Revelation 12:1-17 - Homiletics

The foes of God and of his Church.

"That old serpent." In previous chapters of this book there have been hints of sundry evil forces which would at divers times harass the Church of God. Who they would be, or what, or how they would work, has not yet been shown to us. This is done, however, in chapters which we have yet to consider. Of them there are several. Of each one we have a representation in the form of allegory or parable. In this chapter the first of them is shown us. We can be in no doubt as to who it is that is intended; nor is there any very great difficulty about the main features of the sketch, however obscure some of the minor details may be. The enemy is the devil. The object of his rage is the faithful Church, represented under the symbol of "a woman, clothed with the sun," etc. When we find, too, that this woman brought forth a man child, who is sought to be devoured as soon as born; who is, in spite of all, caught up to God and to his throne, from which seat of power he is to rule the nations as with a rod of iron;—we have very distinctive marks pointing unmistakably to our Lord. The enemy, failing to devour him, persecutes the woman, and lulling in his designs against her, he goes on to war with the remnant of her seed. But, as the chapter shows, in every instance the evil one rushes on only to his own defeat. So that this chapter contains a parable of glorious meaning, as it sets forth the working of Satan against the Church of God. His present work is to make war against those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus. Why should he select these as the objects of his attack? Why? Because others are doing his work for him! He disturbs himself only about his disturbers. He has little need to look after others. Let us, then, try, in the light of this chapter, to look our foe full in the face, and to find out what he is, what he can do, and what he cannot. Our subject, then, is— our foe, as sketched by a Divine hand.

I. OUR FOE IS A PERSONAL ONE . ( Revelation 12:9 .) It would be of little avail to say that the personality of the evil one cannot be decided from such a chapter as this; for the allusions to Satan elsewhere are so numerous and so varied that they shut us up to the conviction of his personality; i.e. that he is a distinct being, with a will, plan, and pro-pose of his own, moving in "the heavenly places," i.e. in the realm of spirit. We often find the personal pronouns used concerning him ( John 8:44 ). The names and epithets applied to him indicate the same. The name "the devil" means "the slanderer." He is represented in Scripture as slandering God before men, and as slandering men before God. The apostle speaks of him as "going about seeking whom he may devour." Nor can there be a doubt that we are taught by our Lord and his apostles that to Satan's pernicious agency much of the evil in the world must be traced. Let us remember our Lord's conflict with him.

II. HE IS AN OLD ONE . "The devil sinneth from the beginning" ( 1 John 3:8 ; John 8:44 ). He first sinned in heaven, and was cast out from thence ere he came to deceive the whole world. Then he tempted Adam in Eden. He came into conflict with our Lord. He hindered apostles in their work ( 1 Thessalonians 2:18 ). He has been counterplotting the sowings of the Son of man for eighteen hundred years ( Matthew 13:39 ). And he is at work still. We well know, indeed, that there is one difficulty which often presses upon thoughtful minds. It is this: Can it be that God should let one being have such tremendous power for evil? Now, although the devil's power is not so great as stone people seem to think it to be, we confess that it would be a very great relief to us if we felt warranted in saying, No. But there are three remarks which have to be set over against this question.

1 . Whatever evil is in the world is here, whether there be a devil or no. And if evil is only a spontaneous product of man himself, then human nature is much worse than the Bible declares it to be.

2 . But if we grant that some of it comes from outside, it is then merely a question whether the outside evil is led on by one single force, or by an indefinite number of agents, organized or unorganized.

3 . If we accept the doctrine of the unity of leadership in the forces of ill outside earth, the difficulty is merely one of degree, not of kind; e.g. if one pope can by his will move his organized forces at any part of the world, why may not a like power be, for aught we know, outside the limits of this globe?

III. HE IS A DARING ONE . The flashes of light which we get on this point in Scripture are many. Michael and his angels. Our Lord. Peter. Judas. In heaven. In Eden. In the desert. At the last Supper. In Gethsemane. He carefully selects those on whom he will try his temptations. The greater the object, the fiercer the onset. If a man stands up for Jesus, Satan will desire to have him, that he may sift him as wheat. It is a far greater thing to bring an eagle to the ground than a sparrow. It is a vaster achievement to batter a fortress than a hut. And the greater our influence, and the higher our standing in the Church, the more fiercely will the evil one assail us.

IV. HIS ATTEMPTS ARE OFTEN FAILURES . ( Revelation 12:8 , "The dragon warred and his angels, and they prevailed not." ) It is a relief to find that it is so; and that the evil one's most daring attempts have been the signal for most humiliating failures. The supreme illustration of this is his onset upon our Lord in the desert ( Matthew 4:1-11 ). From heaven he was cast out, and even on this earth he is an outcast still ( Revelation 12:9-11 ). His power in far off realms is at an end. His pride was his condemnation. He was overpowered by a Greater, when Jesus died. "Now is the prince of this world cast out" ( John 12:31 ). And already, in prospect of his complete, utter, and final defeat, is the heavenly song begun, "Now is come the salvation," etc. ( Revelation 12:10 , Revelation 12:11 ). It is no wonder that we go on to read that—

V. HE IS AN ANGRY FOE . ( Revelation 12:12 , "He has great wrath, knowing that he hath but a short time.") In what way this has been revealed to the evil one, we do not know; but we shall do both ourselves and Scripture a wrong if we refuse to let this thought bring us its appropriate inspiration and comfort. Truly it is good to know that the end of his power is foreseen.

