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| > Sermon Archive > Sermons by Author > Rev. Steven Swets > The Furious Red Dragon | Previous Next Print |
| Order Of Worship (Liturgy) *Song of Adoration: Hymnal #138B:1-2 “With Grateful Heart My Thanks I Bring” *Song of Preparation: Hymnal #541 “The Son of God Goes Forth to War” Scripture Passage: Genesis 3:1-15; Revelation 12 Text: Revelation 12 Message: The Furious Red Dragon *Song of Preparation: Hymnal #197 “Come, Take by Faith the Body of the Lord” *Song of Response: Hymnal #338 “When I Survey the Wondrous Cross” *Doxology: Hymnal #9B:1 “Wholehearted Thanksgiving” |
Beloved Congregation of the Lord Jesus Christ,
In the Hobbit movies, adapted from Tolkien’s book the Hobbit, the audience follows the path of some Hobbits who are on a quest. A great, furious, and dangerous Dragon is in play, but he is no danger as long as he remains sleeping in the Lonely Mountain. The Dragon, named Smaug, is content to sleep among his golden treasures in solitude. But when he is woken up and fails to kill Bilbo Baggins and the dwarves, he heads to Lake Town in fury to torment the inhabitants with fire, teeth, and death.
In Revelation 12 we are introduced to a furious, great red, deathly, Dragon. Unfortunately, he is far more dangerous and frightening than Smaug was in the Hobbit movie, the Desolation of Smaug. He makes war on God, Jesus, the woman, and all of her descendants, those who verse 17 says, “those who keep the commandments of God and hold to the testimony of Jesus.” The Dragon is angry. Our theme is The church fights a furious, defeated Dragon.
- The Woman and the Dragon (v. 1-6)
- The Angels and the Dragon (v. 7-12)
- The Church and the Dragon (v. 13-17)
I. The Woman and the Dragon (v. 1-6)
Our chapter begins by reminding us that what we are going to see is a sign. This is the 4th part of Revelation dealing with the period of time between the first and second coming of Christ. This section goes form chapter 12-14. In chapter 12, we are introduced to three main characters: the woman, the Dragon, and the male-child. Who are these characters?
The woman is the church. Roman Catholics argue this is the Virgin Mary and though she is part of the church, we should see this not as a single person. In this chapter we associate this woman first with the Old Testament (vs. 5 is a quotation from Ps. 2). Then as time continues on, after the ascension of Christ, she moves to the New Testament. However, it is still one people of God. She is beautiful. She is clothed with the sun and the moon under her freed and a crown of twelve stars on her head, representing both the patriarchs and apostles. The language of sun, moon, and stars is a likely reference back to Joseph’s dream in Gen. 37, where the sun, moon, and stars bow to him, referring to his parents and brothers.
The second character is the Dragon. We know from the rest of the text this is Satan, the Devil, the deceiver of the world, the accuser of the faithful. He has been at war with the woman since Gen. 3 when the deceiver tricked Adam and Eve into breaking God’s commandment. This Dragon will enlist others in his plan to deceive the world and destroy the seed of the woman. In chapter 13, he enlists two beasts, one is numbered with 666. Later, another woman will come on the scene. She will be the opposite type of woman. Her beauty is a lie. She is a seductress, a harlot, the great prostitute that will lead many astray.
The third character is the male child. This is none other than the Lord Jesus Christ. When the time was right, he came into the world to accomplish the work God had given him to do. He will defeat the Dragon and enrage him all the more.
As we turn back to the text, we see a vulnerable birth taking place. The woman is in danger and is vulnerable. She is crying out in birth pain and as that is happening, read verse 3. The dragon stood before the woman ready to give birth so that he could devour her child. Think here of the incarnation and the birth of Jesus.
The Dragon is said to have swept down a third of the stars in heaven and cast them to earth. There are a few different theories as to the meaning of that event, but it is likely a reference to the original fall into sin of Satan and his host of angels.
As the dragon awaits, the woman gives birth to a male child who would rule all the nations with a rod of iron. This is a reference to Psalm 2 and the rule of the coming Messiah. Verse 5 says that her child was caught up to God and to his throne. In one verse, we have the birth, life, death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus Christ. The Dragon never had a real chance to devour the male child for the protection of God was upon him. But that didn’t mean he didn’t try. He certainly tried through Herod at the birth of Christ, when Herod put to death all of the boys 2 years old and younger. He sought to tempt the Savior in the wilderness, knowing full well, that if he is successful Jesus would not longer be qualified to die as a substitute.
The entirety of Revelation 12 is showing how Genesis 3:15 would play out. The heel of the of the woman’s seed would be struck, but the head of the serpent would be bruised. This really is the central chapter in Revelation thematically. In a general way it explains everything. The church is protected against the Dragon in verse 6.
The woman fled into the wilderness for 3 and a half years, for 42 months or 1,260 days, all a picture of half of seven, language used earlier in Revelation. It is a time of trial and tribulation which will end when Christ finally returns.
In these first 6 verses of Revelation 12, we see the first of three defeats the Dragon will receive. This makes him furious.
II. The Angels and the Dragon (v. 7-12
The whole entire battle taking place in Revelation 12 is spiritual by nature, but now we see it is heavenly. The archangel and his angels fight against the Dragon and his demons, fallen angels. Remember, even Satan and the demons were created by God, but they fell into rebellion. Verse 8 says that the Dragon suffered a second defeat. Now, they were cast out of heaven.
