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Sermon

The Battles Rage – The Outcome is Determined, Part 2

Series
Revelation
Scripture
Revelation 12:12-17

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Note: This transcript and summary was autogenerated. It has not yet been proofread or edited by a human.

Summary

Revelation 12:12-17 reveals the spiritual warfare behind history’s conflicts, especially Satan’s rage against Israel and the saints. We are reminded that Satan, cast out of heaven and knowing his time is short, intensifies his attacks against God’s people — first targeting Israel and then all who follow Christ. Yet God supernaturally protects His people, providing refuge, sustenance, and ultimate victory.

Key Lessons:

  1. The real reason behind anti-Semitism and persecution of believers throughout history is Satan’s rage against God’s plan and God’s people.
  2. God supernaturally provides for and protects His people even in the worst tribulation — just as He provided for Elijah and Israel in the wilderness.
  3. Satan’s primary weapon is deception — flooding the world with lies, false signs, and confusion so people cannot discern truth.
  4. The outcome of the spiritual battle is already determined: Satan loses and Christ wins, and all who belong to Christ share in that victory.

Application: We are called to be spiritually alert and battle-ready — not complacent. We must treasure God’s commandments and hold fast to the testimony of Jesus, staying grounded in Scripture so we are not swept away by the deception that will only increase in our day.

Discussion Questions:

  1. How does understanding the spiritual warfare behind world events change the way we view current conflicts involving Israel and the persecution of Christians?
  2. What practical steps can we take to guard ourselves against the rising tide of deception in our culture, media, and even religious circles?
  3. The saints in Revelation 12:17 are characterized by keeping God’s commandments and holding to Jesus’ testimony — how are we actively cultivating these two traits in our daily lives?

Scripture Focus: Revelation 12:12-17 reveals Satan’s wrath against Israel and the saints after being cast from heaven. Matthew 23:38-39 shows Israel’s future role in calling the Messiah back. Matthew 24:15-27 describes the abomination of desolation and instructions to flee. Romans 11:25-26 promises that all Israel will be saved. Zechariah 12:10 prophesies Israel’s recognition of the pierced Messiah.

Outline

Introduction

Okay, this morning let’s take our Bibles and turn to Revelation 12.

Revelation 12. We’ll be looking at verses 12-17 today.

As you turn there, let me have a word of prayer. Father, we thank you again for your mercy and grace to us, for your kindness towards us and your goodness.

Lord, because of those things, we want to humble ourselves under your mighty hand. We want to be ready to hear, to meditate upon, and then to put into practice the things that we learn from scripture, that you may mature us and make us more and more like Christ.

And I pray this in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Be Alert: The Enemy Is Real

On the southern shores of England is Slapton Sands.

It’s a beautiful beach area, but it carries a tragic memory of the past. On April 28th, 1944, during World War II, Allied soldiers were engaged in Operation Tiger, a training exercise in amphibious beach landings in preparation for D-Day at Normandy Beach.

Suddenly, while they were training, enemy gunboats appeared and killed over 700 American servicemen in a surprise attack. Today, there’s a monument that stands there to commemorate the sacrifice of those young men who died while training for battle, but were never able to enter the conflict.

The tragedy, though, is a metaphor that warns the believer in Christ that we too are involved in combat with an enemy who is powerful and deceptive.

That is why the Apostle Peter warned, “Be sober, be vigilant, because your adversary, the devil, walks around like a roaring lion seeking who he may devour.” Like the soldiers on that day, we face an enemy who desires our undoing. In the service of our king, we must be alert and called to be effective when battle does come.

1 Peter 5:8: “Be sober, be vigilant, because your adversary, the devil, walks around like a roaring lion seeking who he may devour.”

Those men should challenge us to be ready for the surprise attacks of our spiritual enemy so that we can endure to serve yet another day. Realize that Satan’s plans are no match for the Savior’s power.

“Satan’s plans are no match for the Savior’s power.”

The battles are going to rage, but the outcome from our text is determined and more up to date than even yesterday, more up to date than even tomorrow. In chapter 12, we already saw that God’s promises are settled in heaven in verses 1-6: his promise to keep his word, his promise to honor his son, his promise to care for his people.

