THE BIRTH OF CHRIST, THE PERSECUTION OF ISRAEL AND THE CHURCH

The Birth Of Christ, The Persecution Of Israel And The Church

Revelation 12:1-13:1; Isa.7:14; 9:6-7; Mat.2:1-2, 8, 16; Eph.6:1-18

 In the book of Revelation chapters 12 and 13 we see seven personages described in dramatic forms, who feature in the last days:

(1) a woman clothed with the sun, representing Israel (Rev.12:1–2); (2) the red dragon with seven heads and 10 horns, representing Satan (Rev.12:3–4); (3) the male Child, representing Christ (Rev.12:5–6); (4) the archangel Michael, casting Satan out of heaven (Rev.12:7–12); (5) the offspring of the woman, persecuted by the dragon (Rev.12:13–17); (6) the beast out of the sea, the future world dictator (Rev.13:2–10); (7) the beast out of the earth, the false prophet (Rev.13:11–18).^[1]

The red dragon, the beast out of the sea and the beast out of the earth have been dubbed THE TERRIBLE TRIO. These three are, in a sense, an evil trinity, opposing the true God and His people on earth.^[2] But their world empire will suddenly collapse. We will talk about them later.

A Woman Clothed With The Sun (Rev.12:1-2)

From the description in this chapter, from other parts of the Bible, and from historical events, we can conclude that this woman represents the Nation of Israel. When Joseph had a dream of the “sun and moon and eleven stars” (Gen.37:9-10) bowing down to him, his father immediately interpreted it as himself, his wife and Joseph’s eleven brothers.

In this revelation, the sun represents Jacob, the moon his wife and the twelve stars his twelve children. Jacob was renamed Israel by the divine person who wrestled with him all night in (Gen.32:27-28).  Some people try to say this woman is the Church, but that cannot be proved from scripture and history.

This woman is giving birth to a child but the red dragon was waiting to snatch and devour the child (Mat.2:1-2, 8, 16). That child is Jesus Christ the Messiah. It is not possible for the child Jesus to perish. He is the Ruler. When the child could not be destroyed, the dragon went after Israel and all those who believe in the Jesus Christ.

Jews constitute only 0.2% of world population. But they have won 193 (22%) of Nobel Prize awards since it began in 1901. This year, 6 out of 12 Nobel laureates are Jews. Richard Dockings says he is perplexed by the high proportion of winners who are Jewish. The world would be very impoverished without Jewish inventions in Mathematics, in Science – Robotics, Chemistry, Physics, Optics, Medicine, Economics, Biotechnology and Theoretical computer Science; in Defense, in Computing, in Agriculture, in Energy, in Consumer Appliances and Goods, to name a few. Yes the woman, Israel, is truly cloth with the sun, the moon and twelve stars!  It is blessing the world. Ironically the world, while enjoying all the blessings that are provided through Israel, are still content to continue to work against them. They will not be destroyed. God said they would never cease to be a nation (Jer.31:35-38).

Have you noted the unceasing wave of anti-Semitism throughout history? Have you asked why a little nation is opposed by almost every nation in the world? Hitler slaughtered 6 million Jews during Second World War. In 1967 the fought the Six-Day War against the nations of Egypt, Syria and Jordan. The dragon is angry with them! He is making war at all fronts against them.

But they are the chosen people of God. They are the covenant descendants of Abraham. The blessing of Abraham is upon them, for through Abraham’s covenant seed all the nations of the earth will be blessed. But the full blessing is that which came from our Lord Jesus Christ.

 The Red Dragon (Rev.12:3-4)

This dragon is easily identified as the devil, the arch enemy of the people of God people both Israel and Christians.

There was always a “dragon” standing by, waiting to destroy Israel or the ancestors of the Messiah. Pharaoh is called a “dragon” (Ezek. 29:3), and so is Nebuchadnezzar (Jer. 51:34). At one critical point, the royal line was limited to one little boy (2 Kings 11:1–3). When Jesus Christ was born, Satan used King Herod to try to destroy Him (Matt. 2). Satan thought that he had succeeded when he used Judas to betray the Lord and hand Him over to be crucified. But the Cross was actually Satan’s defeat! “And they overcame him [Satan] by the blood of the Lamb” (Rev. 12:11).^[3]

We are warned to be sober and vigilant because the dragon is our adversary the devil (1Peter 5:8-9). The Church is now suffering persecution instigated by Satan. We must resist him steadfastly. God will surely give us victory. His time is short the Bible tells us.

 The Male Child Of The Woman (Rev.12:5-6)

We can see from the context here that this male child represents Jesus Christ. He will rule the nations with an iron scepter (Psalm 2:7-12; Rev.19:15). The child being snatched up to the Throne of God is not the rapture but may refer to the ascension of Jesus into Heaven (Acts 1:8-9). The Rapture of the Church is not deliverance from Satan but glory and reward to faithful disciples of Jesus.

A few important points need to be made about the birth of Jesus Christ. By Jesus we mean Jesus Christ the Messiah. I want to strengthen your faith in Him.

(1)        He pre-existed before His birth. How do we know? The Scriptures say so and Scriptures cannot be broken (John 1:1, 18; 8:56-59)

(2)        He is the Son of Man (Dan.7:13-14; John 5:19-29, 39)

(3)        He is God(John 1:1; Mal.3:1-3; John 5:26)

(4)        His birth was prophesied (Isa.9:6-7). Jesus had to fulfill more than 30 prophecies in one day to be the Messiah.

He is the angel of the Lord that appeared to Abraham and stopped him from sacrificing Isaac.

