Revelation 12  Just when we think we are at the end.. the climax of the great tribulation bringing Christ's reign to all the earth.. John is given more.. He was told to prophesy...  and these words foretell a great cosmic battle. 

John describes the characters in this conflict.. 

A woman "clothed with the sun and the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars". This woman is about to give birth to a son and cries out in her labor pains.

There is a great "red dragon".  He has 7 heads and 10 horns.  He wears a diadem on each head.  His tail sweeps away stars out of the heavens and throws them to the earth.  He desires to devour the child about to be born. 

John sees Michael, a great angel and his fellow angels who wage war with the dragon. They throw the dragon down upon the earth.  This is a great victory! " Now the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren has been thrown down, who accuses them before our God day and night." 

The woman is given wings to fly into the wilderness for a certain amount of time. The serpent tries to send a flood, but the earth opens up and takes all the water.  So the dragon goes off to make war with "the rest of her offspring who keep the commandments of God and hold to the testimony of Jesus."

All of this is such a mystery. What is symbolic? What is actuality?  What does it all mean to us right now?

This is the revelation of Jesus, given to us, as John wrote, "to show to His bondservants the things which must shortly take place.." (Rev. 1:1)  Jesus is showing us the "bigger picture".. so to speak.  Our lives and thoughts are wrapped around the present circumstances that we find ourselves in today.. what we are doing, where we are going.. what's for supper.. or how can we pay our bills.  We do need to think about these things.. but we also need to see that there is something greater going on.. God's plans for all of His creation.. from beginning to end.. are being carried out on a divine scale.   Paul wrote "Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth.. " so that we will seek Christ "who is our life". (Colossians 3:2)  May we stop and ponder the truths of God's words given to us here. 

Father in heaven, once again we come and ask for understanding and wisdom by Your Holy Spirit who fills us with truth.  Help us to live in light of these words given to Your servant John.  We know that You will bring about salvation and power and that Your Kingdom will come in its fulness.. one day soon.  May we stand firm in Christ Jesus until that day. Help us live as those who have Christ as our life.. seeking Him only in all the ways we think and live. You are our God and we are seeking You today. We give You thanks for Your amazing grace that allows us to call upon Your Name in Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.