible,
Genesis chapter 3.
And here we see
God's promise
to defeat Satan.
God had made a good
and beautiful world.
Adam and Eve
were the first man
and first woman,
God's image bearers
who were representing
God's rule
over the entire earth.
But as we go
to the Garden of Eden,
lurking in the shadows
was none other
than that snake,
Satan.
And with an enticing lie,
he proposed to Adam and Eve,
you can be like God.
You can rule your own life.
And with cunning deceit,
he promised,
you won't die.
The desire for self-rule
was too great
and Adam and Eve
disobeyed their loving creator
which unleashed
God's judgment on the world,
the curse of death.
But that wasn't the end,
was it?
God made a promise
to undo the curse
and put things right.
And we can read about
that promise here.
Genesis chapter 3,
verse 14.
So after these events,
the Lord God said to the snake,
because you have done this,
because you have deceived
the man and woman,
cursed are you above all livestock
and all wild animals.
You will crawl on your belly
and you will eat dust
all the days of your life.
And I will put enmity
between you,
Satan,
and the woman,
between your offspring
and her offspring.
And he will crush your head
and you will strike his heel.
God promised that a seed
from the woman,
one of her offspring,
a son would come
who would crush
the head of Satan.
But Satan would strike out.
Yes, he will be crushed,
but not before he delivers
a striking blow.
That's the promise
at the beginning of this Bible,
the true story.
And that promise
will be worked out
through every page,
through God's people,
Israel.
From the line of Abraham,
a child would be born
who would come
and crush Satan.
Now as we follow the promise,
we discover that this promised son
would also be God's king.
Have a look with me
to Psalm 2.
Psalm 2.
We're making some big jumps
as we follow the promise of God
through the Bible.
Psalm 2.
Psalm 2 is all about the nations
plotting the downfall
and the destruction
of God's promised king.
Just as Satan had caused Adam
to rebel against God's rule,
so the conflict continues.
We can imagine Satan
still lurking in the background.
Psalm 2, verse 1.
Why do the nations conspire
and the peoples plot in vain?
The kings of the earth rise up
and the rulers band together
against who?
Against the Lord
and against his anointed,
saying,
let us break their chains
and throw off their shackles.
We don't need God.
Let us live as we please
and be God's ourselves.
But look at God's response,
verse 4.
The one enthroned in heaven
laughs.
The Lord scoffs at them.
He rebukes them in his anger
and he terrifies them
in his wrath,
saying,
I have installed my king
on Zion,
my holy mountain.
And look what God says
the king will do
to those who oppose him.
Look at the end of verse 9.
You will break them
with a rod of iron
and you will dash them
to pieces like pottery.
God's promised son
would be a king
who would crush his enemies
and rule over all things
and all peoples.
Is God going to make good
on his promise?
Well, let's go back
to Revelation chapter 12.
You see,
there is the promised son
and there is the great defeat.
The promise is fulfilled.
You see,
the vision of Revelation 12
is the fulfillment
of God's promise.
The woman in the vision
represents the people of God
through whom the promised son
would come.
The dragon, of course,
is none other than Satan.
And the son
is Jesus himself.
Look at verse 5
of Revelation 12.
She will give birth
to a son,
a male child,
who will rule
all the nations
with an iron scepter.
That quote
comes from
Psalm 2,
which we just read.
Jesus is
the promised king,
God's son
who would come
to crush
Satan's head.
Jesus came
to slay
the dragon
and the way
in which
Satan will defeat
or the way
in which
Satan will be
defeated
is through
the work
of Jesus.
Look very closely
at verse 5.
It clearly speaks
about the birth
of a son.
She will give birth
to a male child.
It also speaks
about the
ascension of Jesus.
Her child
was snatched up
to God
and to his throne.
Now,
in between
these two events,
the birth
of Jesus
and the
ascension
of Jesus,
we have the
death
and the
resurrection
of Jesus.
Now,
John doesn't
mention them
here,
but he wants
us to see
in verse 5
that the
whole work
and ministry
of Jesus
is in view.
In other words,
Satan is
crushed,
the dragon
is slayed,
the devil
is defeated
by the work
of Jesus.
He's coming
into the world
as the God-man,
the one
who lived
the perfect
life,
who never
failed
under temptation,
who never
sinned.
And when
Jesus died,
it seemed
like Satan
had won.
