A Great Wonder in Heaven
The story of Israel's birthing of the Messiah at His First Advent is set forth in the Apocalypse. "1 And there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars: 2 And she being with Child cried, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered. 3 And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads. 4 And his tail drew the third part of the stars of Heaven, and did cast them to the Earth: and the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her Child as soon as It was born. 5 And she brought forth a Man Child, Who was to rule all nations with a Rod of Iron: and her Child was caught up unto God, and to His Throne" (Revelation 12:1-5).
A "woman clothed with the sun" (Rev 12:1) refers to Israel. "For thy Maker is thine Husband; the LORD of Hosts is His name" (Isaiah 54:5). And, the "moon under her feet" (Revelation 12:1) brings to mind the dream of Joseph, where the "sun and the moon and the eleven stars made obeisance" (Genesis 37:9) to him, which pictured Joseph's father and mother-- Jacob and Rachel-- and eleven brothers bowing down to him. "Upon her head a crown of twelve stars" (Revelation 12:1) speaks of the Twelve Tribes of Israel in allusion to the fulfillment of the Abrahamic Covenant, i.e., "And He brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now toward Heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and He said unto him, So shall thy seed be" (Genesis 15:5).
Israel was God's planned vehicle to give the Messiah to both Israel and the world, i.e., "she being with Child cried, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered" (Revelation 12:2). "Hath not the Scripture said, That Christ cometh of the seed of David, and out of the town of Bethlehem, where David was?" (John 7:42). A "great red dragon" (Revelation 12:3) points to the "dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan" (Revelation 20:2). The "seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads" (12:3) are, briefly, the succession of earthly kingdoms ruled by the "prince of the power of the air" (Ephesians 2:2), the "god of this world" (2Corinthians 4:4), who conspires to manipulate mankind through earthly rulers. "For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places" (Ephesians 6:12).
Satan's rebellion in Heaven was described as the mutiny of 1/3 of the heavenly host, i.e., "angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation" (Jude 6). "And his tail drew the third part of the stars of Heaven, and did cast them to the Earth" (Revelation 12:4). The destruction of the Messiah-- "to devour her Child as soon as It was born" (Revelation 12:4)-- would forfeit the Almighty's dominion over Heaven as well as rob man of any hope of Salvation, i.e., "Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the Wise Men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently enquired of the Wise Men" (Matthew 2:16).
"And she brought forth a man child" (Revelation 12:5) was Israel bringing forth the LORD Jesus Christ through the Virgin Mary. "7 I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto me, Thou art My Son; this day have I begotten thee. 8 Ask of Me, and I shall give Thee the heathen for Thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the Earth for Thy possession. 9 Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; Thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel... 12 Kiss the Son, lest He be angry, and ye perish from the way, when His wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in Him" (Psalm 2:7-9,12). "And her child was caught up unto God, and to His Throne" (Revelation 12:5) refers to the ascension of the LORD Jesus back into Heaven after His death, burial, and resurrection. "But we see Jesus, Who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that He by the grace of God should taste death for every man" (Hebrews 2:9).
And So All Israel Shall Be Saved
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