Revelation 13:1-2 And the dragon stood on the shore of the sea. And I saw a beast coming out of the sea. He had ten horns and seven heads, with ten crowns on his horns, and on each head a blasphemous name. 2 The beast I saw resembled a leopard, but had feet like those of a bear and a mouth like that of a lion. The dragon gave the beast his power and his throne and great authority.
 
REVELATION 12 gave us great hope as it assures us the Father prevents Satan from destroying Jesus and his church. But the violent devil will not quit. In this chapter Jesus shows us how the devil creates two more violent helpers to wage war on the church.
   The first is a new beast from the sea. It has ten horns and seven heads with ten crowns on his horns. A blasphemous name – one opposing God – is on each head. It resembled a leopard with bear’s feet and lion’s mouth.
   As we’ve mentioned, some of Revelation’s visions are first seen in the Old Testament. In  this case, the leopard is a combination of a vision from Daniel that describes four world powers. In a like manner, this leopard is the image of one who will have political power to rule part or all of the world.
   This new beast then is an “antichrist”. Although there have been and are many antichrists throughout the centuries, the common understanding of this vision is that there will be one worldwide antichrist to initiate a great war on the church until Christ comes again. “Who is the antichrist?” people want to know? There is no way to know until he assumes power.
   And perhaps another way to view this vision is to understand the prevailing influence of antichrists throughout the centuries. “Antichrist” can be defined in three ways. First, it is anyone who denies Jesus is Christ. Second, the spirit of the antichrist has been revealed through many powerful rulers who have opposed Jesus’ teachings. Third it can be one final antichrist who will rule over the world before the Lord Jesus returns.
   Remember, Revelation is a vision to the church. God is telling us that 1) Satan has devised many schemes to turn us away from Jesus. 2) Leaders of great political power will war against the church. This is God’s judgment of mankind who live against the Lord Jesus Christ. This is God’s testing of his church to follow the true Christ. Is your church, are you prepared to stand against rulers who are anti Christ?
 
Prayer: Our Father in Heaven, keep us alert to stand against those who oppose you. Bring your church into unity to stand together for Jesus Christ. Amen.  
 

Revelation 12:13-17 When the dragon saw that he had been hurled to the earth, he pursued the woman who had given birth to the male child. 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 desert, where she would be taken care of for a time, times and half a time, out of the serpent’s reach. 15 Then from his mouth the serpent spewed water like a river, to overtake the woman and sweep her away with the torrent. 16 But the earth helped the woman by opening its mouth and swallowing the river that the dragon had spewed out of his mouth. 17 Then the dragon was enraged at the woman and went off to make war against the rest of her offspring – those who obey God’s commandments and hold to the testimony of Jesus.
 
THIS vision assures us of God’s protection for his church against Satan’s rage. One sign of a sin-laden heart is anger. The more often a prideful man is restricted or disciplined, the more angry he becomes. The anger will often become physical violence. The Evil one has lost in his prideful quest to be as God. Cast down from Heaven, he violently battles God’s church, which is the woman in the vision.
   God protects his bride. First he carries the church away on eagle’s wings. The eagle is the largest bird in Israel and often illustrates God’s protection. God used similar language as Israel escaped from Egypt: Exodus 19:4 “You yourselves have seen what I did to Egypt, and how I carried you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself.” Revelation’s visions become easier to understand when we notice the repetition of God’s language to his people throughout Scripture.
   Second, God puts the church in a safe place during Satan’s greatest rage for a time, times and half a time. This is three and one-half years. The church as a whole will be protected from destruction during a great war. Some Christians, though, will face persecution.
   Third, a flood in Scripture often refers to overwhelming evil. God had saved his own in the Great Flood (Genesis 6-7). He had saved his own in the Red Sea (Exodus 14). In this case, the water is Satanic lies and false teachings. God protects the church by swallowing the water from Satan’s mouth into the earth. False teachings continue to flood from Satan’s mouth as Jesus warned: Matthew 24:24 “For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and miracles to deceive even the elect – if that were possible.”
   What is our response? We must recognize the warfare. Then we must engage in the battle. One consistent way to do so is to pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints. (Ephesians 6:18)  
   Faithful prayer will defend and overcome Satan’s violence.  
  
