There is a break between the trumpets and the bowls to give us some information. This devotional reading looks at a woman with child.
Nuggets
- The woman has a relationship with God.
- If we look at the woman symbolically, she has been viewed as a symbol of the church.
- The moon is the lesser light than the sun, but that does not diminish its value.
- The woman is identified as royalty as she possesses a crown made of stars.
- Our relationships with God are not without labor.
This passage has always confused me. It’s relation to the Day of the Lord is confusing. It’s placement is way confusing regardless.
To me, it has to point that Revelation is not chronological. Maybe this study will change my mind. Let’s dig in.
Let's Put It into Context
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Devotions in the Intermission series
A Woman
“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. She was pregnant and was crying out in birth pains and the agony of giving birth” (Rev. 12: 1-2 ESV)
The woman has a relationship with God.
It is easy to think of the pregnant woman as Mary and the Child as Jesus. She is given a place of honor for childbirth.
I don’t know. Wouldn’t you think it would be more of a husband/wife relationship?
We are children of God. That makes us brothers and sisters to Jesus.
We’re going to get to the marriage feast of the lamb in Revelation 19. That makes the Church the wife of Christ, not His “mother.”
Yes, Jesus was physically born of Mary. But at that time, they were all about lineage. Jesus was a descendant of Judah.
Maybe we should think of the child as Israel. They sure had a lot of birthing pains — and growing pains. Jesus came from Israel for Israel.
Yes, He came for the whole world. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life” (Jn. 3: 16 ESV).
Jesus knew His mission. “He answered, ‘I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel’” (Mt. 15: 25 ESV).
And that He did. Jesus only traveled throughout Israel.
I can see why Jesus only traveled in Israel. He came to address the needs of God’s chosen people first. He only had three years for His ministry.
Jesus didn’t have time to be going all over the world. Plus, they didn’t know the world is as big as it is.
Clothed with the Sun
“... a woman clothed with the sun ...” (Rev. 12: 1 ESV)
If we look at the woman symbolically, she has been viewed as a symbol of the church.
We could look at being clothed with the sun as being clothed with salvation.
If we aren’t wrapped in the love of God, we are not pure. That makes us children of darkness.
The only way we are acceptable to God is when we are clothed in His purity.
Bailey also said the woman symbolizes the Church. He wrote,
“And the teachings of this chapter show us that when the Church would be manifested to the world, she would be a great wonder, she would startle and astonish mankind, and would have to encounter the fierce opposition of those who are meant by the dragon, which sends out floods from his mouth to destroy her and her man child. The Church, then, especially as to her love for the Lord, His law, His kingdom, and His children, is meant by this woman.”
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I can see that. When we look at these verses in the context of John 13: 34-35, we can see the connection.
“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another” (Jn. 13: 34-35 ESV). We see women as loving and nurturing.
Bailey said the Church’s one duty is to love truth and goodness. Being clothed with the sun shows us that the Church is filled with God’s love.
What a privilege is that! To have God’s love shining on our faces is comforting.
Tie this back to the reflecting part. We the Church are to reflect God’s love to worldview people.
We see that when we look at the sun. It symbolizes divine love. Later on in Revelation, we will see that God’s love replaces the sun in the new Heaven (Rev. 22: 5).
But then, David saw that. “For the LORD God is a sun and shield; the LORD bestows favor and honor. No good thing does he withhold from those who walk uprightly” (Ps. 84: 11 ESV).
Seiss reminded us that there is nothing more brilliant than the sun.
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The sun produces light. We know Jesus is light.
- “Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, ‘I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life’” (Jn. 8: 12 ESV).
- “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven” (Mt. 5: 14-16 ESV).
- “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it” (Jn. 1: 5 ESV).
- “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path” (Ps. 119: 105 ESV).
- “As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world” (Jn. 9: 5 ESV).
- “Of David. The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?” (Ps. 27: 1 ESV).
That makes us children of light. “The master commended the dishonest manager for his shrewdness. For the sons of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own generation than the sons of light” (Lk. 16: 8 ESV).
Moon under Her Feet
“... with the moon under her feet ...” (Rev. 12: 1 ESV)
The moon is the lesser light than the sun, but that does not diminish its value.
There is something to be said about the moon being under the woman’s feet. It means she is victorious in her position. She rules the nighttime in the same way the moon rules the night.
