5She gave birth to a son, a male child, who “will rule all the nations with an iron scepter.”a And her child was snatched up to God and to his throne. 6The woman fled into the wilderness to a place prepared for her by God, where she might be taken care of for 1,260 days. (Rev. 12:5,6)
Thoughts: Some interpret the women who gives birth to Christ as Mary. Others interpret these verses as referring to the church (cf. Barnes' notes). There is a sense in which the church gives birth to Christ. He came from the Old Testament church- Israel- a kingdom of priests. Certainly the woman, Mary, fled from Herod for a period. This is the more literal interpretation But a figurative/apocalyptic interpretation would be that the church went through a wilderness/hibernation period of 1,260 days (or 42 months- cf. Rev. 11:2). The practical lesson of all this is that Jesus will be opposed in any age, but the church will come back. This is true of our own age when there are many naysayers who, in an effort to justify their own wrong-doing or pride, seek to eliminate the church. People have said since the crucifixion that the church would die out- but it has not and will not. Dionysius, Justinian, Voltaire, Mao, Stalin, and some in the West today say the church is dead, but she comes back. Humans always will thirst for the living water that the church offers. The thirst may dissipate for awhile- but it comes back.
Prayer: Lord, give me hope for you- despite when you are opposed. Give me hope for the good news and the church.
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