As Jesus
was crucified,
it looked
like it was
over,
but it was
just a
strike
to the
heel.
Because as
Jesus rose
from the
dead,
he proved
his victory
over Satan.
He crushed
Satan's
head.
So God
promised
the defeat
of Satan.
And God
through Jesus
has fulfilled
that promise.
Jesus is
now reigning
and ruling
in heaven
over all
things
and all
people,
even
Satan
himself.
So
Satan's
promised
defeat.
The second
theme
is
Jesus'
triumphant
victory.
The death
and resurrection
of Jesus
was decisive.
It signalled
the defeat
and the
undoing
of Satan.
And when
these events
happened,
as Jesus
died and
as he
rose,
it unleashed
at that
very moment
an almighty
conflict
in heaven.
Look at
verse 7.
Then war
broke out
in heaven.
Now,
as I read
these verses,
I often
thought,
well,
this is
referring to
Satan's
initial
rebellion
against God,
kind of
somewhere way
back at the
beginning of
the story.
And maybe
in some
ways we
can read
it like
this,
but I
think it's
saying that
when
Jesus
died
and rose,
verse 7,
then war
broke out
in heaven.
Michael
and his
angels
fought
against
the
dragon
and the
dragon
and his
angels
fought
back,
but he
wasn't
strong
enough
and they
lost
their
place
in heaven.
The
great
dragon
was
hurled
down,
that
ancient
snake
called
the
devil
or
Satan
who
leads
the
whole
world
astray.
He
was
hurled
to
the
earth
and
his
angels
with
him.
So
it
seems
that
even
though
Satan
is a
fallen
angel,
he
still
had
access
to
God
and
he
was
still
roaming
around
in
heaven.
That's
what the
text is
telling us.
Look at the
end of
verse 10
and think of
where he
is.
For the
accuser of
our brothers
and sisters
who accuses
them
before
our God
day and
night
has been
hurled
down.
Satan
is there
in heaven
accusing
God's
people
but now
because of
Jesus'
victory
he has
been
hurled
down.
He
has
been
thrown
out.
Two
things will
help us
to see
this.
First,
Jesus'
victory
over
Satan.
As
Satan
was
defeated
and
removed,
look at
verse 10,
then I
heard a
voice in
heaven
say,
now have
come the
salvation
and the
power and
the kingdom
of our
God and
the authority
of his
Messiah.
Victory
has now
been achieved.
Why?
For the
accuser of
our brothers
and sisters
who accuses
them before
our God
day and
night
has been
hurled
down.
I want
us to
picture for
a moment
heaven
as a
courtroom.
Imagine
the scene.
Seated
in the
dock,
the
defendants
are
God's
people.
And up
stands the
chief
prosecutor,
Satan.
He
begins to
accuse
God's
people,
before
God,
highlighting
their
sin,
presenting
their
failures.
Day and
night,
he never
ever stops
accusing,
piling up
all the
evidence of
disobedience.
And then
when all
seems lost,
when judgment
is about to
be announced,
someone
comes rushing
into the
courtroom,
them,
now have
come the
salvation and
the power of
the kingdom
of our
God and
the authority
of his
Messiah.
Jesus has
won.
Jesus has
been judged
for their
sin.
Jesus has
been condemned
for their
failures.
He has
died their
death and
he has
defeated sin's
penalty by
rising from
the grave.
death.
And at
that very
moment,
Satan's
accusations
are torn
in shreds.
They no
longer stand.
They no
longer count.
He is hurled
out of the
courtroom
forever.
The chief
prosecutor
has been
booted out
and his
powers have
been taken
from him.
Satan has
been kicked
out once
and for
all, never
to return
and never
to accuse
again.
He has
been hurled
down.
What a
wonderful
victory.
And the
good news
is that
victory can
be ours
too.
The victory
over Satan
is our
victory.
Look at
verse 11
with me.
they
triumphed
over him.
Well,
who's
they?
Who's
triumphed?
Well,
look back
at just
at the
end of
verse 10
where it
talks about
the accuser
of our
brothers and
sisters.
They
have
triumphed
over
Satan.
The church,
God's
people have
triumphed.
How?
By the
blood of
the Lamb
and by
the word
of their
testimony.
You see,
Jesus
won the
victory
and that
victory
now becomes
ours as
we trust
in the
blood of
the Lamb.
