“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” (Revelation 12:5 NLT).
I’ve never seen Revelation 12:5 quoted in a Christmas card, but that doesn’t mean it shouldn’t be. When the apostle John was exiled on the Isle of Patmos, the Lord pulled back the curtain between heaven and earth and invited old John to see things from a heavenly perspective. Among the events he saw, John saw the cosmic warfare surrounding Christ’s first advent.
In order to understand John’s vision, three figures must be identified: the woman, the son, and the dragon. The dragon’s identity is given to us by John, “This great dragon is the ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan” (Rev. 12:9). But what of the woman and the child?
The woman is not Mary nor the Church as some maintain, but Israel. Notice John’s description of the woman: “I saw a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon beneath her feet, and a crown of twelve stars on her head” (Rev. 12:1). This is a reference to Joseph’s dream found in Genesis 37:9. The sun and moon are his parents and the stars, his brothers. This describes Jacob/Israel and his wife and 12 sons/tribes. Those that would understand the book of Revelation, must recognize its Old Testament imagery.
The third figure, which John refers to variously as the “baby,” the “child,” and the “son,” is Christ Jesus. John’s description that he “was to rule all nations with an iron rod” is a clear reference to the Messianic prophecy found in Psalm 2:9. However, the time had not come for Jesus to take up the “iron rod,” for his first advent was as a Suffering Servant. John’s statement that the child was “snatched away” and “caught up to God and to his throne” is a summary of Christ’s death, resurrection and ascension as seen from a spiritual perspective.
John’s revelation reminds us that the first Advent was a cosmic event, filled with drama and spiritual warfare. While you won’t see this verse about a dragon in a Christmas card, John’s Revelation pulls back the curtain of heaven and lets us see Christmas from God’s perspective.
PRAYER: Dear Father, thank You for pulling back the curtain so that we can see the profound spiritual importance of that first Christmas. Help us to see with fresh perspective and with spiritual eyes the wonder of the gift of Your Son this season. In Jesus’ name, amen.