The Book of Revelation is a book of symbols; it employs natural things to teach spiritual things. Jesus, the greatest teacher, taught in parables, taking natural things to teach spiritual lessons. So it is in the Book of Revelation.
John was caught up into heaven in the Spirit; yet, he neither left the earth nor saw literal happenings in God's Heaven. The heaven spoken of all through Revelation is a spiritual heaven. Revelation 12:1 is a picture of the New Testament Church of God, symbolized as a pure woman. She has risen above the old Law, or the moon, and she is lifted up to a heavenly position. How did she get lifted up there? Matthew 3:1-2 tells us that in those days John the Baptist came preaching that the Kingdom of Heaven was at hand. According to Matthew, Chapter 4, when John was cast into prison, Jesus came preaching that the Kingdom of Heaven was at hand. There is a heavenly kingdom right here on the earth that you can get into. All that stands between man and the heavenly kingdom is repentance.
Speaking of our great salvation, Paul wrote in Ephesians 2:1 and 6: "And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; . . . And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus [or in the body of Christ]." Hebrews 3:1 reads, "Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling . . . ." Hebrews 6:4 says, ". . . have tasted of the heavenly gift . . . ." Jesus said in John 6:58, "This is that bread which came down from heaven: not as your fathers did eat manna [literal manna in the wilderness], and are dead: he that eateth of this bread shall live for ever." Hebrews 12:22 states, "But ye are come unto . . . the heavenly Jerusalem [a heavenly Jerusalem right here on the earth] . . . ."
The woman was clothed in the sun, which means she had put on Christ. John 1:4 reads, "In him was life; and the life was the light of men." People in the Old Testament lived in sin. They continually confessed their sins but were never able to forsake them. This woman in Revelation had risen above Old Testament living. She had moved to a new covenant with a better blood—the blood of Jesus Christ that takes away all sins. Even as the natural moon is a shadow, or a reflection, of the sun, so the old Law was a shadow, or a reflection, of the new covenant. The woman rose above the Old Testament and put on Christ. She is the light of the world. The sun, moon, and stars are every avenue of light that God has created to light this earth, and the church is surrounded with them.
The sun that the woman is clothed with is Christ, or the New Testament. Malachi, the last of the Old Testament prophets, wrote, "But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings . . ." (Malachi 4:2). Jesus taught this in Matthew, Chapter 13, when He illustrated four kinds of ground to show the hearts of all mankind: waysideground, stony ground, thorny ground, and good ground. Jesus said the seed that fell on stony ground sprang up but did not have any root; and when the sun came up, it was scorched. In verse 21 He gave an explanation of what that sun was.
The stony ground portrays someone who claims to have salvation but is offended when persecution arises because of the Word. Jesus used the sun to symbolize the Word. (When the Word is lifted up in a strong way, people with shallow experiences wither.)
Revelation 12:1 shows the morning-time church standing in all her beauty and glory. All the luminaries of the natural world are surrounding her. She is God's avenue of light to a lost and dying world. One of the luminaries is stars. Revelation 1:20 answers the symbol of the stars.
You can read of other mentions of stars throughout the Bible. A star led the Wise Men to Christ. Daniel 12:3 tells us that those who "turn many to righteousness [would be] as the stars." The stars are the ministers who guide men and women to Christ.
The Woman Is to Bring Forth Children
Paul wrote in Romans 7:1-3: "Know ye not, brethren, (for I speak to them that know the law,) how that the law hath dominion over a man as long as he liveth? For the woman which hath an husband is bound by the law to her husband so long as he liveth; but if the husband be dead, she is loosed from the law of her husband. So then if, while her husband liveth, she be married to another man, she shall be called an adulteress: but if her husband be dead, she is free from that law; so that she is no adulteress, though she be married to another man."
Paul was not teaching a marriage or a divorce law. He was writing to those who knew the Law (verse 1). Under Moses' divorce law, a man could put away his wife for any cause, but a woman could not put away her husband for any cause whatsoever. She was bound to him, and there was no way for her to be loosed from the man unless he died. In these verses Paul was using an allegory. Verse 4 reads, "Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another . . . ." Our husband died to free us from the old Mosaic law. Jesus Christ died for every one of us. There was no other way to be free from that Mosaic law. So Jesus Christ came (according to Colossians 2:14), took the Law, and nailed it to Calvary's Cross. Thank God, through the body of Christ, you and I are free, as Paul wrote to the Romans, from the Mosaic law. Through the death of Christ, we are delivered from that old Law, the law of sin and death.
