Tag: Revelation 12

Seeking God, His Justice and His Victory

OLD TESTAMENT: Habakkuk 1

POETRY: Psalm 119:145-152

NEW TESTAMENT: Revelation 12

Habakkuk 1:2-4 (LEB):

“How long, O Yahweh, must I cry for help,

and you do not listen?

I cry out to you, ‘Violence!’

and you do not save.

Why do you make me see iniquity,

and why do you look idly at wrongdoing?

Destruction and violence are before me;

strife and contention arise.

Therefore the law is paralyzed,

and justice never goes forth;

for the wicked surround the righteous;

therefore justice comes out perverted.”

Psalm 119:145-152 (LEB):

“I cry out with my whole heart; answer me, O Yahweh!

I will observe your statutes.

I cry out to you; save me,

that I may keep your testimonies.

I rise before dawn and cry for help;

I hope in your words.

My eyes are awake before the watches of the night,

that I may meditate on your promise.

Hear my voice according to your steadfast love;

O Yahweh, according to your justice give me life.

They draw near who persecute me with evil purpose;

they are far from your law.

But you are near, O Yahweh,

and all your commandments are true.

Long have I known from your testimonies

that you have founded them forever.”

Revelation 12:10-11 (LEB):

“And I heard a loud voice in heaven saying,

‘Now the salvation and the power

and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ have come,

for the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down,

who accuses them day and night before our God.

And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb

and by the word of their testimony,

for they loved not their lives even unto death.'”

The book of Habakkuk begins with a profound sense of lament and confusion. The prophet cries out to God, questioning why He seems silent in the face of injustice and violence. Habakkuk’s raw honesty reflects the struggles many of us face when we encounter suffering, evil, and a lack of justice in the world. He sees the wicked prospering while the righteous suffer, and he cannot understand why God allows this.

In our own lives, we may find ourselves in similar situations—crying out to God for answers, feeling like our prayers go unheard as we witness injustice. Yet, Habakkuk’s cry serves as a reminder that it is okay to bring our questions and struggles before God. He desires honesty in our relationship with Him.

In Psalm 119, the psalmist embodies a similar urgency in seeking God. He cries out with his whole heart for God to answer him, showing a deep reliance on God’s word and a yearning for His guidance. The psalmist acknowledges the darkness around him and the threat from those who persecute him, but he clings to the truth that God’s commandments are near and true.

This passage emphasizes the importance of persistent prayer and meditation on God’s promises, especially when we face trials. The psalmist rises early and stays awake at night, seeking the Lord’s assurance and strength. It is in these moments of desperation that we must remember God’s steadfast love and justice. The psalmist’s faith is rooted in the belief that God is near, and His promises endure forever.

Revelation 12 offers a powerful proclamation of victory amid the spiritual battle that believers face. The voice from heaven announces the establishment of God’s kingdom and the defeat of the accuser, the one who brings charges against God’s people. Through the blood of the Lamb and the word of their testimony, believers conquer the enemy, demonstrating that faith in Christ triumphs over every accusation and hardship.

This passage assures us that even in the face of persecution and struggle, we have the victory through Christ. The acknowledgment that the accuser has been thrown down is a reminder that God’s justice prevails. As we navigate our own trials, we can hold on to the assurance that Christ has already won the battle for us.

-Jeff Ransom

Reflection Questions:

In what areas of your life do you feel like God is silent in the face of injustice? How can you bring these concerns to Him honestly?

How does the psalmist’s commitment to prayer and meditation inspire you to seek God more fervently in your own life?

What does it mean for you to conquer through the blood of the Lamb and the word of your testimony? How can you share your story of God’s faithfulness with others?

Reflect on the assurance that God’s kingdom is established and that the accuser has been defeated. How does this truth impact your daily walk with Christ?

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War in Heaven!

Revelation 12

Sunday, November 27, 2022

The book of Revelation at times can be difficult to read and understand. Ultimately it is a letter to the followers of Christ to encourage them to remain with the God that has already won the battle and further telling us how to remain faithful in the difficult times that are sure to come. 

Chapter 12 starts with a cosmic battle with a dragon and a woman with child. The dragon, attacks the woman and her child. And although it appears the dragon has the child briefly, he is snatched away to signify his power cannot contain him. 

The dragon is defeated and is thrown to the earth, and in response to his defeat, continues his war on earth. 

This is the situation in which we live: Christ has defeated death and sin, but evil is still at war with and among Christ’s people. 

John tells us in verse 11 that we too can conquer through the imitation of Christ and lives of love and the message of the gospel:

“And they have defeated him by the blood of the Lamb and by their testimony. And they did not love their lives so much that they were afraid to die.”

‭‭Revelation‬ ‭12:11‬ ‭NLT‬‬

So then the message of chapter 12 to us is first to rejoice that God has already won. And then second, to receive the encouragement to be faithful ourselves: to witness even though we face opposition, persecution and in some cases even death. 

It is through this sacrificial living that the kingdom of God advances, and it is to this faithfulness that John is calling us.

-John Wincapaw

Reflection Questions

  1. According to Revelation 12, what part of the battle has been fought and won? What evidence do you have of this? What part of the battle are you still actively fighting? What evidence do you have? How is your battle going?
  2. What power do you find in the blood of the Lamb?
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Dragon at War

Revelation 12

Revelation 12 17 NIV fixed.png

If the story through Revelation wasn’t strange enough, it gets even stranger in chapter twelve. Here we see a cosmic woman giving birth to a child, who are then attacked by a great, fiery dragon, but then is ultimately defeated by an angel army… What in the world is going on now? Once again, it is important to read the Scriptures for yourself and to discuss with other Christian teachers around you in order to gain deeper insights into the text. Never assume that I know what I’m talking about, or anyone else for that matter; always question and look up the answers for yourself to see if what is being said is true.

 

I assume that these descriptions are further insights into the contents of the Scroll that was eaten in chapter ten; however, I am not 100% sure on that, but will be going ahead with that interpretation for this discussion. We do gain information about the cosmic battle that is happening around the person of Jesus at his death and resurrection, as Satan (depicted as a dragon) is at war with the angels of heaven during this time. Satan is unable to conquer the cosmic woman that produces Jesus (whoever/whatever that is), Jesus himself, or the angels; Satan doesn’t have as much power as we think he does.

 

Through frustration, Satan begins to attack the rest of the woman’s children, which are those who “hold to the testimony of Jesus”. In other words, since Satan can’t beat anyone else, he is going to attack the Christians next. We definitely experience this today still, as Satan hasn’t been fully destroyed, although he has already been defeated through the cross. We are weaker than Jesus and the angels, and are susceptible to sin; is there any hope of beating Satan, or are we as doomed as he is?

 

Perhaps the most practical verse for us in the whole letter of Revelation is found in this chapter. In 12:11, we are given a description about how Christians can conquer Satan. The description is three-fold; we are able to conquer Satan through the blood of Jesus, the preaching of the gospel, and not loving our lives. This should give us great hope and encouragement! We have the power to conquer Satan when he rears his ugly head, if we would only trust in these three things; the blood/sacrifice of Jesus for our sins, the power of our gospel preaching, and the power of looking beyond this life to the eternal life that God has promised us.

 

I encourage you today to spend some time meditating on these three questions: Do I trust that Jesus’ sacrifice was enough to pay for my sins? Am I faithfully spreading the good news to others around me? Am I truly looking forward to the life that God is bringing me in the future more than this life?

 

Talon Paul