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Revelation 12
1 A great sign was seen in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars. 2 She was with child. She cried out in pain, laboring to give birth.
A great sign was seen in heaven
The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show His servants--things which must shortly take place. And He sent and signified it by His angel to His servant John, (Revelation 1:1 NKJV)
This is a reminder of the two templates or filters by which everything in this book is processed, understood and measured. Everything must pass the intense analysis of conforming to Jesus' version of who God is, what He is like and His disposition, methods and motives in every aspect of the great cosmic battle that this book describes as the backstory for all reality. Secondly, the only effective way to make sense and discover the intended meaning and purpose of each verse in this entire book is to approach it with the presupposition that it is first and foremost symbolic and that the meaning of each symbol is discovered by relying on the rest of Scripture to inform us while remaining faithful to the first rule. All of this of course must be guided by the Spirit of truth, love and freedom, not by our preconditioning, traditions or to defend any set of doctrines.
What we are entering as we begin the study of the next couple chapters or so, is the very center of this book. Because it is laid out in typical chiastic format, meaning that the center contains the most important keys to understanding the rest of the book and that moving away from the center in both direction simultaneously one will discover parallel concepts that are tightly linked and are similar to each other, this center hub of the book is where we will find the core descriptions of what is really transpiring and where we find the main contestants and opponents in this story most clearly displayed.
Significantly, this is the first occurrence in this book of the word sign and is followed two verses later with another sign. This is not coincidence as it is introducing clearly the two sides warring against each other. This war is also explicitly spelled out later in this same chapter, which is why these next three chapters are crucial to understand thoroughly if we are to see how everything else in the book links directly to them like spooks of a wheel all depend on their connection to the hub.
The author John who writes this book is the same person who in his gospel emphasized the idea of signs in connection with the life of Jesus as well as found in the stories of the early believers. Signs and wonders are a theme that runs throughout the history of this war, so we must be open to receiving a true appreciation of how we should relate to them in our own involvement in this war. Both sides in the supernatural realm rely on signs and wonders, but they do not use them the same. As always, for every true there is a counterfeit, and this might be most true in the case of signs and wonders. Satan's entire success in deceiving as many as possible depends heavily on compelling people to reflect his motives and choose his methods as he uses signs and wonders to manipulate us to believe our feelings over the word of God.
Manipulation of feelings to deceive is how Eve was tricked into turning away from the only Source of truth, life and love and to believe her emotions more than God. The serpent asserted that God is intimately involved in both good and evil and that she could access His power by doing the same. He still relies on this approach with great success, for the meaning of the word spiritualism involves putting more trust and reliance on our feelings and emotions as our primary source of truth rather than on the objective word of God. This brings us to the very heart of how the war is carried out, for the real contest is not really about who is stronger, but rather what kind of strength will work to maintain cohesion in society, to establish order and to prevent chaos.
Another sign was seen in heaven. Behold, a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and on his heads seven crowns. (Revelation 12:3)
I saw another great and marvelous sign in the sky: seven angels having the seven last plagues, for in them God's wrath is finished. (Revelation 15:1)
It has seemed good to me to show the signs and wonders that the Most High God has worked toward me. How great are his signs! and how mighty are his wonders! his kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and his dominion is from generation to generation. (Daniel 4:2-3)
He delivers and rescues, and he works signs and wonders in heaven and in earth, who has delivered Daniel from the power of the lions. (Daniel 6:27)
Scribes and Pharisees more than once demanded a sign from Jesus. It is very instructive to examine the context behind these demands. Consider this instance recorded earlier by Matthew.
You offspring of vipers, how can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks. The good man out of his good treasure brings out good things, and the evil man out of his evil treasure brings out evil things. I tell you that every idle word that men speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment. For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned."
Then certain of the scribes and Pharisees answered, "Teacher, we want to see a sign from you." But he answered them, "An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, but no sign will be given it but the sign of Jonah the prophet. For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the whale, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. (Matthew 12:34-40)
How might the sign we are looking at right now fit with that story? Consider the contrast of the nature of the signs and we begin to see a familiar pattern emerge. The first sign here in this chapter is a very vulnerable woman while the next great sign is just the opposite – a fierce and intimidating dragon whose main goal is to exploit others who are vulnerable. This parallels the introduction of sin into this world originally and is the patter repeated all throughout the history of this war.