Again, Romans 7:4 reads, "Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God." The fruit of marriage is children. Adam and Eve, the first man and first woman, were instructed to replenish the earth. So it is the responsibility of the church to produce children. There will not be husband or wife in Heaven, because we are going to a place where no one ever dies. There will be no need to bare children. There will not be any generations passing away, so we will not have to bring on another generation to replace the last one. The time to bring forth children is now.
The Man Child
In Revelation 12:2 we find the church described as a woman with child in pain to be delivered. The lesson is that the morning-time church was a fruitful church. Revelation 12:5 reads, "And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and to his throne." Many religious teachers say that this woman is the church, the man child who was brought forth was Christ, and He ascended to Heaven. However, that cannot be right, because the church did not produce Christ; Christ produced the church. The church is Christ's bride. Therefore, this man child cannot be Christ.
Isaiah saw a prophetic picture of this hundreds of years before the church came into being. Isaiah 66:7-13 reads: "Before she travailed, she brought forth; before her pain came, she was delivered of a man child. Who hath heard such a thing? who hath seen such things? Shall the earth be made to bring forth in one day? or shall a nation be born at once? for as soon as Zion travailed, she brought forth her children. Shall I bring to the birth, and not cause to bring forth? saith the Lord: shall I cause to bring forth, and shut the womb? saith thy God.
"Rejoice ye with Jerusalem, and be glad with her, all ye that love her: rejoice for joy with her, all ye that mourn for her: That ye may suck, and be satisfied with the breasts of her consolations; that ye may milk out, and be delighted with the abundance of her glory. For thus saith the Lord, Behold, I will extend peace to her like a river, and the glory of the Gentiles like a flowing stream: then shall ye suck, ye shall be borne upon her sides, and be dandled upon her knees. As one whom his mother comforteth, so will I comfort you; and ye shall be comforted in Jerusalem."
Note in verse 8 that it was not a single individual who was brought forth. A whole nation was brought forth in one day. InIsaiah 66:11 the Lord spoke of nursing "the breasts of her consolations." To fully understand the man child, let us get a picture of these babies. First Peter 2:1-2 reads: "Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings, As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby." According to Chapter 1, Peter was speaking to people who had been born again. After you have been born again, you are a newborn babe, and you desire the "sincere milk of the word."
First Peter 2:4-5 and 9 read: "To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious, Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. . . . But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation . . . ." A new nation, a nation unheard of before, was born at once, and that nation was comprised of men and women who had repented and had been born again. The Word of God speaks of them as being a "man child."
Jesus said in Matthew 21:42-43: "Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes? Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof." Some believe that God took it from the Jew and gave it to the Gentile; however, He took it from the Jew and gave it to whosoever will.
In Acts, Chapter 10, we read of Peter at Cornelius' house. Peter thought the literal Jews were God's only people and the only ones who would ever be God's people. However, God sent him down to Cornelius' house, and the converted Gentiles were baptized with the Holy Ghost right in front of him. Acts 10:34-35 tells us: "Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons [teaching anything for the literal Jew alone]: But in every [literal] nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness [not just believes in righteousness, but worketh righteousness; not just has faith in righteousness, but worketh righteousness], is accepted with him."
Isaiah wrote in Isaiah 66:7 that before Zion travailed, she brought forth. Jesus Christ, through the Gospel, brought forth a nucleus, namely 120. Isaiah also said that as soon as Zion travailed, she brought forth her children. Jesus told the 120 apostles to tarry at Jerusalem, and they waited in the Upper Room. They travailed in the Upper Room; and when their travailing came to an end and the Day of Pentecost fully came, they brought forth a new, holy nation made up of ones from every nation under Heaven. Read Acts, Chapter 2. There were Jews, devout men out of every nation there, and when Peter preached the Gospel, three thousand babies came forth from the womb of the church in one hour's time.