Also, secondly, God’s salvation is sure because our enemy is vanquished.

God’s Battle Is Secure

Because our salvation is protected, because our atonement is complete, and that atonement is that sacrifice of Christ where Christ’s death was a substitution for our sin, for sinners. God imputed his guilt to our transgressions to Christ and then punished him for it. That was a full payment for the price of our sins.

And today we come to the third point, and the point that I’ll stick on with some subpoints this morning: God’s battle is secure.

“God’s battle is secure — our atonement is complete.”

If you notice in Revelation 12:12, it says this: “For this reason, rejoice, O heavens, and you who dwell in them.” Now, if we look up to verse 11, it says this: “And they overcame him because of the blood of the lamb, because of the word of their testimony. And they did not love their life even when faced with death.”

So now for all that has gone before, heaven is called to rejoice. But if you notice what it says in the rest of the passage, it says, “Woe in verse 12, woe to the earth and to the sea because the devil has come down to you.” Now, that’s important because Satan’s confinement to the earth brings two results.

The first one is that Satan’s access to heaven is removed and he will no longer be able to stand before the throne of God and be the one who accuses the brethren.

A second reason is because Satan is now full of wrath. If you notice what it says there, woe to the earth and the sea because the devil has come down to you having great wrath in verse 12.

So consequently, the essential reason for the tribulation is that Satan is angry and breaks his covenant with Israel and goes after the woman. The woman, remember, is Israel from last time. And the essence of the tribulation then is against Israel.

Chapter 12, verse 13, which I’ll come back to, says, “And when the dragon saw that he was thrown down to the earth, he persecuted the woman who gave birth to the male child.” Remember the woman is Israel, the nation, and the male child is Jesus Christ. But if you remember from last time, Jesus Christ has now ascended into heaven.

So he couldn’t get the male child. If Satan couldn’t get Christ, then he would have to continue to dog Israel. And that’s what we see in verse 6 of chapter 12.

It says, “Then the woman fled into the wilderness where she had a place prepared by God so that there she would be nourished for 1,260 days.” So the woman Israel flees into the wilderness because Antichrist is coming after her.

Midpoint in the tribulation—remember the seven-year period—at the midpoint, three and a half years in, the antichrist commits the abomination of desolation. Israel flees and God prepares a place of safety for her for three and a half years, or as already mentioned, 42 months or 1,260 days. All refer to the three and a half year time frame.

Rejoicing in Heaven

Back to verse 12, what happens in heaven?

It says in verse 12, “For this reason, rejoice, O heavens, and you who dwell in them.” Heaven rejoices because it has been cleansed. The malicious accuser is cast out of heaven forever.

Heaven celebrates the grand effect of Christ’s enthronement and the final stage of God’s plan. The times of the Gentiles will end. The Jew and Gentile body will be complete. So then in heaven is great rejoicing.

“Heaven rejoices because it has been cleansed. The malicious accuser is cast out of heaven forever.”

Now in scripture, the Bible already lets us know, like in the Gospel of Luke, what happens in heaven if one is saved. It says, “I tell you that in the same way there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over 99 righteous persons who need no repentance.”

Then also in Luke, it mentions, “In the same way I tell you that there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.” Here we’re going to see the full repentance and salvation of all the saved come together right here. So there’s rejoicing in heaven.

Woe on Earth: Satan’s Great Wrath

Secondly, in verse 12 we see there’s woe on earth. It says woe to the earth and the sea.

So there’s great wrath. Why is there woe on earth?

Because the devil has come down to you having great wrath. And for your information, the regular term for wrath or anger is the Greek word oray, but it’s not used here. Another Greek word is used for anger more appropriate to the context is thymos, and it means to be moved violently in strong passion of soul and mind.

It’s an emotional state of mind that stems from Satan’s internal vengeance against God’s plan and God’s people. So he has a change of heart, and his change of heart reveals his motive—who he actually is.

In any case, the antichrist is ticked off and plans to totally obliterate the forces against him. And this may include a time where he breaks his agreement of protection for Israel and turns on them. Hence that would be the great tribulation, the middle of the tribulation going to the second half of the seven years into the next three and a half years.

