Hello! Hope everyone has had a lovely few days celebrating the best day of the year :)
v1-6-
1 Then I witnessed in heaven an event of great significance. I saw a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon beneath her feet, and a crown of twelve stars on her head. 2 She was pregnant, and she cried out because of her labor pains and the agony of giving birth. 3 Then I witnessed in heaven another significant event. I saw a large red dragon with seven heads and ten horns, with seven crowns on his heads. 4 His tail swept away one-third of the stars in the sky, and he threw them to the earth. He stood in front of the woman as she was about to give birth, ready to devour her baby as soon as it was born.
5 She gave birth to a son who was to rule all nations with an iron rod. And her child was snatched away from the dragon and was caught up to God and to his throne. 6 And the woman fled into the wilderness, where God had prepared a place to care for her for 1,260 days.
The woman represents God's faithful people who have been waiting for the birth of Jesus who she's about to give birth to. But Herod felt threatened that there was a new King on his way, so he immediately wanted to destroy him. His desire to kill Jesus, was motivated by Satan (the red dragon). It all looks as if everything's about to go wrong, the dragon is standing in front of the woman ready to kill Jesus....AND THEN....Jesus was taken up to heaven to be with God (after his death and resurrection).
In the meantime, God's people are in the wilderness, a place of spiritual refuge and protection form Satan. Because God helped the woman to escape into the wilderness, we, as true believers, can be sure that he offers security to us too! Satan might always be trying to attack God's people, but we have protection with God. Some will have physical harm :( but all will be protected from spiritual harm. Remember God rules over all....TRUST HIM.
v7-12-
7 Then there was war in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon and his angels. 8 And the dragon lost the battle, and he and his angels were forced out of heaven. 9This great dragon—the ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, the one deceiving the whole world—was thrown down to the earth with all his angels. 10 Then I heard a loud voice shouting across the heavens, “It has come at last— salvation and power and the Kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Christ. For the accuser of our brothers and sisters has been thrown down to earth—the one who accuses them before our God day and night.11 And they have defeated him by the blood of the Lamb and by their testimony. And they did not love their lives so much that they were afraid to die.12 Therefore, rejoice, O heavens! And you who live in the heavens, rejoice! But terror will come on the earth and the sea, for the devil has come down to you in great anger, knowing that he has little time.”
1,260 days is 3 and a half years...again, 3 and a half is half of the magic number 7. Satan's only has power and authority for 3 and a half years, an incomplete time....his reign will never be as long as God's!
When I first read this, I thought, who on Earth is Michael??? But I looked it up, and he's a high-ranking angel. One of his responsibilities was to guard God's community of all believers.
So, a war between the good and evil was underway. But with Christ's resurrection, Satan's ultimate defeat was assured! WOO! Whatever we face, we must remember that Christ is victorious!
Think of a boxing match. These athletes take so many hits just in the hope that they can win the fight. In our fight with the devil, his ultimate blow that knocked him out, was when Christ shed his blood for our sins. Even though Christ was in pain, bleeding and nearly about to loose, he put his trust in God, he still managed to win the battle. As we face the battle with Satan, we should not fear it or try to escape the boxing ring, we should loyally serve Christ, who alone brings victory.
v13-17-
13 When the dragon realized that he had been thrown down to the earth, he pursued the woman who had given birth to the male child. 14 But she was given two wings like those of a great eagle so she could fly to the place prepared for her in the wilderness. There she would be cared for and protected from the dragon for a time, times, and half a time.
15 Then the dragon tried to drown the woman with a flood of water that flowed from his mouth. 16 But the earth helped her by opening its mouth and swallowing the river that gushed out from the mouth of the dragon. 17 And the dragon was angry at the woman and declared war against the rest of her children—all who keep God’s commandments and maintain their testimony for Jesus.
Satan is out to get the church- all believers. But he won't succeed because the outcome is assured from Christ's sacrifice. The devil will attack us, but if we choose to live God's way, He'll always give us a way to escape. Don't waver in your commitment to God. This battle is ongoing and there really isn't any time for indecision!
:)
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