Thru the Bible

Guest (Male): Hatred and deception. They show up all across history. Often times, they're the hinge on which power rises and falls. In this study, we clearly see the source of both. Welcome to Thru the Bible with Dr. J. Vernon McGee. As a reminder, we're in Revelation 12, looking closely at seven symbols that take the stage in the grand drama of the Tribulation. Let's pray and get right into our study.

Father, open our eyes to see this battle with evil for what it really is. Bring into the light any of the ways that we're deceived, and let us see the truth of your work in our lives and in this world. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen. Here's Dr. J. Vernon McGee with our study of Revelation 12 on Thru the Bible.

Dr. J. Vernon McGee: Now we come down to the sixth verse of the 12th chapter of Revelation. And to make the connection, I'm going back and read verse five with verse six because last time we just got into this particular area. And I'm reading now: "And she was delivered of a son, a man-child, who is to shepherd all the nations with a rod of iron. And her child was caught up unto God and His throne. And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she had a place prepared of God, that there they may nourish her 1,260 days."

Now, we are here in the 12th chapter where we've begun a new section of Revelation. Introduced to us here in this section, we have seven performers during the Great Tribulation period. And we need to put down our stakes here and know where we stand. And we are in the Great Tribulation period here—that is, we're studying that. I trust that you and I will not be in the Great Tribulation period. And when I say I trust that, it's because I believe the Word of God teaches that we shall not be in the Great Tribulation period—that is, the church.

Now, we have here these seven performers introduced to us. First, we need to identify them and then introduce them to you. And last time, we saw the woman, and we identified her as Israel and introduced her as Israel and the prominent part Israel would play in the Great Tribulation period. You see, the church is removed, and God again turns to this nation.

Then we have the red dragon, and he was identified as Satan. It didn't take much problem there because we're told that the red dragon is Satan. And we introduced him—I don't think we want to meet him, but nevertheless, we attempted to introduce him as being the enemy of God's people. And then we have the child of the woman. And that's in these two verses that we're looking at here, verses five and six.

And the woman, of course, is Israel, and the man-child is Christ. And we'd gotten down far enough where I trust that we were able to identify him. Now, I do want us to notice something that is very important here. We see him as the one who is to shepherd or rule the nations with a rod of iron. He is the one that is coming in David's line, to sit on David's throne and to rule this world. And he will put down all enmity, all opposition, all rebellion on the earth. How? Well, "thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel."

Now, if you have a better way, if this peace crowd would only come up with a program that would work, then it wouldn't be necessary to put down rebellion with a bit of violence, by the way. There's no other way to put it down. How do you think Jesus Christ is going to come to power in a rebellious world? Suppose he suddenly appeared at the capital of any nation in the world. Do you think they're prepared to surrender to him and turn it over to him? And that includes our own country. Is America today prepared to yield to Jesus Christ? And if you say yes, I'll have to say then: why don't they? They can yield to him today.

Well, the world's in rebellion against him. And the only way that God knows of taking it over is to put down that rebellion. Now, maybe you or some of the peace crowd, if you belong to it—and you don't like the shedding of blood, it makes you sick, nauseates you, and you just hate violence and war, and don't we all—but the interesting thing is, this is the only way that you can put it down. And he's going to rule. That's the important thing here.

Now we're told her child was caught up unto God and His throne. That's a reference to the ascension of Christ. Now, in the Gospels, you have the emphasis upon the death of Christ. In the Epistles, you have the emphasis upon the resurrection of Christ. In the book of Revelation, you have the emphasis upon the ascension of Christ. And I would say that Protestantism, and especially fundamentalism, has ignored the ascension of Christ. That's one reason that we have not had such a great emphasis in fundamentalist circles upon the present ministry of Christ. And it's the reason we've emphasized it so these past five years in this program.

And we need to recognize that. Let me turn to one or two passages of scripture: Acts 1:9 and 11. "And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight. While they looked steadfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven."

Now, that is a reference to the ascension of Christ. And remember that this book is the unveiling of the ascended Christ, the glorified Christ, the coming Christ, the Christ who's coming in glory. And the book of Revelation rests upon the fact of the ascension. And he's the one that's been opening the seals that's brought to pass everything since then, and certainly this particular section. And we're told today in Hebrews 12:2: "Looking unto Jesus"—where? The one who walked in Galilee? No, we know him no longer after the flesh, Paul says. "Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God." Now, if you think that means he's twiddling his thumbs, and that's the impression a great many have, why, it's because you don't know Revelation. You and I need to study Revelation because he's not sitting and doing nothing. He's going to do a great deal because of his ascension into heaven, and he has a present ministry today with the church, of course.

Now, will you notice? It says she brought forth a man-child. And I think that settles the identity of the woman. Israel is clearly the one from whom Christ came. The church came from him, but he, according to the flesh, came from Israel. And that again, let me say, in Romans 9:4 and 5, Paul first says, "Who are Israelites?" and he puts down several fingerprints. And one of them is, "Whom as concerning the flesh Christ came." So that is what we have here.

