Revelation 12 (Part 2)

All armies will begin to march to the valley of Jezreel, on the plain of Esdraleon, near the ancient city of Megiddo.

They will come to do battle in part at least, over the *dwindling petroleum resources in the Middle East. We know that speculation today points to a massive world class oil reserve in this area. Israel has invited Russia to help exploit this oil. It will give Russia a vested interest in this territory. *See Revelation 12 – Part 1

JIV side note: It may be of value here. In WWII Germany invaded and conquered Norway, Romania and other Eastern European nations for their oil reserves. As oil supplies dwindle in the Middle East, a world class oil supply in and around Megiddo would be highly sought after; a good excuse albeit a hidden agenda of the invaders, to invade Israel. To the conqueror go the spoils of war. Megiddo, the town, is in the Valley of Jehoshaphat; i.e. Esdraleon.

God will be drawing these forces and nations there to put an end to mankind madness. What a perfect reason for enemies of Israel to descend on this area armed to the teeth. The Lord says: I will also gather all nations, and will bring them down into the valley of Jehoshaphat, and will plead with them there for my people and for my heritage Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations, and parted my land (Joel 3:2). The Lord will destroy the armies of rebels that day at the final battle of the war called Armageddon. This incident parallels the sound of the seventh Trumpet in prophecy; the 3^rd woe [Revelation 11:14 and chapter 12]

https://www.raptureready.com/rr-oil.html Is it 1,260 or 1,335 days? This will be explained in a later article.

While discussing Revelation, chapter 4 forward, keep foremost in mind that Israel is the center of the discussion. The woman represents Israel; the child is Jesus Christ; the dragon is Satan. He hates God. Look back to Jeremiah 33. This chapter, and several other chapters to his writing credit, is exclusive to Israel. It talks about the End of Time. When writing Jeremiah himself is imprisoned in his own country of Judah. King Zedekiah did not like what Jeremiah was saying about Israel and God’s judgment, so he threw him into prison. NOTE: Like throwing him into prison will somehow thwart Gods’ judgments?????

What is the Revelation point found in Jeremiah? There are many scripture that discuss end time so either the bible is infallible or full of major errors. Let’s not bet our lives and life after death on it being errant. Israel is the focal point. Israel is God’s hand-picked people (Isaiah 43:21) who supposedly were to be a light, mentors for spiritual and moral guidance of the world… (First paragraph: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Light_Unto_the_Nations; Isaiah 49:6, Isaiah 60:3). They failed but God will give them a second chance. No wonder in Revelation 12 the Dragon wishes to destroy the woman and her male child; Israel and her offspring; Jesus through the Tribe of Judah, and Christianity.

Jumping ahead several chapters we find in Revelation 19:15 “From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron.” Chapter 12 is the backdrop to this great battle when Christ sets foot on the Mt of Olives east of Jerusalem at the same time as these opposing forces converge on Megiddo 55 miles to the north.

Revelation 12:3-17 is a terse and accurate history of Satan’s efforts to bring to ruin God’s eternal plan for man. Ultimately, Satan will decide if he can’t stop God from redeeming his own creation, he will try to destroy it (WMD). One of Satan’s efforts to destroy Jesus upon his birth via King Herod’s decree to kill all male children under the age of two; Matthew 2:16) was not to simply kill the young Jesus, but to prevent him from growing up, demonstrating his powers as the begotten (birthed) son of God, and going to the cross to give mankind a path to eternity with Him paying our penalty for sin.

When war broke out in heaven, Revelation 12:7-9, it did not end with Satan’s defeat. According to chapter 12, along with his fellow fallen angels, Satan is barred from heaven (V10). This is at the mid-point in the 7 year Tribulation. 2 Thessalonians 2:7 says: “For the mystery of iniquity (lawlessness) is already at work: only “He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way.” This does not mean the Holy Spirit is removed. He is taken out of the way or ceases restraining Satan’s deeds, deception and recognition of the false church after being cast to earth [Revelation 12:9].

If it is the church and the prayers of believing and practicing Christians within the church that act as the biblical restrainer it is theologically logical that a pre-tribulation or mid tribulation rapture is why the restrainer is removed. The Rapture of the church would be over. Satan is then unrestrained.

However, if the restrainer is the Holy Spirit, He is just as much God as is Jesus and God the Father. He is omnipotent and omnipresent; all knowing and always present. He will remain available to anyone who accepts, then follows Christ’s example on earth; i.e. being born again in the Spirit of God.

According to Hebrew 2:5-8, Satan realizes that humans have the potential of being higher than is/was he as an angel.

