KEEP ON PRESSING!

Keep on pressing forward! With all the confusion taking place in the world as it continues to grow worse and worse with all the fires, earthquakes, and wars, coupled with outright crimes against humanity and a beastly world system of lawlessness, many people are looking to man to answer their questions instead of calling on the Holy Spirit to show them what is coming on the world and reading the true promises of God.

Many are looking for answers on social media and listening to all sorts of interpretations of the book of Revelation and many are becoming more confused and so it makes sense to have hope that there will be a trumpet sounding and they will all be raptured away. Meanwhile the same ones are experiencing great tribulations and confounded as to why they are still here? The Word of God is clear that it will be a time of trouble and God’s people shall withstand it and in the end be victorious.

The book of Revelation gives the answers to all the mysteries it foretells as do all the scriptures. The beasts in Chapter 13 are explained in Chapter 17 and 18. And both cross reference with other scriptures foretold by the prophets. That being said, let us look at what is presented to John by the mouth of our Lord, Jesus the Christ our Savior and Lord of Lords and King of Kings. There are many parts and presented here are just a few to get one started on their own journey to understand it.

Let us begin with 1 John 2:18-24. John explains there is not one man antichrist, there are many antichrists and the spirit of antichrist and the last days have begun. He is clear on this as fact. This generation today was born into it and have been battling the beast system. We were blind to it because it was not taught correctly by most pastors and theologians. And those believing the false interpretations, have been pointing to the possible “antichrist” figure every time an evil one arises. In my own life time I have heard pastors preach many names from Gorbachev to Kissinger. How many have you heard named?

That being said, it appears they will play this out and give you a man and call him the AntiChrist and all that were taught this will believe it and expect to be raptured and panic when they aren’t or when their friends are incinerated like a house in L. A., and they fear they were left behind. Be not deceived.

The Lord even prayed to God His Father, that all should NOT be taken out of the world, but stand in the wicked days. John 17:14-19, “14 I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. 15 I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil. 16 They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. 17 Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth. 18 As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world. 19 And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth.

20 Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; 21That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.”

Jesus said that, not me.

Let us go to Revelation Chapter 12 – The Woman and the Dragon

1And there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars: 2And she being with child cried, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered. (This woman goes back to the garden to Adam and Eve as you will see.)

3And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads. 4And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth: and the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born. (This great red dragon with seven heads and ten horns and seven crowns upon his heads is Lucifer, Satan who drew a third of the stars of heaven. Stars are Angels.)

5And 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. 6And 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 War in Heaven

Rev. 12: 7- 12, “7And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, 8And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven. 9And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. 10And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night. 11And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death. 12Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time.”

When the Lord tore down the gates of hell, he told John in Revelation 1:18, “I am he that liveth and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death. Jesus the Christ our Lord is the Lamb of God and has cast down our accuser who accused us before God our Father day and night – and his angels were cast out with him.

Satan has no more access into heaven to accuse! He can’t go and pull the stuff he did with Job – NOT anymore! We have Jesus Christ the Lamb of God as our advocate, our King of Kings and Lord of Lords and God has sent all who believe the Holy Spirit to teach, help discern, give wisdom, protect, comfort and guide them the way to go.)

The Dragon Persecutes the Woman

Rev. 12: 13, “And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth, he persecuted the woman which brought forth the man child. (This verifies what we just said above. When the dragon Satan saw that he no longer had access into heaven, and Jesus had conquered death and held the keys of hell….he was very angry and went out to persecute those of the promises to Abraham that all nations be blessed through his seed, and he would have children as numerous as the stars in the sky and sands of the sea. All who believe on the Lord whose lineage is of the woman who brought for the man child EVE’s bloodline, whose seed was destined to crush the snakes head from God’s curse in the Garden. Genesis 3:15 “And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.

Shem was the son of Noah and through the seed of Shem was Abraham born and fathered many nations.

Rev. 12: 14- 17, “14And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent. 15And the serpent cast out of his mouth water as a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away of the flood. 16And the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed up the flood which the dragon cast out of his mouth. 17And the dragon was wroth with the woman and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.”

The first fruits who believed were all of Israel, for the time to go to the gentiles had not yet come. After the Lord ascended, they ministered to the Jews throughout Judea for 3 and a half years, (time, and times, and half a time) and gained multitudes of followers causing anger and persecutions from those of the Temple and anger from Caesar of Rome for the High Priests, Pharisees, and Sadducees of the Temple stirring up such a rebellion.

