We have an awesome God and the heavens declare the glory of the living God.
God revealed his future plan to the Apostle John.
John the Apostle saw in heaven a woman clothed with the sun and the moon under her feet. She was wearing a crown of twelve stars. Revelation 12: 1 – 6
“And a great portent appeared in heaven, a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars; 2/ she was with child and she cried out in her pangs of birth, in anguish for delivery. 3/ And another portent appeared in heaven; behold, a great red dragon, with seven heads and ten horns, and seven diadems upon his heads.4/ His tail swept down a third of the stars of heaven, and cast them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman who was about to bear a child, that he might devour her child when she brought it forth; 5/ she brought forth a male child, one who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron, but her child was caught up to God and to his throne, 6/ and the woman fled into the wilderness, where she has a place prepared by God, in which to be nourished for one thousand two hundred and sixty days.”
In John’s revelation “the woman clothed with the sun.”
The woman Israel – the wife of God. Isaiah 50: 1. Jeremiah 3: 6-13.
The sun – Jacob. The moon – Rachael. The twelve stars – the sons of Jacob. Genesis 37: 9-11
The woman, one of King David’s descendants would bring forth the Messiah, as Leader and Saviour. 2 Samuel 7: 12, 16. Luke 2:11. Acts 5: 31.
Israel the wife of God brought forth the Son of God, the Messiah.
This was fulfilled when Mary a descendant of King David brought forth Jesus. God was the Father of Jesus. Genealogy of Mary: Joseph the husband of Heli’s daughter Mary. Luke 4: 23
Jesus was born into this world, his mother Mary Jesus a natural birth.
To have faith in the Virgin Birth is to believe that all things are possible with God. When a person receives healing through prayer, God heals within the body, without touching the flesh.
In 1978 Louise Joy Brown was born, she was the first test tube baby. It seemed incredible at the time. Drs Steptoe and Edwards made medical history when they developed the means were they were able to plant Leslie Brown’s fertilised egg into her womb. We take these breakthroughs in medical science for granted now, but I remember a comment at the time, ‘scientists were playing at being God.’
God planted His seed complete with the egg into Mary’s womb, without her flesh being touched. Mary womb and placenta were used by God to bring forth Jesus the Son of God.
Jesus’ blood, the components of Jesus’ blood I believe came from the author of life, the sinless life of God, therefore he had the nature of God his Father. The virgin Mary was overshadowed by God’s Holy Spirit when she conceived. The Holy Spirit convicts us of the truth and we accept this truth by faith.
A local Midwife explained to me how a baby has its own blood.
“The baby’s blood is developed soon after conception, no actual blood from mum goes directly to the baby, and the baby has its own DNA. The placenta is like a giant lung attached to the umbilical cord to the baby. From the placenta the baby receives oxygen and nutriments from mum. The waste and the carbon dioxide go via the placenta and are disposed of through mum’s bodily functions.”
Our blood circulates around the whole of our body. Even though it is uniquely our own, we are linked through blood groups throughout the human race. The blood in our veins, can be given through transfusions to other human beings, whether we are Chinese or English. There are no links in our blood with other created animals. We can not receive a transfusion from a monkey.
Jesus’ blood originating from God, the sinless life of God his Father. His blood pouring out from the cross has the potential to cleanse and redeem the whole of the human race.
Red cells
There are 5,000,000 red cells per cubic millimetre, red cells are very tiny, and every red cell travels in the blood to the lungs where it picks up oxygen. After picking up the oxygen a single red cell offloads the oxygen to a single tissue, the oxygen gives combustion and heat to the tissue. The red cell then takes the waste away from the tissue and disposes of it out of the body through the lungs, plasma, skin, bladder and bowel.
“The Chemistry of the Blood” Dr M.R.DeHaan.
Now this is true of the physical body but it all points to a deeper spiritual truths.
Spiritually the blood of Jesus goes into action when a person is hearing about what Jesus achieved through his death on the cross. He made the final sacrifice for all that separated us from God, his blood being accepted by God for the forgiveness of our sin.
“Without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness for sin.” Leviticus 17: 11. Hebrews 9: 22
Like the red blood cell, the blood of Jesus has the power to spiritually cleanse us and remove our sin and the causes of sin.
“Jesus said at the last supper, “For this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. Matthew 26: 28.
“The next day he saw Jesus walking towards him, and said,” Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” John 1: 29
“As far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our sins from us.” Psalm 103: 12
“And no longer shall each man teach his neighbour and each his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, says the Lord; for I will forgive their iniquity, and remember their sins no more.” Jeremiah 31: 34.
Like the red cell takes away the waste from the tissue, so Jesus takes away our sin, and it is remembered no more.
The Holy Spirit like the oxygen gives combustion sparks off the person into the newness of life, to live our lives in the Spirit of God’s love.
The red and white cells work together.
The work of the single red cell to a single tissue speaks of personal salvation; the Lord meets and treats us equally men, women and children.