As we
look to
Jesus,
as we
see him
die on
the cross,
it's as if
I am
saying,
Jesus is
being judged
for me.
Jesus is
being condemned
for my
failure.
Jesus is
accused in
my place.
He is
treated as
guilty for
me.
You see,
as I trust
in Jesus,
as I claim
his death
for me,
I am free
from accusation
forever.
The battle
has been won.
The victory
is ours.
And this
is something
that God's
people should
celebrate,
verse 12.
Therefore,
rejoice,
you heavens,
and you
who dwell
in them.
It's as if
we should
stop right
now and
start singing
songs of
praise and
celebration for
the victory
that's been
achieved for
you and
for me.
But,
Jesus has
crushed
Satan's
head.
The dragon
has been
slayed.
But,
look at the
rest of
verse 12.
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.
Satan
may be
defeated,
but he
is not
yet
surrendered.
he is
still
opposed to
Christ and
his church,
but he
hasn't waved
the white
flag.
The conflict
goes on,
but hear
this,
God's
people,
the church,
are still
protected.
Which brings
us to the
third scene,
the church's
guaranteed
protection.
having been
defeated by
Jesus,
Satan now
moves his
point of
attack.
Look at
verse 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.
The woman
represents,
as we've
been saying,
all of
God's
people,
the church.
This is
clear from
verse 17.
Look down
with me to
verse 17.
Then the
dragon was
enraged at
the woman
and went
off to
wage war
against the
rest of
her offspring.
And who
are her
offspring?
Those who
keep God's
commands and
hold fast to
their testimony
about Jesus.
They're God's
people,
the church,
people like
you and
me.
And Satan
is angry.
He is
mad.
He hates
Jesus and
he hates
those who
follow him.
In fact,
look back at
the end of
verse 12.
He's filled
with fury
because he
knows that
his time
is short.
He has
been defeated.
The battle
has been won
but he
hasn't yet
surrendered.
And he
knows that
it's only a
matter of
time before
he is thrown
into the
lake of fire
to be
tormented
forever and
ever.
He knows
his days
are numbered
so he
is hell
bent on
destroying
the church.
So we
need to be
aware of
Satan's
attack.
Look at
verse 17.
It's
clear,
isn't it?
Satan is
waging a
war against
God's
people.
He is
at war
with
Carigoline
Baptist
Church right
now.
He hates
you.
But let
us not
remember,
let us not
forget that
he's been
defeated.
The dragon
has been
slayed.
Satan has
been
disarmed.
He presents
himself as
threatening
and dangerous
but he
has no
weapons.
He can
snort and
he can
snarl but
the smoke
and the
fire have
been
extinguished.
All he
can do
is lie,
deceive
and tempt.
It may
seem harmless,
I mean,
what's a
lie?
What's a
temptation?
But if
we listen
to his
lies,
we begin
to doubt
our
salvation
and question
our
security
and we
will live
a life
as if
we
have
been
crushed.
Look,
when I
sin,
and I'm
not the
only one
in this
room who
does that,
I immediately
feel the
accusation of
Satan.
I become
very conscious
of his
judgment.
He might
not stand
before God
any longer
but he
presents himself
to me
highlighting
my sin
and reminds
me of
my failure.
He presents
his case
and ashamed
to say it,
the evidence
piles up
in front
of me.
Johnny,
you call
yourself a
Christian?
You think
God loves
you?
You want
to serve
in the
church?
Johnny,
you're a
fake and
you're a
fraud.
How can
God forgive
you again?
You think
he loves
you?
He's given
up on you
and you
might as
well give
up.
we can
feel quite
small
before a
dragon.
We can
get weighed
down by
guilt and
shame.
And our
response is
to sneak
off to the
sides and
hide in
the shadows.
Pull back
and believe
his lies and
go, no,
I can't
serve in
the church.
I can't
do that.
Look at
my life.
And his
accusations
crushes.
us.
We don't
open up
our Bible
because we
think, yeah,
I am a
fraud.
But it's
all deception.
It's all
deception.
Yes, I
have sinned.
But guess
what?
It's all
forgiven
sin.
It's all
paid for
sin.
In that
moment and
throughout our
daily lives,
we need to
remember that
Jesus has
defeated
Satan.
His powers
to accuse
and condemn
are broken.
He has
no weapon.
He's been
disarmed.
He may
snort and
snarl at you,
but the
fire that he
breathes out
has been
extinguished.
