Churchwork
06-18-2006, 02:52 AM
Things God’s Overcomers Ought to Do in the End Time
SCRIPTURES TO BE READ:
And Jehovah God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, cursed art thou above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life: and I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed: he shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.(Gen. 3.14,15)
And a great sign was seen in heaven: a woman arrayed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars; and she was with child; and she crieth out, travailing in birth, and in pain to be delivered. And there was seen another sign in heaven: and behold, a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his heads seven diadems. And his tail draweth the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth: and the dragon standeth before the woman that is about to be delivered, that when she is delivered he may devour her child. And she was delivered of a son, a man child, who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and unto his throne . . . And the great dragon was cast down, the old serpent, he that is called the Devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world; he was cast down to the earth, and his angels were cast down with him. And I heard a great voice in heaven, saying, Now is come the salvation, and the power, and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, who accuseth them before our God day and night. And they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb, and because of the word of their testimony; and they loved not their life even unto death.(Rev. 12.1-11)
These two passages of Scripture respond to each other. The first one is found in the opening book of the Bible, while the next one is in the closing book of the Bible. In Genesis 3 there are (1) the serpent, (2) the woman, and (3) the seed in view. In Revelation 12 there are again these three: (1) the serpent, (2) the woman, and (3) the man child.
God’s Judgment against the Serpent
Genesis 3 reveals God’s judgment against Satan. It also tells us of His judgment against fallen man as well as of His plan of redemption. "Upon thy belly shalt thou go" is God’s decision that Satan can only work on earth, no longer can he work in the universe. "Dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life" suggests that God has ordained that henceforth man (man of the dust) shall be Satan’s food. Thus all the descendants of Adam, as God has ruled, become food—that is to say, they are a people—for Satan.
"Woman" refers to the mother of all living. Hence she represents all living: all whom God desires to save.
"Her seed" refers to Christ. When Christ was on earth He crushed the serpent’s head on the cross. Since in the head lies the vital region of power, the Lord has broken all the principal powers belonging to Satan.
For the Bible to say that the serpent is to bruise the heel of the woman’s seed is simply to denote that Satan will work behind the back of Christ. After Christ has bruised the serpent’s head and left, Satan works behind His back. This means that he works on the lives of the believers in Christ—and such is a behind-the-scenes sort of work.
The woman’s seed points to the corporate Christ as well as to the personal Christ, since all who have part in the resurrection of Christ are included in the seed of the woman. As our Lord was born of a woman without the help of a man, so the new man who is reborn in a believer does not have the Adamic nature. As Christ is the Son of God, so the new man is also a son of God. As Christ was not born of blood, so the new man is not born of blood nor of the will of man (John 1.12,13).
From Genesis 3 onward, the hope of both God and man centers on the seed of the woman. Satan too pays great attention to the seed of the woman. For this very reason he (1) instigated Herod to kill the Lord, (2) tempted the Lord in the wilderness, and (3) tried to harass the Lord throughout the three and a half years of His public ministry. But in all these the Lord was victorious.
The Overcomers Deal with the Serpent
Narratively, Revelation 4-11 is one section, 15-22 is another. Chapters 12-14 are parenthetical; these do not belong to the main text but serve to explain what has been written before. In thought, chapter 12 is linked with chapters 2 and 3: for note that chapters 2 and 3 mention "he that overcometh" seven times and then chapter 12 says "they overcame him"; chapters 2 and 3 tell us how God calls for some to be overcomers when the church has generally failed, while chapter 12 shows us who are these overcomers and what they do; and again, 2.27 relates how the overcomer shall rule the nations with a rod of iron and 12.5 confirms that he who shall rule the nations with a rod of iron is the man child. The man child represents the overcomers in the church. This man child is corporate in nature, because he is the brethren spoken of in 12.10,11.
"The old serpent" is the name God purposely mentions here in Revelation 12 to help us recall the record in Genesis 3.
