“A great sign appeared in heaven . . . .” Who is this woman? At first glance it might seem that this is the virgin Mary, and indeed it is after a fashion. She certainly is blessed among women to have been chosen to be the Lord’s Mother, and she was certainly pursued by the devil’s servants in this world. (I’m thinking of the Flight to Egypt when Jesus was still quite small.) However, I do not believe this is Mary.
This woman is dressed with the sun. In other words, she is dressed in God’s radiance. She stands on the moon. The moon does not have it’s own light, but only reflects the light the sun gives it. This woman represents the Church – all of God’s redeemed people – which has been dressed in Jesus’ righteousness and reflects His glory to the world. It is a great honor! As God’s representatives we where the crown, extending God’s gracious reign in this world.
As the woman cries out in birth pain, we too cry out as we struggle to “birth” salvation in this world. Today we call birth pains, “labor,” for it is hard and painful work to bring a child into the world! So too, we are called to hard and painful work – sacrificing our selves, striving to the point of despair, to bring New Life to people – to bring the Christ Child into someone else’s heart. (Could this be something like what Christmas looked like from heaven’s vantage point?)
But the dragon is there ready to devour the child. He has seven heads and seven crowns. Reading that number, “seven,” makes us think of the Lamb and of God, but this dragon is not God’s representative. This is the devil, who seeks to usurp Jesus. He tries to make himself look like God – or at least a god. He is powerful, having ten horns, and horns are always symbols of power. The stars he sweeps from heaven with his tail we understand to be the angels who followed the devil in his rebellion against God.
I find it interesting that the child is snatched up to heaven, seemingly as soon as he is born. I think this speaks to the shortness of our lives from an eternal perspective. Just as Jesus’ lived 33 years and it seemed a blink of an eye, our lives, too, are short by comparison. We feel we suffer for a long time, but when we’re are raised in the New Creation, it will seem as though this life were mere moments!
What we see here is that while we at God’s Holy Church (aka Christ’s Bride) work to bring Jesus into people’s lives, we are resisted, attacked and persecuted. We see ourselves going about our mundane lives, but from heaven’s view we are in the midst of a titanic struggle for the souls of all mankind. Michael, like a general for God’s army of angels, leads the heavenly host in combat against Satan and his fallen angels (aka demons). For this time, times and half a time – the full amount of our persecution – we will face this struggle. Since the dragon cannot hurt the Son, he will attack the Mother – the Church on earth. But we will have divine protection as we wander in this wilderness.
One last thing to note: while we struggle, and Michael and his angels battle, the victory is won not by our effort or theirs. Verse 11 reminds us that it is the Blood of the Lamb that wins the victory, and we receive that victory in our testimony – as we confess our faith in Jesus – the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the World.
Father in Heaven, send Your angels to defend Your people. Fill our hearts and minds with Your Word so that we will thoroughly know Jesus and speak of his salvation. By His blood help us to overcome the struggles we face – both physical and spiritual – in these short lives we live, and in so doing help us to share the hope we have in You with others so they, too, may have Your salvation. In Jesus’ name, amen.
This woman is dressed with the sun. In other words, she is dressed in God’s radiance. She stands on the moon. The moon does not have it’s own light, but only reflects the light the sun gives it. This woman represents the Church – all of God’s redeemed people – which has been dressed in Jesus’ righteousness and reflects His glory to the world. It is a great honor! As God’s representatives we where the crown, extending God’s gracious reign in this world.
As the woman cries out in birth pain, we too cry out as we struggle to “birth” salvation in this world. Today we call birth pains, “labor,” for it is hard and painful work to bring a child into the world! So too, we are called to hard and painful work – sacrificing our selves, striving to the point of despair, to bring New Life to people – to bring the Christ Child into someone else’s heart. (Could this be something like what Christmas looked like from heaven’s vantage point?)
But the dragon is there ready to devour the child. He has seven heads and seven crowns. Reading that number, “seven,” makes us think of the Lamb and of God, but this dragon is not God’s representative. This is the devil, who seeks to usurp Jesus. He tries to make himself look like God – or at least a god. He is powerful, having ten horns, and horns are always symbols of power. The stars he sweeps from heaven with his tail we understand to be the angels who followed the devil in his rebellion against God.
I find it interesting that the child is snatched up to heaven, seemingly as soon as he is born. I think this speaks to the shortness of our lives from an eternal perspective. Just as Jesus’ lived 33 years and it seemed a blink of an eye, our lives, too, are short by comparison. We feel we suffer for a long time, but when we’re are raised in the New Creation, it will seem as though this life were mere moments!
What we see here is that while we at God’s Holy Church (aka Christ’s Bride) work to bring Jesus into people’s lives, we are resisted, attacked and persecuted. We see ourselves going about our mundane lives, but from heaven’s view we are in the midst of a titanic struggle for the souls of all mankind. Michael, like a general for God’s army of angels, leads the heavenly host in combat against Satan and his fallen angels (aka demons). For this time, times and half a time – the full amount of our persecution – we will face this struggle. Since the dragon cannot hurt the Son, he will attack the Mother – the Church on earth. But we will have divine protection as we wander in this wilderness.
One last thing to note: while we struggle, and Michael and his angels battle, the victory is won not by our effort or theirs. Verse 11 reminds us that it is the Blood of the Lamb that wins the victory, and we receive that victory in our testimony – as we confess our faith in Jesus – the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the World.
Father in Heaven, send Your angels to defend Your people. Fill our hearts and minds with Your Word so that we will thoroughly know Jesus and speak of his salvation. By His blood help us to overcome the struggles we face – both physical and spiritual – in these short lives we live, and in so doing help us to share the hope we have in You with others so they, too, may have Your salvation. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Comments