Michigan Camp Meeting 2024: As For Me and My House

<p>Free sharing permitted under the Creative Commons <a rel="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/us/">BY-NC-ND 3.0 (US)</a> license.</p>

Michigan Conference of Seventh-day Adventists

Understanding Revelation 12-14

Tom Shepherd

01 How to Interpret the Book of Revelation

You are about to enjoy a presentation recorded at the 2024 Michigan Conference Camp Meeting held at Cedar Lake, Michigan.

We pray that the Lord will bless you as you listen.

Lord, we thank you for this opportunity to study the book of Revelation.

We pray, Lord, that you'll deepen our experience of your love, your grace and power as we look into this book, especially in its central vision.

So we're going to read the first 3 verses of the book of Revelation here they are.

Revelation of Jesus Christ which God gave him to show to his servants the things that must soon take place.

He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John.

Who bore witness to the word of God and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, even to all that he saw.

Blessed is the 1 who reads aloud the words of this prophecy and blessed are those who hear and who keep what is written in it for the time is near.

Now it's interesting it says to read aloud.

1 of the things we're going to talk about today is how to interpret the book of Revelation.

Then the rest of the week we're going to dive into the central vision of chapters 12, 13, and 14.

So probably most everybody is really interested in chapters 12, 13, and 14.

But it's good to get some kind of groundwork about how to interpret the book, how to understand the book.

And 1 of the ways to do that actually is to read it aloud.

Now, most of us were taught how to read aloud when we were in the third grade.

Oh, this is the English Standard Version.

English Standard Version, which is an update on the Revised Standard Version.

It's kind of like a revision of a revision of a revision of the King James.

And if you have questions about translations, stay afterwards.

I'll be happy to talk to you about those kinds of questions.

But most of us learned how to read when we were in third grade, And after about maybe the fifth grade, we were never asked to read out loud okay, and So sometimes when people are asked to read the scripture in church They read it like this Well God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life." That's a great text, but that's not the way to read it.

Another time maybe we can have a class on how to read the scriptures aloud.

But to read it aloud, it should go like this, For God so loved the world, and gave his only Son, That whoever believes in him should not perish, and have eternal life.

When you announce the scripture to read it, how many times should you announce it?

This is the most famous verse in the Bible.

Because it gives people time to open their Bible.

And you want them to bring their Bible to church, right?

But if they bring their phone, they're probably going to look at that instead of listen to the sermon.

Okay, so, what about those words that I underlined, made it known?

Now the Greek word that stands behind this is that beautiful word up there, simenon.

And it means to show by symbols, to show by figurative representation.

So, When we read the book of Revelation, the Apocalypse, we expect symbols.

Now, most of the Bible, we don't expect to see symbols.

When it says Jesus rode on a donkey into Jerusalem, we don't say, what does the junkie represent?

We don't ask those kind of allegorical questions.

But when we come to the book of Revelation, it's kind of turned upside down, because it told us at the beginning, it's made known, it's shown by symbols.

And of course, the book of Revelation is filled with symbols.

Do you remember the first time you read the book of Revelation?

When I tell stories in church to the children, I say, this story comes from a long, long time ago.

But I have some memory of reading the book of Revelation the first time.

Now maybe it's still confusing when you read it.

You see all those different things that are going on.

There's these locusts and there's swords coming out of Jesus' mouth.

There's dragons, there's these evil spirits like frogs.

You're like, oh my goodness, what does this all mean?

All right, so that's why you need a lecture on how to interpret the book of Revelation, see?

And so we're gonna go through some steps, all right?

If they've made multiple revisions of the King James Version, why does somebody just say to show by symbol instead of make it noun?

Well there's different, this word has different meanings, a variety of meanings.

So every translation is actually an interpretation.

And it helps us understand that we expect to see symbols in this book.

Of course, you don't have to read very far and you come across symbols.

Some people get a little worried about this idea of symbols.

I met somebody, I was just recently here, none of you, but I met somebody and I said, oh, it's symbolic.

They were asking me a question about Revelation.

