LESSON THIRTY-SEVEN

THE PROPHECIES CONCERNING
ISRAEL IN THE LAST WEEK

(2)

OUTLINE

7. The great red dragon and his persecution:
   1. Being cast down from heaven to the earth.
   2. Casting water like a river out of his mouth after the woman.
   3. Making war with the rest of the woman’s seed.
   4. The woman being given the two wings of the great eagle to fly into the wilderness.
   5. The earth opening its mouth and swallowing the river cast out of the dragon’s mouth.
   6. The woman being nourished in the wilderness a thousand two hundred and sixty days.
8. The treading of Jerusalem.
9. The testimony of the two witnesses:
   1. The two witnesses being Moses and Elijah.
   2. Being the two olive trees, the two lampstands, and the two sons of oil standing before the Lord of the earth.
   3. Burning and killing those who desire to harm them; having authority to shut heaven, to turn the waters into blood, and to smite the earth with every plague.
   4. Being killed by Antichrist, and being resurrected and raptured.
10. A great earthquake.
11. The war at Armageddon.

TEXT

In this lesson we will continue to see the prophecies concerning Israel in the last week of the seventy weeks prophesied in Daniel.

VII. THE GREAT RED DRAGON
AND HIS PERSECUTION

According to Revelation 12 after the man-child is raptured to the throne of God, there will be war in heaven. This war is between Satan and his angels and Michael, the archangel, and his angels. When there is no longer any place in heaven for the dragon, he will be defeated and cast down to the earth. His coming to the earth will be the beginning of the great tribulation.

A. Being Cast Down
from Heaven to the Earth

After the dragon is cast down from heaven to the earth (vv. 9-10, 13), he will persecute the woman who brought forth the man-child. This means he will concentrate his hatred on God’s people.

B. Casting Water like a River
out of His Mouth after the Woman

The dragon, the serpent, will “cast water as a river out of his mouth after the woman that he might cause her to be carried away by its current” (v. 15). In this verse water signifies the armies that will be sent by Satan to destroy the people of God (Isa. 8:7-8; 17:12-13; Jer. 46:7-9; 47:2-3). Satan will stir up the kings of the earth to gather their armies to persecute the people of God. Three unclean spirits like frogs will proceed out of the mouth of the dragon, the beast, and the false prophet (Rev. 16:13). These unclean spirits will “go forth to the kings of the whole inhabited earth to gather them to the war of the great day of God the Almighty” (v. 14). These three spirits will instigate the rebellious kings to send their armies to persecute God’s people, which will include the Jews and the believers. The people of God who are left to pass through the great tribulation may have to suffer this persecution.

C. Making War with the Rest of the Woman’s Seed

Revelation 12:17 says, “The dragon became angry with the woman and went away to make war with the rest of her seed, who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus.” The rest of her seed signifies the people of God who are not a part of the man-child. Among the people of God, some will be the Jews “who keep the commandments of God,” and some will be the believers who “have the testimony of Jesus.” Satan will not only persecute the woman but will also make war with the rest of her seed, that is, with the weaker part of the woman.

D. The Woman Being Given the Two Wings
of the Great Eagle to Fly into the Wilderness

“To the woman there were given the two wings of the great eagle that she might fly into the wilderness into her place” (v. 14). The great eagle signifies God, and the two wings signify His strength to rescue (Exo. 19:4; Deut. 32:11-12). Just as God brought the children of Israel out from Pharaoh’s persecution, He will bring His people away from Satan’s persecution in the great tribulation. The mighty God will afford His people divine strength to escape Satan’s persecution.