AN ANSWER TO THE PROBLEM OF HUMAN SUFFERING

Revelation 12
Bob Bonner
January 29, 2006

The problem of human suffering, even for a limited time, has always perplexed faithful Christians. Suffering can be expected for the ungodly, but why should the godly suffer? One obvious cause for Christians to experience hard times in their lives comes as a direct result of wrong choices they have made, either before they came to Christ and sometimes after they came to Christ. In those cases, there are logical reasons why many of us must enduring hardships that others do not. To put it simply, we brought those difficulties upon ourselves through our own poor choices, whether we realized that they were poor choices at the time or not. 

But at other times, the hardships and sufferings that attack one individual or family in comparison to another makes no human sense. Sometimes one family or one individual has been dealt a providential hand that holds more disaster cards for them than maybe twenty other individuals or families ever are forced to endure. For them, these situations have nothing to do with their personal wrong choices. So, the age-old question continues to haunt us: “Why does God allow bad things to happen to good people?”

The Scriptures give a number of purposes behind suffering, or answers as to why the righteous suffer. This morning, our passage, Revelation 12 touches on at least one of them. Before we look at that answer as to why God allows human suffering, let’s get our bearings as to where we are in our study of the book of Revelation and future history, then examine the passage for its content, and finish with returning to this question of “What purpose can there be behind the righteous being challenged to endure hardships?”

The challenge we face in our week to week study of the book of Revelation and future historical events to come, is to make sure that those of you who are with us today, and who may have not been with us during the previous weeks of study, can jump in with us and understand what we are talking about. With that in mind, allow me to give you a general historical overview and where, in time, what we are studying will take place.

There is a very basic timeline of the future events as God says they will happen in our world.  For our purposes, this timeline begins at the end of Jesus Christ’s earthly ministry and His ascension back into heaven, where He presently sits at the right hand of God. From that point to today and for an unknown amount of time in the future, the period in which you live right now, is known as the Church Age. This age will come to an end, with the event known as the Rapture. This event is the sudden resurrection of all dead Christians and then the sudden ascension into heaven of both those Christians who have died along with the Christians who are alive at the time. These Christians will be reunited in heaven with Christ and will watch the unfolding of the rest of the future events that will take place on earth.

Following the Rapture will be the last seven years of human life on this planet. These seven years are called the Tribulation. During these seven years, some people will recognize that Jesus is the Messiah and will put their trust in Jesus Christ as their personal Savior and Lord. However, they will not escape the terrible judgments that will fall upon the earth during this period of time. They will be forced to endure and some will suffer death as a result of these judgments.

These seven years will be divided in half by a major event known as “the Abomination of Desolation.” This event will be the move of the world ruler, known as the Antichrist, to demand people to worship him, as they did Caesar in the first century. Except in this case, he will demand that they worship him in the Temple in Jerusalem. This “Abomination of Desolation” will signal the beginning of the second half of this seven-year period that will be filled with major judgments of God against human life on this planet. It will be called the Great Tribulation. It will be the worst years of horrible destruction upon the earth since the Flood.

At the end of this period, Jesus will return to this earth, victorious over the evil forces that have brought on the judgments of God against human life. He will then replenish the earth and will reign as King over the earth for a 1,000 year period, known as the Millennial Kingdom. During this time, all the believers will return to earth and serve Jesus Christ here. By the end of this period, we will see the destruction of Satan and all of his demonic forces, we will see the great white throne judgment, when God will permanently separate Himself from all human beings who have rejected Him, and those who have put their trust in Jesus Christ, will enter into eternity, in the new heaven, to serve and live with God forever.

This morning, we find ourselves in Revelation 12 which takes place during this Great Tribulation period. This chapter gives us an overview of Satan’s past, present and future wars against the nation of Israel, and specifically against her Messiah, Jesus Christ.

Chapter 12 grants the reader an understanding of spiritual battles going on behind the scenes that lead up to the destruction of this world as we know it.  In this chapter, we will see that this war changes scenes three times. First, in verses 1-6, we look at the past war on earth between Satan and Israel. Then, in verses 7-9, we see the future war in heaven between “Michael’s team” and “Satan’s team.” Satan’s loss of this battle in heaven will so enrage him that he will refocus his rage upon all of the inhabitants of the earth. This brings us to the final and last section of this chapter, verses 10-17, where we will see the future war on earth between Satan and Israel whence Satan will do everything he can to destroy everything and everybody on earth before he is finally defeated.

