Scripture: Acts 1:6-9

C.I.: “And they overcame!”

During this month… Revelation. – Theme = comfort & encourage 1st Century Christians who are being persecuted.
Tools needed to understand: 1) O.T. allusions, etc.…! - Today we will look at the persecutor of God’s people!

I. A Heavenly Explanation for Earthly Troubles (Chapter 12:1-13)

A. The Main Characters Introduced (vs. 1-6)

1. The Beautiful Woman (vs. 1-2)
a. (v. 1), “A great sign appeared in heaven [“Sign”= (Rev. 1:1), “Communicated” = Sign-ified]; - a woman clothed with the sun & the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of 12 stars.”
1) “Sun & moon” = 2 great lights – she brings light into the world – (Matt. 5:14).
2) “Crown” = Stephanos (stefanos), “Victor’s Crown” (2:10).
3) “12 stars” = 12 & multiples = God’s people (24 elders, 144, 000, etc.).
4) Thus, this sign represents the people of God.
b. (v. 2), “…and she was with child; and she cried out, being in labor and in pain to give birth.”
1) It was with great anguish – God’s people awaited the coming of this “Child.”

2. The Great Dragon (vs. 3-4)
a. (v. 3), “And another sign appeared in heaven; and behold, a great red dragon having 7 heads & 10 horns, and on his heads were 7 diadems.”
1) His appearance reminds us of the “Beast” (Chapt. 13). - This is Satan (cf. v. 9).
2) “Diadems” = Crowns (those who have power of earth receive the diadema).
b. (v. 4), “And his tail swept away 1/3 of the stars of heaven, and threw them to the earth. – And the
dragon stood before the woman who was about to give birth, - so that when she gave birth…”
1) He also has been waiting for this Child for a looooong time (Gen. 3:15)!

3. The Child (vs. 5-6)
a. (v. 5), “And the woman gave birth to a son, a male child, who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron; - and her child was caught up to God and to His throne.”
1) The Child = Jesus, (Rev. 19:15-16), “…and He will rule the nations with a rod of iron; and
He treads the winepress of the fierce wrath of God, the Almighty. – And on His robe and on
His thigh He has a name written, ‘KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.’”
2) This is the only verse in Revelation that deals with Jesus’ earthly ministry. – That is because
the Xns suffering on earth need to hear about His heavenly ministry for us!!!
3) Encouragement: Christ now rules on His throne & overcomers will – (3:21), “He who over-
comes, I will grant him to sit down with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat….”
b. (v. 6), “And the woman fled into the wilderness where she had a place prepared by God, so there
she would be nourished for 1,260 days.”
1) “wilderness” = A place of provision & protection (Moses & Elijah: Exod.-Deut, I Kgs. 17).

B. The Wars of Heaven & Earth (vs. 7-12)

1. When the “Child” returned to His heavenly throne – there was a great war in heaven (vs. 7-9)
a. (vs. 7-8), “And there was war in heaven, Michael and his angels waging war with the dragon. – And the dragon and his angels waged war, - and they were not strong enough, and there was no longer a place found for them in heaven. – And the great dragon was thrown down … serpent…”
1) “Michael” = Defend of God’s people (Dan. 10:13, 21), “The prince of the kingdom of
Persia was withstanding me for 21 days; then behold, Michael, one of the chief princes, came
to help me, for I had been left with the kings of Persia… no one stands firmly with me against
these forces except Michael your prince.” – (cf. Eph. 6:12; Heb. 1:14)!
2) Don’t get lost in this angelic battle. – Point: Satan defeated by Jesus on earth AND in heaven!

2. The proclamation of victory resounds throughout the halls of heaven & encourages saints on earth!
a. (v. 10), “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 brethren has been thrown down, who accuses them before our God day and night.”
1) “Now”: Salvation (I Jn. 5:13), Power (Eph. 3:20), kingdom (Col. 1:13), Authority (Matt. 28:18).
2) Devil =“Accuser”: What Satan lost was his power to accuse Xns (cf. Job 1-2).

b. Because these things are true for us – we too can have victory over Satan in our lives!!!
1) (v. 11), “And they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of
their testimony and because they did not love their life even unto death.”
a) “Blood”: (1:5), “released from our sins by His blood” – (5:9), “purchased…
with Your blood men from every tongue…” – (7:14), “These are the ones who
have washed their robes & made them white….” Only Xns can overcome Satan!!!
b) “Word…”: Our testimony is about Jesus (Rev. 1:9; Acts 4:20; Eph. 6:17)!!!
c) “life unto death”: Ever wondered what you could accomplish for God if you didn’t
worry about the consequences??! – This, however, is the only way to defeat the power
Satan has over your life (do we have greater faith in Satan & his consequences or God
and His) (Heb. 2:14-15), “Since children share in flesh & blood, He Himself [Jesus]
likewise partook of the same, that thru death He might render powerless him who had
the power of death, that is, the devil; might deliver those who thru fear of death were
subject to slavery all their lives.”

c. So now, even in the face of persecution, God’s people can “Rejoice”!
1) (vs. 12-13), “For this reason, rejoice, O heavens and you who dwell in them. – Woe to the
earth and the sea, because the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, knowing that
he only has a short time. – Compared to ETERNITY – life is short!!
2) And when the dragon saw that he was thrown down to earth, he persecuted the woman who
gave birth to the child”
3) So why do believers have problems? – Because we have a powerful adversary! - Why then do we rejoice? – Because we have an even more powerful Deliverer!!!

INVITATION:
1. You may have come today expecting a “Resurrection” sermon.
2. Resurrection was Jesus coronation, (Rom. 1:4), “He was declared to be the Son of God with power … by R...
3. Today this “King of kings…” wants us to share in His victory – if we are willing…! (Matt. 28:18-20)!