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In light of recent developments in the news the future fulfillment of Revelation chapter 12 does not look so far-fetched. Obviously Israel is the mother that produced the Messiah (verse 1) and Satan is the dragon that dragged 1/3 of the angels out of heaven with him. Jesus is the child who was born “who will rule over all nations.”

Adrian Rogers noted:

In figurative language, Satan’s tail is so long he is able to sweep a third of the stars from heaven. Now, these are not literal stars; here “stars” represent angels. God judged Satan and cast him out of heaven. When he fell, one-third of the angels fell with him. Does it worry you that one-third of the angels are now following Satan’s directives? Let me encourage you that two-thirds of the angels didn’t fall. We have two angels for every demon! Satan is the ultimate rebel. See Isaiah 14:13-14.

It seems as though the eyes of the entire world are continually upon the tiny state of Israel, and your eyes need to be there as well, for the Jews are God’s people and Israel is a land of destiny. Israel is God’s measuring rod and blueprint for what He is doing in the world.

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: ²And she being with child cried, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered. Revelation 12:1-2.

Scholars say that the “wonder of heaven” symbolized in the figurative language of this passage is the nation of Israel.

Where else do you recall Scripture talking about a vision of the sun, moon and 11 or 12 stars?

Genesis 37:9 : Then he had another dream and told it to his brothers. “Listen to my latest dream,” he boasted. “The sun, moon, and eleven stars bowed low before me!”

 

In Joseph’s memorable, prophetic dream, his father—the patriarch Jacob—his mother and 11 brothers, who were the heads of the 12 tribes of Israel, were depicted as the sun, moon and 11 stars (Joseph being the 12th).

Genesis 12:3:  I will bless those who bless you and curse those who curse you; and the entire world will be blessed because of you.”

Note that both blessings and cursings are directly linked to how we deal with the nation of Israel.

God called and ordained Israel. It was through Israel all the world would be blessed. (Romans 9:4-5) Every child of God is blessed because of Israel.

A time will arrive during the Tribulation when the Jews will come to Jesus Christ as their Messiah. The Word of God is full of verses (like Zechariah 12:10 and 13:1) which support this prophecy. And Revelation 12:17 states, “the remnant of her seed [Israel]” will “keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.”

Romans 11:25-26:  I want you to know about this truth from God, dear brothers, so that you will not feel proud and start bragging. Yes, it is true that some of the Jews have set themselves against the Gospel now, but this will last only until all of you Gentiles have come to Christ—those of you who will. ²⁶ And then all Israel will be saved.

Do you remember what the prophets said about this? “There shall come out of Zion a Deliverer, and he shall turn the Jews from all ungodliness.

God has not forsaken His ancient people. There’s going to be a fountain opened to them that is filled with the blood of the Lord Jesus.

How can we go about our day-to-day lives without giving everything we have to Jesus Christ? How can we not love Him with a burning, blazing, passionate, emotional love? And how can we not love those whom He loves?

Yes, God has a plan for Israel—

• conceived by God in eternity past
• initiated when He called Abraham
• and to be brought to fulfillment one day when all Israel will “look upon Him whom they have pierced” (John 19:36-39) and make Him their Lord.

We are to love what God loves, and God loves His chosen people. He has made them a blessing that they might be a blessing to the world.

Thank God that there is coming a day when all of this will unfold. However and whenever it does, we know this: Jesus is Lord and He’s coming again. Praise His name!

 

Revelation 12 Good News Translation (GNT)

The Woman and the Dragon

12 Then a great and mysterious sight appeared in the sky. There was a woman, whose dress was the sun and who had the moon under her feet and a crown of twelve stars on her head. ² She was soon to give birth, and the pains and suffering of childbirth made her cry out.

³ Another mysterious sight appeared in the sky. There was a huge red dragon with seven heads and ten horns and a crown on each of his heads. ⁴ With his tail he dragged a third of the stars out of the sky and threw them down to the earth. He stood in front of the woman, in order to eat her child as soon as it was born. ⁵ Then she gave birth to a son, who will rule over all nations with an iron rod. But the child was snatched away and taken to God and his throne. ⁶ The woman fled to the desert, to a place God had prepared for her, where she will be taken care of for 1,260 days.

⁷ Then war broke out in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, who fought back with his angels; ⁸ but the dragon was defeated, and he and his angels were not allowed to stay in heaven any longer. ⁹ The huge dragon was thrown out—that ancient serpent, named the Devil, or Satan, that deceived the whole world. He was thrown down to earth, and all his angels with him.

¹⁰ Then I heard a loud voice in heaven saying, “Now God’s salvation has come! Now God has shown his power as King! Now his Messiah has shown his authority! For the one who stood before our God and accused believers day and night has been thrown out of heaven. ¹¹ They won the victory over him by the blood of the Lamb and by the truth which they proclaimed; and they were willing to give up their lives and die. ¹² And so be glad, you heavens, and all you that live there! But how terrible for the earth and the sea! For the Devil has come down to you, and he is filled with rage, because he knows that he has only a little time left.”

¹³ When the dragon realized that he had been thrown down to the earth, he began to pursue the woman who had given birth to the boy. ¹⁴ She was given the two wings of a large eagle in order to fly to her place in the desert, where she will be taken care of for three and a half years, safe from the dragon’s attack. ¹⁵ And then from his mouth the dragon poured out a flood of water after the woman, so that it would carry her away.¹⁶ But the earth helped the woman; it opened its mouth and swallowed the water that had come from the dragon’s mouth. ¹⁷ The dragon was furious with the woman and went off to fight against the rest of her descendants, all those who obey God’s commandments and are faithful to the truth revealed by Jesus. ¹⁸ And the dragon stoodon the seashore.

 

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