Here Satan is a great dragon, the “ancient serpent,” deceiver of the whole world, and perpetual “accuser” of believers. By contrast Christ, the sacrificial “Lamb” (v. 11), is the advocate of his followers in the heavens (1 John 2:1).
The identity of the woman seems to be Israel or as some scholars suggest, see her as the Hebrew nation, which gave birth to the Messiah (v. 5) and ultimately to the church (her persecuted offspring, v. 17).
Beast from the seaA blasphemous beast emerges from the sea (a symbol of uncontrollable chaos), derives power and authority from the dragon of chapter 12, inspires worldwide worship of itself by recovering from an apparently mortal wound to one of its heads, persecutes Christians, and acts in defiance of God for 42 months.
Beast from the earthAnother beast, in sheep’s clothing, comes forth from the earth (v. 11) and executes the orders of the first beast by performing miraculous signs that trick people into worshipping it, slaying resisters, and branding compliers with a mark that licenses them alone to go about normal life. Only true believers, whose names appear in Christ’s book of eternal life, refuse to worship the beast.
Satan tries to imitate the work God has already completed. We see the following imitations of the Gospel story in these chapters, for example;
- a fake lamb
- a fake trinity between the dragon and beasts, and
- the mark (Eph. 1:13 reminds us we have already been marked by the Holy Spirit)
Keys to Overcoming (Rev 12:11)1. By the blood of the lamb
2. By the word of their testimony
3. They did not love their lives
Q: Can you share any examples of the outworking of these keys to overcoming in your own life? Eg. Do you have a recent testimony where you have seen Jesus at work to share with the group?
Discussion Questions1. What do we learn about persecution in Matthew 5:10-12?
2. What does Jesus tell us when we face tribulation in John 16:33?
3. Read Luke 21:25-28, what does Jesus tell us to do in verse 28?
Prayer: Take time to pray for those who face persecution.
Further Resources
- Skip Heitzig Teachings – Connect with Skip Heitzig (calvarynm.church)
- Paul Leboutillier https://www.ccontario.com/revelation
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