Revelation - Week 21

Day 1

The Temple of God

READ

Revelation 11:19

19 Then, in heaven, the Temple of God was opened and the Ark of his covenant could be seen inside the Temple. Lightning flashed, thunder crashed and roared, and there was an earthquake and a terrible hailstorm.

The apostle John now saw in his vision the temple of God in heaven with the ark of the covenant inside of it. Both the temple and ark related to the nation Israel. The Church does not have a physical building known as the temple on earth or in heaven. The lightning, thunder, earthquake and hailstorm will again be seen in Revelation 16 as the bowl judgments are poured out.

REFLECT

Do you see that terrible judgments of nature will come on the earth at the end of the Tribulation period? God controls nature and these could not have occurred apart from Him.

RESPOND

For an example of the temple of God during the Church age, read 2 Corinthians 6:14-16. Although He is everywhere present, God Himself indwells believers.

Day 2

A Significant Event

READ

Revelation 12:1-2

1 Then I witnessed in heaven an event of great significance. I saw a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon beneath her feet, and a crown of twelve stars on her head. 2 She was pregnant, and she cried out because of her labor pains and the agony of giving birth.

There has been much debate about the identity of the woman in Revelation 12. She is symbolic because no woman has undergone what this woman has. It seems best to consider this a picture of Israel who gave physical birth to the Messiah and Savior of the world. Israel suffered greatly before the Messiah was born and has suffered greatly since that time because of antisemitism. Even some church groups are opposed to the nation of Israel, through which Jesus was born into the world.

REFLECT

What is your attitude toward the nation of Israel and the Jewish people? In John 4:22 Jesus told the Samaritan woman, “salvation comes through the Jews.”

RESPOND

Consider what the Bible says about Abraham and his descendants, the Jewish people. Read passages such as Genesis 12:1-3; 17:18-20; and Romans 9:1-5.

Day 3

A Red Dragon

READ

Revelation 12:3-4

3 Then I witnessed in heaven another significant event. I saw a large red dragon with seven heads and ten horns, with seven crowns on his heads. 4 His tail swept away one-third of the stars in the sky, and he threw them to the earth. He stood in front of the woman as she was about to give birth, ready to devour her baby as soon as it was born.

As this passage reveals later, the dragon is Satan. When Jesus was a baby, Satan used King Herod to try to snuff out His life (see Matthew 2:16). It seems this outburst of Satan’s wrath will occur in the middle of the seven-year Tribulation, for Satan will use the revived Roman Empire to inflict judgment on the world. At this time his man will seat himself in the temple of God and demand to be worshiped. This will be the abomination of desolation spoken of by Daniel the prophet, and by Paul in 2 Thessalonians.

REFLECT

Think how horrible it will be for those on earth during the last half of the Tribulation. Thank the Lord for salvation that will keep you from this time.

RESPOND

To check out references to the “abomination of desolation,” read Daniel 9:27 and 2 Thessalonians 2:1-4. Satan has always wanted to be worshiped instead of the Lord Jesus Christ, and he will put his representative (the Antichrist) in the temple to be worshiped during the Tribulation.

Day 4

A Son Is Born

READ

Revelation 12:5-6

5 She gave birth to a son who was to rule all nations with an iron rod. And her child was snatched away from the dragon and was caught up to God and to his throne. 6 And the woman fled into the wilderness, where God had prepared a place to care for her for 1,260 days.

Only the Lord Jesus Christ qualifies as one who will “rule all nations with an iron rod” (see Psalm 2:8-9). Being caught up to God seems to refer to the ascension of Jesus, recorded in Acts 1:9. The woman (Israel) being protected for 1260 days is a time period of three and a half years of 30-day months, which was the measurement of months in Bible times.

REFLECT

Even in times of persecution God will protect a remnant of believers. Thank the Lord for His grace.

RESPOND

Look ahead to Revelation 19:15-16 to see that when Jesus returns to earth at the end of the Tribulation He will rule the nations with a rod of iron.  

Day 5

War in Heaven

READ

Revelation 12:7-9

7 Then there was war in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon and his angels. 8 And the dragon lost the battle, and he and his angels were forced out of heaven. 9 This great dragon—the ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, the one deceiving the whole world—was thrown down to the earth with all his angels.

This passage clearly identifies the dragon as the “devil, or Satan.” Michael and his angels were stronger than Satan and his angels. Satan’s angels are fallen angels who are demons to carry out his will. Note that Satan is described as one “deceiving the whole world.” In the temptation of Jesus, Satan offered Him the kingdoms of the world if Jesus would bow down and worship him.

REFLECT

You can be thankful that the one who indwells you is greater than he who is in the world, as the Bible says in 1 John 4:4.

RESPOND

Talk to a fellow believer about the temptation Jesus faced, as recorded in Matthew 4:8-10, when Satan offered Him the kingdoms of the world if He would bow down and worship him.