In these first six verses that make up Satan’s past spiritual war on earth, we will be introduced to three major players involved in this war, and the wars to come.  We read, “A great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars; and she was with child; and she cried out, being in labor and in pain to give birth. Then another sign appeared in heaven: and behold, a great red dragon having seven heads and ten horns, and on his heads were seven diadems. And his tail swept away a third of the stars of heaven and threw them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman who was about to give birth, so that when she gave birth he might devour her child. 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. Then the woman fled into the wilderness where she had a place prepared by God, so that there she would be nourished for one thousand two hundred and sixty days.”

The use of the word “sign” in verse 1 alerts us to the interpretive approach to this verse. We are told up front that the use of symbolism in these verses is to be considered along with the literal interpretation of these verses. As signs, the symbolism is used here to send a signal that the comments that follow probably contain an element of prophetical warning. Within the symbolism mentioned in verses 1, 2, we find the first of the three major characters who have had key roles in the spiritual wars that have taken and will take place in heaven and on earth. 

The sign of a woman is not unique to Scripture to refer to a religious system. In Revelation 2 a woman named Jezebel is used to picture false teaching. In Revelation 17, the “great harlot” refers to the false religious system that will dominate the world during the end times. Believers in Jesus Christ are called “the bride” and “wife” of Christ. 

Here, the woman symbolizes the nation of Israel, that is birthed as a result of God’s covenant with Abraham. The sun, moon and stars find their explanation back in Genesis 37:9-11, in which they show up in Joseph’s dream about his relationship in the future to his father Jacob, his mother Rachel and his eleven other brothers. Like here, the sun refers to Jacob, the moon refers to Rachel, and the twelve stars refer to the twelve sons of Jacob. Hence, this woman, the nation of Israel, who gets her origin from the twelve tribes of Jacob, is said to be pregnant and about to give birth to a child. The child of that birth will be identified when we get to verses 5, 6.

The second key figure is revealed symbolically by the sign of the “red dragon.”

In verse 4, the reference to the dragon’s tail sweeping away “a third of the stars of heaven” gives us the first clue as to who this dragon may be. This reference seems to parallel a reference in Ezekial. 28:15, which describes Satan’s past rebellion against God in heaven, during which time, Satan swept over to his side one third of the angels in heaven to join forces with Satan on earth to take control of the earth and all who live on it. We call these angels today by another name, “demons.” 

Add to this clue, a similar description of a dragon with seven heads and ten horns in Daniel 7:7, 8, 24 and Revelation 13:1, 2, and we now recognize that this red dragon represents Satan. Putting it all together, the symbolism of these two verses is telling us about Satan and his control over world empires during this period known as the Great Tribulation. Further down in this same chapter in v. 9, the dragon is clearly identified as Satan. Although we will later see in chapter 13 that the Antichrist is the “beast out of the sea,” it is best understood that this beast’s real power comes from Satan. He is Satan's pawn. It’s the dragon who is ultimately pulling the evil strings of the Antichrist. The dragon being colored red might indicate the bloodshed related to the future death and destruction he will bring upon the human race. Satan could be truly nicknamed “Dr. Death” as it concerns his impact upon the human race.  

The third key role player in history, past and future, was referenced at the end of verse 4, but more clearly mentioned in verses 5, 6, as the “male child.” The dragon’s attempt to devour the newborn child points to Satan's attempts to destroy the infant Jesus Christ. Satan was the one behind King Herod’s attempt at killing the baby Jesus by his killing hundreds of innocent babies around the time of Christ’s birth, hoping that in the process, this jealous king would get rid of a potential future rival king, Jesus Christ. Satanic opposition to Israel and especially to the messianic line is clear in both testaments. Satan not only hated Christ’s first coming, but he will do everything in his power to prevent Christ’s second coming and victory over Satan.

The expression in verse 5, “rod of iron” is used here as it is in Ezekial 20:37. It is used as a symbol of judgment. We see a similar expression in Psalm 23. There, the shepherd’s rod was used by the shepherd as a weapon of protection for the sheep against wild animals that would love to eat those dumb, but deliciously helpless, furry animals. Hence, Christ’s role with the iron rod will one day be to be to bring judgment against the dragon and all his forces, and Satan knows it. Hence, Satan hates the woman, Israel, and will do whatever he can to destroy her and to prevent God’s prophecies from being fulfilled. But at every turn and every attempt to do so, Satan continues to play into God’s plans and ends up fulfilling God’s prophecies, not thwarting them. 

Hence, these first six verses reflect a spiritual war that was fought on earth, between Satan and Israel, in Satan’s attempt to prevent the birth of the “male child,” the Messiah, Jesus Christ. But as verse 5, explains, the “male child” leaves the earth and goes to heaven. This is in reference to Satan’s last earthly attempt to dispose of the Messiah through the crucifixion. But Jesus resurrects from the grave after the crucifixion, conquering “Dr. Death,” and then, for a temporary period, ascends into heaven until He will return to earth a second time, at the end of the Tribulation period.