It is no wonder that Isaiah said, "Who hath heard such a thing?" Who ever heard of a woman having three thousand babies in one day? Well, the church had them, and she did not quit then. The next day she had five thousand more, and before two and a half years were up, there were more than a hundred thousand converts numbered. That is quite a family!
Why were the converts called "a man child"? In Galatians, Chapter 4, Paul used an allegory. Speaking of Abraham's two wives, he said that Hagar was the type of old Sinai, or literal Jerusalem, and that Sarah was the type of the New Jerusalem, which is above and is free. Galatians 4:28-29 says: "Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise. But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now." The church's converts are called "him."
Ephesians 2:13-15 states: "But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ. For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace." The church's converts are spoken of as "one new man" in Christ Jesus. They are no longer Jew or Gentile, bond or free, male or female; but they are all one in Christ Jesus. So we see that the man child the morning-time church brought forth was converts, many of them.
Just as soon as the converts were brought forth, Revelation 12:3-4 says that the "great red dragon [the pagan Roman Empire] . . . stood before the woman . . . to devour her child [converts, the man child] as soon as it was born." That is exactly what happened. The pagan Romans killed the Christians. Just as soon as a person professed Christianity and stood for his profession of Christ, he was put to death, often through burning at the stake or being beheaded.
Many people today know very little about travailing. A nonchalant attitude of just saying a few prayers for lost people is not availing a thing! We must be reminded that the Bible (Old Testament and New) says that as soon as Zion travails, she brings forth her children. The word travail means "to labor with difficulty," which is hard labor. Church, are we doing that? The spirits of the day would have us feel that if we hope that people will get saved and say a few prayers for them, they will be saved. Entertainment through Gospel singing is working a deception. A congregation can invite a singing group in, and they will sing in such a way that works on people's emotions. The altars might be filled, but follow those people for the next several days. More than likely, they will go right back to the same hog pen they came out of. Wherever people are truly born again, truly brought from death to life with a new-creature experience, there is a church. There will be people who will get busy working for the Lord.
As soon as Zion travailed, she brought forth children. There is no need to talk about travailing until after conception. It would be useless for a woman to begin to travail if there has not been a conception. Let us take it from the natural so we can understand the spiritual picture. In Ephes-ians, Chapter 5, Paul used the example of the husband and the wife to show Christ and the church. Few legitimate children are born into a home where a husband and wife like to do everything but be together. So it is in the spiritual. People must have a desire to be saved, and if you will earnestly seek God's face through prayer, God can stir up an old-fashioned desire within them to be saved. Church, you are the bride, and Christ is the husband. You must give yourself to Christ, and it is going to take spending much time together to produce converts. You will find that the more you give yourself to Him, the more He will reveal and give Himself to you! People who are close to Christ have a real soul burden. As soon as travailing comes, children will be born; it never fails.
Twin Symbols
The woman is a symbol of the church, and the man child is a symbol of more of the church. Having twin symbols is necessary because part of the church stayed here on earth and part of it went to Heaven. As soon as the woman brought forth her children, or her converts, the dragon (pagan Rome) beheaded them, burned them at the stake, or slaughtered them; and their souls were caught up to God and His throne. The woman was in the spiritual heaven, but the souls of her martyred converts were caught up to God and His throne. They were in God's Heaven. If the church were already in God's Heaven, her converts would not have been "caught up unto God" (Revelation 12:5). However, we find that when her converts were killed, they were caught up to God and His throne. The twin symbols reveal to us that part of the church has stayed right here on earth; God has kept a seed even to our day. However, her converts still go to Heaven. We work to see men and women saved, living by the Word of God. Then when death comes upon them, they are caught up to God.
Part of the church is over in Heaven, and part of it is here. Paul clarified this in Ephesians 3:14-15, saying: "For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named." If you know the name of the Father of the Lord Jesus Christ, then you know the name of the church. Jesus prayed to His Father in Heaven. God was His Father, and the whole family, both in Heaven and in earth, is kept in the Father's name.
False religion also has twin symbols. Revelation, Chapter 17, shows a mother and her daughters. The mother is papal Rome, and her daughters are every Protestant organization that came out of her. The eighth beast spoken of in Revelation, Chapter 17, is the mother bringing her daughters back through church amalgamation, the Federated Counsel of Churches. Every religion is in that organization except for the true church. Communism, unbelieving Jews, and paganism are also in it. Revelation 20:9 says they are going to surround the camp of the saints.