Prayer: Lord God, I pray you deliver us from evil. Amen.
 

Revelation 12:10-12 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 Christ. For the accuser of our brothers, who accuses them before our God day and night, has been hurled down. 11 They overcame 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. 12 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.”
 
THIS is a three-stanza hymn. An angelic voice first loudly sings of God the Father’s and the Son’s kingdom and power. Satan has been sent out a defeated foe. There is no more threat in Heaven because God has delivered Heaven from the Evil One.
   The second stanza sings of the Christians’ victory over Satan. With faith in Jesus’ atoning blood, they are free from Satan’s deadly attacks. Jesus destroyed the devil’s power that horrible day on the cross. His blood poured out for many brings us peace from sin’s deadly poison. Colossians 1:20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in Heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.
   The second stanza sings of the martyrs’ blood. Praise God for all who did not love their lives more than Jesus. They faced death on earth because they joyfully anticipated a life with Christ in Heaven. The Tempter is finished tempting these saints. The Lord God has prepared his home in Heaven for them (John 14:2).
   The third stanza warns of
Satan’s evil now on earth. God allows the devil’s authority still
as a means of judgment and sifting. The Lord permits tests to his church to check our faith. The saints on earth today will experience temptation, trial and tribulation. Ultimately, hardhearted unbelievers and soft-hearted “believers” who reject Jesus’ atoning blood will sadly suffer Satan’s fury forever.
   The hymn, then, is two verses of heavenly joy, one verse of worldly strife. It is the picture of the world until Heaven and earth become one perfect new creation under God. Victory for the saints – for Jesus’ church – is the central theme of Revelation. Are you saved in Jesus’ blood? Rejoice in your victory even as the war still rages on earth.
 
Prayer: Strengthen our hearts against evil, Lord God. We pray you quickly conquer Satan and fully establish your kingdom on earth. Amen.

Revelation 12:5-9 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 and to his throne. 6 The woman fled into the desert to a place prepared for her by God, where she might be taken care of for 1,260 days. 7 And there was war in Heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back. 8 But the dragon was not strong enough, and they lost their place in Heaven. 9 The great dragon was hurled down – that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him.
 
THIS is a view of the cosmic battle between Satan and God over your salvation. The war in Heaven refers to the beginning of Satan’s disobedience and his expulsion from Heaven. From that point, the battle has raged. And God has “snatched up” – protected – his salvation plan from Satan’s destruction.
   For example, God snatched up the child Jesus from Herod’s murderous destruction in Matthew 2:12 And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, (the Wise Men) returned to their country by another route. 13 When they had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up,” he said, “take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.” The Spirit also protected Jesus in the wilderness of temptation (Matthew 4) and several times as the Jews attempted to stone him.
   Gloriously, the Father protected the Savior even in death. Jesus purposefully died as our Suffering Servant on Golgotha. Then the Lord God snatched up his Son from the grave and into Heaven! Jesus is now empowered on the heavenly throne to destroy the red dragon Satan.
   As we await that day, Satan is relentless to destroy the church and “kill” the truth of Jesus. It seems each week the culture finds a new way to attack God’s Word.
   But the devil’s time is limited. Again the 1,260 days is three and a half years to illustrate there is suffering and trial from the dragon’s hand for a limited time.
   Regardless of the world’s turmoil, you can remain at peace when you know Jesus’ salvation. Trust God’s sovereign care over your life because it is for eternity. If you find yourself in a “wilderness”, a place where God is difficult to see, then look more deeply into Scripture’s promises of God’s eternal protection. As you are his, your forever life is snatched away from death and into God’s eternal care.
   This is the way of God throughout Scripture and in your life today. When God has written your name on the book of life, praise God he has snatched you from the devil. You are protected at God’s throne of grace forever.
 
Prayer: What joy I know, Lord, to consider the magnificent assurance that by your grace I have been saved. Amen.
 

Revelation 12:1-4 A great and wondrous 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. 2 She was pregnant and cried out in pain as she was about to give birth. 3 Then another sign appeared in Heaven: an enormous red dragon with seven heads and ten horns and seven crowns on his heads. 4 His 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 he might devour her child the moment it was born.
 
