The Accuser of Our Brethren Revelation 12:10-17 CLICK TITLE FOR AUDIO
In this lesson you will see the various things the devil does to trouble and destroy Israel. You will also see things that the Lord does to help her overcome these afflictions caused by the devil. Here are the details:
12:10 – The devil’s first method is ACCUSATION – continually, night and day, he accuses them before God – this is similar to what he did against Job [Job 1:9-11; 2:4-5]
So, the Lord casts him down [from the 1st heaven to the earth] – that way he can no longer accuse them before God
And the loud voice proclaims the coming of:
- Salvation – Romans 11:25-26
- Strength – 1 Samuel 15:29
- The Kingdom of God – Mark 9:1
- The power of his Christ – Rev 11:17
12:11 – His next method is EXECUTION – the devil threatens them with decapitation [THE death] and kills them when they do not recant [Revelation 2:10; Revelation 20:4] – those who do not love their lives die the death [Mark 8:35; Luke 14:26]
They overcome him by the blood of the Lamb – by which they are saved [Revelation 7:14] – and by the word of their testimony – the testimony of Jesus Christ [Matthew 10:32-33]
12:12 – the heavens rejoice because the devil is gone from them – but woe to the earth and sea because the devil is there full of wrath and has about 3 ½ years to unleash his havoc [12:6, 14]
12:13 – His next method is PERSECUTION – Matthew 10:22-23
12:14 – the woman takes her flight [Matthew 24:20] on the wings of an eagle [Deuteronomy 32:9-12; Exodus 19:4] – she goes to her place [12:6] – where she is nourished 3 ½ years [a time = one year; times = 2 years; and half a time = ½ year]
12:15 – His next method is DEVASTATION – he casts enough water out of his mouth to carry her away with a flood (like a huge tsunami, if this is a literal flood) [Job 40:23; Daniel 9:26] – but the flood could stand for an infantry invasion [Isaiah 8:7-8; Isaiah 17:12-14; Jeremiah 46:7-8]
12:16 – the earth opens her mouth to swallow the flood and protect the woman – like the earth swallowed all that pertained to Korah and all that pertained to Dathan and Abiram in Numbers 16:31-33
12:17 – His last method in this passage is EXTERMINATION – he starts a world war [Psalms 83:1-18; Revelation 16:16] – the Lord destroys the devil’s armies at this war [Zephaniah 3:8]
He is after the saved remnant of Israel – they:
- Keep the commandments of God [Revelation 14:9-12; Colossians 2:16-17]
- And have the testimony of Jesus [Revelation 14:12; Revelation 12:11]