End Time Insights

Satan attacks the Lamb by persecuting his followers, the saints who have the Testimony of Jesus . The  Book of   Revelation  provides a graphic picture of the cosmic battle raging between Jesus and the Devil, the “ Slain Lamb ” and the “ Great Red Dragon .” The stakes are high. The battlefield is the Church, the “ assemblies ” of Jesus Christ. Satan has no hope of victory if he fails to destroy the Church, and he knows this; therefore, his resources are focused on accomplishing that goal.

War began in Heaven with the Dragon poised to destroy the Messianic Son as soon as he was “born” – Revelation 12:1-6. In Chapter 12 of the Book of Revelation , John saw a new “ sign ” in the heavens, the Woman “ clothed with the sun, and the moon beneath her feet .” She was wearing a “ crown of twelve stars .” She was pregnant and about to give birth to one identified as “ son .” This “ son ” appeared in fulfillment of the Messianic promise in the Second Psalm , the King and Anointed Son of God who was destined to “ Shepherd the Nations .”

The Dragon begins his war on the “seed of the woman” by summoning his own “seed,” the beast from the sea – Revelation 13:1-5.  At the end of chapter 12, the “ Dragon ” was poised to attack the “ seed of the woman ” as he stood on the seashore, summoning his own “ seed ,” the beasts from the sea and the earth. Having failed to destroy the “ son ” and the “ woman ,” he set out to annihilate her “ seed ,” the men who have the “ testimony of Jesus. ”

When Satan is expelled from heaven, a “ great voice ” warns that the “ Dragon ” is enraged since he has only a “ short season ” remaining to inflict harm on those who have the “ testimony of Jesus .” He vented his rage by persecuting the “ woman ” who produced the messianic “ son ,” but he was thwarted from destroying her. Consequently, he launched his “ war ” against her “ seed .”

After his expulsion from heaven, Satan wages war against the seed of the Woman, those who hold the testimony of Jesus .  Having failed to destroy the messianic “ son ,” and now, thoroughly enraged, the “ Dragon ” vents his rage by pursuing the “ woman ” into the “ wilderness ,” not by waging war against the " inhabitants of the earth .” But he is thwarted in this effort, so instead, he turns his rage on her offspring – the men and women who “ have the testimony of Jesus. ”

The saints overcome the Dragon through the death of the Lamb and their faithful witness even unto death  – Revelation 12:11.  In Chapter 12 of the book of  Revelation , the “ sign of the Great Red Dragon ” appears in the heavens, signifying that the “ war ” has commenced between his forces and those of the “ son ” who is destined to “ shepherd the nations .” But the result of Satan’s attempt to destroy the “ son ” is his expulsion from “ heaven ,” and the proclamation of the victory of the “ brethren. ”

Satan is released from the Abyss and launches his final attack on the saints, but he is the one who is defeated and judged . The time has come for his final demise. The book’s second literary division introduced the enemies of the “ Lamb ” - The “ Dragon ,”  “ Beast ,” “ False Prophet ,” and “ Babylon .” In the third division, their destruction occurs in reverse order – “ Babylon ,” the “ Beast ” and the “ False Prophet ” together, and now, the “ Dragon .”

SYNOPSIS  –  After his expulsion from heaven, the “Dragon” began to wage war against the “seed of the Woman” – Those who hold the “testimony of Jesus”  -  Revelation 12:7-17 .  After the sounding of the seventh trumpet, John saw a “ great sign ” in heaven, a woman “ arrayed with the sun and the moon beneath her feet ” about to give birth. The vision concluded with an enraged “Dragon” standing on the seashore, poised to summon the ten-headed “ beast ” to ascend from the sea to execute his “ war ” against the “ seed of the woman .”