Sunday Adult Bible study

We continued with our studies on the Book of Revelation and yesterday it was our 30th lesson. Chapter 12 deals with John's vision of "The Woman, the war with the dragon and the wilderness." John sees the picture of a woman clothed with the brightness of the sun standing on the moon and wearing a crown of stars. She is pregnant and in the pains of labour. Then he sees a dragon with seven heads and ten horns, wearing seven crowns. The dragon strikes down one third of the stars and throws them to earth, desiring to devour the baby to whom the woman is giving birth. She gives birth to the child who is to lead the nations, and he is taken away by God so the dragon cannot get him. The woman flees into the wilderness where she is cared for by God for the time.

Wow a picture! John is using apocalyptic language. We spent time trying to understand the literature and metaphors. The hour passed extremely quickly any many questions were asked and discussed.

Actually we were swept back through the centuries to a date preceding the Advent of Christ. This leap shows us the important point about time in Revelation which embodies a series of visions, but not necessary of visions of successive events. John Stott puts it, "This book is not like a film showing the continuous unfolding of one story, but a series of lantern slides depicting the same landscape from different angles." This is not to deny that there is any chronological progress. Revelation does portray real development in history, moving towards the End.

Here is no mistaking who the Child was - the Messiah.We learned in our lesson the portion refers to two main themes - One is the Exodus how God led His people, then continuing to show images that depict spiritual warfare. Satan can inflict much harm, but he cannot stop the work of Christ. The day will come when "at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. "Philippians 2: 10-11

I am glad in retirement I am able to concentrate on my Bible study and share with my fellow church members the truths of the word. We can learn much from the Book to help us in our everyday living. Revelation is essentially a book of worship. True it predicts future events, but is is important that while on earth we live lives pleasing to God and eventually we shall meet Him face to face.