Christ Caught Up To God's Throne
Minister: | Rev. Ronald Van Overloop |
Date: | 5/21/2009 PM (Ascension Day) |
Text: | Revelation 12:5-17 |
Psalters: | 59, 303, 183, 200 |
- Chapters 12 and 13 describe Satan?s efforts to destroy God?s promised salvation in the Old and New Dispensations.
- This chapter shows that Satan is defeated and God?s cause has victory because Jesus ascends to God?s right hand.
- The great war.
- The warriors in this battle.
- The ?great red dragon? (3) who drew a third of the angels out of heaven is the Devil and Satan (9).
- The ?woman? (1) is the church of Jesus Christ, who was pregnant with Jesus in the whole of the Old Dispensation.
- The ?man child? is Jesus, the ?seed of the woman? (Gen. 3:15).
- The fighting.
- Lucifer fell from heaven (Isa. 14:12-14; Ezek. 28) and began warring against good angels with neither winning (7,8).
- Throughout the Old Dispensation the devil works to devour the child (4b).
- Finally, the devil nailed Jesus to the cross (God?s cursed death) seeming to succeed in destroying God?s cause.
- That which determined the outcome of this great war was the child being ?caught up unto God and to His throne? (5).
- This looks at Jesus? resurrection and ascension together - two parts of one event.
- Jesus is given the position of being brought to ?God and to His throne? (5b).
- God?s throne represents His rule and dominion, which is universal and all-comprehensive.
- From this position Jesus works salvation for the elect and just damnation of the devil and every ungodly.
- Why was Jesus? exalted? This is a just action of God vindicating His Servant.
- In His justice God vindicates His Servant (and servants) Who suffered at the devil?s hand.
- Jesus is properly exalted to be glorious King over all that He redeemed from sin and death and from Satan?s power.
- This results in a glorious comfort for God?s people.
- First, the dragon and his host are not ?found any more in heaven? (8).
- This brings an end to the stalemate between Michael and the devil (cf. Jude 9).
- Also, Jesus? exaltation changed events in heaven.
- The devil is ?cast out into the earth? (9) so ?woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea? (12b).
- The danger for the elect on the earth in the New Dispensation is greater.
- But ?now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ? (10a).
- Further Jesus, on God?s throne, controls all and He provides ?a place prepared of God? (6, 14-16).
- Thus we are already more than conquerors.