Gideon |
Chapter 34 |
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11-04-12 (Rev 12:1,2) And there appeared [as history/prophecy] a great wonder in heaven; a woman [Israel/the church] clothed with the sun [symbol of the glory of God], and the moon [symbol of Islam; opposition] under her feet [subdued, submissive], and upon her head a crown [symbol of regency] of twelve stars [symbol of the twelve tribes of Israel]: And she [Israel/the church] being with child [pregnant with Jesus Christ/theSons of God] cried, travailing in birth [Gk: to experience the pains of parturition] [the child separating or “parting” from the mother], and pained [Gk: basanizo; tortured: pained, toiling, tormented, tossed, vexed] to be delivered [Gk: to produce fruit]. 1. Commentary: An often repeated metaphor of our walk with the Lord is that of a woman into whom the seed of Father God (i.e., Jesus Christ) has been sown, suffering through the tribulation of the maturation process of pregnancy (“the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and grew” Exo 1:12) (both her and the child within), and finally suffering the beginning of the great tribulation in the last term of pregnancy by experiencing a relatively brief intensification and great escalation of the pain, cumulating in relief and joy by delivering or giving birth to “a man child” (Rev 12:5) “in one day” (Isa 66:8). We who are born-again are compositely that woman now perceived as the church (typified as the sheep), and some much fewer of us are compositely the “man child” (typified as the shepherds). Jesus Christ is the archetype of the “man child” and we are being “conformed to the image of his [Father God’s] Son, that he [Jesus Christ] might be the firstborn among many brethren” (Rom 8:29), i.e., we are becoming “like” Jesus Christ (1 John 3:2). With the latter commentary in mind, let us examine another extended metaphor of our walk with the Lord that also typifies the process of the birth of the “man child.” a. (Rev 12:5) And she [past = Israel; future = the church] brought forth [Gk: birthed, delivered] a man child [Gk: a mature son] [past = Jesus Christ, the Son of God; prophectically future = the Sons of God], who was to rule [as “kings and priests” Rev 1:6; 5:10] all nations with a rod of iron [symbol of judgment]: and her child was caught up [Gk: taken for oneself, preferred: chosen] unto God, and to his throne. b. (Isa 66:8) 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 [a type of the N.T. church] travailed, she brought forth her children [the Sons of God: John 1:12; Rom 8:14,19; Phil 2:15; 1 John 3:1,2; i.e., the shepherds]. i. travailed = Heb: to twist or whirl (in a circular or spiral manner), i.e. (spec.) to dance, to writhe in pain (espec. of parturition). [i.e., childbirth] ii. Commentary: Isaiah 66:8 is a prophecy pointing to the conclusion of the Tribulation pregnancy period, and the beginning of the Great Tribulation period (the same point) when the “caught up” (1 Thes 4:17; Rev 12:5), “rapture,” of the Sons of God company will occur.
A PICTURE OF OUR WALK WITH THE LORD FROM INCEPTION TO CONCLUSION (Mark 6:45-51) And straightway he constrained his disciples to get into the ship, and to go to the other side before unto Bethsaida, while he sent away the people. And when he had sent them away, he departed into a mountain to pray. And when even was come, the ship was in the midst of the sea, and he alone on the land. And he saw them toiling in rowing; for the wind was contrary unto them: and about the fourth watch of the night he cometh unto them, walking upon the sea, and would have passed by them. But when they saw him walking upon the sea, they supposed it had been a spirit, and cried out: For they all saw him, and were troubled. And immediately he talked with them, and saith unto them, Be of good cheer: it is I; be not afraid. And he went up unto them into the ship; and the wind ceased: and they were sore amazed in themselves beyond measure, and wondered.
