The Dragon | TheLastDays
What monstrosities dragons are! In legends, the mere sight of them inspires terror, panic, and mind-numbing fear. Swooping down suddenly upon helpless villagers they wreak havoc from the skies with no thought of mercy, spreading confusion and destruction in their wake. Slaying the living, stealing their treasures, and hoarding the wealth—that’s what they do. It’s what our enemy does, too. Also called the prince of the power of the air, this evil one roams the heavens, the earth, and the realms of the dead. Like the fire-breathing dragons of old, this ancient deceiver cannot be killed by human hand. Its going to take the Lord and His holy angels to defeat him. And defeat him they will. But we will have to wade through his havoc to get there.
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. Revelation 12:9
All scripture citations are from the English Standard Version (ESV) unless otherwise noted.
Chief Characteristics
Whole books are written about most of these crucial components. These characteristics are summaries of what is grounded in scripture, not fabricated through speculation.[i] Speculation is trying to “see” more than we are being shown. What we see by Biblical revelation is real enough, but a fuller view will only come as these still distant components draw nearer.
What’s in a name? In the Bible, names carry meanings and connotations which provide genuine insight into a person’s character, or in this case, lack of it. Many of the chief characteristics of the Dragon are revealed by the names he is known by. So that you can do further study on the nuances, some of the Hebrew and Greek words are given with their Strong’s definitions.
1. Devil
We never say of a mischievous friend, “Oh you’re being a perfect Lucifer now,” but we would insert the word devil. Similarly, we could easily say of someone who is atrociously wicked or ill-tempered that they’re a devil to deal with. We might even say we’re being bedeviled by an annoying insect or a thorny problem. In all this few moderns would draw a conscious connection from their words to the devil himself. Yet, he is there invisibly operating behind the scenes as an all-purpose spoiler of the good life. However, Jesus said that the devil is more than a pesky irritant whose unseen interventions frustrate the living daylights out of us—though he is that. He is also “a murderer… a liar and the father of lies.” His devilish mischief always has dark ends in view.
You are of your father the devil [diablos], and your will is to do your father's desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies. John 8:44
Strong’s G1228 - diabolos: From G1225; a traducer; specifically Satan (compare [H7854]): - false accuser, devil, slanderer. Strong’s H8163 - salyr: From H8175; shaggy; as noun, a he goat; by analogy a faun: - devil, goat, hairy, kid, rough, satyr.
2. Satan
Satan is perhaps the devil’s most formidable name in English. We use it when we want to stress that the one we’re describing is the most evil being imaginable: deadly, vicious and implacable. Devil, or dark lord are good names for him, but they don’t get us halfway there. The name Satan is a reminder that he stands in absolute opposition to us and to everything good that God has created. This name for him means adversary, the one who both attacks and withstands. We use it when we feel under attack or blocked in our path by an enemy both ruthless and powerful. That’s why its good for us to remember that Satan has a flip side. Although he loves to terrorize his victims with his dark side, he also enjoys transforming himself “as an angel of light”—if that’s what’s needed to advance his evil agenda. Darkness is his nature; light is his disguise.
And no wonder, for even Satan [satan] disguises himself as an angel of light. So it is no surprise if his servants, also, disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. Their end will correspond to their deeds. 2 Corinthians 11:14-15
Strong’s H7854 - satan: From H7853; an opponent; especially (with the article prefixed) Satan, the arch enemy of good: - adversary, Satan, withstand. Also H7853 - satan: A primitive root; to attack, (figuratively) accuse: - (be an) adversary, resist.
3. Lucifer
This name for the evil one is used only one time in the whole of scripture. What’s more, most modern translations use terms like “Day Star,” “Shining Star,” or “Morning Star” instead. The Hebrew word means the planet Venus, the morning star. Nevertheless, the passage is clearly about a divine being who fell from grace due to his pride in thinking he could “ascend into heaven” and “be like the most High.” Saint Jerome translated “heylel” with the perfectly suitable Latin word “lucifer” and the name stuck. Then the King James followed suit and the rest is history. Somehow it really suits him, so despite the wave of new translations, we still want to use this name. It reminds us that Lucifer is the ultimate pretender—the one who claims to be a light-bearer (luminescent comes from the same root). Watch out: he will do anything to get you to fall into pride with him and share his doom.
How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer [heylel], son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High. Isaiah 14:12-14 KJV
Strong’s H1966 - heylel: From H1984 (in the sense of brightness); the morning star: - lucifer. Strong’s H1984 - halal: A primitive root; to be clear (originally of sound, but usually of color); to shine; hence to make a show; to boast; and thus to be (clamorously) foolish.
4. Deceiver
Deception is the devil’s subtle ability to make the wrong thing seem right and the right thing seem wrong. Don’t think he’s not good at it. He deceived a perfect couple filled with the glory of original innocence into trading their inheritance for the bite of forbidden fruit. He is credited by scripture with being “the deceiver of the whole world.” It is a mark of his pride, but also a sign of his ability, that he even tried to deceive Jesus in the wilderness. It is said that the evil one has four main powers to use against us: deception, temptation, accusation and destruction. Deception is the driving force behind the other three. We must first be deceived for the temptation to be accepted and acted upon, or for the accusation to be believed. That’s all that he needs to power up his more destructive operations through us or against us.
And the great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver [planao] of the whole world—he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him. Revelation 12:9
Strong’s G4105 - planao: From G4106; to (properly cause to) roam (from safety, truth, or virtue): - go astray, deceive, err, seduce, wander, be out of the way. Strong’s H5230 - nakal: A primitive root; to defraud, that is, act treacherously: - beguile, conspire, deceiver, deal subtilly.
5. Tempter
Several terms merge in general use but should be kept clear in our thinking: tests, trials and temptations. All are usually working at the same time. Situations of challenge—whether problems in the outward world or the inner life—confront us daily. These are the ordinary tests of life. If a test goes on too long or is too intense, we call it a trial. On this side of the equation it is a matter between God and us. The Lord uses events to “test” us as a refiner tests metal. With them He probes our character, not for his information, but for our discovery—so that we will see where growth is needed. This testing by God, however, creates endless opportunities for the devil to tempt us to go the wrong way in thought, word or deed. The pressure of unwanted events, the pull of negative feelings and insufficient information are all he needs to give his temptations traction.