Between the end of verse 5 and the beginning of verse 6 is literally thousands of years. This is an obvious great time lapse, but it is not unusual for God’s prophecies to be set up as such. For between Daniel 9:26 and 27 we find a break in the prophecy calendar of thousands of years. When we return to Revelation 12:6 we are directed once again to the starting point of the Great Tribulation, following the “Abomination of Desolation,” when the Antichrist will begin to massacre the Jews. In response, the Jews head for the hills, for safekeeping, for 1260 days which equals the three-and-a-half years of the Great Tribulation. We read about this running for their lives in Matthew 24:17, and Mark 13:14. 

In Matthew and Mark’s account there are different references to the Jews heading out into both the desert and the mountains. These references are not a contradiction to the expression of the “wilderness” found in the book of Revelation. If you have ever seen pictures of what the Jews call “the wilderness” you will see that their wilderness is nothing but a mountainous desert area. It is to these places that the woman, or Israel, runs for safekeeping under the protective hand of God. It will be in places like this that God’s promises to preserve 144,000 believing Jews who have the seal of God on their foreheads will be realized. In her desert hideout Israel will be cared for perhaps as miraculously as Israel was in her wilderness journey from Egypt to the Promised Land.

Beginning with verse 7 and ending in verse 9, the scene shifts to a future second was that will take place in heaven, between Michael, the archangel and his angelic team and Satan and his demons. We read,  “And there was war in heaven, Michael and his angels waging war with the dragon. The dragon and his angels waged war, and they were not strong enough, and there was no longer a place found for them in heaven. 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.”

This battle with Michael the archangel was predicted in Daniel 12:1. This event marks the beginning of the Great Tribulation, according to Daniel, and undoubtedly is the same event here in Revelation 12. According to our passage, Satan is the one who initiates this war in heaven. Having been defeated in heaven and cast out of heaven down to earth, Satan will arrive here angry and ready to destroy any who ally themselves with the Messiah. Satan’s anger explains the impetus for the Antichrist stepping up the pressure on the Jews and the “Abomination of Desolation” that takes place in the Temple.

Then, beginning with verse 10 through the end of the chapter, we read about the third war. This war takes place in the future, but will return its focus to the earth. This war will at first, pit Satan against Israel, as the Messiah’s people, but will eventually be aimed directly at Jesus Christ at the battle of Armageddon. 

With verse 10, we read, “Then I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, ‘Now the salvation, [not the salvation from sin, but the salvation or deliverance and completion of God’s program] 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.’ 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. [a statement that during this spiritual war taking place during the Great Tribulation, believers will willingly become martyrs for Jesus Christ.] 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, [not wrath in the sense of a rational desire to destroy, but an emotional, passionate state of mind that comes from] knowing that he has only a short time.” 

In other words, at this point Satan will pull out all stops for his final and last stand against Jesus Christ and His followers. Satan knows he is fighting a losing battle, but he doesn’t care if he is destroyed. He is going to go down swinging, no matter who gets destroyed in the process. He’s going to take as many with him as possible.

Personally, as in an order of events, I believe this event sparks the fifth and sixth demonized trumpet judgments against the human race, that we read about in Revelation 9.  Dr. Theodore Epp describes this future scene this way: “Satan is now like a caged lion, enraged beyond words by the limitations now placed upon his freedom. He picks himself up from the dust of the earth, shakes his fist at the sky, and glares around, choking with fury for ways to vent his hatred and his spite upon humankind.”

Beginning with verse 13, we read about Satan’s deliberate pursuit and attack of the “woman’s offspring,” or the Jewish believers. “And when the dragon saw that he was thrown down to the earth, he persecuted the woman who gave birth to the male child.”

Today Satan has access to heaven, where he accuses God’s people; but he cannot dethrone our exalted Savior. His strategy today is to persecute God’s people and devour them if possible (1 Peter 5:8). However, Satan has always had a special hatred for the Jewish people and has been the power behind anti-Semitism from the days of Pharaoh and Haman (see the book of Esther) to Hitler, Stalin, Saddam Hussein, and other religious terrorists.

The anti-Semitism of today will not compare to Satan’s campaign against the Jews during the Great Tribulation. But God will protect His people during those three-and-a-half years, as we continue to read in verse 14. “But the two wings of the great eagle were given to the woman, so that she could fly into the wilderness to her place, where she was nourished for a time and times and half a time, from the presence of the serpent. And the serpent poured water like a river out of his mouth after the woman, so that he might cause her to be swept away with the flood. But the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened its mouth and drank up the river which the dragon poured out of his mouth.”

