The Prophetic



Prayer: Dear God, as all the Christmas hype intensifies, please grant to me a few quiet moments each day to be with You in worship, meditation, prayer, and study. Please Holy Spirit, use the gift of this Holy Word to enliven my faith and strengthen my love for You. Where I have wrong thinking, bring correction and where I have doubt, bring faith. Thank You for this time and for Your tender patience. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

Read: Revelation 12:1-6

Think about It: The Revelation of John certainly does provide some interesting albeit difficult reading! Here we have a passages that sweeps from the  annunciation to Mary that she was going to have a Child through to that Child's enthronement in heaven! That's a great deal of information to cram into 6 verses! Of course it is all couched in symbolic language and there isn't much room for details. But here are the highlights.

  • "A great sign" = a miracle
  • "A woman . . . crowned with 12 stars" = represents both Mary, the mother of Jesus, and the Church
  • "Red Dragon" = Satan, swept from heaven because of his pride, taking with him 1/3 of the angels
  • "Devour the Child" = Satan tried to stop the work of Christ at His birth by having Herod try to kill Him.
  • "She gave birth to a Son" = Mary gives birth the Jesus, the Messiah and Ruler of all the Universe
  • "Snatched up to God" = Jesus ascended into heaven to take He throne after His resurrection
  • "The woman fled into the desert" = Mary and Joseph fled into Egypt and the Church flees from Satan.

     Now read the passage again. Just these few details make it more interesting and it carries more impact!. While there is certainly more to this passage, it does make a casual reading more useful. God gives us these passages for a purpose. They serve to show us that He has been in control of our salvation before the world began. This passage sweeps across time but that is not a problem for God. He stands outside of time and causes all things to work together to achieve the goal of our salvation. Jesus may have been attacked by the Evil One, but He was never in danger of falling into his trap. The Father has all things well in hand and our salvation is never in danger. The Father placed Jesus into time, into history, and into a specific geographic location to fulfill His plan. And what a beautiful plan it is!

Prayer: Father, I have to admit that that readings from The Revelation can be challenging. But I also know that You gave us these Words on purpose. So I lift up any confusion I might have into Your care and ask for clarity. I lift up my questions and await Your answers, and I lift up my thanksgiving that You have entrusted all of this to Your Church, that together we might come to love You more. In the name of Jesus I pray. Amen.

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