During that time the apostles and disciples were persecuted and many imprisoned and it grew worse and led up to the stoning of Stephen the first martyr for the Lord where in his death he let it be known that they were now cut off – the abomination that maketh desolate was the rejection and crucifixion of their Messiah. After the stoning of Stephen, the apostles and disciples all fled due to the persecutions and Jerusalem being surrounded by armies as the Lord had told them to do. It was now time to preach unto the gentiles.

Luke 21:20-24, “20 And when ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh. 21 Then let them which are in Judaea flee to the mountains; and let them which are in the midst of it depart out; and let not them that are in the countries enter there into. 22 For these be the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled. 23 But woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck, in those days! for there shall be great distress in the land, and wrath upon this people. 24 And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled.” As it was spoken of in Daniel 9:24-27.

Matthew Henry in his Commentary speaks of the Woman in Revelation Chapter 12 as this:

Note: I was astounded at the way the Holy Spirit had shown me these things, and when I went to see what Matthew Henry had said of the things that were shown to him … it was so close within comparisons that it bore witness that the Holy Spirit teaches us all things when we seek we shall find. It is all written here a little, there a little. Amen.

“Here we see that early prophecy eminently fulfilled in which God said he would put enmity between the seed of the woman and the seed of the serpent, Gen 3 15. You will observe…

“I. The attempts of Satan and his agents to prevent the increase of the church, by devouring her offspring as soon as it was born; of this we have a very lively description in the most proper images.

“1. We see how the church is represented in this vision. (1.) As a woman, the weaker part of the world, but the spouse of Christ, and the mother of the saints. (2.) As clothed with the sun, the imputed righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ. Having put on Christ, who is the Sun of righteousness, she, by her relation to Christ, is invested with honorable rights and privileges, and shines in his rays. (3.) As having the moon under her feet (that is, the world); she stands upon it, but lives above it; her heart and hope are not set upon sublunary things, but on the things that are in heaven, where her head is. (4.) As having on her head a crown of twelve stars, that is, the doctrine of the gospel preached by the twelve apostles, which is a crown of glory to all true believers. (5.) As in travail, crying out, and pained to be delivered. She was pregnant, and now in pain to bring forth a holy progeny to Christ, desirous that what was begun in the conviction of sinners might end in their conversion, that when the children were brought to the birth there might be strength to bring forth, and that she might see of the travail of her soul.

“2. How the grand enemy of the church is represented. (1.) As a great red dragon—a dragon for strength and terror—a red dragon for fierceness and cruelty. (2.) As having seven heads, that is, placed on seven hills, as Rome was; and therefore it is probable that pagan Rome is here meant. (3.) As having ten horns, divided into ten provinces, as the Roman empire was by Augustus Cæsar. (4.) As having seven crowns upon his head, which is afterwards expounded to be seven kings, ch. 17 10. (5.) As drawing with his tail a third part of the stars in heaven, and casting them down to the earth, turning the ministers and professors of the Christian religion out of their places and privileges and making them as weak and useless as he could. (6.) As standing before the woman, to devour her child as soon as it should be born, very vigilant to crush the Christian religion in its birth and entirely to prevent the growth and continuance of it in the world.

“II. The unsuccessfulness of these attempts against the church; for, 1. She was safely delivered of a man-child (v. 5), by which some understand Christ, others Constantine, but others, with greater propriety, a race of true believers, strong and united, resembling Christ, and designed, under him, to rule the nations with a rod of iron; that is, to judge the world by their doctrine and lives now, and as assessors with Christ at the great day. 2. Care was taken of this child: it was caught up to God, and to his throne; that is, taken into his special, powerful, and immediate protection. The Christian religion has been from its infancy the special care of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ. 3. Care was taken of the mother as well as of the child, v. 6. She fled into the wilderness, a place prepared both for her safety and her sustenance. The church was in an obscure state, dispersed; and this proved her security, through the care of divine Providence. This her obscure and private state was for a limited time, not to continue always.

“III. The attempts of the dragon not only proved unsuccessful against the church, but fatal to his own interests; for, upon his endeavour to devour the man-child, he engaged all the powers of heaven against him (v. 7): There was war in heaven. Heaven will espouse the quarrel of the church. Here observe,

“1. The seat of this war—in heaven, in the church, which is the kingdom of heaven on earth, under the care of heaven and in the same interest.

