Merry Christmas!!
At Christmas we focus on the amazing reality of God becoming man- born of a virgin, lain in a manger, snugly wrapped in swaddling clothes. We seldom think of the supernatural realities unfolding under the thin veneer of the seen world. A cosmic struggle between God and Satan was coming to an apex- God putting His foot on the neck of the snake!
In Revelation 12 the prophet records a vision that encapsulates the reality of what was going on at the birth of the Messiah:
Revelation 12:1-5
- A great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet and a crown of 12 stars on her head.
- She was pregnant and cried out in labor and agony ⌊as she was about⌋ to give birth.
- Then another sign appeared in heaven: There was a great fiery red dragon having seven heads and 10 horns, and on his heads were seven diadems.
- His tail swept away a third of the stars in heaven and hurled them to the earth. And the dragon stood in front of the woman who was about to give birth, so that when she did give birth he might devour her child.
- But she gave birth to a Son—a male who is going to shepherd all nations with an iron scepter—and her child was caught up to God and to His throne.
Even though the serpent attempted to devour the Child, His attempt proved to be in vain. Satan’s underling, Herod, was checkmated. God was victorious and in Him we too are the victors. “But thanks be to God who gives us the victory through Christ Jesus our Lord.” (I Cor. 15:57).
So this Christmas as we rejoice that the King has come, let us rejoice that Satan has been vanquished and is a defeated foe.
Because of grace,
Tim
