Three Easy Questions

Three Questions when you read the chapter you wish to study:

1. What does the chapter say?

2. What does that mean – specifically – to me?

3. What am I going to do about it?

Some add an optional memory verse as a part of the process to help them retain what God has said to them.

Most exciting book of the Bible

It is a book containing

Symbolism

Prophecy

Truth

Blessings

Cursings

A great deal of other stuff!

Some principles of Bible study:

Take the text in context

Be sure of literal or symbolic interpretations

Don’t be afraid to ask the Author ;)

Cooper’s first rule of Interpretation:

If the plain sense of Scripture makes good sense, then seek no other sense!

Scripture should interpret itself based on context and what other passages of the Bible have to say

Text without context is pretext

KV 11: How to win the invisible war

1 - 8: The cast of characters

9 - 17: The invisible war

The Woman in Revelation 12 – Who is this?

Possible ideas include:• The Virgin Mary• The Church• The Nation of Israel

Cooper’s Rules of Interpretation: Scripture interprets Scripture! See Genesis 37:9-10

"9 Now he had still another dream, and related it to his brothers, and said, "Lo, I have had still another dream; and behold, the sun and the moon and eleven stars were bowing down to me." 10 He related it to his father and to his brothers; and his father rebuked him and said to him, "What is this dream that you have had? Shall I and your mother and your brothers actually come to bow ourselves down before you to the ground?"

Jacob (renamed Israel by God) tells us that the Woman represents the Family of Israel with the EXACT SYMBOLOGY USED IN GENESIS!

The Red Dragon is very easily identified. Any guesses as to who this may represent?

The Enemy! • Red – the colour of sin. (Isaiah 1:18 – “though your sins are as

scarlet…”)• Dragon – a form of serpent – Genesis 3 tells us about serpents• Seven Heads – possibly representing a political body of sorts?• Ten Horns – Possibly the heads of state for this governmental

body?

His tail swept away 1/3 of the angels in Heaven! This is possibly a reference to the angels that followed him into rebellion against God.

This spells trouble for the Woman and her offspring.

The identity of this character will depend on how you view who the woman is a few verses earlier.

Possible identities include:• Jesus• The Church• The Overcomer (group of believers within the Church)

Remember Cooper’s First Rule of Bible Interpretation!

Because we have already identified the woman in this chapter as the Family of Israel, the identity of the individual here is most easily interpreted as Jesus. It is also the least complicated explanation, which fits another logic model known as Occam’s Razor – The simplest explanation is probably the right one.

They escape into the “wilderness” for 3.5 years (there’s that number again)!

Michael the Archangel is the easiest of these characters to identify. He is actually named as the commander of Heaven’s legions here.

In fact, a war is described in Heaven between Michael and his angels and the Dragon and his angels. If we are spiritually tuned, we can see evidence of this battle around us. Just read the headlines on the newspaper most days.

We call this “The Invisible War,” and I mentioned a book by the same title earlier. I have found a PDF of it, and I can email it to you if you want it, just email me about it.

Michael and his forces are, we are told, victorious in ejecting the Dragon and His angels from the Heavenly realm, and these latter are cast down to the Earth, along with all his forces. Is this part of a timeline, like we have been drawing for the judgements we have looked at so far?

I really don’t know. Because of the symbolism in this chapter, I am uncertain of this representing events inside normal space-time.

This is the point I am referring to when I say, “I’ve read the end of the book – we win.” ;)

Satan and his demon allies and minions will finally be excluded from the Heavenly realm.

There will be worse to follow for that particular group in upcoming chapters.

So where DOES this fit in time? I don’t know, and to speculate at this point would be mere conjecture.

One thing we do know…

T h e A n g e l s W I N !

So what does that mean for us today? We are also engaged in spiritual warfare!

Ephesians 6:12 - “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.”

Just like Michael and the angelic forces, as Christians we are ALSO engaged in this warfare – and the battle is about us! Who will we serve?

2 Corinthians 10: 4-5 – “…for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses. We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ…”

Like God, man is ALSO a three-part being, and all three parts of us need redemption through Christ, as it says in the last verse, as we “hold to the testimony of Jesus.” Okay, where am I getting that in the Bible you ask? Good question.

1 Thessalonians 5:23 says, “Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Spirit = Gk. Pneuma – Breath, life, i.e., the breath of GodSoul = Gk. Psuke – Heart, mind, life, personality if you willBody = Gk. Soma – Body, substance, reference to the physical

Each part must be saved. Our spirit was saved when we repented of our sins and believed in Jesus as our own Lord and Saviour. Our soul is saved through the sufferings we endure here (you knew trials had a point right?). Our body will be saved when Jesus returns for His bride – the church – US!

And brothers and sisters, is there EVER a lot going on!!!!

Have a look at this picture! This is what happens to the saved person when they do NOT follow the Lord Jesus. Basically, you have nothing but problems.

So what is the big message here? What is the application of this chapter with its cast of characters and its invisible and heavenly conflict that eventually we win?

It’s this…

We are in a fight! HOWEVER, God has not left us unequipped for our part in this invisible war.

Ephesians 6:13-18 – “Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. Stand firm therefore, having girded your loins with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints…”

The only place we have NO armour is on our back – we are meant to FACE the enemy. God has our backs – Isaiah 58:8d says, “The glory of the Lord will be your rear guard.”

Remember the “gates” of Hell? Gates are DEFENSIVE.

Things to remember and implement:

1. We are participants in an invisible war. Although victory by the forces of Heaven are described here, that is a future event at this time.

2. God has provided equipment for us to use. Let us put on the armour He provides and engage with the weaponry He has placed at our disposal.

3. When the enemy comes to fight, let us face him squarely, knowing that our footing is sure and that God literally has our backs.