The Seed War – Exegesis of Revelation 12 - by Pastor Doug Riggs

by John Mark on 09/15/24

This was originally recorded on September 4, 2016, as the second message along with a discussion.

My notes:

"The Decree of God, that is, God's eternal purpose, that which has been in His heart from all eternity, His eternal purpose and plan; The Decree of God, His holy, wise and sovereign purpose (singular - there are no purposes; all purposes are subordinate to the singular purpose - Ephesians 3:11 - the mystery of Christ) - it's His holy, wise and sovereign purpose comprehending at once (what is once with God) simultaneously and eternally all things that ever were or will be as to their causes, their courses (how it all plays out), their conditions, and their relationships, and (as the high and lofty One who inhabits eternity) determines their certain futurition. So, who has free will? Only God is the One who has absolute free will; all creatures only have relative free will." Doug goes on to explain the difference between our will and that of God, and how it all works out, using the "Lord's Prayer" to describe the relationship we have in our will surrendered to God's will to bring about that which He foreknows will be. History moves forward with those who are one with His will." (Wow!)

Does man have a free will? Is God sovereign? These questions bring up one of the age-long questions that divide the church between Arminianism and Calvinism. Do we really have the free will to choose salvation in Christ? Or is it only those who God elects who can receive salvation in Christ. I recall at an early age being able to come to grips with this which seems to be an antinomy (contradiction). I don't know if I was looking at two paintings that depicted this, someone explaining it, or it was my imagination. One showed a large gateway with the words engraved, "Whosoever Will May Come". When one passes through this gate and looks back, he sees, "Chosen in Christ from Before the Foundation of the World". Since then, I haven't had a problem with it. 

Doug summarized it as: "Only the elect are called; and only the called are the elect." Election is not a violation of free will, nor does free will negate God's sovereignty regarding election. In the eternity of God they reconcile perfectly. "What it emphasizes: you're responsible for everything you do. And your choices will determine your character; and your character will determine your destiny."

This question of election and free will doesn't only apply to salvation. What about sanctification? Does God decide who receives full reward? Do we have a say in that decision? "God doesn't predetermine, 'Well, this person's going to be an overcomer and this person won't be.' He doesn't do that. He makes every provision for every believer to be an overcomer; same provision for all. It is a heart matter."

Doug then returns to the subject of the two seeds and the seed war. We get to have another look at Revelation 12, a chapter not well understood by many. I am so grateful how God has used Doug to break it down and teach us these very important truths and concepts. Doug reminds us that the best commentary on the Bible is the Bible. Revelation is full of Old Testament imagery. That in itself is a clear indication that most of this amazing book is about Israel, not the church. The church is referred to in the first 3 Chapters, and then it's all about the judgments of God on Israel and the unbelieving gentiles who remain after the church is removed.

This is how I understand what Doug taught (I hope I got it close):

v. 1) *Woman: Israel

*Sun: glory of Messiah

      *Moon under her feet: Israel under the Old Covenant

      *12 Stars: 12 Tribes of Israel as the priest nation

v. 2) *She (Israel) with child: in travail to give birth to Messiah (as individual Mary gave birth to Jesus)

v. 3) *Red dragon: Satan

*7 heads (all relate to the persecution of Israel) (1) Egypt (2) Assyria (3) Babylon (4) Media-Persia (5) Greece (6) Rome (7) Future Revived Roman Empire

*10 horns - 10 toes of Daniel 2: Revived Roman Empire

*7 diadems: royalty depicted in the 7 heads; royal bloodline

v. 4) *1/3 of the stars: fallen angels aligned with Satan

*Thrown to earth: Genesis 1:2 (evidence: destruction on physical universe: it was formless & void)

      *Dragon stood before woman (Israel): Satan sought to devour the seed (Messiah) before His birth, using the  nations that persecuted Israel, including Herod killing the babies. This also has reference to 1948 at the birth of the current nation of Israel, Satan sought to devour that which represents the overcoming company of the church by his attack on the seed of Christ in the church. This is when the SRA/DID phenomena went into overdrive, what Doug sought to deliver survivors from for over 35 years (see note below***).

