Tim Moore (2:42)

welcome back to Christ in Prophecy Radio. Today, we're talking about the great red dragon and his significance in the Christmas story. We're reading from Revelation, chapter 12. I'll start with the first four verses, Nathan, which says, a great sign appeared in heaven. A woman clothed with a sun and the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of 12 stars. And she was with child. And she cried out, being in labor and in pain, to give birth. Then another sign appeared in heaven, and behold, a great red dragon having seven heads and ten horns. And on his heads were seven diadems. And his tail swept away a third of the stars of heaven and threw them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman who was about to give birth, so that when she gave birth, he might devour her child. Wow, Nathan, you would think maybe John was having some kind of a trip here, but obviously he was seeing a vision. And it's not just any vision. It's one that we recognize very clearly, some of the symbols that he's communicating to us.

Nathan Jones (3:39)

Yeah, this passage, Revelation 12, is often called the great sign of Revelation. It's the prophecy about the past, but also about the future. Now, the beauty about the Book of Revelation is that if there are symbols, and clearly these are symbolic, we are not talking about a real woman or a real child per se, but the Bible will give descriptions or answers about what those symbols are. Or you have to go back to the Old Testament sometimes to see what that symbol is. And that is where we get this first symbol. We have to go to the Old Testament to understand who the woman clothed with the Son is. And she is who, Timothy?

Tim Moore (4:12)

Well, she is none other than Israel. And so the woman is personified here as the very nation of Israel. And when you refer back to the Old Testament, it is none other than Joseph's dream when he saw himself being worshiped, so to speak, his brothers bowing down, even his mother and father. And so the 12 stars represent the various 12 tribes of Israel. And so it's the same motif of a woman, in this case, clothed with the moon. Excuse me, with the sun, the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of 12 stars. Again, this is a personification of Israel. And one of Israel's primary purposes was not just to be an exemplary nation, a nation demonstrating what it's like to be in a relationship with the living God, a nation who provided the Scriptures, the Old Testament, and even the New, but indeed the nation that was to be the source of the Messiah. In other words, the lineage of Christ came through the Jewish people. And so sure enough, this nation gave birth through the person of Mary to the Messiah.

Nathan Jones (5:16)

Yeah, anyone who's read Genesis 37, 9, 10 would have recognized Joseph's dream that the woman is Israel. And we see a lot today where people will try to force the church. Well, this is the church is the woman. But it's clearly a definite symbol of Israel. Now, this woman has a male child, a promised seed. So, Tim, tell us, who is this male?

Tim Moore (5:38)

Well, the male child obviously is the Messiah. And for that we go back to yet another reference in Genesis, when the Lord in Genesis chapter three, speaking even to the serpent Satan and to Adam and Eve, said that the woman would give birth to a child. He would be from the seed of woman. And we understood even then that this would be a special, unique child, a unique son born of a woman who was a virgin. In other words, not tainted by the sin of man. God held Adam and all the men thereafter to be primarily responsible along with woman. But the sin came through the father. So obviously the virgin would give birth, not conveying the sin of the forefathers, the forebears, all the way back to Adam, and that became the Messiah. So this child, God's only begotten son, conceived by the Holy Spirit in Mary's womb.

Nathan Jones (6:32)

Yeah, this is a prophecy about the Messiah. And it's a fulfillment of the Davidic king, which is a prophecy in 2 Samuel 7 where King David was prophesied that one of his descendants would eventually become the eternal king over all the world. So we have Israel giving birth to the Messiah. And if you go through the lineage of Jesus all the way from Abraham to Jesus, yes, it's Israel is what gave birth to the child. So that's the two of them. Now we also have this great red dragon. And Tim, like you said earlier, I don't think I've ever decorated my house for Christmas with a red dragon. So tell us who is or what is this red dragon? And we will get into soon about why it has something to do with Christmas.

Tim Moore (7:12)

Well, obviously we recognize that this great dragon is none other than Satan. He is the ancient serpent of old. And that is defined a few verses later in verse nine. The great dragon was thrown down, the serpent of old, who is called the devil, and Satan, who deceives the whole world, and he was thrown down to the earth and his angels were thrown down with him. And so we understand here in verse three that the great dragon is none other than Satan. And you can almost See him personified into the Antichrist with the seven heads, the ten horns, the seven crowns on his horns. And in verse four, as his tail sweeps away a third of the stars of heaven. That's again a symbolic reference to the third of the heavenly host who sided with Satan in his rebellion and were cast out of heaven. Now, here's what's ironic, Nathan. We know that Satan was not completely cast out of heaven in time past, but he will be excluded from heaven as recorded here in the pages of Revelation. And he will be extremely angry by his denunciation from heaven itself. And that's when he will indwell the Antichrist.

