"Spiritual War"

Well, good morning, church. Would you turn with me to Revelation chapter 12?

Revelation 12 · chapter mention

That's page 971 in the Pew Bible, if you want to follow along there, Revelation chapter 12.

Revelation 12 · chapter mention

So we've come to the middle of this great and bracing book of Revelation.

And here, at the midway point, I think it's good to remind ourselves that

Revelation was written to everyday churches a lot like our own.

Churches trying to live faithfully for the Lord Jesus, but beset by many challenges and trials.

You can go back and read chapters 2 and 3 of Revelation and learn more about the churches to whom John was writing.

Some of them faced persecution. Some of them faced false teaching and deception.

And others faced what we might call seduction.

The world around them had captivated their hearts and led them away from an earnest devotion to Jesus.

And I think it's easy in the middle of everyday life, as we kind of grind it out day by day,

it's easy to lose sight of the big story.

It's easy to miss the deeper realities at work.

And part of what Revelation is meant to do is to give us that fresh perspective,

to pull back the curtain on spiritual reality,

and to show us the deeper realities at work,

so that we can live in line with what's really real.

Revelation, in a sense, is meant to kind of break through the narratives that the world tells about who we are

and where we are,

and show us the deeper spiritual reality by which we can live really authentic and faithful lives to God.

And that's what John's going to be doing in the next few chapters, chapters 12, 13, and 14.

He's going to be really pulling back the curtain to help us see spiritual reality for what it is.

So, let's pick up this middle portion of the book of Revelation in chapter 12.

I'm going to read the whole chapter for us.

John writes this.

He says,

And another sign appeared in heaven.

She gave birth to a male child,

one who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron.

But her child was caught up to God and to his throne.

And the woman fled into the wilderness,

where she has a place prepared by God,

in which she is to be nourished for 1,260 days.

Now, war arose in heaven,

Michael and his angels fighting against the dragon.

And the dragon and his angels fought back.

But he was defeated,

and there was no longer any place for them in heaven.

And the great dragon was thrown down,

that ancient serpent who is called the devil and Satan,

the deceiver of the whole world.

He was thrown down to the earth,

and his angels were thrown down with him.

And I heard a loud voice in heaven saying,

Now the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God

and the authority of his Christ have come.

For the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down,

who accuses them day and night before our God.

And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb

and by the word of their testimony,

for they loved not their lives, even unto death.

Therefore rejoice, O heavens, in you who dwell in them.

But woe to you, O earth and sea,

for the devil has come down to you in great wrath,

because he knows that his time is short.

And when the dragon saw that he had been thrown down to earth,

he pursued the woman who had given birth to the male child.

But the woman was given the two wings of the great eagle

so that she might fly from the serpent into the wilderness,

to the place where she is to be nourished for a time

and times and half a time.

The serpent poured water like a river out of his mouth

after the woman to sweep her away with a flood.

But the earth came to the help of the woman,

and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed the river

that the dragon had poured from his mouth.

Then the dragon became furious with the woman

and went off to make war on the rest of her offspring

and on those who keep the commandments of God

and hold to the testimony of Jesus.

So we'll pause there because the rest of verse 17

actually introduces the next chapter,

which we'll get to next week.

Okay, so John, using deeply symbolic language,

is pulling back the curtain on reality

to help us see what's really real,

to help us know the story in which we live our lives.

And if we were to sum it up,

one way to do so would be like this.

Chapter 12 is telling us

that you are in a war,

that the victory has been secured,

but that the battle still rages on.

You are in a war,

the victory has been secured,

but the battle still rages on.

So the first paragraph, verses 1 through 6,

show us the first point.

You are in a war.

John introduces us here

to the three main figures of this passage,

a woman, a child, and a dragon.

Let's consider briefly kind of each one.

The woman is said to be clothed with the sun,

with the moon under her feet,

and on her head a crown of 12 stars.

Now, the 12 stars is an immediate hint

as to who this woman represents.

In the Old Testament, the number 12

almost always alludes to the 12 tribes of Israel.

In fact, this particular image of sun, moon, and stars

seems to be an allusion to the book of Genesis.