For this reason, when I could bear it no longer, I sent to learn about your faith, for fear that somehow the tempter [peirazo] had tempted you and our labor would be in vain. 1 Thessalonians 3:5
Strong’s H974 - bachan: A primitive root; to test (especially metals); generally and figuratively to investigate: - examine, prove, tempt, try (trial). Strong’s G3985 - peirazo:From G3984; to test (objectively), that is, endeavor, scrutinize, entice, discipline: - assay, examine, go about, prove, tempt (-er), try.
6. Accuser
Accusation is an incessant activity—“night and day”—of the evil one. It goes out in three directions: towards God, others and our self. As a slanderer the enemy makes sure that no one gets a break. A brazen hypocrite, he rails against God blaming Him (through us) for everything wrong down here, which by the way are things he himself instigated. An unforgiving legalist, he works to get us holding grudges and offense, never once reminding us that Jesus grieves when we condemn each other. And then he turns these weapons of accusation against us. After we have forged them to fire at others, we find it extremely hard to believe in grace for ourselves. We live hoping for mercy, rather then swimming in it. No wonder heaven rejoices as all this accusation ceases when the “accuser of our brothers has been thrown down.”
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 [kategoros] of our brothers has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God. Revelation 12:10
Strong’s G2725 - kategoros: From G2596 and G58; against one in the assembly, that is, a complainant at law; specifically Satan: - accuser.
7. The Ruler of this World
This surprising title for the enemy is bestowed upon him by our Lord Jesus Christ. On the evening before the cross, Jesus called Satan “the ruler of this world.” Previously, He predicted that this world ruler was about to be “cast out.”[ii] He had also much earlier been shown the kingdoms of the world while the Devil boasted that they belonged to him because they had “been delivered to me.”[iii] Jesus did not deny the claim. What does this mean? The title must mean that up to the time of the cross, the evil one held a recognized position of legal authority over the world. In this sense, legal would not imply legitimate or moral. The enemy is a usurper who gained his position by deception, playing unfairly upon the credulous innocence of Adam and Eve. Their dominion authority was transferred to the Tempter. At the cross Jesus got it back.
I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler [archon] of this world [kosmos] is coming. He has no claim on me, but I do as the Father has commanded me, so that the world may know that I love the Father. Rise, let us go from here. John 14:30-31
Strong’s G758 - archon: Present participle of G757; a first (in rank or power): - chief (ruler), magistrate, prince, ruler. Strong’s G2889 – kosmos: Probably from the base of G2865;orderly arrangement, that is, decoration; by implication the world (in a wide or narrow sense, including its inhabitants, literally or figuratively [morally]): - adorning, world.
8. The Prince of the Power of the Air
Paul, writing several decades after the cross, does not call Satan “the ruler of this world” as Jesus did, for that he no longer is. By Jesus own words, that aspect of his rule has been “cast out”—at least as far as redeemed humanity is concerned. At the cross the enemy’s universal death grip was broken. Nevertheless, Satan is still “prince of the power of the air” working with unchecked resolve against every child of Adam and Eve he can tempt into being “sons of disobedience.” The battle continues. In some way, we grant him genuine spiritual authority over the earth by giving our allegiance to his demented perspective and walking in his perverted footsteps. Following this prince is what keeps him in power.
And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince [archon] of the power [exousia] of the air [aer], the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience—among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. Ephesians 2:1-3
Strong’s G758 - archo¯n: Present participle of G757; a first (in rank or power): - chief (ruler), magistrate, prince, ruler. Strong’s G1849 – exousia: From G1832 (in the sense of ability); privilege, that is, (subjectively) force, capacity, competency, freedom, or (objectively) mastery (concretely magistrate, superhuman, potentate, token of control), delegated influence: - authority, jurisdiction, liberty, power, right, strength. Strong’s G109 - aer: From (to breathe unconsciously, that is, respire; by analogy to blow); “air” (as naturally circumambient): - air. Compare G5594.
9. The God of this World
Lest we think the enemy was entirely stripped of power by the cross, we see by means of this title that he still holds high position. Paul calls him “the god of this world.” Satan is a spiritual being of supernatural intelligence and power—a little “d” divine being. Was he originally ordained to be prince of this world—as Jesus called Him—under God’s leadership? Did he then fall from grace? Or did he usurp his position as prince though tempting Adam and Eve to fall with him? Whatever the case, his power as god of this world is staggering. Through his arts of deception, this fallen ruler still holds sway over un-regenerated humanity. He has “blinded the minds of unbelievers” everywhere, so that only the gospel can open their eyes. That is a power as astonishing as it is infernal.
And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. In their case the god [theos] of this world [aion] has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. 2 Corinthians 4:3-4
Strong’s G2316 – theos: Of uncertain affinity; a deity, especially (with G3588) the supreme Divinity; figuratively a magistrate; by Hebraism very: - X exceeding, God, god [-ly, -ward]. Strong’s G165, aion: From the same as G104; properly an age; by extension perpetuity (also past); by implication the world; specifically (Jewish) a Messianic period (present or future): - age, course, eternal, (for) ever (-more), [n-]ever, (beginning of the, while the) world (began, without end). Compare G5550.
10. The Evil One
This title sums it up. He truly is the evil one. Anything evil you can think of or name belongs to him. All the evil deeds ever done on the earth have their source in him. No doubt there are evils beyond our imagining that dwell within his dark heart. Its best not to go too far in that direction. Joseph Conrad in the “Heart of Darkness” wrote of something he called “the fascination of the abomination.” This dark lord is so evil that dwelling too long on things of darkness causes them to grow and draw. Don’t have any misplaced sympathy for this devil—he would despise you for it anyway. He holds in contempt his servants’ ignorance in thinking he wants anything from them but their permission to lay their soul to waste. Be vigilant. Never let him “snatch away” what has been sown in your heart by the Lord.
When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart. This is what was sown along the path. Matthew 13:19
Strong’s G4190, pone¯ros: From a derivative of G4192; hurtful, that is, evil (properly in effect or influence, and thus differing from G2556, which refers rather to essential character, as well as from G4550, which indicates degeneracy from original virtue); figuratively calamitous; also (passively) ill, that is, diseased; but especially (morally) culpable, that is, derelict, vicious, facinorous; neuter (singular) mischief, malice, or (plural) guilt; masculine (singular) the devil, or (plural) sinners: - bad, evil, grievous, harm, lewd, malicious, wicked (-ness).
