Revelation 4

Revelation 12-15

Objective: 

• The Woman, the Child, and the Dragon

• Satan Thrown Out of Heaven

• The Woman Persecuted

• The Beast from the Sea

• The Beast from the Earth

• The Lamb and the 144,000

• Prelude to the Bowl Judgments

Resources:

• Fr Tadros Y Malaty Commentary
• Catena Bible Commentary
• HEMY
• Fr Dawoud Lamie Bible study (Arabic)

Reading:

• Revelation 12
• Revelation 13
• Revelation 14
• Revelation 15

Key verse(s):

"And the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, ascended before God from the angel’s hand" Revelation 8:4

Comments:

• The word translated “Revelation” means “unveiling.
• The verb simply means “to uncover, to reveal, to make manifest.”
• Apocalypse = Revelation = unveiling = uncover = to make manifest
• The author is St. John the Beloved

• Author	St. John the Beloved
  Place	Patmos during exile
  Date	96 AD
  Theme	The things which are things which you have seen the things which will take place after this
  Key verse	Write the things which you have seen, and the things which are, and the things which will take place after this-1:19

• Ch.12
  • V.1: This is St. Mary, St. John the Baptist, and the 12 Apostles
    • This can also be applied to the Church
  • V.3:
    • Dragon = Devil
    • 7 heads = 7 Kingdom
    • 7 diadems = 7 crowns = 7 kings
    • 10 horns = horn = strength = 10 kingdoms will join the devil or the world is symbolized as 10 (opposite to the 10 commandments)
  • The next two revelations take place on earth and in heaven. Two different wars!
  • V.4-6: On Earth: The dragon (devil) stood against the Church and was able to draw a third of the believers down. He wanted to also draw Her Male Child (Christ). But He couldn’t and Christ ascended to Heaven to His throne. The woman (Church) went to the wilderness (living out of this world) and was supported by the Angels for 1260 days - 3.5 years (like in Ch. 11) the time of great persecution of the Anti-Christ
  • V.7-9: In Heaven: God wanted to reveal to us that there is another war we are not aware of and the angels are participating with us against the devil.
    • We should have the faith that the angels are fighting for us and protecting us every day in our lives
    • "serpent of old" Since the time of Adam
    • We understand from these verses that the devil was defeated. We should always have hope and understand that we can defeat him at any time as he is defeated
  • V.10-12: The praise of the Heaven rejoicing after the Angels defeated the devil
  • V.10: One of the devil's names is the "accuser". He is always complaining and accusing us
  • V.11: We are overcome by the Blood of Christ. We are strong in Christ and through His Body and Blood, "the word of their testimony" which is the Word of God, and not loving the world and its desires. 
  • V.12: The devil "he knows that he has a short time" which is a comforting message for us
  • V.13-17: Now back to Earth (Dragon vs Woman)
    • The devil persecuted the Male Child (Christ was persecuted)
      • True Christians ought to be persecuted
    • V.14: The eagle is the strongest bird. This woman (Church) had a great power from God. Going to the wilderness is loved by the Church to get out of this world and not care for worldly desires
    • "a time and times and half a time" = 3.5 years
    • V.15: The serpent spewed water out of his mouth so once the eagle (Church) tries to land, it starts to drown. This water is the worldly cares and desires. This is opposite to the Living Water of Christ
    • V.16: The devils prepare wars, plan attacks, and Kingdoms rise, but all fall after a while and the woman (Church) prevailed
    • The Church and the World will never agree. If there is an agreement, the Church is not with God
    • V.17: The devil attacks those who "keep the commandments of God" because he doesn't like when people start to pray, serve, fast, and keep God's commandments so he keeps attacking them to bring them down
• Ch. 13: The beast from the sea
  • Seven heads = different ideas of wars
  • Ten horns = complete power
  • Ten crowns = 10 nations will join him and follow the devil
  • Blasphemous name: The signs that characterize him is rejection of God
  • V.3: This beast is imitating the Lamb (Christ) to trick the people to follow him. He is very powerful and that leads to many people following him because of his signs
  • The same 42 months that the devil will cause great persecution
  • V.7: granted to him = signifies how God is in control and allows the devil to do some things but within limits and according to His well
  • V.8: Those who are not following God, will follow the devil
    • "from the foundation of the world" This is God's foreknowledge. He knows from before the beginning of the world what everyone will do and follow
  • The beast from the earth: 
  • V.11: Looks like a lamb, but he is a dragon
  • V.12: He works for and with the beast from the sea. The goal of the devil is to lead people into his ways
  • This beast performed some signs to impress people. People will mistakenly think this is from God and they follow him. Then he leads them to Hades. It is more important to follow the spiritual ways of repentance than the acts of miracles
  •  V.16
