REVELATION SIMPLIFIED

 

CHAPTER 12.5

Gleanings from the Book of Revelation:

A Weekly Verse-by-Verse Bible Study Series

 

The

REVELATION TO JOHN

(The Apocalypse)

                                                                           

Chapter Twelve

The Great Tribulation

(Parenthesis)

 

 

3. The Man Child - Christ

(Verse 5)

 

And she brought forth a Man Child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her Child was caught up unto God, and to His throne.

 

Throughout human history, from the fall in Eden to the delivery of Christ (Israel’s Messiah), the Great Red Dragon has planned to destroy His childbirth. Every devious and crafty attempt to prevent the woman from delivering the Man Child ended in complete failure:

1.  Satan could not stop His incarnation

2.  Satan could not stop His plan of redemption

3.   Satan could not stop Him from providing salvation

4.  Satan could not stop His Ascension

5. Satan could not stop Him from being exalted to His Throne

6.  Satan could not stop Him from being the coronated King

7.  Satan could not stop Him from ruling universally with a rod of iron

 

A Man Child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron

Man Child is better rendered as either son or a male child, no doubt Jesus Christ in His human nature. At His first incarnation, Christ was born in travail, the second incarnation will be without travail.

 

The word for rule in Greek is poimainō which means to tend (as in cattle) or shepherd (as in a flock). But figuratively it means to be a supervisor.

A. As foretold by Scripture:

Psalm 2:9 - Thou shalt break them (the heathen and godless nations) with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel.

 

Yet in the future, Christ will eliminate all enmity, opposition, and rebellion on earth as He reigns with a rod of iron.

B. As fulfilled by Scripture:

Revelation 19:15 - And out of His mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it He should smite the nations: and He shall rule them with a rod of iron: and He treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.

 

A Rod of Iron

An iron rod is understood as the scepter of a king and is a symbol of Christ’s reign. The significance of this rod made of iron speaks of the fierceness and resoluteness of His rule. It is unbreakable and absolute.

 

In the Age of the Millennium, David’s greater Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, will swiftly and immediately judge all sin and quell any rebellion. There will be no inequalities and oppression. The faithful will be blessed and transgressors swiftly punished. Hence, the rod of iron is a rod of righteousness and at the same time, one of judgment.

 

And her (Israel’s) Child was caught up unto God, and to His Throne

John’s interest here is explaining the exaltation of Christ. His Ascension is plainly in view. The Greek word harpazō used in this passage is the same expression applied to the rapture (cf. 1 Thessalonians 4:17), and when Paul was caught up to the third Heaven (cf. 2 Corinthians 12:4). Its meaning is to vehemently and hastily carry up or transport something or someone for preservation. So, the contextual reality is that at His Ascension, Jesus Christ is being exalted up unto God to His Throne.

 

 

(Verse 6)

 

And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days.

 

The details of the last half of verse 6 are considerably interesting. It seems that between verses 5 and 6, so much history has already transpired. The Church Age appears and is taken up as was discussed in the previous chapters of Revelation.

 

The verse reads: “And the woman (Israel) already fled (did flee).” In other words, the event has already happened. She (Israel) escaped to a place God had previously prepared (made ready) for them.

 

The Wilderness

The wilderness [Greek: erēmos; (Strong’s G2048)] denotes a habitation of complete desolation and solitude, devoid of natural resources.

 

There are at least three possible explanations as to where God has prepared an abode for the woman:

1. Some scholars equate this passage with Jesus’ warning in Matthew’s Gospel that during Tribulation God will shelter a Jewish remnant. The claim is Mount Seir (called the Shara range today) situated southeast of Jerusalem around the caves of the Dead Sea and the hills of Moab and Edom (modern-day Jordan).

Matthew 24:20-21 - But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day: For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.

 

Winter

During wintertime, travel would be impeded for several reasons. Some include:

1.  Roads would be impassable

2. No food would be on the wayside

3.  Nursing mothers would severely suffer

 

Sabbath Day's Journey

About 2,000 cubits, or less than half a mile, is the distance to which, according to Jewish tradition, was allowable travel time on the Sabbath day without violating the Law (cf. Acts 1:12). This distance had several prior precedents:

1.   It was the distance between the Ark of the Covenant and the Israelites on the march

 

2. It was the distance between the tents of the tribes of Judah and the Tabernacle

 

 

3.  It is the distance between the village of Bethany to the Mount of Olives

 

2. Other Bible commentators dogmatically identify Petra as their destination.

 

Petra

Perhaps in Bible times when the Book of Revelation was recorded, Petra would have been the ideal locale or hiding place for the remnant of Israel’s refuge. Bordering Israel, it is located north of Mount Seir and about fifty miles south of the Dead Sea in the land once called the Valley of Moses – The traditional place where Moses struck a rock and water gushed forth (cf. Exodus 17:6).