v. 5) *She gave birth: Mary giving birth to Messiah Jesus

*A Son (masculine): Jesus the Messiah

*gap (unknown period of time - 'the mystery')

*male child (neuter): the seed (1st individual - now corporate, refers to the overcomers in the church)

*gaps between the "and"s

*her child: the church (corporate seed of Messiah)

*caught up: 1st the church is caught up to the 2nd heavens (rapture - 1st Thess. 4:17) - church is then judged and completed - in this verse 5, the church is caught up to the throne (mid-tribulation) (thus, 2 raptures)

v. 6) woman: Israel

*place: likely Petra (Jordan)

*1,360: 2nd half of the day of the Lord (7-year Trib)

v. 7) *war in heaven: church caught up to the throne - Michael (guardian prince over Israel) wages war with the ruling authorities in the 2nd heavens & casts them to earth

v. 9) *thrown down: Satan's 2nd fall to earth, not v. 4 (1st fall)

***"The satanic attack upon the seed of Christ is just as real on the corporate representation (the church) of His seed as it was on the seed of the woman individually (Mary)... That has now been extended and incorporated in a vast complex of satanic-generated conspiracies to capture the body and bride of Christ, and to capture the seed of Christ. And with the birth of the man child, Satan was let loose, 'OK: You can wrap yourself around that seed.'... It's the capturing of the heart of God's people."

We've heard the survivors tell of their experience opening their hearts to Jesus at a very early age, introduced to Jesus by people in the cult. Some may balk at the idea that this would be a good idea. Why would Satan want them to open their hearts to Jesus? "Because after you're born again, then it's the inheritance that's in view; then the potentiality of you becoming a weapon of God for the destruction of Satan comes into view. So, Satan is going to try to capture that as soon as he can to control that, sequester that, in death... and they're brought into death, and they're assaulted right after their new-birth identity, as little people who just first opened their heart to God." Consider this if you are not among that community of survivors: Satan will do all he can to wrap our new-birth identity in death to keep us from running the race and fighting for our inheritance. He has many tools in his toolbox: fear; anxiety; unbelief; apathy; passivity; temptation; distractions; the allure of the world; the love of money; the pursuit of power; etc.

As Doug refers to the Old Testament passages about the web and the veil over the nations being removed having to do with the undoing of Satan's work in these last days of the church age. "That's where we are in history; that's the whole SRA/DID - the dismantling of the web, the grave clothes." That's a parallel to Lazarus being raised from the dead and Jesus telling those standing by, "Unbind him, and let him go." That's the ministry to the survivors of SRA/DID, as well as all the brokenhearted and those oppressed and in captivity of the enemy (see Isaiah 61:1 cp Luke 4:18): "the release of the seed of Christ coming forth in life."

Link to Audio: https://dougriggs.s3.amazonaws.com/Assemblies/9-4-16%2Bsunday2.mp3

Link to Discussion: https://dougriggs.s3.amazonaws.com/Assemblies/9-4-16%2Bdiscussion.mp3

Resources Mentioned:

Lance Lambert: In the Day of Thy Power (https://amzn.to/4cYKNrp)

Doug cites Greg Boyd where he delivers his lecture "A Flexible Sovereignty: A Biblical Understanding of Providence and the Nature of the Future" at the Open Theology and Science Conference at Azusa Pacific University, April 11, 2008. (https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1B2F49B81A99C709) Doug also refers to Greg's testimony: Greg Boyd's Testimony and Spiritual Pilgrimage (https://vimeo.com/65267407).

"Your Christ is Too Small" - https://www.book-ministry.com/YourChristIsTooSmall.pdf

to J.B. Phillips' Your God is Too Small (https://bookministry1.s3.amazonaws.com/books/your-god-is-too-small.pdf)

J.L. Packer: Evangelism and the Sovereignty of God (https://amzn.to/3ATNv4d)

Doug's ByteShow Series: Jesus Christ - The Bright Morning Star (https://www.dougriggs.org/Videos.html#anchor_95);

The Celestial Court (https://www.dougriggs.org/Videos.html#anchor_53)

Maranatha!

John Mark

...hereby committing this unto the providential care of the enthroned Head of the Church; whose Name is blessed forevermore, Yeshua Mashiach - Jesus Christ!