Sermon Tone Analysis

April 12, 2012

By: John Barnett

Read, print, or listen to this resource on our website www.DiscoverTheBook.org

Above the softness of our blue green planet there are hostile forces poised.

They range across space lurking and flying about at their master’s bidding.

They are former angels.

They are Satan the Dragon’s army.

They are deadly, vile, malignant and very intelligent.

In fact, the word demon in Greek means “intelligence”.

These aliens to our planet are highly skilled, incredibly powerful, usually invisible - warriors.

They can hear us talk, they can pass through walls, they can fly through space, they inhabit human and animal bodies, they alter human behavior, they afflict humans with disease, anguish and turmoil.

These extra-terrestrial beings can take on various forms looking human, looking powerful, looking fearsome.

They are watching over the realm of the serpent and his seed.

You see, we saints of God are at war this morning.

There is a conflict going on the likes of which most of us haven’t fully comprehended.

Swirling around us the unseen beings of the spirit world are locked in mortal combat.

Behind the scenes in every boardroom, political planning session, military strategy session, classroom, worship service and everywhere else, these unseen spirits watch, listen and whisper their lies.

It is the battle for the Earth that rages.

The god of this world has dispatched his demon warriors with one target, blind the minds of earth’s inhabitants until they can’t see and won’t follow - God !

Seventeen verses lay before our minds and hearts this morning.

In no other place in the Word of God is the situation more clearly laid out.

God names the key players in the Conflict of the Ages: The Battle for Earth.

And Revelation 12 is His Battle Plan!

*Let's Read Revelation 11:19-12:17*

These verses are divided into three powerful insights for our lives today:

• *VICTORY IS IN JESUS BECAUSE GOD IS FAITHFUL* (11:19-12:6)

• *VICTORY IS IN JESUS BECAUSE SATAN IS VANQUISHED *(12:7-9)

• *VICTORY IS IN JESUS BECAUSE SAINTS WILL SUFFER* (12:10-17)

For just a moment, why is earth so important?

Simply because God has staked His very Name on a person (Jesus) an event (Calvary) and a people (Jews).

Two lines run through the history of mankind: the line of Christ and the line of Antichrist, the line of the Woman’s seed and that of the serpent.

• The Christ line begins with Adam, passes via Golgotha, and leads to the heavenly Jerusalem.

• The Antichrist line begins with Cain, passes via Babel, and leads to the lake of fire.

There are only 2 families (God's and Satan’s) , 2 destinies (Heaven and Hell) and 2 choices (repent or reject).

Each of us today belongs to one family or the other.

You are choosing your own future.

There are two programs at work in the world today: God’s program of salvation, and Satan’s program of sin, “the mystery of iniquity.”

God has a timetable for His program, and nothing Satan does can change that timetable.

Just as there was a “fullness of the time” for the coming of Christ (Gal.

4:4), so there is a “fullness of the time” for the appearance of Antichrist; and nothing will be off schedule.

Once the restraining ministry of the Spirit of God has ended, the next event can take place.

*WE HAVE VICTORY IN JESUS *

*BECAUSE GOD IS FAITHFUL*

(11:19-12:6)

First we start in 11:19 because The Victory of Jesus is based on God's Faithfulness.

And here’s we see the ark (but don’t look for Indiana Jones and the distortions and errors of this swashbuckling explorer)... It’s in heaven.

What is so important about the ark and why is it opened?

*THE ARK IS A SYMBOL OF *

*GOD'S ABIDING PRESENCE AND PROMISES*

Remember its contents?

1.

The two stone tablets of the Law which declare that our God is unceasingly holy in His character.

2. Aaron’s rod that budded which reminds us that God gives life, and we can have eternal life through His Son Jesus who is the Resurrection and the Life.

3. The Pot of Manna which was kept as a picture of Jesus Christ who came as the Bread of Life

Remember what God revealed about Himself by what He called His ark?

1. God called it the ARK OF THE COVENANT (Num.

10:33) because THE ARK SPOKE OF GOD'S FAITHFULNESS

2. God called it the ARK OF THE TESTIMONY (we are lost, God sent His Son as the only way Ex.

25:22), because THE ARK SPOKE OF GOD'S HOLINESS.

3. God called it the ARK OF GOD (I Samuel 3:3) because THE ARK SPOKE OF GOD'S UNIQUENESS there is no other God nor any other way to Him but His way .

4. THE ARK SPOKE OF GOD'S MIGHTINESS because it was THE ARK OF GOD'S STRENGTH this associated it with God's power and miracles (Psalm 132:8).

5. THE ARK SPOKE OF GOD'S APPROACHABLENESS: because it was THE HOLY ARK where God's throne was set, placed in the center of the camp, with lights never to go out, it was God offering his salvation to all! (II Chr.

35:3).

Remember what happens every time we are transported into the Throne Room?

There is a powerful display of God's Majesty and Omnipotence .

*THE ARK IS OPENED IS A SYMBOL OF *

*GOD'S AMAZING PLAN*

Remember how God shares His plan with us by opening all the events to us by His servants like the Apostle John?

Remember the Seven Openings in Heaven ?

Revelation 12 contains 2 Signs and describes four great things.

There are seven signs in Revelation :

The Panorama: God highlights five cast members:

Woman: Israel

Dragon: Satan

Man: Christ

Angel: Michael

Saints: True Believers

Revelation 12:1-2

/"Now a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a garland of twelve stars.

Then being with child, she cried out in labor and in pain to give birth."/

Revelation has four women mentioned who represent special things :

There are many ways Bible teachers have identified this woman.

Some like Barnhouse says it is the spiritual conflict of all the ages from Eden onward including Israel and the church; others have said it is Eve, all women of all time, Mary, the church and others Israel (Scott, Ironside, Newell, Gaebelein).

Lets look at the clues:

• First, her clothing corresponds to Genesis 37:9-11 Then he dreamed still another dream and told it to his brothers, and said, “Look, I have dreamed another dream.

And this time, the sun, the moon, and the eleven stars bowed down to me.”10

So he told it to his father and his brothers; and his father rebuked him and said to him, “What is this dream that you have dreamed?

Shall your mother and I and your brothers indeed come to bow down to the earth before you?”11

And his brothers envied him, but his father kept the matter in mind.

• Second, her cries.

When God sent forth His Son to be born in Israel it was a time of oppression at the hand of Rome.

All of creation groans awaiting redemption.

All women groan in childbirth.

• Third, her exalted child, it can only be Jesus .

• Finally, her care by God in the tribulation hours.

Only Israel is promised such care.

Revelation 12:3

/"And another sign appeared in heaven: behold, a great, fiery red dragon having seven heads and ten horns, and seven diadems on his heads."/

• The 2nd sign is easy.

Satan has been well identified as:

1. Prince of the world John 12:31 “Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out.

(Also John 14:30; 16:11).

2. Murderer John 8:44 “You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do.