Dragon’s Tail

 

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In Revelation 12, the Dragon attacks the Woman Israel several times with his “tail.”

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The Woman Israel

Rev 12:1 ¶ And there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars:

Rev 12:2   And she being with child cried, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered.

The Dragon

Rev 12:3   And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads.

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Attacks # 1 and #2 – the holocaust and 1948

Rev 12:4

(1) And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth: and

(2) the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born.

Attack # 1

http://www.simpletoremember.com/vitals/world-jewish-population.htm

In 1939, there were 17 million Jews in the world, and by 1945 only 11 million.

About 1/3 of the Jews were killed in the holocaust.

Attack # 2

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1948_Arab%E2%80%93Israeli_War

In 1948, Israel was reborn as a nation. Immediately, without delay, the Arab nations attacked, to “wipe Israel off the map.”

There were 7 nations (heads), but 10 groups (horns).

Three (3) of the attacking groups were either non-national Palestinians, or transnational Arab groups, so they were not countries, but groups of Arabs.

The others were countries.

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The Child and the Rapture

Israel has given birth to individuals from both Christianity and Judaism.

The Child here is those who are born again believers in Jesus from both groups.

Rev 12:5   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.

The child specifically is Christ, but in a broader sense, represents all who are “one body” with Him by faith.

At first glance, it seems like it is referring to the Ascension of Christ into heaven, but with more consideration, the book of Revelation is about the end times.

So I would say this more accurately represents the rapture of true, tested, faithful believers.

This event also follows the death of 1/3 of the Jews, which occurred in world war 2.

With this sudden removal of some of her children, the woman flees to the wilderness for safety.

Note:

Not all “believers” will be raptured. This is the true Bride of Christ, not members of churches. The true Bride will make herself ready. Jesus only indicated one church – Philadelphia – would be spared from the trouble to come. All others were found wanting, and needed to repent.

Rev 3:10   Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.

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Attack # 3 – Now that the Child is gone, the Dragon persecutes the Woman Israel after a war in heaven, where he is cast out. Flood of words.

The angels in heaven have been holding back the devil in a heavenly war.

Now that the born again church is safely in heaven, the devil is cast down, and goes after the woman.

The Child, for the most part, has supported Israel, and now it is gone.

This leaves the woman vulnerable.

Rev 12:13 ¶ And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth, he persecuted the woman which brought forth the man [child].

The woman is provided an escape into the wilderness, where God provides for her.

Rev 12:14   And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent.

The attack is a “flood.” From other references in Rev, such as the beast spewing out frogs from its mouth, this flood is a flood of words – words so inflammatory and hateful that they could kill, just to listen to them.

Rev 16:13 And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs [come] out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet.

This flood of words, which we see even now, is to influence public opinion against Israel.

Rev 12:15   And the serpent cast out of his mouth water as a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away of the flood.

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Attack # 4

It then says that the earth helps the woman.

Rev 12:16   And the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed up the flood which the dragon cast out of his mouth

So who on earth would help Israel during this attack?

Answer, the church that is coming through the Tribulation.

As people repent, and get truly born again, they realize the urgency of the attack, and step in to help Israel.

The devil then attacks these newly born again children of the woman – both Jewish and Gentile.

Rev 12:17   And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.

This church will go through persecution and martyrdom.

Rev 20:4 And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and [I saw] the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received [his] mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.

The beheading of the saints also gives a clue to who the horns of the beast are, since, unless something changes, only Islam beheads those it executes.

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Who are the horns of the Dragon?

Before 1948, in 1948, and since 1948, the players have always been the same.

The 7 heads and 10 horns are listed above for 1948. They are all Islamic.

They will most likely be about the same set in the tribulation, with similar replacements, if there are changes.

“Who is the beast” is a different discussion, with all its perspectives.

The beast has horns, but the horns are not the beast.