the dRaGoN...

Does anyone like symbolism???  Well, I love it.  I also love irony.  This passage of scripture is very neat to me.  It is very supernatural, but I love the symbolism reflected in the passages.  Get ready to think Twilight series or Batman or Superman or something.....think deep.  It's fun!!!

This comes from the book of Revelation, which I believe is a book that is difficult to understand for most people. 

Chapter 12: 1-17

"Then I witnessed in heaven an event of great significance.  I saw a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon beneath her feet, and a crown of twelve stars on her head.  She was pregnant, and she cried out in the pain of labor aas she awaited her delivery."

~~Ok. Just close your eyes and envision this woman.  I can just imagine this full term pregnant person with 12 stars on her head and with an ethereal glow clothing her (the sun).

"Suddenly, I witnessed in heaven another significant event. I saw a large red dragon with seven heads and ten horns, with seven crowns on his heads.  His tail dragged down one-third of the stars, which he threw to earth.  He stood before the woman as she was about to give birth to her child, ready to devour the baby as soon as it was born."

~~The dragon sort of freaks me out.  Ok, think about it.  Who is the child in this woman's belly???  To me, it represents Jesus, and the dragon represents all of the people who were ready to deny Him or eat Him up.

"She gave birth to a boy who was to rule all nations with an iron rod.  And the child was snatched away from the dragon and was caught up to God and to his throne.  And the woman fled into the wilderness, where God had prepared a place to give her care for 1,260 days."

"Then there was war in heaven.  Michael and the angels under his command fought the dragon and his angels.  And the dragon lost the battle and was forced out of heaven.  This great dragon - the ancient serpent called the Devil, or Satan, the one deceiving the whole world - was thrown down to the earth with all his angels."

~~Satan is ALREADY defeated, but he is a constant in our lives.  We must never give in to him. 

"Then I heard a loud voice shouting across the heavens,

          It has happened at last -the salvation and power and kingdom
          of our God, and the authority of his Christ!  For the
          Accuser has been thrown down to earth - the one who
               accused our brothers and sisters before our God day and
          night.  And they have defeated him because of the blood
          of the Lamb and because of their testimony.  And they were
          not afraid to die.  Rejoice, O heavens!  And you who live in
          the heavens, rejoice!  But terror will come on the earth and
          the sea.  For the Devil has come down to you in great anger,
          and he knows that he has little time."

~~Because we are believers we have GREAT POWER, but we must not be afraid to be persecuted or to even die for Him.  I think about how much I LOVE MY CHILDREN - I would die for them.  I think about how much I LOVE MY HUSBAND, KEITH - I would die for him.  But I am told that I must love God more.  It doesn't seem possible.  I love my kids and Keith so much it hurts, but once I accepted in my heart and life that I needed to love Him so much it hurts, I understood His Word much more deeply.  Once Satan realized that there were people who love God SO MUCH, he became SO VERY ANGRY!!!  We all can see how he attacks...

"And when the dragon realized that he had been thrown down to the earth, he pursued the woman who had given birth to the child.  But she was given two wings like those of a great eagle.  This allowed her to fly to a place prepared for her in the wilderness, where she would be cared for and protected from the dragon for a time, times, and half a time."

"Then the dragon tried to drown the woman with a flood of water that flowed from its mouth.  But the earth helped her by opening its mouth and swallowing the river that gushed out from the mouth of the dragon.  Then the dragon became angry at the woman, and he declared war against the rest of her children - all who keep God's commandments and confess they belong to Jesus."



So....I know this is a little "out there", but isn't the Bible really cool how there are so many different genres?  I might add that John was the author of this book - just FYI.  When I think of how the woman was given eagle's wings and was protected, I think of the foster teens/kids or anyone in need (child slaves, trafficking, etc.).  I believe God will and does give those people the wings of eagles - US!!!  Us, like you and me!!!