Dragons Can Be Killed - Revelation 12
May 26, 2023

G.K. Chesterton once said: “The objection to fairy stories is that they tell children there are dragons. But children have always known there are dragons. Fairy stories tell children that dragons can be killed.” The reality is that there is a dragon, he’s furious, and he wants to destroy the Son by destroying the redeemed. Revelation is a playbook of sorts for how the dragon can be conquered. In the end, it is when we lose our life that we gain it and subsequently render the already defeated dragon powerless. Discipleship in this life is to this end…daily taking up our cross in order to die to ourselves.


Revelation 12:1-6

“And a great sign appeared…”

The story of redemption and the defeat of evil is accurately likened to giving birth.


Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. —Isaiah 7:14 (ESV)


Then he dreamed another dream and told it to his brothers and said, “Behold, I have dreamed another dream. Behold, the sun, the moon, and eleven stars were bowing down to me.” But when he told it to his father and to his brothers, his father rebuked him and said to him, “What is this dream that you have dreamed? Shall I and your mother and your brothers indeed come to bow ourselves to the ground before you?” And his brothers were jealous of him, but his father kept the saying in mind. —Genesis 37:9–11 (ESV)


“Before she was in labor she gave birth; before her pain came upon her she delivered a son. Who has heard such a thing? Who has seen such things? Shall a land be born in one day? Shall a nation be brought forth in one moment? For as soon as Zion was in labor she brought forth her children. Shall I bring to the point of birth and not cause to bring forth?” says the Lord; “shall I, who cause to bring forth, shut the womb?” says your God. “Rejoice with Jerusalem, and be glad for her, all you who love her; rejoice with her in joy, all you who mourn over her; —Isaiah 66:7–10 (ESV)


And at the latter end of their kingdom, when the transgressors have reached their limit, a king of bold face, one who understands riddles, shall arise. His power shall be great—but not by his own power; and he shall cause fearful destruction and shall succeed in what he does, and destroy mighty men and the people who are the saints. —Daniel 8:23–24 (ESV)


Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Rise, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you, for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him.” And he rose and took the child and his mother by night and departed to Egypt and remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet, “Out of Egypt I called my son.” Then Herod, when he saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, became furious, and he sent and killed all the male children in Bethlehem and in all that region who were two years old or under, according to the time that he had ascertained from the wise men. Then was fulfilled what was spoken by the prophet Jeremiah: “A voice was heard in Ramah, weeping and loud lamentation, Rachel weeping for her children; she refused to be comforted, because they are no more.” —Matthew 2:13–18 (ESV)


By his cunning he shall make deceit prosper under his hand, and in his own mind he shall become great. Without warning he shall destroy many. And he shall even rise up against the Prince of princes, and he shall be broken—but by no human hand. —Daniel 8:25 (ESV)


Or how can someone enter a strong man’s house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man? Then indeed he may plunder his house. —Matthew 12:29 (ESV)


And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him. —Colossians 2:13–15 (ESV)


“But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation has come near. Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, and let those who are inside the city depart, and let not those who are out in the country enter it, for these are days of vengeance, to fulfill all that is written. Alas for women who are pregnant and for those who are nursing infants in those days! For there will be great distress upon the earth and wrath against this people. They will fall by the edge of the sword and be led captive among all nations, and Jerusalem will be trampled underfoot by the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled. —Luke 21:20–24 (ESV)


And Saul approved of his execution. And there arose on that day a great persecution against the church in Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles. Devout men buried Stephen and made great lamentation over him. But Saul was ravaging the church, and entering house after house, he dragged off men and women and committed them to prison. Now those who were scattered went about preaching the word. —Acts 8:1–4 (ESV)


Revelation 12:7-11

“Now war arose in heaven…he was thrown down to the earth…who accuses them day and night…for they loved not their lives…”

This is the triumph: life through death.


Then Satan answered the Lord and said, “Does Job fear God for no reason? —Job 1:9 (ESV)


Then he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the Lord, and Satan standing at his right hand to accuse him. And the Lord said to Satan, “The Lord rebuke you, O Satan! The Lord who has chosen Jerusalem rebuke you! Is not this a brand plucked from the fire?” Now Joshua was standing before the angel, clothed with filthy garments. And the angel said to those who were standing before him, “Remove the filthy garments from him.” And to him he said, “Behold, I have taken your iniquity away from you, and I will clothe you with pure vestments.” And I said, “Let them put a clean turban on his head.” So they put a clean turban on his head and clothed him with garments. And the angel of the Lord was standing by. —Zechariah 3:1–5 (ESV)


What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? —Romans 8:31–35 (ESV)


Revelation 12:13-16

“…the woman was given the two wings…the earth came to help…”

The church will be triumphant.


“The water … like a flood (v. 15) sent out by the dragon to sweep away the church is either “the peoples of the world” , or a “stream of lies, delusions, religious ‘isms,’ philosophical falsehoods, political utopias, quasi-scientific dogmas”, which has been, along with overt persecution, one of the principal challenges faced by the church throughout history, as Wilson explains:
The proverbial deceit of the serpent is manifested in a stream of deadly delusions which would engulf the church if they were not providentially diverted. This river of lies is the satanic parody of the river of life which flows from the heavenly throne.” —-Steve Gregg


Revelation 12:17

“…the dragon became furious…make war on the rest of her offspring…”

Jesus wasn’t lying.


But far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. —Galatians 6:14 (ESV)