Thinking Thursday

1 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. 

Usually a woman symbolizes the bride of Christ in Scripture.  At this point in time God has collected His bride and she is arrayed splendidly.

2 She was pregnant and was crying out in birth pains and the agony of giving birth.

Birth's represent new beginnings, which we saw happening in last week's article when everything has come under the authority of Christ. 

3 And another sign appeared in heaven: behold, a great red dragon, with seven heads and ten horns, and on his heads seven diadems. 

That serpent of old, always shows up to try and thwart the awesome works of God.

4 His tail swept down a third of the stars of heaven and cast them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman who was about to give birth, so that when she bore her child he might devour it. 

This takes us back in history when he rebelled and the evil he set in motion around the time of Christ's birth.

5 She gave birth to a male child, one who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron, but her child was caught up to God and to his throne, 

But Christ was born and God protected His Son until the appointed time that He drank the cup of redemption to buy back His people and grant them eternal life.

6 and the woman fled into the wilderness, where she has a place prepared by God, in which she is to be nourished for 1,260 days. [Rev 12:1-6 ESV]

Again we see the 1,260 days=42 months=3 1/2 years.  But what is more important for God's people is God has made preparations for them, to nourish them.  History tells us that what comes after a wilderness experience is the Promised Land (heaven/eternity with Him!)