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January 30, 2022 4:30 am
This week, Dr. Cheryl Davis moves into Revelation 12 and discusses the nation of Israel, as well the strategies and history of Satan's persecution of the Christian people.
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This is Joanne McNair with the podcast story Mema and answered prayer for stories that point children to God your chosen Truth Network podcast is starting in just a few seconds enjoying it, share it, but most of all thank you for listening to The Truth Podcast Network. This is the Truth Network welcome letters to Cheryl Davis daily on the station 2540 video matters is a ministry project whose mission is to empower men and women of the Christian faith to teach them a culture and marketplace of ideas using the Bible as a sacred trust and sharing the message of Jesus. Learn more about the ministry of the truth project at www.projectmatters.com and let's join Cheryl Davis for this week's Extended Edition matters.
We start with a quick review and we get into Revelation chapter 12 hi, I'm Dr. Cheryl Davis and you're listening to truth matters continue to go to the book of Revelation. Last week we covered the seventh trumpet. I'm at the sounding of the seventh trumpet.
This opened up the seven bowl judgments. This is the final seven judgments before the transition of power from Satan to Christ. Heaven is worshiping God for all that has happened and will happen.
We see the Ark of the covenant in heaven let's get into chapter 12 is. Reread verses one through nine are a great sign appeared in heaven, a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a garland of 12 stars then being with child, she cried out in labor and in pain to give birth in another sign appeared in heaven. Behold a great fiery red dragon, having seven heads and 10 horns and seven diadem's on his heads. His tail drew 1/3 of the stars of heaven and threw them to the earth and the dragon stood before the woman who was ready to give birth, to devour her child as soon as it was born. She bore a male child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron in her child was caught up to God and his throne and the woman fled into the wilderness where she has a place prepared by God, that they should feed her there 1260 days in war broke out in heaven.
Michael and his angels fought with the Dragon and the Dragon and his angel's fault that they did not prevail was a place found for them in heaven any longer. So the great dragon was cast out, and the serpent of old, called the devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world. He was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. So we get into symbolism and as I said you some of these chapters are some of the most difficult chapters to interpret as we are talking about symbols and really what they mean.
I would say this is a great wonder you had this woman is a great wonder how a great sign appeared in heaven.
Woman clothed with the sun, the moon under her feet, and on her head a garland of 12 stars and being with child, she cried out in labor and in pain to give birth to yet. I'm sure you're probably asking who is this woman as I was asking the first time I really read Revelation in depth is who is this woman and there's a lot of debate about her identity. Actually, I'm so glad you asked that question were going to get into who she is. If you read the media Re: scan the Internet on Christian science, religion, founder Mary Baker Glover Patterson Eddie says that it is her Catholic Church teaches that the woman represents the Virgin Mary, who is in heaven. In bodily form. Following her assumption and assumption is when you're taken into heaven. In the course of her life was finished, we know that it's not the Christian science, religion, founder Sam Messerli gonna defend that. But they are quite a few issues with this being married. Mary had already birth Jesus before she was ascended in heaven. Some Protestants teach that this woman is the modern day church but the church did not birth Christ. The church is his bride, the correct identity of this woman. And really when you read on verses one and two.
Use context clues as far as the history of Israel nation, the correct identity of this woman is Israel. Israel is often described by the prophets as a woman in travail and in Romans chapter 9 verse five Paul points out that Christ came from a Jewish nation and we know that Jesus was a G Christ is pictured here being born of a woman and that woman is the nation of Israel. So how do we know how we note that on. We know that based on the history of Israel said let's go back to Genesis chapter 37 verse nine and this is the interesting story of Joseph, who we know is Joseph the dreamer and chapter 37 records his dreams of greatness in verse nine says, and he drained still another dream and told it to his brothers and said look I dreamed another dream and this time the sun, the moon and the 11 stars bow down to me.
Joseph was the dreamer in this case Jacob was the son Jacobs wife Rachel was the moon and his brothers were the stars verse one.
Let me call that out again verse one.
The woman is clothed with the sun which we know is Jacob who is name was later turned to Israel. We know that Rachel is the moon under her feet, and on her head a garland of 12 stars, which are the 12 tribes of Israel and in Joseph's dream. There were 11 those are his brothers. Joseph is the 12 star. The first sign in chapter 12 the nation of Israel, symbolized by a woman trying to give birth to a child who is the Lord Jesus Christ woman was first great wonder of the second great wonder is the Dragon is the Dragon and I'm glad you asked that question. Thank you.
We believe it is Satan on this Dragon is described as a great fiery red dragon, having seven heads and 10 horns, seven heads are the completeness of his power as a prince or ruler of this world, we will discuss the 10 horns in Revelation chapter 17.
I won't get much into that now. But just understand that the Dragon is a crowned monarch who sits in a position of authority and power and we know that the Dragon does have power in the tribulation.
We know that Satan has power today in verse four. He drew us third of the stars of heaven and threw them to the earth this is referring, and if you remember this one. Third, any remember the history of Satan. This is referring to when Satan was thrown out of heaven because of his rebellion, we find that in Isaiah chapter 14 and Ezekiel chapter 28 when you have your own time. Please go and read these chapters as this really shows the history of Satan.
It shows how pride entered Satan's heart and that's what led to his fall when he fail 1/3 of the angelic host of heaven fill with him some of those angels are confined to the bottomless pit today and we know that based on her study of Revelation that meeting are activist servants of Satan in our world today. One third of the stars of heaven refers to angels first because Satan himself is referred to the as the MorningStar and in that chapter of Isaiah that I mentioned before Isaiah chapter 14 verse 12 how you are fallen from heaven Lucifer, son of the morning how you are cut down to the ground, you who weaken the nations angels who rejoice that creation our reference to as the MorningStar's and Job on chapter 38 verse seven let's read that when the morning stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy but what is the most important characteristic of this Dragon, you know, we know that it Satan.
