“Now the salvation, and the power, and the kingdom of our God and the authority of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren has been thrown down, he who accuses them before our God day and night,” (12:10).

In between the lightening, thunder, earthquake and hailstorm occurring after the seventh trumpet is sounded (Revelation 11:19) and the last “sevenfold numbered series of judgments,” when the seven angels are given the seven golden bowls full of the wrath of God (Revelation 15:7), an interlude occurs.

From NIV Study Bible: 12:1 — 14:20 Interlude: persecution of God’s people by the dragon and the great beasts rising out of the sea and the earth (chs. 12 – 13), which does not prevent the Lamb’s deliverance of the redeemed (14:1-5) but does lead to God’s judgment on the persecuting powers (14:6-20).

And we suddenly find ourselves carried to the most pivotal point in history when everything on earth changed, to a flashback that simultaneously flashes forward into the future. I was reminded of the panorama settings on cell phone cameras, as the phone is slowly moved from left to right to capture the wide-angle view.

John immediately informs us that what he saw was symbolic; “a great sign” figuratively conveying a wide-angle, panoramic view of the historic timeline of heaven and earth in the critically decisive moments of His Redemption Story, as if converging together in the past, present and future.

The NASB translation has inserted headings over sections of this passage that are helpful in interpreting the symbolism.

12:1-3: The Woman, Israel

12:3-4: The Red Dragon, Satan

12:5-6: The Male Child, Christ

12:7-9: The Angel, Michael

And the curtain is pulled back to witness the heavenly drama involved behind the birth, death, resurrection, and ascension of His Christ.

Our women’s Bible study just closed out our fall semester in preparation for this Season with a special teaching entitled, “Hope in the Christmas Chaos,” as our gifted teacher taught the Christmas Story from Revelation 12. And yes, it is a completely different perspective from the quiet images evoked by a manger scene in the still cold night.

Revelation 12 is all-out war; it is the conflict that raged in the heavenlies precipitating the coming of Messiah and the bloodbath the enemy initiated in his attempt to halt God’s plan.

It seems we could spend years in this chapter and not even begin to scratch the surface of this narrative of the Christmas Story reverberating with the supernatural particulars of His birth, death, resurrection, and ascension.

And while we don’t have years, we have today. On this day, as we prepare for the time when we celebrate the Holy Baby Who was born, let us prepare our hearts through the panoramic view of God’s Redemption Story. And as we do, we will surely see hope emerge victorious in the Authority of His Christ.

The signs John saw reveal the far-reaching view of the Authority of His Christ that began in a manger, when He humbled Himself and took on the form of human flesh, gave His life to be hung on a cross for the sins of mankind, conquered the devil and death by His resurrection, and ascended to heaven to be caught up to God to take His rightful place upon His Throne.

And she gave birth to a son, a male child, who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron; and her child was caught up to God and to His throne, (12:5).

And behind the scenes there was, and continues to be, war fueled by the furiously incensed resistance of “the great dragon… the serpent of old who is called the devil and Satan, (12:9).

And while this war continues to be waged by the forces of evil aimed against Holy God and His people, the victory is decided. He will rule all the nations as the devil is defeated by the Authority of His Christ.

Consider the Authority of His Christ

The Scriptures declare the Authority of His Christ. Today is a day to look behind the curtain of the natural to gaze in wonder at His supernatural panoramic view provided in His Word powerfully confirming the Authority of His Christ.

• Because He came from above, He is above all; and because He Is loved by the Father, the Authority of His Christ is confirmed as all things are given into His hand.
  • “He who comes from above is above all, he who is of the earth is from the earth and speaks of the earth. He who comes from heaven is above all… ³⁵ The Father loves the Son and has given all things into His hand,” (John 3:31, 35).

• Because He was raised from the dead, the Authority of His Christ is confirmed as all things are put in subjection under His feet.
  • which He brought about in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, ²¹ far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. ²² And He put all things in subjection under His feet, and gave Him as head over all things to the church, (Ephesians 1:20-22).

• Because He humbled Himself, coming in the flesh and born in a manger, becoming obedient unto death, the Authority of His Christ is confirmed as He is exalted above every name.
  • who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, ⁷ but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men, ⁶ who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, ⁷ but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. ⁸ Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. ⁹ For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, ¹⁰ so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, ¹¹ and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father, (Philippians 2:6).

