Hi,
Rev 12:17 Then the dragon was enraged at the woman and went off to make war against the rest of her offspring--those who obey God's commandments and hold to the testimony of Jesus.
Rev 9:20-21 The rest of mankind that were not killed by these plagues still did not repent of the work of their hands; they did not stop worshiping demons, and idols of gold, silver, bronze, stone and wood-- idols that cannot see or hear or walk. Nor did they repent of their murders, their magic arts, their sexual immorality or their thefts.
If there are no more righteous upon the earth via Revelation 9:20-21, then who are the children of the Woman that Satan makes war with? If the Woman is secure for 3 1/2 during the last part of the tribulation period, then how can Satan make war with her children?
Thanks
Hope things are well. Yeah, we know that the woman Israel is protected during the second half of the tribulation - well, that is those of Israel that obey and flee to the mountains when they see the abomination of desolation as Jesus warned. Zech 13:8-9 tells us that it is only 1/3 of Israel that are 'refined by fire' and actually brought through the tribulation period.
In terms of Revelation 9:20-21, it is best to read the statement 'the rest of mankind' in light of what it has said earlier in Revelation 9. Earlier it has divided the people between those that have the mark of God in their forehead (who are exempt from these judgments in chapter 9, just as in the days of the Exodus God had His people that certain judgments did not touch) and those without:
Rev 9:4 They were told not to harm the grass of the earth or any plant or tree, but only those people who did not have the seal of God on their foreheads.
Rev 9:20 The rest of mankind that were not killed by these plagues still did not repent of the work of their hands; they did not stop worshiping demons, and idols of gold, silver, bronze, stone and wood-- idols that cannot see or hear or walk.
So Rev 9:20 should be read in light of this. That is, it is speaking of those that do not have the seal of God and saying that by this point in the tribulation, which is likely near the end being the 6th trumpet, man is set in which way they will go and like Pharoah of old, the judgments of God don't change their hearts. They won't repent and are set in their hardened heart. But that is not speaking of those that God has put his seal upon. God always has His own and will have again at this time. And come the end of the tribulation, we see that this will be both from the believing remnant amongst Israel who will look on the one they have pierced (Zech 12:10) and also those amongst the nations who through acts of faith in the tribulation, especially towards the Jews at this time, are granted access to the Messianic Kingdom in the Sheep & Goats judgment (Matt 25:31-46).
Hope this helps : )
Iain.
Readers Reply
That did help with who the rest of mankind are, so thanks! So if faithful people living in the country of Israel are in the wilderness, away from some coming destruction, are the rest of the children of the woman the faithful living in the rest of the world? Is it those whom Satan wars with in Rev. 12:17?
Probably first and foremost it will be with the 144,000 Jews that most believe are scattered around the world because it seems that the results of their ministry are seen in the believers/martyrs from every tribe and tongue in Rev 7:9-17. It may be that this includes Gentile believers, who are spiritual heirs in Abraham, but generally I'd go with the 144,000. There is likely to be ones still in Israel who come to believe in Jesus as well.
All the best,
Iain.