Revelation Chapter One - The Message, the Church, the Seven Golden Candlesticks, The Seven Churches

[claninja]

Who do you think is being referred to by the plural pronouns "them" and "they" and "their" in Revelation 12:10,11?

"And I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, Now has come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of His Christ, for the accuser of our brothers has been cast down, who accuses them before our God day and night.

Notice, Satan, the accuser, is cast out in association with the coming of the power and kingdom of God and authority of Christ.

When would the kingdom of God come with power? During the lives of the first century apostles:

Mark 9:1 1Then Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, there are some standing here who will not taste death before they see the kingdom of God arrive with power.”

When would Christ have all authority? During the lives of the first century apostles:

Matthew 28:18 18Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me.

So, as to your question, I would argue that the plural pronouns refer to those of the first century, who lived during the transition of the old covenant to the new covenant, when Satan was cast out and could no longer accuse those under the new covenant when Christ was given all authority and the kingdom of God came with power.

 

[oikonomia]

Notice, Satan, the accuser, is cast out in association with the coming of the power and kingdom of God and authority of Christ.

When would the kingdom of God come with power? During the lives of the first century apostles:

Mark 9:1 1Then Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, there are some standing here who will not taste death before they see the kingdom of God arrive with power.”

When would Christ have all authority? During the lives of the first century apostles:

Matthew 28:18 18Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me.

So, as to your question, I would argue that the plural pronouns refer to those of the first century, who lived during the transition of the old covenant to the new covenant, when Satan was cast out and could no longer accuse those under the new covenant when Christ was given all authority and the kingdom of God came with power.

Thankyou for your reply. Before I continue I very much like what is at the end of all your posts and remind myself of it now.
"and if I have prophecy, and know all the secrets, and all the knowledge, and if I have all the faith, so as to remove mountains, and have not love, I am nothing" 1 Corinthians 13:2

So in love let me now fellowship a bit further. I hope you bear with occasional verbosity.

I like that you demote Satan's ability to accuse the saints after the resurrection and ascension of Christ (if I understand you). But we also are told that presently we have an Advocate. That is a Defense Attorney (if you will) to defend us. My little children, these things I write to you that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the Righteous; (1 John 2:1)
`
I do not think Christ needs to defend us against the prosecution of the Father. It is the Father's love that has sent the Son for our propitiation. So then who is the one against whom our Advocate defends our interests? Notice it is not an Advocate against the Father but with the Father. The accuser needing the defense of our advocacy is Satan.

It is against the accusing Satan. Now of our past sins before we believed into Christ he knows there is no use to charge accusation to God for those. But for our lives FROM the time we are regenerated ONWARD as we slowly grow and mature, Satan has lots of ground (sometimes legitimate sometimes not) to accuse us before the Father.

As it says "if anyone sins . . . ". This precludes that the new Christians and even the older Christians WILL have moments of sinning. Our experience bears out that sometimes we will have a failure. Am I right? But IF we have such a failure that gives the Devil occassion to point out our failure with accusation to God (let alone to our own conscience) "we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the RIghteous."

So I would teach that we never graduate from needing our Defense Attorney to advocate against the accuser of the brothers.

Cont. below

 

[oikonomia]

Notice, Satan, the accuser, is cast out in association with the coming of the power and kingdom of God and authority of Christ.

Allow me to check as we go along. Some may find it helpful.

"And I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, Now has come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of His Christ, for the accuser of our brothers has been cast down, who accuses them before our God day and night." (Rev. 12:10)

Here we are in the 12th chapter of Revelation. Much has gone before. Chronoligically already we have seen God bring the kingdoms of the world all into the kingdom of God and His Christ in chapter 11. So why does this seeming anti-climax of the announcement of Rev. 12:10 come after this:

"And the seventh angel trumpeted; and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ, and He will reign forever and ever." (Rev. 11:15)

Part of the answer is that Revelation is divided into two parts. Up to chapter 11 the seventh trumpet concludes the first part. Then chapters 12 REVISIT some of what has already been revealed with a greater focus on the last three and one half years.