• Because He is the image of the invisible God, the Creator of all things, the Authority of His Christ is confirmed as He holds all things together.
  •  He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. ¹⁶ For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things have been created through Him and for Him. ¹⁷ He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together, (Colossians 1:15-17).

• Because all the fullness of Deity dwells in Him, the Authority of His Christ is confirmed as He is head over all rule and authority.
  •  For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form, ¹⁰ and in Him you have been made complete, and He is the head over all rule and authority, (Colossians 2:10).

• Because He is at the right hand of God, the Authority of His Christ is confirmed as angels, authorities, and powers are subjected to Him.
  • through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, ²² who is at the right hand of God, having gone into heaven, after angels and authorities and powers had been subjected to Him, (1 Peter 3:22).

• And when the end comes, the Authority of His Christ is confirmed as He will hand over the kingdom to His Father and abolish every other rule, authority, and power.
  • then comes the end, when He hands over the kingdom to the God and Father, when He has abolished all rule and all authority and power, (1 Corinthians 15:24).

How do we respond to the Authority of His Christ?

Though I don’t always live as if I truly believe it, I am thoroughly convinced that spiritual warfare is more real than anything we can touch or see in the physical realm. And this war will never cease until we reach the other side of heaven. The battles fought may come in different types and forms, but the tactics of the enemy never change: Deceive the whole world.

And the great dragon was thrown down, the serpent of old who is called the devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him, (12:9).

And one of His primary deceptive ploys is to convince us that we are somehow at the mercy of his demonic authority as he furiously engages in war with the children of God.

So the dragon was enraged with the woman, and went off to make war with the rest of her children, who keep the commandments of God and hold to the testimony of Jesus, (12:17).

The Bible is clear. We are at war. But when we find ourselves looking at the things going on around us in utter dismay, wondering what on earth is happening and how have we come to this, we must ask the Lord to again pull back the curtain and remind us of that pivotal point in history when He became the Holy Baby Who would live a sinless life, be crucified for our sins and purchase our redemption by His blood.

For while the enemy may think he is gaining ground, let us always remember that even in the persecution and death of believers, the enemy is defeated; for by the Authority of His Christ, we will overcome the devil through the blood of the Lamb and the testimony of our faith.

And they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their testimony, and they did not love their life even when faced with death, (12:11).

The war is won. The enemy knows his time is short; and in that we rejoice. But oh, may we never forget there is a world that is lost and woefully overcome by the enemy’s deception.

For this reason, rejoice, O heavens and you who dwell in them. Woe to the earth and the sea, because the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, knowing that he has only a short time,” (12:12).

While the enemy is not omniscient, he does know his time is short. And because he knows his time is short, he is busy making the most of his time. And with that we have to ask ourselves: Are we? Are we busy making the most of our time?

Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, ¹⁶ making the most of your time, because the days are evil, (Ephesians 5:15-16).

Oh, may our time pondering the Authority of His Christ today move us to be careful to walk in His wisdom, that we would make the most of our time, because we too know the days are short. Let us commit to live mindful of That Day, when all those who have not trusted in Him will face the power of His anger and fury.

Who understands the power of Your anger
And Your fury, according to the fear that is due You?
¹² So teach us to number our days,
That we may present to You a heart of wisdom, (Psalm 90:11-12).

Let us choose today, to make the most of our time, that wherever we go, we would obey His command to make disciples and teach others to obey and submit to the Authority of His Christ.

And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. ¹⁹ Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, ²⁰ teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age,” (Matthew 28:18-20).

Yes, it is war. But the victory is assured; for Jesus, in His Authority, is with us always. So while the enemy may be unwavering in bringing his deceptions and accusations against the brethren, let us persevere in our faith as we determine to relentlessly flash back in the pages of His Word to His birth, death, resurrection and ascension, while simultaneously flashing forward into the promise of His future when the voice of the accuser is thrown down and the salvation and power and kingdom of our God eternally confirms the Authority of His Christ.

“Now the salvation, and the power, and the kingdom of our God and the authority of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren has been thrown down, he who accuses them before our God day and night,” (12:10).

Let’s Grow Together!