Heb 2:5 For it was not to angels that God subjected the world to come, of which we are speaking.

Heb 2:6 It has been testified somewhere, “What is man, that you are mindful of him, or the son of man, that you care for him?

Heb 2:7 You made him for a little while lower than the angels; you have crowned him with glory and honor,

Heb 2:8 …putting everything in subjection under his feet.” Now in putting everything in subjection to him, he left nothing outside his control. At present, we do not yet see everything in subjection to him. (ESV)

Rightly dividing the Word of God, this passage is speaking of Jesus. In verse 6, man is included so we are a part of this God-given authority. Satan hopes to destroy mankind by making wars and rumors of war with mankind killing off each other; not just the Christian of Israeli populations. I have not read all of his writings on this subject, but *http://www.sayadi-al-nas.ae/eng_monthly_flyer/engl_may06.htm is a good brief. I cannot speak to the rest of his theological positions and withhold opinion. However, this website page/blog itself is good study and reading.

*Saladi Al-Nas is an Arab who sees the truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We do not believe, as stated in our ”What We Believe” section of this website, that speaking in tongues is the only sign of baptism in the Holy Spirit. Neither does Saladi. He offers it as ONE possibility. This baptism includes any of the gifts of the Holy Spirit.

Verse 13 tells us that when Satan realizes he is cast from the approaching the Throne of God and bound to earth, he turns his wrath on “the woman which brought the child into the world.” i.e. Israel.

The specifics of it being a similitude of Israel’s exodus from captivity in Egypt are most peculiar. They (she) are provided for per physical needs. Her every need, not wants, is God provided. Just as with the Red Sea swallowing up the Egyptian forces chasing the Israelite’s as they crossed over, and the seas swallowed up the enemy of God, V15 and V16 of Revelation 12 show a strong parallel. The “flood out Satan’s mouth” is a huge army.This fits so well with the gathering of forces in Har Megiddo (Armageddon). Just as the Red Sea swallowed up the Egyptian forces pursuing the Israelis and Moses, in Revelation 12:16 we read that the “earth opens up and swallows” the pursuing army (flood) sent by the dragon or anti-Christ.

Satan seeing and knowing (YADDA) that to continue chasing her is a direct confrontation with the protection of God, something he knows is a lost cause. He changes tactics, attacks “making war with the remnant of her seed [poieō polēmos meta hē loipoi hautou sperma].” Some thoughtful and insightful bible scholars suggest that the woman that flees to the protection of God in Petra is the *144,000 [Revelation 7 and 14] reserved by God for himself. This means the remnant are those left on earth and in Jerusalem.

Then the dragon was enraged at the woman and went off to wage war against the rest of her offspring–those who keep God’s commands and hold fast their testimony about Jesus
[Revelation 12:17].

*This does NOT in any way suggest that there will be only *144,000 who enter heaven or the safe haven of Petra. The bible is specific… these *12,000 are from each Tribe of Israel minus Dan. There is nothing symbolic about this specific identity. Revelation 7 tell us that these are “sealed.” Don Koenig states: These brethren may have been killed or God may have supernaturally removed them from the earth. Scripture gives no answer as to the fate of their mortal bodies. https://search.yahoo.com/yhs/search?hspart=adk&hsimp=yhs-adk_sbnt&p=Don+Koenig+on+the+144%2c000&type=appfocus31_ra_ff&param1=20160307&param2=545e5dc5-629b-4287-ae2e-fc50d5dd5c8e&param3=radio_0.2.0~US~appfocus31&param4=14215-bb8~firefox

This 144,000 can very possibly be those who against all odds have accepted Jesus Christ as personal Savior and are surviving the Great Tribulation… up to this point. Now we might consider the voices from under the throne calling for their deaths to be avenged. God says… when the right number has died for my cause, I will bring judgment on those who have slain my people. [Revelation 6:9 – 11; the opening of the 5^th seal]. Let’s allow for a possible connection.

The 144,000 are all sealed on their forehead and are servants of God.
They are sealed before any harm is done on earth.
They are from the tribes of Israel; exception is the Tribe of Dan

At this time, no one will be guessing IF this is the Time of Jacob’s Trouble; i.e. the great tribulation [Jeremiah 30:7]. Revelation 13:7,8 point out that this anti-Christ or evil one will dominate all politics in the world, rule over all tongues and nations, and those remaining on earth not sealed to God will worship him. These people are those whose names are not WRITTEN in the book of life.

Verse 12:9… “If any man has an ear, let him hear.”