Oh, they said, don't make it all just fiction.

So here's the steps we're going to go through.

We're going to talk about an outline of the book of Revelation.

I can't go into great detail on this, but I'm going to show you an outline of the book of Revelation.

Rules for interpreting symbols, because we know that there are symbols in this book.

We're also going to find that Old Testament allusions are key to interpreting the book of Revelation.

And then I'm going to give you a brief little rundown on the different schools of interpretation, the different ways that people approach the Book of Revelation.

Okay, so you like those 3, it's good stuff, right?

02 Revelation 12: The Woman, the Dragon, and the Baby

Lord, we thank you for this opportunity to study your word today and pray that you will guide us as we study the book of Revelation, chapter 12.

We thank you for giving us this word, Lord, to guide us and to help us to be encouraged about Jesus soon coming.

All right, we're gonna do this old school way.

I hope you brought your Bible today because we're gonna read the Bible and study it.

Now, we're gonna do this chapter a little bit different.

All right, and you know, you've read this chapter before.

It's the chapter about the woman, the dragon, the baby, and the remnant, all right?

We're gonna start, and I have a reason for this, we're going to start reading in verse 7.

So, we're going to read verse 7 through the end of the chapter, which is verse 17.

So, like we did yesterday, I'm going to give people the opportunity to read a verse, and when you read it, you read it nice and loud.

And there was war in heaven, and Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon fought and his angels.

And prevailed not, neither was their place found any more than heaven.

So the great dragon was cast out, a serpent of old called the devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world.

He was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.

And I heard a loud voice say in heaven, Now, there comes salvation and strength in the kingdom of our God and the power of his Christ, for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.

And they overcame him by the blood of the lamb, and by the word of their testimony.

And they loved not their hands unto the devil.

Rejoice, O heavens, and you who dwell in them.

Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and the sea, for the devil has come down to you having a great wrath because he knows that he has a short time.

And when the dragon saw that he was cast onto the earth, he persecuted the woman which brought forth the man child.

And to the woman were given 2 wings of a 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 serpent.

So the serpent spewed water out of his mouth like a flood that he might cause or he carried away by the flood.

And the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened her mouth and swallowed up the blood which the dragon cast out of his mouth.

And the dragon broke off with the woman and went to make war with the remnant of her seed.

So as keeper of the commandments of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ.

Okay, well that's quite a story, isn't it?

All right, now let's just think about this story just a little bit.

I'm not gonna write anything on the board yet.

I just wanna give you an opportunity to kind of think with me as to what happened here.

All right, so let's first talk about what happened.

That's a surprising place for a war, isn't it?

Michael and his angels fighting the dragon.

So there's a heavenly combatants, you know, are going at it.

It doesn't describe exactly how this war, you know, it doesn't say whether it's a war with lasers or with swords or you know, just what is it, just that there's battle, right?

At that point, the Dragon and his angels lost.

And he's cast to the earth and it looks like now there's going to be an earthly battle.

And what happens when these cast down to the earth?

God provides for her and she's rescued, at will.

Right, And it seems he doesn't always choose his weapons well.

What does he use to do to go after the woman in the desert?

Evidently there was some sand some place where the woman was.

03 Revelation 13: The Two Beasts Part 1

Lord, we thank you for the opportunity again to open your word and we pray that you'll guide our study today.

Now, I'm going to start with a little bit about Revelation 12 because Yesterday we talked about Revelation 12 and the timing of the war, the great war in heaven, and suggested probably something that was a little new to some, the idea that maybe this war is what happened when Jesus rose from the dead and placed all the demonic powers under his feet.

And that shows up in various places in the New Testament.

But we've always taught that there's, this is actually before creation that this war happens.

And of course, there's, you can say, well, verse 4 where it says the dragon swept down a third of the stars, You know, you can say, well, that's that part of the war, and this part of the war is the other part.

Now, the question is, where does Ellen White come out on this?

I want to share with you 2 quotes from Ellen White on this topic, which may surprise you, all right?