11. The Enemy
You have an enemy. He is relentless and cruel. He hates you without cause. He and his kingdom have been working to overthrow you from the moment you were conceived. He works to deceive you, tempt you, condemn you and destroy you. Along the way he delights in stealing from you all the good things that God gives you.[iv] C. S. Lewis wrote that every square inch of the earth is contested territory—either God is advancing His kingdom, or the devil is taking ground for himself. There are no inches more hotly contested than the ones that lie between your head and heart. See that he stays out of both! For the truth is that we have a gracious Lord who knows how to help us in this battle. But it really helps to know that we have a battle to engage. Spiritual warfare is that part of our prayer life that is directed against the enemy—by rebuking him and commanding him to go in Jesus Name. Jesus won't do this part for you, but He will do it with you.
The field is the world, and the good seed is the sons of the kingdom. The weeds are the sons of the evil one, and the enemy [echthros] who sowed them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are angels. Matthew 13:38-39
Strong’s G2190 – echthros: From a primary word echtho (to hate); hateful (passively odious, or actively hostile); usually as a noun, an adversary (especially Satan): - enemy, foe.
12. The Dragon
Unfortunately, the myths have it right. Dragons exits. At least, we know of one that does. The fierce, dreaded dragons of legend have an all-too-real counterpart in this evil personage. In his vision on the Isle of Patmos, John was shown the enemy looking exactly like a giant dragon. Adam and Eve first encountered this same wicked being looking like a serpent in the Garden of Eden. Taking the image as a living metaphor, how could a small reptile become a large one? By feeding—by feeding on the countless millions of souls it deceived to their destruction. Like all reptiles it is cold-blooded, an image of heartlessness and cruelty. This one is also powerful, a mighty leader with legions of fallen angels to back it up. But it is not invincible. It will be fully and finally defeated in the end. Just as “there was no longer any place for them in heaven,” a day is coming when there will be no place for them outside the lake of fire. But we are not there yet.
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. Revelation 12:7-8
Strong’s G1404 - drakon:Probably from an alternate form of derkomai (to look); a fabulous kind of serpent (perhaps as supposed to fascinate): - dragon. Also Strong’s H8577 : (The second form used in Eze_29:3); intensive from the same as H8565; a marine or land monster, that is, sea serpent or jackal: - dragon, sea-monster, serpent, whale. Strong’s H3882 - livyathan: From H3867; a wreathed animal, that is, a serpent (especially the crocodile or some other large sea monster); figuratively the constellation of the dragon; also as a symbol of Babylon: - leviathan, mourning.
Pre-Figured in Scripture
Every crucial component of the Last Days has already “appeared” in the Biblical prophetic narrative in the past, somewhat like a dress rehearsal for the final drama. These foreshadows are called “types” because they precede their ultimate expression (the “antitype”).[v] As shadows of the future reality, however, they cast a revealing light of their own.
1. The Serpent in the Garden
This serpent is a fascinating intruder into the Garden to say the least. The image of a snake slithering towards its goal helps us see the low-lying (pun intended), underhanded way the enemy advanced upon Eve, approaching her as a friend who had her best interest at heart. Slithering also speaks of the side to side way the enemy can play either side of a question, always evading the center line of truth. A snake’s hissing brings echoes of murmured innuendo to mind, intended to plant in someone’s mind things the whisperer wouldn’t want overheard. The Native Americans would say of a deceiver that he “speaks with a forked tongue”—a snake’s tongue—meaning his words aren’t what they mean. We have that here as well. Adam and Eve were never meant to be deprived of knowing what good and evil are, only from knowing what it is to have the battle between them on the inside.
Not surprisingly, there is more to this image than meets the eye. An excellent case can be made that the Hebrew word used here has a wealth of other meanings attached to it. One meaning has to do with the Strong’s root listed below that traces “nachash” to the spells and enchantments associated with divine prognostication—the attempt to discern the future with the help of the gods. In fact, the verb form of this same word means a diviner of hidden truths. Another shade of meaning in this family of words is that of being shining or brilliant. Throughout the ancient Middle East shining serpent beings were throne room guardians of the gods.[vi]
All of this says little to us through the translations we have, but to the hearers of the original text in the original context of their times, it would have brought a different picture to mind. The Jewish readers for whom this was written may have thought of the talking snake the way we think of the dragon in Revelation or of Jesus as the Lamb. They can be seen that way (at times), but their primary visage is of human appearance. Eve may have been talking to the Prince of this World (so called by Jesus) whose advice in divine matters—due to his access to the throne—she was accustomed to seeking. We know from Isaiah and Ezekiel that his appearance was indeed that of a brilliant and shining one. But his ways were the ways of a serpent.
And the serpent [nachash] said to the woman, You shall not surely die, 5 for God knows that in the day you eat of it, then your eyes shall be opened, and you shall be as God, knowing good and evil. Genesis 3:4-5
Strong’s H5175, nachash: From H5172; a snake (from its hiss): - serpent. Strong’s H5172, na^chash: A primitive root; properly to hiss, that is, whisper a (magic) spell; generally to prognosticate: - X certainly, divine, enchanter, (use) X enchantment, learn by experience, X indeed, diligently observe.
2. The King of Tyre
The king of Tyre is a nameless, hapless tyrant, unknown to history, who holds the unique distinction in scripture as a stand in for Satan. That invisible, malevolent ruler of the dark kingdom is known all too well to us! In truth, any of us could take this poor king’s place. Perhaps that’s why he is left anonymous in the text. All of us to some degree try to be the god of our own little world, putting Self with its demands at our cosmic center.
Like this king, we began “full of wisdom and perfect in beauty” as little children. Then, inevitably, we lifted ourselves up in (often unrecognized) pride, thinking more highly of our good qualities than of the One who gave them to us. Perhaps we weren’t “cast to the ground” as this king was, but have we not all been laid low at some point by the mighty Hand of God? The reason for these ups and downs is because we were “fathered” into the way of pride by the one who rebelled against God first.[vii] That would be Satan, the dragon—the one who “drags-us-down” by foolishly imitating his soaring self-absorption.
Moreover, the word of the LORD came to me: “Son of man, raise a lamentation over the king of Tyre, and say to him, Thus says the Lord GOD: “You were the signet of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty… Your heart was proud because of your beauty; you corrupted your wisdom for the sake of your splendor. I cast you to the ground; I exposed you before kings, to feast their eyes on you. All who know you among the peoples are appalled at you; you have come to a dreadful end and shall be no more forever.” Ezekiel 28:11-12; 17; 19
Revealed by Scripture
The Bible exposes the secret plans and deceptive operations of the dark kingdom, even as it unveils the glorious realities of what our God is doing. The truths of scripture are, therefore, our rock-solid building blocks for interpreting the times we are entering. Nevertheless, for biblical information to become true revelation both prayer and the Holy Spirit are needed.
