Revelation 11: 19 & 12 :1 & 2

Rev 11:19Then God's temple in heaven was opened, and the ark of his covenant was seen within his temple. There were flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder, an earthquake, and heavy hail.
Rev 12:1And a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars. 2She was pregnant and was crying out in birth pains and the agony of giving birth.




Before we proceed, it is vital we get the identity of the the woman and the child right.  But, we need to see something first.
So, lets turn back to chapter 11:19.  Notice there is an opening in heaven and we see things in there.  We have come across openings before in Revelation. 
1.   Look at Chapter 4:1 Where "A door was open in heaven," we see the saints and the throne of God, then the judgments follow.  
2.  Now look in chapter ll we have a second opening and we see The Ark, and some real weather!  The Ark here reminds us of the Covenant with God's people. 
3.  Go to 15:5 and there and find a opening for viewing the "temple of the tabernacle of the testimony in heaven".     The testimony will remind us of God's protection of us the earthly children.  We are seeing the beginning of the seven final plagues.
4.  And finally 19:11 which we see "the white horse and He that set thereon was called Faithful and True,...".  this is our Kingdom being ushered in by our Savior. Praise God!


And now who is the woman?
1.  It is felt that the woman is Israel.
     a.  Israel is spoken of as "a woman married to God" under the old covenant.  See isa. 54:1-6 & Jer 3:1-14.  
     b.  It cannot be the Church because the Church is never symbolized as a woman. See Eph 2:15, where the church is spoken of as a man.  
     c.  The false church is referred to as a whore (Rev 17) so since the woman is sun clothed, it could not be this.
     d.  The Bible talks of three classes of people, the Jews, the Gentiles and the church.  It cannot be the church because in Rev 4:1 the church was gone at this point.  It cannot be the Gentiles because they are the ones persecuting the woman.  So, that leaves the Jews symbolized by the nation of Israel
     e.  Look as the description in Rev 12:1, it contains the moon, she sun and the 12 stars.  See Gen 37:9-11 this symbolizes Israel.
     f.  There will be a group of people travailing in  the last days (mentioned many times through out the Bible) and that would be the Jews.
     g. Isaiah prophecies that Israel will be persecuted, and flee to the wilderness for protection. (Isa 16:1-5, 26:20-21 and63:1-5


Allow me to clarify 1. b.  in Rev 21:2, 9-10 we see who the Bride of Christ is.  This is not a spoiler alert, I just don't want to lose anyone!
Rev 21: "2And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband." 
9Then came one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues and spoke to me, saying, "Come, I will show you the Bride, the wife of the Lamb."10And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great, high mountain, and showed me the holy city Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God,"


This means the Bride of Christ is what John was shown, it is the new holy city Jerusalem
Dake's states it this way:

"It is unscriptural to speak of any one company of redeemed as being the exclusive bride of Christ.  If the city, the New Jerusalem, is the bride, then all who go to live in the Holy City make up the bride and not just a part of them." p541

So this means the bride is:

O.T. saints who were promised (Heb 11:10-16)

The early church (Jn 14:1-3)

Every Christian (Rev 3:12)

The 144,000 Jews (Rev 7:1-8)

and the Tribulation aunts (Rev 6:9-11)

So, it is not just the church we are saying is the Bride, it is much more!  As we will continue to explore as we read on.

If the woman is Israel, who is the man-child?


1.  Well, it is not the Church, it was taken up as mentioned above....already with Christ.
2.  Not Israel, we have identified it as the woman.
3.  Many say he is Christ.  But, recall, from Rev 4:1 and on is after the Churches of Rev 2:1-3:22 so how can John see the ascension of Christ years before the second coming of Christ?
4.  So, who's life would the Dragon want to take? The 144,000?  
     a.  They are alive and pose a threat to the Dragon and he would want them out of the way.  
     b.  They are after the Churches and are to be Caught up unto God, as we will see.  There are more proofs of the Man-child being the 144,000 we will explore as the proofs arise. 


I am getting ahead of myself here and it is probably because I have missed writing the blogs!  My apologies!  Life has a way of "getting in front of us"  but, I am committed to finish this Book with you all!  If you will hang with me!




Blessings on all!




Calabash










Ref:
Lectures on the Revelation, Ironside
Dake's Annotated Reference Bible
The Revelation of John vol 1 and 2, Barclay
Lectures on the Book of the Revelation, W Kelly
Prophecy Study Bible, LaHaye

Revelation 11: 14-19

14 The second woe has passed; the third woe is coming soon. 15 The seventh angel sounded his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, which said: "The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he will reign for ever and ever." 16 And the twenty-four elders, who were seated on their thrones before God, fell on their faces and worshiped God, 17 saying: "We give thanks to you, Lord God Almighty, the One who is and who was, because you have taken your great power and have begun to reign. 18 The nations were angry; and your wrath has come. The time has come for judging the dead, and for rewarding your servants the prophets and your saints and those who reverence your name, both small and great-- and for destroying those who destroy the earth." 19 Then God's temple in heaven was opened, and within his temple was seen the ark of his covenant. And there came flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder, an earthquake and a great hailstorm.


This is a unique passage in that it seems like we are celebrating the end of the woes and God's victory.  But, we are only half way through?  Remember, this is a prophetic chapter.  We are being told what is to happen.  Verse 18 is covering the entire millennium...takes us straight to judgment!, to the end of time. 

This will be a period of judgment for:
#1. Judgment on nations
#2.  Judgment on His servants (rewards coming here for faithfulness)
#3.  Judgment on the wicked dead

This chapter is prophetic up to and including Revelation 20:15.

Summary of the events mentioned here:
1.  Victory!  Psalm 2:2, "The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers gather together against the LORD and against his Anointed One.^"   
 But, they lose, as evidence by the 24 elders (representing the Church) break out in thanksgiving.

2.  Verse 17- God RULES!  Really, He will have all authority and it will last the 1000 years.  Peace and prosperity will be the order of the day.  What a glorious time to come!

3.  Verse18-  One more attack will be attempted at the end of the Millennium which will lead to a final defeat of the evil on and a last judgment.


Verse 19 snaps us back to the present.  It is a vision of the Temple, opened and we see the Ark of the Covenant.
     Recall that no Earthly person can lay eyes upon it and live.  Well, we are no longer "Earthly people" so, we see it.  As God's chosen, and being there with Him, we now have that privilege  to be in the glory of God as it is fully displayed.
     This may also signify that we have a new covenant with God as the old one was concerning the Ark of the Covenant and the people of Israel.  Holy, Holy Holy is the Lord God Almighty who is, and was and shall be...He keeps his promises to his people who believe in Him!



Blessings on All!


Calabash