And Palestine, it’s recorded in Daniel, is his headquarters.

“Satan’s wrath is a violent, strong passion of soul and mind — internal vengeance against God’s plan and God’s people.”

And that says that he’ll pitch his tents.

He will pitch the tents of his royal pavilion between the seas and the beautiful holy mountain. So he will take his place right there in Jerusalem.

And he’s going to get, in other words, the one who brought forth the Messiah.

The Five Names of Satan

He couldn’t get the Messiah himself. So he’s going to go get the one who brought forth the Messiah. Here is the wrath of Satan against Israel.

Now, if you have not noticed in Revelation 12:9, there were five names given to Satan, all describing his person and his work. In verse nine, you have the great dragon that refers to his fierceness and his hidden ferociousness.

He’s like a lion. Also, he’s the old serpent and it points back to the garden of Eden where due to his temptations, man fell bringing sin and death into the human experience. So he is the tempter.

Also, he’s the devil. Satan is viewed as an accuser of God’s children. He is the accuser.

Also, Satan means adversary. In this he is seen as the opponent of God’s program. He is the one who’s against it.

And then he is the deceiver. He really is pointed out as the great master counterfeit who attempts to deceive the elect and the non-elect alike.

“Five names describe Satan: the great dragon, old serpent, the devil, the adversary, and the deceiver.”

Five Reasons for Satan’s Rage

Now, I found about five things that surely inflamed his angry, vengeful passion. Why is Satan angry? Why is he internally angry?

Well, Satan is angry because he lost the first battle over the manchild. Jesus ascended into heaven. He lost there.

Secondly, Satan is angry because he’s been cast out of heaven and lost the second battle. The archangel Michael won and Satan was not strong enough and his angels were not strong enough to take him down. So he lost the second battle.

Also, Satan thirdly is angry and something really, really ticks him off about the nations of the east and north planning to attack his interests.

That’s recorded in Daniel 11 where it says there rumors from the east and from the north will disturb him, talking about the antichrist. He will go forth with great wrath to destroy and annihilate many.

Also, he is angry due to the fact that his time is short. Back to verse 12.

Notice what it says at the end of the verse. It says, “Woe to the earth and the sea because the devil has come down to you having great wrath, knowing that he has only a short time.” So he knows he’s angry all around. And then there’s a fifth reason why he’s angry.

Revelation 12:12: “The devil has come down to you having great wrath, knowing that he has only a short time.”

Israel Holds the Key to Messiah’s Return

Is because at the end of the tribulation, Israel, the woman, holds the key to calling Messiah back to the earth. He is angry about that. And if he can prevent that, he will try with everything he has.

Now, just to put that in context, take your Bible and turn to Matthew 23 because I want you to see that it is inferred in this passage what I just said: that Israel, the nation, can actually call back people. He can call back the Messiah from heaven.

In Matthew 23, notice verse 33. It says, “You serpents, you brood of vipers, how will you escape the sentence of hell?” He’s talking to the leadership of Israel here. He’s calling them serpents, vipers.

And then it says, and Jesus is speaking, therefore, verse 34: “Behold, I am sending you prophets and wise men and scribes. Some of them you will kill and crucify. Some of them you will scourge in your synagogues and persecute from city to city, so that upon you may fall the guilt of the righteous blood shed upon the earth from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah, the son of Barachiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar.

Truly I say to you, all these things will come upon this generation. Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her. How often I wanted to gather your children together the way a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were unwilling.”

But notice in verses 38 and 39 what it says. “Behold, your house is being left to you desolate.”

And then in verse 39: “But I say to you from now on, you will not see me until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.’”

So what we have here, Jesus is saying, “Listen, I’m going to be gone and you won’t see me again until you call out to me and you tell me to come.” That is what happens here. And this is what Satan is really trying to prevent.

Matthew 23:39: “You will not see me until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.’”

It’s the same designation that was given when Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey where they said to him, “Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest.” And the word hosanna really means save us, we pray thee.

So Israel calls on Jesus the Messiah to save them.

And because of Satan’s wrath, woe comes to the earth and to the sea. The dragon has been demoted and degraded, which has inflamed his wrath. Satan vents his rage on the residents of the earth.

