Revelation 12:1–6 (ESV)
The Woman and the Dragon
12
And a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars. 2 She was pregnant and was crying out in birth pains and the agony of giving birth. 3 And another sign appeared in heaven:
behold, a great red dragon, with seven heads and ten horns, and on his heads seven diadems. 4 His tail swept down a third of the stars of heaven and cast them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman who was about to give birth, so that when she
bore her child he might devour it. 5 She gave birth to a male child, one who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron, but her child was caught up to God and to his throne, 6 and the woman fled into the wilderness, where she has a place prepared by God,
in which she is to be nourished for 1,260 days.
This is not the movie “The Woman with a Dragon Tattoo, but this text is filled with symbolism. The woman represents the church and the mother
of Christ. She gives birth to Jesus Christ. Another sign is Satan, who appeared as a great red dragon with seven heads and ten horns. His tail swept down a third of the stars and cast them to the earth. Satan is trying to destroy God’s
plan of salvation. His tail swinging is all Satan’s works and plans to thwart Jesus Christ and His plan of Salvation. This swinging began before the birth of Jesus and goes all the way back to Satan getting kicked out of Heaven. The
first swinging of the tail being Adam and Eve and the fall of man. He continues to swing and bring destruction, but the woman gives birth, a male child, one to rule all the nations with a rod of iron, the Messiah! This imagery takes us back to
Psalms 2:8-9:
“Psalm 2:8–9 (ESV)
8 Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage,
and the ends of the earth your possession.
9 You shall break them with a rod of iron
and
dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.”
While this passage is describing the Messiah, it is interesting to match today’s passage with Christ’s own words from Revelation 2:27.
Revelation 2:25–29 (ESV)
“25 Only hold fast what you have until I come. 26 The one who conquers and who keeps my works until the end, to him I will give authority over the nations, 27 and he will rule them with a rod of iron, as when earthen pots are broken in pieces, even as I myself have received authority from my Father. 28 And I will give him the morning star. 29 He who
has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’”
Jesus is saying that we will share in Christ’s Heavenly reign, and we will. Until Christ returns, we are sojourning in
the wilderness... waiting... enduring... patiently... until He comes. I pray: Lord, prepare me, shape me, and help me on my life’s journey to endure to the end, to remain steadfast. Help me to study your word and to continue to trust
in your guidance. Thank you for the washing and renewing and making me your child. Thank you for everything you have done for me and the world. Amen.