We know how he's described, but really when you look at him what is the most important characteristic of this Dragon and examining the Dragon and its reference to the woman what is key about this Dragon is that he stands ready to devour the child as soon as it is born. Satan's purpose is to destroy Christ to keep him from fulfilling the promise God made to ease Genesis 315 said let's go to Genesis chapter 3 verse 15 and see the promise that God made to eat and we know this is after the fall we know that this point he is cursing the world. He's cursing each but also he makes a promise regarding serpent and says, and I will put enmity between you and the woman in between your seed and her seed, he shall bruise your head and you shall bruise his heel. He's gonna crush the head of the serpent and said he's making that promise. He's gonna crush the head of the serpent. But since then on Satan's existence is dedicated to destroying the purpose of Christ anyone connected with Christ's speed had been attacked by human agencies and we know that Satan's strategies are ancient and they do not change, and if we can get hip to the jive of Satan and understand him. We can anticipate how he's going to come against us and said Satan basically has three strategies.
I just want take a second to go over this before we talk about the history of Satan's persecution of God's chosen people, but let's go to Genesis chapter 3 verse six. This is how he deceived Eve and we can see how Satan deceived Eve and he sees the same way.
So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of the fruit and ate Jessica to her husband with her, who ate so first after she saw that it was good for food is known as the list of the flesh. It was pleasant to the eyes, is the lust of the eyes and is desirable to make one wise is a part of life so Satan will come and attack in these three ways, and it will always be these three ways, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life. Since then he has been attacking the very seed of anyone who is connected with Christ, we see that throughout the Bible. First, when Cain slew Abel second depraved lead generation was almost completely destroyed because of their sin.
Only Noah was faithful.
Third, we see that Esau wanted to kill Jacob. Second, Pharaoh tried to kill every Hebrew male baby in Egypt five on he said discord and sin among the sons of King David said the only one little baby Joash remained the line of David and the Messiah might come. Haman tried to destroy the Jews while they were in exile. Try to destroy all the male babies in Bethlehem and Satan tempted Jesus himself in the wilderness to go against the plan of God and take matters into his own hands. Satan has been preoccupied with trying to destroy Christ seed throughout history because he knew that in the fulfillment of Christ's sacrifice on the cross that would crush his head and we see even in Matthew chapter 4 verses one through 11, how he even tempted Christ you if he could not stop him from being born and even after he was born on Joseph and Mary had to go to Egypt because Herod tried to kill all the male babies in Bethlehem, but even after he said okay. I can't kill him. I can't stop them from being born. Maybe I can even corrupt.
Jesus said in Matthew chapter 4. This is where receiver he tempts Jesus. Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit unto the wilderness he was tempted by the devil.
And when he had fasted 40 days and 40 nights after he was hungry so he was vulnerable.
Now when the tempter came to him. He said if you're the son of God, command that these stones become bread. Lust of the flesh, but he answered and said, is given mansion not live by bread alone, but every word that proceeds from the mouth of God and the devil took him up into the holy mountain, set him on medical. The temple and said to him, if you are the son of God, throw yourself down for his angel shall give charge over you, and that his hand shall not bear you up, lest you dash your foot against a stone. For it is written again.
You shall not tempt the Lord your God, and again, the devil took upon exceeding high mountain chart and kingdoms out of glory. He said I will give this to you which you know this is the lust of the pride of life and Jesus had a way with the Satan, for it is written, you shall worship the Lord your God worship him only steel on. Satan tried to tempt Jesus with the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life and he was not successful. So again, this shows the history of the Bible and the history of Satan's attempt to block the birth of Christ. But when he was unsuccessful to block the birth of Christ. He was able to try to tempt Christ.
But even after the tempting of Christ. The people of Nazareth tried to throw Jesus off the cliff during his ministry. Finally, Satan thought he had Jesus killed on the cross outside of Jerusalem and I like this version of the Last Supper. If you go to the Last Supper. This is a very specific verse. In John 1327 verse 27 when it says now after the piece of bread. Satan entered him.
Then Jesus said to him what you do do quickly.
So even then, Jesus had to give permission for Satan to even perform what Judas was chosen today on Judas allowed Satan to inner him.
Judas traded Jesus for only a few pieces of silver. Satan thought that he was going to be successful at killing Jesus. At this point, but Satan had not really counted on the resurrection and the ascension of Christ. But when Christ arose. There's nothing he could do at that point he was defeated and we know that Jesus while he was in the grave, went down, took the keys to death hell and the grave, but also preached to Satan the said he was defeated is not a priest and get those that died in Satan a chance know that's not what happened. He went to proclaim his victory over death hell and the grave and I firmly believe that if we know the strategy of our enemy. We know how to protect her sales. We know how to anticipate things that are coming but at this point Satan shifted in his strategy on Satan changed his strategy at this critical juncture after the resurrection and ascension of Christ and on the day of Pentecost when the church was born, he turned his attention away from Jesus to the church we see that because of the number of ways of persecution on the early church the war began in Genesis chapter 3, and we know that 50 million Christians died in the first three centuries of the early church age was talk about a great war in heaven. In verse seven is as a war broke out in heaven. This is a war between Michael God's angel and Satan.
We see this war in the future of the wars going on right now as we speak. In heaven, but the best place to learn about this is Daniel. Chapter 10. Thank you for listening to truth matters on Dr. Cheryl Davis is going to the weekend division of truth matters with Dr. Cheryl Davis matters is a ministry of the truth project.
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