Originally published in "The Lord's Coming Herald & Wesleyan Bible Prophecy Advocate," March Edition, 2011
Revelation Chapter 12: The Separation of Early Christianity From Talmudic Judaism
Judaism is an historic world religion based on the Old Testament and other rabbinical writings, and does not accept Jesus of Nazareth as the fulfillment of ancient Israel’s messianic hope.
The book of Revelation, in the New Testament, gives us an interesting account of the differences between Christianity and Judaism’s responses to Old Testament revelation. This differences is shown most graphically in the portrayal of two women.
The first woman we meet in Revelation chapter 12, verse one. She is a picture of the apostolic Christian church, at the time of it’s inception, wherein she fully embraced Jesus of Nazareth as the promised Messiah of all Israel (Jn. 1:45, 49; Matt. 16:16).
This woman appears in heaven being clothed with the sun, the moon under her feet, and having on her head a crown of twelve stars.
Malachi 4:2 had promised that to the faithful Jewish remnant who feared God’s name the sun of righteousness would arise with healing in his wings. The early church saw in Jesus this fulfillment. Thus, she became clothed with the righteousness of the Son of God–the woman clothed with the sun. And the moon, a reflective body (a picture of the types and shadows of the old covenant) “under her feet”– that is, behind her, and over which she now supplants. The crown of twelves stars on her head is her allegiance to Jesus as the twelve tribes of Israel’s reigning king, and Lord of all.
And He’s my king, too! Praise His matchless, holy Name!
Related Article Links
Revelation Chapter 17: The Ultimate Destinies Of Judaism And The Church
Revelation Chapter Twelve Explained
The Messianic Question