If you remember the story of Joseph

in the book of Genesis,

Joseph has a dream, right, in Genesis 37.

And one of his dreams is of the sun, the moon,

and 11 stars, him being the 12th,

bowing down to him.

And what do the sun, moon, and stars there represent

in Joseph's dream?

Well, they represent Joseph's father and mother and brothers.

In other words, they represent the people of Israel,

God's covenant family in the Old Testament era.

So this woman then represents God's people.

And we see that this woman is pregnant

and crying out in birth pains

and the agony of giving birth.

It's interesting that the word agony there

is almost always used not actually

in relation to giving birth,

but for the suffering of God's people

in persecution and trial.

So what's the picture then?

The picture is that this woman is an image

of God's Old Testament people

in trial and hardship,

waiting for a child to be born.

And so we come to the second character, the child.

And who is this child?

Verse 5 says,

She gave birth to a male child,

one who is to rule all the nations

with a rod of iron.

Now, this is a very clear reference

to the Messiah,

the one who would come from Israel

and rule all nations.

The rod of iron is an obvious literary allusion

to Psalm 2,

that great messianic psalm

about when God installs his king,

his son on his royal throne in Zion,

and all the nations become his inheritance,

and he rules them with a rod of iron.

And if you look ahead in Revelation

to chapter 19, verse 15,

we see there that there's no question for John

who this Messiah is.

Who is it that wields this rod of iron,

that is this shepherd's staff

of unbreakable strength?

Well, in Revelation 19, 15,

it's clearly the Lord Jesus

who will one day return in power

and before whom every knee will bow.

And so, with this vision of a woman

and her child,

John is bringing before our view

the great story of the Old Testament,

that from Eve, the mother of all living,

all the way to Mary, the mother of Jesus,

the people of God have survived

through many trials awaiting the coming of the king.

And at last, in the person of Jesus,

he came.

But there's a third figure here,

the dragon.

Now, looking ahead to verse 9,

we see exactly who this dragon represents.

John says it's that ancient serpent,

hearkening back to Genesis 3,

who is called the devil and Satan,

the deceiver of the whole world.

And the dragon here is depicted

as having seven heads and ten horns

and seven diadems,

that is, seven crowns.

And of course, it's, you know,

that sort of fearsome image.

It's a picture, on the one hand,

of ferocity, right?

A seven-headed beast would be

the fullness of terror.

And it's also a picture,

not just of ferocity,

but of power, right?

Horns are a classic image

of power and strength

in the Old Testament.

And here, this dragon has ten of them.

So it's ferocious,

it's powerful,

and it's also a picture of blasphemy.

Only God is truly worthy

to be crowned.

And yet, this dragon usurps a crown

for each of its heads.

And we're told that this dragon

stood before the woman,

actively seeking to devour the child.

I mean, consider, if you will,

the history of the Old Testament

people of God

from the murder of Abraham,

or excuse me,

from the murder of Abel,

right after they're banished

from the garden,

the murder of Abel,

to the machinations

of Pharaoh in Egypt,

to Saul's murderous pursuit

of David,

to Haman's edict

to murder the Jews

in the book of Ruth,

to the persecutions

perpetrated by Antiochus Epiphanes

that's foretold

in the book of Daniel,

even to the raging of Herod

as he seeks to massacre

the children of Bethlehem.

Who or what was at work?

It was that ancient serpent,

the deceiver of the whole world,

seeking to devour

the child of the woman.

We're told in verse 4

that his tail swept down

a third of the stars of heaven

and cast them to the earth.

Now, this could be referring

to fallen angels

who joined Satan

in his primordial rebellion

against God,

but it's just as likely

that this verse

is an allusion

to the book of Daniel,

Daniel 8:10

chapter 8, verse 10.

In Daniel, chapter 8, verse 10,

Daniel 8:10

the murder of God's people

by Antiochus Epiphanes

is likened to stars

being thrown down

and trampled.

Those stars that adorn

the head of the woman,

those stars that God loves

and cherishes,

it's Satan's desire

to persecute

and destroy them

if only he might devour

the child to come.

And why is the dragon

so bent on pursuing this woman

and devouring this child?

