Sabbath Afternoon - March 25, 2023

Reading for the Week

 Revelation 12; Eph. 5:25-27, 32; Phil. 3:9; Dan. 7:25; Isa. 14:12-14; Rev. 13:14-17. 

Prayer Thought

As we follow on step by step to know the Lord, we need not expect that the way will be free from hindrances. Just as surely as we strive to serve the Lord, so surely will Satan put forth every effort in his power to accomplish our ruin. But help has been laid upon One that is mighty, and to every struggling child of His who asks Him for grace, believing, He comes with the needed aid. We have an all-powerful Saviour who was victorious in His assumed humanity, and we are to press forward in the work of overcoming in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth. In His strength, which we claim by faith, we are gaining the victory over sin.—Manuscript 27, 1886. {CTr 364.6} 


Memory Text

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.  {Rev. 12:17}


This SS week's Lesson will discover how Satan had been defeated and how many times he loses against Jesus. It also includes the attack of Satan in these last days and how the church becomes victorious over the enemy.


Study Outline

Sunday - March 26, 2023

The Battle in Heaven - The Cosmic Conflict

Rev. 12:7-9, Lk. 11:23; 2Tim. 1:9 

Monday - March 27, 2023

Satan's Attack - The Decisive Battle

Rev. 12:4-6, 9; Eph 5:25-27, 32; Ps. 2:7-9; Phil. 3:9

Tuesday - March 28, 2023

Accepting Jesus Victory - The Winners

Rev. 12:10, 11; 5:6; Col. 1:14; 2:14; Eph. 1:7

Wednesday - March 29, 2023

The Woman in the Wilderness - Satan Counterattacks

Rev. 12:6, 14-16; 11:2-3; 13:5; Dan. 7:25; Numbers 14:34; Ezek. 4:4-6

Thursday - March 30, 2023

God's End-time Remnant - The Remnant is Attacked

Rev. 12:17; 14:12-14; 13:14, 17

Friday - March 31, 2023

Further Study and Meditation

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________


Sunday - March 26, 2023

The Battle in Heaven - The Cosmic Conflict

Rev. 12:7-9, Lk. 11:23; 2Tim. 1:9 

“And war broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels fought with the dragon; and the dragon and his angels fought,” (Revelation 12:7)


Revelation 12:7-9 - Satan's Second Defeat

The main point to be noticed in these verses is that after the Dragon and his angels were cast out of Heaven (Satan's second defeat), and after he had persecuted the Church, and she had taken her flight into the wilderness, the Dragon followed her there, but rather than persecuting her, he cast "water as a flood after her," hoping to cause her to be carried away by it.  In other words, after he saw that he could not stop the growth of the Christian Church by persecuting her followers, he changed his tactics and instead compelled the Pagans to join her, expecting thereby to cause her to be paganized -- "carried away."  {2TG16: 21.1}


War In Heaven

"And there was war in heaven: Michael and His angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon fought and his angels, And prevailed not; neither was there place found any more in heaven." (Rev. 12:7, 8.)  The conflict was in heaven.  The name "Michael' means who is like God; hence it is one of the many titles of Christ.  Daniel calls Him "Michael the Great Prince which standeth for the children of thy people." (Dan. 12:1.)  Christ has numerous titles, each bearing a definition of a certain phase, or character of His work.  The angel said to Joseph, "and thou shalt call His name Jesus, for he shall save His people from their sins."  He is also called "Emmanuel," meaning, "God with us." etc.  {SR2: 66.1}


Satan is cast out of heaven for good – his second defeat (vs. 7-13)

This does not occur before the cross. Job 1:6, 7; 2:1, 2

Could one sin have been found in Christ, had He in one particular yielded to Satan to escape the terrible torture, the enemy of God and man would have triumphed. Christ bowed His head and died, but He held fast His faith and His submission to God. "And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night." Rev. 12:10.  {DA 761.1}


Consider the Following

Revelation 12:7-8 uses symbols to tell how a conflict began in heaven: Michael won, and the dragon was expelled from heaven.

Why did this war begin? God had given Lucifer free will, and he chose to usurp the throne of the Universe (Isaiah 14:12-14).

There were no neutral angels, they had to choose between Michael and the dragon. This conflict continued on Earth, so we must choose to support Michael or to fight against Him (Luke 11:23).