He specifically rages against the nation that brought forth the one who bruised the head of the serpent. And so what happens now? Satan wants to prevent them from calling the Messiah back from heaven as their Messiah.

He’s trying to fight these battles and he’s losing every one of them.

Satan’s Campaign Against Israel Throughout History

There’s another thing that we see here: the dragon seeks the destruction of the son’s children. In Revelation 12:13, it says this: “And when the dragon saw that he was thrown down to the earth, he persecuted the woman who gave birth to the male child.” This is Satan’s campaign of slaughter.

The moment Satan understood that his defeat would be executed by the seed of the woman, the devil’s primary goal was to annihilate every single human linked from which the promised seed would come.

“Satan’s primary goal has been to annihilate every single human linked to the promised seed.”

Since the seed was to come through Abraham and Isaac and Jacob, Judah, and the family of David—who are the people of Israel—what’s Satan going to do with that?

Satan did and still does his utmost to destroy the promised line and the nation of Israel in its entirety. His pattern has been consistent throughout human history. Let me give you some examples.

Remember, in Egypt, Pharaoh commanded all the males born of Hebrews to be killed. Also, they tried to annihilate the Israelites and possess the promised land as spoken by the prophets. Haman offered the Persian king Ahasuerus an attractive sum of money to murder all the Jewish people in the Persian kingdom.

Not much has changed in Persia, Iran, since then. Their goal is to annihilate Israel, the little Satan, and the United States, the great Satan. I believe what happened yesterday was appropriate because it’s still in place that those who bless Israel will be blessed and those who curse Israel will be cursed.

We are told that Iran was down the road to developing a nuclear weapon with the capability of delivering it on a ballistic missile. For what reason? To annihilate Israel and all her allies.

That’s the reason.

What you never hear in the news is the real reason for the hatred and conflict toward Israel: an angry devil behind it. You never hear this because this is a spiritual thing going on. This isn’t just nation against nation.

“What you never hear in the news is the real reason for the hatred toward Israel is an angry devil behind it.”

This is Satan against Israel. Satan against actually everyone else too.

It looks like the negotiations did break down and a decision had to be made, and it was made. Let’s just pray that it leads to something good.

But historically, in our text we’ll find out it will not ultimately.

Anti-Semitism in the Modern World

Maybe for a while it will. But even the slogans that have been chanted recently on our American campuses—”from the river to the sea”—most people do not know what that means.

It means the Jordan River to the Mediterranean Sea. That’s all of the land of Israel. In other words, the complete annihilation of Israel. That is what it means.

Anti-Semitic incidents have increased more than 500% on college campuses in the US since October 7th, 2023.

“”From the river to the sea” means the complete annihilation of Israel — that is what it means.”

See, it’s still very much happening.

We have Adolf Hitler in Nazi Germany who tried to destroy the Jews and killed approximately 6 million of them. Hamas forced Israel into war in Gaza after brutally murdering more than 1,200 innocent Israelis.

So today, many nations believe erasing Israel and the Jewish people from the world is their God-given command.

And Satan continues to pursue his evil plan.

Israel’s Future Tribulation and Repentance

Because the Messiah will not crush Satan and establish God’s rule over the world until Israel repents.

Satan has attacked that nation ruthlessly since Christ’s first coming, trying to destroy it before it repents. That’s what’s really going on. Despite how terrible these past and present assaults have been on Israel, Israel’s worst days are still ahead.

During the last three and a half years prior to Christ’s coming, Satan, realizing that his time is growing short, will try to annihilate Israel in a manner unparalleled in human history. We really haven’t seen anything yet to the extent it’s going to be. Israel’s future also will be characterized by unparalleled blessing.

God will permit Satan to cause Israel’s worst time of suffering as the means of bringing the nation to repentance.

The survivors, one-third of Israel, will repent when they see Christ in his glorious second coming and recognize him as their true Messiah.

“God will permit Satan to cause Israel’s worst suffering as the means of bringing the nation to repentance.”

That’s what it says in Zechariah. It says in Zechariah, they will look on me whom they have pierced and they will mourn in that day. There will be great mourning in Jerusalem when they realize their rejection all this time in history of their Messiah, that Jesus was truly the Messiah.