Because he knows

that this child

is the center of God's plan

to bring about his defeat

and to put an end

to all his forces of sin

and death and destruction

once and for all.

The promise goes all the way back

to the Garden of Eden.

Do you remember

the promise given

in Genesis 3, 15?

We read it earlier

in the service.

To the serpent, God says,

I'll put enmity

between you and the woman,

between your offspring

and her offspring.

He shall bruise your head

and you shall bruise his heel.

Yes, the serpent would strike

the heel of the offspring of Eve,

but the child would in turn

crush the serpent's head.

And from this first glimmer

of the gospel

before the very gates of Eden,

the rest of the Old Testament story

begins to grow.

Looking, waiting, hoping

through great trial and suffering

for the offspring,

for the child,

for the king to come.

Waiting, hoping,

until

when the fullness of time

had come.

God sent an angel

to a virgin named Mary

and through Mary

the promise made to Eve

was finally fulfilled.

The long years of travail

had come to their greatest hour

and the king was born.

And was this king

devoured by the dragon?

No, John says.

Her child was caught up to God

and to his throne.

It's a pretty short summary

of the life of Jesus,

isn't it?

But it puts our focus

in the right place

for the reality

that John wants us to see.

Jesus was caught up to God.

The verb means

taken up forcefully.

Though Satan thought

he had won,

crucifying Jesus,

putting him to death,

the resurrection forcefully

broke through

Satan's supposed victory

as the Messiah

was caught up from death

and brought to God.

And brought to God

and his throne

in the ascension of Jesus.

He was enthroned

taking his rightful place

at the Father's right hand.

So what are we meant

to take away then

from this first paragraph?

Well, John's kind of

pulling back the curtain

and showing us

that the story we live in,

the world we live in,

is a world in the midst of war.

It's not ultimately

a physical war

between nation states.

It's a spiritual war.

There's an enemy

of the people of God

and of the kingdom of God.

And he'll do whatever he can

to thwart and devour

the people of this king.

And friend,

if you've placed your faith

in Jesus,

then you are

in this company of saints

represented by this woman.

Paul says in Galatians 3

very clearly,

it's those who have faith

in Jesus

who are the sons of Abraham.

Whether you're Jew

or Gentile,

if you believe in Jesus

as the Messiah,

then you too

are part of God's covenant family.

You too are her offspring,

as verse 17

later in our passage says.

And that means

you woke up this morning

in the middle of a great war.

As you were making your coffee,

as you were listening to the news,

as you were flipping

through Instagram,

whatever you do in the morning,

I don't know.

You woke up in the middle of a war.

Imagine John's first readers,

you know,

picture perhaps

the church at Laodicea

at the end of chapter 3.

One of those original recipients

of this long letter

we call Revelation.

You know,

the typical Christian

at Laodicea,

we're told,

would wake up

and, you know,

they'd be tempted to say,

I'm rich,

I've prospered,

I sort of need nothing.

They could go about their day

and their greatest concern

was how they looked

to their friends

in the marketplace.

How similar we are today

to the church of Laodicea.

But John is saying,

open your eyes,

shake off your complacency.

It may seem like

all is well in your world.

You may be tempted

to just drift through your days,

chasing the world's prizes

and favors,

but don't you see

you're in a war?

Shake off your lethargy.

Stop hunting

for the latest gadget

that will entertain you

out of your boredom.

Stop living

as if your life

is just a series

of promotions

until you can

comfortably retire.

Those are stories

that the world

wants to tell you,

but that's not

the real story.

You see,

one of the greatest tactics

of our enemy

is to convince us

that there really isn't

a spiritual battle

going on.

And then we can simply

drift through life,

neither hot nor cold,

imagining that we're

just sort of neutral.

But there is no neutral ground,

not in the spiritual war.

Either our allegiance

is given to the child king

and he commands our steps,

or we remain

under the sway

of the dragon.

Of course,

on the surface

it doesn't look that way.

And yes,

it is true

that in this life

every human heart

and every human institution

will always be a mix

of common grace

and of rejection

of God,

both at the same time.

But at the deepest level,

where is your allegiance?

There's a war going on

for your very soul,

and there's a war going on

for the very heart

of every person

you and I meet,

and there's a very real enemy

who seeks to devour.