So, the emphasis in the quotes I have added, so it's my emphasis, but it's, of course, her words.

At the death of Jesus, the soldiers, this is from 3rd Spirit of Prophecy, page 194, at the death of Jesus, the soldiers had beheld the earth wrapped in profound darkness at midday.

But at the resurrection, they saw the brightness of the angels illuminate the night, and heard the inhabitants of heaven singing with great joy and triumph.

Thou hast vanquished Satan and the powers of darkness.

Thou hast swallowed up death in victory, and I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, now has come salvation and strength and the kingdom of our God and the power of his Christ for the accuser of our brethren is cast down who accused them before our God day and night.

The casting down of Satan as an accuser of the brethren in heaven was accomplished by the great work of Christ in giving up his life.

Notwithstanding Satan's persistent opposition, the plan of redemption was being carried out.

Man was esteemed of sufficient value for Christ to sacrifice his life for him." All right, so there's evidence in Ellen White pointing in the direction of what we said yesterday.

Here's 1 Thessalonians selected messages, page 222.

This work of opposition to the law of God had its beginning in the courts of heaven, with Lucifer the covering chair.

Satan determined to be first in the counsel of heaven and equal with God.

He began his work of rebellion with the angels under his command, seeking to diffuse among them the spirit of discontent.

And he worked in so deceptive a way that many of the angels were won to his allegiance before his purposes were fully known.

Even the loyal angels could not fully discern his character nor see to what his work was leading.

When Satan had succeeded in winning many angels to his side, he took his cause to God, representing that it was the desire of the angels that he occupied the position that Christ held.

The evil continued to work until the spirit of disaffection ripened into active revolt.

Then there was war in heaven, and Satan, with all who sympathized with him, was cast out." Well, that's the word there, isn't it?

Satan had warred for the mastery in heaven and had lost the battle.

God could no longer trust him with honor and supremacy, and these, with the part he had taken in the government of heaven, were taken from him." So Ellen White connects the words of Revelation 12 with both the time before the creation of our world and with the time of the cross, the resurrection and the ascension of Jesus.

Just hang on, questions, we'll give you time for questions.

Well, We have posited that the war in heaven narrative of verses 7 to 12 particularly links to Christ's ascension and defeat of spiritual forces.

What we have not mentioned up to this point is verse 4, which says, his tail swept down a third of the stars of heaven and cast them to the earth.

And the dragon stood before the woman who was about to give birth so that when she bore her child, he might devour it.

The text alludes to Daniel 8, verse 10, where the little horn power boasts of great power, even up to the heavenly beings, casting down stars.

We will see in our study of Revelation 13 that the little horn power is an earthly representative of a spiritual power it is allied with.

So, but perhaps we can suggest that Revelation 12 verse 4 presents Satan dragging down angels in his original rebellion against God, and that after the cross, Satan was defeated in the heavenly realm by the risen Christ.

That is to say, from now on, Satan has no more access to the heavenly courts or the heavenly realm as he did during the time of Job.

Now he is confined to earth and soon his final doom will come.

I can understand why he was cast out of heaven.

I can understand why God wouldn't just eliminate him because of the point he brought up and yet God needed everybody to inverse the seed that he wasn't the bad guy after all.

What I don't understand is how come he didn't take away his powers?

Because it's the same reason as if he had destroyed him.

You aren't giving me a chance to show what my realm would be like.

In fact, Jesus said, he's the father of lies.

When he speaks a lie, he's speaking his mother tongue.

That would be my answer, maybe it's not satisfactory.

Okay, there was a question, not back here.

Okay, so that actually, Revelation 12 does not complete the story.

So many times over a lifetime you hear of this battle and we think like war.

But it could very much be more like a chess game.

What 1 of intellect going back and forth, not necessarily a physical battle that has to end.

And if Job is, you know, like he had access to heaven for a while and then he's out and cast out.

So there doesn't necessarily have to be that kind of warfare, but more of an intellectual type of warfare.

I moved this over here so our sister here can see.

I didn't know there was something up there.

