Sermon Tone Analysis
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So far, six of the seven trumpets have been sounded, and seventh is about to be blown...
When seventh trumpet blows, it is proclaimed that the time has come for God to take over this world, to judge the dead, and to reward His people.
But before John is shown the end, he is given some more information about events that must happen first.
And so he continues...
John sees a woman, who represents the people of God.
In the old covenant, the people of God consisted of those Jews were loyal to God.
In the new covenant, the people of God consists of those Jews and Gentiles who believe in Jesus.
John also sees a dragon, who represents the devil.
The dragon is said to throw 1/3 of heaven’s stars to the ground.
This language is taken from Daniel 8:10 where the same phrase is used to describe the wicked king Antiochus Epiphanes and his persecution of the Jews.
As such, when Revelation describes the dragon thrown down 1/3 of heaven’s stars, it likely refers to his persecution of the righteous.
In John’s vision, the woman gives birth to a male child, who is Jesus, the one God has chosen is to rule the world.
The dragon wanted to kill the child as soon as He was born.
And as we know from Matthew’s Gospel, in an attempt to kill Jesus, King Herod ordered all of the male children in Bethlehem under the age of 2 to be killed.
But King Herod was unsuccessful, and Jesus completed His ministry and was ‘caught up to God and His throne’ when He ascended back to heaven.
The woman is then said to flee into the wilderness where God has prepared a place for her, where she will be fed.
This language is to evoke in our minds that time when Israel was in the wilderness after they left Egypt and were on their way to the Promised Land, and God fed them by providing this mysterious food called manna.
Even so, we, the Church, are currently on our way to the Heavenly Promised Land which is the New Jerusalem.
Even as God was faithful to provide for the Israelites, so He is faithful to sustain His Church as we navigate the wilderness journey of this life.
Notice the time that God is said to feed the Church for - 1,260 days which is same as 42 months, of 3.5 years.
As we saw last week, 3.5 years is the the duration that Antiochus Epiphanes greatly persecuted the Jews in the 2nd Century BC.
This duration of 3.5 years, is therefore not to be understood literally, but as a symbol denoting a time of difficulty for God’s people.
Our passage continues...
After Jesus returned to heaven, we are told that the devil, who accuses God’s people before God day and night, was thrown out of heaven.
The devil being cast out of heaven is symbolic of the fact that Satan’s accusations against us have been rendered null and void.
This is because Jesus has shed His blood, paying the penalty for our sins and cleansing us of all sin.
This is why it said in verse 11
However, the fact that the devil has been thrown out of heaven means something rather unfortunate for the earth.
The devil is furious, because he knows that the time is rapidly approaching when he will be thrown into the lake of fire.
Therefore he seeks to work as much wickedness as he can before that day.
We must understand that much of the wickedness we see around us is the devil’s rage at his impending doom.
Our passage continues...
In response to the dragon’s persecution, the woman is given eagle’s wings so that she can fly into the wilderness and be nourished there for ‘a time and times and half a time’ (3.5 years).
The fact that she was given eagle’s wings reminds us that we cannot defeat the devil in our own power.
We need the strength that God gives.
It is only the wings that He provides that enable us to fly.
Our passage also informs that the dragon spewed water at the woman, and that the earth helped the woman by opening its mouth and swallowing the water.
This reminds us that in and of ourselves we do not have what it takes to defeat the devil.
It took a sovereign act of God, causing the earth to open and swallow the water.
It is therefore essential that we humble ourselves, and pray as Jesus taught us, saying ‘lead us not into temptation but deliver us from the evil one’.
Spiritual warfare is to be waged with humble dependence on God.
It is not about being cocky and calling the devil all kind of names.
Such is actually discouraged...
Spiritual warfare is something that must be done reverentially and in dependence on God.
Notice...
The dragon persecuted the woman, but didn’t manage to destroy her.
The dragon then spewed water at the woman, but didn’t manage to destroy her.
The dragon then made war with the rest of her offspring.
This conveys to us an important spiritual lesson here: when the devil attacks you and fails, he doesn’t quit.
He seeks to find another inroad.
For this reason, we must never let our guard down.
Now, when Jesus taught us to pray, he told us to say ‘give us this day our daily bread’.
On another occasion in Luke’s gospel He said ‘give us day by day our daily bread’.
But in Matthew’s Gospel He said ‘give us this day our daily bread’.
This assumes we are praying each day, as it says ‘this day’, not ‘this week’.
Jesus then went on to say ‘and lead us not into temptation but deliver us from the evil one’.
In other words, we are supposed to pray every single day that God would deliver us from the evil one.
So my simple question to you is this.
Each day, do you ask God to deliver you from the evil one?
Let us all ensure that we do so, knowing how much we need God to helps us.
Summary
God will sustain His Church as we navigate the wilderness journey of this life, and bring us into our heavenly Promised Land.
Because of Jesus' cleansing blood, the devil's accusations against us have been rendered null and void.
Much of the wickedness we see around us is the devil’s rage at his impending judgement.
We cannot defeat the devil in our own power.
We need to be strengthened by God, and we need to daily ask God to deliver us from the evil one.
Spiritual warfare as the Bible teaches is not about being cocky and calling the devil all kind of names.
Spiritual warfare is something that must be done reverentially and in dependence on God.
When the devil attacks you and fails, he doesn’t quit.
He seeks to find another inroad.
Therefore, we must never let our guard down.
Our Father in heaven,
Hallowed be Your name.
Your kingdom come.
Your will be done
On earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts,
As we forgive our debtors.
And do not lead us into temptation,
But deliver us from the evil one.
For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever.
Amen.
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