Revelation 12:12-18

Last week we saw the war in heaven and the dragon cast out forever — no longer able to bring accusations against the people of God, possibly cast down at the cross and ascension, since we now have a heavenly and permanent high priest. Today, what happened after Satan was thrown to earth.¶

And when the dragon saw that he had been thrown down to the earth, he pursued the woman who had given birth to the male child. But the woman was given the two wings of the great eagle so that she might fly from the serpent into the wilderness, to the place where she is to be nourished for a time, and times, and half a time.

Revelation 12:13-14 (ESV)¶

The dragon pursues Israel¶

Ever since the death and resurrection of Christ, there has been sentiment against the nation of Israel and the Jews; the dragon has pursued her ever since. We can see this almost immediately after Jesus ascends. Between 66-73 AD the first Jewish-Roman war took place, and though it began with some success, the Jews were eventually crushed and Jerusalem and the second temple destroyed — but the Jews were not destroyed. Rome instituted the Fiscus Judaicus, a tax taking the money Jews intended for their own temple to fund a temple to Jupiter — built on the ruins of the second temple. Eventually, around 136 AD, the Jews were banned from Jerusalem and sold into slavery or scattered: the diaspora. Ever since, there has been a concerted effort against the Jews.¶

The serpent poured water like a river out of his mouth after the woman, to sweep her away with a flood. But the earth came to the help of the woman, and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed the river that the dragon had poured from his mouth.

Revelation 12:15-16 (ESV)¶

The earth opening its mouth could mean the Jews found new life and home around the world through the diaspora, rather than in the region that was to be theirs.¶

War on the church¶

Then the dragon became furious with the woman and went off to make war on the rest of her offspring, on those who keep the commandments of God and hold to the testimony of Jesus. And he stood on the sand of the sea.

Revelation 12:17 (ESV)¶

The devil also began immediately making war on the new church — first trying to crush it with intense persecution under Nero and Diocletian (who outlawed Christianity). But war does not always look like we expect; the most effective wars are the ones you do not realize are taking place, done in secret and by infiltration. I believe this dragon changed his strategy from outright persecution to subversion, infiltration, and dilution — which is why the New Testament constantly warns of false prophets and teachers who would bring us back into bondage. Someone once said the devil is a patient incrementalist: he loves it when Christians slowly believe half-truths, become complacent, and focus on numbers, buildings, and programs rather than true discipleship and growth in the gospel. Two things to take away: we have an enemy full of wrath against those who keep God's commands and the testimony of Jesus — so we must put on the full armor of God; and second, his time is short.¶