The other reason I would submit is that the kingdom announcement of Revelation 11:15 is more outward and objective in nature. In the second section the kingdom matters are more INWARD and SUBJECTIVE. The kingdom must come within the subjective hearts and souls of the overcoming believers before the outward and objective political kingdom comes to the earth.

So we have something more related to the INWARD kingdom of the overcomers which preceeds the OUTWARD coming of His kingdom to rule the world. - "Now has come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of His Christ . . ."

NOW we have a scene of some (a critical mass) of believers who are not just forgiven. But Christ has subjectively spread His nature into their whole beings. This is the "salvation" in full. This is the "power" in full - the power of the Christ saturated, Christ permeated, Christ mingled humanity which is beyond blame.

The purpose of His salvation was not merely to have forgiven men but transformed men. That is transformed into His own image - the image of the Firstborn Son of God. Through the centuries here and there God did gain some to reach maturity. The gospel continued to be spread throughout the world. Not many believers died in maturity. Many more died in immaturity THOUGH forgiven, redeemed, and gifted with eternal life.

Little did we know there was accumulating in Paradise under the earth not only a QUANTITY of saints but the QUALITY of a remnant, a minority, who had reached maturity. These are the STRONGER component within the total Universal Body of God's saints. That is why we see a Woman with a Manchild within her. That is a weaker vessel yet containing a stronger component to secure victoty in spiritual warfare.

We first get a glimpse of this remnant of stronger overcomers in the Fifth Seal. That is the marytred saints underneath the altar.

"And when He opened the fifth seal, I saw underneath the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God and because of the testimony which they had. And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Master, holy and true, will You not judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth? And to each of them was given a white robe; and it was said to them that they should rest yet a little while, until also the number of their fellow slaves and their brothers who were about to be killed, even as they were, is completed." (Rev. 6:9-11)

These who are deceased are told to be patient. They are shown approval by the white robes they are given while they are told to wait a little longer for their vindication.

These ones are also the Manchild resurrected and raptured to the third heaven at the appropriate time. For in them the full salvation and power and kingdom of God have come subjectively. You should think of a remnant like army such as Gideon's 300. Their victory is for the benefit of the whole nation. They were the stronger part of the weaker whole nation of Israel. That is weak in terms of being able to fight the warfare for Gods's
interests on earth.

When would the kingdom of God come with power? During the lives of the first century apostles:

This is true in a sense. But many died being overcome by the opposition. Like the souls underneath the altar in the Fifth Seal they were to rest until their number is filled up. And they were to rest quite approved yet to be patient for their total vindication.

Though the kingdom of God was initiated in the first century the climax of its accomplishment is not with their martyrdom but with their resurrection, vindication, and rapture to the throne of God about three and one half years before the consummation of the age.

The number of their fellow martyrs is completed (by God's will). And from the majority of believers they have a pre-great tribulation resurrection and rapture. Following thier rapture there is no more room in the heavens for Satan to accuse. They give the command for Satan to be expelled from that realm.

As if to say "Satan, what are you doing here? We have arrived now and you have to get out. We overcame you on the earth even though you had us killed. But we have now been resurrected and raptured as glorified sons of God and we overcome you now even in the heavens."

Actually we should preach to Satan this way anyway. Even as you rightly taught that Christ has nullified his accusation. So even in the church while we await the coming of Christ with myriads of His victorious saints (Jude 14). We need not wait to preach to Satan his total defeat.

So though the opening of the doors of the church was the opening of the kingdom of the heavens to men, its culmination was not at that time practically. John in exile on the island of Patmos was a active worker FOR the kingdom with endurance and patience.

Revelation 1:9 - "I John, your brother and fellow partaker in the tribulation and kingdom and endurance in Jesus, was on the island called Patmos because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus."

So I dare not say the kingdom of God had not come in the first century. But we also must see that the kingdom is in stages from inception, through growth, through maturity, through ripeness and climax - the harvest.