GOD shows John the history of the cosmic battle between good and evil. The woman represents Israel. The twelve stars are Israel’s twelve tribes. God’s glory is in the sun and the moon. He clothed Israel with the glory of his presence throughout its history. God formed Israel as a mother, to be the womb for his Savior. In this vision, Israel is pregnant with the Messiah. Satan is the red dragon. He awaits the Messiah’s birth, intent to destroy God’s Savior because he knows the Messiah will one day destroy him.
   The prophets sometimes referred to Israel as a woman or God’s wife: Isaiah 54:6 “The Lord will call you back as if you were a wife deserted and distressed in spirit – a wife who married young, only to be rejected,” says your God. The dragon’s seven heads and ten horns and seven crowns represent the authority God had given Satan to rule over the earth. Through the centuries, the devil spiritually “stood in front of the woman”. He tempted Israel into great sin. The woman’s pain is Israel’s suffering as God judged their sins. Sin destroyed all but the tribe of Judah, Jesus’ tribe. God protected a remnant from evil, so the nations would be saved.
   As the perfect husband, God had promised his bride Israel so much more. Deuteronomy 30:19-20 This day I call Heaven and earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live 20 and that you may love the Lord your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the Lord is your life, and he will give you many years in the land he swore to give to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
   Disobedience would be death. Obedience would be life. Tragically, under the “dragon’s” influence the bride chose death. Israel groaned in the pain of its sin through many centuries as it awaited the Messiah’s birth. The devil, it seemed was winning the war. But then Jesus came to claim victory: For every child of God defeats this evil world, and we achieve this victory through our faith. (1 John 5:4-5)
    
Prayer: I pray, Lord, your church today chooses life. Amen.

Revelation 11:19 Then God’s temple in Heaven was opened, and within his temple was seen the ark of his covenant. And there came flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder, an earthquake and a great hailstorm.
 
HOW would you interpret this scene based on what you have learned from Revelation to this point? With the temple, altar, storms and earthquake, what does God want you to know about him and your faith?
   One of the challenges of reading a few verses each day is that we can forget to see the grand picture of Heaven. In order to interpret this one verse, then, let’s remember the first 18 verses of chapter 11. First, John measured the temple, Heaven’s worship space. We also saw in 11:1 that “temple” represents each person in the church. The temple in this verse is Heaven’s worship. God is present with his church.
   The ark of the covenant connects God’s tabernacle in the Exodus journey with Heaven. The ark was a wooden chest God instructed his people to create for the most holy place in the desert tabernacle. The ark contained the two tablets of the Ten Commandments, manna and Aaron’s budded staff. These would remind Israel of God’s law, provision and priestly leadership. In addition, its top had two cherubim. These are angels whose wings stretched across the ark, touching each other. God’s Mercy Seat was on top of the ark under the wings. The ark was set in the holy of holies, the most inner sanctuary of God’s presence with his people. Only the high priest, Aaron at first, could go to this ark in worship. Each year the priest entered the holy of holies to meet with God. The ark was not to be touched. Special rings were fastened to it, and the Levites designated certain people to use acacia poles at God’s instruction to insert into the rings to carry the ark on the desert journey. Touching the ark inappropriately could be fatal: (See 2 Samuel 6:6-7)
   The ark was one way God interacted with his people in a very personal, holy relationship. The vision of the ark in Heaven would greatly encourage John’s Jewish readers that this vision was of the Holy God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. This vision encourages all of us that the God of Revelation is the God of Exodus, delivering his people from pagan worship and welcoming us into Heaven’s worship.
   How else do we know God is present? This verse has reminded us that earthquakes, lightning, thunder and storms are one of God’s signatures. His power is evident in his created phenomena many times in Scripture.  
   We are half way through this remarkable display of his perfect plan for your eternal future. I hope you are learning how much God loves you. The kingdom of the world will become the Kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ. And he shall reign forever and ever. I hope you are ready to learn more.
 
Prayer: You are mighty, holy and just, Lord God. Thank you for this revelation. I love knowing you more completely. Amen.
 

Revelation 11:15-18 “The kingdom of the world has become the Kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he will reign forever and ever.” 16 And the twenty-four elders, who were seated on their thrones before God, fell on their faces and worshiped God, 17 saying: “We give thanks to you, Lord God Almighty, the One who is and who was, because you have taken your great power and have begun to reign. 18 The nations were angry; and your wrath has come. The time has come for judging the dead, and for rewarding your servants the prophets and your saints and those who reverence your name, both small and great — and for destroying those who destroy the earth.”
 