This figure of speech concerning the “eagle” is derived from Exodus 19:4 and Deut. 32: 11,12, where God uses the strength of an eagle to illustrate His faithfulness in caring for Israel. The two wings of the eagle represent God’s intervention in the rescuing of this believing Jewish remnant. 

The natural terrain of Israel and its wilderness areas provide ample room for God to hide His people. The flood will be Satan’s attempt to destroy this believing remnant. Some see this flood as a literal water flood. Others see it as symbolically referring to a vast host of soldiers sent by the Antichrist to overtake and destroy the faithful of Israel. Whether it is a figurative or literal flood matters not. What’s important is to know that God supernaturally rescues His people. 

How does the dragon respond to God’s supernaturally protecting these 144,000 believing Jews? Verse 17 tells us. “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.”

With this verse, we realize that not only are there still 144,000 believing Jews alive because they are being specially protected by God, but at this point, there are still other believing Jews who are alive and have made it thus far through these times of persecution.

Now, let’s stop there and return to the question that I raised at the beginning of this message:  “Why does God allow bad things to happen to good people?” As I read through the word of God, I find four examples of why God allows such horrible things to come across our paths.

Sometimes God uses various hardships in our lives as a preventive measure or as a protective measure to keep us from harming ourselves. The apostle Paul speaks of this preventive/protective measure of hardship used by God in his own life in 2 Corinthians 12:7. Because God knew Paul’s past track record of living a rather self-reliant, self-dependent, egotistical lifestyle, Paul tells us that God deliberately gave to Paul a “thorn in the flesh,” something that was irritating, unpleasant and something that Paul couldn’t handle on his own such that it required him to continually depend upon the Lord. His actual words, repeated twice in 2 Corinthians 12 are “to keep me from exalting myself.” When we exalt ourselves, God can’t use us. Obviously, God wants to use our lives, and in Paul’s case He brought this “thorn” into Paul’s life to prevent Paul from disqualifying himself from being used by God.

A second purpose for hardship in our lives is to teach us to obey, even in difficult times. I must admit to you that there are some things about the following verse that I do not understand, but nonetheless, in Hebrews 5:8, we learn that God used suffering in Christ’s life to teach Him obedience. It says, “Although He was a Son, He learned obedience from the things which He suffered.” Now, if God the Father, saw fit to instruct Jesus in obedience through suffering, can we expect any less? 

Romans 5:3-5, tells us that God brings hard times into our lives to teach us to hang in there and to trust and obey Him as our loving Father, no matter what.  We read, “And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.” And in this very same chapter, just after we are told about God’s planned tribulations in our lives, we are told about the extent of God’s love for us in verse 8, “But God demonstrates His own love toward us in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” And two verses later, He adds that God viewed us as His enemies, yet He still loved us enough to die for us. 

All of this is to say, don’t ever believe the lie of Satan that God either causes or allows hardship to come into your life because He hates you or because He doesn’t love you. Over and over God clearly states that it is because He loves us that He allows these things to come into our lives, that we might learn to trust and obey Him.

Sometimes God allows harsh times into our lives to discipline us. Now be careful with that word “discipline.” I am not using it as a synonym for “punish.” The goal of all true discipline is a form of training, instruction and correction that is motivated by love for the one being disciplined. God makes it very clear in Hebrews 12, that as a loving father, He will discipline our lives so that we can grow up in the faith. Hence, one reason we face insurmountable challenges, injustices and suffering is that we might learn and that we might grow more spiritually mature.

There is one last purpose behind our sufferings that fits with the suffering that not only Israel has and will have to endure, but is often the most common reason each of us experience hard times in our lives. Like the apostle Paul, as is mentioned in Acts 9:16, sometimes we suffer for “Christ’s name sake.” What does that mean?  Basically, it means that God allows suffering to come into our lives to provide a better testimony to the world of the power of Jesus Christ to deliver and change people’s lives. It is a testimony of His ultimate greatness, goodness and love. It is also a testimony to the wisdom and goodness behind God’s purposes. When people see us depending upon the Lord during tough times, rather than on our simple will power, and they see our joy, purpose and hope that is based upon God’s purposes and promises rather than whining because we can’t have it our way, it puts the reality of Christ’s power and purposes on display. It brings honor to God and hope to others who are struggling.

Although some of us may wish from time to time that He would love us a little less in this manner, God means these things for our good and ultimately for His good. In the end, our earthly sufferings are temporary. But our eternal life will be without suffering, it will be glorious if we know Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord.

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