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Dedicated to Truth -> Prophecies of Revelation -> Rev. 12 --dragon heads
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Rev. 12 --dragon heads
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Biblical prophecy is much more comprehensive and wide ranging than the modern concept of its interpretation.

When we look at Revelation 17 we need to remember that chapters 12-19 deals with the GREAT CONTROVERSY from its inception in heaven until the desolation of the earth at the second coming.

Chapter 12 gives us the whole outline and the MAJOR instigator of the whole war.
The chapter takes us behind the scenes to something more powerful, deadly and more far reaching than even Rome in this war over the souls of humanity.  Though Rome is a player -- Rome is NOT the dragon.

Revelation 12:18 (a text often moved to Rev. 13:1) states "and he stood on the sands of the sea"
The "he" in that verse actually refers to the dragon, not to John.

This text is highly significant!
It paints a graphic picture.
The dragon has taken his position claiming the same territory as Christ.

Rev. 10:2  "and he (the Divine Messenger) set his right foot upon the sea, and his left foot on the earth"

"The mighty angel (or messenger) who instructed John in chapter 10 was no less a personage than Jesus Christ. Setting His right foot on the sea, and His left upon the dry land, shows the part which He is acting in the closing scenes of the great controversy with Satan. This position denotes His supreme power and authority over the whole earth."  (7BC 971.)

 
And now in Rev. 12 we see the dragon attempting to take the same stand in direct challenge to Christ's power and authority over the whole earth.

Contrary to some historicist interpretations, the dragon is not, and cannot be a symbol of the literal Roman Empire prior to Christianity.  But, some will say, the dragon worked through Rome.  Yes,  the dragon USED the Roman Empire (as well as many other earthly powers) and worked through them, but that does NOT mean the symbol of the dragon represents the literal Roman Empire prior to Christianity as some interpretations maintain.

Why not?  Because this chapter isn't even speaking of the ancient Roman Empire.

Look at the chapter itself for evidence:

1.  Who drew a third part of the stars out of heaven? (Vs 4) 
It was Lucifer when a third of the angels fell due to his deceptions

2. Who fought with his angels against Christ and His angels? (vs 7)
Again this is speaking of the war in heaven between Lucifer and His angels and Christ and the loyal angels.

3. Who was cast out of heaven with his angels? (vs 9)
Again we have Lucifer and his angels cast out.

4. Who drove the church into the wilderness for 1260 years? (vs 6 & 14)
The Papal church – inspired by the same one who fought against God's authority in heaven.

5. Who was defeated at the cross? (vs 10)
Again – it's Lucifer, the devil and all he stands for, who was defeated.  Whereas all mankind whether Jew or Roman was offered the opportunity for salvation if they chose to believe and follow Jesus the Savior!

6. Who are we to overcome by the blood of the Lamb? (vs.11)
The dragon – the originator of ALL evil no matter what earthly power he uses to ensnare us.  And we will see that he has MANY deceptions, and powers at work.

7. Who was accusing us before God day and night and claiming we were his and God had no right to save us?(vs 10) 
Again it was Satan.
 

8. And who was the primary instigator in all the attempts on Christ's life as well as the final crucifixion of Christ? (vs. 4)   Herod, king of Judea?  The Jewish leaders?  His own hometown people? The Romans?  Or was it Satan using every means available?

This chapter is NOT about Rome – this twelfth chapter in Revelation is all about the Great Controversy between Christ and Satan.
The Bible itself tells us plainly what the symbol "dragon" means.

Rev. 12:9 "And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him."
Rev. 20:2 And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years,

Notice as well where this dragon originated?
Not from the sea (the heavily populated places of earth)
Not from the earth (the more sparsely populated places of earth)
But in heaven.    "There appeared a great wonder in heaven" – but he was cast down...

 

Why don't we simply accept the definition of scripture instead of trying to change the identity of the symbol?    The chapter is showing THE BIG PICTURE of the Great Controversy and we really have no business trying to squeeze it into a narrow box in earth's history.

 

Once we accept the Biblical definition for the dragon
we stop trying to turn the dragon into Rome, instead we believe it to be what the Bible says it is.

Then the heads are easier to recognize as the means through which the dragon worked on earth.
The empires that lead up to his great masterpiece in the end times.

This is not speaking of seven forms of Roman government:
Why?  Because the dragon is NOT Rome --
Rome is the major force through which the dragon works, true enough,  BUT THE DRAGON IS NOT ROME.





