Revelation 12:5

5 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.

A. Satan knew that Christ was coming. He tried to stop His birth.

B. Think about the times when the lineage of Christ was hanging by a thread.

1. Haman almost carried out a plot to kill all Jews in the time of Esther.

2. At the time of Athalia, the queen who killed all her family, EXCEPT a six-month old baby named Joash.

3. Just as Jesus was to be born, Mary and Joseph had to make a difficult trip to Bethlehem. Jesus had to be born in a stable.

4. By creating insurrection, Jesus was arrested and executed at Calvary.

C. At each of these times, the coming of Christ was threatened. Satan tried to prevent the church from bringing Christ to the world.

D. When Christ was raised from the dead, and ascended to heaven, Satan turned his attention to the woman (the church) that was preaching Christ. This helps us understand why the church was being persecuted. The attack on the church was Satan’s way to get back at Christ.