July 26, 2020 – Revelation 12

Lesson Date: July 26, 2020

Focal Scripture Passage: Revelation 12:1-17

AIM: To lead students to realize that we live in a war zone caused by Satan’s rebellion and unending attacks on God and His people, and to discover and claim the weapons with which we can overcome Satan and his forces.

Before class: Read the notes on Revelation 12 found in the Sunday School Teacher Book. The seven “seal” envelopes should still be posted somewhere in your classroom and the grid filled with information about the trumpet judgments should still be on the marker board or chalkboard.

INTRODUCTION (Create Learning Readiness): Ask the class to name some famous military leaders throughout history. They might name Alexander the Great, Napoleon, George Washington, George Patton, Douglas MacArthur, or others. Ask: “Why are those people regarded as great leaders?” (because they won amazing and impressive victories).

Ask: “What would you think of a general who never won a victory? Would that person become famous or be considered great?” (no, he would be called a loser). Tell the students we are naturally drawn to winners, not losers.

Ask: “What do you think it would be like to live in a war zone?” (frightening and dangerous). Tell the class we live in a war zone caused by the relentless attacks of Satan and his forces, but there is good news for the child of God: in today’s lesson we will learn that Satan’s attacks will ultimately fail and we have weapons with which we may overcome him.

HEART OF THE LESSON (Bible Study):

1. Review.
   • Remind the class that we are studying the book of Revelation.
   • Tell the class that we are learning about the terrible judgments through which the Lord Jesus Christ will defeat Satan and reclaim His rightful place as king of the universe.
   • Remind them that we have already learned about the opening of the seven seals and the blowing of the seven trumpets.
   • Ask: “What was last week’s lesson about?” (God is in control; the two witnesses and the seventh trumpet).
   • Ask if any volunteer would recite last week’s memory verses ( 6:7-8).
2. The Woman, the Dragon, and the Man Child.
   • Ask a volunteer to read Revelation 12:1-2.
   • Ask: “What did John see in heaven?” (a woman).
   • Ask: “How did he describe this woman in verse 1?” (she was clothed with the sun, the moon was under her feet, and she wore a crown of twelve stars).
   • Ask: “According to verse 2, what was the woman doing?” (laboring to deliver a child).
   • Tell the class that the woman represents Israel, struggling to bring forth the Messiah.
   • Read Revelation 12:3-4.
   • Ask: “What did John see next in heaven?” (a dragon).
   • Ask: “How did he describe the dragon in verse 3?” (big, red, with seven heads, ten horns, and seven crowns).
   • Ask: “Who do you think this dragon is?” (Satan).
   • Ask: “According to verse 4, what two things did Satan do?” (drew a third of the stars out of heaven and cast them to the earth, and stood before the laboring woman ready to eat her child as soon as it was born).
   • Explain the following:
     • Satan’s original name was Lucifer, a high-ranking angel.
     • Sometime in eternity past, Lucifer became puffed up with pride and tried to overthrow Almighty God so he could claim heaven’s throne for himself (Isa. 14:12-17; Eze. 28:12-17).
     • A third of the angels (the “stars of heaven”) followed Lucifer in his rebellion attempt.
     • The result of Lucifer’s failed rebellion was that he and the angels (demons) who followed him lost their dwelling place in heaven and were cast down to the earth.
     • Ever since that time Satan and his demons have tried to destroy God’s plan and lure humans into sin. That is the foundational cause for all the sin, violence, heartache, and suffering in the world.
     • Verse 4 reminds us that Satan has tried to destroy Israel throughout her history, and tried to kill Jesus from the time He was born in Bethlehem (Matt. 2:16-18).
   • Ask a volunteer to read Revelation 12:5-6.
   • Ask: “Who is the man child born out of Israel?” (Jesus).
   • Ask: “How is He described in verse 5?” (He is to rule all nations with a rod of iron; after His earthly ministry was completed He returned to his Father in heaven).
   • Note from verse 6 that the woman (Israel) will flee to the wilderness where she will be provided for and protected by God.
   • Ask: “How long will God protect and feed her?” (1,260 days – 3½ years).
   • Explain the following:
     • At the mid-point of the Tribulation the Antichrist with defile the Temple by claiming to be God and demanding that everyone on earth worship him. This is known as the Abomination of Desolation (Dan. 11:31; Matt. 24:15; 2 Thess. 2:3-4).
     • Jesus warned that when the Jews saw this they should quickly flee to the mountainous wilderness east of Israel (Matt. 24:16-20).
     • Jews who believe and heed His warning will do so, and God will provide for them.
   • Summarize: Satan tried to overthrow God but failed. Ever since his rebellion, there has been a universal struggle between good and evil. Satan hates God and everything that belongs to God, including us.
3. War In Heaven.
   • Read Revelation 12:7-9.
   • Ask: “What did John see next in heaven?” (war).
   • Ask: “Who was fighting?” (the archangel Michael and his holy angels fought against Satan and his demons).
   • Explain the following:
     • This reminds us of Satan’s rebellion in eternity past, but it has a future fulfillment.
     • During the terrible Tribulation period on earth, Satan and his demons will try again to assault heaven and take God’s throne.
     • Even though Satan and his demons no longer live in heaven, he still has access to heaven today (Job 1:6-12; 2:1-7; Zech. 3:1-2), where he comes before the Lord to bring accusations against God’s children (verse 10).
     • When Satan loses this war he will lose access to heaven forever.
   • Ask: “How is he described in verse 9?” (the great dragon, the old serpent, the devil, Satan, the deceiver of the world).
   • Tell the class at this point in the last half of the Tribulation Satan will have been defeated and banished from heaven forever.
   • Ask: “How do you think heaven will react to Satan’s defeat?”
   • Ask a volunteer to read Revelation 12:10-12.
   • Ask: “What did John hear in verse 10?” (a loud voice in heaven praising God and rejoicing that Satan has been cast down and can no longer accuse the brethren).
   • Tell the students by this time Christ’s return will be fast approaching, so all of heaven rejoices that Satan’s power, deception, and accusations will soon come to an end.
   • Ask: “According to verse 11, how do Christians overcome Satan and his demons?” (the blood of the Lamb, the word of their testimony, and loving the Lord more than life).
   • Explain the following:
     • The blood of Jesus paid the price for our sins, freeing us from the devil’s ownership and control (Eph. 2:1-3).
     • Our testimony of how Jesus Christ transformed us from condemned sinners into redeemed saints takes away any grounds Satan may have to accuse us.
     • When we realize that eternity with Jesus is far more to be desired than this feeble life in our sin-tainted flesh, it frees us from the fear Satan tries to inflict upon us.
   • Ask: “According to verse 12, how will heaven react to Satan’s defeat?” (with rejoicing).
   • Ask: “What warning is given to those still living on earth at that time?” (beware because Satan has come down to you filled with great wrath).
   • Ask: “What will Satan know?” (that his time is running out).
   • Summarize: Satan will lose his final direct assault on heaven and be forever banished. Believers can overcome him through the blood of the Lamb, their testimony of Christ’s saving grace, and loving the Lord more than life itself.
4. Satan’s Attacks Against Israel.
   • Read Revelation 12:13-14.
   • Ask: “What will Satan do when he sees that he has lost the war in heaven and has been banished from heaven forever?” (he will persecute Israel).
   • Tell the class that Satan has always hated and tried to destroy the Jews, but during the last half of the Tribulation his attacks will be fiercer than ever. The rest of this chapter describes three different attacks.
   • Ask: “According to verse 14, what will happen when Satan persecutes Israel?” (the Lord will fly them swiftly into the wilderness where He will feed and protect them).
   • Tell the students that “a time, and times, and half a time” (3½ years) points again to the last half of the Tribulation.
   • Say: “Satan’s first attack on the Jews will fail. Let’s examine his second attack.”
   • Ask a volunteer to read Revelation 12:15-16.
   • Ask: “What will the devil do next?” (spew water out of his mouth like a flood in an attempt to carry the Jews away).
   • Ask: “According to verse 16, what will happen?” (the earth will open up and consume the water, sparing Israel).
   • Explain that the water could be a literal flood or it could represent an enormous army sent to attack the Jews. Regardless of which it is, the Lord will supernaturally protect Israel.
   • Say: “Satan’s second attack on Israel will fail. Let’s look at his third attack.”
   • Read Revelation 12:17.
   • Ask: “How will the devil feel about his defeats?” (he will be full of wrath and rage toward Israel).
   • Ask: “Who will he attack next?” (Jews who have come to faith in Jesus Christ).
   • Tell the students that Satan will be enraged against all of Israel, but especially toward those (like the 144,000; see Rev. 7:4-8) who accepted Jesus Christ as their Savior.
   • Tell the class that many who come to Christ during the Tribulation will die as martyrs, but even if they die for their faith they still overcome the devil, as verse 11 describes. Ultimately, Satan still loses.
   • Summarize: During the last half of the Tribulation Satan will launch three deadly attacks against Israel, but the Lord will supernaturally protect them, taking believers who die to be with Him in heaven.

