In the book of Revelation, we're shown an amazing picture. In Revelation, chapter 12, we see the history of Israel, the fall of Satan and a third of the angels, the birth and ascension of Jesus Christ, a great war in Heaven, Satan being cast out of Heaven, persecution, a time frame, and overcoming. All of this in just 17 verses! Please, allow me to break this down for you...
Revelation 12 (KJV)
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.
In the first two verses we see the history of Israel (woman clothed with the sun, moon under her feet and a crown of 12 stars). This takes us to the fall of Satan in the next few verses...
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.
Now we see Satan (great red Dragon), from his original fall/rebellion (with 1/3 of stars or Angels), to his wanting to devour the man child (Jesus). Next we see the birth and ascension of Jesus (man child who is to rule all nations with a rod of iron, and his catching up to heaven).
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.
Then, like a movie, we fast forward to future events. We see that the woman flees to a place prepared by God for 1260 days or 3 1/2 years while there is War in Heaven!
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.
The remaining verses show that the dragon (Satan), and his angels, do not prevail against the Archangel Michael, and his angels. Satan is then cast down to earth and has great wrath and persecutes the woman and the remnant of her seed (possibly the 144,000 Jews?).
Seeing that Satan, after being cast down, goes after the woman and her offspring, she was nourished for 3 1/2 yrs in the wilderness (place prepared by God). This is first talked about in verse 6, then expanded on in verse 14.
It is reasonable to assume that this war occurs at the start of the 1st half of the tribulation, as Satan gives his authority to the Beast in the next chapter. The Beast is only here for 3 1/2 yrs. Now the question: Are there any other scriptures in the Bible that support this assumption?
In Daniel chapter 12, which we believe to be a future tense description, it says:
1 And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book.
2 And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.
3 And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.
4 But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.
The first verse starts out talking about a tribulation type period; "there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was..." There is a possible veiled reference of a rapture in verse 1, as well as a resurrection mentioned in verse 2. We also have the abomination that makes desolation for 1260 days or 3 1/2 yrs found in verse 11.
11 And from the time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away, and the abomination that maketh desolate set up, there shall be a thousand two hundred and ninety days.
Daniel is told to seal up the book, to the time of the end. But, even before this; Michael stands up, the great prince which stands for thy people. If this chapter is in any kind of sequence, then using this as an outline, we can offer the following conjecture:
Michael making his stand in Daniel is the same event as in Revelation 12 - Michael battling Satan. As Michael is called to heaven, he leaves his post on earth, leaving "the children of thy people" unprotected. So as the seals are opened, all hell breaks out on earth. The manifestation of war, famine, and pestilence (opening of the 1st 4 seals) on earth. I believe that the 4 horsemen are actual leaders that are positioning themselves in the Syrian theater. We may at this time, when Michael stands and there is war in Heaven, see the psalm 83 war, Magog invasion (Ezekiel 38-39), and Damascus destruction (Isaiah 17).
In our next featurette, we look at chapter 5 in the book of Revelation. We see the lamb that was slain (Jesus Christ), as he takes the scroll (possible deed to the earth), and begins to open the seals. We see the 24 elders, and beasts around the throne, singing a new song (vs.9-10). "Has made us unto our God kings and priests; and WE Shall reign on the earth". This represents a transfer of ownership from Satan, and possibly a declaration of war. So this might be Satan's motivation for the war - to prevent the opening of the seals.
Your thoughts and opinions are welcome.