VI. HE IS A MALICIOUS ONE . ( Revelation 12:13 .) If defeated in one scheme, he tries another. It cast out of heaven, he will plague the earth. "He worries whom he can't devour." And as he prevailed not against the Lord of the Church, he persecutes the Church of the Lord. He has long been engaged in plotting schemes against the people of God, desiring to have them, that he may sift them as wheat.

VII. HE IS A WATCHFUL AND CRAFTY ONE ( Revelation 12:4 , Revelation 12:13 , Revelation 12:15 ), varying his methods according to the case in hand. "We are not ignorant of his devices" ( 2 Corinthians 2:11 ). We have to contend against "the wiles of the devil" ( Ephesians 6:11 ). He is active, too, in executing his plans. The whole of this chapter is one lengthened sketch, in symbol, of the manifold forms of his activity. And perhaps we are hardly prepared to see how varied are his methods of work, until we collect the several hints scattered throughout the Word of God. In the world at large he counterplots the sowing of the Son of man ( Matthew 13:38 ,. 39); he deceives by powers, and signs, and lying wonders ( 2 Thessalonians 2:9 , 2 Thessalonians 2:10 ); in a city like Pergamos he sets up his throne ( Revelation 2:12 , Revelation 2:13 ); he collects his followers in a synagogue of his own ( Revelation 2:9 ); he preys on the body, inflicting dumbness on one ( Mark 9:17 ), and binding another for eighteen years ( Luke 13:16 ); he casts some of the saints into prison ( Revelation 2:10 ), and hinders apostles in their work ( 1 Thessalonians 2:18 ); he inflicts on Paul a thorn in the flesh ( 2 Corinthians 12:7 , 2 Corinthians 12:8 ), and goes about in search of prey ( 1 Peter 5:8 ), in a constant state of unrest ( Matthew 12:43 ); he lays snares for the ungodly ( 2 Timothy 2:26 ); causes many to turn aside after him ( 1 Timothy 5:15 ); he puts it into the heart of Judas to betray his Master ( John 13:2 ), and leads Ananias and Sapphira to lie to the Holy Ghost ( Acts 5:3 ); if men are just coming to Jesus, he throws them down and tears them ( Luke 9:42 ); and while the Word is being heard, he stealthily takes it out of the heart, lest they should believe and be saved ( Luke 8:12 ). So terrible is the tale of his deceit that we are ready to give up heart, till we note—

VIII. HE IS A CIRCUMSCRIBED FOE . This chapter tells us of three limits put to him and to his power.

1 . One, of space. He is cast down to earth. He is "the god of this world" ( 2 Corinthians 4:4 ).

2 . A second, of time. "A time, and times, and half a time." The same mysterious period of twelve hundred and sixty days, during which the witness bearing is to go on, and the beast ( Revelation 13:1-18 .) is to continue.

3 . There is yet a third limit, that of force ( Revelation 12:16 , "The earth helped the woman," etc.). Nothing can be plainer than that in this chapter we are shown the cheering fact that the evil one cannot have it all his own way. If his work counterplots the good, none the less surely does the good counteract him. He is mighty; but there is a Stronger than he. We are taught in Scripture that there are five ways by which his power is restricted and his intention foiled.

IX. HE IS A FOE WITH WHOSE DEVICES WE HAVE TO RECKON IN FIGHTING THE BATTLE OF LIFE . ( Revelation 12:17 .) Note:

1 . He is one at whom we cannot afford to laugh, and whose existence we cannot afford to deny. Nothing gives the enemy such leverage as the denial of his existence. It is the very lie he loves to put into our mouths. The only "father," surely, who loves his children to disown his existence.

2 . He is a foe before whom we need not quail. While we may not laugh in careless indifference, we need not cower in fear. Life is not so easy as if there were no devil to fight; it is not so hard but that we may ensure his defeat.

3 . He is a foe to whom not an inch of room should be given ( Ephesians 4:27 ). Let us ever be wary lest he get advantage over us; and let us swear eternal enmity to him and all his works.

4 . He is a foe for whose onsets we should prepare, by a survey and appropriation of heavenly forces. We stand between two opposing agencies—the Spirit of God on one side, and the devil on the other. Let us not grieve the Spirit by toying with the devil.

5 . He is a foe on whose ultimate defeat and complete discomfiture we may surely and confidently reckon if we look to Jesus. "Greater is he that is for us," etc. Our Lord hath overcome him for us, and in his strength we shall overcome too. And we shall be better and stronger Christians for having had such a foe to fight. Not only is it the battle that tries the soldier, but that makes him. We have, however, not just one skirmish, and then peace. Oh no! "Patient continuance in well doing." Daily fighting, daily praying, daily victory, till the end.

"The land of triumph lies on high;

There are no foes t' encounter there!"