For deeper studies please visit these links:

https://3angelscry.org/pdf/pdf-revelation-12-the-ever-living-church-and-the-dragon/


The Growth of Rebellion in Heaven Explained

Good angels wept to hear the words of Satan and his exulting boasts. God declared that the rebellious should remain in heaven no longer. Their high and happy state had been held upon condition of obedience to the law which God had given to govern the high order of intelligences. But no provision had been made to save those who should venture to transgress His law. Satan grew bold in his rebellion, and expressed his contempt of the Creator's law. This Satan could not bear. He claimed that angels needed no law but should be left free to follow their own will, which would ever guide them right; that law was a restriction of their liberty; and that to abolish law was one great object of his standing as he did. The condition of the angels, he thought, needed improvement. Not so the mind of God, who had made laws and exalted them equal to Himself. The happiness of the angelic host consisted in their perfect obedience to law. Each had his special work assigned him, and until Satan rebelled, there had been perfect order and harmonious action in heaven. {SR 18.2}

Then there was war in heaven. The Son of God, the Prince of heaven, and His loyal angels engaged in conflict with the archrebel and those who united with him. The Son of God and true, loyal angels prevailed; and Satan and his sympathizers were expelled from heaven. All the heavenly host acknowledged and adored the God of justice. Not a taint of rebellion was left in heaven. All was again peaceful and harmonious as before. Angels in heaven mourned the fate of those who had been their companions in happiness and bliss. Their loss was felt in heaven. {SR 19.1}


Monday - March 27, 2023

Satan's Attack - The Decisive Battle

Rev. 12:4-6, 9; Eph 5:25-27, 32; Ps. 2:7-9; Phil. 3:9

“[…] And the dragon stood before the woman who was ready to give birth, to devour her Child as soon as it was born.” (Revelation 12:4)


Revelation 12:4-6 - Satan's First Defeat - Jesus Wins over Death

Stood ready to devour her child – Satan tries to destroy Christ using Herod. His first defeat.

Caught to God and His throne – Jesus overcame Satan by living a perfect sinless life. He died and then was resurrected, Satan fails again. The Church flees (vs. 6, 14)


Woman Clothed with the Sun and the Moon Underfoot - The Ever-living Church

We all somewhat agree, I know, that this woman of Revelation 12 is symbolical of the Church; that the Dragon is symbolical of Satan; and that the child represents Christ.  But inasmuch as we may not agree as to whether the woman is symbolical of the Old Testament church or of the New or of both, it is essential that we study to see eye to eye. {2TG16: 16.1}

Taking all these points into one common whole, they positively show that the woman is symbolical of God's everliving Church for all times, and that she is His saving Truth, His true wife, the Truth that gave birth to Christ and that gives birth to all His "brethren" (His followers), "the remnant of her seed." Rev. 12:17.  {2TG16: 18.2}


The Jewish Church where Christ has Born

Moreover, before the child was born, and before the Gospel of Christ came to the Church, she was clothed with the sun, and the moon stood under her feet.  There is therefore not the slightest excuse for one to conclude that the woman represents the Church clothed with the Gospel of Christ.  And if her sun clothing does not represent the Gospel of Christ, then what does it represent? {2TG16: 17.2}

If the "woman" represents the Christian church, how could the same church (woman) travail in birth with Christ, by whom the church was founded thirty years later?  If we say she represents the Jewish church, how could she fly into the wilderness and remain there from 538 to 1798, in the Christian dispensation? If the "moon" under her feet indicates the end of the Mosaic sacrificial system, why did it not end before the birth of Christ, since the moon stood under her feet before He was born.  If it had ended at that time, could it have been a symbol of the death of Christ?  If her garment of sunlight is a symbol of the gospel in the Christian dispensation, how could the church (woman) be clothed with it years before the gospel dispensation began, having been clothed with it before the child was born?  Which one of the two churches, Jewish or Christian, gave birth to Christ?  If it were the Jewish church, then how could the light with which she was clothed be applied to the Christian church?  If these questions cannot be answered, then we are obliged to go deeper into the subject.  {SR2: 72.1}


The Sun Represents the Light from the Bible Ps. 119:105

Since she was clothed with the sun before Christ's birth, and before the Gospel came, then her sun-clothing must be the Bible, the Word of God that clothed her in the period of the prophets. {2TG16: 17.3}

When the promise of the coming Saviour was made, it was then that the dragon learned that the Church was to give birth to the "man child," and from then on he watched her closely, hoping to destroy the world's Redeemer as soon as He was born.  This he endeavored to accomplish through Herod, when he caused a multitude of little children to be slaughtered.  The child Christ, nevertheless escaped, and the Devil met his first defeat in this connection.  {2TG16: 18.3}


The Seven heads and Ten Horns meaning

Now the Dragon being fortified with seven heads and ten horns, denotes that he controlled all the civil and religious powers in that day (for the symbolical number "ten" denotes universality, just as do the ten toes of Daniel 2, the ten horns of the other Bible beasts, and the ten virgins of Matthew 25). {2TG16: 19.1}


Universal Rebellion of Angels in Heaven

The Dragon's drawing from heaven a third part of the stars (angels, Rev. 12:9) with his tail, not with his claws, denotes that in the beginning of Satan's universal rebellion the angels volunteered to follow the rebel leader, and to unite with him in his evil work against the human family. {2TG16: 19.4}


Consider the Following

We have to interpret the symbols in Revelation 12 properly in order to understand the decisive battle in the cosmic conflict.

