Now that we have seen the end as God sees it, where are we right now? Revelation 12 and 13 seem to be dropped right into the middle of Revelation, as if they deserve special attention. Revelation 12 describes events that follow the war in heaven between Satan and God’s angels. A war in which Satan loses and is cast down to earth.

“And war broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels fought with the dragon; and the dragon and his angels fought, but they did not prevail, nor was a place found for them in heaven any longer. So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.” – Rev. 12:7-9

This war happens immediately after another sign appears in heaven –

“Now a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a garland of twelve stars. Then being with child, she cried out in labor and in pain to give birth.

And another sign appeared in heaven: behold, a great, fiery red dragon having seven heads and ten horns, and seven diadems on his heads. His tail drew a third of the stars of heaven and threw them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman who was ready to give birth, to devour her Child as soon as it was born. She bore a male Child who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron. And her Child was caught up to God and His throne.

Then the woman fled into the wilderness, where she has a place prepared by God, that they should feed her there one thousand two hundred and sixty days.” – Rev. 12:1-6

This sign is part history and part prophesy. It describes Israel’s history ever since God called Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, who became Israel. Satan has been at war with them from the beginning, ever since Cain slew Abel. As Israel gave birth to Jesus the devil was right there trying to devour him, using Herod and the Pharisees and Sadducees and Rome. But God caught Him up to His throne in heaven. It seems like history doesn’t it? But, this sign that John saw has been seen again, in our time.

In 2016 the sign of Virgo (the Virgin) appeared in heaven and Jupiter (the King planet) moved into her womb and began its retrograde motion, which lasted for 42 weeks less a day. This is the normal human gestation period. Virgo gave birth to Jupiter on September 23, 2017, when Jupiter continued its circuit to arrive between the horns of Taurus the Bull on August 13, 2024, where it will meet Mars. Virgo was clothed with the moon under her feet and the Sun under her heard and 12 stars as a crown over her head, the planets Mercury, Mars, and Venus and the 9 stars of the constellation Leo. Just as John’s vision in Revelation 12 states.

As Jupiter, which is known as the King Planet, leaves Virgo it travels to the constellation Taurus. There it meets the planet Mars between the horns of Taurus, the Bull. In Hebrew Taurus is known as Shur (he who comes to judge) and Mars is known as Ma’adim (the Son of Man). Taurus contains the star cluster known as the Pleiades (or Congregation) so the meaning of this constellation fulfillment is “The Son of Man comes with His Congregation to judge the earth”. When will this happen? August 13, 2024, which happens to be the 9th of Av, a day of trouble for the Jews, the very day both their former Temples were destroyed. Or in other words -4 years from now!

Now the interesting thing about this sign is that the time from Jupiter leaving Virgo, Sept. 23, 2017, to the time it goes into conjunction with Mars between the horns of Taurus, August 13, 2024, is exactly 7 years. A time period the prophet Daniel predicts the Antichrist will confirm a treaty with Israel, which he will break in 3½ years.

“Then he shall confirm a covenant with many for one week; But in the middle of the week He shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering. And on the wing of abominations shall be one who makes desolate, Even until the consummation, which is determined, Is poured out on the desolate.” – Dan. 9:27

John’s prophesy in Revelation 12 has two witnesses in the heavenly constellations, Virgo and Taurus. And other parts of his vision are about to happen. John saw a great, fiery red dragon having seven heads and ten horns, and seven diadems on his heads, which speaks of the Antichrist system described by Daniel and John.

“Then I stood on the sand of the sea. And I saw a beast rising up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and on his horns ten crowns, and on his heads a blasphemous name.” – Rev. 13:1

The phrase “out of the sea” identifies it as a Gentile empire. And it is this empire out of which the Antichrist comes. I believe the current EU will be the parent of this empire. This weird combination of nations were once Christian in nature but they have long since left that lifestyle. And they have consistently stood against Israel in the UN and in trade. They are the hotbed out of which the Antichrist will come. At first he will will act as a peacemaker, even confirming a covenant with Israel but, he will soon show his true colors and break this covenant. The braking point will probably be the time Satan and his angel are thrown out of heaven.

At some point in the near future, this Antichrist will stand before Israel to destroy her but she will flee into the wilderness, to a place prepared for her by God. There she will be safe for 3½ years, but that will have to be for another article.

Before that time several other wars against Israel will take place. They are described in Psalm 83 and Ezekiel 38. We are interring a troubling time of man’s history and only those who take refuge in the Tower of the Lord will come through it.

“Therefore rejoice, O heavens, and you who dwell in them! Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and the sea! For the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, because he knows that he has a short time.” – Rev. 12:12