The perplexing question about the dragon passages in Revelation 12 is when they take place. Are all or part of them happening during Satan’s original fall from grace, or during the birth of Jesus, or sometime during the End Times, or at the very end? If we cut these Revelation passages into pieces and scatter them throughout history, some parts seem to work better as past events. But is that the best way to go? Should the Revelation timeline be left intact? In other words, was John being shown events that were all in the future and that would unfold in the future in the same order as they progressed before him in his vision? The enemy is a deceiver who loves to spread confusion. Is there any hope that studying the dragon will clear up this riddle?
1. The “Great Sign” of the Dragon
NOTE: For a discussion of the woman, see The Woman and the Dragon in the Book of Revelation section.
And a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars. She was pregnant and was crying out in birth pains and the agony of giving birth. And another sign appeared in heaven: behold, a great red dragon, with seven heads and ten horns, and on his heads seven diadems. Revelation 12:1-3
The first appearance of the dragon in the Book of Revelation is in this passage. Indeed, it is the first time that the enemy is identified by name as the dragon in the whole of scripture. Is this a bizarre example of saving the best for last? That is probably not what the Lord had in mind by holding back this revelation of his character until the end—he had to grow into this name. This passage includes a description of the dragon as having “seven heads and ten horns”—an image that exactly matches that of the first beast, the antichrist. This means at the least that the antichrist is the human embodiment of the dragon, just as the dragon is the spiritual embodiment of the evil one—devoid of any “human” appearance.
This supernatural shape-shifter who can transform himself into an angel of light when it suits his diabolical purposes, now is revealed to be anything but angelic. It is as a monstrous beast—the hideous stuff of nightmares and camp fire tales—that we see him now. This entity began life as an elohim, one of the sons of God sharing His divine image, a valued and honored member of the divine counsel. But pride lifted him; and judgement felled him. He who once sought his apotheosis as God; now is revealed to be less than the angels whose ranks he corrupted, far less even than the humanity he despised and led to slaughter. He is revealed as an unsightly beast and worse, a reptilian scaly creature of deformed dimensions. Only the featherless wings remain as a perverted reminder of the heights he reached before his fall.
The dragon is red, the color of chaos and disorder.[viii] Is this from the blood of the saints which he martyred in murderous rage? Or, is it the blood of innocents slaughtered by his twisted ways upon the earth: war, violence and abortion? Just as dragons twist as they fly, so this beast twists the thoughts of the ones he deceives. Even the murder of the unborn is believed to be a guiltless act by those who succumb to the noxious breath of his logic, rather than the inbreathing of the Spirit. On the other hand, is his color a self-chosen mockery of the Blood of Christ? Always an imitator, he began by promising divine life could be ours if we went his way in the Garden. Endless life will indeed come to those who follow him, but it will be a life of unending torment in the lake of fire. Is this color then a God-given sign of his fiery doom?
His tail swept down a third of the stars of heaven and cast them to the earth. Revelation 12:4a
From this single verse arose the idea that a third of the heavenly hosts fell with Satan when he fell. The “stars of heaven” often signify the heavenly host of angels in many passages of scripture, so the connection may be valid. In that case we would still have no idea of the number, only the percentage. That’s a whopping one third of all the supernatural beings God created to populate the invisible realm. It certainly gives a sense of heft to the enemy’s army, but even if two thirds fell with him, the ultimate battle would still be ludicrously weighted against him. Our God is the all mighty One. He is the One, the only One, who has all the might.
When did this cosmic disaster take place? Satan fell at least by the time of Eve’s temptation in the Garden. Certainly, judgment is pronounced there as a curse upon the serpent. That scene is amplified by the companion texts of Isaiah 14 and Ezekiel 28 (see below for Other Scriptures to Study). The enemy’s fall may, therefore, have occurred at the time when he broke ranks to cause the downfall of the human couple. This still doesn’t give us a time for when his tale “swept down a third of the stars of heaven” unless others joined him in rebellion at that time. That may have been the case. Many divine beings may have fallen with Lucifer or as a result of rejecting the justice of God’s judgment upon him. Even so, more would fall later.
The Genesis story gives us further insight. Some of the heavenly beings or “sons of God” (elohim) as the texts calls them, “came in to the daughters of man and they bore children to them.”[ix] These hybrid children (part supernatural being; part human) became the race of giants, further corrupting humanity and necessitating the flood of Noah’s day. Jude tells us that those angels who “left their first estate” were judged for their crime and have been kept in chains “under darkness” ever since.[x] This is the second angelic rebellion.
Even more “sons of God” failed in their assignments as guardians over the nations which God dispersed after the Tower of Babel judgment. Although He kept Israel as His own heritage, the Lord divided the nations “according to the number of the sons of God” that they were placed under.[xi] They were to govern as God’s representatives. Instead, they sought to be worshiped in His place. Psalm 82 records God’s judgments against them for failing to govern the nations properly.”[xii] This is the third angelic rebellion. There may have been others.
And the dragon stood before the woman who was about to give birth, so that when she bore her child he might devour it. Revelation 12:4b
When did this event occur? As we see in the next verse, the dragon could have only “stood before the woman” at the time leading up to Jesus’ birth, because it is Jesus who will ascend to heaven’s throne and “rule all the nations.” Jesus is this woman’s child, the one Herod “sought to devour.” That much is certain. The woman, therefore, could be the Virgin Mary or the nation of Israel. Naturally, opinions are divided on this. Mary, of course, is the human individual God recruited to bring His Son to birth, so she comes to mind first. However, nothing else in the prophecy fits her. How was she dramatically withstood by Satan? She had some trouble with Joseph at first that’s true, but his doubts were cleared up by a mere dream, not a battle. After Jesus was caught up to God at the Ascension there is no record of Mary fleeing persecution. She is remembered as having lived to old age under the disciple John’s care in Ephesus.
