Previous Lesson -- Next Lesson
4. The Woman in the Wilderness (Revelation 12:6)
REVELATION 12:6
6 The woman fled into the wilderness, where she has a place prepared by God, that there they may nourish her one thousand two hundred sixty days.
In the oracular vision of John the pictures quickly change. The woman flees into the deadly wilderness to the place God had prepared for her, where she could survive.
If the woman symbolizes Israel, then her flight into the wilderness could be understood as the dispersion of the Jewish people into all the nations of the unclean Gentiles. This would follow Christ's ascension, and last until their Messiah would come.
In case the woman represents Messianic Jews, who would have come into existence through the preaching of the two witnesses, then their flight can be seen as an escape into the wilderness of Jordan, where they are to wait the coming of their Messiah (A. Fuhr). There they would be preserved and provided for during the raging of the antichrist.
If, however, the woman represents the New Testament church following the ascension of Christ, then the picture of her flight into the wilderness would signify that the church, wherever she may be, always dwells in a foreign, parched wasteland. Jesus said that His followers were not of the world, but in the world (John 15:18-19; 17:11, 14-17). The Son returned to His Father so that His joy might be full in us, even while we wander in the middle of the wilderness (John 15:11; 17:13).
The woman does not remain helpless and abandoned in the wilderness, but is led to the place that God had provided for her, just as Elijah had been provided for at the Brook Cherith (1 Kings 17:4-6). The Lord does not abandon “His Own”, whenever they trust Him and obey His word. He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name's sake, even in the valley of the shadow of death (Psalm 23:1-5). Whoever serves God knows that it was God who served him first, and that He will continue to provide for him (Matthew 6:25-34; Ephesians 1:3-6).
The length of protection and provision, whether involving Old or New Testament saints, is given as 1,260 days. That would make three-and-a-half years, or 42 months. It is obvious that this period of time begins with the ascension of Christ, when the Son of God was taken up to His Father. As previously mentioned in regards to Revelation 11:3, it probably does not deal with earthly days and months, but instead signifies a divine period of time involving prophetic days and years, of which the exact meaning has caused much speculation.
PRAYER: Glorious Christ, we thank You from the bottom of our hearts because You love us and care for us. You consider Your church as the apple of Your eye and You agree to the running away of Your followers, like Paul, from a city to another because of the bitter persecution against them by the enemies of the cross. Give us clear guidance, such as ordering us to change our dwelling place that we may continue to spread Your gospel.
QUESTION:
- Did you experience a violent opposition against spreading Christ's salvation?