Bailey saw this as the reflection in our soul during times of spiritual night. True, we must rest and be restored. Bailey reminds us we are refreshed through worship.
But isn’t that what we are supposed to do? Disciples are to reflect God’s love.
The victory comes when we are triumphant over the ruler of darkness. We are successful in being obedient to God when Satan tempts us with sin.
I love what Guild said. He wrote that we have to put this world in its appropriate place. While we are not to despise this world, we can’t let love for it to get into our heart or head.
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We have to set our thoughts on things above.
Crown of Twelve Stars
“... on her head a crown of twelve stars. ...” (Rev. 12: 1 ESV)
The woman is identified as royalty as she possesses a crown made of stars.
We remember that Peter described us as priests, but we forget the qualifier: royal priesthood. “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light” (I Pet. 2: 9 ESV).
The twelve stars symbolize divine things. The number 12 represents goodness and truth.
Bailey saw the stars as possessions, but not earthly possessions. He saw them as possession of spiritual truths.
That is a great visual. We’ve been calling them building blocks of learning. He called them stars in the firmament of our soul.
That light is reflecting in our souls during our trials and tribulation. It reminds us of the beauty of God.
The woman’s crown is made up of the stars. This shows her love for God’s instruction and her zeal for learning.
This might be a stretch, but let’s look at it this way.
- “I will multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven …” (Gen. 26: 4 ESV).
- “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him” (Jas. 1: 5 ESV).
God is willing to give us abundance. That includes an abundance of knowledge and wisdom.
Pregnant and Giving Birth
“She was pregnant and was crying out in birth pains and the agony of giving birth” (Rev. 12: 2 ESV)
Our relationships with God are not without labor.
Bailey described the child the woman was carrying. He wrote,
“The man child which she desired to bring forth represents the new system of doctrine and order and society, which she desired to initiate. Instead of the love of self which had so long desolated society, and made God’s earth a scene of turmoil, struggle, and distress, she desires to substitute the love of God, and love to one another.”
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No, this isn’t talking about the Man being a social savior. It is talking about Him being a spiritual Savior. The knowledge being imparted is about how life will be lived in Heaven.
What it is talking about is the struggle it is to navigate the Sanctification Road. We struggle to stop doing things of the flesh and becoming totally obedient to God.
Ooo, baby! It is a struggle, isn’t it?
Look at it this way, too. The purpose of the Church is to find and raise more disciples. What are our marching orders?
- “And he said to them, ‘Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation’” (Mk. 16: 15 ESV).
- “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age’” (Mt. 28: 19-20 ESV).
Saints are to bear fruit. We are supposed to bear more saints.
The only way we are going to bear fruit – other saints – is to be rooted and grounded in Jesus. We are nothing without God.
Making the Connections #1
I absolutely loved what Bailey had to say. He wrote,
“Faith, like a beautiful moon, rules the night. Upon such a moon, then, the woman was observed to stand. And so it is with the true Church. She relies on an enlightened faith, not upon dark mysteries. … Faith, in proportion as it perceives the Divine love prevalent in all things, affords light and comfort to its possessor.”
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Our faith is a reflection of God. We see and know Him. That is the foundation of our faith.
Our faith must be strong in the nighttime, when the sun isn’t there to guide us. We must stay strong regardless of what life throws our way.
Faith is our foundation – our rock. It allows us to stand strong and firm.
Making the Connections #2
Seiss is right. People look down on the Church.
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A note was recently left on a windshield on a Sunday morning. It told the owner of the car that she didn’t want to spend eternity in hell. She needed Jesus to save her from her sins. The writer would be praying for her.
Technically, it is correct.
The note didn’t go over well. She doesn’t believe in a fiery hell.
Part of the reason was the perceived judgment. Just because people aren’t in church on a specific Sunday morning doesn’t mean they aren’t disciples. We can’t tell someone’s spiritual condition by the car they drive.
But hell is real. God will judge people for their sins.
“And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done. And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, and they were judged, each one of them, according to what they had done. Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire” (Rev. 20: 12-15 ESV).
Those who have not confessed Jesus as their Savior and submitted their lives to God will experience the fires of hell for eternity.
How Do We Apply This?
Put into practice what we hear.
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Father God. We the Church want to reflect Your character – Your purity – in our lies. We want to be like You. Amen.
What do you think?
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