Nathan Jones (8:19)

Yes. So here we've got the woman Israel gives birth to the male child, Jesus Christ, a great red dragon, Satan. And you can read his story in Isaiah 14 and Ezekiel 28. His desire is to be worshiped as God of the universe. And having failed to overthrow God, he convinced, as Tim said, a third of the angels to join him. They were cast down to the earth. But Satan still has access to the throne room. And what does he do there, folks, day and night? He's accusing the saints. He's accusing you before God, and Jesus is interceding on your behalf. Satan failed to destroy the Messiah. He just failed to destroy the Messiah again. One day he was crucified.

Tim Moore (8:55)

Satan has to be the most frustrated entity in all of creation. He was a created being. And so we know that Satan was not able to devour the Messiah at his birth. He was not able to thwart God's will during his life, even his death, because he intended to give his life as a sacrifice for many and then be resurrected so ongoingly. Satan is still scheming against you and me, Nathan, but we know that the Lord will prevail.

Nathan Jones (9:21)

And as we're discovering, the Christmas story isn't just about a baby in a manger. It's about God's eternal plan to defeat Satan and establish his kingdom. Well, coming up, we'll look at current events and how they're connected to these ancient prophecies in a segment we call what's really going On. Stay tuned.

Narrator/Announcer (9:38)

God boldly recorded his prophecies in the Bible so that we could know for sure that he alone controls the future. Nobody is like God, and Bible prophecy points us to this fact. To find out what's really going on in the world, keep listening to Christ in prophecy. It's your weekly perspective on the signs of the times through the lens of God's prophetic word. Your hosts are Tim Moore, senior evangelist for Lamb and Lion Ministries and our Internet evangelist, Nathan Jones. Lamb and lion is a non denominational ministry whose purpose it is to proclaim to as many people as possible as quickly as possible that Jesus is returning soon. To find out more, go to christinprophecy.org

Nathan Jones (10:22)

welcome back to Christ in Prophecy Radio. We're at that segment that we like to call what's really Going On. We look at current events from a biblical and prophetic point of view. One of the issues that has really been facing us since October 7, 2023 has been when Hamas attacked Israel. And instead of the world coming on Israel's side for that horrific attack, anti Semitism has exploded all over the world. Now Tim, you went to Israel recently and you got to be on the ground talking to the Jewish people, getting the pulse of what they feel about the world's response. What are some of the things that you came back with from your trip to Israel?

Tim Moore (10:58)

Well, obviously Nathan, there's great relief that the living hostages have been released. There's still much suspicion over Hamas and indeed many of the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip because they embraced, they were very supportive even of the murder of Israelis there two years ago on October 7th. But there is determination by most Israelis, everyone I talk to, to move forward. It's amazing, Nathan. I could hardly find any actual damage in Israel because they are so quick to clean up and rebuild when any attack happens, because they are determined to move forward in life. And I think that is a great indication of their forward looking attitude and, and their determination not to let Satan gain a victory. Now clearly not every Jew understands the Satanic impact their realm, but we know that Satan is motivated because he knows his time is short and so he is trying to antagonize Israel through people like Hamas or groups like Hamas, Hezbollah, the Houthis, and even all the foolish folks scattered around the world who are giving voice to anti Semitism. And that is a satanic inspired movement for sure.

Nathan Jones (12:12)

Well, we know anti Semitism will rise and continue to get worse and worse to the point where all the nations will come against Israel in the last days. At the very end of a seven year tribulation period, Jerusalem, Zechariah prophesied, would be besieged by the Antichrist army. So it's going to get worse and worse as prophesied. But the Lord has a purpose for anti Semitism, right? To return the Jewish people back to the land where they feel safe and, and also for them to eventually bend a knee and call upon Jesus to be their deliverer.

Tim Moore (12:40)

I think that's a great insight, Nathan. I know the Lord would not inspire people to do evil.

Nathan Jones (12:45)

Absolutely.

Tim Moore (12:45)

But even their evil deeds he orchestrates. That's the word I've used previously. To good. In other words, good for his people, good for you and me, and glory for him. God does not wish that any should perish. So all of the efforts of Satan to damn souls and individuals to hell, the. The Lord will ensure that those who are his heed his voice.

Nathan Jones (13:08)

Yeah. We'll get in the next segment, more about Satan's attempt to try to destroy Israel. But it seems Jonathan Cahn, who wrote in his excellent book the Dragon's Prophecy, that Satan has a counterfeit miracle, the miracle of Israel coming back from the dead. Would you say Hamas is a representation of the Palestinians or the ancient Philistines coming back from the dead to be an enemy of Israel once more?