But you know,

lest our vigilance

and our alertness

give way to fear

and panic,

John's shows us

the second part

of this vision.

In the second paragraph,

verses 7 through 12,

we see not just

that we're in a war,

but that the victory

has been secured.

The victory has been secured.

Verse 7 begins

by describing

a war in heaven.

And at first,

we might think

that this speaks

of that original fall

of Satan

and his primordial rebellion

against God,

but you know,

as we read more carefully,

we realize

that what's being described

here is not the fall

of Satan

at the time of creation,

but the defeat of Satan

in the crucifixion,

resurrection,

and ascension of Jesus.

Verses 10 and 11

make this clear.

And I heard a loud voice

in heaven saying,

Now the salvation

and the power

and the kingdom

of our God

and the authority

of his Christ

have come.

For the accuser

of our brothers

has been thrown down,

who accuses them

day and night

before our God,

and they have conquered him

by the blood of the Lamb

and by the word

of their testimony,

for they love not their lives,

even unto death.

So we see that

this war in heaven

is something that ensues

because Jesus has triumphed

through his earthly ministry.

He shed his blood

for sins.

He's taken the place

of authority

at God's right hand

in his resurrection

and ascension.

And because of what

Jesus has done,

now Satan no longer

has a rightful place

in heaven

to stand and accuse

the people of God.

So we're told

that Michael,

Michael who in the book

of Daniel

is depicted

as sort of an angelic

protector of God's people.

So Michael

and the other angels

now ensuing

on Jesus' triumph,

they drive Satan

out of heaven.

We see this same idea

actually in other places

of the New Testament.

Consider John chapter 12

John 12:31–32

verses 31 through 32.

Jesus is on the verge

of going to the cross

and he says,

now is the judgment

of this world.

Now will the ruler

of this world

be cast out

and I when I am lifted up

will draw all people

to myself.

So there Jesus looks ahead

to his own passion

to the cross

and resurrection

saying that Satan's

going to be cast out

because of what

I'm about to do.

Or think about

Colossians 2.15

where Paul says,

God disarmed

the rulers and authorities

and he means

the heavenly demonic

rulers and authorities.

God disarmed

the rulers and authorities

and put them

to open shame.

How?

By triumphing over them

in him,

Colossians says,

meaning in Christ crucified.

Or we might also

go on to Hebrews chapter 2

Hebrews 2:14–15

verses 14 through 15.

Since therefore

the children share

in flesh and blood,

Jesus himself likewise

partook of the same things.

He became flesh and blood

for us.

Why?

That through death

he might destroy

the one who has

the power of death,

that is the devil,

and deliver all those

who through fear of death

were subject

to lifelong slavery.

But now we might

ask a question.

How?

How does the death

and resurrection

of Jesus

defeat Satan

and cast him down

from heaven?

What's the connection?

How does that win

the ultimate victory?

Well, the answer

to that is found

in that word

accuser.

Verse 10,

the accuser

of our brothers

has been thrown down

who accuses them

day and night

before our God.

You see, friends,

before Christ came,

Satan actually had a right

to stand in heaven

before God's throne

and accuse God's people

of their guilt and sin.

And we actually see this

depicted in Job

Job 1 · chapter mention

chapters 1 and 2

and we see it again

in the book of Zechariah

Zechariah 3 · chapter mention

chapter 3.

Satan stands in heaven

and brings his charges

against God's people.

In fact,

that's what the name

Satan literally means,

the accuser.

And the truth is,

his accusations

are just.

After all,

who among us

has not sinned

against God?

Who among us

does not truly

deserve death

as the penalty

for their heart's rebellion

against our Creator?

The accuser

makes his case.

And friends,

the tragedy is

against all of us,

that case is airtight.

We stand condemned.

Unless,

unless,

there could be one

to stand in our place.

One who could represent us

before the throne.

One who could enter

the heavenly courtroom,

sit down in the dock

where we sit accused

and guilty and say,

I'll pay their penalty.

I will let the sentence

fall on me.

And this is exactly

what Christ has done.

The same passage

from Colossians 2

that speaks of Christ

defeating Satan

at the cross

explains how he's done it.

