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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:

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:

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

  1. What do the trumpets symbolize and what do they remind you of in the Old Testament?
  2. What does the fire from the altar symbolize?
  3. “Then the fifth angel sounded: And I saw a star fallen from heaven to the earth” What the Apostle did mean by “A star fell from heaven to the earth”?
  4. Locusts have enough power to destroy any green things” Where else in the Holy Bible are locusts mentioned?
  5. Who is that mighty angel and how does St. John describe Him?
  6. “It was as sweet as honey in my mouth. But when I had eaten it, my stomach became bitter”.
  7. Why was the little book honey in his mouth and bitter in his stomach?
  8. Who are the two witnesses and why are they called olive trees and lamp stands?
  9. As expressed in the praise of the twenty-four elders, what had come? 

Homework:
**Servant may add more questions

 
  1. What was given to the seven angels in Chapter 8?
  2. The star fell from Heaven and was given the key to:
    a) the Heavenly Kingdom b) Jerusalem c) the bottomless pit d) the earth
  3. The tails of the locusts were like:
    a) scorpions b) serpents c) fire d) lions
  4. The mighty angel had on his head:
    a) a crown b) a hat c) a cloud d) a rainbow
  5. What did St. John do with the little book?
    a) read it b) wrote it c) ate it d) burned it
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