GETTING THE MESSAGE/Satan is a defeated foe
Revelation 12 teaches us that Satan is a defeated foe, yet he is still a dragon, and a menace to Christians as they go through this world. In Revelation 12:13, the dragon pursues “the woman who had given birth to the male child. But the woman was given two wings of the great eagle so that she might fly from the serpent to the wilderness where she is to be nourished.”
This is a picture of the church being protected by Christ by providing for her in this wilderness of the world we live in. The protection is upholding the believer’s faith when tribulations come through the nourishment of God’s word and providential mercies to work good out of bad. The Christian can depend upon God.
When God spoke to Israel through Moses in Exodus 19, he told them he had delivered them from Pharaoh and brought them on eagle’s wings to bring them to himself. These are blessed words. They are in the wilderness, but they are with God. To be with God is the most blessed thing possible. Sadly, many of the Israelites turned from God to the idols and immorality of the nations.
The apostle Paul warns us that they are an example of unbelief and disobedience. They did not want the Lord as their portion in this world and perished apart from him. With a devil prowling around, we do well to learn humility and meekness of spirit, and that God is the source of all good.
The key to the Christian’s protection from Satan is being “nourished.” There is no other means of nourishment than that which God provides. All comes from Christ. We cannot uphold ourselves. We must be nourished by his word and Spirit. Just as a mother nourishes a child, Jesus takes a soul and nourishes it with the milk of his word. Learn to love everything of Christ; the Lord’s Day, the Lord’s Supper, the Lord’s word, The Lord’s Spirit, …etc.
In verse Revelation 12:15, we read that “the serpent poured water like a river out of his mouth after the woman, to sweep her away with a flood.” The serpent is crafty. The river out of his mouth is a river of deceptive words. He is the deceiver of the whole world. He would sweep the church away with lies and false teaching.
We see in verse 16 that the earth came to the aid of the woman by opening its mouth and swallowing the river out of the dragon’s mouth. Make no mistake, the dragon is a murderer. Deception will ruin the soul. A flood is a terrible, life-threatening thing.
When Korah and others challenged the authority of Moses, the earth opened up and swallowed them. They would have impugned the prophet of God. So too would the devil give you a different Christ. He comes as an angel of light but is seeking whom he may devour with lies.
Jesus was buried in the earth, but he rose from the dead. The simple gospel of a crucified Christ, the Son of God as a sacrifice for sinners acceptable to God, refutes all the devil’s lies. We have a need to know our corruption. If you know you are ill, you go to a physician. That Christ had to die for me proves beyond all doubt I am full of corruption. What do I have to boast in? The devil would give me a partial Christ, some his work some mine. But I answer, “Nothing in my hands I bring, simply to thy cross I cling.”
In verse 17, we see the dragon makes war on those “who keep the commandments of God and hold to the testimony of Jesus.” It is a blessed thing to have that title. It is a summary of the nature of one who possesses the beatitudes in Matthew 5. They are poor in spirit, (know their sin), so they cling to Jesus for salvation. They are pure in heart, (not double-minded), so they follow Christ. Jesus said, “My sheep hear my voice and follow me.” “He that loves me, keeps my commands.”
A simple word is blessed, “follow me.” Once a soul gets a sight of the loveliness of Christ, the majesty of Christ, the absolute veracity of Christ, he will leave all to follow him. God gives his people a taste of the divine love and favor to see the treasure that Christ is. Thus, we have the armor of God to withstand the devil. As the psalmist says, “Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good.”