    • Mark on their right hand: those whose power is (right hand = strength) from the devil will be accepted by the beast
    • Mark on their foreheads: those whose thoughts are from the devil will be accepted by the beast
    • Those who think and do things according to the devil will be able to live in the world. God's righteous people should not be able to live in the world and be rejected by the world as they don't have the devil's sign on their heads. They have the sign of God (Chrismation) on their heads and that's why the world rejects them
  • V.18: "Here is wisdom" = it is not easy for anyone to comprehend
    • He is a man. Many people will follow this man who will be the Antichrist
    • Many scholars tried to link this man to many historical figures
    • What does this number signify?
      • 7 = complete number
      • 8 = Eternal life (after completion)
      • 6 = short or missing
        • 666 = signifies that it is a very INCOMPLETE number
      • When the Antichrist comes, this number (666) will be more meaningful and recognizable to us. The righteous who know the word of God will be able to identify this man (Antichrist 666)
• Important to note:
  • Satan tries to imitate God = False trinity
  • False unholy trinity: Dragon, Antichrist, and False Prophet
  • The dragon (Satan himself) tries to look like the Father
  • The first Sea beast (Antichrist) tries to look like the Son
  • The second Earth beast (false prophet) tries to look like the Holy Spirit
• Ch. 14:
  • V.1: 144,000 mentioned before in chapter 7
  • V.2: Many waters: Many are the blessings of the Holy Spirit
  • V.2: "playing their harps." We will always be praising in the heavens
  • V.3: "New song" not like on earth. On earth is suffering, pain, complaints, etc. These are not found in heaven
  • V.3: We will know the new son when we become of the 144,000. Only the righteous know the language of heaven
  • V.4: Does not apply to virgins or celibates, but these righteous saints lived in a spiritual celibacy on earth with God. Spiritual virginity is devoting ourselves to God and not the world or things in it
  • V.5: The 144,000 had four characteristics:
    • His Father’s name was written on their foreheads
    • Spiritual Virginity
    • Their mouth was found no deceit
    • They are without fault (repentance)
  • V.6-12: three angels with three proclamations and three messages
    • First Angel: holding the everlasting gospel - proclaiming to those suffering on earth about the everlasting glory
    • Second Angel: Falling of Babylon - Destruction of sin (Babylon represents sin)
    • Third Angel: warning men not to follow the beast
  • V.13: Blessed are those who die in the Lord because we look forward to being with God
  • V. 14-16:
    • V.14: Same description in Daniel
    • Golden crown= victory
    • Christ holding a sickle to reap. Similar to Christ's parables, mentioning the reaping for the final judgment
    • V.15: The angel is not ordering God. However, similar to Ch. 7, when did they ask until when? The angel is asking God to judge the sinners.
    • V.16: Answers the question: How long will judgment take? It is quick!
  • V.17-20:
    • Angels reaping the sinners
    • Vine of earth, as in the sinners, are earthly and not heavenly
• Ch. 15:
  • Prelude to the Seven Bowls of Wrath V. 1-4
  • Seven Angels and Seven Bowls of Wrath V. 5-8
  • V.2: The sea of glass is the way that Baptism allows us to go to God on His throne. He saw a sea, but the people were standing. The sea mixed with the fire of temptations they go through. They are praising God (as we always see in this Book)
  • V.4: Similar to Ex. 15 (1st Canticle)
    • This song was also chanted by the Israelites after they crossed the Red Sea (they are singing the same song while standing on the sea). 
    • St. Paul likened the Israelites crossing the Red Sea to Baptism (1 Cor. 10)
    • Singing this Canticle every day in Praises is a prelude to the Heavens
  • V.5-8:
    • Prelude to the 7 bowls
    • The angels are getting ready to pour their bowls
    • The bowls will be the final judgments on the sinners ONLY
      

Review/recap questions:
**Servant may add more questions

1. Who is the woman clothed with the sun? And the twelve stars? 2. How can we have victory over the devil?
2. How was the lamb slain from the creation of the world?
3. What does the number 666 mean?
4. Who are the 144,000 and how are they described?
5. What was the message the Spirit asked St. John to write? And what is its significance?
6. What does “a sea of glass mingled with fire” symbolize?
7. When did Moses sing this song, and what does it symbolize?

Homework:
**Servant may add more questions

1. For how long was the woman fed in the wilderness?
   a) 1200 days b) 1260 days c) 40 days d) 3 days
2. What was given to the woman?
   A) two wings b) gold c) a crown d) a sword
3. What did the dragon give the beast from the sea?
4. What did the beast from the land require all to receive?
   a) a Holy Bible b) a mark c) a sword
5. How many were standing with the lamb on Mount Zion?
   a) 144,000 b) 14,000 c) 44,000 d) 41,000
6. How many angels did St. John hear speaking?
   a) 1 b) 2 c) 3 d) 4
7. Which song were those on the sea of glass singing?
   a) song of victory b) song of the angels c) song of judgment c) song of Moses