Jesus Was Born to Battle Satan Revelation 12:1-17 122513MChrDy
It seems some people are naturals. By that, I mean they're just naturals at the job they do in life, as if it's what they were born to do. Some seem to be born to play football, or to be doctors, or great leaders. Most of us find a niche in life wherever we can, where we feel we can serve God best, but we're not necessarily born just for that. But some DO seem to be cut out for their role in life. That was definitely true for Jesus. In prophecy, Isaiah puts these words into his mouth: Before I was born the LORD called me; from my birth he has made mention of my name. He made my mouth like a sharpened sword, in the shadow of his hand he hid me; he made me into a polished arrow and concealed me in his quiver (Is 49:1-2). The Savior whose birth we celebrate today was born for war. He was born to save the world from sin, and to do that he had to fight Satan and win. John says in his first epistle, The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil's work (1 John 3:8). But he says it in a much more remarkable way when he reports on the vision he had in Revelation. It shows us:
Jesus Was Born to Battle Satan
1. Satan couldn't defeat Christ.
2. Satan can't win in heaven.
3. Satan can't defeat the Church.
1. John's vision is one of seven in Revelation, written to assure persecuted and struggling Christians that the victory is theirs in Christ. So he makes the point that Jesus was born to battle Satan. Satan couldn't defeat Christ.
That's why Jesus was born. John saw a WOMAN giving birth to a baby. Many have assumed this must be the Virgin Mary giving birth to Jesus. The baby is definitely Jesus, but based on John's description, the woman stands for the Church, here the Old Testament Church, Israel, from whom the Savior was to come. You see her glory in that she shines as the sun, and that she reigns with the Lord by the fact she has the moon under her feet. The twelve stars in her crown are a dead giveaway, because in Revelation, 12 is the number of the Church, based on 12 tribes of Israel in the Old Testament, and 12 apostles in the new. So John says, A great and wondrous sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet and a crown of twelve stars on her head. She was pregnant and cried out in pain as she was about to give birth (vv. 1-2).
But there's a threat as she does: a dragon, which the vision makes clear is Satan. The stars he swipes out of sky are certainly the angels who followed him in his rebellion against God at the beginning of creation. Satan heard the promise of the Savior: the offspring of the woman who would crush his head. So he waited to devour the child the moment he was born: The dragon stood in front of the woman who was about to give birth, so that he might devour her child the moment it was born (v. 4b). Think of Herod's wrath directed against the babies in Bethlehem, from which God protected Jesus. What about his temptation in the wilderness, or his words through the Apostle Peter making the cross seem unnecessary. Jesus responded to Peter, "Get behind me SATAN." His agony in the garden was certainly a struggle with the forces of darkness swirling around him trying to deter him from drinking the cup of suffering.
But Satan was not successful: [The woman] gave birth to a son, a male child, who will rule all the nations with an iron scepter. And her child was snatched up to God and to his throne. The woman fled into the desert to a place prepared for her by God, where she might be taken care of for 1,260 days (vv. 5-6). The child completed his saving work on earth and was taken to heaven--surely referring to Jesus' ascension after his victorious death and resurrection. Once that happened, there was nothing Satan could do to defeat Christ. He could only come after his followers, the Church, whom God protected for 1,260 days, actually 3 years, half of 7, the fullness of time. Half of the course of history would be the New Testament age, the actual length of which is known only to God. During that time he cares for his Church.
That Jesus was successful in fighting the devil is comforting for us. We are not so successful in fighting the devil. He comes at us with his temptations to sin, and to put other things before God and his saving plan for our lives. We give in. Just like Adam and Eve, we eat forbidden fruit every day. And as a result, we, too, deserve death--even eternal death in hell with Satan. But Jesus rescued us. The writer to the Hebrews tells us we have a Savior who has been tempted in every way , just as we are — yet was without sin (He 4:16). Yet, of Jesus Paul writes, God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God (2 Co 5:21). Satan was not able to overcome Jesus!
2. The result of Jesus' victory over the devil is that we have the victory too. Ultimately, that will be seen when we are in heaven. How can sinners go to heaven? It's because of Jesus' victory. He has taken away their sin. Jesus was born to battle Satan, and Satan couldn't win in heaven either.
There was a battle in the heavens: And there was war in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back. But he was not strong enough, and they lost their place in heaven. The great dragon was hurled down — that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him (vv. 7-9). Michael is a ruling angel. It might seem as though this war in heaven was when the devil first rebelled against God. But the context calls for another event: the triumph of the gospel over the power of Satan. It is true that Satan "leads the whole world astray" by his temptations. But he also serves as an accuser, trying to get people with guilty consciences to doubt God's love and forgiveness. The good news of Jesus' redeeming work declares the world "not guilty" because of Christ. It nullifies the devil's accusations.