Tim Moore (13:31)

Oh, there is really no doubt about it. As a matter of fact, in Arabic, what we refer to as Palestine Palestinians are called Philistina. In other words, it's the exact same name as that ancient nemesis of Israel. And where are they located? In the same region of the country that the Philistines themselves were centered. So the Gaza Strip has been a thorn in Israel's side, so to speak, for millennia, and that has not changed.

Nathan Jones (13:57)

Well, Tim, what fascinated me, some of the reels that you posted about your trip over to Israel. You went to the Nova Festival. That was the dead center of where all Hamas came in and just murdered and kidnapped all those people. What was it like seeing the memorial there?

Tim Moore (14:09)

I'll tell you what, Nathan, it was haunting to think that hundreds of Israelis were killed absolutely innocent of any wrongdoing, just by murderous throngs. I stood not only at the Nova site, which has become a memorial shrine, but I actually went to the base adjacent to the Gaza Strip where Hamas came in and really overran the base and. And killed a number of Israeli soldiers. And there's even a video. And I was standing in the very place where several soldiers were killed. Their bodies were essentially desecrated. And it's haunting, as I said, to think about all the hatred that has been manifest in the world. But all it causes me to do is recognize that until the Lord comes, there will be hate, there will be murder, there will be evil, because that is what Satan is foisting on the world. That's what he is causing people to be deceived, to embrace. And yet it makes me yearn all the more for the coming of our Prince of Peace. You know, when we talk about what's really going on. Anyone who reads the paper, watches the news, or just looks around them recognizes that the world is growing increasingly dark. And yet that should make all of us eager for Jesus to come to reign on the throne of his Father David in Jerusalem on Mount Zion and to restore peace, righteousness and holiness to the earth. I can't wait till that glorious day.

Narrator/Announcer (15:28)

Want to know what the Bible has to say about advancing technology, wars in Israel, natural disasters, rapid changes in society, and the end times? To get a trustworthy biblical perspective, keep listening to our radio program, watch Christ in Prophecy TV and read the Lamplighter magazine. It's all available online at Christ in Prophecy.

Tim Moore (15:52)

As we continue our discussion of Revelation chapter 12 and the male child and this great antagonist, the dragon, we come to verse 5 which says, and she gave birth to a son, a male child who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron. And her child was caught up to God and to his throne. Then the woman fled into the wilderness where she had a place prepared by God so that there she would be nourished for 1,260 days. And well, Nathan, the complexity of this passage continues. Obviously this is very sweeping, not just to the past, the present, the future. And so what are we looking at when we get to verses five and six?

Nathan Jones (16:29)

Yeah, this is where the confusion comes because this prophecy is about the birth of the Messiah, which is our Christmas story here. So this, yes folks, this is a Christmas story, but it's also a prophecy about the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ who escaped the dragon by being ascending up to heaven where he is now in heaven. But Jesus will return and defeat the dragon in a time period called the Tribulation. It is a seven year prophecy that Daniel made. It's called Daniel's 70th Week Prophecy. It is about a time period that is coming in the future where God will judge the world for its sins. Very similar to what the flood was, where God destroyed the earth in the flood. Well, he is going to do something similar in the future. But instead of one event that takes about a year, like the flood did, that this will be over seven years. And this will be a time, the second half of that, three and a half years. That is prophesied in Jeremiah 37, that it will be called the time of Jacob's trouble. It will be a time so horrific because Satan will, through the Antichrist, try to annihilate the Jewish people.

Tim Moore (17:30)

Yeah, so obviously you mentioned the Lord judging Satan and punishing him. That will come at the end of the Tribulation. So during that seven years the world itself is being punished. And sometimes the Antichrist then indwelled for the last half the three and a half years of the great Tribulation or time of Jacob's trouble will be an instrument of continued horror on the earth. But the Antichrist and indeed Satan will be judged at the end when Jesus Christ returns. And so in this passage we see that this son who is caught up to heaven will rule the nations with a rod of iron. That is not happening right now, Nathan. Otherwise the nations would not be rebelling against the Lord God. So that's a future looking promise. And we have this passage about the woman escaping to the wilderness. We know that although 2/3 of the Jews will be killed during the Tribulation as described in the Old testament, that remaining 1/3 will be preserved. And the Lord will remove them even from the vicinity of Jerusalem where the Antichrist is trying to seek worship in the very temple erected by the Jewish people during the Tribulation. But the Lord will preserve them in a place prepared by God and so that they endure the Tribulation, come to the end of themselves and then cry out baruch haba b' shem adonai.

