The Dragon

The readings this week will get us into the book of Revelation’s apocalyptic imagery. This imagery speaks to God’s wrath, and the seriousness of God’s intent to punish evil and restore the world. This stark and startling picture of God’s hatred of sin serves as a warning to the “assimilated church” – to take sin seriously and flee from it. 

STUDY THE SCRIPTURE

Click here to access the reading from Revelation 12:1-12

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You will find the Sermon Notes for today’s message here.

REFLECTION

Signs and Wonders

by Elaine Pierce

There’s a lot to unpack in this passage, and I’ll be honest – I’d much rather write about another part of scripture. Revelation, at first blush, is confusing, cryptic, apocalyptic, and quite frankly, a little strange and scary. But it’s part of God’s Word, which Paul tells us is “God-breathed and useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the people of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” (2 Timothy 3:16).

Two times in Revelation 12, John says a sign will appear:

Verse 1:  A great and wondrous sign appeared in heaven

Verse 3:  Then another sign appeared in heaven

Signs are sprinkled throughout scripture – in fact, you can find more than 100 verses about signs. One that comes to my mind is in Luke 2:12, when the angel says to the shepherds, “This will be  a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”  What did that sign signify? That the Savior had been born! What joy those shepherds experienced as they worshiped the newborn king.

So, let’s return to these signs in Revelation 12. The first sign, a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet and a crown of twelve stars on her head, must have been a beautiful, transcendent image. Biblical scholars see this woman as representing the nation of Israel – the twelve stars could represent the 12 tribes.

 

And look at the second sign, the enormous red dragon who is bent on devouring the woman. But the woman and her baby are saved by God, who takes her to his throne in heaven. Such a happy ending! But keep reading – the dragon (Satan, it’s pretty obvious) doesn’t give up easily. John tells us “There was a war in heaven (v. 7).”  We all know who wins – yes, God wins. And how does he win?  Look at verse 11:

“They (Michael and the angels) overcame him (Satan, the dragon) by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death.” 

Yes, Jesus has won the victory. He paid the price through death on the cross.  And we know, that on judgment day, God will welcome us into everlasting life. 

But in the meantime, we are here on earth. Here in Columbus, Ohio. And Satan has not given up trying to win converts to his side. He delights in our failures, especially when we justify our sin and don’t ask for forgiveness. He is happy when the church is not a strong witness in a world that is fearful and weary of a pandemic…and racism…and polarizing politics. 

Help us, Lord, to rejoice in your victory, and to share the good news that, in the end, always and forever, you win. Help us to come alongside those who are frightened, and those who are angry, and those who feel hopeless. It’s not through our strength, but through the blood of the lamb, the Lord Jesus, that we can offer hope and healing to our family and friends.  

UALC’S CAMPAIGN OF PRAYER - SUNDAY

SCRIPTURES - Pray the Scriptures. Some examples are Psalm 91:1-15 / Psalm 121:5-8 / John 14:27 / Philippians 4:6-7 / 2 Timothy 1:7