"So Boaz took Ruth and she became his wife. Then he went to her, and LORD enabled her To conceive, and she gave birth to a son."

Ruth 4:13

© 2005 by Dot McGinnis

http://our.homewithgod.com/heavenlyinspirations/

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HeavenlyInspirations-originalwritings/

Dot is a poet and a published author from Pennsylvania who has served as assistant editor for the Christian newspaper Majesty. She is retired yet continues serving the Lord via the Heavenly Inspirations Ministries.

After man-child is taken up to God woman flees into wilderness. So in Matthew 24, after period spoken of as beginning of birth-pains, which synchronizes with Revelation 12:2, we hear of affliction and hatred, of offence and betrayal, of false prophets who deceive. This is at same time a gospel activity is indicated witnessing to all nations before end comes.

Revelation 12:6 And woman fled into wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days.

About this same time abomination of desolation spoken of by Daniel prophet (Matt. 24:15) will be set up in holy place. This evidently refers to image of Beast; Daniel's prophecy (Dan. 11) indicates that setting up of this abomination occurs in midst of final seven years there referred to. This would leave 3 ½ years for tribulation to run until "the end."

So, in perfect harmony, we read that woman is fed 1,260 days (12:6), or (as in 12:14), "a time, times and a half," in line with Daniel's cryptic utterance.

Three years and a half therefore before end, and before revelation of Lord, man-child is caught up. This is escape of overcomers. Some will be "accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass" (Luke 21:36).

The man-child caught up and escaping tribulation, woman who flees into wilderness, and remnants of her seed which are attacked by dragon, cannot possibly represent same group of people.

There are overcomers who are destined to rule; there is woman, shielded, fed and protected in wilderness; there are seed that are left, who are persecuted. It is evident that some believers are left to endure fierce wrath of last days.

Our attention however must be kept for present upon overcomers. Verse 11 adds a detail as to character of these overcomers:

Revelation 12:11 "And they overcame him because of blood of Lamb, and because of word of their testimony, and they loved not their lives unto death."

The sign is a child born under menace of satanic destruction; reality is faithful testimony of those who loved not their lives unto death, overcomers. The dragon waiting to devour is interpreted in verse 10 as "accusing brethren before God day and night." The moment of escape of these overcomers is at sounding of seventh trumpet:

Revelation 12:10 ''Now is come salvation and strength, and KINGDOM of our God, and power of His Christ, for accuser of our brethren is cast down".

The words "our brethren" should attract our attention. Who is it that says these words? The speaker ("I heard a loud voice saying in heaven") is unnamed, but it is clear, from all other similar references, that it cannot be a man. In Revelation 22:9 an ANGEL says to John:

Revelation 22:9 "I am a fellow servant with thee and with thy brethren, prophets, and with them that keep sayings of this book."

When looking at this verse 9 we would like to adopt translation given in Emphatic Diaglott. "I am a fellow servant of thee," sounds like a contradiction in English. It means that angel and John and brethren are all upon one common level in this aspect. An ANGEL, therefore, appears to be one who calls overcomers "our brethren."

The overcomers are to be identified with Church of first-born who are enrolled in heaven (Hebrews 12:22). These have come to Mount Zion (so had one hundred and forty four thousand, Revelation 14:1); and unto city of living God, heavenly Jerusalem. This is also said of overcomers. These had also come unto an innumerable company of angels, general assembly. The casting out of great dragon to earth ushers in third and last woe:

Revelation 12:12 "Rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them, woe to inhabiters of earth, and sea! For Devil is come down, having great wrath, because he knoweth he hath but a short time".

The woman is carried away to a place prepared for her, and nourished in wilderness for rest of period until kingdom is set up on earth. To this period applies LORD'S PRAYER. "Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven." These words will be heartfelt utterance of this persecuted company, and while experiencing again manna in wilderness, they will pray with real understanding, "Give us this day bread that cometh down upon us." The word rendered "daily" epiousios {ep-ee-oo'-see-os} in prayer occurs nowhere else in Scripture, nor, as far as we know, in any writing in Greek language. It is a word which can only he fulfilled by repetition of miracle of manna, and this is what does take place.

The Scriptures speak of several categories of believers, some ready, some unready, some watchful, some asleep, some like wise virgins, some like unwise, one taken, other left, one child of woman caught up to God and His throne, other of her seed suffering wrath of dragon, some sheltered in heaven and secret of His presence, others sheltered in wilderness. The Church of One Body, while not connected with these events of great plan revealed in Revelation, should be aware of these differences and thereby seek to learn from them.