Nathan Jones (18:46)

Yeah, it's a fascinating example of what's called prophetic perspective where the Lord will give a prophecy. It sometimes has a near and a far and a farther fulfillment of that prophecy. Now it's interesting folks, here's the context is that the Antichrist will begin the seven year Tribulation by making a peace covenant with Israel. He will promise peace to Israel, but after he's finished spending three and a half years conquering the world, he will then turn his eyes back on Israel. He will desecrate the third Temple, which folks hasn't been built yet, but the Bible prophesies it will be built. He'll go in, he'll have a living image of himself, demand people to be worshiped. And that's similar to what's called the abomination of desolation. Daniel taught the Jewish people will flee into the wilderness. Now we know there are obviously some Jews who will stay in Jerusalem because he will besiege it at the end of the Tribulation. But for those Jews who are in the wilderness, and some believe it's possibly Jordan, that which means Israel will control Jordan one day, that they will flee into the wilderness and Lord will supernaturally protect that remnant there.

Tim Moore (19:46)

We know that he has the ability to preserve those who have put their trust in him in this case, he will preserve Israel, not because they've deserved it or earned it, or even trusted in him yet, but as they come to the end of themselves, they will respond in faith, looking upon him whom they have pierced and weeping as over an only son, and then, as I said, crying out, baruch haba b' shem Adonai. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. You know, this passage alone belies the claim that God is done with Israel. He has washed his hands of the Jews and now only has promises held out to the church. Clearly here in the midst of revelation, God is making provision for the Jewish people, guaranteeing that he will preserve and protect this great remnant. And after three and a half years, and by the way, it's three and a half years according to the Jewish calendar, so in other words, lunar months or 30 day months, three and a half years comes to 1,260. God still has a purpose and a plan for the Jewish people. Why? To bring glory to his name. And the primary way he's going to glorify his own name is by proving that he keeps his word, something Satan has tried to deny. He has called God a liar. In spite of the fact that Satan is a liar, he's tried to thwart God's will so that God would become a liar. That will not happen. God's word is true. He will be glorified by keeping every promise to the Jews and to you and me.

Nathan Jones (21:15)

Amen. And that's why 300 general prophecies, 109 specific detailed prophecies, pointed to the fact that Jesus would be born in Bethlehem. He would die. He'd be resurrected from the dead. He'd ascend to heaven. We're reading about that here in Revelation 12. All 100% of those prophecies came true. So, folks, that means that we can put our faith and trust in Jesus in the fact that there's 500 general prophecies and 1 in 25 verses in the New Testament prophesy Christ's second coming. So it's an ironclad promise that Jesus Christ is coming back. The baby in the manger is the same one who will return as the King of Kings. Well, coming up, Tim's going to give us some final thoughts about what this means for us today. So stay with us

Narrator/Announcer (22:02)

here at Christ in Prophecy. We want everyone to know that Jesus is coming back and he doesn't want his people to be unprepared. So to stay up to date about unfolding events, get a biblical perspective on the signs of the times and dig deeper into God's prophetic word. Check out our free bi weekly Lamplighter magazine. You can easily sign up to have Lamplighter magazine delivered directly to your email inbox when you go to christinprophecy.org sign up today.

Tim Moore (22:32)

For most Christians next week you'll celebrate the birth of Christ on December 25, the traditional Western date established by about the 4th century, while the Orthodox Church celebrates Jesus birth in early January. But regardless of the specific date, what matters is the prophetic significance of what occurred over 2,000 years ago in the little town of Bethlehem. The Promised One of Israel came during a time of great darkness. In the land of Israel, hopes were misplaced and fears were multiplied under the oppression of Rome. But in the dark streets of Bethlehem, the everlasting light shone bright. Two thousand years later, many people still clamor for heaven on earth, but reject the one who came already as Immanuel God with us. Others hope for a Savior to fix the world's wrongs, but deny their own sin and refuse to be subject to the Lord God. As we celebrate Christmas this year, whether or not you add a dragon to your nativity scene, something I assure you your toddlers and young boys would love to see, especially if you explain its significance, let's all remember that the story doesn't end with a baby in a manger. That same Jesus, the Promised One of Israel, is coming again. He came the first time as a suffering servant to die for our sins. He will return as the conquering King to establish his kingdom and fulfill every promise made to Israel and and to His Church. If you don't know Jesus as your personal Savior, I encourage you to receive him right now. Just pray. Lord God, I am a sinner. I do not deserve your favor, but I put all my trust in Jesus Christ and believe that you will welcome Me with loving arms into your family, giving me the assurance of eternal life with you. If you do that, the Holy Child of Bethlehem will cast out your sin and and enter in. He will be born in you today. You know folks, very soon the hopes and dreams of all the years will once again be met in Jesus Christ because when he returns, he will either come as your blessed hope if you've trusted him, or he will come as your holy terror if you've rejected Him. He has prepared a place for you in His Father's house if you have trusted in him so that he, the Lord Emmanuel God with us can abide with you forever. From all of us here at Lamb and Lion Ministries. We pray that you have a very blessed Christmas and Godspeed.