Paul writes in Colossians 2,

13 through 14,

and you

who were dead

in your trespasses.

God made alive

together with him,

having forgiven

all of our trespasses.

How?

By canceling

the record of debt

that stood against us

with its legal demands.

This he set aside,

nailing it

to the cross.

Every accusation

that Satan

could make

against you and I,

every sin,

past,

present,

and future,

the record of debt

with its legal demands,

every single sentence

of guilt and condemnation

that you rightly deserve

has been nailed

to the cross,

Paul says.

As the hammers

drove the nails

through the hands

and feet of Jesus,

your sins

were being pinned

to the sinless one.

The just sentence

of death

was being paid

for each one.

Why?

So that you could

stand before

the throne of God

completely innocent

and free.

And so that the voice

of the accuser

might have no right

any longer

to speak.

This is why

Paul can say

in Romans 8,

no one can bring

a charge

against God's elect.

Not even angels

or principalities

or powers.

Nothing can now

separate us

from the love of God

in Christ Jesus

our Lord.

And so because

of the love of Christ

and his work

on the cross

for you and me,

the devil's been

thrown down,

cast from the

heavenly courtroom

with no place

to stand.

But of course,

the dragon still

tries this tactic

today,

doesn't he?

He will still

come to you

and show you

your sins

and failings.

And he will say,

a real Christian

wouldn't do

something like that.

God could never

accept you.

You're worthless.

You're lost.

Just give up.

You've tried so hard

to follow God.

His rules are so impossible.

What's the point

of even trying?

Accusation,

accusation,

accusation.

Are you able,

Christian,

to recognize

the voice

of the accuser?

The voice

of the Holy Spirit

convicting you

of sin

will bring you

to life

and freedom

at the cross.

The voice

of the accuser

will drive you

away,

miring you

in guilt

and shame.

Friends,

he has been

cast down

and that's

what he'll

try to do,

cast you down.

Get you

to think

that your

forgiveness

is conditional.

Try to get you

to think

that God's

love for you

is based

on your

performance,

that God's

acceptance of you

is based

on your

efforts

and your

achievements.

But friends,

that's not

the gospel.

Christianity

is not

be a good

person

so that God

will forgive

and accept

you.

Satan

would love

you to think

that that's

the message

of Christianity,

but it's

not.

The message

of Christianity

is this,

you could

never be good

enough.

you've

sinned

and fallen

short of

the glory

of God.

The wages

of sin

is death,

but God

loves you

and sent

his son

to die

in your

place

for your

sin

so that

you can

be accepted

because of

his work

and not

your own.

The song

we sang

earlier

I think

says it

pretty well.

Before

the throne

of God

above

I have

a strong

and perfect

plea,

a great

high priest

whose name

is love.

Whoever lives

and pleads

for me,

my name

is graven

on his hands.

My name

is written

on his heart.

I know

that while

in heaven

he stands,

no tongue

can bid

me thence

to part.

When Satan

tempts me

to despair

and tells

me of the

guilt within,

upward

I look

and see

him there

who made

an end

to all

my sin.

Because

the sinless

Savior died,

my sinful

soul is

counted free

for God

the just

is satisfied

to look

on him

Jesus

and pardon

me.

You're in a war

brothers and

sisters but

the victory

has ultimately

been won.

Let not

the voice

of the accuser

bring you

to guilt

and despair.

He has

been cast

down.

That's the

second point

of our

passage.

But now

lest we think

that the battle

is simply

over

and that's

all that

there is

to say.

John

gives us

one more

piece of

the story.

In the

third paragraph

verses 13

through 17

we see

that even

though the

decisive

victory

has been

won,

the battle

still rages

on.

This battle

still rages

on.

I think

the analogy

of World

War II

has often

been used

to describe

the spiritual

reality

and I think

it's a

helpful one.

You know

when the

allied forces

landed at

Normandy

and gained

a foothold

on the

continent

it was a

sign that

the tide

had turned

and the

Axis powers

would eventually

fall.

But you

know

from D-Day

to victory

in Europe

there were

still 11

long months

right?

Or at least

that's what I

remember from

history class.