The Jewish people, on the other, are a perfectly suitable candidate. Throughout the Hebrew scriptures Israel is described as God’s beloved, whom He married by means of the covenant at Mount Sinai.[xiii] As we know it was a stormy relationship—He divorced the Northern Kingdom of Israel, but not Judah, though she committed adultery, too. It was through the faithful remnant in Judah that God brought forth the promised Messiah. If it takes a village to raise a child, it takes a divinely prepared nation to raise a Messiah. The scriptures and prophecies had to be sown into the faith womb of the Jewish people and cultivated through their national life for Jesus to not only be born but also to be raised in the knowledge and holy fear of God. No other nation on earth could have done it. That’s why God had to choose one nation (ethnic group), marry her, and impregnate her with longing for the coming Child.
That the enemy has a murderous rage directed against the Jewish people—continuing through to this day—is well-attested to by the events of history. Pharaoh enslaved them, then sought to reduce their numbers. The nations in the Promised Land tried to fight them to death. So did the Philistines. The Assyrians succeeded in conquering and carrying off the northern kingdom. Babylon came and destroyed the southern, carrying them off captive as well. The Lord preserved a remnant every time. The Greeks and Romans also fought wars to destroy their cultural cohesion and national life. Rome succeeded better than any enemy previously. After the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD and the obliteration of the nation in 132 AD, the Jewish survivors “fled into the wilderness”—forced to live in Diaspora, scattered among the Gentile nations. Then, with the Zionist movement of the late 1800s God brought a remnant back to the land. The enemy still attacks them there.
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. Revelation 12:5-6
Even though he “stood before” this vulnerable woman giving birth, the dragon-who-would-be-god proves powerless. His deadly efforts are entirely unsuccessful. She gives birth to a male child who is “caught up to God and his throne.” Jesus is the only person in scripture who could fit the description of one who “is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron.” If it is indeed our Lord, then obviously, there is a compression of time in the sequence. Between the birth of Jesus and His being “caught up” to heaven by means of the Ascension, there was an interval of 33 years. If true so far, this gives us a template for looking at other passages in this sequence and perhaps also throughout the Book.
Prophetic vision (alas!) rarely comes with a set pattern for interpretation. From a beleaguered human standpoint, it really doesn’t help that the Lord enjoys playing with words and images, even sequences. But it sure makes the effort to decipher the text feel far more rewarding when understanding comes.
So, let’s take a leap here with the text. In verse 5 we have Jesus ascending to the throne. That was 33 AD by traditional dating. Next, we are told that the woman “fled into the wilderness.” That could be the Diaspora of the past two thousand years. Then we see her in “a place prepared by God.” That could be modern Israel. Finally, at the end of verse 6, we are told that she will be “nourished for 1260 days.” Where have we heard that number before? It just happens to be 42 months—the terrible period of the antichrist’s reign of terror. It is the final 3 ½ years of the Great Tribulation.
2. The Dragon Is Cast to Earth
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. Revelation 12:7-8
Enquiring minds want to know: When do these events happen? We are told that “war arose in heaven” so we know the location, but the time eludes us. Are we seeing the original fall of Lucifer and the expulsion of the disgraced and defeated the rebel army? That would place this cosmic battle at or before Eden. Or, if we follow the sequence of this chapter as a timeline, does this happen sometime after Jesus’ birth? Jesus Himself said He saw Satan “fall like lighting from heaven” when the 72 disciples reported back to Him about their success in ministry.[xiv] It seems too much to believe that the first shot across the bow brought the whole infernal enterprise down. Jesus must be referring to the beginning of the end of Satan’s rule. What about the crucifixion? That ended the enemy’s reign as “Prince of this World” (see Chief Characteristics above).
What about the End Times? Does this scene take place at the time of the Last Battle or before? Because of the 3 ½ year period mentioned previously in verse 7, the likely connection here is to the End Times. Further, we are told that the woman “is to be nourished” during that time. This means that she will somehow be under the Lord’s special protection, but it also indicates that on the timeline of these verses, she’s not in that place yet. We are told that her 42 months of shelter are coming up, then we get verse 7 with its “now”—“Now war arose in heaven.” This could put this epic conflict right at the beginning of the worst part of the Tribulation. We’ll return here when we get to verse 12. The next few lines of text describe the battle itself.
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. Revelation 12:9
A variety of names are used in rapid succession to describe the leader of heaven’s rebellion. He is identified first as “the great dragon” in which gargantuan guise we see him now. Then, we are reminded that way back in the beginning he was “that ancient serpent.” This is an indelible image of growth on a colossal scale (pun intended) from small scaly reptile to large, but also of domain from land crawling to sky flying. Having begun the rebellion on earth, this “Prince of the Powers of the Air” headquarters in the second heavens—stationing himself and his troops between God (in the third heavens) and us.
His airborne reign is not to last. He and his angels are “thrown down.” Who is he? He is none other than “the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world.” (See Chief Characteristics above for more on these three titles.) Let’s note that this rebel horde is not thrown down to hell, or imprisoned in chains in darkness as their compatriots, the “Watchers” of Genesis 6 had been.[xv] Instead, to our woe they are thrown down “to earth.” Heaven is swept clean of this infernal problem, but the mess falls onto the earth. That’s a bit like your neighbor blowing his leaves over to your yard. What is our God thinking? Could not our heroes have thrown these malcontents to another galaxy?
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. Revelation 12:10
The question in the last paragraph finds an answer (of sorts) in the proclamation of verse 10. A great many benefits come to the earth precisely because “the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down” to the earth. Every temptation, every deception, has at its heart an accusation that there is something wrong with God and/or something wrong with us that only the false ways of the enemy can fix. The serpent’s whispered hiss to Eve—“you will become as God”—insinuated that God was withholding her true status and that she would forever lack what she needed without it. With the accuser and his team cast down four tremendous benefits “now” come: salvation, power, kingdom and authority.
What these are and what they mean could easily take too much space here to unpack. Suffice it to say that even now we drink in the blessing of these higher states whenever we too cast down accusation from our hearts, minds and tongues—by refusing to play the enemy’s game. After all, how is it that the enemy was able to accuse our brothers “day and night before our God.” Are we to imagine that this beastly being is allowed in heaven around the clock, rather than only at carefully guarded intervals? Or that he would even want to be there in the celestial heights where our God reigns instead of him? Why the very sound of laughter is like fingernails on blackboards to this monster. No, the only way he can get daily into God’s ear is through us. We’re the ones seated with Christ in the heavenlies.[xvi] Any accusation we make against anyone is immediately heard by God. Every condemning accusation we make is Satan speaking through us!