“2. The parties—Michael and his angels on one side, and the dragon and his angels on the other: Christ, the great Angel of the covenant, and his faithful followers; and Satan and all his instruments. This latter party would be much superior in number and outward strength to the other; but the strength of the church lies in having the Lord Jesus for the captain of their salvation.

“3. The success of the battle: The dragon and his angels fought and prevailed not; there was a great struggle on both sides, but the victory fell to Christ and his church, and the dragon and his angels were not only conquered, but cast out.

The Woman and the Dragon. Revelation 12-17:

“12 Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time.   13 And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth, he persecuted the woman which brought forth the man child.   14 And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent.   15 And the serpent cast out of his mouth water as a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away of the flood.   16 And the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed up the flood which the dragon cast out of his mouth.   17 And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.

“We have here an account of this war, so happily finished in heaven, or in the church, as it was again renewed and carried on in the wilderness, the place to which the church had fled, and where she had been for some time secured by the special care of her God and Saviour. Observe,

“I. The warning given of the distress and calamity that should fall upon the inhabitants of the world in general, through the wrath and rage of the devil. For, though his malice is chiefly bent against the servants of God, yet he is an enemy and hater of mankind as such; and, being defeated in his designs against the church, he is resolved to give all the disturbance he can to the world in general: Woe to the inhabitants of the earth, and the sea, v. 12. The rage of Satan grows so much the greater as he is limited both in place and time; when he was confined to the wilderness, and had but a short time to reign there, he comes with the greater wrath.

“II. His second attempt upon the church now in the wilderness: He persecuted the woman who brought forth the man-child, v. 13. Observe, 1. The care that God had taken of his church. He had conveyed her as on eagles’ wings, into a place of safety provided for her, where she was to continue for a certain space of time, couched in prophetic characters, taken from Dan 7 25. 2. The continual malice of the dragon against the church. Her obscurity could not altogether protect her; the old subtle serpent, which at first lurked in paradise, now follows the church into the wilderness, and casts out a flood of water after her, to carry her away. 

“This is thought to be meant of a flood of error and heresy, which was breathed by Arius, Nestorius, Pelagius, and many more, by which the church of God was in danger of being overwhelmed and carried away. The church of God is in more danger from heretics than from persecutors; and heresies are as certainly from the devil as open force and violence. 3. The seasonable help provided for the church in this dangerous juncture: The earth helped the woman, and opened her mouth, and swallowed up the flood, v. 16.

“Some think we are to understand the swarms of Goths and Vandals that invaded the Roman empire, and found work for the Arian rulers, who otherwise would have been as furious persecutors as the pagan had been, and had exercised great cruelties already; but God opened a breach of war, and the flood was in a manner swallowed up thereby, and the church enjoyed some respite. God often sends the sword to avenge the quarrel of his covenant; and, when men choose new gods, then there is danger of war in the gates; intestine broils and contentions often end in the invasions of a common enemy.

“4. The devil, being thus defeated in his designs upon the universal church, now turns his rage against particular persons and places; his malice against the woman pushes him on to make war with the remnant of her seed. Some think hereby are meant the Albigenses, who were first by Dioclesian driven up into barren and mountainous places, and afterwards cruelly murdered by popish rage and power, for several generations; and for no other reason than because they kept the commandments of God and held the testimony of Jesus Christ. Their fidelity to God and Christ, in doctrine, worship, and practice, was that which exposed them to the rage of Satan and his instruments; and such fidelity will expose men still, less or more, to the end of the world, when the last enemy shall be destroyed. Source; Revelation 12 Commentary – Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible (Complete) (biblestudytools.com)

This is and always has been a long and controversial topic, and it the nature of the beast system is to keep truth hidden. They hate any interference to their mind control memorizing system of herding the masses into a one world religion. Throughout history the dragon has sought to do this in many diverse ways and cruel means. Take these pieces and discern them with the Holy Spirit. Read them in context and seek truth. For so many have taught and shared the scriptures like parrots interpreting what they have been told to memorize.

Ponder this much before we look at Chapter 13 – the beast.

KEEP ON PRESSING INTO THE KINGDOM OF GOD! PRESS, PRESS, PRESS!

DIANNE