1/5/15- God Limits Persecution

13And when the dragon saw that he was thrown down to the earth, he persecuted the woman who gave birth to the male child. 14But the two wings of the great eagle were given to the woman, so that she could fly into the wilderness to her place, where she was nourished for a time and times and half a time, from the presence of the serpent.  (Rev. 12:13-14)

Thoughts: The bride of Christ (singular-- yet many gunaki) is often spoken of in commentaries as the woman here.  Satan persecuted the bride (the woman).  The church is always opposed by evil.  Here the opposition is a time and times and half a times- or 42 months or 1260 days (same as Rev. 11:5 and 12:6).  God sent a way to rescue her until the persecution is over.  Moses went to the wilderness to escape punishment.  David went to the wilderness to escape Saul.  Elijah fled to the wilderness to escape persecution from Jezebel and Ahab. There have been times when the church has shrunk to a remnant and has been in hiding.  It was this way in 70 AD at the Roman wars or under the Roman Emperors- Domitian, Hadrian, Marcus Aurellius of Diocletian.  The Covenanters and Pilgrims are examples of whole peoples in the Reformation era who were in the wilderness.  In our day the Christians of Syria and Iraq fleeing their homes for a literal desert or mountain without water.  Perhaps one day there will be a persecution on a larger scale a the end of history for 1,260 literal days.  Overall, God limits human persecution out of love for his bride.  

Prayer: Lord, thank you that you care for your church- especially in hard times.