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. Revelation 12:11
Those who would place this war of the dragon in the past must have a difficult time with this verse. How can any of this yet be true? To say that “they” (the believers in Jesus men and women) have “conquered him” so far is a stretch. Satan, the Accuser, seems to be alive and well on the earth to this day as evidenced by the way both the world and the Body of Christ behave. Giving voice to the accusations of the Accuser is still going great guns. Social media, especially Twitter, runs rampant with this. Furthermore, he will not be conquered until the day when Christians in mass prove that “they loved not their lives even unto death.” The most likely candidate for that demonstration of faith will come when the mark of the beast is revealed. To refuse it will mean starvation, martyrdom or a hunted life.
Therefore, rejoice, O heavens and 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!” Revelation 12:12
That this is good news for the heavens is perfectly understandable and an excellent cause for rejoicing. The second heavens have been swept clean. But “woe” to us for this cosmic debris falls to the earth. Worse, earth is now warned that the devil will “come down to you in great wrath.” If he was “a roaring lion” before, seeking those he could maul and devour, what will he be like now?[xvii] This cannot be good. The devil knows it—it’s not good for him either. He now knows that “his time is short.” Not cut short. That would imply that he wanted more time in the second heavens. No doubt he did.
Much of what the devil does on earth could be compared to a terrorist holding hostages. We are the hostages. Because God loves us, He cannot or will not destroy the devil whose holds us captive by his spells. The evil one is too deeply embedded in us—in our thoughts, words and deeds. The wrong kind of cure would kill the ones who carry the disease. It took time to get things on earth to this point of dislodging the enemy from his airy abode. Now that he has been cast down to earth, he knows that his time is short—only 3/ ½ years will be allotted to this phase of his removal from power. He hates that limitation, but he will be determined to make the most of this new opportunity. The “restrainer” will be removed. At last he can put his infernal “son of man,” the antichrist, in a seat of unbridled earthly power.
3. The Dragon Pursues the Woman
And when the dragon saw that he had been thrown down to the earth, he pursued the woman who had given birth to the male child. Revelation 12:13
As discussed, we have two possibilities for this woman based upon verse 4b above: she is either the Virgin Mary or the Lord’s Beloved, Israel. However, at this point, some believe that we are being shown a third possibility: this woman is the Bride of Christ. But how can that be? This is the same woman that we were shown in the earlier verses as giving birth to the male child who would rule the world. How can the Bride of Christ in any way be thought of as giving birth to Jesus at His first coming? This would be a historic impossibility. The Bride can only be said to appear once the gospel and faith arrive—and that is after Jesus resurrects and leaves. Let’s don’t even consider the incestuous application if we press the metaphor to make the one who mothers Jesus into His future Bride.
The wedding of the Bride with Her resurrected Bridegroom awaits His Return. We are not told what that union may produce by way of divine-human offspring. Meanwhile, the one who mothered the one and only God-Man, Jesus, in the earlier verse must be Mary or Israel. At last, the identification becomes positive. Because of this same woman’s appearance in this and the following verses, she cannot be Mary. What could the Virgin Mary possibly be doing in these End Times verses? That leaves us with Israel, the Jewish people. If there is a woe for the inhabitants of the earth because the accuser was thrown down our way in anger, that woe is doubled for the non-Christian Jews who—in the person of this woman—are now “pursued’ by the dragon himself.
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. Revelation 12:14
Something or someone comes to the woman’s rescue. She is given “the two wings of the great eagle” to flee from immediate danger. That’s an interesting turn of the phrase. She is given the wings, not the eagle. It is she who “flies” with the help of these wings, rather than what we would expect—the eagle flying her. It is tempting to see here the eagle as the national emblem of the Untied States. The US has maintained a stance of friendship and protection towards Israel right from its national beginning in 1948. Not only that, but the largest population of Jews in the world (outside of Israel) is in the US where they have been protected and have prospered to a degree never reached in other nations.[xviii]
The American eagle would be the ideal candidate for this identification if it weren’t for the odd fact of its dismembered wings. What could that possibly imply? Many people indeed see America as having a destined role to play in the End Times protection of the dispersed and hunted Jewish refugees pictured here. However, refer to “Mystery Babylon” to see that America also fits the bill as the Harlot which will be judged in a day, resulting in national devastation. Will Christian believers in America still be able to shelter Jewish refugees? Many believe this will happen. If that’s the case, the eagle may indeed be gone as a power among the nations, but enough of her faithful people—the wings (think wings of faith)—may still be around to help carry the woman to safety.
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. Revelation 12:15-16
Whatever this crisis represents it clearly has a supernatural ending to it. At the beginning of the verse, the vision describes the flood as pouring “like a river” out of the serpent’s mouth. Why are we being shown the serpent and not the dragon? This takes us back to the source of the deceiver’s work. The original lie may be mingled somehow in these waters that are intended to “sweep her away with a flood.” We often speak of a “flood of lies” and “sweeping accusations.” It is not hard to imagine the evil one and his puppets—the antichrist and false prophet—pursuing Jews with a propaganda campaign the likes of which Goebbels never dreamed in his wildest fantasies.
It will take a miracle to save them and that is just what we are shown. The earth “opened its mouth and swallowed” this river of lies. By earth here are we meant to see the “salt of the earth”, the humble people of the earth, opening their hearts to absorb the lies without believing them? It may not just be Christian believers giving aid to Jews. Watch for humble, God-fearing resisters of the antichrist to also do the right thing.
Then the dragon became furious with the woman and went off to make war on the rest of her offspring, on those who keep the commandments of God and hold to the testimony of Jesus. And he stood on the sand of the sea. Revelation 12:17
This on-going rescue of the Jews creates an additional problem for people of Christian belief—the “rest of her offspring.” Our descent as believers in Jesus is through the Jews for "salvation is of the Jews."[xix] That makes us the target of the dragon’s fury. Wait a minute. Just one verse earlier he was a serpent. As serpent, he went after the woman. As a dragon, he goes after the Church. This one verse tells us that there will definitely be Christian believers on the earth during the last 3 ½ years of the Tribulation—the period we would all want to avoid.
We won’t be compromised believers trying to hang on to scrapes of faith, but deeply committed followers “who keep the commandments of God.” With a courageous and faithful grasp of truth, these offspring of the woman “hold the testimony of Jesus.” This verse also tells us that there will be a lot of us. The dragon, not the serpent of old, is the one who covers the earth. The final image of the dragon in his freedom is of him standing “on the sand of the sea.” Sea often represents humanity. The dragon towers over all he conquers, but he stands on sand. Jesus warned us about building on sand. There is no solid foundation to support him. Lies, threats, and brides are not enough to secure an empire. Especially, if the invading army is being led by our Lord.
