Today’s reading is Revelation 12.
The Woman is Protected
As noted earlier in the week, the woman who had in essence been the mother of the Christ, Israel, has now become the mother of Christ’s brethren, the church of Christ. In the third woe, the defeated dragon thrashes about in his death throes doing all that is left in his power to defeat her and the rest of her offspring. What hope can she have against such a powerful monster?
The woman was given the two wings of the great eagle so that she might fly from the serpent into the wilderness, to the place where she is to be nourished for a time, and times, and half a time (Revelation 12:14, ESV).
The apocalypse calls to mind the deliverance of Israel from Egyptian bondage, in which Israel was taken out into the wilderness and God provided for her, protecting her from the thrashing death throes of Egypt and her Pharaoh.
When Israel came into the wilderness of Sinai, the LORD called out to Moses and said to him:
Thus you shall say to the house of Jacob, and tell the people of Israel: “You yourselves have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself. Now therefore, if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession among all peoples, for all the earth is mine; and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation” (Exodus 19:3-5, ESV)
The Same Picture in Reverse
Before the advent of digital cameras, in order to develop a picture, the images had to be produced on a roll of film in reverse. They were called negatives. The darker spots on the pictures would be lighter on the negatives, and vice versa. These negative images allowed light to shine through on the photographic paper in the right places so the actual image would properly form on the paper.
Here in Revelation 12:15-16, the apocalyptic picture of the dragon waging war against the woman and her offspring is practically a negative image of what we witnessed in the battle against Israel in the wilderness. When Israel wandered in the wilderness, on multiple occasions, they faced droughts. That is, they couldn’t find water. God miraculously opened up the earth and gave them water pouring forth.
In Revelation 12:15-16, when the dragon wages war on the woman and her offspring as she is nourished in the wilderness, he takes the reverse approach. He tries to sweep her away with a flood. In another sense, the dragon tries to mirror the judgment of God, sweeping his enemy away with a flood. Rather than bringing more water up out of the earth, this time God opens the mouth of the earth and lets it swallow up the water.
Perhaps this is supposed to represent some specific aspect of the battle. I’ve read some suggest this is the world imbibing all the wickedness of Satan, protecting the church from it. I find that to be a difficult sell since the world’s wickedness is what seems to be one of the biggest temptations to the church. Rather, I imagine this is simply supposed to carry on the picture of God protecting His people no matter what the enemy does.
Which People Does God protect?
In case the seven churches were unsure who would be carried on wings like eagles and in case we are unsure which people God will protect, He spells it out. The dragon is making war “on those who keep the commandments of God and hold to the testimony of Jesus” (Revelation 12:17, ESV). As with Israel, so with us. The eagles’ wings protection is to set God’s people on solid ground so we can obey Him and keep covenant with Him.
If we want to avoid being swept away in the dragon’s vomitous attack, we will only survive one way. By delighting in the Word of God. By holding fast to our confession of faith in Christ. By refusing to compromise with minions of the dragon.
Of course, we haven’t seen those minions yet, have we? We see those monsters in the next chapter. But understand, if we compromise, that is precisely with whom we are compromising: monsters.
On Wings like Eagles
Of course, we must not miss the connection back to Isaiah 40:27-31. When the dragon is making war on the woman and the rest of her offspring, we might fear God has turned His protective look away from us. But let us not fear. Let us not flee. Let us not turn to rely on our own strength.
Let us remember:
The LORD is the everlasting God,
the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He does not faint or grow weary;
his understanding is unsearchable.
He gives power to the faint,
and to him who has no might he increases strength.
Even youths shall faint and be weary,
and young men shall fall exhausted;
but they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength;
they shall mount up on wings like eagles;
they shall run and not be weary;
they shall walk and not faint (ESV).
Praise the LORD!!!
Next week’s reading is Revelation 13.
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PATHS:
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