Bible Question: In Revelations 12 we are told about the Woman and the Child in the Wilderness, i.e Jesus and His Church, we are also told about the Saints who overcame Satan by the Blood of the Lamb and the Word of their Testimony!... In Revelations 13 however the Bible states that Power is given by God to the Beast to overcome the Saints... Does that then mean that the Blood is temporarily 'defunct?' as the Restrainer is taken out of the way? |
Bible Answer: Elizabeth: I believe that the church is taken away before the tribulation. (1 Thess.4:16) I tell you this so that you will understand where I am coming from. In Rev. 12 we read of the woman about to give birth. I believe that the woman represents the 12 tribes of Israel. We find in v. 4 that the dragon (satan) is ready to devour the child as soon as its born. This I believe is referring to Christ at his birth as Herod waited to destroy him. In Verse 5 "She brought forth a man child" this speaks of Christ at his birth. "who was to rule all nations with a rod of Iron" That is God's ultimate purpose for Christ. "her child was caught up to his throne" Christ did not rule at that time, rather he died, arose and was taken up to the throne of God. V.6 "The woman fled into the wilderness" This would reminds us of the dispersion of Israel after the death of Christ. "Where she had a place prepared of God" A remanent of Israel will be perserved, she will be protected from the beast. In V. 14 "The woman was given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time" God is going to protect those whom he has saved out of the great tribulation. In Chp.14:1 we find that they have the "his father's name written on their foreheads in contrast to the lost who have the mark of the beast.Chp. 13:16 In Rev. 13 we are in the last stages of the great tribulation. You are correct that God has allowed the beast to have power over all on earth. Keep in mind the remanent (the woman) are protected. It is here that we see the fate of those who have turned against God and refused Christ. In V.14 "he deceives them" by his power and demands their total worship and controls them with his mark. In 2 Thess. 2:11-12 we read "For this cause shall God send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrigheousness." You are correct that these people are beyond the cleansing power of the blood of Christ. In Rev. 14 we see those who have been saved from this terrible time of judgment. I believe we have two groups who are saved; a) The church which is his body. All those who have trusted him in this time of grace. This includes the old testament saints who have died in faith. b) A large remanent of Israel along with a great multitude from every tongue, kindred, tribe and nation. Rev. 7: 4-10 There will be people on this earth who have never rejected the gospel of Christ who will be saved along with the remanant of Israel. When Christ comes in power and glory with his saints we have an earthly company saved out of the great tribulation who enters into the earthly kingdom and a heavenly company (the church) who rules with Christ over the earth. These are very difficult scriptures to understand and I do not pretend to have all the answers. God bless you Robert |