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Discover the Arts! Each day a different image from the Literary, Performing, or Visual Arts representing a portion of Scripture
plus an explanation with links

2017 January 2



The Nine Dragon Wall (Detail) - (1402)
Unknown Ming Dynasty Artist (fl. late 14th and early 15th centuries)
Ming Dynasty Style
Beihai Park, Beijing, China
Image Source: Wikimedia


     Explanation: In Revelation 12, a great wonders appear. The first was a woman in heaven who was clothed with the sun, having the moon under her feet, and having a crown of twelve stars. The context suggests that this may be the church seen form God's perspective. She was in travail, suffering birth pangs. A second wonder appeared in heaven. It was a dragon, red (literally "fiery") in color, having ten horns and seven heads, each with a crown upon it. His tail drew a third of the stars of heaven and cast then down into the earth. The dragon stood ready to devour her child as soon as it was born. She brought forth a boy who was destined to rule all nations with a rod of iron, and the child was caught up to God and his throne. The woman fled to a place in the wilderness which God had prepared for her, where she was to be fed for three and a half years. The child, of course, is Christ (1-6).
     And there was war in heaven. This is not the original expulsion from heaven spoken of by Jude. This is an additional limit placed on Satan and his angels due to the finished work of Christ, procured by the "blood of the Lamb," as mentioned in verse 11. In this struggle, Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, called the Devil (Accuser) and Satan (Adversary), and cast him and his angels out of heaven, into the earth. A voice in heaven proclaimed that salvation, strength, the kingdom of God, and the power of Christ had come because the accuser of the brethren, who accused them day and night before God, had been cast down. They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by their testimony, because they loved not their lives unto death. Therefore the heavens and all who dwell in them should rejoice. But woe was coming upon those who were in the earth and in the sea. The Devil (the accuser) came down to them having great wrath, because he knows that his time is short (7-12).
     Satan then began to persecute the woman (the church), but the woman received two wings like and eagle. She flew into the wilderness where she was nourished for three and a half years. This is a symbol of limited suffering during times of persecution. The serpent also cast a flood out of his mouth, trying to carry her away, but the earth swallowed up the flood, showing that even earthly things can defeat Satan, if they are empowered by God. The dragon was enraged and went to make war with the remnant of her seed which keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ. (13-17).
     [Sermons: Eric Alexander. Sinclair B Ferguson. D A Carson. William Still. Various. ]
     [Illustration: Today's image depicts different conceptions of dragons. These are both similar and different to the dragon mentioned in today's chapter and elsewhere in Scripture. For example, one similarity is that dragons are often associated with water. ]







RESOURCES

          [THEMATICALLY AND CHRONOLOGICALLY RELATED SCRIPTURES: Revelation 12: Micah 4:9-10; Isaiah 66:7; Daniel 7:7; Daniel 8:10; Isaiah 66:7; Psalm 2:10; Daniel 7:25; Daniel 10:13, 21; Daniel 12:1; Daniel 7:25; Daniel 12:7. ]

          [ CHRONOLOGY: GENERAL. Patriarchs (Traditional). Judges # 1. Judges # 2. Kings # 1. Kings # 2. Prophets # 1. Prophets # 2. NT # 1. NT # 2. NT # 3. ]

          [ MAPS: Maps # 1. Maps # 2. Maps # 3. Maps # 4. Maps # 5. ]

          [ COMMENTARIES, ETC: GENERAL: Bible Study Tools; Bible Hub: Study Light; Blue Letter Bible // PSALMS: Monergism: Precept Austin: The Treasury of David; John Gill; John Calvin - Volumes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5]

          [ MUSIC: GENERAL: The Cyber Hymnal // PSALMS: Genevan Psalter (Instrumental). VARIOUS ARTISTS: Micha'el Ben David. Sons of Korah. Fernando Ortega. Janet Isaac Morrison. Music of the Bible Revealed - Suzanne Haik-Vantoura. Dr. David Erb. Gregorian Chants. ]




GOSPEL HARMONIES

Gospel Harmony - Summary. | The Harmony of the Gospels - Augustine. | Gospel Harmony Chart - Online Bible. |

Greek Harmony of the Gospels - Robertson - (Downloadable PDF). | Gospel Harmony in English - Robertson - (Downloadable PDF).




*** For Additional word studies use one of the Greek Interlinear Bibles below. ***


Mounce Interlinear. Bible Hub Greek Interlinear. Scripture 4 All Greek Interlinear Bible.





Book Outline:

Revelation (Consummation of the Covenant: New Heavens and a New Earth in Which Dwells Righteousness)

1. The Approaching End: The Five Sets of Seven - Evil is Defeated (Revelation 1:1 - Revelation 16:21) - 95 A.D. Patmos
2. The End: The Fall of Babylon - Evil is Destroyed (Revelation 17:1 - Revelation 18:24) - 95 A.D. Patmos
3. The New Beginning: The Triumph of Jesus - Holiness Replaces Evil (Revelation 19:1 - Revelation 22:21) - 95 A.D. Patmos




Revelation 12


1. The Approaching End: The Five Sets of Seven - Evil is Defeated (Revelation 1:1 - Revelation 16:21) - 95 A.D. Patmos

     1 And 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: 2 And she being with child cried, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered. 3 And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads. 4 And 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. 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. 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.
     7 And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, 8 And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven. 9 And 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. 10 And 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. 11 And 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. 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.




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