The woman who gives birth to the man child as spoken of in Revelation 12 is Jerusalem. It refers not just to the earthly Jerusalem, it also points to the heavenly Jerusalem. The Bible tells us that God is our Father, the Lord is our older brother, and Jerusalem is our mother (Gal. 4.26).
The sun, moon, and twelve stars coincide with Joseph’s dream. Hence this must allude to the children of Israel. Jerusalem is the center of the nation of Israel. Consequently the woman should be Jerusalem. The woman is the Jerusalem of Revelation 21 and 22. This city includes all who have the life of Christ and are saved during both the Old and the New Testament times. Before she gives birth to the man child the woman represents the church; after she has brought forth the man child she stands for the children of Israel: because before the man child is born she is described in her heavenly state—the sun, moon, and stars, whereas after the man child is born she is spoken of in her earthly situation—she is fleeing into the wilderness.
The woman symbolizes all the redeemed of God. They are severely persecuted by the Enemy. How the woman suffers from the serpent! These who are represented by the woman ought to fight for themselves, yet they cannot. So God calls from among them a company of overcomers to fight the battle for them. These overcomers shall rule the nations with a rod of iron since they will occupy a special place in the kingdom. As these overcomers (as represented by the man child) are caught up to heaven, they cast down Satan and regain the heavenly places from the serpent.
When they are on earth, Satan has to retreat; and when they ascend to heaven, Satan is cast down. Victory lies in regaining the ground. The man child conquers on behalf of the mother: the overcomers win the victory for the church. Moreover, in the end time, God uses overcomers to conclude the war in heaven. These overcomers shall bring "the salvation, and the power, and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Christ" into heaven.
The serpent therefore has no more place in heaven. Hence wherever the overcomers are, Satan is forced to retreat.
The Arms of the Overcomers
They overcome the Enemy because of: (1) "The blood of the Lamb"—First, in the blood of Christ the natural life is poured forth; hence Satan can no longer work in us. Satan’s food is the dust of the earth: he can only work in natural life. Second, the blood of Christ overcomes the attack of Satan. Under the protection of the blood of Christ we will not be attacked by him, just as the children of Israel were fully protected by the blood of the Paschal Lamb. The blood satisfies the righteousness of God, because the shedding of blood signifies death. For this reason, Satan cannot attack us. Third, the blood of Christ answers the accusations of the Enemy.
(2) "The word of their testimony"—What the Enemy tries to do to the church is to overturn the testimony. The church is a lampstand, which symbolizes testimony. In order to overthrow the church Satan has to overturn the testimony. The testimony mentioned here is especially related to the testimony given against Satan. Three words which our Lord used while tempted himself form the testimony to be used against him. We should testify against the Enemy. When he tells us we are weak, we tell him that Christ’s "power is made perfect in weakness" (2 Cor. 12.9). Use the word of God to implement the victory of Christ. The blood stands for such victory. Using the word of God to execute the victory of Christ is testimony.
(3) "Loved not their life even unto death"—Offer up our body and life, have no self-pity and, like Paul, "hold not (your) life of any account as dear unto (yourself)" (Acts 20.24). The battle shall be won if we trust in the blood, give the word of testimony boldly, and maintain an attitude of no fear of death. Such people can fulfill the determinate will of God recorded in Genesis 3.15.
As the dragon waits to devour the man child about to be delivered, so Satan will now persecute and cause us to suffer. But these very persecutions and sufferings will impel us to be the man child so that we may be raptured first. The first rapture is not only a blessing, it also entails a responsibility. All who give ground in their hearts to Satan will be persecuted by the dragon in the Great Tribulation. But those in whose hearts the Enemy has no foothold shall bruise the head of the dragon under their feet (cf. Rom. 16.20). Because the serpent has injured the woman, it takes the seed of the woman to defeat the serpent. God himself does not come to defeat Satan. He calls overcomers to defeat him. May we be among the ranks of the overcomers!