Paul wrote in Romans 12:5 “So we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another” As Christians working together we are one in the blood of Jesus. But like the Trinity individually members of it.
The white cells are the soldiers of the body; they defend the body from bacteria and bring healing to damaged skin.
When for instance we have a splinter in our finger, a message goes to the brain and the brain sends a message to the marrow to produce and send more white cells to the infected area. In the process of combating the infection, the white cells have power to destroy bacteria some of the white cells die along with the bacteria, this forms the puss.
The white cells have built in their structure DNA which the red cells do not have. The DNA produces new skin to heal, restoring and producing new flesh. Amazing.
The blood of Jesus defends us from spiritual attack from the powers of darkness.
Second sign VERSE 4
The red dragon representing Satan, he brought his demonic host against the holy child Jesus when King Herod ordered the slaughter of male children under the age of two years.
There were further attempts to end Jesus’ life before his time: In the wilderness temptations he was tempted to jump by Satan from a pinnacle of the temple. At Nazareth some of the people there threatened to throw him over the cliff. At Jerusalem some Jews there were about to stone him, accusing him of blasphemy.
Jesus identified Satan as the evil one, “I do not pray that thou should take them (his disciples) out of the world, but that thou should keep them from the evil one.” John 17: 15
The powers of darkness knew that Jesus was the Holy One of God, that he had the power and authority of God. Jesus disarmed, immobilised, but not yet totally destroyed these principalities and powers.
Rebellion in Heaven
The scriptures reveal that there was a rebellion in heaven. Satan claimed equality with God and some of the angels sided with him.
”How you are fallen from heaven, O Day Star, son of the Dawn! (one of the many names of Satan)How you are cut to the ground, you who laid the nations low! You said in your heart, ‘I will ascend to heaven; above the stars of God I will set my throne on high; I will sit in the mount of the assembly in the far north; I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will make myself like the Most High.’ Isaiah 14: 12-14
The gods of Egypt were conquered by the one true God of Israel. Even today some religions put their god above the God of Abraham, Satan the deceiver put himself above God when he offered Jesus all the kingdoms of the earth if he would bow down and worship him.
Satan was defeated and evicted from his heavenly home. The words of Jesus in Luke 10: 18 “Jesus saw Satan fall like lightening from heaven.”
After the creation of the earth Satan sought to undermine the fellowship between man and his creator. God created man out of dust and then he breathed into Adam his blood, giving him life. “The life of the flesh is in the blood.” Leviticus 17: 11.
Moses in his God inspired writings wrote about Adam and Eve’s encounter with Satan, who lied to them when he offered them a way to be like God knowing good and evil. They accepted his lie and as a result their lives fell under Satan’s influence; every part of their nature became tainted by sin. Adam’s son Seth was born in the likeness of Adam not of God. (God named the first male and female, ’Man,’ plural ‘mankind.’ Genesis 5: 2, 3.
The Israelites on their wilderness journey they were dying through snake bites. Moses was instructed by God to make a fiery serpent and set it on a pole; and every one who was bitten, when they looked at it, would live. Numbers 21: 9
The Messiah’s Secret page 73
Jesus used this incident, in the exodus from Egypt, to demonstrate his death and resurrection.
The Son of man had to die and be lifted up so that those who believe in him and follow him receive eternal life.” John 3: 14.
The result of the fall of the first man,Adam, his sin resulted in death. (Serpent – death) the second man Jesus through victory over sin and death won eternal life. (Serpent lifted up – healing)
God had cursed the serpent and prophesied that through the seed of a woman the Messiah would bruise the head of the serpent, and the serpent would bruise the heel of the Messiah. Genesis 3: 15 The prophecy of the redemption that Jesus fulfilled.
The serpent bruised Christ’s heel; this happened when Jesus suffered the agony of the wooden cross, the death by hanging on a tree, crucifixion. Deuteronomy 21: 23.
Like the white cells in our blood, the blood of Jesus defends and heals our wounds.
Today Satan continues to deceive, denying Jesus’ victory over him. We fend off the fiery darts which often are accusations and deceit coming from Satan with the blood of Jesus.
One of his strategies is to send thoughts to our mind that suggest that we have said or done something wrong which when we reflect on it, we know that we haven’t, but still the thoughts keep on coming.
We disarm Satan by claiming Jesus’ victorious blood over his accusations. He has to retreat because we are justified through faith in the blood of Jesus. Justification means declared not guilty of sin against God.
When God our Father looks at us his beloved children, he sees spiritually the righteous blood of Christ in our being.
Arrow Prayer (This is saying a short prayer while active during the day)
I claim my position in Christ from the word; I then take the shield of faith the blood and make a stand against the principalities and powers, in the authority of Jesus’ name.
Dear Lord, I am your child, “To those who believe, you gave power to become the children of God”, I take the shield of faith which is mine in Christ and block the thoughts coming to me from the evil one that are not true. In Jesus’ name. Amen
Antibodies in our blood.