And then in Romans 11:25-26, this is what Paul wrote.

It says, “For I do not want you, brethren, to be uninformed of this mystery, so that you will not be wise in your own estimation that a partial hardening has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. And so all Israel will be saved. Just as it is written, ‘The deliverer will come from Zion. He will remove ungodliness from Jacob.’”

Romans 11:25-26: “A partial hardening has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. And so all Israel will be saved.”

In response to Israel’s repentance, God will forgive the nation of their sins. Messiah will crush Satan and his rule and will establish God’s rule over the earth, the world system for a thousand years.

This passage pretty much informs us why there is anti-Semitism in the present day and throughout history.

Maybe what we see today is a dress rehearsal of people who do not understand what is really going on. Satan uses these fools as foot soldiers who are controlled by him to carry out his rage against the Jews and the followers of Christ.

Part of Israel, the Bible says in our text, will be in the land and part of Israel will flee from the persecution, from the serpent, from the dragon into the wilderness.

God does preserve a godly remnant.

Yet according to the prophet Zechariah, two-thirds of Israel in the land will perish. They would be able to take their life but not their soul.

Israel will survive but will be greatly reduced in number.

The Abomination of Desolation Triggers the Flee

What sparks the people to fly away from Jerusalem to the wilderness? What sparks that?

Well, what sparks it is found in Matthew 24. What sparks it is the abomination of desolation.

That’s what sparks it.

The first stage of the abomination of desolation is when the antichrist will take over the Jewish temple and sit down in the holy of holies and declare himself to be God.

That’s the first stage. The second stage is when the false prophet will make an image of the antichrist and stand it up in the holy of holies. This act of the abomination of desolation will signal that this is the second and worst half of the tribulation that will now begin.

“The abomination of desolation signals the worst half of the tribulation has begun.”

And what happens? This is what happens.

The Son now comes and rescues his children.

God’s Supernatural Rescue: The Divine Airlift

In verse 14 of our text, chapter 12, it tells us how God is going to rescue his children. He does it by supernatural intervention.

There are several things that take place here. The first is that God supernaturally cares for the woman that is Israel. Notice in verse 14 what it says.

“But the two wings of the great eagle were given to the woman so that she could fly into the wilderness to her place where she was nourished for a time and times and half a time from the presence of the serpent.”

What’s the first thing we see about how God supernaturally does that? The Bible says God brings a divine airlift.

Whatever that may be, it could actually be a literal airlift where they’re flown out of there on aircraft. We really don’t know what it is, but the emphasis is on speed and quickness.

“God brings a divine airlift — the emphasis is on speed and quickness. They need to get out as fast as possible.”

They need to get out of the area as fast as possible. Why? Because Satan instigates the northern armies, that’s Russia, Gog it’s called, to assault Israel.

Now, I’d like you to take your Bibles and turn to Matthew 24 very quickly because this is where we see the abomination of desolation, but we also see the instruction that Jesus gives to those who live at this time about what to do.

In Matthew 24 beginning in verse 15, it says, “Therefore, when you see the abomination of desolation,” now this is Jesus speaking, which was spoken of through Daniel the prophet standing in the holy place. Let the reader understand.

Verse 16: “Then those who are in Judea must flee to the mountains. Whoever is on the housetop must not go down and get the things that are in his house.”

Verse 18: “Whoever is in the field must not turn back and get his cloak.”

Verse 19: “But woe to those who are pregnant and those who are nursing babies in those days. But pray that your flight will not be in the winter or on the Sabbath.”

He’s saying to that group in history, there are three difficulties that are going to come your way when you try to flee out of Jerusalem because of these things that are coming upon the nation because of the wrath of the enemy, the devil. They flee from the presence of the serpent, as mentioned in our text.

Difficulties in Fleeing

The first difficulty is for women who are pregnant or have infants. In both cases, it makes it difficult to flee quickly.

Secondly, the second difficulty is in relationship to winter when weather conditions can almost limit a speedy escape, especially through the deserts and the hard wilderness such as leading to Petra.

And then a third difficulty will be in relation to the Sabbath, the time when all public transportation closes down and things kind of stop in Israel.