SCRIPTURES TO BE READ:
And Jehovah God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, cursed art thou above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life: and I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed: he shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.(Gen. 3.14,15)
And a great sign was seen in heaven: a woman arrayed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars; and she was with child; and she crieth out, travailing in birth, and in pain to be delivered. And there was seen another sign in heaven: and behold, a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his heads seven diadems. And his tail draweth the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth: and the dragon standeth before the woman that is about to be delivered, that when she is delivered he may devour her child. And she was delivered of a son, a man child, who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and unto his throne . . . And the great dragon was cast down, the old serpent, he that is called the Devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world; he was cast down to the earth, and his angels were cast down with him. And I heard a great voice in heaven, saying, Now is come the salvation, and the power, and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, who accuseth them before our God day and night. And they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb, and because of the word of their testimony; and they loved not their life even unto death.(Rev. 12.1-11)
These two passages of Scripture respond to each other. The first one is found in the opening book of the Bible, while the next one is in the closing book of the Bible. In Genesis 3 there are (1) the serpent, (2) the woman, and (3) the seed in view. In Revelation 12 there are again these three: (1) the serpent, (2) the woman, and (3) the man child.
God’s Judgment against the Serpent
Genesis 3 reveals God’s judgment against Satan. It also tells us of His judgment against fallen man as well as of His plan of redemption. "Upon thy belly shalt thou go" is God’s decision that Satan can only work on earth, no longer can he work in the universe. "Dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life" suggests that God has ordained that henceforth man (man of the dust) shall be Satan’s food. Thus all the descendants of Adam, as God has ruled, become food—that is to say, they are a people—for Satan.
"Woman" refers to the mother of all living. Hence she represents all living: all whom God desires to save.
"Her seed" refers to Christ. When Christ was on earth He crushed the serpent’s head on the cross. Since in the head lies the vital region of power, the Lord has broken all the principal powers belonging to Satan.
For the Bible to say that the serpent is to bruise the heel of the woman’s seed is simply to denote that Satan will work behind the back of Christ. After Christ has bruised the serpent’s head and left, Satan works behind His back. This means that he works on the lives of the believers in Christ—and such is a behind-the-scenes sort of work.
The woman’s seed points to the corporate Christ as well as to the personal Christ, since all who have part in the resurrection of Christ are included in the seed of the woman. As our Lord was born of a woman without the help of a man, so the new man who is reborn in a believer does not have the Adamic nature. As Christ is the Son of God, so the new man is also a son of God. As Christ was not born of blood, so the new man is not born of blood nor of the will of man (John 1.12,13).
From Genesis 3 onward, the hope of both God and man centers on the seed of the woman. Satan too pays great attention to the seed of the woman. For this very reason he (1) instigated Herod to kill the Lord, (2) tempted the Lord in the wilderness, and (3) tried to harass the Lord throughout the three and a half years of His public ministry. But in all these the Lord was victorious.
The Overcomers Deal with the Serpent
Narratively, Revelation 4-11 is one section, 15-22 is another. Chapters 12-14 are parenthetical; these do not belong to the main text but serve to explain what has been written before. In thought, chapter 12 is linked with chapters 2 and 3: for note that chapters 2 and 3 mention "he that overcometh" seven times and then chapter 12 says "they overcame him"; chapters 2 and 3 tell us how God calls for some to be overcomers when the church has generally failed, while chapter 12 shows us who are these overcomers and what they do; and again, 2.27 relates how the overcomer shall rule the nations with a rod of iron and 12.5 confirms that he who shall rule the nations with a rod of iron is the man child. The man child represents the overcomers in the church. This man child is corporate in nature, because he is the brethren spoken of in 12.10,11.
"The old serpent" is the name God purposely mentions here in Revelation 12 to help us recall the record in Genesis 3.