Kept in the Father's Name
Let us next look at two questions. Why are the church's converts called the "man child"? Why are false religion's children called "daughters"? There is a definite reason for it. The whole family was to be kept in the Father's name. God wanted the church to be perpetuated. He wanted her to keep the same doctrine, the same standard, and even the same name. Many people think that the Church of God is just a good name; however, it is more than that. It is not just a name that some man chose. Before any of us were born, God named the church. Jesus said in John 17:11, ". . . Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are." All throughout the New Testament, you can read about the "church of God."
Jesus prayed for the Father to keep the people in the Father's name. The church is the bride of Christ. We read in Romans, Chapter 7, that we have been released from the old Law and married to another, "even to him who is raised from the dead [Jesus Christ]" (verse 4). Jesus took His bride just as the first Adam did. God performed an operation: He opened Adam's side, took out a rib, and made a woman. It is the same way with the second Adam—Jesus Christ. While He hung on Calvary's Cross, one of the soldiers pierced His side, and out flowed blood and water. With that blood and water came forth the bride, the church of the Living God. Christ purchased her with His own blood.
When Jesus received His bride, He put her in and kept her in the Father's name. The Father's name is the family name. My last name is Wilson. The minute I was born, I was a Wilson. No one had to decide on that. My parents did choose my given name, Emerson. Years later, when I took a bride, she did not become Mrs. Emerson; she became Mrs. Wilson, taking the family name. What is Jesus' name? The angel told Mary that the "holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God" (Luke 1:35). God was His family name. The angel told Joseph to call His name Jesus. Jesus was His given name. Therefore, His name is "Jesus God." When Jesus took His bride, the church, He did not call her the Church of Christ. Christ means "the anointed one." Christ is His office. Jesus did not name His wife after His office. She is His bride; therefore, the church is called the Church of God, because it is in the Father's name.
There are people who say the name does not mean anything, but we cannot have unity without a name. Some people feel that many different church names are necessary to tell people apart. However, God is against His people being apart. Today if someone falls out with the pastor or someone else where he is worshiping, that one leaves and starts another church. There is a division, with the world looking on, saying: "My, what a mess! They don't have real salvation or they wouldn't be so messed up." Again, God is against His people being apart.
There is everything in a name when it comes to inheritance. My last name is Wilson. My father left some inheritance, and the day the judge read the will, the only people there were those who had the right name. There is something in a name. Likewise, there is also something in a name when it comes to our spiritual inheritance. Romans 8:16-17 reads: "The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ."
The Beginning of the Last Days
According to Revelation 12:5, this man child was to "rule all nations with a rod of iron," or the unbendable Word of God. Let us consider how the man child was to do this.
The rod of iron is the Word of God, and it goes forth from Jerusalem, or Mount Zion. When men and women hear the Gospel and come in through the door, Christ Jesus, they are born again. After they get in, their rule is not a man-made creed, but the Lord rules with the Word of God. He does not beat or knock anyone around. There will never be a time when Christ, by force, will make nations serve Him. The service of Christ is a service of love.
Unsaved people will not be subject to the rod of iron. The carnal, fleshly, unregenerate individual is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be (Romans 8:7). Therefore, what good would it do for Jesus to come back on the earth and take a rod and try to make carnal minds serve Him? When you become a new creature in Christ Jesus, you are changed.
Isaiah 2:2 begins, "And it shall come to pass in the last days . . . ." The last days began in A.D. 33. Joel 2:28 tells us that
in the last days God will pour out His Spirit on all flesh. In Acts 2:16, after the Holy Spirit had fallen on the Apostles, Peter said, "But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel." This prophecy was fulfilled right after A.D. 33.
Isaiah 2:2-3 reads: "And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the Lord's house [the church] shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills [false religion]; and all nations shall flow unto it. And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem." This was to take place in the last days, and the Word of the Lord was going to start out from Jerusalem.
Now let us read about the fulfillment. Jesus told the disciples that they would go up to Jerusalem, and He would be crucified. Then He told them that all things spoken of by the prophets concerning the Son of Man would be accomplished. There is no Old Testament prophecy of the future Second Coming of Christ. Old Testament prophets all prophesied of Jesus' first coming.