The context of this demand for a sign from Jesus was that He had been accused of working miracles and expelling demons from people by relying on the power of Satan. When you look over the passages preceding these demands for a sign, it starts to become evident that the hypocrisy of these teachers and leaders was becoming exposed by the words and actions of Jesus. They were under intense conviction and their discomfort with what people were starting to see about them in contrast to the plain truths being presented by Jesus made them feel desperate to find some way to divert attention away from themselves by incriminating Jesus in some way. The spirit of the great accuser motivated them to accuse the Jesus of being the enemy to deflect the conviction they were under to repent. Rather than allow the Spirit of truth and love to heal their hearts, they chose to harden their hards by lashing out to destroy His credibility in order to salvage their own.
I believe the pattern that might explain best the difference in use of signs and wonders by either side in this conflict lies in the message conveyed by them. The enemy and accuser of God uses signs and wonders to manipulate people's feelings and emotions for the purpose of deceiving them and distracting them from the conviction of God's Spirit about the nature of His kingdom. These signs and wonders appeal to our cravings for more power to exalt ourselves and our favorite people above others for our advantage. In Christ's kingdom the spirit of humility, kindness, gentleness and even willing vulnerability is the mark of identity in all who choose to follow the Lamb of God. It was this revelation that exposed the motives and disposition of the religious people of Jesus' day that made them feel exposed and threatened because they were relying on Satan's principles to maintain their authority while Jesus was bringing to light the truth that God's power is just the opposite of the kind of power popular in this world.
If we take this perspective, the following references to signs might begin to make more sense.
Thus says Yahweh, "Don't learn the way of the nations, and don't be dismayed at the signs of the sky; for the nations are dismayed at them. (Jeremiah 10:2)
even he whose coming is according to the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, and with all deception of wickedness for those who are being lost, because they didn't receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. (2 Thessalonians 2:9-10)
He performs great signs, even making fire come down out of the sky to the earth in the sight of people. (Revelation 13:13)
These last few references help to clarify the use of signs by Satan in contrast to the purpose and use of signs from heaven. Consider the words of Jesus relating to the signs of His second coming and how we should relate to those signs. In the following passages both kinds of signs are talked about, but if we are open to discern with the heart, we can see the pattern mentioned above showing up throughout these instructions, warnings and encouragement by Jesus.
As he sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately, saying, "Tell us, when will these things be? What is the sign of your coming, and of the end of the age?" Jesus answered them, "Be careful that no one leads you astray. For many will come in my name, saying, 'I am the Christ,' and will lead many astray. You will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you aren't troubled, for all this must happen, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; and there will be famines, plagues, and earthquakes in various places. But all these things are the beginning of birth pains. Then they will deliver you up to oppression, and will kill you. You will be hated by all of the nations for my name's sake. Then many will stumble, and will deliver up one another, and will hate one another. Many false prophets will arise, and will lead many astray. Because iniquity will be multiplied, the love of many will grow cold. But he who endures to the end, the same will be saved. This Good News of the Kingdom will be preached in the whole world for a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come.
...for then there will be great oppression, such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, nor ever will be. Unless those days had been shortened, no flesh would have been saved. But for the sake of the chosen ones, those days will be shortened. "Then if any man tells you, 'Behold, here is the Christ,' or, 'There,' don't believe it. For there will arise false christs, and false prophets, and they will show great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the chosen ones. "Behold, I have told you beforehand.
But immediately after the oppression of those days, the sun will be darkened, the moon will not give its light, the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken; and then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky. Then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky with power and great glory. (Matthew 24:3-14, 21-25, 29-30)
They asked him, "Teacher, so when will these things be? What is the sign that these things are about to happen?" He said, "Watch out that you don't get led astray, for many will come in my name, saying, 'I AM,' and, 'The time is at hand.' Therefore don't follow them. When you hear of wars and disturbances, don't be terrified, for these things must happen first, but the end won't come immediately." Then he said to them, "Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be great earthquakes, famines, and plagues in various places. There will be terrors and great signs from heaven.
You will be hated by all men for my name's sake. And not a hair of your head will perish. By your endurance you will win your lives. But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation is at hand. Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. Let those who are in the midst of her depart. Let those who are in the country not enter therein. For these are days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled. Woe to those who are pregnant and to those who nurse infants in those days! For there will be great distress in the land, and wrath to this people. They will fall by the edge of the sword, and will be led captive into all the nations. Jerusalem will be trampled down by the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled. There will be signs in the sun, moon, and stars; and on the earth anxiety of nations, in perplexity for the roaring of the sea and the waves; men fainting for fear, and for expectation of the things which are coming on the world: for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. But when these things begin to happen, look up, and lift up your heads, because your redemption is near." (Luke 21:7-11, 17-28)