The woman who gives birth to the man child as spoken of in Revelation 12 is Jerusalem. It refers not just to the earthly Jerusalem, it also points to the heavenly Jerusalem. The Bible tells us that God is our Father, the Lord is our older brother, and Jerusalem is our mother (Gal. 4.26).
The sun, moon, and twelve stars coincide with Joseph’s dream. Hence this must allude to the children of Israel. Jerusalem is the center of the nation of Israel. Consequently the woman should be Jerusalem. The woman is the Jerusalem of Revelation 21 and 22. This city includes all who have the life of Christ and are saved during both the Old and the New Testament times. Before she gives birth to the man child the woman represents the church; after she has brought forth the man child she stands for the children of Israel: because before the man child is born she is described in her heavenly state—the sun, moon, and stars, whereas after the man child is born she is spoken of in her earthly situation—she is fleeing into the wilderness.
The woman symbolizes all the redeemed of God. They are severely persecuted by the Enemy. How the woman suffers from the serpent! These who are represented by the woman ought to fight for themselves, yet they cannot. So God calls from among them a company of overcomers to fight the battle for them. These overcomers shall rule the nations with a rod of iron since they will occupy a special place in the kingdom. As these overcomers (as represented by the man child) are caught up to heaven, they cast down Satan and regain the heavenly places from the serpent.
When they are on earth, Satan has to retreat; and when they ascend to heaven, Satan is cast down. Victory lies in regaining the ground. The man child conquers on behalf of the mother: the overcomers win the victory for the church. Moreover, in the end time, God uses overcomers to conclude the war in heaven. These overcomers shall bring "the salvation, and the power, and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Christ" into heaven.
The serpent therefore has no more place in heaven. Hence wherever the overcomers are, Satan is forced to retreat.
The Arms of the Overcomers
They overcome the Enemy because of: (1) "The blood of the Lamb"—First, in the blood of Christ the natural life is poured forth; hence Satan can no longer work in us. Satan’s food is the dust of the earth: he can only work in natural life. Second, the blood of Christ overcomes the attack of Satan. Under the protection of the blood of Christ we will not be attacked by him, just as the children of Israel were fully protected by the blood of the Paschal Lamb. The blood satisfies the righteousness of God, because the shedding of blood signifies death. For this reason, Satan cannot attack us. Third, the blood of Christ answers the accusations of the Enemy.
(2) "The word of their testimony"—What the Enemy tries to do to the church is to overturn the testimony. The church is a lampstand, which symbolizes testimony. In order to overthrow the church Satan has to overturn the testimony. The testimony mentioned here is especially related to the testimony given against Satan. Three words which our Lord used while tempted himself form the testimony to be used against him. We should testify against the Enemy. When he tells us we are weak, we tell him that Christ’s "power is made perfect in weakness" (2 Cor. 12.9). Use the word of God to implement the victory of Christ. The blood stands for such victory. Using the word of God to execute the victory of Christ is testimony.
(3) "Loved not their life even unto death"—Offer up our body and life, have no self-pity and, like Paul, "hold not (your) life of any account as dear unto (yourself)" (Acts 20.24). The battle shall be won if we trust in the blood, give the word of testimony boldly, and maintain an attitude of no fear of death. Such people can fulfill the determinate will of God recorded in Genesis 3.15.
As the dragon waits to devour the man child about to be delivered, so Satan will now persecute and cause us to suffer. But these very persecutions and sufferings will impel us to be the man child so that we may be raptured first. The first rapture is not only a blessing, it also entails a responsibility. All who give ground in their hearts to Satan will be persecuted by the dragon in the Great Tribulation. But those in whose hearts the Enemy has no foothold shall bruise the head of the dragon under their feet (cf. Rom. 16.20). Because the serpent has injured the woman, it takes the seed of the woman to defeat the serpent. God himself does not come to defeat Satan. He calls overcomers to defeat him. May we be among the ranks of the overcomers!