FRIDAY
Today we come to the final section of chapter 12 and the interlude of the woman and the dragon. Yesterday we saw that the dragon had been thrown out of heaven because of the victory of the Lamb.
Revelation 12:13-17
13 And when the dragon saw that he had been thrown down to the earth, he pursued the woman who had given birth to the male child. 14 But 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. 15 The serpent poured water like a river out of his mouth after the woman, to sweep her away with a flood. 16 But the earth came to the help of the woman, and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed the river that the dragon had poured from his mouth. 17 Then the dragon became furious with the woman and went off to make war on the rest of her offspring, on those who keep the commandments of God and hold to the testimony of Jesus. And he stood on the sand of the sea.
Now that Satan has been defeated and cast out of heaven by Christ’s victory at the cross and resurrection, Satan turns his attention to pursuing the church. Now the woman represents the church. In spite of his pursuits to destroy the church, God protects her.
The woman (the church) is given wings (see also Ex. 19:4; Isa. 40:31) to fly into the wilderness to be protected and nourished. The wilderness would remind readers of Israel’s time in the wilderness where they were delivered from the empirical, tyrannical, oppressive powers of Egypt and protected by God. The Old Testament often refers to the wilderness as the place of protection. This is to be for a “time, and times, and half a time.” This is a phrase from Daniel 7 and 12. Here in Revelation this is interpreted from the 1,260 days from verse 6. This is figurative, referring to the time from Christ’s ascension until his return as a relatively short time.
The dragon attempts to overcome the church with a torrent of water. This likely refers to everything from persecution and death to oppression to social pressure to false teaching, deception, and any other way believers can be tempted to walk away from Christ. Believers are protected by the earth that rises up to swallow up the river. I imagine Lewis and Tolkien took some inspiration from these visions. Continuing with the theme from the Exodus, the people of Israel celebrate after Pharaoh’s chariots are swallowed by the sea. “You stretched out your right hand, and the earth swallowed them.” (Ex. 15:12)
Verse 17 has led many to think that the woman and her children represent two different entities—Israel and the Gentile church, believers and martyrs, etc. I think it is best to take them as one and the same referent, viewed from a different angle. They both represent the church, here.
The people of God are described as those who keep the commandments of God and hold to the testimony of Jesus. “Keeping the commandments of God” is a common phrase for following the law in the Old Testament. For New Testament believers, this means following the commands of Jesus, most notably taught at the Sermon on the Mount. They don’t succumb to the way of living of the culture around them. They are committed to following the ethical teaching of the Lamb—most notably to love others as Christ has loved us. They are also those who hold to the testimony of Jesus. Believers pledge their allegiance to King Jesus and don’t go back on it. They trust the gospel for their salvation. They hold true to Jesus even if it costs them their lives.
Notice that there is no hint of responding with violent retaliation. John uses the language of conquer but it is clear that believers conquer through non-violent means—the blood of the Lamb and the word of their testimony. God protects and nourishes them in the desert. The earth opens up and protects them. This was one of the markers of the early church’s witness—even while facing persecution, they never retaliated with violence, just like Jesus.
Reflection
Picture the temptations and lies of Satan as a torrent of water coming to sweep you away. Then picture the earth opening up and swallowing the river to protect you from those lies and temptations.
What are some of the lies Satan is telling you to believe about this election? What messages produce fear, anxiety, hate, and worry? What temptations do you struggle with the most—pride, greed, lust, hate, fear, spiritual sloth (acedia), or something else? How has God protected and delivered you from these? How can you lean more into His spiritual power to protect you further? How is Christ calling you to walk in freedom and abundance of life, now? Spend some time praying on that last question.