Reading this morning in Revelation 12 and remembering the discussions of that Chapter with Open Table Conference, I was struck with the imagery John described. v. 1 A great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet and a crown of twelve stars on her head. She was pregnant and cried out in pain as she was about to give birth. Then another sign appeared in heaven: an enormous red dragon with seven heads and ten horns and seven crowns on its heads. Its tail swept a third of the stars out of the sky and flung them to the earth. The dragon stood in front of the woman who was about to give birth, so that it might devour her child the moment he was born. She gave birth to a son, a male child, who “will rule all the nations with an iron scepter.” (Psalm 2:9). v. 7 Then war broke out in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back. But he was not strong enough, and they lost their place in heaven. The great dragon was hurled down – that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him.

I can’t help but think about the garden scene and Eve deceived by the serpent. Satan wanted her and Adam to disobey and defy God just as he rebels and defies God. He wanted them to sin. He wanted more than that. He wanted slaves to sin. What was that cost? Enslavement. They were slaves to sin. So are we. What enslaves you? Addiction? Pride? Anger? Wrath? Judging? Hate? Violence?

I think about the Word giving up His divinity to become a human child born of a virgin teenager and how vulnerable He was. The endearing Christmas card scene we all love and treasure and sing beautiful songs about played out very differently in heaven. The powerful Archangel Michael and his angels fought against Satan and his angels and that great dragon was hurled down – that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth and his angels with him. Satan thought the Christ child was vulnerable and could be destroyed. On earth that played out when Herod ordered the innocents in Bethlehem 2 years old and younger to be slaughtered. The first martyrs for Christ. God warned Joseph to take Mary and the baby to Egypt to save their lives and he obeyed immediately.

Knowing his time is short, in cosmic time, Satan works feverishly to spread his hate and find more slaves to sin. Do we appreciate the contrast? The Word giving up His divinity to become flesh and dwell among us showing us how to live in obedience to God; He showed us what love for the Father is and that sacrifice He did for us so He could pay the penalty of sin. Sin cannot exist where God is. God wants us with Him; He loves us so much….so He made a way at tremendous cost. He did that for us so we would not be enslaved for eternity.

Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth. Worship the Lord with gladness; come before him with joyful songs. Know that the Lord is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations. Psalm 100.