Today’s reading is Revelation 12.
Completing the Picture
Over the past two days, we’ve been taken back to Genesis 3 to see the woman and the serpent. Considering the ancient promise, we are not surprised at all to see the woman is pregnant, giving birth to a child. After all, the promise to the serpent was:
Because you have done this, cursed are you above all livestock and above all easts of the field; on your belly you shall go, and dust you shall eat all the days of your life. I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel (Genesis 3:14-15, ESV).
Completing the picture of this ancient promise, the woman in the vision gives birth to her offspring, “a male child, one who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron” (Revelation 12:5, ESV).
The Messianic King
This child was not only promised in Genesis 3, but also in Psalm 2.
Then he will speak to them in his wrath,
and terrify them in his fury, saying
“As for me, I have set my King
on Zion, my holy hill.”
I will tell of the decree:
The LORD said to me, “You are my Son;
today I have begotten you.
Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage,
and the ends of the earth your possession.
You shall break them with a rod of iron
and dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.” (ESV)
This seed of woman is the Son of God. This seed of woman is the Messiah. This seed of woman is the King.
Do you recall the song of the 24 elders back in Revelation 11:17-18? This declaration of the male child being given the rod of iron to rule ties back to their praise of God which also, in talking about the raging nations and the wrath of God, pointed us back to Psalm 2.
Can we doubt who this male child “caught up to God and to his throne” is? It is none other than the one who told the lukewarm Laodicean church if they would repent and conquer, He would grant them to sit with Him on His throne, “as I also conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne” (Revelation 3:21, ESV). It is the Lion of the tribe of Judah who was worthy to open the seals of the scroll, who was the Lamb who was slain, who rode out on the white horse conquering and to conquer. This one was slain and by His blood ransomed a “people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation, and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth” (Revelation 5:9-10, ESV).
The Victory is Ours for the Taking
It is no wonder as the voice in heaven explains the meaning behind the vision of the heavenly battle between Michael and the dragon, he says the brothers and sisters “have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony” (Revelation 12:11, ESV). Jesus’s victory was won by His sacrifice. Satan has already been defeated.
The question is not who will win between Satan and the seed of woman. The seed of woman has already won. The question is will we wash our robes in the blood of the Lamb, confessing Him before the world, loving Him more than we love our own lives or will we fall in behind the dragon?
Jesus has already won the victory. It is ours for the taking. Oh, sure, we will endure a time when it seems like the side of the Lamb loses. Oh, sure, we will endure a time in which He seems defeated, slain, conquered, buried. Oh, sure, we will endure the time of Friday night and Saturday when it seemed the dragon had indeed swallowed up the woman’s offspring. But Sunday is coming. Victory is assured. Jesus didn’t win the victory when He rose on Sunday morning. He won the victory when He faithfully died on Friday evening. Once He did that, Sunday morning was assured. The same is true for us. Will we follow in the footsteps of Jesus even to a cross if need be?
John’s point to the seven churches and for us today is clear. The seed of woman has already won. Will we compromise with the one who tried to kill Him or will we maintain loyal faithfulness? The choice is ours. The victory is ours for the taking.
Praise the Lord!
Tomorrow’s reading is Revelation 12.
PODCAST!!!
PATHS:
Discuss Today’s Meditation with Your Family
How does Revelation 12 prompt or improve your trust in God?
Read the Bible 
Edwin is there an easy way to jump back to revelation 1 from the blog ..? Walt is beginning a Rev class in our ladies class and I’d like to use your material as a study resource.. so far all I’ve figured out is to pull up the blog and then scroll multiple times back to Rev 1 Thanks for any clues.. I’m not so skilled with blogs
Best regards Nel
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Sorry. I think scrolling back is the only way. You can probably do a category search for “Revelation.” However, that will likely pull up when we did Revelation a few years ago with one chapter per day. Though, you may want to go through that as well.
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