Recall when Jesus sent out 72 disciples with the gospel. He said, "He who listens to you listens to me; he who rejects you rejects me; but he who rejects me rejects him who sent me." The seventy-two returned with joy and said, "Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name." He replied, "I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you. However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven" (Lk 10:16-20). The gospel caused Satan to retreat. The greatest evidence of this victory was that their sins were forgiven and they had eternal life.
So in John's vision, all the saints in heaven were rejoicing: "Now have come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Christ. For the accuser of our brothers, who accuses them before our God day and night, has been hurled down (v. 10). And HOW did they defeat Satan? They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death. Therefore rejoice, you heavens and you who dwell in them! But woe to the earth and the sea, because the devil has gone down to you! He is filled with fury, because he knows that his time is short" (vv. 11-12). Through the "Lamb's blood," they are innocent, and through the "word of their testimony," that is, the gospel, they are declared innocent, and they bring this testimony to others who also believe. As they do, Satan retreats even more.
You and I still live in this victory of the gospel. God declares, There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus (Ro 8:1). Though we still struggle with our sinful flesh and its temptations, Paul says, For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God . When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory (Col 3:3-4). Paul told the Philippians, But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ (Php 3:20). See, where Christ and his holiness is, Satan cannot be. He has been hurled down and IS hurled down whenever and wherever the gospel is proclaimed and believed--in YOUR heart and life!
3. Of course, in being hurled down to earth, Satan doesn't roll over and play dead. He actively pursues the Lord's people to lead them astray. His is still a battle for souls. He knows he has only so much time in which to work. Yet, Jesus was born to battle Satan, and Satan cannot defeat the Church.
On the battle the devil wages, John writes: When the dragon saw that he had been hurled to the earth, he pursued the woman who had given birth to the male child (v. 13). The devil spews his lies, false teachings and philosophies that the world "eats up." But in Christ, the Church is "out of reach" of the dragon or Satan. As John indicated before, The woman was given the two wings of a great eagle, so that she might fly to the place prepared for her in the desert, where she would be taken care of for a time, times and half a time, out of the serpent's reach (v. 14). Yet, Satan tries: Then the dragon was enraged at the woman and went off to make war against the rest of her offspring — those who obey God's commandments and hold to the testimony of Jesus (v. 17). The "testimony of Jesus" is the message about Jesus that comes from Jesus. Because in him their sins are forgiven, the "offspring of the woman"--believers--are seen as those who obey God's commandments. This is our blessed state in Christ, out of Satan's reach as long as we remain in him. We are "safe" in him now and eternally!
And that is reason to celebrate today. We were born to hear, believe and proclaim this wonderful message. And that message is that Jesus was born to battle Satan. He did, and he won. We enjoy eternal victory! Amen.
Revelation 12:1-17
Before I was born the LORD called me; from my birth he has made mention of my name. He made my mouth like a sharpened sword, in the shadow of his hand he hid me; he made me into a polished arrow and concealed me in his quiver (Is 49:1-2).
The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil's work (1 John 3:8).
Jesus Was Born to Battle Satan
1. Satan couldn't defeat Christ.
2. Satan can't win in heaven.
3. Satan can't defeat the Church.
A great and wondrous sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet and a crown of twelve stars on her head. She was pregnant and cried out in pain as she was about to give birth (vv. 1-2).
The dragon stood in front of the woman who was about to give birth, so that he might devour her child the moment it was born (v. 4b).
[The woman] gave birth to a son, a male child, who will rule all the nations with an iron scepter. And her child was snatched up to God and to his throne. The woman fled into the desert to a place prepared for her by God, where she might be taken care of for 1,260 days (vv. 5-6).
...who has been tempted in every way , just as we are — yet was without sin (He 4:16).
God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God (2 Co 5:21).
And there was war in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back. But he was not strong enough, and they lost their place in heaven. The great dragon was hurled down — that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him (vv. 7-9).
"He who listens to you listens to me; he who rejects you rejects me; but he who rejects me rejects him who sent me." The seventy-two returned with joy and said, "Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name." He replied, "I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you. However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven" (Lk 10:16-20). The gospel caused Satan to retreat. The greatest evidence of this victory was that their sins were forgiven and they had eternal life.
"Now have come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Christ. For the accuser of our brothers, who accuses them before our God day and night, has been hurled down (v. 10). And HOW did they defeat Satan? They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death. Therefore rejoice, you heavens and you who dwell in them! But woe to the earth and the sea, because the devil has gone down to you! He is filled with fury, because he knows that his time is short" (vv. 11-12).
There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus (Ro 8:1).
For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God . When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory (Col 3:3-4).
But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ (Php 3:20).
When the dragon saw that he had been hurled to the earth, he pursued the woman who had given birth to the male child (v. 13).
The woman was given the two wings of a great eagle, so that she might fly to the place prepared for her in the desert, where she would be taken care of for a time, times and half a time, out of the serpent's reach (v. 14).
Then the dragon was enraged at the woman and went off to make war against the rest of her offspring — those who obey God's commandments and hold to the testimony of Jesus (v. 17).