Let us understand about the Word of the Lord going forth from Jerusalem. After Jesus rose from the dead, He said in Luke 24:44-47: "These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me. Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures, And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem."
Isaiah said that the Word of the Lord would go out from Jerusalem. In other words, it would have its beginning in Jerusalem. Jesus told the disciples to "tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high." In Acts 1:8 Jesus said, ". . . after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth." It began in Jerusalem on the Day of Pentecost.
Judged by the Word of God
Isaiah 2:4 states, "And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more." However, Jesus said that there would be wars and rumors of wars right to the end (Matthew 24:6). What ending of war was Isaiah talking about? Isaiah 2:4 prophesies that Christ would teach us His ways. What are His ways? Jesus instructed us to "do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you and persecute you" (Matthew 5:44).
Again, Isaiah 2:4 reads, "And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they [It is important to understand who the 'they' are. Isaiah was not speaking of the whole world, because there will never be a time when the entire world lives in peace with no wars.] shall beat their swords into plowshares [an expression that means to quit fighting and having wars] . . . ." The Word of the Lord was to go forth from Jerusalem, and the Lord would judge among the nations. He judges among the nations by His Word. Is He doing it? Everywhere the Gospel is preached, it makes people either believers or unbelievers. The "they" are believers.
The Great Commission in Mark 16:15-16 was this: "Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned." The "they" Isaiah spoke of are those who take the rebuke and believe the Gospel. The Gospel puts a rebuke on people for their sinful conditions. Not everyone will take His rebuke. If you will take the rebuke, humble yourself, and repent, the Lord will bring you into an experience of salvation and you will learn war no more. You will get rid of the implements of war. Instead of a sword, you will have a plowshare, and you will begin plowing. Instead of a spear, you will have a pruninghook, and you will begin pruning yourself, cutting back here and there so that you can be more fruitful for God.
Being saved does not mean that you will never be tempted to retaliate in any way. You still have a flesh to work on; in other words, you have some perfecting to do. It would be wonderful if your sword were changed into a plowshare immediately, but you have to beat it. Many people are not willing to put forth the effort that it takes to get victory in their lives. They are ever wanting God to do it for them. God will give the grace and the wisdom, but you must take the sword, put it into the fire, and beat it into a plowshare. In 1 Corinthians 9:27 Paul said, "But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway." Dear one, you must put forth effort.
Again, the Lord will judge among the nations and rebuke many people. Those who take His rebuke (or hear and obey the Word) will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruninghooks. Jesus teaches people His ways and His paths, and when they take His teachings, they will never learn war. Jesus does not teach people how to fight. Isaiah 11:9 reads, "They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain . . . ." This was not a prophecy that covered the whole world; it was telling what was going to go on in God's holy mountain. The Lord judges all nations in His holy mountain, because all nations flow into it. On the Day of Pentecost, every nation under heaven was there, and three thousand of them flowed into Zion.
One New Man in Christ
If you will hear and obey the Word of the Lord and take the rebuke of the Gospel, you will be a new creature. Peter wrote in 1 Peter 2:21-22: "For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps: Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth."
The swords are not made into plowshares in a millennial age. Through false doctrinal teachings, the devil is putting many good things that God ordained for us to enjoy right now out in an age that does not even exist. The Bible tells us that everyone who is born again is a diving plowman now. When teaching about the Kingdom of God, Jesus said, "No man, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God" (Luke 9:62).
There will not be a time in a future millennial age when man or the animals will be changed. Sinner friend, the time to be changed is now. When death comes on you or the end of time comes, there will be no change in your soul whatsoever. God has dealt with people in all eras of time, and now we are in the last era of time called the last days or the Holy Ghost dispensation. There are no days to follow these days. After these last days is the end of time. Let us look at it this way: when it comes to money, would you have a thousand dollars left after the last penny was spent? Neither will there be a thousand years after the last day is over.
Church of God, we need to spend more time in prayer. Let us do more travailing so that we can see more children brought into the Kingdom of God. Be obedient to what God reveals to you from His Word. Listen to the Word of God and obey it. The Holy Spirit will reveal to you just what you need.
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