And we're told in Galatians 4:4-5: "But when the fullness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law." What law? The Mosaic law. Who had the Mosaic law? Israel. He came made or born under the law. Why? Because he was an Israelite. "To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons." And again in Galatians, this time the third chapter, verse 16: "Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ."

So God said to Abraham before the nation came into existence, I'm going to make you a great nation, and through that nation, I'm sending a seed. Not many now, but one, and that one is Christ, Paul says. And we've already seen in Isaiah the ninth chapter, verse six: "Unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given." "Us" there—U.S.—doesn't mean the United States. Some seem to think so. But unto "us" is Israel. Isaiah was an Israelite. He's speaking to that nation. He just wasn't speaking either to the church or to the Gentiles. He was speaking to Israel. And "us" means the nation Israel.

All right, now let me drop down and identify another character here. And this time, it's Michael the Archangel, and he wars with the dragon. Now let me read verses seven through 12 here, and I'm reading from my translation as usual: "And there arose war in heaven; Michael and his angels going forth to war with the dragon. And the dragon warred and his angels, and they prevailed not; neither was their place found anymore in heaven. And the great dragon was cast down, the old serpent, the one called the devil, and the Satan, he that deceiveth the whole inhabited world; he was cast down to the earth, and his angels with him were cast down."

Now, we have here a startling revelation: war in heaven. And the United Nations couldn't do anything about this war anymore than they could any other war that's taken place since they came into existence. It's difficult to imagine that there's war in heaven. But Satan still has access to heaven, and as long as he does, there'll be this problem. We are told in the book of Job that Satan came with the sons of God before God. He had apparently a right there as much as they did. He'd been created the highest creation.

And you will recall that when we studied Zechariah, in the third chapter, in the first seven verses, we have that. And I read verse one and two of Zechariah 3 again: "He showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the Lord, and Satan standing at his right hand to resist him. And the Lord said unto Satan, The Lord rebuke thee, O Satan; even the Lord that hath chosen Jerusalem rebuke thee: is not this a brand plucked out of the fire?" We have him having access to God. He's able to carry on communication with God.

Now, again in Luke 22, verse 31, and I'd like to turn and read that: "And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat." Now, I don't think he sent a Western Union telegram to God. I don't think he telephoned him. He was able to come in the presence of God, and he requested that he might test this man Simon Peter. He believed that he could get him. Well, he was granted that permission.

Now, Michael here is the archangel. And I'd have you note that. We are told that in the book of Jude, verse nine: "Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee." I'm sure there must be other archangels, but if you go back to the book of Daniel, you will find that Michael is mentioned there.

And I want to turn back and see that he has a peculiar ministry with the nation Israel. First of all, if you'll notice the 10th chapter of the book of Daniel, verse 13, I read this: "But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me one and twenty days: but, lo, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me; and I remained there with the kings of Persia." So apparently there are other archangels, but he's the one that's introduced to us and Gabriel. And they're the only ones I know about, by the way.

Now, in verse 21 of this chapter, we are told here: "But I will show thee that which is noted in the scripture of truth: and there is none that holdeth with me in these things, but Michael your prince." He's talking to Daniel, and that means Daniel's people, and they were the nation Israel. And Daniel makes that clear in the 12th chapter, verse one of Daniel: "And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people." And at that time we're told there'll be a time of trouble. That's the Great Tribulation that we're talking about here. And Michael again steps out and drives Satan out of heaven. Why? Because of the fact he happens to be the prince that watches over the nation Israel. This is a tremendous thing, and it beggars description, by the way.

Now I read here that there was a fierce struggle and a war. He's not going to retire easily. But Michael and his angels prevailed, and Satan and his angels were thrown out of heaven. And the Lord Jesus referred to this in the verse we gave the other day, in Luke 10:18. He said unto them, "I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven." Now, there's no mistaking this creature who's called the great dragon, for he's marked out now with great detail. His fingerprints are put down here. And because God knew what a great percentage of the preachers of this century would teach—that he does not exist—he makes it so you can't miss him. If your enemy can get you to think he does not exist, he'll have a tremendous advantage over you. And he'll be able to get a crack at you that'll sweep you off your feet. And therefore, Satan has moved in afresh and anew in this generation. Why? Well, simply because this generation didn't believe in him. Now we're getting an overdose of him, and it's been made a weird and wild thing.

He's not an ugly creature by any means. He's an angel of light. Now notice how he's identified here. He's called the old serpent. That takes us back to the Garden of Eden. Our Lord said he was a murderer from the beginning, and the words "old" and "beginning" are akin according to Vincent. And he is that old serpent, the one that was at the beginning there in the Garden of Eden.

