The Woman, Dragon, and Two Beasts

I have a series of Bible study books by a scholar named, Irving L. Jensen, so below are a few outline notes from the one on the Revelation. Why the Revelation? My church has an adult Bible study where we just started a study in this book. This is an outline of Jensen’s work with a few of my own additions.

This section will come Revelation 12-14 – while this is the general destiny of the peoples of the world, there is special application for the people of Israel. Some sections are parenthetical to supplement those visions describing key events of Israel during the end times.

OUTLINE OF THE BIBLE:

Revelation 12:1-17 – John sees an interplay between a woman and a dragon, symbolizing the nation of Israel and the devil.

1. The Sun-clad woman (Revelation 12:1-2, Isaiah 26:17-18, 66:7, Micah 4:10, 5:3))
   1. Clothed with the sun.
   2. Moon under her feet.
   3. Crown of 12 stars on her head.
   4. Pregnant, in pain, about to give birth.
2. The Satan (Revelation 12:3-4)
   1. An enormous red dragon.
   2. Seven heads, ten horns, seven crowns.
   3. Swept one-third of the stars to the earth, with his tail.
   4. Stood in front of the woman, ready to devour the child (Matthew 2:16-18).
3. The Son (Revelation 12:5-6, Genesis 3:15)
   1. A male child to rule the nations with an iron scepter.
   2. The child was snatched up to God and to his throne.
   3. The woman fled to the wilderness, prepared for her by God.
4. The Sustenance for the woman under trial (Revelation 12:6) taken care of for 1260 days.
5. The Strife – Michael successful over Satan (Revelation 12:7-9)
   1. A war in heaven (Job 1:12).
   2. Michael fought against the dragon and his angels.
   3. They were not strong enough and lost their place in heaven.
   4. The dragon (devil, Satan) was hurled to the earth.
   5. He leads the world astray.
6. The Statement by a heavenly voice (Revelation 12:10-12)
   1. The accuser of the brethren has been hurled to the earth.
   2. They triumphed over him.
      1. By the blood of the Lamb.
      2. By the word of their testimony.
   3. Therefore rejoice.
   4. Woe to the earth and the sea…
      1. Since the devil is with you.
      2. Since he is filled with fury.
      3. Since he knows his time is short.
7. The Security for the woman in times of distress (Revelation 12:13-17)
   1. Provocation (Revelation 12:13)
      1. Since he was thrown to the earth.
      2. Satan pursued the woman.
   2. Provision (Revelation 12:14)
      1. She has two wings like an eagle.
      2. She can fly to her place in the wilderness.
      3. She will be cared for for times and half-time.
      4. She will be out of the serpent’s reach.
   3. Pursuit (Revelation 12:15, Isaiah 59:19)
      1. The serpent spews water like a river.
      2. The woman is over-taken by the water and swept away.
   4. Preservation (Revelation 12:16)
      1. The earth helps the woman.
      2. The earth opens its mouth to swallow up the river of water.
   5. Posterity (Revelation 12:17)
      1. The dragon was enraged with the woman.
      2. The dragon goes to wage war with her offspring.
         1. Those who keep God’s commands.
         2. Those who hold fast to their testimony about Jesus.

Revelation 13:1-18 – John sees two beasts, one from the sea and one from the earth, symbolizing the antichrist and his false prophet.

1. First beast from the sea (Revelation 13:1-10, 17:3) representing a secular power.
   1. Appearance and character (Revelation 13:1-2)
      1. Ten horns, seven head, ten crowns on its heads.
      2. Each head had a blasphemous name.
      3. The beast resembled a leopard.
      4. The beast had feet like a bear.
      5. The beast had a mouth like a lion.
   2. Appeal to Christ-rejectors on Earth (Revelation 13:3-4)
      1. Wounded fatally.
      2. Wonderful recovery.
      3. Wonder filled people followed the beast.
      4. World worshiped the dragon.
         1. The dragon gave his authority to the beast.
         2. Who is like the beast?
         3. Who can wage war against it?
   3. Authority to blaspheme for 3.5 years (Revelation 13:5-6)
      1. The beast has a mouth to utter blasphemies.
      2. The beast exercises his authority for 42 months.
      3. The beast blasphemes God and slanders his name, heaven, and those who live there.
   4. Antagonism against the people of God (Revelation 13:7-8)
      1. The beast was given power to wage war against God’s people and conquer them.
      2. The beast was given authority over every tribe, people, language, and nation.
      3. All the earth will worship the beast, (those whose names are not in the book of life).
      4. The Lamb who was slain before the foundation of the earth.
   5. Apprising the signs and situation (Revelation 13:9-10)
      1. He who has ears to hear, let them hear.
      2. This calls for patient endurance and faithfulness on the part of God’s people.
2. Second beast from the earth (Revelation 13:11-18) representing a religious power.
   1. His deception and devotion to the first beast (Revelation 13:11-13)
      1. Diversity (Revelation 13:11)
         1. Two horns, the appearance of a lamb.
         2. The voice of a dragon.
      2. Demands (Revelation 13:12)
         1. With the authority of the first beast.
         2. He forces the world to worship the first beast, whose fatal wound was healed.
      3. Demonstrations (Revelation 13:13-14)
         1. He performs great signs.
         2. He causes fire to come down from heaven in view of the people.
         3. He deceives the people.
         4. He sets up an image in honor of the first beast.
   2. His deeds and decrees to mankind (Revelation 13:15-18)
      1. Life to an image (Revelation 13:15)
         1. He has power to give breath to the image of the first beast.
         2. He was able to speak.
      2. Laws (Revelation 13:15-16)
         1. He was able to have killed those who refused to worship the image.
         2. He forced all those who worshiped the beast to receive a mark.
      3. Label for all to wear (Revelation 13:16-18)
         1. The mark was on the hand or forehead.
         2. The mark allowed people to buy and sell in the marketplace.
         3. The mark is the name of the beast.
         4. The mark is the number of a man, calculated to be 666.