Mark 4:26-29 -
"And He said, So is the kingdom of God: as if a man cast seed on the earth,
And sleeps and rises night and day, and the seed sprouts and lengthens — how, he does not know.
The earth bears fruit by itself: first a blade, then an ear, then full grain in the ear.
But when the fruit is ripe, immediately he sends forth the sickle, because the harvest has come."

You see? At each STAGE along the process of growth you still have the kingdom of God.
So the kingdom was at an early stage in the first century.
There is the need for growth, spread, maturity, and finally full ripening harvest.
Each stage is a stage of the kingdom.

Mark 9:1 1Then Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, there are some standing here who will not taste death before they see the kingdom of God arrive with power.”

The three disciples were given a preview of the kingdom. Christ was a man with the glory of God concealed in the flesh of His humanity.
The shekeniah glory of the divine life was concealed within Him for His whole earthly life.

On this occasion He gave three of His closest disciples a glimpse of this glorified humanity. In a sensee He "unzipped" Himself to reveal the divine glory hidden before within Him. This He showed them as a PREVIEW of the coming age in which not only He but also they too would participate in this MANFESTATION of the divine life dispensed into man.

This was His showing us the kingdom's coming. This was Him revealing a foretaste, preview, and glimpse into the powers of the age to come (Heb 6:5)

At the time shortly before the close of this age, some living and some deceased overcoming saints will be raptured or resurrected and raptured into this situation. That is saturated from within and manifested without the divine glory just like Christ.

For our commonwealth exists in the heavens, from which also we eagerly await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ,
Who will transfigure the body of our humiliation to be conformed to the body of His glory, according to His operation by which He is able even to subject all things to Himself. (Phil. 3:20,21)

When would Christ have all authority? During the lives of the first century apostles:

Matthew 28:18 18Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me.

So, as to your question, I would argue that the plural pronouns refer to those of the first century, who lived during the transition of the old covenant to the new covenant, when Satan was cast out and could no longer accuse those under the new covenant when Christ was given all authority and the kingdom of God came with power.

I see your answer as partially right.
I tried to show you that we have now and presently "An Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the Righteous."
Someone is accusing us now. And it is not the Father. So it must be the accuser of the brothers - Satan.

I have tried to show you that the first century saints left their testimony during that stage of the development of the kingdom (Mark 4:26-29).
Though the sprouting is a stage of the kingdom there is a process culminating in harvest which is also all the kingdom of God too.

So by saying "Now has come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of His Christ"
This should not be taken as saying there was no kingdom of God in the first century nor salvation nor authority of Christ then.

To repeat: To say the resurrection and rapture of the overcomers approximately 1,260 days before the close of the age prompts the voice to say "Now has come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of His Christ" is in no way to deny the presence of God's salvation, kingdom, authority from the first century. God forbid.

It is a matter of ripeness having been acheived.
It is a matter of harvest of a mature critical mass having been at long last vindicated.

Thier rapture MEANS the descent of Satan from his tolerated position of accusation through the church age.
They have been raptured beyond blame for their daily lives. Any errors they made were advocated for by the Advocate who shed His blood for them. They overcame by the Lamb's blood. They overcame by standing on the FACTS and proclaiming the truths of the God's promises. Against sight they walked by faith (as we all should).

And particularly these of the Manchild died for their faith because it says loved not thier soul-life even UNTO DEATH.
" And they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their testimony, and they loved not their soul-life even unto death."

Now it would be a mistake to misunderstand me to be saying we need to WAIT before we Christians live this way.
No indeed. This should be a model of what would be the normal Christian life.

Whether we are martyred or not is up to God's sovereignty. But all believers should not love the self over the Lord.
And all believers should learn the power of the blood of Christ to shut the accuser's mouth. And all beleivers should learn to
stand on the FACTS of God's precious promises as "the word of their testimony."

In the meantime, the rapture of these overcomers, this Manchild to heaven, necessarily means Satan is then driven down at last to being limited to the earth. This enrages him. And as a result of knowing he has only a short time left, unleashes all his final efforts during the last three and a half years of the age.