— The dragon: Satan (Revelation 12:9), supported by a third of the angels (v. 4)

— The woman: The Church of God, both in the Old and New Testaments (Ezekiel 16:46; 2 Corinthians 11:2)

— The male Child: Jesus Christ, persecuted since He was born (Matthew 2:13). He ascended to heaven (Mark 16:19) and was given authority over all nations (Revelation 2:26-27; 19:15)

Jesus overcame by dying on the cross (Colossians 2:15).

Satan had been allowed to enter heaven (Job 1:6), but he was not anymore since Jesus won the decisive battle. Satan was thrown to Earth for good (Revelation 12:9).

We are victorious in Jesus’ victory (Romans 8:37).

For deeper studies please visit these links:

Downloadable pdf file: 


Tuesday - March 28, 2023

Accepting Jesus Victory - The Winners

Rev. 12:10, 11; 5:6; Col. 1:14; 2:14; Eph. 1:7

“And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death.” (Revelation 12:11)


The Accuser Of The Brethren

After the dragon was cast down from heaven according to the vision says John: "And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night." (Rev. 12:10.)  "Satan's accusations against those who seek the Lord are not prompted by displeasure at their sin.  He exults in their defective characters; for he knows that only through their transgression of God's law can he obtain power over them." -- Prophets and Kings, pp. 585, 586.  When the Spirit of God prompts to reprove, He will reveal sin and rebuke the sinner.  But Satan, encourages the sinner to unconsciously commit himself in transgression, then he accuses him before the great Judge in Heaven, as "being clothed with the garments of blackness and the defilement of sin," to secure his condemnation.  God's people must learn to detect the voice of the Spirit of Christ, as well as the spirit of Satan.  When the two clash, the One will strive for obedience to God's Word, but the other will excuse the sin and sympathize with the sinner.  In this way Satan gains ground, for the sinner loves his sin.  {SR2: 69.3}


Consider the Following

Jesus won, and we’ve also won “through the blood” of Jesus (Colossians 1:20).

Although the end of the conflict is yet to come, we are already victorious. Our debts are cancelled, and we’re made perfect before God when we accept what Christ did for us by faith (Colossians 1:14, 22).

We have won! And God will give all things to those who have overcome (Revelation 21:7).


Wednesday - March 29, 2023

The Woman in the Wilderness - Satan Counterattacks

Rev. 12:6, 14-16; 11:2-3; 13:5; Dan. 7:25; Numbers 14:34; Ezek. 4:4-6

“Now when the dragon saw that he had been cast to the earth, he persecuted the woman who gave birth to the male Child.” (Revelation 12:13)


Revelation 12:6 - Going Into the Wilderness (land of the Gentiles) 

Though this twelve-star-crowned woman symbolizes something in the Old Testament time, as we have already seen, she nevertheless is seen to symbolize something in the New Testament time.  This we see from the fact that after the child was born, and after the Christian church came into being, the woman was given the wings of a great eagle, and was thus enabled to fly into the wilderness, there to be nourished "for a time, and times, and half a time." Moreover, her leaving the vineyard (her homeland -- Palestine) and going into the wilderness (the lands of the Gentiles, for that is what wilderness symbolically stands for in contrast to a vineyard), again shows that she continued after her child was born. {2TG16: 18.1}


Christian Fled away in the Wilderness During the Dark Ages

The “Church in the Desert,” the few descendants of the ancient Christians that still lingered in France in the eighteenth century, hiding away in the mountains of the south, still cherished the faith of their fathers. As they ventured to meet by night on mountain-side or lonely moor, they were chased by dragoons, and dragged away to life-long slavery in the galleys. “The purest, the most refined, and the most intelligent of the French, were chained, in horrible torture, amidst robbers and assassins.” Others, more mercifully dealt with, were shot down in cold blood, as, unarmed and helpless, they fell upon their knees in prayer. Hundreds of aged men, defenseless women, and innocent children were left dead upon the earth at their place of meeting. In traversing the mountain-side or the forest, where they had been accustomed to assemble, it was not unusual to find “at every four paces dead bodies dotting the sward, and corpses hanging suspended from the trees.” Their country, “laid waste with the sword, the ax, the fagot, was converted into a vast, gloomy wilderness.” These atrocities were not committed during the Dark Ages, but in that brilliant era “when science was cultivated, and letters flourished; when the divines of the court and the capital were learned and eloquent men, who greatly affected the graces of meekness and charity.”  {GC88 271.3} 


Inheritors of the Covenant Promises

All who through Christ should become the children of faith were to be counted as Abraham's seed; they were inheritors of the covenant promises; like Abraham, they were called to guard and to make known to the world the law of God and the gospel of His Son. Moses saw the light of the gospel shining out through the disciples of Jesus to them "which sat in darkness" (Matthew 4:16), and thousands from the lands of the Gentiles flocking to the brightness of its rising. And beholding, he rejoiced in the increase and prosperity of Israel.  {PP 476.1}  


Consider the Following

How long was Satan persecuting the Church (Revelation 12:6, 14)?

