The women represents God's faithful people who have been waiting for the Messiah, the crown of 12 stars represents the 12 tribes. God set apart the Jews for Himself (Romans 9 v 4-5) and from that nation came the Messiah. As soon as Mary had given birth to Jesus, Herod wanted to kill him. Like the dragon waiting for the women to give birth. Herod was motivated by Satan (the red dragon) who didn't want the world’s saviour alive. This heavenly scene shows that Christ's quiet birth had cosmic affects. When the dragon fell and took a third of the stars with him, it represents Satan falling from heaven and taking a third of the angels with him, Hebrew tradition believe a third fell with him.
But as Satan is knocked to the Earth the pursuit begins. As the dragon chases the women God takes her to the desert, the desert represents a place of refuge for God's people. Genesis 21 v 14-21 - "14 Early the next morning Abraham took some food and a skin of water and gave them to Hagar. He set Beersheba. 15 When the water in the skin was gone, she put the boy under one of the bushes. 16 Then she went off and sat down about a bowshot away, for she thought, “I cannot watch the boy die.” And as she sat there, she began to sob. 17 God heard the boy crying, and the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven and said to her, “What is the matter, Hagar? Do not be afraid; God has heard the boy crying as he lies there. 18 Lift the boy up and take him by the hand, for I will make him into a great nation.” 19 Then God opened her eyes and she saw a well of water. So she went and filled the skin with water and gave the boy a drink. 20 God was with the boy as he grew up. He lived in the desert and became an archer. 21 While he was living in the Desert of Paran, his mother got a wife for him from Egypt." Hagar and Ishmael found refuge in the desert. God used the desert as refuge for many others, especially the Israelites who were brought out of Egypt in the desert; they encountered God away they never had before. The desert is a place of true reliance on God. Long term survival in the desert is only possible with the help of God. Are you willing to go to the place of refuge?
We are in a constant battle with the dragon. Ephesians 6 v 10-18, talks about the armour of God. The armour doesn't just protect us but it gives us the opportunity to go on the offensive. The devil is a corrupt being and he wants to corrupt us. Many of God's people / believers have been persecuted and killed but God continued to protect them spiritually. I believe we need to put on the armour of God daily. How do you prepare for the day? How do you see the day? - A bed of roses or a battle field.
The key thing is that Satan is defeated and so the power he has is limited by God. Jesus dying on the cross defeated the choke hold the devil had on the world.
The more we step out of the boat for God the bigger target we become for the dragon but that is why God equips us with armour. Are we going to build our faith and fight the dragon or decrease and just defend?
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