Peter talks
about him
being like a
prowling lion,
looking for
someone to
devour.
Well, it's
as if
the lion,
his fangs
have been
taken out
and all he
can give you
is a wet,
slobbery
munch.
He cannot
do anything
to you.
You see,
when the
attack comes,
we need to
remember our
protection.
Did you
notice that
when the
attack comes,
in Revelation
12,
there's
always
deliverance?
Look at
verse 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.
The woman
was given
the wings
of a
great eagle
so that
she might
fly to
the place
prepared for
her in
the wilderness
where she
would be
taken care
of for
a time,
times,
and half
a time,
out of
the snake's
reach,
the woman,
God's
people,
the church,
will be
protected.
Now,
to help us
grasp this
and to
get the
most out
of it,
we need
to understand
the symbolism
and the
imagery here.
First,
look with me
at the
symbolism.
We're told
that the
church will
be taken
care of
for a
time,
times,
and
half a
time.
Well,
what's
all that
about?
Well,
a time
is
considered
to be
a year,
so a
time,
times,
half a
time is
equal to
three and
a half
years.
It's the
same length
of time
that was
mentioned
in verse
six.
Have a look
back at
verse six
and again
note the
way in
which they
are delivered.
the woman
fled into
the wilderness
to a
place prepared
for her
by God
where she
might be
taken care
of for
1260
days.
Now,
there are
1260
days in
three and
a half
years,
so these
two numbers
are talking
about the
same time
frame.
And I
think here
the time
frame that
it's
representing
or symbolising
is from
the resurrection
of Jesus
to the
return of
Jesus.
So all
people who
live in
that time,
who have
trusted in
Jesus and
who are
waiting on
his return
will be
protected by
Jesus.
We do
not need
to fear
Satan.
We will
be protected.
Now look
at the
imagery.
In
verse 6
and in
verse 14
we're
told that
they were
taken into
the wilderness
for protection.
Now why
would he say
they're taken
into the
wilderness?
It doesn't
sound a very
protective place,
does it?
A desert.
Well,
remember the
account of
the Exodus.
God's
people.
Remember the
account?
They were in
slavery under
the cruel
tyrant
Pharaoh.
And God
heard their
cry and
rescued them.
He delivered
them.
In fact,
God defeated
their enemy.
He crushed
Pharaoh and
his enemies.
God opened
up the Red
Sea to let
his people
cross.
But when
Pharaoh came
chasing after
with his
armies,
remember the
sea came in
on top of
them and
destroyed
them.
And as
they went
through the
Red Sea,
so they
entered into
the wilderness
and they
travelled and
they made
their way to
the promised
land.
And as
they travelled,
God protected
them and
provided for
them.
He gave
them food and
water.
He was a
cloud by day
from which they
could follow,
a fire by night.
his presence
amongst them.
In fact,
in Exodus,
that whole
event is
summarised like
this, as
God spoke to
his people.
You
yourselves have
seen what I
did to Egypt
and how I
carried you on
eagles' wings
and brought
you to
myself.
Now, can
you begin to
see the
imagery?
Look again
at verse
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
wilderness.
You see,
as God's
people, we
have been
rescued from
a cruel
tyrant,
Satan
himself.
Our enemy
has been
crushed and
defeated.
the promised
land awaits
us.
The new
heavens and
the new
earth is
coming, but
right now
today, we
are walking
through the
wilderness.
And as we
travel, we
are guaranteed
God's protection
and care.
He will walk
with us.
He will
provide for
us.
The dragon
may confront
us.
He may
frighten us
and scare
us, but
we are
safe and
secure.
Yes,
opposition
will come.
Yes,
persecution
will be
experienced.
Yes, there
will be
suffering and
struggles.
Yes, we
all will
fail and
fall.
But as
we walk
through our
wilderness
years, God
has us in
his hands.
Our
salvation is
secure.
Our hope
remains.
The
guarantees of
the new
heaven and
new earth
are kept
for us.
He will
bring us
through.
He will
carry you
on eagle's
wings
wings and
will carry
you to
himself.
So in
our journey,
can I
encourage us
to remind
each other
as we
walk along
that we
don't walk
alone.
We walk
together as
an army of
God's people
singing the
song that
Satan is
defeated,
Jesus is
victorious,
and the
church
is
protected.
Let's
pray
together.