You didn't know there was something up there, yeah.

Yeah, so I do not define what the war was like exactly.

All we know is it was a war, and I think it's probably better not to say, you know, were they using weapons, were they shooting lasers, were there atomic bombs?

And- Well, I'm simply implying that it can take over a period of time.

Not necessarily 1 quick battle and now he's out.

It is a battle that's been going on for thousands of years.

So it is not a short battle, but there are different key moments of that battle.

Him thrown out of heaven, the cross, and of course then the second coming of Jesus.

Yeah, it was my understanding that he and the fallen angels, speaking of Lucifer slash Satan, was cast out to earth, but still wasn't guaranteed him back access into heaven until he was able to make our Father Eve and Father Adam fall.

So then he became the prince of the earth when they did that, and that allowed him now access.

That would answer the question of why now.

He was cast out, but he had access now because he was able to conquer earth by them following.

And then there was also a vision by Ellen White when she went to a world and asked, oh you guys look so great, how are you like this?

And she gave the biggest slap in the face to earth people, it's because we kept the commandments of God.

04 Revelation 13: The Two Beasts Part 2

Lord, we thank you for the opportunity again to open your Word.

And we thank you for the truths that you give to us there.

And as we study Revelation 13, we pray that you'll help us to see its truth, and also that our Lord Jesus is the conqueror.

All right, so we've been talking about, maybe I should just back up just a tad here, just real quick.

But we had 7 characteristics of the- Let's see here.

There we go, The 7 identifying marks of the sea beast, its composite nature.

It's kind of like a conglomeration of all the evil of the beasts of Daniel 7.

The time of its rise that it would rise after the dragon that represents both Satan and pagan Rome.

His location we would expect to be in Rome because the dragon gives his throne to the beast.

And then his character as a blasphemous character, that's where we finished up last time, and then we're gonna look at its duration, its destiny, and its name.

All right, so let's just kind of go forward here to where we were, slide 66, I think, character.

That's where we were talking about blasphemy.

And the summary we had of blasphemy was that in summary, it is blasphemy when a human being claims power to do actions that are reserved to God or claims to be God.

Can I ask a very quick question on that point?

I have wondered, maybe you've heard this before, but I've wondered, we are getting our definitions on blasphemy from the Pharisees.

Is there anywhere else in the Bible that corroborates what they were saying blasphemy was?

And we, I'm bringing this over here so I can sit down.

And we talked about, we described what blasphemy is from the other sources that we talked about where Paul describes that he was a blasphemer.

We saw his, the description in 1 Timothy 1.13.

Though formerly I was a blasphemer, a persecutor, an insolent opponent, but I received mercy because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief.

So we said actually that the term blasphemy means to slander, to defame, abusive speech, to injure by reputation, to revile, to defame.

Series

Understanding Revelation 12-14

02 Revelation 12: The Woman, the Dragon, and the Baby

Transcript

Parent Series

Parent Conference

Sponsor

Recorded

The Godhead

The Godhead Part 2

1h 1m

Teaching Wellness to Teaching the Word

1h 3m

Emmanuel Institute Bootcamp

4. Antichrist

1h 42m

Understanding Difficult Topics

1. Understanding and Explaining the Secret Rapture

1h

ANCHOR School of Theology

26. The Importance of Literary Structure in the Study of the Millennium Part 2

58m

Toleration, Liberty, and Personal Freedom

06 Toleration, Liberty, and Personal Freedom

1h 1m

The Sanctuary, 1844, & Why it Matters

01 The Sanctuary Parable

1h 1m

Presenting Persuasive Appeals During Keys to Revelation

05 Presenting Christ Centered Appeals with Confidence

1h 1m

01 Identifying the Bloody Woman

1h 7m

Amazing Disciples

27. Caveman Theology

49m

Foundations for Hope in the Book of Hebrews

01 Foundations for Hope in the Book of Hebrews

53m

Understanding Revelation 12-14

01 How to Interpret the Book of Revelation

1h 3m

Sound Doctrine