التنين الأحمر العظيم للشيطان يحارب الكنيسة

In the previous post we showed how the long sounding of the last trumpet exposes the kingdoms of the beasts, of which, the great red dragon is the first. We also covered how this red dragon’s presence in Revelation the 12th chapter especially represents the powers of Satan working through the pagan Roman kingdom that was in power when the church first started.

In the latter part of Revelation 12:4 we read:

“… and the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born.”

The woman represents the bride of Christ: the church. Even history records many accounts of how Pagan Rome was ready to destroy Christian converts as soon as they were spiritually born. So it is appropriate to say about these that were martyred: that they were caught up to God, and received an instant reward from God’s throne.

“And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and to his throne.” ~ Revelation 12:5

This language “caught up unto God, and to his throne” representing heaven and God’s throne, the place of the eternal reward of the righteous, is used in a number of places in scripture.

• “I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) such an one caught up to the third heaven. And I knew such a man, (whether in the body, or out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) How that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter.” ~ 2 Corinthians 12:2-4
• “And Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him.” ~ Genesis 5:24
• “When they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed on him with their teeth. But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God, And said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God. Then they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and ran upon him with one accord, And cast him out of the city, and stoned him: and the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man’s feet, whose name was Saul. And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God , and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep.” ~ Acts 7:54-60

But in spite of the church’s children being persecuted, her children had power with God to still strongly speak his gospel Word. They spiritually overcame the persecuting powers of the dragon by the rod of Jesus’ Word! Therefore we are told:

“And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and to his throne.” ~ Revelation 12:5

There are other places in scripture where prophecy tells of the rod of iron, which has been given by the Word of the promised one: Jesus Christ.

• “I will declare the decree: the Lord hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee. Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession. Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel. Be wise now therefore, O ye kings: be instructed, ye judges of the earth. Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling.” ~ Psalm 2:7-11
• “But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: and he shall smite the earth: with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked.” ~ Isaiah 11:4

This is spiritual language for a spiritual warfare. The true people of God do not use carnal weapons to physically murder and hurt people. Those types of weapons are for carnal beast like people. People of beast like kingdoms and beast-dragon like religions.

"والمرأة هربت إلى البرية حيث لها مكان معدة من الله ، ليطعموها هناك ألفًا ومئتين وستين يومًا". ~ رؤيا 6: 12

A place prepared by God – not by man. Where “they” would feed her. Who are “they”? The scripture will inform us, and in fact, already has, right within this same book of Revelation, by the period of time in which they feed her: 1260 days.

This period of time of 1,260 days is identified over and over again in Revelation: more than any other space of time, so that its characteristics are most clearly laid out.

Prior to Revelation 12:6 when this 1,260 day period is mentioned, it is in the context of the two anointed witnesses (the Word of God and the Spirit of God) who prophesy and feed the true people of God during their persecutions and sorrows.

You can read more about when the Word and the Spirit feed the church during this time in detail in this earlier post: https://revelationjesuschrist.org/2019/05/16/gods-two-anointed-witnesses/

In agreement with the time when the two witnesses would feed the church, here in Revelation 12:6 we see the church (noted as “the woman”, or the “bride of Christ”) spiritually fleeing to a “safe” place where she can be fed by God’s two anointed witnesses.

"والمرأة هربت إلى البرية حيث لها مكان معدة من الله ، ليطعموها هناك ألفًا ومئتين وستين يومًا". ~ رؤيا 6: 12

The wilderness is spiritually a desert place; a place of no rain. This makes total sense because we were told back in Revelation 11:6 that during the 1260 days, that the two witnesses, the Word and the Spirit, would spiritually cause it not to rain:

“These have power to shut heaven, that it rain not in the days of their prophecy: and have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to smite the earth with all plagues, as often as they will.” ~ Revelation 11:6

This is spiritual language, showing the few true ministers who had power to expose the spiritual desert condition that had come into existence around those claiming to be “the church”. The desert place was the formation of the Roman Catholic church. A man-ruled hierarchy where no spiritual blessings from heaven were falling anymore. Instead of producing living waters of the Holy Spirit, the Catholic church was producing blood guiltiness. They did this by profaning the scriptures and ignoring the Holy Spirit. And they also persecuted the true Christians at the same time.

This spiritual wilderness is a repeat of a similar spiritual condition in the Old testament. Jeremiah the prophet made reference to a place in the wilderness for the righteous to be able to run to.

“Oh that I had in the wilderness a lodging place of wayfaring men; that I might leave my people, and go from them! for they be all adulterers, an assembly of treacherous men. And they bend their tongues like their bow for lies: but they are not valiant for the truth upon the earth; for they proceed from evil to evil, and they know not me, saith the LORD. Take ye heed every one of his neighbour, and trust ye not in any brother: for every brother will utterly supplant, and every neighbour will walk with slanders. And they will deceive every one his neighbour, and will not speak the truth: they have taught their tongue to speak lies, and weary themselves to commit iniquity. Thine habitation is in the midst of deceit; through deceit they refuse to know me, saith the LORD.” (Jeremiah 9:2-6)

And so even yet today, many places called “churches” are desert places; and even worse. And so when people stay there, they spiritually dry up. Why? Because the two witnesses of the Word and the Spirit no longer prophesy of the true gospel there.

Unlike during the dark ages, the Bible is no longer chained to the side of a pulpit. So today you can have free access to the Bible, if you really want it. Yet people neglect the opportunity, and have a very shallow understanding of the scriptures. And most religious people who claim to be Christian don’t believe the Bible anymore, even though they attend church regularly. So the Spirit of God has been completely grieved away by the mixture of ungodly living amongst the people.

So where are we attending church today? Has the Spirit of God been grieved away so long, that we would not recognize the true Spirit of God any more?

“Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers. And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.” ~ Ephesians 4:29-32

Note: this diagram below shows where this seventh trumpet message is within the full Revelation message. The church battling the red dragon is part of the 7th trumpet message. To better understand a high level view of Revelation, you can also see the “خارطة طريق الوحي. "