Revelation 14:1-20 – The 144,000sing a song of praise to God. John is given a preview of Armageddon, when Christ will return triumphantly to the earth and will wipe out his enemies.

1. Harpists: the song of the redeemed (Revelation 14:1-5)
   1. What John sees (Revelation 14:1)
      1. The Lamb standing on Mt Zion.
      2. The 144,000 with him (his name and the Father’s name on their foreheads).
   2. What John hears (Revelation 14:2-5) rushing waters and peals of thunder.
      1. Heavenly harps (Revelation 14:2)
      2. Heavenly hosannas (they sang a new song (No one could learn it except the 144,000 of the redeemed).
         1. Who did not defile themselves with women.
         2. Who were virgins.
         3. Who followed the Lamb wherever he goes.
         4. Who were purchased and offered as first fruits.
         5. Who had no lie in their mouths.
         6. Who were blameless.
2. Heralds: the message of the angles (Revelation 14:6-12)
   1. The first angel (Revelation 14:6-7) flying midair proclaiming the eternal gospel to every nation, tribe, language, and people.
      1. Fear God.
      2. Give him glory.
      3. He will judge.
      4. Give him worship.
   2. The second angel (Revelation 14:8) Babylon has fallen (who made all the nations drink the wine of her adulteries).
   3. The third angel (Revelation 14:9-12)
      1. The plea (Revelation 14:9) don’t receive the mark (or you’ll drink the wine, too).
      2. The penalty (Revelation 14:10-11)
         1. Eternity in the lake of fire (in the presence of the holy angels and the Lamb).
         2. Smoke and torment will rise forever.
         3. There will be no rest for those who worship the image or the beast (those with the mark).
      3. The perseverance (Revelation 14:12)
         1. Patient endurance on the people.
         2. Keeping his commandments.
         3. Remaining faithful.
3. Helpers: the assurance of the Spirit (Revelation 14:13)
   1. Blessed are the martyrs who die from now on.
   2. Martyrs will soon be rewarded.
      1. They will rest from their labor.
      2. Their deeds will follow them.
4. Harvesters: the reaping of the harvest (Revelation 14:14-20)
   1. The judge (Revelation 14:14-16)
      1. Jesus is the reaper, with a sickle, seated on a white cloud.
      2. Accompanied by three angels: the first angel from the temple: tells the Lamb to take his sickle, it is time to reap, and the earth was harvested.
   2. The judged (Revelation 14:17) the second angel has a sickle.
   3. The judgment (Revelation 14:18-20) of the third angel with a charge of fire and the second angel.
      1. The unrepentant and unsaved will be crushed like grapes in a wine press.
      2. Their blood will flow out a stream of 180 miles, as deep as horses’ bridles.

NOTES:

1. The climax of the book begins in chapter 15, so chapter 14 prepares the way.
2. Rod of Iron (Revelation 12:5) – Psalm 2:9 uses this phrase in its messianic prophecy.
3. 1260 Days (Revelation 12:6) – some refer to half of Daniel’s 70th week (their is tranquility during the first half of the week).
4. War in Heaven (Revelation 12:7) – for a similar theme, see 1 Kings 22, Job 1-2, Zechariah 3, Luke 10:18.
5. Michael (Revelation 12:7) – this angel is the traditional champion of Israel (Jude 1:9, Daniel 10:13, 12:1).
6. Satan (Revelation 12:9) – his character is revealed by his names (Satan means adversary, dragon suggests fierceness, serpent suggests deceit, devil means slanderer or accuser).
7. Beast (Revelation 13:1) – some refer to this as the antichrist of 1 John 2:18 (the most outstanding of all false people), the man of sin (2 Thessalonians 2:3), the little horn (Daniel 7:8), the prince who shall come (Daniel 9:26), the willful king (Daniel 11:36), and the beast (Revelation 11:7, 14:9, 11, 15:2, 16:2, 10, 13, 17:3-17, 19:19-20, 20:4, 10).
8. 666 (Revelation 13:18) – one might twist this number into most anything. One interpretation is the emphatic number of six, traditionally the number of fallen mankind. The person of insight suggests that John had a person in mind, and the faithful believers knew to whom he was referring.
9. First Fruits (Revelation 14:4) – compare to James 1:18. Some consider this to be the people who get saved toward the end of the tribulation.
10. Patience or endurance (Revelation 14:12) – a call to be the overcomers from chapters 2-3.
11. Blood (Revelation 14:20) – out of the wine press, flowing like a river. Likely hyperbole.

THOUGHTS:

1. How do you account for the preservation of Israel over the millennia?
2. Why then is there so much tribulation for Israel in the last days?
3. What enemies are lined up against Israel today?
4. How might the tensions in the middle east be resolved?
5. How do we account for the miraculous powers of Satan in Chapter 13?
6. Why do people continue to blaspheme God?
7. How do you explain how a God of love can dish out so much wrath?
8. What might be a prominent spiritual lesson found in these three chapters?