1. Floods of Deception Encounter Rivers of Life Revelation 12:13-17
16 But the earth helped the woman by opening its mouth and swallowing the river that the dragon had spewed out of his mouth Revelation 12:16 (NIV84) 1

2. Have any of us lived during a time where the consequences of neglecting relationship with Jesus Christ and neglecting attention to His instructions are so obviously shocking? 2

3. 1 John 1:2-4 (NIV84) 2 The life appeared (speaking of Christ); we have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us. 3 We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son, Jesus Christ. 4 We write this to make our joy complete. 3

4. Matthew 10:16 (NIV84). 16 I am sending you out like sheep among wolves
Matthew 10:16 (NIV84) 16 I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves. 4

5. Beginning Sunday March 31st 9:00 AM Sanctuary Adult/youth
Sunday School 5

6. Floods of Deception Encounter Rivers of Life Revelation 12:13-17
16 But the earth (by God’s directive) helped the woman (the community of believers in Christ) by opening its mouth and swallowing the river that the dragon (the devil) had spewed out of his mouth.
Revelation 12:16 (NIV84) 6

7. How did the Apostle John structure this Apocalypse/Revelation?
Seven “maps”
each having
Seven overlays 7

8. We are living within this time frame of which John writes.
John’s aim: that we would live in Christ as conquerors and not give in to despair. 8

9. Chapter 12 is a description of an ongoing war, a war zone we live in daily.
Christ has already conquered! We are always living in the light of Christ’s victory. 9

10. Key Players – Locations - Time Periods - Themes
Revelation 12:1-6 (NIV84) 1 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. 2 She was pregnant and cried out in pain as she was about to give birth. 3 Then another sign appeared in heaven: an enormous red dragon with seven heads and ten horns and seven crowns on his heads. 4 His tail swept a third of the stars out of the sky and flung them to the earth. 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. 5 She 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. 6 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. 10

11. Key Players – Locations - Time Periods - Themes
Revelation 12:7-12 (NIV84) 7 And there was war in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back. 8 But he was not strong enough, and they lost their place in heaven. 9 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.
10 Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say: “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.
11 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.
12 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.” 11

12. Key Players – Locations - Time Periods - Themes
Revelation 12:13-17 (NIV84) 13 When the dragon saw that he had been hurled to the earth, he pursued the woman who had given birth to the male Child. 14 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. 15 Then from his mouth the serpent spewed water like a river, to overtake the woman and sweep her away with the torrent. 16 But the earth helped the woman by opening its mouth and swallowing the river that the dragon had spewed out of his mouth. 17 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. 12

13. Key Players – Locations - Time Periods - Themes
War, God’s victory, protection persecution
Heaven, earth, the desert earth and sea
1,260 days, short time, time, times and half a time
The woman, the dragon, the woman’s Child, God, the woman’s offspring. 13

14. The woman is the covenant community that began in the Old Testament.
#1. Who is the woman?
Genesis 3:15 (NIV84) 15 And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; He will crush your head, and you will strike His heel.”
The woman is the covenant community that began in the Old Testament.
Revelation 12:4 (NIV84) 4 … 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. 14

15. #1. Who is the woman?
Revelation 12:17 (NIV84) 17 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.
This is the believing community of God’s covenant people continuing on to this day. 15

16. The woman and her offspring are the church
#1. Who is the woman?
The covenant community that was started in the Old Testament continues in the New Testament
The woman and her offspring are the church 16

17. #2. What does the desert represent?
Revelation 12:6 (NIV84) 6 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.
Revelation 12:14 (NIV84) 14 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. 17

18. #2. What does the desert represent?
Exodus 19:4 (NIV84) 4 ‘You yourselves have seen what I did to Egypt, and how I carried you on eagles’ wings and brought you to Myself.
Psalm 61:4 (NIV84) 4 I long to dwell in Your tent forever and take refuge in the shelter of Your wings.
The two wings of the great eagle point to the presence of God as protection for His people. 18

19. #2. What does the desert represent?
The place for the woman is the desert that is prepared by God.
Revelation 12:6 (NIV84) into the desert to a place prepared for her by God,
Revelation 12:14 (NIV84) to the place prepared for her in the desert. 19

20. #2. What does the desert represent?
1,260 days is synonymous with a time, times and half a time.
Revelation 12:6 (NIV84) , where she might be taken care of for 1,260 days.
Revelation 12:14 (NIV84) , where she would be taken care of for a time, times and half a time, 20

21. #2. What does the desert represent?
The escape to the desert was for the purpose of getting … out of the serpent’s reach.
Revelation 12:14 (NIV84) , out of the serpent’s reach. 21

22. #2. What does the desert represent?
The desert should remind us of the exodus of God’s people out of Egypt.
The desert represents a temporary place where God nurtures His people spiritually and prepares them for service. 22

23. #3. What does the time period of 1,260 days or 3½ years represent?
The covenant community will be in the desert being cared for by God for 1,260 days or 3½ years.
Revelation 11:2-4 (NIV84) 2 But exclude the outer court; do not measure it, because it has been given to the Gentiles. They will trample on the holy city for 42 months. 3 And I will give power to My two witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260 days, clothed in sackcloth.” 4 These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands that stand before the Lord of the earth. 23

24. #3. What does the time period of 1,260 days or 3½ years represent?
The mission of this covenant community is to be witnesses of God grace in Jesus Christ for 42 months or 1,260 days.
The time period of 1,260 days, 3 ½ years, 42 months, is symbolically the time period between Christ’s first coming and His second coming. 24

25. #4. What is meant by the great dragon being hurled down to the earth?
Revelation 12:10-12 (NIV84) 10“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. 11 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. 12 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.” 25

26. #4. What is meant by the great dragon being hurled down to the earth?
Because of Christ’s victory …, Satan has lost any basis to hurl accusations at those saints.
We can overcome Satan because Christ’s victory applies to us as well. 26

27. #4. What is meant by the great dragon being hurled down to the earth?
Revelation 12:13-17 (NIV84) 13 When the dragon saw that he had been hurled to the earth, he pursued the woman who had given birth to the male Child. 14 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. 15 Then from his mouth the serpent spewed water like a river, to overtake the woman and sweep her away with the torrent. 16 But the earth helped the woman by opening its mouth and swallowing the river that the dragon had spewed out of his mouth. 17 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. 27

28. #4. What is meant by the great dragon being hurled down to the earth?
We are always in a war with Satan and his armies until we are safely in heaven with Christ. Vigilance is always the character of a man or woman of God who wants to be a conqueror in Christ.
Our vigilance - The word of God - Relationships with our brothers and sisters in Christ 28

29. The story of Pilgrim’s Progress
Mr. Worldly Wiseman
Evangelist
Christian
City of Destruction
Swamp of Despond
Wicket-gate to life
Town of Morality
John Bunyan with Harold Myra, The Pilgrim’s Progress,
Experience the Spiritual Classic through 40 Days of Daily Devotion.
Discovery House, 2018, pp 29

30. Pilgrim’s Progress A journey through the desert of this world.
A journey much too difficult and much too dangerous to attempt without the guidance and presence of our Lord Jesus Christ in the Person of God’s Holy Spirit. 30

31. How can we live as conquerors in the battlefield that is this world?
Taking with us as many as we can.
- live in and walk with Christ,
- in His Word, with faithful encouragement from
fellow brothers and sisters in Christ alert to visible and invisible dangers - not afraid to move forward
with hope and joy
toward God’s promised home 31

32. 32