PERSONAL APPLICATION: Ask: “What do you think of when you hear the word loser? What kinds of people are called losers?” Allow time for some responses. Stress the fact that the word loser has become commonplace in our culture. It is used to describe those who do not succeed and those we deem to be hopeless failures.

Tell the class in today’s lesson we have learned about the biggest loser of all eternity: Satan. Yes, he successfully troubles God’s children and draws people toward sin, but ultimately He loses every fight with the Lord. Remind them that:

• Satan rebelled in eternity past and tried to seize God’s throne, but he failed.
• Satan tried to destroy Israel on many occasions (and is still trying today), but he failed.
• Satan tried to kill Jesus as soon as He was born in human flesh, but he failed.
• During the Tribulation Satan will attack heaven and try to defeat God, but he will fail.
• He will also try to destroy Israel and those Jews who come to Christ, but he will fail.

Tell the students that Satan is powerful and is still causing trouble today, but ultimately, he is the biggest loser of all eternity.

Ask: “What have we learned today about how to overcome Satan’s attacks?” (by claiming the blood of Jesus, clinging to our testimony that Christ has saved us by His grace, and loving the Lord more than we love our physical life). Tell the students we live in a war zone caused by Satan’s unending attacks. In war, those who do not fight end up being victims. Ask: “Are you willing to claim the weapons the Lord has given you to overcome the devil and his attacks?” Encourage everyone to claim and use the blood of the Lamb, the word of their testimony, and a life-or-death commitment to Jesus Christ whenever they are attacked by Satan and his workers. Voice a closing prayer.

CONCLUSION: Ask everyone to memorize Revelation 12:11. Encourage them to use their spiritual weapons this week.