And you

know

that's a bit

of what we

see here.

Satan

is cast

down from

heaven.

His

accusations

are now

finished

but on

earth

he still

fights to

devour

as many

as he

can

knowing

that his

time is

short.

John

sees the

dragon's

attacks

flowing like

a river

issuing from

his mouth

trying to

sweep away

the people

of God

in its

flood.

And indeed

when you

read church

history you

will see

that there

has been

a flood

of persecutions

of false

teachings

of seasons

of complacency

and compromise

that have

nearly drowned

the church.

Given that

this flood

issues from

the mouth

of the

dragon

this vision

might be

particularly

speaking of

the false

teaching

and deception

that the

devil has

constantly

tried to

use against

the church.

It's as if

his accusations

have been

foiled by

the work

of Christ

then he

will try

to use

his deceptions

to keep

as many

people away

from the

finished work

of the gospel

as possible.

And so

church history

tells us

of a river

of heresies

and false

teachings that

have run

through the

church.

Some denying

the full

deity of

Christ.

Some denying

the full

humanity of

Christ.

Some denying

the free

grace of

God.

Some denying

the sufficiency

and authority

of scripture

and on

and on

they go.

But Satan's

deceptions

also try

to reach

to our

hearts.

Remember

how he

came to

Eve in

the garden

trying to

get her

to question

God's

word and

God's

character.

Did God

really say?

God knows

that when you

eat this

you'll be

like him.

In other

words,

God's trying

to keep

something good

from you,

you know.

You can't

trust him.

His tactics

haven't

changed.

He sort

of has

the same

playbook and

he just

keeps playing

it over

and over

and over

again.

Like a

flood,

he's going

to try

to get

us to

doubt

God's

word and

doubt

God's

character.

And yet

as the

battle

rages

on,

God

promises

to preserve

his

church.

John

sees the

woman

given

the two

wings

of the

great

eagle

so that

she might

fly from

the serpent

into the

wilderness.

What a

beautiful

image.

It's taken

actually from

Exodus 19.

Just like

the people

of the Old

Testament were

said to be

brought out

of Egypt

on eagle's

wings into

the wilderness

to be with

God.

That great

picture of

their rescue

from Pharaoh's

death and

destruction to

be with God

in his presence

in the

wilderness.

So the

New Testament

church will

be carried

by God

and protected

from Satan's

attacks.

The

wilderness was

often a

place in

the Old

Testament where

God purified

and protected

his people.

And we're

told here that

there in the

wilderness the

earth opens

its mouth and

swallows the

destructive waters

of the dragon.

Just like in

Exodus 15 the

earth is said to

swallow Pharaoh

and his chariots

or like number

16 the earth is

said to swallow

Korah's rebellion

as they rebelled

against God's

goodness and God's

word.

So the

sovereign God will

continue to

protect his

people from

all that

threatens to

destroy them.

Though we live

in the final

stages of the

great spiritual

battle though we

have an enemy

bent on washing

us away God

will not allow

his people to

be overcome.

And there in

the wilderness

John says

they'll be

nourished for

a time times

and half a

time.

As Pastor

Matt mentioned

last week this

number comes up

often in the

book of Revelation

and it comes up

in different forms.

Earlier in this

passage it was

given as

1260 days.

In chapter

11 it was

called 42

months.

And here

again it's

called time

times and

half a time

which is

one time

times two

and a half.

It's all

three and a

half.

42 months

is three and

a half years.

If a month

is 30 days

then 1260

days is three

and a half

years.

Just different

ways of talking

about this same

period of time.

But what's the

significance of

three and a

half years?

Well one clue

that John may

be using this

number in a

symbolic way is

found right here

in Revelation

12.

We see in

verse 6 that

immediately after

the ascension of

Jesus when he's

caught up to be

with God in his

throne it says

the woman fled

into the

wilderness where

she has a place

prepared by God

in which she is

to be nourished

for 1260 days

or a time

times and half

a time.

In other words

that period starts

at the ascension

of Jesus.

So it seems

to be that

John's saying

that the whole

period from

Christ's ascension

to his return

will be covered

by that time

times and half

a time.