42 months = 1,260 days = A time and times and half a time. All the persecution periods in Daniel and Revelation are the same.

In prophetic times, a day is equivalent to a year (Numbers 14:34, Ezekiel 4:6). Let’s review when the 1,260 years of persecution began and ended.

— From 538. The last Ostrogothic people are eliminated, and the Pope receives political power over the city of Rome.

— To 1798. General Berthier imprisons the Pope on Napoleon’s orders.

— During that time, faithful people were sustained by God in the desert [sparsely populated places] (Revelation 12:6, 14).

God took care of His Church during that time, and He will also take care of the faithful remnant during the End Time.


Thursday - March 30, 2023

God's End-time Remnant - The Remnant is Attacked

Rev. 12:17; 14:12-14; 13:14, 17

“And the dragon was enraged with the woman, and he went to make war with the rest of her offspring, who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.” (Revelation 12:17)


The Final Draw of Satan - his Third Defeat 

Having met such a mighty defeat, and having seen that the Church is freed from his flood, the Dragon's wrath is to be intensified.  He will be wroth with the woman and "make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ" (Rev. 12:17), "the Spirit of Prophecy" (Rev. 19:10). {2TG16: 22.1}


Satan's Work of Deceit and Destruction will Reach its Culmination (Time of trouble)

"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." Revelation 12:17. Some who today are living on the earth will see these words fulfilled.  {FLB 289.3}  

The wrath of Satan increases as his time grows short, and his work of deceit and destruction will reach its culmination in the time of trouble.  {FLB 289.4}  

Fearful sights of a supernatural character will soon be revealed in the heavens, in token of the power of miracle-working demons. The spirits of devils will go forth to the kings of the earth and to the whole world, to fasten them in deception, and urge them on to unite with Satan in his last struggle against the government of heaven. By these agencies, rulers and subjects will be alike deceived.  {FLB 289.5}  


Consider the Following

Since 1798, Satan increases His attack on “the rest,” the remnant.

The remnant is a small group with two main characteristics:

— They keep the commandments of God. They remember the forgotten law of God.

— They have the testimony of Jesus Christ. They’re faithful to their Savior.

In Jesus, by Jesus, through Jesus, and because of Jesus, our victory is secured.


Friday - March 31, 2023

Further Study and Meditation

The Dragon, though, is again to miss the mark, for the earth is to open her mouth and swallow up the flood; that is, Inspiration definitely forecasts that those who join the Church for some purpose other than to follow and practice the Truth, shall be disposed of by a miracle, be swallowed by the earth, as it were.  And when this comes to pass Satan shall have met his third defeat.  Summarized, here are his three defeats: 

No. 1 -- Failing to devour the child; 

No. 2 -- Losing the war in Heaven; 

No. 3 -- Failing to paganize the Church by flooding her with the unconverted. {2TG16: 21.2} 


Questions to Ponder

1. Where in the Scripture are the 3rd Angel’s messages?

2. When was the war in heaven took place, was it before or after Creation? Please explain?

3. When was the victory won by Christ and made the sure foundation and assurance of our hope of salvation?

4. How could we become victorious as Christ when He was a human?

5. What provision does God give for the church during the dark ages when Satan get outrageous against the woman?

6. What are the identities or characteristics of God's true church in the last days?

7. Based on the statement above {2TG16: 21.2}, when will this be fulfilled? And what is the solution for the condition of the church for it has been flooded with water from the mouth of the dragon?


From the Pen of Inspiration

“God will help us in time of need, but He will not compel us to love and obey Him. We must give Him our undivided love. He wants us to trust Him, and confide in Him. He understands our wants and has ample resources to help in every time of trouble. We are not left to fight our own battles, but we have the help of Christ, and in His name we can come off victorious.” E. G. W. (Manuscript Releases, book 3, No. 168, p. 109)


SSL-Q2-L1-Jesus-Wins-Satan-Loses-March-25-31 (fliphtml5.com) 

SSL-Q2-L1-Jesus-Wins-Satan-Loses-March-25-31.pdf