The Plasma carries the antibodies that prevent infection; after a person has had a disease cells are produced that have a resistance to that disease. Some are effective for life, others temporarily, immunity only for a time. This immunity is in the blood.
Satan is immobilised by the victory that Jesus has won. It is like the army that is defeated and afterwards surrender their weapons. In prayer we are able to claim Jesus’ victory and discern the activity of Satan and bring it to an end. This may take persistent prayer.
The parable of the wedding feast, the king gave a marriage feast for his son.
“But when the king came to look in at his guests, he saw a man who had no wedding garment; and he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding garment?’ And he was speechless. Then the king said to the attendants. ‘Bind him hand and foot, and cast him into the outer darkness.” Matthew 22: 11-13.
Jesus gives us his authority to bind and loose principalities and powers, to render them speechless and powerless in the activity of Satan.
Rev Moody Stories
“When I was speaking to five thousand children in Glasgow some years ago, I took a spool of thread and said to one of the largest boys: “Do you believe I can bind you with that thread?” He laughed at the idea. I wound the thread around him a few times, and he broke it with a single jerk. Then I wound the thread around and around, and by and by said: “Now get free if you can.” He could not move head or foot.”
Plasma
The primary purpose of plasma is to transport nutrients, hormones, and proteins to the parts of the body that need it. Cells also deposit their waste products into the plasma, and the plasma in turn helps remove this waste from the body. Blood plasma also ushers the movement of all the elements of blood through the circulatory system.
Platlets The plasma contains platelets that clotts and stops the flow of blood through open wounds.
The Holy Spirit ministry he convicts the world of unbelief, righteousness and judgement. He shows us Jesus and acts upon Jesus’ words. He divides soul and Spirit with the sword bearing the word of God. He illuminates the word, giving us direction He organises the gifts of the Spirit in the body of Christ.
Prayer
Praying for protection this day/night with the blood of Jesus over all principalities and powers. I put the shield of faith, the blood of Jesus, my helmet of salvation upon my head and I apply my victory in the power of Jesus’ blood to save, to protect and to heal because Jesus that is in us, is greater than Satan that is in the world. In the name of Jesus, Amen.
Jesus has won the victory over all principalities and powers in his death and resurrection. The Holy Spirit teaches us how to stand in the continual flow of the righteous blood of Jesus Christ from the throne of his grace and in the word of God against the strategies of Satan.
It is very important that we study and meditate upon the scriptures. Jesus being the Word of God clothed in the flesh.
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” John 1: 1
“That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon and touched with our hands, concerning the Word of life. The life was made manifest, and we saw it, and testify to it, and proclaim to you eternal life which was with the Father and was made manifest to us, that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you may have fellowship with us; and our fellowship is with the Father and with the Son Jesus Christ.” 1 John 1: 1-3
Future prophecy
In John’s revelation the woman went off into the wilderness for a period of 1,260 days.
Daniel prophesied that there will be an agreement between Israel and the antichrist for seven years. This is the last week of the seventy weeks prophecy of Daniel. Daniel 9: 27
The week is divided into two parts. The first part: for 1,260 days, three and a half years, during that time there will be a period of peace in the world. Second part: the antichrist turns on Israel and the Great Tribulation takes place for the remainder of the week of prophecy.
John refers to the Christians who die to self and live for Christ who are caught up in this, the great tribulation in Revelation 12: 11
“They conquered Satan with the blood of the lamb and the word of their testimony, for they did not love their own lives unto death.”
After this terrible time only a small number of Israelis survive and it’s at this point Jesus returns to take up again with Israel and defeat the antichrist. Revelation 19: 13-21.
Three Views on the Millennium Revelation 20: 1 – 15 Eyre & Spottiswoode Bible page 1884
Post Millennium
A Post Millennialist holds that the millennium is a period of world history in which the reign of Christ has been established through His church which is destined to conquer the world with the gospel, and at the end of this golden age Christ will personally return to earth and inaugurate a new heaven and a new earth.
A – Millennium
A – Millennialist denies that there will ever be a literal earth-rule of a thousand years, either before or after Christ’s return. By some the thousand years are taken to be simply symbolic of eternity (although verse 5 poses a serious problem for this view), and the only reign spoken in this passage is an eternal heavenly reign. Christ’s return to earth will simply usher in the “new heaven and the new earth” and His only eschatological rule will be celestial, not in this world. By others the one thousand years of Christ’s reign are taken to be the period between the first and second comings of Christ.
Pre-Millennium
Looks for the return of Christ to earth at the beginning of a literal, thousand year reign upon the earth when “the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of God as the waters cover the sea” and all the nations of mankind will be completely subservient to the Lord Jesus. At the end of this period Satan will be released again in order to stir up the secretly rebellious portion of mankind to a final open revolt against God (verses 7 – 9).