Christ Caught Up To God's Throne

Minister:
Date: PM (Ascension Day)
Text: Revelation 12:5-17
Psalters: 59, 303, 183, 200
    1. Chapters 12 and 13 describe Satan?s efforts to destroy God?s promised salvation in the Old and New Dispensations.
    2. This chapter shows that Satan is defeated and God?s cause has victory because Jesus ascends to God?s right hand.
  1. The great war.
    1. The warriors in this battle.
      1. The ?great red dragon? (3) who drew a third of the angels out of heaven is the Devil and Satan (9).
      2. The ?woman? (1) is the church of Jesus Christ, who was pregnant with Jesus in the whole of the Old Dispensation.
      3. The ?man child? is Jesus, the ?seed of the woman? (Gen. 3:15).
    2. The fighting.
      1. Lucifer fell from heaven (Isa. 14:12-14; Ezek. 28) and began warring against good angels with neither winning (7,8).
      2. Throughout the Old Dispensation the devil works to devour the child (4b).
      3. Finally, the devil nailed Jesus to the cross (God?s cursed death) seeming to succeed in destroying God?s cause.
  2. That which determined the outcome of this great war was the child being ?caught up unto God and to His throne? (5).
    1. This looks at Jesus? resurrection and ascension together - two parts of one event.
    2. Jesus is given the position of being brought to ?God and to His throne? (5b).
      1. God?s throne represents His rule and dominion, which is universal and all-comprehensive.
      2. From this position Jesus works salvation for the elect and just damnation of the devil and every ungodly.
    3. Why was Jesus? exalted? This is a just action of God vindicating His Servant.
      1. In His justice God vindicates His Servant (and servants) Who suffered at the devil?s hand.
      2. Jesus is properly exalted to be glorious King over all that He redeemed from sin and death and from Satan?s power.
  3. This results in a glorious comfort for God?s people.
    1. First, the dragon and his host are not ?found any more in heaven? (8).
      1. This brings an end to the stalemate between Michael and the devil (cf. Jude 9).
      2. Also, Jesus? exaltation changed events in heaven.
    2. The devil is ?cast out into the earth? (9) so ?woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea? (12b).
      1. The danger for the elect on the earth in the New Dispensation is greater.
      2. But ?now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ? (10a).
      3. Further Jesus, on God?s throne, controls all and He provides ?a place prepared of God? (6, 14-16).
      4. Thus we are already more than conquerors.