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Prophecy II

Revelation 12:7-14:5

 

If this second prophecy could be given a title, I would call it, “Lucifer’s Hatred for the Woman.” This prophecy shifts our focus from Lucifer’s hatred for Jesus to his hatred for the woman – the followers of Jesus. We have already noticed that the first prophecy began with the birth of Jesus and ended with Lucifer chasing the woman into the desert for 1,260 years. This prophecy begins with a war on Resurrection Sunday 9 Revelation 12:7) and it ends with the 144,000 standing around the Lamb on Mt. Zion and singing a new song. (Revelation 14:5)

 

The first scene in this prophecy opens triumphantly! Jesus has kicked Lucifer out of Heaven. The final scene in this prophecy also ends triumphantly! John sees the 144,000 standing with Jesus on Mt. Zion. This final scene is very important to the people who will live during the Great Tribulation because most, if not all, of the 144,000 will be killed in the line of duty and the remnant of the woman will be totally decimated. (Daniel 12:7; Revelation 13:7) But, do not be discouraged. “Victory Day” will come! Even thought the remnant of the woman will be crushed beyond recognition and the wicked will temporarily rejoice, the victory over the leopard-like beast, the lamb-like beast, the image of the beast, and the mark of the beat will surely come to God’s saints. “This calls for patient endurance and faithfulness on the part of the saints.” (Revelation 13:10) Blessed is the one who waits for and reaches the end of the 1,335 days.”

(Daniel 12:12)

 

As you study this prophecy, it is important that you see four chronological segments. First, there is war in Heaven and persecution of the woman for 1,260 years. Second, the leopard-like beast rises from the sea. Third, the lamb-like beast rises from the earth. Finally, the 144,000 are taken to Heaven to gather around Jesus. Right now we are living between the first and second segments, Revelation 12:17 and 13:1. At this point in Earth’s history, we have reached an excellent perch. We can examine the progression of prophecy over the past 2,000 years, and we can look “around the corner” and see what is coming in the near future. In other words, this prophecy began on Resurrection Sunday and according to my calculations, it has less that ten years to go until it is completed. (Note: Please understand that if time should last longer than ten years, this will have no effect on the meaning or the fulfillment of this prophecy. It just means that my calculations on the whereabouts of the 6,000th year of sin is incorrect.)

 

With these things said, let us being this study with Revelation 12:7. This is the first verse of a new prophecy because, according to Rule One of Apocalyptic Prophecy, chorological order is broken between verses 6 and 7. In other words, the war in Heaven (verse 7) occurs before the dragon chases the woman to the desert (verse 6); therefore, a new prophecy begins because chronological order is broken.

 

Resurrection Sunday

 

“And there was war in heaven [on Resurrection Sunday]. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back. But he was not strong enough, and they lost their place in heaven. The great red dragon was hurled down – that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled [in] to the earth, and his angels with him.”

(Revelation 12:7-9, insertion mine)

 

Comment: These verses describe Lucifer’s second and final eviction from Heaven. This eviction took place on Resurrection Sunday. Because every war has a history of conflict, we have to start at the beginning of the story to understand the war that took place on Resurrection Sunday.

 

When God cast Lucifer out of Heaven the first time (Isaiah 14:12-17, Ezekiel 28: 12-19), God did not completely sever relations with the devil and his angels. Even though Lucifer was not permitted to live in Heaven, God did permit Lucifer to attend specific meetings in Heaven. (Job 1) God continued to treat Lucifer with utmost respect and kindness because there is no hatred, evil, or fear in God’s heart. (Remember, God loves His enemies just as much as He loves His friends and He commands us to do the same.

Luke 6: 27-36)

 

After Lucifer led Eve and then Adam into sin, God crowned Lucifer as “the prince of this world.” (John 12:31) As prince of this world, God permitted Lucifer to join with princes from the other worlds when administrative meetings were called in Heaven. At these meetings, it appears that the angels discussed matters pertaining to the governance of the universe. (Job 1:6) This information is pertinent for two reasons. First, as “the prince of this world,” the devil was granted entrance into God’s presence whenever administrative meetings were held. Second, when Jesus died on the cross and shed His own blood, Jesus paid a great price to redeem and possess Earth. When Jesus ascended to Heaven on Resurrection Sunday, He immediately proceeded to take Lucifer’s position away from him. As stubborn and rebellious as he is, “the prince of this world” refused to acknowledge Christ’s redemption payment and war broke out in Heaven between Christ and Satan for a second time.