(Mark 6:45-49) And straightway [Gk: immediately] [“at once” Amplified Bible] [He arose from ministry of feeding and healing “about five thousand men” Mark 6:44, denoting, as our example, continuous ministry to the very end] he constrained [Gk: compelled; out of necessity] [“He insisted” Amplified Bible] [e.g., like the Christophane angel speaking to Lot: “Haste thee, escape thither; for I cannot do any thing till thou be come thither” Gen 19:22] his disciples to get into the ship [symbol of the church, made of wooden boards symbolizing domesticated saved men as in the 48 wooden priest-boards (“cities” Num 35:7) supporting the Tabernacle of Moses], and to go to the other side [to the Promised Land: symbol of Heaven] before unto Bethsaida [Heb: fishing-house], while he sent away the [unsaved] people. And when he had sent them [the unsaved people] away [the idea of this phrase of sending the unsaved people away, is repeated twice for emphasis, and represents eternal separation from God, “and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats” Mat 25:32], he departed into a mountain to pray [“and a cloud received him out of their sight” Acts 1:9]. And when even was come [“As long as I am in the [(your)] world, I am the light of the [(your)] world” John 9:5], the ship [the church] was in the midst of the sea [“So when they had rowed about five and twenty or thirty furlongs” John 6:19. A furlong equals 1/8 of a mile. Those furlongs convert to about 3 ½ miles which places the disciples in the middle “midst” of the 7 mile wide Sea of Galilee, and numerically represents, not coincidentally, the end of their tribulation, and the beginning of the world’s Great Tribulation] [the sea is a biblical symbol of humanity] [i.e., the ship was as a man child in the midst of the pregnant woman “pained to be delivered” Rev 12:2], and he [Jesus] alone on the land. And he saw them toiling [Gk: basanizo; tortured: pained, toiling, tormented, tossed, vexed] in rowing [i.e., working for God, preaching and teaching, ministering; toiling “to be delivered”]; for the wind [generated by the world, by Satan who is “the god of this world” 2 Cor 4:4] was contrary [Gk: opposite; fig. antagonistic: against] [“boisterous” Mat 14:30] unto them: and about the fourth watch of the night [3:00am to 6:00am, about the conclusion of the watch, about dawn, about daylight; they had toiled in rowing all the night, about 12 hours, against the storm, and had achieved only 3 ½ miles, indicating the immense strength and power of the opposing storm] he cometh unto them [from the east, “the day star” 2 Pet 1:19; a type of His second coming], walking upon the sea [being supported, empowered, by the Holy Spirit of miracles], and would have passed by them [whatsoever Jesus commands of us He also empowers us to accomplish, and in this instance we observe His foreknowledge, i.e., He foreknew that all whom He sent would arrive at the Promised Land (Heaven) safely]. But when they saw him walking upon the sea, they supposed it had been a spirit [Gk: a spectre (ghost)], and cried out [thus expressing various degrees of disbelief in the accomplishment of their mission, and indirectly expressing disbelief in He who had sent them on that mission]: For they all saw him [but with eyes clouded with fear, they did not recognize Him (even John); hence, Peter’s reaction: “Lord, if it be thou, bid me…” Mat 14:28], and were troubled [Gk: agitated (roiled up)] [i.e., they reverted (backslid) from order into chaos]. And immediately he talked with them, and saith unto them, Be of good cheer: it is I; be not afraid. And he went up unto them into the ship [John 6:21]; and the wind ceased: [i.e., upon His second coming into them, they were immediately birthed, transported, translated, raptured,“caught up” 1 Thes 4:17; Rev 12:5 into Heaven] and they were sore amazed in themselves beyond measure, and wondered. 1. (John 6:21) Then they willingly received him into the ship: and immediately the ship was at the land [the Promised Land] whither they went. [How is that possible?] 2. Commentary: Jesus responded to their cries, “they… cried out” (Mark 6:49), and He entered into the ship, and thereby much shortened their painful journey. 3. (Mark 13:19) For in those days [of Great Tribulation, i.e., the ferocious Satanic storm] shall be affliction [Gk: pressure: anguish, burdened, persecution, tribulation, trouble], such as was not from the beginning of the creation which God created unto this time, neither shall be. And except that the Lord had shortened those days [of the Great Tribulation], no flesh should be saved: but for the elect's sake, whom he hath chosen, he hath shortened the days [of the Great Tribulation – for them].
Amen
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