4. The Dragon Is Bound for 1000 Years
I saw an angel coming down out of heaven, having the key of the abyss and a great chain in his hand. He seized the dragon, the old serpent, which is the devil and Satan, who deceives the whole inhabited earth, and bound him for a thousand years… Revelation 20:1-2
Thank God! At last the evil one meets his match and receives his doom. He who “deceives the whole world”, enslaving humanity with his lies now is bound himself. One can’t help but smile thinking about it. Will this deceiver, who deceived himself into thinking he could overthrow the rule of the All Mighty, be undeceived? Or will he continue to plot and scheme? We will see that he insanely follows the latter course.
For now, it is marvelous to see that when the right moment comes, it doesn’t even require the presence of Jesus to wrestle this foe to the ground. An angel—one single solitary angel—descended from heaven and “seized the dragon” just as if he were a paper tiger. This angel has the keys and the great chain required for the job, but he needs no extra spiritual “muscle” to accompany him. Did the angels draw straws hoping for this assignment? You can be sure that if jealousy were possible for holy beings, his good work this day might be envied as well as praised.
Then, we learn that the dragon will be bound “for a thousand years.” Imagine the earth without this deceiver, tempter, accuser and destroyer roaming the grounds. Imagine this lovely absence of evil going on for a thousand years. Imagine also that our glorious Lord will be reigning in Jerusalem for those thousand years, filling the days with freedom, peace and true progress such as the world—since Eden—has never known. Now ask yourself: Why in heaven’s name are they only locking the dragon up for a thousand years? Why not throw away the key?
and cast him into the abyss, and shut it, and sealed it over him, that he should deceive the nations no more, until the thousand years were finished. After this, he must be freed for a short time. Revelation 20:3
The angel casts the dragon “into the abyss.” This is a prison area of hell which is shut over him and sealed, but it is not yet a place of torment. It is by no means the punishment that will be his in the lake of fire. But the punishment will be real enough. He will have no one above ground that he can deceive, no one to slander for a thousand years. Think of it. His daily bread, the thing that made him hold humanity in such cold contempt, had been the way he so easily deceived us. This fed his incredible ego. He feasted upon our gullibility, imagining himself to be so wise, so superior. For a thousand years he will be forced to live with the reality of his failure and his fears.
For some inmates, solitary confinement is the worst punishment of all. It imprisons them with only their own black heart and mind to keep them company and as we know, misery loves company. Misery wants to make others miserable. He won’t have that opportunity. Instead, he will have a millennium to accuse himself for having failed and to rant and rave at others on his team that he can blame but not throttle. Then, inexplicably, he is released “for a short time.” Thank God for that, but why “must he be freed” in the first place? Of course, an escape is out of the question. It is impossible to escape from the grip of God, as many of us know who’ve tried. Thank God we couldn’t get away! But this one is let loose. Why?
5. The Dragon Is Damned Forever
And after the thousand years, Satan will be released from his prison, and he will come out to deceive the nations which are in the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to the war; the number of whom is as the sand of the sea. They went up over the width of the earth, and surrounded the camp of the saints, and the beloved city. Fire came down out of heaven from God and devoured them. Revelation 20:7-9
The reason for his release is now revealed. For a thousand years the entire remaining population of earth will have experienced the best Ruler and most enlightened and liberating government that humanity could ever hope to experience. The full Edenic beauty of the earth will be restored to the whole earth. Christian believers who met the Lord in the air will be living the dream in glorified bodies serving their beloved Master. Other inhabitants of earth who resisted taking the mark and somehow survived the antichrist’s reign will be here too. They will be forming families and raising children under the new ideal conditions.
These “resisters” will have to be believers—they will see Jesus with their own eyes from time to time. But they will be untested as believers. They will have sight, not faith. At some point they will have to make a faith decision to trust in and believe in Jesus as their ultimate hope for the future. Free will is not free unless it is genuinely tested. That’s one reason for the enemy’s release. The other may be a demonstration to the entire host of heaven that God’s judgments are just—that from the beginning He correctly foresaw that no matter how He worked with Lucifer, he would never repent. In this context, the release of Satan will prove that God’s judgments on fallen humans and fallen angels is without reproach.
Not much time will be needed for this final show down. Those that give way to deception and temptation will quickly assemble and just as quickly perish. Incredibly, the number of this army of the deceived will be “as the sand of the sea.” This is a testimony to how good the devil still is at deception and how foolish humanity can be at believing him. The vast army surrounded the camp of the saints and “the beloved city” (rebuilt Jerusalem)—all to no avail. Not a single warrior from heaven’s side suited up. Instead, in a blazing moment of judgment, “fire came down out of heaven from God and devoured them.” See the Very Last Battle to follow this episode further.