Those raptured to the throne in heaven are GLAD and REJOICING. But those Christians and elect Jews upon the earth still are warned of the impending short time of the Devil's intense anger against God's elect who are to follow.

"Therefore be glad, O heavens and those who dwell in them. Woe to the earth and the sea because the devil has come down to you and has great rage, knowing that he has only a short time. And when the dragon saw that he was cast to the earth, he persecuted the woman who brought forth the man-child." (Rev. 12:12,13)

 

[claninja]

Allow me to check as we go along. Some may find it helpful.

"And I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, Now has come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of His Christ, for the accuser of our brothers has been cast down, who accuses them before our God day and night." (Rev. 12:10)

Here we are in the 12th chapter of Revelation. Much has gone before. Chronoligically already we have seen God bring the kingdoms of the world all into the kingdom of God and His Christ in chapter 11. So why does this seeming anti-climax of the announcement of Rev. 12:10 come after this:

"And the seventh angel trumpeted; and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ, and He will reign forever and ever." (Rev. 11:15)

Part of the answer is that Revelation is divided into two parts. Up to chapter 11 the seventh trumpet concludes the first part. Then chapters 12 REVISIT some of what has already been revealed with a greater focus on the last three and one half years.

The other reason I would submit is that the kingdom announcement of Revelation 11:15 is more outward and objective in nature. In the second section the kingdom matters are more INWARD and SUBJECTIVE. The kingdom must come within the subjective hearts and souls of the overcoming believers before the outward and objective political kingdom comes to the earth.

So we have something more related to the INWARD kingdom of the overcomers which preceeds the OUTWARD coming of His kingdom to rule the world. - "Now has come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of His Christ . . ."

NOW we have a scene of some (a critical mass) of believers who are not just forgiven. But Christ has subjectively spread His nature into their whole beings. This is the "salvation" in full. This is the "power" in full - the power of the Christ saturated, Christ permeated, Christ mingled humanity which is beyond blame.

The purpose of His salvation was not merely to have forgiven men but transformed men. That is transformed into His own image - the image of the Firstborn Son of God. Through the centuries here and there God did gain some to reach maturity. The gospel continued to be spread throughout the world. Not many believers died in maturity. Many more died in immaturity THOUGH forgiven, redeemed, and gifted with eternal life.

Little did we know there was accumulating in Paradise under the earth not only a QUANTITY of saints but the QUALITY of a remnant, a minority, who had reached maturity. This are the STRONGER component withint the total Universal Body of God's saints. That is why we see a Woman with a Manchild within her. That is a weaker vessel yet containing a stronger component to secure victoty in spiritual warfare.

We first get a glimpse of this remnant of stronger overcomers in the Fifth Seal. That is the marytred saints underneath the altar.

"And when He opened the fifth seal, I saw underneath the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God and because of the testimony which they had. And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Master, holy and true, will You not judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth? And to each of them was given a white robe; and it was said to them that they should rest yet a little while, until also the number of their fellow slaves and their brothers who were about to be killed, even as they were, is completed." (Rev. 6:9-11)

These who are deceased are told to be patient. They are shown approval by the white robes they are given while they are told to wait a little longer for their vindication.

These ones are also the Manchild resurrected and raptured to the third heaven at the appropriate time. For in them the full salvation and power and kingdom of God have come subjectly. You should think of a remnant like army such as Gideon's 300. Their victory is for the benefit of the whole nation. They were the stronger part of the weaker whole nation of Israel. That is weak in terms of being able to fight the warfare for Gods's
interests on earth.


This is true in a sense. But many died being overcome by the opposition. Like the souls underneath the altar in the Fifth Seal they were to rest until their number is filled up. And they were to rest quite approved yet to be patient for their total vindication.

Though the kingdom of God was initiated in the first century the climax of its accomplishment is not with their martyrdom but with their resurrection, vindication, and rapture to the throne of God about three and one half years before the consummation of the age.

