Somehow evil has a power and it is all around us. We see the struggle with evil played out in movies, in the world (Hitler, Pol Pot, Osama Bin Laden) and on a personal level (cancer, additions, sickness, etc.). How do we deal with it?
When we cry out to God in response to the evil we encounter, it is like we are in a battle with evil. This is what sections of Revelation are about – God’s great battle with evil. The good news we need to keep focusing on is God’s triumph over evil. In the end, He is the ultimate winner.
There are numbers in Revelations that have common meanings:
2 – teamwork, two witnesses, the disciples were sent out in two’s
4 – typically represents the world
6 – man was created on the 6th day... he wasn’t perfect.
7 – represents perfection, God, the divine,
10 – represents completeness
12 – often represents the 12 tribes of Israel
666 – signifies the mark of the Beast or Satan
In Chapter 12 of Revelations, Satan’s fall from God’s grace is described. Satan is a spiritual force. He was thrown down to earth because he wanted to be God; he didn’t want to bow down to God. However, if there is no other message we take away from Revelations, it is that God is working to destroy evil and He will destroy it.
This chapter of Revelations also describes the Christmas story with Satan depicted as a red dragon ready to devour Christ when He was born. However, that didn’t happen. In fury, Satan turned to attack the woman or Christ’s church (otherwise referred to as the bride of Christ). Satan likes to attack Christians because, when we are acting according to God’s will, we are helping God defeat evil in this world. Satan is referred to as the accuser looking for ways to make us feel guilty. He wants to destroy our confidence in partnering with God.
In the midst of times when we are struggling, we sometimes forget to look up to God; however when we do, we will be reminded that evil’s time is short. Remember God’s plans for us are always good.
As we read Revelations, we might ask “how do we respond to this scripture in our time?”
1. By remembering that our persecution if for a short time. It is temporary -- God and His goodness will ultimately prevail.
2. By remembering that God is going to help us and that it matters what we choose. When we make choices we open up ourselves to either God or Satan. If we are tempted to pursue privilege, power or passion that is not of God, then evil can overcome us. God, on the other hand, is at work to set us free from these temptations so we can focus on Him.