Wednesday, March 27, 2024

A Sign

Now a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a garland of twelve stars.  Revelation 12:1

As we finished up chapter eleven of Revelation, the seventh angle had sounded, and the kingdoms of the world became the kingdoms of our God. Now as we begin chapter twelve, there is a shift in heaven.  A sign.  The apostle John’s attention was turned to a sign or symbol of something happening in the spirit realm.

John saw a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet and on her head was twelve stars.  She is ready to deliver a child and is in pain because of it.  Immediately after that, John sees another sign of a fiery red dragon waiting for the child to be born so he can devour the baby as soon as he is delivered.  This infant will grow up to rule all nations with a rod of iron and before the dragon can get to him, he is caught up to be with God in heaven.

After that, the woman flees to the wilderness to a place that has been prepared by God for her to be fed for 1260 days.  This is the amount of days that are referred to in previous chapters as the last three and a half years of the tribulation period.  Although the beginning of this vision has already happened, the last part will be during those last bit of time in this present world.

So just a brief explanation of the vision is the woman is the nation of Israel that Jesus the Messiah was born out of.  He is the only one in scripture that it has ever been described as a Ruler with a rod of iron.  Of course, the dragon is Satan, the enemy of God who killed the King of glory but could not hold Him down.  He rose up from the grave and ascended into heaven to be with His Father for ever more.  This all has already happened.  Now the dragon is enraged and is looking to torment the woman that has been left to endure.  Although her child is now in heaven, the enemy of God will seek to devour her.

This entire picture reminds me of a scripture in 1 Peter 5:8 that says that we are to always be on the look out for our adversary the devil who is looking for those he can devour.  In John’s vision, the woman seems unaware at the time that there is an enemy waiting to devour her child, but God isn’t.  He watches over her and protects her child.  He also prepares a place of provision for her to escape to as the enemy tries to overtake her.

That same enemy is trying to devour today.  He is after all those who love God but is only able to get to those who are not pulling in close to His protection and provision and are drawn away from God by Satan’s traps and tricks.  If we are not constantly on guard, being sober and vigilant to follow the direction of the Holy Spirit, we will be unaware of the traps that the enemy is setting daily to take us out.  That dragon is still after God’s throne, and He is still trying to turn the world against the love that God has for us all people.

Today I want to encourage you to press in and stay close.  Talk to your heavenly Father today bout the plans, mission and direction he has planned for your life.  As you follow the path that He has designed for you, you will not be lured away and devoured by the enemy of your soul.  Trust your heavenly Father today and thank Him that He is always watching, providing and protecting you through every assignment He has given you to complete.

Today’s scripture reading: Revelation 12:1-6

1 Now a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a garland of twelve stars. 

2 Then being with child, she cried out in labor and in pain to give birth.

3 And another sign appeared in heaven: behold, a great, fiery red dragon having seven heads and ten horns, and seven diadems on his heads. 

4 His tail drew a third of the stars of heaven and threw them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman who was ready to give birth, to devour her Child as soon as it was born. 

5 She bore a male Child who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron. And her Child was caught up to God and His throne. 

6 Then the woman fled into the wilderness, where she has a place prepared by God, that they should feed her there one thousand two hundred and sixty days.