The number of their fellow martyrs is completed (by God's will). And from the majority of believers they have a pre-great tribulation resurrection and rapture. Following thier rapture there is no more room in the heavens for Satan to accuse. They give the command for Satan to be expelled from that realm.

As if to say "Satan, what are you doing here? We have arrived now and you have to get out. We overcame you on the earth even though you had us killed. But we have now been resurrected and raptured as glorified sons of God and we overcome you now even in the heavens."

Actually we should preach to Satan this way anyway. Even as you rightly taught that Christ has nullified his accusation. So even in the church while we await the coming of Christ with myriads of His victorious saints (Jude 14). We need not wait to preach to Satan his total defeat.

So though the opening of the doors of the church was the opening of the kingdom of the heavens to men, its culmination was not at that time practically. John in exile on the island of Patmos was a active worker FOR the kingdom with endurance and patience.

Revelation 1:9 - "I John, your brother and fellow partaker in the tribulation and kingdom and endurance in Jesus, was on the island called Patmos because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus."

So I dare not say the kingdom of God had not come in the first century. But we also must see that the kingdom is in stages from inception, through growth, through maturity, through ripeness and climax - the harvest.

Mark 4:26-29 -
"And He said, So is the kingdom of God: as if a man cast seed on the earth,
And sleeps and rises night and day, and the seed sprouts and lengthens — how, he does not know.
The earth bears fruit by itself: first a blade, then an ear, then full grain in the ear.
But when the fruit is ripe, immediately he sends forth the sickle, because the harvest has come."

You see? At each STAGE along the process of growth you still have the kingdom of God.
So the kingdom was at an early stage in the first century.
There is the need for growth, spread, maturity, and finally full ripening harvest.
Each stage is a stage of the kingdom.


The three disciples were given a preview of the kingdom. Christ was a man with the glory of God concealed in the flesh of His humanity.
The shekeniah glory of the divine life was concealed within Him for His whole earthly life.

On this occasion He gave three of His closest disciples a glimpse of this glorified humanity. In a sensee He "unzipped" Himself to reveal the divine glory hidden before within Him. This He showed them as a PREVIEW of the coming age in which not only He but also they too would participate in this MANFESTATION of the divine life dispensed into man.

This was His showing us the kingdom's coming. This was Him revealing a foretaste, preview, and glimpse into the powers of the age to come (Heb 6:5)

At the time shortly before the close of this age, some living and some deceased overcoming saints will be raptured or resurrected and raptured into this situation. That is saturated from within and manifested without the divine glory just like Christ.

For our commonwealth exists in the heavens, from which also we eagerly await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ,
Who will transfigure the body of our humiliation to be conformed to the body of His glory, according to His operation by which He is able even to subject all things to Himself. (Phil. 3:20,21)



I see your answer as partially right.
I tried to show you that we have now and presently "An Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the Righteous."
Someone is accusing us now. And it is not the Father. So it must be the accuser of the brothers - Satan.

I have tried to show you that the first century saints left their testimony during that stage of the development of the kingdom (Mark 4:26-29).
Though the sprouting is a stage of the kingdom there is a process culminating in harvest which is also all the kingdom of God too.

So by saying "Now has come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of His Christ"
This should not be taken as saying there was no kingdom of God in the first century nor salvation nor authority of Christ then.

To repeat: To say the resurrection and rapture of the overcomers approximately 1,260 days before the close of the age prompts the voice to say "Now has come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of His Christ" is in no way to deny the presence of God's salvation, kingdom, authority from the first century. God forbid.

It is a matter of ripeness having been acheived.
It is a matter of harvest of a mature critical mass having been at long last vindicated.

Thier rapture MEANS the descent of Satan from his tolerated position of accusation through the church age.
They have been raptured beyond blame for their daily lives. Any errors they made were advocated for by the Advocate who shed His blood for them. They overcame by the Lamb's blood. They overcaome by standing on the FACTS and proclaiming the truths of the God's promises. Against sight they walked by faith (as we all should).

