2. What does Spiritual Warfare look like?
The Woman and the Dragon:
What does Spiritual Warfare look like?

3. The Woman: “A great sign”
The Woman and the Dragon:
The Woman:
“A great sign”
Clothed with the Sun, Moon under her feet, Stars as a crown.
Birth Pains
Great Sign
Contrast with “Another sign” – v.3
Significance is on the Woman, not the dragon
Sign – Symbolism, not literal
Sun, Moon, and Stars
Reference to Gen. 37:1-10
Clothed – not inherent, but appropriated.
God – inherent
God’s people – appropriated – like Christ’s righteousness
Moon – OT significance is Beauty and glory (Song 6:10; Isa 24:23)
Stars – Joseph’s dreams, Twelve Tribes
Crown = victory
Birth Pains
“in womb” – idiom for pregnant
Symbolic of the people of God who give birth to the Messiah
Gen. 12.
Pains – the process through time of bringing the Messiah into the World.
The Woman
Most likely – a picture of the whole people of God – Israel and Church – v.17
At least – Israel

4. The Dragon: “Another sign” Great Red Dragon
The Woman and the Dragon:
The Dragon:
“Another sign”
Great Red Dragon
7 Heads, 10 Horns, 7 diadems
Third of the stars swept down
Another Sign
Contrast with “Great sign” – v.1
Significance is on the Woman, not the dragon
Great Red Dragon
Dragons = Sea monsters! Depictions of Evil
Anti God rulers – Pharaoh – Ezek 29:3; Nebuchadnezzar – Jer. 51:34
Red – Slaughter
7 Heads
Symbol of pretentious sovereignty over the earth
Part of Satan’s Imitation – Unholy Trinity/diadems/horns
10 Horns
Allusion to Dan.7:7-8,20,24 – fourth beast
Horn – symbol of strength – Daniel = 10 kings – military strength
Rev. 17:12-14 – temporary powers
Rev. 5:6 – Lamb with 7 horns – this is another imitation
7 Diadems
Diadems = ruler’s crown
Imitation of Christ and true Diadem in 19:12
1/3 of stars swept down
Satan’s convincing of one third of angels to rebel
Similar to little horn in Dan. 8:9,10
Dragon
Identified in v.9 – Satan

5. The Birth: Dragon waiting… Male child – Ruler of Nations
The Woman and the Dragon:
The Birth:
Dragon waiting…
Male child – Ruler of Nations
Child “caught up”
Woman – Fled to Wilderness
1260 days – 3.5 year period
Dragon waiting
Reference back to Gen. 3:15
Parallel – Herod, slaughter of children
Russell Moore – Satan hates babies! –Abortion is his work.
Male Child
Psalm 2:7-9
The Messiah – from God’s people
Caught Up
Birth to Caught up – no elaboration of the ministry of the male child
Caught up = strong verb, divine passive, resurrection and ascension (to God and His throne)
Divine passive = Phil 2:9-11
Difference between verse 5 and 6
Timing depends on interpretation of events
Dispensational premillialists = gap in time
Historic premillennialist = no gap, period of last days
Woman to Wilderness
After ascension – church spreads – is scattered!
Wilderness = allusion to Exodus
Revelation – heavy on Exodus allusion
From Bondage to Promised land!
Nourished
Protected by God through the wilderness
Not guaranteed ease, but safe! (God provides and guides)
Church – grows in the wilderness,

6. “Do you ever look around your life and feel like God has dealt you a losing hand? If you’re a student of the Bible, when you see what looks like a losing hand, you know God is about to triumph in a way that will give him all the credit for the victory. Isn’t that the kind of victory you want? So when everything in your life looks unimpressive, sure to lose, insignificant, trust Christ and watch for the glory of God to be demonstrated.

7. “When you feel like a loser, when you feel like a failure, when you feel like you’re incompetent, praise God! You’re exactly the kind of person God uses. God uses people like us to defeat the great dragon.”
James Hamilton Jr., Revelation: The Spirit Speaks to the Churches

8. Imitation is the Devil’s form of deception.
Takeaway Thought.
- Life through death only happens through the blood of the Lamb!