Rev 12:1-6 KJV 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. 6 And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she
hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two
hundred and threescore days.
The
last part of verse 4 and the first part of verse 5 are a little noticed aspect
of the birth of our Lord. But this little aspect has been magnificently
celebrated by a major metaphysical poet, Robert Southwell. Copies of two of his
Christmas poems may be found in recent posts: http://intwocities.blogspot.com/2013/12/luk-2v16-foil-foes-with-joy.html http://intwocities.blogspot.com/2013/12/joh-1v1to18-plus-great-poem.html
Verse 5 presents the presence of Lord on earth,
first in His incarnate body, and then in His spiritual Body, the Christian
Church. The uninterrupted continuity of this presence is certified in Acts
1:1-2. Luke's gospel is said to contain all that Jesus "began to do and
teach". Acts is His continuing to do and teach through the Holy Spirit and
His apostles. The epistles and Revelation continue the narrative. The child being
"caught up to God" is clearly the future event described in 1st Thes.
4:16-17, as both those dead and those alive in Christ being "caught up
together" in the clouds. (The Assembly is still a child at its end on
earth. Our maturity is in Eternity.) And the Assembly had its beginning on
earth as a babe menaced by Satan.
I2C 131224a Rev 12v5 All born / I2C / 131223 1420
/ Rev. 12:5 All born