And particularly these of the Manchild died for their faith because it says loved not thier soul-life even UNTO DEATH.
" And they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their testimony, and they loved not their soul-life even unto death."

Now it would be a mistake to misunderstand me to be saying we need to WAIT before we Christians live this way.
No indeed. This should be a model of what would be the normal Christian life.

Whether we are martyred or not is up to God's sovereignty. But all believers should not love the self over the Lord.
And all believers should learn the power of the blood of Christ to shut the accuser's mouth. And all beleivers should learn to
stand on the FACTS of God's precious promises as "the word of their testimony."

In the meantime, the rapture of these overcomers, this Manchild to heaven, necessarily means Satan is then driven down at last to being limited to the earth. This enrages him. And as a result of knowing he has only a short time left, unleashes all his final efforts during the last three and a half years of the age.

Those raptured to the throne in heaven are GLAD and REJOICING. But those Christians and elect Jews upon the earth still are warned of the impending short time of the Devil's intense anger agaisnt God's elect who are to follow.

"Therefore be glad, O heavens and those who dwell in them. Woe to the earth and the sea because the devil has come down to you and has great rage, knowing that he has only a short time. And when the dragon saw that he was cast to the earth, he persecuted the woman who brought forth the man-child." (Rev. 12:12,13)

How does this demonstrate that Satan is able to accuse the saints before God following his casting out at Christs ascension?

 

[oikonomia]

How does this demonstrate that Satan is able to accuse the saints before God following his casting out at Christs ascension?

If this accuser was not able to do what he did with Job (1:6;2:1) then we in the church age would not need "an Advocate with the Father."

The casting down of this accuser marks the beginning of a specific "short time." This "a short time" is not two millennia of the church age but as follows: (In Hebrew calender time)

1,260 days - Rev. 12:6 - "And the women fled into the wilderness where she has a place there prepared by God so that they might nourish her there a thousand two hundred and sixty days."

42 months - Rev. 11:2 - "And the court which is outside the temple cast out and do not measure it, because it has been given to the Gentiles, and they will trample the holy city for forty-two months."

"a time and times and half a time" (3.5 years) - Rev. 12:13,14 - "And when the dragon saw that he was cast to the earth, he perscuted the woman who brought forth the man-child. And to the woman there were given the two wings of the great eagle that she might fly into the wilderness into her place, where she is nourished for a time and times and half a time from the face of the dragon."

While the raptured ones rejoice in their vindication in heaven the earth is warned that a desperate Satan is henceforth limited to do anything else only on the earth. After the declaration of the overcoming of the corporate man-child we have this:

"Therefore be glad, O heavens and those who dwell in them, Woe to the earth and the sea because the devil has come down to you and has great rage, knowing that he has only a short time." (v.12)

Question: What causes the Devil to have left only "a short time?"
Answer: The termination of the accuser's ability to appear before God to accuse is the commencement of the "short time" for which his most desperate, last ditch opposition to God's people begins.

"And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels went to war with the dragon, And the dragon warred and his angels" (12:7)

Question: What was the catalyst for the angelic warfare in heaven to commence?
Answer: This conflict is the RESULT of the man-child being caught up in rapture to the throne of God. (v.5)
Resurrection and Rapture of the man-child is immediately followed by the angelic servants of God warring with Satan and his evil angels "in heaven." (v.7,8)

Question: What is the result of Michael and the good angels waring with Satan and his angels?
Answer: Satan is afterward limited in scope of activity. He is henceforth restricted to the earth only.

"And they did not prevail, neither was their place found any longer in heaven. And the great dragon was cast down, the ancient serpent, he who is called the Devil and Satan, he who deceives the whole inhabited earth; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast down with him." (Rev. 12:9)

Question: Once Satan's freedom to accuse in heaven terminates and he has been limited to the earth only, what will he do?
Answer: He desperately uses his remaining "short time" to summon up the Antichrist and persecute the saints still on the earth.

