Introduction:

Antisemitism is on the rise and according to the Anti-Defamation League it is on a consistent, five year upswing which they report is unparalleled in the three decades plus, of their data collection. In the current era, they continue to see the proliferation of anti-Semitic ideology. Vandalism, violence, shootings, fires and verbal attacks are all forms of antisemitism that remain prevalent today and even hate speech online.

Satan has been trying to destroy Israel since the beginning and he tried *through many different ways to do it in the past. God chose the Jewish people not because of their number, power, greatness, or anything of that nature. It is simply that God is sovereign and chose Israel to be the vehicle for His plan for the world. God’s plan for this world revolves around His chosen people and will end with all His promises to them fulfilled.

Once Satan and His angels are cast to earth antisemitism will reach a fever point and once again he will attempt via the anti-Christ to eradicate the Jewish race. However, Almighty God will have none of it as we will learn from this passage today.

I. Satan wars against Michael Angels (12:7-9)

1. Rev 12: 7-9 speaks of a Great War that is first fought in heaven. Many Bible scholars believe what triggers this war in heaven could possibly be the Rapture. All believers will be caught up to the third heaven and we must go through the domain of Satan. Remember he is the Prince power of the air and he has waged war before in the heavens as we read in Daniel chapter 10.

A great supernatural warfare will take place and Michael will come with his holy hosts in the power of God and makes sure the saints get where we’re going. – Daniel 12:1

a) Dr. Henry Morris writes, “With what weapons and by what tactics is this heavenly warfare waged? That’s beyond our understanding. Angels cannot be injured or slain with earthly weapons, and such physical forces as we know about are not able to move spiritual beings. But these beings do operate in a physical universe.

2. We can see up to this point in time Satan has access to heaven and uses it for his purposes. Folks Satan is not in hell, he is not there stoking the coals making it hot for those to come. In fact Satan has never been to hell and he doing all he can to usurp God’s power and God’s plan not to ever go there.

However, he will never stop God’s final judgment on Him. He is going there and by the way when he gets there he’s not going to be in charge. In fact, when the devil gets to hell, he will be the lowest evil creature there. He will be assigned the most horrible punishment of any creature ever created. He will not be the lord of hell. …

3. We can conclude from this passage and others that Satan spends time, in heaven. The theater of his operations descends from the air, the heavens where there’s a celestial warfare with Michael and the holy angels, right down to earth where Satan and his demons are engaged in controlling the world systems of religion, economics and government. This is the global new world order that is under way.

Satan was once the anointed cherub exalted above all other angels living in heaven with God and even now still spends most of his efforts before the throne of God? It tells us in verse 10, that he’s there day and night. He still has access to heaven and he’s not in hell. The day is soon approaching that there will be a war in heaven.
Matt 25:41
4. Now what this text tells us is that he will be expelled from heaven to earth and ultimately after that he will be sent to hell, which is defined as the lake of fire prepared for the devil and his angels. Michael is pictured as the guardian angel of God’s people. He seems to be sort of a prime administrator of God. (Dan 10:21/12:1, I Thess. 4:16 /Jude 9)

God will dispatch this Patron Angel of Israel and his angels against Satan and his fallen angels. Scripture teaches that God has assigned angels to look after and to minister to believers. (Hebrews 1:14)

5. Michael is the only angel in the Bible specifically called an archangel, who is the guardian of God’s people (see Daniel 10:13 & 21 and Jude 9). After Michael defeats Satan and his angels, Satan is cast out of heaven (Rev. 12:7-9).

II Satan & His Angels are Cast Out & Down (12:10-12)

1. It is clear from verse 10 that Satan’s defeat in the war in heaven is connected with the birth, ministry, death, and resurrection of Christ. Christ has already defeated Satan, the actual execution or sentencing is yet to happen. Read with me verse 11; And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death. **** Gospel…
….and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. I John 1:7

2. However, like a suborn mule he keeps testing God and challenging Him. He’s there day and night accusing believers before God, ranting in the ear of God, about the unworthiness of believers. He is there reminding God of our sin and our failure and telling God He ought to send us all to hell… which accused them before our God day and night.

Application:
Note that the chief work of the evil one Satan is making accusation about you and me. It is his favorite past time. It is what his name the “Devil” actually mean in Greek; diabolos = prone to slander, slanderous, accusing falsely.
Folks, slander and gossip against the brethren is the work of Satan, it should not be the practice of any child of God. Have you gossip or slandered someone, behind their back.

3. You notice the term “cast down” is used in verse 10 in verse nine it was cast out. Where is he cast down to? Take a look at verse 12. Down means down to earth. He is now confined and isolated on earth. Satan is on the earth and all his demons are confined here too. So the conflict reaches a fever pitch. Folks, what makes the Tribulation so horrible are not just the judgment of God, but it is the arrival of Satan and all of his fallen Angels. We already have 200, 000 demons roaming the earth and now the Prince of evil is here to lead them. Satan game plan will be to rid the earth of all Jews therefore thaw the plan for Christ return.

III Satan Persecutes Israel (Rev.12:14)

1. The Israelites will flee during the last half of the Tribulation because the persecution of the Jews will be at an all-time high, but God will be faithful to the Israelites and will provide for them. This persecution will begin before the midpoint of the Tribulation, because we find in chapter 6 verses 9 -1, remember in the opening of the seals, there are already souls who have been slain in the past and they’re under the altar slain for the Word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ.

2. Please note, in verse 17 of chapter 12, those are the very people that Satan is making war against, those who keep the commandments of God and hold the testimony of Jesus. So it seems that the persecution begins before the midpoint. The midpoint is when it focuses on Israel. Only the 144, 000 are reserved from this persecution.

3. The woman (Israel) will be delivered by two wings of a great eagle. This is a picture of the delivering arms of God. The phrase “were given” speaks of God’s determinate appointment and time. So Israel’s situation is going to be terrifying, however, God is going to come to her aid. These two wings of the great eagle are given to the woman in order that she might fly into the wilderness to her place where she was nourished for a time and times and half a time from the presence of the serpent according to verse #6. (Read with me)

a) Remember when the Jews left Egypt they fled to the wilderness. Now this is figurative language but it has the idea of rescue, or escape. The imagery is actually taken from Exodus 19:4. Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagles’ wings, and brought you unto myself. You remember the whole force of the Egyptian army was coming after Israel and God delivered them swiftly. These eagle’s wings could be a metaphor for God delivering His people from Satan’s killing force. Wings in Scripture speak of speed, they speak of protection, such as the hovering wings, but more importantly they speak of a flight to safety.

b) We must also note the eagle is symbolic of world powers such as in the O.T. Ezekiel 17:3&7 designates Babylon and Egypt as the wings of great eagles. In early Church history, Rome’s’ emblem was the eagle.

4. If we were to interpret this passage in light of contemporary history and follow this same rule of symbolism it may possibly refer to the United States. President John F. Kennedy once wrote: “The Founding Fathers made an appropriate choice when they selected the bald eagle as the emblem of the nation. The fierce beauty and proud independence of this great bird aptly symbolizes the strength and freedom of America.”

So, perhaps, the two wings of the great eagle may here indicate America who has the ability and the navy stationed in the Middle East to pull off such an air-lift much like we did with our allies from 1948-49 during the Berlin Airlift the greatest humanitarian /aviation event in history. It is not a certainty but is hope for revival for our nation …it could be.

Conclusion:

The saints rejoice over this one who accused them day and night, being cast out. They know his end is near. Your purpose for Israel will come to fulfillment. Praise for triumph in heaven praise for triumph on earth.