BEFORE the third woe there is a great announcement from Heaven. Although the final judgment is still to come, the angels of Heaven announce a sure thing. The sin-broken world where evil strives to destroy all things of God will be transformed to become the holy Kingdom of our Lord. This prophetic word is accompanied by great worship among the 24 elders who represent the entire church. They praise God and give thanks that at last he will defeat sin and reward the prophets, the church and all who hold the name of God sacred in their hearts. God’s final judgment and final reward will come.
   What happens in our world when God’s truth is spoken? The unbelievers rage against it, don’t they? Today we hear the Bible is called “hate speech” because people do not want to hear their fleshly desires are sin. Sin hates righteousness. Evil will strive angrily against holiness. And often it seems evil is winning the war.  
   But Jesus’ message to John so long ago and to us today is that the Holy Trinity will prevail. The next eight chapters will describe the nations’ anger against God. These are illustrations of how Satan’s forces have plotted and raged against God’s people since Eden. But the Lord will prevail because he is Lord God Almighty, the One who is and who was, because (he has) taken (his) great power and has begun to reign.
    Yes, as we watch the nations rage against Jesus and his church today, we can lose hope. Impatience and small faith can mark our hearts if we forget the remarkable ways God has prevailed against evil throughout the centuries. The very fact his church exists and is growing daily is evidence that the kingdom of this world has become the Kingdom of our Lord. As nations rage against Jesus, there are countless testimonies around the world of the miraculous ways God has called people into his Kingdom. Out of strife has come victory. Souls are reborn into Jesus’ salvation, and the church multiplies. Sin cannot stop God’s purpose to create a new Heaven and earth.
 
Prayer: Thank you, Father for the testimony of Scripture and of the church through the ages to help us know your Kingdom will fully come and your will is being done on earth as it is in Heaven. Amen.  

Revelation 11:7-14 Now when they have finished their testimony, the beast that comes up from the Abyss will attack them, and overpower and kill them. 8 Their bodies will lie in the street of the great city, which is figuratively called Sodom and Egypt, where also their Lord was crucified. 9 For three and a half days men from every people, tribe, language and nation will gaze on their bodies and refuse them burial. 10 The inhabitants of the earth will gloat over them and will celebrate by sending each other gifts, because these two prophets had tormented those who live on the earth. 11 But after the three and a half days a breath of life from God entered them, and they stood on their feet, and terror struck those who saw them. 12 Then they heard a loud voice from Heaven saying to them, “Come up here.” And they went up to Heaven in a cloud, while their enemies looked on. 13 At that very hour there was a severe earthquake and a tenth of the city collapsed. Seven thousand people were killed in the earthquake, and the survivors were terrified and gave glory to the God of Heaven.14 The second woe has passed; the third woe is coming soon.
 
AS mentioned, the two witnesses can be Elijah and Moses from Heaven, or they can be two newly appointed prophets called to proclaim God’s kingdom message. In either case, God permits a beast, which is an agent of Satan,  from the Abyss to “kill” the gospel witnesses. The unbelievers of the world will rejoice, thinking the church is dead. It is surely possible with today’s media that all people of the world could gaze upon their bodies.
   This is how the prophets were treated in the Old Testament. Consider, for example, Jezebel’s murder of God’s prophets in 1 Kings 18:4a While Jezebel was killing off the Lord’s prophets, Obadiah had taken a hundred prophets and hidden them in two caves.) And Jesus judged the Jews: Matthew 23:30 And you say, 'If we had lived in the days of our forefathers, we would not have taken part with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.' 31 So you testify against yourselves that you are the descendants of those who murdered the prophets. Evil, too, killed the Son of God.
   But God’s power is more than evil wasn’t it? The prophet Elijah
destroyed Jezebel’s prophets. Jesus destroyed death to become the resurrection and the life. In a like manner, the Lord God resurrects his persecuted witnesses to glory.
   Trust God. He is assuring John and all of us to believe in Jesus’ truth: John 11:25-26 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; 26 and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?” Live into and trust his resurrection power.
 