Now he's called Devil. And the Devil is a name which comes from the Greek diabolos, meaning slanderer or accuser. He's so labeled in verse 10: "the accuser of our brethren." Now, that's the reason that believers today need an advocate with the Father. You and I have an enemy today, and not only causes us problems down here, but you'd be surprised what he says about you and me in heaven. And there's nothing that you do, or say, or think but what he doesn't return it in against you up yonder. But God already knows about it, and I like to beat him to the draw and confess it before he gets up there to bring the accusation.

The Lord Jesus is our advocate. We're told in 1 John 2:1, and I read here: "My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not." Be wonderful if I didn't sin, but I do. "And if any man sin," thank God, "we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous." He's up there to defend me. And he's been kept busy since I've been in this world defending me. And I have a notion he's been pretty busy with you too, my friend. Don't think he's up there sitting idly by. He's our defender, our advocate.

Why? Because the devil is a slanderer. He's a liar from the beginning. And that's where the lies today begin—all of the gossip that goes on in some of our churches today. Where does it originate? In the pit of hell, friends. And that's the last place that anything that's in the church, it ought not to be shipped in from down there.

Now, will you notice he's also called Satan. That means adversary. He's the awful adversary of God and every one of God's children. God's children today in the church—he's our adversary. And we're told: "Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour." That's 1 Peter 5:8.

Now I've read to you several letters recently, and I did it purposely, of people who have been delivered out of cults and isms through the study of the Word of God. And I've had any number of people that have told me personally of how they were trapped. In fact, I have a letter here which I have not shared. A man, he apologizes. He said, "I was in a cult, and I wrote you the letter I did and it was a mean one, to try to trap you, try to trick you. And I thought I was right and you were wrong." And he said, "When I began to study the Word of God, why," he said, "I didn't realize how Satan had me trapped."

He's got a lot of folks trapped today, even church members. We need to recognize that he is our enemy. But that doesn't mean let's go overboard and just dwelling on Satan and demons today. There's too much of that. We need to recognize them and that there's a manifestation afresh and anew that was not a generation ago. But it's certainly true today. Let's keep our eye on Jesus Christ, please, friends. For that's your place of deliverance. He's up there to help you, you know.

And he says, "he that deceiveth the whole inhabited world." Satan during the Great Tribulation will be able to totally deceive man. But today, only partially. And Satan deceives man relative to God and of the Word of God. You remember he had Eve to distrust God. "Has God said you shouldn't eat of that tree? You just can't trust him, can you?" That was the thought. And then Satan deceives man relative to man. He makes him out better than he is, yet Satan despises us. And yet he builds us up—we could become gods. How wonderful it would be.

And then Satan deceives man relative to the world, the flesh, and the devil. You see, you and I think we're big enough to overcome the world, the flesh, and the devil. And we're not big enough to overcome any one of them. The world is too big for us. And it will certainly draw you away from him. And Satan deceives the world relative to the gospel. He doesn't mind men going to church or even joining a dozen churches. But he doesn't want them to be saved. "The god of this world hath blinded the minds of them that believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them." That's 2 Corinthians 4:4. Now Satan is to be dreaded as a lion. He's more to be dreaded as a serpent. And he's most to be dreaded as an angel of light. That's where he traps multitudes today. All right, we'll begin there next time at verse 10. Until then, may God richly bless you, my beloved.

Guest (Male): Many people live in darkness because Satan has blinded them. They're being held captive by his lies and clever strategy. But as God's Word is taught and the power of God's Spirit moves, they're snatched from the evil itself. We receive letters about it all the time. They give testimony to Ephesians 5 saying in essence, "I once was in darkness and now I'm in the light." Praise God! Like this listener in Uganda:

"I lived a life of constant conflict both with others and within myself. Arguments with family, broken friendships, and bitterness defined my days. I didn't realize how much I was drowning in anger, pride, and resentment. My relationships were falling apart, and I felt alone, misunderstood, and without peace. After listening to this program, I prayed and asked Jesus to come into my life, to forgive me, and to give me peace. I didn't know what to expect, but what followed was unlike anything I'd ever experienced—a calmness in my heart, a release from years of anger, and a deep sense of love. Since then, my life has been transformed and I've found harmony within myself. All glory to Jesus Christ who saves, heals, and restores. God bless you."

Well, when you support this ministry through your prayers and giving, you're a part of this listener's victory. So if you missed something or maybe you want to review any of our studies in Revelation again, these messages, as always, are available anytime in our app or at ttb.org. And if we can help you find a Bible study resource to help you go deeper in God's Word yourself, call us at 1-800-65-BIBLE. And when you're in touch, would you let us know how you listen? As we've mentioned before, this information really does help us to be good stewards of the gifts that God has so faithfully provided through friends like you.

Let me ask you a question: how far are you willing to go to get out the Word of God? Well, hop onboard the Bible Bus for our next study as we learn how far the Tribulation saints will be willing to go. It'll amaze you. I'm Steve Schwetz, and I'll see you then.

Guest (Male): We're grateful for our committed listening family who faithfully pray and invest in Thru the Bible as we together take the whole Word to the whole world.