“Three difficulties in fleeing: pregnant women and infants, winter weather, and the Sabbath shutdown.”

So then he tells them to pray that the abomination of desolation, which will indeed come to pass, will not happen on the Sabbath day or during the winter months when it will be hard to move. Pray for that.

The Lord divinely gives them the ability to move quickly out of Jerusalem into the desert, into the remote areas, into the mountainous parts of the desert. And then a second thing we see is a divinely prepared location back in Revelation 12:14. Notice what it says.

“But the two wings of the great eagle were given to the woman so that she could fly into the wilderness to her place.”

The Divinely Prepared Location

Also in Matthew 24 it says, “And those who are in Judea must flee to the mountains.” Some believe that the place the Bible actually is pointing to is Bazra in Hebrew, but Petra in Greek. Now, I don’t know if anybody’s ever been to Petra, but it is a very unique place on the earth where there’s a small, narrow entrance—smaller than this aisle here—going into the little city there. And then it just goes up and up. You can spend half a day climbing up to the top of the mountain.

So if God’s going to bring them to a place like that, it’s going to be a place of safety.

“Some believe the divinely prepared place is Petra — a unique place on earth with only a narrow entrance for safety.”

Even Micah records in scripture. He says there in chapter 2, “I will surely assemble all of you, Jacob. I will surely gather the remnant of Israel and I will put them together like sheep in a fold, like a flock in the midst of its pasture. They will be noisy with men.”

It’s amazing what it says there.

God Nourishes and Protects His People

And then it goes on to say, “So their king goes on before them and the Lord at their head.” There’s also going to be a divinely prepared time frame in verse 14 where it says she will be nourished for a time, times, and half a time from the presence of the serpent. In other words, that’s another way of saying three and a half years. That’s the Daniel way of saying three and a half years.

The Lord does not just hide them out of some kind of makeshift, unprotected location where once they get there they have to fend for themselves. No. If you notice in our text in verse 14, it says she will be nourished for a time, times and a half a time from the presence of the enemy. That means she will be taken care of by God.

God took care of Elijah by the brook Cherith where the ravens brought him food and he got some good restful sleep. Or like the Lord took care of Israel in the wilderness for 40 years, divinely providing them with protection, with manna food from heaven, and then clothing and footwear that didn’t wear out the whole time. God is actually taking care of his people where the serpent cannot get to them.

“God does not hide them in some makeshift unprotected location — He nourishes them, just as He provided for Elijah and Israel in the wilderness.”

And then we see in verses 15 and 16, God still supernaturally helps the woman.

Satan’s Flood of Lies and Deceit

But when he does that, it’s because Satan heightens and intensifies the persecution. Notice in verse 15, it says, “And the serpent poured water like a river out of his mouth after the woman so that he might cause her to be swept away by the flood.” Now, if you notice also, Satan here is called the serpent maybe for a very good reason because now he is about deceiving.

It looks like the serpent tries to drown the woman.

We must not think that this is a literal flood of water here, but the fact that a flood does much damage and leaves a path of destruction.

How does he try to sweep Israel away? How does he try to do that?

Well, Satan overwhelms them with a flood of lies and deceit. That’s the first way he does it. That’s what it says in Matthew 24:24: “For false Christs and false prophets will arise and will show great signs and wonders so as to mislead, if possible, even the elect.”

In other words, false news. People won’t know what to believe or what is true or what is false. The floodwaters really depict the power of evil with all manners of delusion and false teachings.

“Satan overwhelms with a flood of lies and deceit — people won’t know what to believe or what is true.”

Whether it’s in religion or philosophy or science or politics or economics or education, everything is polluted. The serpent has his fingerprints on all of it in order to confuse and to deceive the whole world, all the world’s population.

Like it did in the Garden of Eden when the serpent implied to Eve that God was holding out on her and caused doubt in her mind about the character of God when Satan said to Eve, “Indeed, has God said, ‘You shall not eat of any tree of the garden?’” He caused a question of doubt.