Before the ascension of Christ, it seems Satan had access to the heavenly realm. We see this most clearly with the situation with Job, where Satan comes before God and has a conversation with him. But now, Satan and his host are forever kicked out of heaven and they are thrown down to the earth. That is violent language (to be thrown down). We are not sure if it was exactly a third of the angels who were cast down as verse 4 mentions a third of the stars. But whatever the number, the majority remained faithful, elect angels. Though now going forward, there will also continue to be a spiritual battle which takes place outside of or beyond our sight. However, since Satan was barred on heavenly, there is a more earthly nature to this battle.
In verse 10, we have the announcement of the victory over the Dragon. In verse 9 he has been called the ancient serpent, the devil, Satan, the deceiver of the world, and now he is called conquered. The glorious work of Christ changed everything. Verse 11 makes clear that victory comes through the blood of the Lamb. The Dragon accused day and night before God against his people. But they are victorious in the blood of the Lamb. That is the only place of true security.
As a boy, I made a big mistake. My friend and I were lighting off some firecrackers behind his garage when his mom called us in for lunch. Behind his garage was a long field of tall dry grass. When we came outside after lunch, the whole field had burned and the fire department was on the way. Thankfully, no one was hurt and no property was damaged. In that situation, if you are in a field that is one fire, they say the only way to be protected, is to start another fire and as the wind blows the fire, it will burn a spot that will be safe to stand. Then when the large fire comes upon you, even if it circles you, as long as you stay on the already burned ground, you will be safe. This is like our standing the blood of the Lamb. You will find your eternal rescue and security when you stand upon the finished work of Jesus Christ. If you fail to do that, you will get burned.
There are two great results of the fact that the Dragon was thrown down from heaven. The first is that no one can bring a charge against God’s elect. (Rom. 8:33-34) The Dragon continues to accuse, but the believer stands upon Christ. Our own conscience might remind us of our sin, but the gospel reminds us of God’s grace. The second result is that the Dragon will continue to pursue the church. He is the accuser who prowls around like a roaring lion (I Peter 5:8). You see, here is where Christian maturity is so important. Our catechism says that our conscience accuses us of having grieving sinned against all God’s commandment. He have the Holy Spirit living in our hearts. But the Spirit brings us to Christ and reminds us of Christ. The blood of the Lamb is the solution to our sin. But when is the evil one who accuses us, he seeks to leave us hopeless, despairing, and beat down. His message is “try harder”, knowing full well that we will stumble and fall. The Spirit reminds us of grace.
Verse 12 is a warning, that the Dragon knows his time is short and he comes with a great wrath. Be on guard!
III. The Church and the Dragon (v. 13-17)
Once the dragon saw that he was defeated in heaven, he pursued the woman on earth. Remember the woman is representing the church, even today. But, she is not devoured by the dragon, for God has given her wings of an eagle that he might to a place of safety in the wilderness. This is the same language God describes his deliverance of his people from Egypt. Ex. 19:4, “You yourselves have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagle’s wings and brought you to myself.”
In response, the dragon vomits water, like a river to kill the woman and sweep her away with a flood. God intervenes and the water is diverted as it is swallowed in the earth. This infuriated the dragon even more and therefore he went to make war on the rest of her offspring. A furious dragon is a scary predicament. How long will this last? It will continue unto the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. What does this mean for us?
First, it means our lives are made up of warfare. This has always been the case. From the time our first parents sinned, a battle has been waging. What was such a big deal about Adam’s sin? He took the side of Satan against God. Adam and Eve schemed with the enemy. The accuser deceived them, but they still knew what they were doing.
Now the dragon stands opposed to the woman’s seed. This is the whole story of the Bible. Cain vs. Abel; Ishmael vs. Isaac; Esau vs. Jacob; Pharaoh vs. Israel; Haman vs. Esther; Herod’s slaughter of the children. It will not stop.
Second, notice the ultimate battlefield. In a sense, it is the whole entirety of our human existence. But it is most clearly seen at the cross. God prepared that battlefield. It was the place of Satan’s apparent victory, which ultimately becomes his defeat. It is the playing out of Gen. 3:15 and he cannot stop it. This is why Satan despises the preaching of the gospel. Every time the gospel of Jesus Christ is preached, Satan is hearing his death sentence once again. Every time the grace of God is magnified, Satan knows he has nothing greater to offer. His treasures are fading and worldly, they cannot satisfy. But that which God can offer, neither moth nor rust can destroy, no fire can burn it, it is preserved in heaven for us.
As we break bread and drink wine this morning, we are proclaiming the victory of Jesus Christ. The ancient serpent could not devour the male child, he could not defeat Michael and the angels, and he cannot ultimately defeat the woman, the church. They belong to Christ. They hold to what vs. 11 and 17 calls the testimony of Jesus.
Third, don’t underestimate the power of your testimony. No matter what has happened in your life, the end, by grace and through faith, is the same. Jesus saves. The accuser is going to use all the things in his arsenal to seek to deceive, imprison, confuse, accuse, and tempt the church. In chapter 13, he is going to enlist two beasts, the antichrist, the great prostitute, etc. But the Lord is with us. The wilderness, in which the woman flees has been prepared for her by God. It might not always be the most glorious place, it is a wilderness, but it is the place for the church. We have a heavenly citizenship, and as we remain the church militant, we must be on guard to fight.
Three times in our text Satan is defeated. We are given the behind the scenes spiritual view of the antithesis. Praise the Lord that we are washed in the blood of the Lamb. Amen.
* As a matter of courtesy please advise Rev. Steven Swets, if you plan to use this sermon in a worship service. Thank-you.
(c) Copyright 2025, Rev. Steven Swets
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