Revelation 12v10-17
v11: The blood of the Lamb adds a Passover/redemptive context to this verse. The only way that we can share in the victory (over satan and his demonic angels) is through redemption, through the blood of the Lamb.
· ‘Testimony’ is a very important part of the salvation experience. It doesn’t save us, but, being saved, we are given power so that we can have a testimony – by walking in victory we are enabled to manifest the glory of G-d.
· Unto death… their emphasis was not on themselves. Their thoughts were Kingdom minded (not based upon life in this world but confident in the age to come -1 Cor15v19)
v12: In this book there are two types of people. Where they ‘dwell’ has nothing to do with their physical location:
1. Dwell on earth; an idiom for those who live according to the worlds standards.
2. Dwell in heaven; an idiom for those who live according to Kingdom principles.
When a phrase is well documented (used over and over again) and then suddenly altered it is to teach us something new. e.g. here the word ‘sea’ has been added to the phrase ‘The dwellers of the earth’. In the next couple of chapters there is an emphasis on the sea. Prophetically, a sea is often used as a reference to instability, an unstable location (Constant movement. Waves roaring. Chaos–2 Sam 22v5, Ps 65v7, Jer 5v22).
v13: The woman = Israel. satan knows Scripture (Gen 3v15) He doesn’t obey Scripture, but Scriptural truth impacts him. He rebels against this. He understands, prophetically, how key Israel is in the Kingdom being established.
v14: Eagles wings, also seen in Exodus 19v4, set this verse in the context of redemption and salvation. At this point, Israel is almost ready, through Messiah Yeshua and His blood, to experience redemption.
· Time, times and a half time: John uses the same terminology that Daniel did (Dan 7v25, Dan 9v27, Dan 12v7). This time period can be understood as the last three and a half years of Daniel’s 70th week.
v15: Israel given supernatural protection for a time.
v16: What was key for Israel, according to this verse, in preserving them from satan’s attack? The land. It is not talking about land (earth) in a general term here, but about the land of Israel. The safest place for a Jewish person to be in the last days will be in the land of Israel.
v17: The believing community is tied to Israel. (Romans 9v6-8) In G-d’s Kingdom there are going to be those that are naturally descended from Jacob (Jewish people), but there are also going to be those who are grafted in – Gentiles (or people from the nations – Romans 11v17-21).
It is undeniable that we are talking about believers at the end of this verse. Believers are the ones who keep the commandments of G-d: they walk in obedience to the Word of G-d. Believers are also those who manifest the testimony of Yeshua.