Worldwide Deception and False Signs

And when you cause a question of doubt, there’s always confusion that follows, where people do not know what to do. That’s what he does. So the latter half of the tribulation will be characterized by many false signs, miracles, wonders for the purpose of worldwide deception. These false signs will be performed by both the antichrist and the false prophet.

That’s what it says in Thessalonians.

This is the one whose coming is in accord with the activity of Satan with all power and signs and false wonders and with all deception of wickedness for those who perish and do not receive the love of the truth so as to be saved.

That’s what he does. That’s part of the flood coming out of his mouth to deceive the world.

If you look at Revelation 13, which I will pick up next time in verses 11 through 14, it says, “Then I saw another beast come up out of the earth and he had two horns like a lamb and he spoke as a dragon.

He exercises all the authority of the first beast in his presence. And he makes the earth and those who dwell in it to worship the first beast whose fatal wound was healed. And he performed great signs so that he even makes the fire come down from heaven to the earth in the presence of men. And he deceives those who dwell on the earth because of the signs which it was given him to perform in the presence of the beast. Telling those who dwell on the earth to make an image to the beast who had the wound of the sword and has come to life.

2 Thessalonians 2:9-10: “The coming is in accord with the activity of Satan with all power and signs and false wonders and with all deception of wickedness.”

So worldwide deception. Are we getting used to that in our time now?

You don’t know who to believe. You don’t know where to get your news from, right? You have to search and search to try to find out what’s really going on.

It’s going to be worse then.

The Second Coming Will Not Be Secret

See, Jesus warns in the Gospel of Matthew 24 that there will be people saying the Messiah has returned here or the Messiah has returned there and that the second coming has secretly occurred.

Jesus warns the Jews not to believe such rumors or statements and come out of hiding. Because unlike the first coming, the second coming will not be in secret.

When Messiah returns the second time, all peoples will see it. For it will be like a flash of lightning surrounding the world. That’s what it says in Matthew 24.

Jesus said, “Behold, I have told you in advance.” So if they say to you, “Behold, he is in the wilderness,” do not go out. “Behold, he is in their inner rooms,” do not believe them.

For just as lightning comes from the east and flashes even to the west, so will the coming of the son of man be. There will be nothing private about Jesus coming. Everyone will see him. Everyone will know what’s happening at that point.

But until that time, there will be a massive scale of deception going on in the world.

“When Messiah returns the second time, all peoples will see it — like a flash of lightning surrounding the world.”

Some have connected this to what the prophet Isaiah actually wrote concerning judgment on corrupt rulers and priests and prophets who believed and taught the people what was false and not the way of the Lord. This is what it said there: these unbelieving Israelites make lies their refuge.

Matter of fact, if you tell a lie long enough, people will actually believe it. And when they believe it, that will be their refuge. But it will bring no protection to them.

See this? That’s the first reason that Israel was swept away by falsehood.

The Flood of Armies Against Israel

They don’t know what to believe. They just have to hold to what God said in the Old Testament and in the New Testament. And then there’s a second reason why they’re swept away: because the serpent wants to swamp Israel with the flood of armies.

Many Jews will flee before the invaders strike.

It seems that Jordan will refuse Israel’s passage across its borders. And so the Jews will escape to Petra in the recesses of Edom and to Moab and Ammon and fly away.

The flood also describes the invasion that will come, which the king of the north—which is Gog, Russia—will launch against the Middle East. So they have to flee.

And it really corresponds with what Ezekiel the prophet predicts will happen to the northern aggressors that will come, and the earth will literally swallow up the armies by a catastrophic earthquake that shakes the land. Ezekiel actually talks about this.

But notice in verse 16 what it says. Not only is Satan’s persecution intensified, but now we see that because of God’s protection, his protection is nullified in verse 16. But the earth helped the woman and the earth opened its mouth and drank up the river which the dragon poured out of his mouth.

So the community of Jesus’ children are under his protection all the way to the end.

“The earth opened its mouth and drank up the river — the community of Jesus’ children are under His protection to the end.”

From Anti-Semitism to Anti-Saints

But you think that would be it and that Satan would give up, put his tail between his legs and go his way. But no, that’s not what he does. What he does is he said, “Okay, if I can’t get Israel, what am I going to do next?” And you find that in verse 17. The serpent’s pursuit of God’s people is multiplied.

