1. Read Revelation 12.
a. Who is the dragon? What verse identifies him? What verse identifies his role?
b. Who is the male child? (Read Revelation 2:27; 19:15) What happens to him?
c. Who is the woman of Revelation 12 (she gives birth to the male child that the dragon wants to devour)? Read Genesis 37:9 and context–who do Jacob and his twelve sons symbolize (Genesis 32:27-28).
d. Who fights against the dragon (Daniel 10:13, 21; 12:1 Revelation 12:7) and what is his role? Who wins? What happens to the dragon?
e. Where did the woman flee? For how long (Revelation 12:6; 14)? What else does the Bible say about this period of time (Daniel 7:25, 9:27, 12:7 Revelation 11:2, 3; 13:5)? When she escapes from the dragon, what does he do?
f. What does the voice in heaven say (Revelation 12:10-12)? Compare this to what the loud voices in heaven say in Revelation 11:15. Do you think that “the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ” and “the kingdom of God” being proclaimed means that this happens at the same time or is this a general proclaiming of what is happening? Why (do not be discouraged if you do not come to a conclusion at this time)?
g. Re-read Revelation 12. List the progression of events throughout the chapter. What period of time does this chapter cover?
2. Read Revelation 13.
a. How is Revelation 13 related time-wise to Revelation 12?
b. Describe the beast that comes out of the sea?
c. Who gave the beast his authority? For how long is he given authority? Who is he given authority over? It is possible that he got his authority at what point? (Revelation 11:7)
d. Why do men follow the beast? Why do they worship the dragon?
e. Who is the beast given power over? What will happen to them?
f. Describe the beast that comes out of the earth? What was he given power to do?
g. What do you learn about the mark of the beast?
h. Why were the inhabitants of the earth deceived?
i. Who ordered whom to set up an image of what? Why? What are the consequences of not worshiping this image?
j. Who forces whom to receive a mark of whom? What are the consequences of not receiving this mark?
k. God’s perfect number is seven. How does this relate to the number of the beast?
l. How would you describe the relationship between the first and second beast? What is their relationship to the dragon?