I don’t necessarily expect to find “the Christmas story” when I read the book of Revelation. But this morning, I was caught a bit by surprise by the insights this book of the future provides on the past.

In Revelation 12 the focus is really on a woman and a dragon. The woman is marked as she who is “clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a garland of twelve stars” (Rev. 12:12) . . . recall Joseph’s dream in Genesis 37:9, and it seems this woman is Israel. There’s no question as to who the dragon is, ” . . . the great dragon . . . , that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world . . . the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night . . .” (12:9-10). And the deal is that this dragon doesn’t care too much for this woman. He has opposed her in the past . . . he will oppose her in the future . . . and, you can pretty much guess, that he’s arrayed against her even now. How come? What’s at the center of this hatred and violent opposition? The Child.

This woman, Israel, birthed a Child . . . the same Child we focus on at this time of year . . . the angelic, innocent, beautiful, restful, peaceful, Child in a manger. You kind of realize that as you read about this part of the “Christmas story” our nativity scenes focus on but one dynamic of that history defining event.

“And the dragon stood before the woman who was ready to give birth, to devour her Child as soon as it was born. She bore a male Child who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron. [Insert the life of Jesus
here] And her Child was caught up to God and His throne.” (12:4b-5)

Any doubt that Herod was demon-possessed? That he was part of the dragon’s plan to “devour” the Child as soon as it was born? What other forces had Satan garnered around Bethlehem that night or in those days following the Child’s birth. You have to think that Satan had had his eye on Bethlehem ever since Micah penned his prophetic words, “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of you shall come forth to Me the One to be Ruler in Israel, Whose goings forth are from of old, from everlasting.” (Micah 5:2).

But this serpent of old did not prevail. The Child was born and lived and died and rose again and ascended into glory.

He was born a king and established His kingdom, though His kingdom was not of this world (John 18:36). “I am a king,” He would tell Pilate, “For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth” (John 18:37). He would bear witness to the truth concerning man’s sin and God’s holiness . . . the truth concerning man’s inability to deal with the “wages of sin” and God’s amazing grace in making way for redemption . . . the truth concerning man’s hopeless situation and God’s love for the world . . . “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16) . . . the truth concerning a lost world and a Child come to save that world.

The Child, though He was Creator before He became flesh, “dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1:14). And the Child, eventually, would die on a cross for the sin of man . . . would lie in a tomb for 3 days as the payment for our transgressions . . . and then, . . . oh, the glorious then . . . would rise again the third day in victory, crushing the head of that dragon . . . “and her Child was caught up to God and His throne” (Rev. 12:5b) . . . “while they watched, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel, who also said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven.” (Acts. 1:9-11).

The Child is coming again . . . soon . . .

Oh, bless the Child! Glory to the Child! O’ come lest us adore Him! Christ the Lord! Amen!