Corona Chronicles - Crown of Gold

Here we are again in Revelation 12 and There was a little bit of an interlude in in the in the way that the the telling of the story went. So we had seen previously that Satan had been thrown out of heaven, cast down to the earth. He only has power in time and space. And now we're taking up that bit of the story again. So verse 13 of Revelation 12.

When the angel saw that he had been hurled down to earth, he pursued the woman who had given birth to the male child. The woman was given the 2 wings of a great eagle so that she might fly to the place prepared for her in the wilderness. Where she would be taken care of for a time, times, and half a time out of the snake's reach. Then from his mouth, the snake spewed water like a river to overtake the woman and sweep her away with the torrent. But the earth helped the woman by opening its mouth and swallowing the river that the dragon had spewed out of his mouth.

Then the dragon was enraged at the woman and went off to wage war against the rest of her offspring. Those who keep God's commands and hold fast, their testimony about Jesus. Mhmm. God. Yeah.

It's amazing imagery again. And starting off in verse 13, as you say, it was a kind of a bit of an interlude and it picks up the first half of the chapter where we saw that this woman stands for the whole people of God, both in the old testament and the new testament. And there's a sense in which the people of God you know, give birth to their Messiah. He comes through the line of the tribes and it's it's an amazing thing, isn't it? This dragon.

He knows he's been hurled down and he's gonna pursue the people of God. And this this is 1 of the things that that abusers do, isn't it? You know, in order to get at people they love. In order sorry, in order to get at they'll they'll often go for the people they love. You know, it's that kind of thing, isn't it?

He's trying to wage war on the child by going for the people he loves. You know, and people who testify about him. And so that that's that's where we are. You know, we're back on earth and Satan is coming. Coming after after the people of God.

And he's always done this, hasn't he? Whenever whenever whenever there's a child of the promise you know, born, he's out to seek them. So I mean, it actually happened with Jesus, didn't they? So so, you know, Jesus was born and then you had herod. Yes.

Exactly. There's a sort of picture. Yeah. That's the reality a part of the reality of what what's going on here. And then herod killed all the children and Jesus had to escape to Egypt -- Yep.

-- in the in the wilderness and hide there you know, however long and and and then and then come back. And so you've got that going on -- Mhmm. -- again and again and again in in history. Where Satan is against God's God's Pete. Yeah.

Yeah. And and wanting to pursue them. Yeah. And and yet, you know, they are they are gonna be protected. So verse 14, the woman was given 2 wings of a great eagle.

And being carried on Eagle's wings. Again, is another old testament picture of redemption and salvation that God is going to God is going to fly them to this place of safety, which of course is not a, you know, it's not a physical location in any sense, but it's it's a more language to say that there's a dragon after you but God is going to through his word allow you to escape and he's gonna keep be safe and he's gonna watch over you, which isn't to say you're never gonna battle against him and you're not gonna suffer, but ultimately you are safe. Because of the blood of the lamb, you know, you're you're protected no matter where you are. Yeah. I mean, the the the the people that he's particularly after are spelled out very clearly at the end of verse 17.

Mhmm. Those who keep God's commands and hold fast their testimony about Jesus. Mhmm. And that's really who Satan hates, isn't it? Yeah.

But you see Satan's influence even in people and governments. I mean, if you go through the commands of God and if you just if you boil them down to the 10 commandments. They're terrific. Yeah. And yet people hate -- Yeah.

-- for for trying to to follow them. Yeah. I mean, they're about love. Actually. They're they're they're a definition of love.

Yeah. So it just shows you how evil evil is. I know that sort of sounds obvious. But but when you look at the tenken mark, they're about life and love and care. You know, do not steal, do not murder.

Honor your father and mother. These are really good things. And yet, they're twisted round by people and powers and -- Mhmm. -- as if we're hateful people -- Yeah. -- following the commands of God.

And it reminds me of the that scene some some watchers made their pilgrimage progress, you know, when the when the 2 pilgrims are on their way to heaven going to celestial sitting, they go through vanity fair. You know? And all they wanna do is just get through. You know, they're not they're not interested in preaching against emergency fair particularly. But the reason that they're persecuted and 1 of them is even murdered is because they won't join in.

Yeah. You know, they just wanna get on with their business, but, you know, it's not enough for them to quietly not steal or to not lie, you know, the world is saying, why are you joining in? Why aren't you buying? Why aren't you stealing? Why aren't you lying?

Come on. What are you trying to say about us by not living the way we do? And that's part of the dragon's rage, isn't it? Again against against people. And yet, you notice that this this protection here that even the earth is going to protect the people of God.

I was watching this program yesterday where they did these people in Brazil, these tourists and they've gone to look at these amazing waterfalls, and they were standing looking at these waterfalls. And, you know, if it wasn't for the enormous chasm in the earth, which of swallowing all that water, they wouldn't be able to stand where they work because the river would have just absolutely annihilated them. And yet because of this huge sinkhole in the ground, they can stand safely and watch the rage of the currents disappearing into the ground. And it's that kind of thing going on, isn't it? Yeah.

The people of God can stay safely on the viewing platform. Yeah. Watching the rage of the dragon falling. Even the earth is going to protect them from the rage of the dragon. Well, I mean, you can go through history, can't you?

And see, you know, particular time rages of the dragon against God's people in different parts of the world. Mhmm. And where people have said, church is dead. The Christians have been annihilated. They are no more.

And they rise up again. Yeah. You saw that in chapter 11 wasn't it? A mid chord chapter. Yes.

It was chapter Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. They die once again. Yeah.

And and the the because God will keep his people because that is his plan in the world. I mean, we keep saying this. That's why we're pleading with people to become part of God's plan. To become part of the children because you couldn't be more safe. No.

Even though Satan is your enemy. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

And everything is behind us. I love that bit in Romans where it says, you know, even creation is groaning. And it's longing for the children of God to be revealed upon the earth. Yeah. I always think that's such a poetic description, isn't it?

Because you you can almost hear the trees and the rocks. Say when are the when are they gonna be seen for what they are? Yeah. You know, when are the sons of God gonna be seen upon the earth? When is the Christ gonna be acknowledged by every tongue here?

And that's part of what they're saying, but even creation is is longing for the protection and the glorification of God's people. Yeah. Yeah. Yep. And while the earth is here, there will always be followers of the Lord Jesus Christ -- Yeah.

-- testifying to him. And there are all around the world right now testifying to him -- Mhmm. -- that he is lord and savior. Mhmm. And what what a what a great thing that is.

Mhmm. Alright. See you tomorrow.