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Believer wrote:

"Concerning Rev. 12:18 The dragon has taken his position claiming the same territory as Christ.  

I have several versions of Bibles in e-sword.  
Here is the ESV (English Standard Version)
Rev 12:17  Then the dragon became furious with the woman and went off to make war on the rest of her offspring, on those who keep the commandments of God and hold to the testimony of Jesus. And he stood on the sand of the sea. 
Rev 13:1  And I saw a beast rising out of the sea, with ten horns and seven heads, with ten diadems on its horns and blasphemous names on its heads. 

Here is the ISV (International Standard Version)
Rev 12:17  The dragon became angry with the woman and went away to do battle against the rest of her children, the ones who keep God's commandments and hold on to the testimony about Jesus. 
Rev 12:18  Then the dragon stood on the sand of the seashore. 
Rev 13:1  I saw a beast coming out of the sea. It had ten horns, seven heads, and ten royal crowns on its horns. On its heads were blasphemous names.

So this confirms what you said.  Now since the Bible was written without chapter or verse, then it is valid to consider these as valid placements.  We should next analyse them to see if they make better sense in the scheme of things.


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God's true Church vs. Satan's counterfeit church

Revelation 12 takes us way back to the beginning of the controversy.
Before the creation of our world.

IN THE BEGINNING
At that time there was only one church -- a heavenly church where the Godhead: God the Father, Christ the Son, and the Holy Spirit received pure adoration and untarnished worship from all of the heavenly intelligences which God had created.  The worship was genuine and spontaneous.

"the morning stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy" Job 38:7

ANGELIC LEADER

Heavenly worship was conducted by Lucifer, "son of the morning".  (Isaiah 14:12)
He was   "the anointed cherub that covereth; and I have set thee [so]: thou wast upon the holy mountain of God; thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire." Ez. 28:14 

Lucifer had been the covering cherub.  He had stood in the light of God's presence.   He had been the highest of all created beings, the leader among the angelic hosts.

BEGINNING OF TROUBLE

Something strange began to formulate in Lucifer's mind -- REBELLION, mild at first and growing into disasterous proportions both to himself and all who listen to him.

He wanted to worship and adoration directed to God, to be directed to himself.

"I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north:  I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High" (Isaiah 14:13,14)

Lucifer desired God's power, but not His character, He wanted the highest place.

"Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty, you corrupted your wisdom by reaso of your brightness" Ez. 28:17

 The created was saying to his Creator, Give me credit for my wisdom and beauty, I am the one to be exalted because of who I am.

By deception and insinuations he drew one third of the angels into thinking God was unfair.  Exalted angels shouldn't have to have laws, for their own wisdom was a sufficient guide, he reasoned.

WHY DIDN'T GOD STOP HIM

Reason didn't change Lucifer's.
Blotting Lucifer out of existance would not have solved the problem of doubts and questioning that had been placed in the minds of heavenly created beings.

God in His wisdom permitted Satan to carry forward his work, until the spirit of rebellion ripened into open revolt.  The true nature of rebellion would be exposed.  For in the beginning even the loyal angels could not fully discern the character of see to what his work was leading.

Rev. 12 tells us one third of the angel's cast their lot on the side of satan.

WAR IN HEAVEN

This war was very real and terrible.  Satan is the author of war and he was out to dethrone God and sit upon that throne Himself.
In that first battle every angel had to chose what side to be on.  There was no neutral position.  

Every angel fought for the one he worshiped.

Jesus, led the loyal angels, His true angelic church.  
Satan led the rebellious angels, his counterfeit angelic church.


Satan wages war against Christ continously.

At the end of Rev. 12 we see him going out to war against the last faithful followers of Christ.
Nothing has changed since that first war --
We see the faithful "following the LAMB where ever He leads" Rev. 14
While the rest of the world worships the dragon, the beast and his image. (satan and his agents) and set out to destroy the faithful commandment keeping followers of the Lamb.

  
And we see a full scale war right at the end as well --
In Rev. 20, after the 1000 years of enforced idleness, Satan again marshals the armies to march against God's city.  A last attempt to dethrone God and take over. 

But in that final war, the dragon won't just be cast out of heaven, he will be destroyed by fire.  He will have fully demonstrated the horror of his regime and the saved will only priase God that it's finally over, "Just and righteous are your ways, of God."


 

 



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