 

Note:   You may recall that Lucifer tempted Jesus in the desert. The devil promised to give the world to Jesus if Jesus would bow down and worship him (Luke 4:7,8), but Jesus knew (a) worshiping anyone other than God is blasphemy, and (b) Lucifer’s offer was a lie because the devil had no intention of giving the world to Jesus. Everything in the universe belongs to the Father and Jesus knew the Father would give Him this world if He faithfully carried out the plan of salvation. The Father dethroned Lucifer as “the prince of this world” when He gave the world to Jesus on Resurrection Sunday, but this transaction led to war in Heaven again. (Psalm 2:7,8; 24:7-10; John 17:6)

 

The Bible indicates that the war described in Revelation 12:7-9 occurred on Resurrection Sunday (April 9, A.D. 30). Many Christians erroneously think this war occurred before Adam and Eve sinned, but according to Scripture, this is not possible, Here is why:

 

When Jesus cast Lucifer out of Heaven, a powerful declaration was heard throughout Heaven’s court: “Then I [John] heard a loud voice in heaven say: ‘Now [that is, at this time] have come the salvation and power and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Christ.’” (Revelation 12:10; See also Matthew 28:18.) Using His Commander-in-Chief powers as Michael the archangel, Jesus and His angels drove Lucifer and his angels out of Heaven’s court and a victorious Jesus took over as Earth’s representative in Heaven’s court. Jesus was given this honor on the basis of His perfect redemption – much to the delight of the holy angels. Then, the verse continues as an angel proclaimed: “For the accuser of our brothers, who accuses them before our God day and night, has been hurled down.” (Revelation 12:10, continued) Consider the last sentence again. Lucifer’s is called the accuser “of our brothers.” The angels call us brothers! Think about this. If this war occurred before Adam and Even sinned, then sinful people would not have existed and there would be no one for Lucifer to accuse. Lucifer’s accusations began After Adam and Eve sinned. Lucifer taunted God with accusations from time to time that God’s government was unfair because He granted grace and forgiveness to human being and not angels. These accusations were baseless because God waited patiently for the angels to repent, but they would not. Twice in the Bible, Lucifer is rebuked for promoting baseless arguments. See Zechariah 3:2 and Jude 1:9.

 

Revelation 12:10 is a punctilliar declaration: “Now have come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God…” This declaration could only be made after the price for man’s salvation had been paid. When Jesus walked out of the tomb, the devil and his angels realized their fate and they had no intention of yielding to an honorable defeat. He would not give up his seat in Heaven’s court as “the prince of this world” to someone he loathed. The only way the devil would surrender to Christ was through force, and that is exactly what happened. Jesus forced the devil and His angels out of Heaven!

 

Consider the next verse and notice that the last word is “short.” This word is significant in this context because Lucifer’s demise is coming. If Lucifer was 100,000 years old when he was cast out of Heaven on Resurrection Sunday, another 3,000 years (counting from the death of Jesus to the end of the 1,000 years in Revelation 20) is “short” indeed. “Therefore rejoice, you heavens and you who dwell in them [because Jesus prevailed and the devil has been cast out of here forever]! But woe to the earth [land] and the sea {people and nations of the whole world], because the devil has gone down to you! He is filled with fury, because he knows that his [remaining] time is short.”

(Revelation 12:12)

 

Devil Cast out of Heaven after Jesus Was Born

 

The Bible says the war in Revelation 12:7-9 took place after Jesus was born. Study the chronology that is declared in this text:

“When the dragon saw that he had been hurled to the earth, he pursued the woman who had given birth to the male child.” (Revelation 12:13, italics mine) We can easily chart verse 13.

 

a.  The birth of Jesus

 

b.  The death of Jesus

 

c.  The devil cast out of Heaven

 

d.  The beginning of the 1,260 years

 

e.  Deadly would inflicted on papacy

 

Chart 14.1

 

There is no wiggle room. Verse 13 says that after the devil was cast out of Heaven, he chased the woman who had given birth to the male child. Therefore, the war in Revelation 12:7 had to occur between 4 B.C. and A.D. 538.

 

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