The devil who deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet are also. They will be tormented day and night forever and ever. Revelation 20:10
The long-awaited, perfectly prophesied end arrives. We are not even shown who does the heavy lifting. It is as if no effort is required. Without fanfare or sign of struggle the devil is “thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur.” This is that eternal fire which Jesus said was “prepared for the devil and his angels.”[xx] Finally, he receives in his own person the doom he led so many other poor souls to suffer. Two unpitiable once-human souls in that lake are the beast and false prophet. Will the unholy trio engage in mutual imprecations? Will tormenting each other be part of how “they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.” We can be sure divine justice will leave nothing out. There will be no mercy shown to those who showed no mercy.[xxi]
Other Scriptures to Study
1. Genesis: The Serpent in the Garden
1 Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which Jehovah God had made. And he said to the woman, Is it so that God has said, You shall not eat of every tree of the garden? 2 And the woman said to the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden. 3 But of the fruit of the tree which is in the middle of the garden, God has said, You shall not eat of it, neither shall you touch it, lest you die. 4 And the serpent said to the woman, You shall not surely die, 5 for God knows that in the day you eat of it, then your eyes shall be opened, and you shall be as God, knowing good and evil. 6 And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasing to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make wise, she took of its fruit, and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate. 7 And the eyes of both of them were opened. And they knew that they were naked. And they sewed fig leaves together and made girdles for themselves… 14 And Jehovah God said to the serpent, Because you have done this you are cursed more than all cattle, and more than every animal of the field. You shall go upon your belly, and you shall eat dust all the days of your life. 15 And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her Seed; He will bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel. Genesis 3:1-7; 14-15
2. Isaiah: Day Star, Son of Dawn
9 Sheol beneath is stirred up to meet you when you come; it rouses the shades to greet you, all who were leaders of the earth; it raises from their thrones all who were kings of the nations. 10 All of them will answer and say to you: ‘You too have become as weak as we! You have become like us!’ 11 Your pomp is brought down to Sheol, the sound of your harps; maggots are laid as a bed beneath you, and worms are your covers. 12 “How you are fallen from heaven, O Day Star, son of Dawn! How you are cut down to the ground, you who laid the nations low! 14:13 You said in your heart, ‘I will ascend to heaven; above the stars of God I will set my throne on high; I will sit on the mount of assembly in the far reaches of the north; 14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.’ 15 But you are brought down to Sheol, to the far reaches of the pit. 16 Those who see you will stare at you and ponder over you: ‘Is this the man who made the earth tremble, who shook kingdoms, 17 who made the world like a desert and overthrew its cities, who did not let his prisoners go home?’ 18 All the kings of the nations lie in glory, each in his own tomb; 19 but you are cast out, away from your grave, like a loathed branch, clothed with the slain, those pierced by the sword, who go down to the stones of the pit, like a dead body trampled underfoot. 20 You will not be joined with them in burial, because you have destroyed your land, you have slain your people. “May the offspring of evildoers nevermore be named! Isaiah 14:9-20
3. Isaiah: The Dragon in the Sea
In that day the LORD with his hard and great and strong sword will punish Leviathan the fleeing serpent, Leviathan the twisting serpent, and he will slay the dragon that is in the sea. Isaiah 27:1
4. Ezekiel: An Anointed Guardian Cherub
11 Moreover, the word of the LORD came to me: 12 “Son of man, raise a lamentation over the king of Tyre, and say to him, Thus says the Lord GOD: “You were the signet of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty. 13 You were in Eden, the garden of God; every precious stone was your covering, sardius, topaz, and diamond, beryl, onyx, and jasper, sapphire, emerald, and carbuncle; and crafted in gold were your settings and your engravings. On the day that you were created they were prepared. 14 You were an anointed guardian cherub. I placed you; you were on the holy mountain of God; in the midst of the stones of fire you walked. 15 You were blameless in your ways from the day you were created, till unrighteousness was found in you. 16 In the abundance of your trade you were filled with violence in your midst, and you sinned; so I cast you as a profane thing from the mountain of God, and I destroyed you, O guardian cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire. 17 Your heart was proud because of your beauty; you corrupted your wisdom for the sake of your splendor. I cast you to the ground; I exposed you before kings, to feast their eyes on you. 18 By the multitude of your iniquities, in the unrighteousness of your trade you profaned your sanctuaries; so I brought fire out from your midst; it consumed you, and I turned you to ashes on the earth in the sight of all who saw you. 19 All who know you among the peoples are appalled at you; you have come to a dreadful end and shall be no more forever.” Ezekiel 28:11-19
Next Crucial Component
Overcomers and Martyrs We don’t get to choose which we will be, but we do get to choose if want to be in this glorious company. During the Tribulation, things will get so intense in terms of religious persecution and economic pressure that death by sword or famine may challenge us all. Jesus warned us that there will be a great falling away as many believers renounce their faith and seal their fate in a vain attempt to save their lives. Mark this: the faith of everyone will be tested. Be encouraged that those who die faithfully as martyrs will receive the martyr’s crown. Those that survive faithfully will receive the overcomer’s crown. The Lord will prove that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.
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Endnotes
[i] Cambridge Dictionary defines speculation as “the act of guessing possible answers to a question without having enough information to be certain.” It derives from the Latin word “speculari” which means “to look at, view, observe” and originally indicated “close observation and intelligent contemplation.” By the late 1500s it gained the disparaging sense it carries today of “mere conjecture.” See etymonline.com.
[ii] Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world shall be cast out. And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, I will draw all to Myself. John 12:31-32
[iii] And leading Him up into a high mountain, the Devil showed Him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. And the Devil said to Him, I will give all this authority and their glory to You, because it has been delivered to me, and I give it to whomever I wish. Luke 4:5-6
[iv] The thief does not come except that he may steal, and kill, and destroy. I came that they may have life and may have it abundantly. John 10:10
[v] Adam is the type; Jesus, the “second Adam” is the antitype: Yet death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those whose sinning was not like the transgression of Adam, who was a type of the one who was to come. Romans 5:14
[vi] For more on this search Dr Michael Heiser on YouTube for videos about the snake in the Garden or buy a copy of his excellent book, The Unseen Realm.
[vii] You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father's desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies. John 8:44
[viii] For color coding in ancient Egypt see: https://www.thoughtco.com/colors-of-ancient-egypt-43718
[ix] Then the LORD said, "My Spirit shall not abide in man forever, for he is flesh: his days shall be 120 years." The Nephilim were on the earth in those days, and also afterward, when the sons of God came in to the daughters of man and they bore children to them. These were the mighty men who were of old, the men of renown. The LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. Genesis 6:3-5
[x] And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day. Jude 1:6
[xi] When the Most High gave to the nations their inheritance, when he divided mankind, he fixed the borders of the peoples according to the number of the sons of God. But the LORD's portion is his people, Jacob his allotted heritage. Deuteronomy 32:8-9
[xii] I said, "You are gods, sons of the Most High, all of you; nevertheless, like men you shall die, and fall like any prince." Arise, O God, judge the earth; for you shall inherit all the nations! Psalm 82:6-8
[xiii] For your Maker is your husband; Jehovah of Hosts is His name; and your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel; He is called the God of all the earth. Isaiah 54:5
[xiv] The seventy-two returned with joy, saying, "Lord, even the demons are subject to us in your name!" And he said to them, "I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. Luke 10:17-18
[xv] See the Book of Enoch for this description of the angels who left their first estate in order to cohabitate with the daughters of men.
[xvi] But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus. Ephesians 2:4-6
[xvii] Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. 1 Peter 5:8
[xviii] As of February 2019, roughly the same number of Jews live in the US as in Israel—6 million.
[xix] Jesus said to her, Woman, believe Me, the hour is coming when you shall neither worship the Father in this mountain nor yet at Jerusalem. You worship what you do not know, we know what we worship, for salvation is of the Jews. John 4:21-22
[xx] "Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. Matthew 25:41
[xxi] For judgment is without mercy to one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment. James 2:13