What was the name of Jesus before He was incarnate? Wonderful; Incomprehensible (Isa.9:6-7)!

How is it possible that this great God who is omnipresent, omniscient, and omnipotent, could localize His infinite presence that fills the universe? In fact, the heaven of heavens cannot even contain Him. It is all within Him; He fills it all with His presence. Now how can He localize Himself in a human body enough to say that all the fullness of God dwelt in His physical body as (Colossians 2:9) states? It is incomprehensible! 

He came to be our only Way of salvation (Acts 4:12)

Jesus has Power over all creation; He has Power to create things; He Providentially controls all things; He was Present in Old Testament times.  The world was made by Him (John 1:1-3, 10-11, 14). In verse 1 He was God. In verse 14 He became flesh. He is the revelation of the invisible God (John 1:18).

Why did Philip make such an audacious request like “show us the Father… (John 14:6-9)? I guess He was shocked by the answer He got! (Col.1:15-19) is an incredibly heavily packed theology of Jesus as God!

Abraham rejoiced to see His day – proving that Abraham was not a mythological figure. Moses wrote of Him – showing that the books of Moses were not written hundreds of years later as some liberal scholars claim. David called Him Lord – proving that the psalms (110) were not written in the later years of the Maccabees. What other witness do you need? (Luke 24:44-46; Rev.1:17-18).

The world is making the same mistake that the Jews of old made. They are searching everywhere for life and would not come to Christ for life.

The Offspring Of The Woman (Rev.12:13-17)

The offspring of the woman are those people who believed the message of salvation brought by Jesus Christ, who are washed by His blood. You yourselves know that Satan has been very busy fighting not only Israel but also Christians, the product of God’s work of redemption. The Church has not replaced Israel (Rom.11:1, 11-24). All though Israel is surrounded now by implacable enemies, God will deliver them. He will make a way again for them whether through the flood or through the fire (Isa.43:1-2).

Satan is truly persecuting the offspring of the woman. The Church is the most persecuted religious body in the world. It is as Jesus warned us (John 15:18-25; 16:33). Yes be of good cheer! The gates of hell shall not prevail (Mat.16:18; 5:11; 10:39; Mark 13:13).

The persecution of the Church is well attested to in the Bible and by tradition. Read Fox’s Book of Martyrs. (i) Stephen was the first martyr of the Church, he was stoned by the Jews; (ii) James the brother of John was killed by Herod Agrippa in 44 AD, (iii) Philip was crucified in AD 54, (iv) Matthew was martyred in 60 AD, (iv) Matthias who replaced Judas was scourged in Jerusalem and then beheaded. (v) Andrew, Peter’s brother was crucified on a cross both ends of which were transversely fixed to the ground, (vi) Mark was dragged to pieces by the people of Alexandria during the feast of one of their idols. (vii) Peter was crucified upside down. (viii) Paul was beheaded. (ix) Jude was crucified AD 72. (x) Bartholomew who preached in India was crucified by the idol worshippers of that land. (xi) Thomas preached in Parthia and India. He was thrust through with a spear. (xii) Luke was hanged on an olive tree in Greece. (xiii) Simon preach in Mauritania, Africa and Britain. He was crucified AD 74. (xiv) Barnabas was martyred in AD 73. Since then the number of martyrs has been growing exponentially.

Some people want to make themselves martyrs through violence against others. Some parents send their children to become martyrs by committing suicide in the bid to kill others. But the martyrs of our Lord Jesus Christ become martyrs as they try to rescue the perishing. Some people who claim to be Christians join other faiths go through ignorance of the Christian faith. Those who become Christians from other faiths come through enlightenment by the Gospel.

Despite all the evil and atrocities perpetrated on the Church, and against Christians, and despite all those who have been martyred, the Church continues to grow like fire! Some of the most effective apologists of the Church in the USA today are former Muslims who have come to faith in Jesus Christ. The Church marches on in spite of persecution. Paul captured this really well in (Rom.8:31-39). No. Persecution cannot stop the growth of the Church. The Church will triumph at last. The Stone cut without hands is going to fill the whole earth. Indeed we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us.

We have a great cloud of witnesses urging us to hold the forth. Stand up stand up for Jesus.

 

 

 

CHRIST JESUS HATH THE POWER

Christ Jesus hath the pow’r,
The power to forgive,
The pow’r to quicken whom He will,
And make the sinner live.
Christ Jesus hath the pow’r,
O tell it far and near!
O bring to Him your guilty heart,
And grace shall banish fear!

Christ Jesus hath the pow’r,
The pow’r of God He wields!
Christ Jesus hath the pow’r,
My heart surrender yields!
Christ Jesus hath the pow’r,
I trust Him evermore!
Christ Jesus hath the pow’r,
I worship and adore!

Christ Jesus hath the pow’r,
The power to renew,
The pow’r to cleanse your heart from sin,
And make you wholly true.
Christ Jesus hath the pow’r
For evermore to keep;
O none can pluck you from His hand,
Or rob Him of His sheep!

Christ Jesus hath the pow’r,
The power to console,
The pow’r to carry all your care—
On Him your burdens roll.
Christ Jesus hath the pow’r,
To wipe the tear away;
O place in Him your confidence!
O trust Him, and obey!

Christ Jesus hath the pow’r,
The power to destroy,
The pow’r to bruise your enemy
Who would your soul annoy.
Christ Jesus hath the pow’r,
When on your dying bed,
To give your soul the victory,
The pow’r to raise the dead!

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^[1] Walvoord, J. F. (1985). Revelation. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 2, p. 957). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.

^[2] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 2, p. 601). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.

^[3] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 2, p. 602). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.