Notice what it says: “The dragon was enraged with the woman and went off to make war with the rest of her children.”

The serpent lost again and moves from anti-Semitism to anti-saints.

The old devil is so angry that he fought and lost three major battles. He goes to war with the rest of the family of the woman.

That means any saint, Jew or Gentile, who turns to Christ as their Lord and Savior is a target.

“The serpent moves from anti-Semitism to anti-saints — any who turn to Christ as Lord and Savior are a target.”

The Marks of True Saints: Keeping and Holding Fast

And those saints who are identified have two specific characteristics. Notice what it says in verse 17: those who keep the commandments of God and those who hold to the testimony of Jesus.

They keep the commandments of God and they hold to the testimony of Jesus. That simply means that one keeps what is valuable, what is a treasure, and they will let no one take it away or damage it or violate it.

That treasure is they’re waiting for somebody. Who are they waiting for? They’re waiting for the Messiah to come because now they’re getting converted in the land. They’re trusting Christ as their Lord and Savior.

Christ does mean Messiah in Greek. That’s what it means. They call him back: “Lord, save us.”

What do they do? They wait. While they’re being persecuted, they are waiting. They’re keeping the commandments of God. They’re holding fast to the testimony of Jesus. They’re never going to let go of that. They find that to be more treasure than anything they could be offered to them on this side of eternity.

“One keeps what is valuable, what is a treasure, and will let no one take it away or damage it or violate it.”

In Louisiana, a woman lies buried beneath a grove of 150-year-old oak trees in an old Christian cemetery. There’s only one word carved on her tombstone: waiting.

Aren’t we doing that right now? Aren’t we waiting?

Well, we just don’t wait and twiddle our thumbs. We have to wait and gird our loins not only with truth but to be battle ready because the two characteristics mentioned here in Revelation have always been the core beliefs of the saints.

It’s found recorded all throughout scriptures. In Joshua, he tells the people to keep the commandments and hold fast to him and serve him with all your heart and with all your soul.

In the Psalms, it tells us the same thing: put your confidence in God and do not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments.

In the wisdom literature in Ecclesiastes 12:11, it says the conclusion when all has been heard: fear God, keep his commandments because this applies to every person.

In the prophets in Daniel, it says, “I pray to the Lord my God and confess and said, alas, oh Lord, the great and awesome God who keeps his covenant and loving kindness for those who love him and those who keep his commandments.”

Right in the gospels, he who has my commandments and keeps them is the one who loves me and he who loves me will be loved by my father and I will love him and I will disclose myself to him.

Everywhere you find these things in real saints, they know what to hold on to. They know what to treasure, especially when times are coming that we may not realize. After even the events of yesterday, what is going to be unleashed upon us, we do not know.

Do not get comfortable.

Be Watchful, Be Battle Ready

Be watchful. Be alert. Be diligent. Not only in your physical life but in your spiritual life. Because the deception level will go up and up and up. And unless your Bible, you will be deceived.

Unless what is written therein, you will be a target of the enemy and his many demons that are going to carry out his plans.

So this is how soldiers of Jesus Christ face an enemy who desires their undoing. In the service of our king, we must be on the alert.

The call to be effective in battle challenges us to be ready for the surprise attacks of our spiritual enemy. And knowing at the same time that Satan’s plans are no match for the Savior’s power.

“Be watchful. Be alert. Be diligent. Unless you know your Bible, you will be deceived.”

That has to be on our mind these days, and how appropriate this message is in light of what happened.

But Satan’s not finished. It will get worse.

Closing Prayer

Let’s pray.

Lord, thank you today for enlightening us from the scriptures about the enemy’s plan to usurp the authority of God, to put himself in charge of things and try to rule. But Lord, thank you that you are a God who has given us a salvation that is settled and sure. Your promises are yes and amen.

And Lord, the battle has been determined by you. Satan loses and the Lord wins. And all those who know you as Lord and Savior are also on the winning side.

So thank you Lord for informing us of the reality of life. Make us strong in the Lord to put on the armor of God to be able to stand up against all the wiles of Satan.

And I pray this in Christ’s name. Amen.

Let’s stand together.

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