 

The Edomites

The Edomites, descendants of Esau, moved to this ancient territory named Edom. Located in one of the mountain ranges is a flat-topped natural rock stronghold and fortification called Petra (the Greek word for rock). Descendants of modern-day Bedouins, the Nabateans, an Arab people, displaced the Edomites and made Petra their capital. As Semites, the Edomites however, intermarried and became known as the Idumeans (Both Hebrew and Greek for Edomite).

 

Herod the Great’s father Antipater II was an Idumean who became Judaized. It was Julius Caesar who appointed Antipater procurator of Judea. The title was passed on to his son Herod the Great who maintained worshipping pagan gods, causing hatred amongst the people transitioning into New Testament times (cf. Matthew 2:1-22; Luke 1:5. See also Mark 3:8).

 

Because of its beautifully colored sandstone cliffs and valleys, Petra’s terrain has many colored shades of red, purple, and yellow. Consequently, Petra became known as the Rose Red City. Centuries later, after a couple of earthquakes, the only accessible entrance to Petra is a one-mile long, twelve-foot-wide Siq (Arabic for a pass) by which Arab tour guides would lead tourists through on horseback or donkey.

 

Upon entering the city, one can observe marvelous Roman columned architectural facades protruding from the cliffs and caves built by Roman emperor Trajan in A.D. 105. In its heyday, the city’s population once swelled from 20,000 to 30,000, today just a popular tourist attraction. [Please view Petra on Google or Bing images].

 

3. The third possibility and most likely is that the exact location is not revealed by Scripture therefore it remains unknown. Hoverer, Almighty God can miraculously, stealthily, and instantaneously construct such a place as He has so past demonstrated. In some instances, for example:

1.   God prepared a place for Elijah at the brook of Cherith where he was nourished by ravens (cf. 1 Kings 17 1-7)

 

2. God prepared a place under a juniper tree for Elijah later when he was nourished by an angelic messenger in the desert (cf. 1 Kings 19: 1-8)

 

3.  God prepared an escape route and refuge in Egypt for Jesus, Mary, and Joseph after Herod's murderous attempt to annihilate all the newborn males two years and younger (cf. Matthew 2:16-17)

 

Food for thought: If God would allow secretive spots such as Petra to be made known to future generations, would this not be advantageous to the enemy?

Deuteronomy 29:29 - The secret things belong unto the LORD our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever…

 

A place prepared of God, that they should feed her (Israel’s remnant) there a thousand two hundred and threescore days

The book of Romans informs all Israel who turns to their Messiah Jesus Christ shall be delivered (called the remnant). Sadly, those who do not accept their Messiah will go through Tribulation, be judged, and enter into eternal damnation.

Romans 11:26 - And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob:

 

During the Great Tribulation, however, God is dealing primarily with His chosen people – The Jews. In the first half of the Tribulation, two-thirds of the world's population has died, and one-third remains. One-third includes Gentiles, but mainly Jews, and the 144,000 sealed evangelists. At this time, God will gather those who have not taken the mark of the beast (cf. Revelation 13: 16-18) and pledge their allegiance to Him.

 

Thus, Israel’s remnant is given divine deliverance to a safe location, heavenly preserved from the dragon. They are better interpreted in the same sense as in verse 14, “Where she is nourished for a time.” Israel’s sustenance will be equivalent to or as in the days when He rained down manna and quail on the Israelites.

Psalm 105:40 - The people asked, and He brought quails and satisfied them with (manna) the bread of heaven.

 

1260 Days (3 ½ years) identifies the period during which the witnesses prophesied, and coincidently, the same amount of time the dragon is allowed to exercise his authority.

 

The following lesson will not only reveal the fourth character of Tribulation but also one of Scripture’s most important battles. Proving to be an interesting study, the great red dragon will also be progressively unmasked as to his initial beginnings.

 

 

QUESTIONS:

1.   What is the Man Child’s role during the Millennium?

2.   How many ways were Satan's plans impeded?

3.   What does the phrase rule with a rod of iron mean?

4.   What does the phrase caught up unto God mean?

5.   How does God preserve a remnant of His chosen people?

6.   How has God demonstrated preservation in the past?

7.   How long and how does God sustain his people?

 

 

If this study was a blessing to you, make it a blessing to others.

SAVE AND FORWARD THIS LINK

http://breadoflifeministriesassoc.blogspot.com/