Prophecy
10
The Baby Jesus
–
Revelation 12:1-6
[1] [2]
2
The
Rules of Interpretation
Consider
how the Rules of Interpretation
(discussed in the Introduction of
this book) are observed in this
prophecy:
Rule One says
an apocalyptic prophecy has a
beginning point and ending point
in time and the events within the
prophecy occur in the order
given. This prophecy begins with
the birth of Christ and ends in
1798. The events described within
this prophecy occur in
chronological order.
Rule Two says
a fulfillment only occurs when
all of the specifications are
met, and this includes the order
stated in the prophecy. Because
all of the elements given in this
prophecy are in the past, we can
say this prophecy has been
fulfilled.
Rule Three says
apocalyptic language can be
literal, analogous or symbolic.
To reach the intended meaning of
a prophecy, the reader must
consider (a) the context, (b) the
use of parallel language in the
Bible, and (c) if an element is
thought to be symbolic, the Bible
must interpret the symbol with a
relevant text. This prophecy uses
all three types of language:
symbolic, analogous and literal.
For
example, the woman and the dragon
are symbols. The woman represents
the bride of Christ[22] and
the great red dragon represents
Lucifer.[23] The
Sun and the moon are used in this
prophecy as cosmic props because
this scene contains concepts that
have their origin in Heaven. The
woman in this prophecy is not
Mary, the mother of Jesus.
According to Rule Four, it is
impossible for Mary, herself, to
be chased into the desert for
1,260 years. The woman is clothed
with brilliance as bright as the
Sun, indicating her wedding
garment represents the
righteousness and purity of
Jesus.[24] She
wears a crown of victory having
twelve stars. These stars
represent the twelve tribes and
from them, 144,000 people will
shine like the stars![25] The
woman stands on the moon,[26] a
witness of God’s faithful
promise of redemption. Her Son is
Jesus – who was caught up to
God’s throne and will one
day, rule all nations with a rod
of iron[27] (meaning
unbreakable rulership).
Consider
this: Revelation’s story
concerns a lamb and a dragon. The
great red dragon is Lucifer. Even
though King Herod was involved in
Lucifer’s efforts to kill
baby Jesus, Herod is not
identified in this vision and
neither is the Holy Roman Empire
(the agency that Lucifer used to
chase the woman into the
wilderness for 1,260 years). It
is a violation of Rule Three to
force the identity of the great
red dragon beyond the definition
given in Scripture. (See Revelation 12:9.) Do not
confuse the Lamb of God with His
church. The Lamb is Jesus. The
woman represents His people. The
male child is Jesus, whom God
snatched up to His throne to
serve as our High Priest. This
vision tells an amazing story in
six verses! It is a story that
illuminates an ongoing conflict
between Christ and Satan. It is a
story of an angry dragon that
attempts to destroy baby Jesus
the moment He is born and it is a
story of God in the form of a
human being taken to Heaven and
God’s throne. Ultimately,
the story ends with Jesus ruling
with an iron scepter (an endless
and unbreakable rule). When
properly understood, the story is
amazing and beautiful.
Rule
Four says the
presence or absence of the
Jubilee Calendar determines how
God measures time. The 1,260 days
mentioned in verse 6 require
translation because they occur
prior to 1994 while the Jubilee
Calendar is operating. Therefore,
1,260 days must equal 1,260
years. These 1,260 years
perfectly align with the time,
times, and half a time mentioned
in Daniel 7:25 and Revelation 12:14. The
woman fled to the wilderness to
escape the dragon’s
persecution in Revelation 12:6 and
the saints were handed over to
the little horn in Daniel 7:25.
References:
- See
Prophecies 2 and 6 for
information on the
importance of 1798. Return
- Revelation
13:2 Return
- Revelation
12:17 Return
- Revelation
13:5-7 Return
- Ephesians
6:12 Return
- Matthew
2:16 Return
- Revelation
19:15 Return
- Hebrews
8:1 Return
- Daniel
7:25; Revelation
12:14 Return
- Revelation
22:17; Genesis
3:15. Return
- Galatians
3:16; 4:4 Return
- Revelation
19:6-8 Return
- Malachi
4:2; Romans
1:17; Genesis
15:6; Romans
5:10 Return
- Psalm
89:34-37 Return
- Jeremiah
7:23; 30:22; Revelation
21:7 Return
- Galatains
3:28,29; James 1:1,2;1; Daniel
12:3; Philippians
2:14-16 Return
- See
also Revelation
12:14. Return
- Psalm
2:7-12; John
17:3-10 Return
- The Plan
of Redemption required
Jesus to experience and
suffer far more than
God’s people would
ever face on Earth. It
also required Jesus to
experience the penalty
that the wicked would
experience. Remember,
there is a difference
between the penalty for
sin and the consequences
of sin. Jesus was not
required to suffer the
consequences of sin
because He is not the
author of sin. The author
of sin (Lucifer, the
scapegoat) will receive
this judgment when the
sins of the saints are
put upon his head at the
end of sin’s drama.
Jesus was required to
face and overcome extreme
temptation, suffer the
harshest persecution,
live a perfect sinless
life and die the second
death. (See Luke 4:1,2; Hebrews
2:18; 5:7,8; 2
Corinthians 5:21; Romans
1:17; 5:10; 6:23 and Revelation
21:8.) Return
- Psalm
2:7-12; Revelation
13:8 Return
- Revelation
21:6 Return
- Revelation
19:7; 21:2; 21:9; 22:17 Return
- Revelation
12:9 Return
- Revelation
19:8; Matthew
13:43; 22:13 Return
- Daniel
12:3; Revelation
7:4-8; Philippians
2:14-16 Return
- Psalm
89:35-37 Return
- Revelation
19:15 Return