Prayer: Show your power, Lord God, to an unbelieving world. Save the unbelievers. Protect your own. In Jesus’ name, amen. 

Revelation 11:3-6 “And I will give power to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260 days, clothed in sackcloth.” These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands that stand before the Lord of the earth. 5 If anyone tries to harm them, fire comes from their mouths and devours their enemies. This is how anyone who wants to harm them must die. 6 These men have power to shut up the sky so that it will not rain during the time they are prophesying; and they have power to turn the waters into blood and to strike the earth with every kind of plague as often as they want.
 
THE two olive trees and lampstands are images of two witnesses, two prophets, God sends in power to once more warn the world. The olive trees produce the oil to fuel the lampstands. God’s unending oil of joy (Hebrews 1:9) flows to his messengers. God gives them great power to destroy any opposition during their appointed ministry.  
   Such prophets have lived. Elijah brought down fire twice to destroy soldiers from King Ahaziah (2 Kings 1:10-14). For three and one-half years Elijah also shut the sky from rain in Israel. This is the same length of time as the witnesses minister. And Moses turned the water to blood and struck Egypt with every kind of plague. Yes, the two witnesses can be a reincarnation of these especially anointed prophets. Remember, they were the two prophets with Jesus in the Transfiguration (Mark 9). Or they can be two prophets created with the same heavenly power.
   The image of the two olive trees and two lampstands is very similar to another Old Testament vision: Zechariah 4:12 “What are these two olive branches beside the two gold pipes that pour out golden oil?” … 14 “These are the two who are anointed to serve the Lord of all the earth.” As the Jews
began rebuilding Jerusalem and the temple on their return from exile, the priest Joshua joined Zechariah to call God’s people to repentance amid great opposition.
   Both visions reflect a pattern of God powerfully working to declare his saving message to a world in need of healing and redemption.
   And then the prophets’ time is done as we’ll see in the next passage. This is the pattern of all prophets, including Jesus’ ministry. Our Lord has and does use especially anointed messengers to declare God’s power for an appointed time.  
   Persecution against God’s witnesses will not destroy the church. The Spirit gives live to the church, and he will not be denied. The gospel overcomes. We can forever thank God he is the Victor.
 
Prayer: Lord, you have anointed each believer, each one of us, to be a witness to unbelievers. Protect us. Encourage us. Enable us to even face death for you in your gracious love. Amen.

Revelation 11:1-3 I was given a reed like a measuring rod and was told, “Go and measure the temple of God and the altar, and count the worshipers there. 2 But exclude the outer court; do not measure it, because it has been given to the Gentiles. They will trample on the holy city for 42 months. 3 And I will give power to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260 days, clothed in sackcloth.”
 
GOD has frequently directed his prophets to participate in a vision he is giving them. John measuring the temple is very similar to Ezekiel measuring the restored Jerusalem temple in a vison in Ezekiel 43:2-10. God used Ezekiel to encourage the Jews in exile that they would one day build a new temple in Jerusalem. God would prepare a place for them to worship him.
   In a like manner, God used John to measure the temple of God in Heaven. It represents the current and future eternal reign of God. God wants his church on earth to know he is protecting them. He has a place prepared for them to worship him. One day they will come out of “exile” from a sin-broken world to live in God’s holy temple forever.  
   The “outer court” in the Jerusalem temple was the place for Gentiles. Here, “Gentiles” is a general term for the nations of the world coming against God’s church. They are the unbelievers and even church “members” who reject Jesus and attack his servants. God will allow these opposing nations to trample – to persecute – his church for 42 months, the same time the two witnesses will prophesy. God continually tells the faithful he will protect them through the trials before the final judgment.
   This has been the church’s battle since Pentecost. As we see many signs now of terrible persecution against the church, we can trust that God will act at an appointed time. He will send two witnesses to call people to salvation against great opposition. We’ll learn more of these two as we continue.
   We can understand in the Revelation of Jesus Christ that God has ordained a time for suffering and a time for victory. See this vision as God’s call to you. Measure your life with God’s righteousness. Live as a living temple of God prepared to worship at Heaven’s altar. Be a witness for Jesus.  
 
Prayer: Teach me, Jesus, to measure my life in relationship to your truth. I pray I am a good witness for your salvation. In your name I pray, amen.