And that makes

sense when you

look at where

this phrase comes

from in the Old

Testament.

In the book of

Daniel time

times and half

a time was a

way of speaking

about an intense

time of persecution

for God's people

that will ultimately

and graciously be cut

short by God's

rescue and judgment.

Three and a half

after all is half

of seven.

You can tell I did

really well in math

right?

If seven represents

a full or complete

cycle of trial

and persecution

and suffering

God's going to

cut it in half

and rescue his

people at just

the right time

when the times

get hard and it

feels like it's

turning into times

of hardship

God says that's

when it will come

to an end

and I will rescue

you.

at just the

right time.

Now of course

there are other

ways of understanding

this number.

Some Christians

believe that this

number could represent

the three and a half

years of suffering

during the Jewish

war of 66 to 70

AD when the temple

was eventually

destroyed.

That was a time

of great suffering.

Some think that

this number represents

a three and a half

year period of intense

persecution just

before Jesus returns.

And the reality is

I think John's vision

could speak to all

of these just like

Old Testament

prophecy.

Revelation has

multiple horizons

of fulfillment.

But I think John's

pastoral point to his

churches is the same.

We live in a time

of trial,

of battle,

of hardship.

There will be days

when it seems like

the fight is

overwhelming,

like a flood.

Yeah,

there will be days

when it seems like

the earth opens

its mouth and

swallows the whole

trial and brings

relief.

But not always.

But through it all

there's coming a day

when this time will

end.

This period won't

last forever.

Just like it didn't

last forever in the

Jewish war,

just like it won't

last forever,

right before Jesus

comes it won't last

forever.

Just when you think

your strength is

giving way,

just when you think

you can't hold out

any longer,

God's rescue will

come.

And we know that

will ultimately be

true one day.

The king who was

caught up to God

and to his throne,

who cast Satan

down from heaven,

he will return

bodily in glory.

And the great

dragon will be

condemned forever.

And he will be

removed from the

earth once and for

all.

And the church

will reign with

Christ for eternity

in a new heavens

and a new earth.

Yes, friends,

the battle still

rages on.

Yes, we need to

take up the armor

of God each day.

And if you're

wondering, how do I

do that?

You can come to

Sunday school.

Because we're

going through

Ephesians and

we're going to

talk about the

armor of God.

Yes, we need to

immerse ourselves

in God's word

and God's gospel

to ready ourselves

for the fight,

to be ready

against these

floods that

come our way.

Yes, we need

to bear witness

even if it means

losing what we

love, even our

own lives.

But friends,

one day the

battle will end.

The time is

short, friends.

So don't give

up.

Stand firm

against the

devil's

accusations

and lies,

knowing that

he is ultimately

a defeated

foe.

Stand firm

in your

King, the

Lord Jesus.

He will

win the

battle.

Did we in

our own

strength confide?

Our striving

would be

losing, Martin

Luther wrote

many years ago.

We're not the

right man on

our side, the

man of God's

own choosing.

Do you ask

who that may

be?

Christ Jesus

it is he, the

Lord of hosts

his name, from

age to age the

same, and he

must win the

battle.

Let's pray.

Father in

heaven,

help us now

in these quiet

moments

to be reminded

again

that if we are

in the midst

of trial,

persecution,

suffering,

Lord, that you

promise to win

the victory one

day.

Lord, this life

may not be

full of ease

and comfort.

In fact, you

promise us

that it won't

be, but we

know there's

coming a great

and glorious

day when the

battle will be

won and you

will be all in

all.

So encourage

our hearts

now to keep

up in the

fight.

Equip us

with what we

need, help

us to

encourage one

another in

this race.

And Lord, if

we've grown

complacent, if

we've grown

stagnant, if

we've grown

sleepy, Lord,

by your Holy

Spirit, cause

us to wake

up.

Renew our

vision, renew

our zeal for

you and for

your kingdom.

Silence the

voice of the

accuser.

Help us to

stand in the

truth of your

word against

his deceptions.

And Lord, we

pray that through

our witness as a

church, many

would come to

know the

forgiving,

liberating

grace of the

Lord Jesus

Christ.

Pray this in

his name.

Amen.

Amen.