Tabor Baptist Church

Introduction

• We don't think of this passage as a Christmas passage, but it is
• A Heavenly Perspective (on the first Christmas)
• Rev 12:5
• There is one who opposes God
• Remember Herod
• Satan was seeking to win a battle but Christ overcame
• As a church we must always be reminded of the battle we are in
• Christians are to take a stand in prayer
• Christians are to wear the armour of God
• There is much imagery in Revelation
• We do not take the images literally - they are symbolic
• Three main images: Woman, dragon and the Child
• Woman - Israel, the people of God
• v1 - depicted in her glory
• Dragon - Satan
• v3 - red with anger, malice and wrath
• v9 - Satan
• The Child - Christ
• v5 - to rule all nations with a rod of iron

Satan's attempt to destroy God's plan

• A great sign appeared in heaven (v1)
• Something significant - something to be considered and thought about
• Sun, moon and stars - three basic elements of the universe
• Something enduring about this woman
• Consider Joseph and his vision of the stars
• He was God's chosen instrument
• The whole people of God
• The woman in labour pains (v2)
• Many references in the Old Testament to Israel being in birth pains
• Micah 4:10
• Micah 5:2
• Israel is pregnant/expecting the promises of God
• Satan trying to prevent this (v3)
• Great, fiery, red dragon - immense and powerful beast breathing out threats and venom
• Egypt - characterised as a dragon
• Satan's method is to steal, kill and destroy
• Red - his great anger
• Fire - his great destructive force
• Also referred to as an angel of light - comes with trickery and deceit
• The god of this age - have you reckoned with Satan?
• We have the armour of God
• The shield of faith
• He attacks the assurance of God's children
• Helmet of our salvation
• Breastplate of righteousness
• Satan's tail drew a third of the stars of heaven and threw them down to earth (v4)
• He was once an angel of God
• He was cast out of heaven along with a third of the angels
• Seven heads - seven successive world empires, the Roman Catholic church
• Ten horns - a confederation of nations
• We have to be careful about interpretation
• Seven is a perfect number - Satan counterfeits
• Ten is the number of completion - complete dominion over the nations
• Do we recognise the satanic influences behind violence (and evil) in the world?
• A cosmic perspective on Christmas
• Satan is a defeated foe (v7-8)
• Satan was cast out (v9)
• God defends His people and protects them from the attacks of the wicked one
• We need to realise what is happening in the world
• Why are morals standing changing?
• The power of the media
• Lies in the name of science

Christ's Victory on behalf of the church

• Example of multiple victories in God
• God will always protect His people
• Satan persecutes the Church (v13, v15)
• God protects the Church (v14, v16-17)
• A way of defeating error and lies
• Nothing could prevent the Messiah being born (v5)
• Straight from Incarnation to the Exaltation
• The Coronation
• We are on the victory side (v10)
• A loud voice
• Christ has the power to break sin
• Satan maligns the church but we stand with Christ
• We overcome in the blood of the Lamb (v11)
• We have confidence only in the blood of Jesus
• These people did not love their lives to death but trusted only in Jesus
• God's people will overcome
• Examples of the victories of Christ and the thwarting of Satan's plans
• God loves His people and is Jealous for His people