The Cosmic Christmas Rev 12:15-17

Revelation 12:15-17
15The serpent poured water like a river out of his mouth after the woman, to sweep her away with a flood. 16But 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. 17Then 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.

Satan is filled with such insatiable rage that he tries to drown the woman. However, God's own creation opens its mouth to swallow the river. God's desire to protect this woman is so great that he even calls upon creation itself to respond to His word. Satan's failure to drown this woman enrages him and he declares war on the rest of her offspring.

Who is her offspring?

Those that keep the commandments of God and hold to the testimony of Jesus.

So, who is her offspring?

It's you.

Is this woman Mary? Is this woman Israel? Is this woman Jesus? Is this woman the church? The answer is yes, all of the above.

The reflection upon this story is this.

God's desire to protect us and be with us is so great that he calls upon His own Son to protect us. The earth opening its mouth to swallow the river looks a lot like Jesus opening His arms for us to be in Him.

The war in Heaven wasn't waged for God. The war in heaven was waged for us. God didn't rearrange Heaven and earth for Himself. He rearranged it for us, so that he could come to fully protect us once and for all. Thinking about this always makes me feel so small. He did this so that we can live in Him for eternity, and so that we can live in His protection.

The historian Jerome said it best when he said this. "From what we read of the Lord our Savior throughout the Scriptures, it is manifestly clear that the whole armor of Christ is the Savior Himself. It is He whom we are asked to "put on." It is one and the same thing to say, "Put on the whole armor of God" and say, "Put on the Lord Jesus Christ."

My prayer is that we reflect on this story year round. The Christmas story, which is also the Easter story, which is also the story of our testimony, which is also the story of when Christ returns is the genesis of our existence. The Birth of Jesus is wherefrom we measure time itself. It is the beginning and the end. Therefore rejoice in victory by the blood of the lamb and the word of our testimony.