"And when the dragon saw that he was cast to the earth, he perscuted the woman who brought forth the man-child. (v.13)
And the dragon became angry with the woman and went away to make war with the rest of her seed, who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus. And he stood on the sand of the sea. And I saw a beast coming up out of the sea, having ten horns and seven heads, and on his horns ten diadems, and on his heads names of blasphemy." (12:18-13:1)

 

[oikonomia]

This chapter twelve begins with this:

And a great sign was seen in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon underneath her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars." (Rev. 12:1)

Who is this woman?
I like to follow those who call her "the Universal Bright Woman". She embodies all the light of the universe. The sun, the moon, and the stars. So she is a woman characterised by universal light.

The UBW "Universal Bright Woman" will eventually be the SAME WOMAN who is the Wife of the Lamb and the Wife/CIty New Jerusalem. This is the New Jesusalem in progress and in process.

The three sections of her mean she is the totality of all of God's people on the earth throughout the ages since the creation of man.

The three great ages are symbolized by the three kinds of lights associated with her.
The major part her body is clothed with the sun meaning the majority of believers in Christ by grace. This is the most part of her. "a woman clothed with the sun". Luke 1:78 says Christ is the sun rising from on high.
So the major part of her body is in Christ of the new covenant.

Another part of her is the reflection of the sun, the moon, which is subject to her. That is the reflection of the sun is under her feet. "and the moon underneath her feet"

This does not mean disrespect of any kind. It means the saints standing in the GRACE of Christ have the Law of God (a reflection of Christ) in subjection, They are not under the law but under grace. So the new covenant saints of this Universal Bright Woman is the sun clothing most of her body. The old covenant saints are the moon underneath her feet.

The patriarchs before the law of Moses are as a crown upon her head.
"on her head a crown of twelve stars."

The tweve stars represent those heroes of faith before the Law of Moses. That is people like Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob . . . etc. They are exalted as a crown on the UBW's head.

The vision should remind us of Joseph's dream of the sun, moon, and eleven stars representing God's elect on earth in Genesis 37:9. The principle is the same - all God's elect on earth through history are symbolized by the Univeral Bright Woman.

Now we should see what is the meaning of the man-child within her which is so important to the enemy Satan's particular attack.

"And she was with child, and she cried out, travailing in birth and being in pain to bring forth. And another sign was seen in heaven; and behold, there was a great red dragon . . . And the dragon stood before the woman who was about to bring forth so that when she brings forth he might devour her child." (vs. 3a,4)

 

[oikonomia]

Concerning the Universal Bright Woman:

I would discourage Bible readers from thinking the Woman in Revelation 12 is Mary.
This makes too much of Mary the mother of Jesus.
Catholicism exalts Mary to the uttermost. But this is not Mary.

Mary did bring forth the baby Jesus. But Jesus did not ascend to heaven immediately after He was born.

I would discourge Bible readers from thinking the Woman in Revelation 12 is only Israel.
This is better than thinking she is Mary. But it is short sighted to limit her to Israel.

Israel did bring forth the Messiah Jesus. Jesus was not caught up to heaven when He was born.

The Universal Bright Woman mean ALL the elect of God throughout all the ages since man was on the earth.
That INCLUDES the God fearing Israelites. But she also includes the partriarchs before Israel and the Jews and Gentiles who comprise those of the new covenant in Christ,

WITHIN this total body of God's people there has always been a remnant and minority who were the stronger part. This is the meaning of the man-child. He is not seperate from the mother. He is IN the mother.
When you see the mother you see within her her child - the stronger overcoming ones - the stronger unit - the Manchild.

Satan is especially against this stonger component from coming forth. For they are able to deal with him.
The woman through the ages cries out in prayer for the deliverance of this stonger unit - the man-child. She travails and cries out for the STRONGER ones within her to emmerge. Satan is especially against this SEED of the woman from Genesis 3.

Christ is the unique HEAD of this man-child of course. But with Christ those who overcome are a remnant collective with Him. This means in principle THE Overcomer of all is Jesus Christ. All the others only overcome because of Him wroughting Himself into their being. I do not mean Christ is asended 1,260 days before the end of the age. He spearheaded by His overcoming all other overcoming of any believers.

