February 28 - The Woman and the Child (pt. 1)

February 28 – The Woman and the Child (pt. 1)
Revelation 12:1-6

The Revelation is some of the coolest stuff I have ever read and I’ve read some pretty amazing things. We are about to read descriptions of people, events and occurrences that will stretch our imagination. I grew up on Science Fiction and Fantasy and some of these descriptions blow my mind. But, what is even more exciting to me is that they make sense. On the surface it might seem weird to talk about a dragon, but maybe it’s just a large serpent. We know that the first time God and the serpent had to deal with each other, God won.

I can hardly wait to get into these next chapters, though. God is exciting!

“A great and wondrous sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet and a crown of twelve stars on her head. She was pregnant and cried out in pain as she was about to give birth.” (Rev. 12:1-2)

Great signs in heaven announced the birth of Jesus in the gospels. This is heaven’s view of Jesus’ birth. Yes, the child being born is Jesus, but the woman isn’t Mary. There are three descriptions in this verse that give us hints as to the identity of the woman. #1 – clothed with the sun, #2 – the moon under her feet, #3 – a crown of twelve stars on her head.

In Genesis 37:9-10, Joseph had a dream about his family. In it we find that he had the sun and moon and eleven stars bowing down to him. Jacob is the sun, Rachel is the moon and the twelve tribes of Israel are the stars.

This woman represents more than just a single individual. In Hosea 2:19-20, God tells Israel that He will betroth her to Himself. In Isaiah 54:5, He tells Israel that their Creator (Maker) is her husband. In Isaiah 9:6, we read “For unto US a child is born, to US a son is given …”

Mary was the vessel, but Israel is the mother of the Messiah.

In Micah 5:2, we recognize a familiar verse, but there is part of this that we rarely hear during the Christmas season. “But you, Bethlehem Ephratha, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times.”

The last portion of that sentence astounds me. From Bethlehem comes one of ancient times … He comes from eternity.

Israel is the bride of God. She was chosen by Him to be His light to the peoples of the world. The sun – Jacob (Israel), the moon – Rachel, the twelve stars – the twelve tribes, the beginning of this great nation’s existence. God is tying the beginning and the end together.