Just before the close of this age the deceased overcomers will be raptured from resurrection to the throne of God.
Some living overcomers will also be raptured around that same time. These are both pre-great tribulation raptures.

It is a REWARD to the overcomers of the past and the overcomers present on the earth at that time.
ALL the rest of Woman's seed is saved and raptured latter. Only a portion is rewarded with pre-great tribulation resurrection and rapture.

 

[anetazo]

Revelation chapter 2 and 3. Philadelphia and smyrna are Gods Election. Main reason. Election repent and teach about the Kenites. The other 5 churches Jesus isn't found off. Micah chapter 5. God will raise up 7 shepherds, when the Assyrian comes in our land. Roman's chapter 11, that's God's elect. There's more than 7,000 election. The Assyrian is satan as antichrist near future. Ephesians chapter 6. Those who don't have gospel armory on, lack knowledge and will be defenseless against antichrist lies and deception near future . This isn't time to play church. Many people will end up in sheol. Its holding place for the spirtualty dead or wicked. Revelation chapter 13, majority will push each other out of way to get to antichrist. I documented this.

 

[oikonomia]

Revelation chapter 2 and 3. Philadelphia and smyrna are Gods Election. Main reason. Election repent and teach about the Kenites. The other 5 churches Jesus isn't found off. Micah chapter 5. God will raise up 7 shepherds, when the Assyrian comes in our land. Roman's chapter 11, that's God's elect. There's more than 7,000 election. The Assyrian is satan as antichrist near future. Ephesians chapter 6. Those who don't have gospel armory on, lack knowledge and will be defenseless against antichrist lies and deception near future . This isn't time to play church. Many people will end up in sheol. Its holding place for the spirtualty dead or wicked. Revelation chapter 13, majority will push each other out of way to get to antichrist. I documented this.

This is a time for lovers of Christ to be serious about His church. For it is FOR a loving church He is returning.
There must be a remnant of churching believer whose love is wooing Him back to the earth.
They must not care for the surrounding degradation but give themselves to the Philadelphia church experience of brotherly love. This gives the Lord our Husband the incentive to return for a mature remnant preparing themselves to marry Him.

He does not want to come back to a teenage girl for His marriage. He wants to return to a grown up woman of a bride who has prepared herself for HIm. And this is "documented" in the New Testament.

And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude and like the sound of many waters and like the sound of mighty thunders, saying, Hallelujah! For the Lord our God the Almighty reigns. Let us rejoice and exult, and let us give the glory to Him, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready. And it was given to her that she should be clothed in fine linen, bright and clean; for the fine linen is the righteousnesses [sic] of the saints. And he said to me, Write, Blessed are they who are called to the marriage dinner of the Lamb. And he said to me, These are the true words of God. (Rev. 19:6-9 Recovery Version)

1.) The marriage has come because "His wife has made herself ready."

2.) She has made herself ready by being clothed in the "righteousnessES [sic] of the saints." - "for the fine linen is the righteousnesses of the saints."

The word "righteouesnesses" is not a typo. It is the righteous deeds of the saints.
In other words this proper wedding garment is not the positional righteousness of justification by faith.
It is the righteous LIVING expressed in DEEDS lived out practically of the saints - "the righteousness-ES of the saints"
This means that a critical mass and remnant have corporately arrived at a daily living which adorns their POSITIONAL righteous standing with DISPOSITIONAL deeds of living. This marks some have matured into a collective Wife and Bride ready to be joined to the Lord in the wedding celebration. Some good translations say "righteous acts" or "righteous deeds" or "good things"


New King James Version
And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.

New American Standard Bible
It was given to her to clothe herself in fine linen, bright and clean; for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.

Contemporary English Version
She will be given a wedding dress made of pure and shining linen. This linen stands for the good things God's people have done."

International Standard Version
She has been given the privilege of wearing fine linen, dazzling and pure." (The fine linen represents the righteous deeds of the saints.)