God’s Word Lays Out the Future in Advance
Throughout Scripture, God has revealed to us the things that will take place in the future. In fact, the Lord assures us that He does nothing unless He reveals His plan to His servants the prophets.
Surely the Lord GOD does nothing, unless He reveals His secret to His servants the prophets (Amos 3:7).
Interestingly, the Bible has more to say about the last days than any other period in history. And today these events are unfolding before our very eyes. This article will look at one of these developments through the lens of Scripture.
Global Marian Apparitions
One of the most significant trends occurring in our day is the worldwide Marian apparitions. These reported apparitions represent perhaps the greatest display of
supernatural activity since the time of Christ’s first advent. If these manifestations are as prolific and widespread as reported, then we should expect that the Bible would anticipate these major global events.
Interestingly, there is only one chapter in the Bible that identifies a benevolent “woman” on the scene during earth’s final days. The chapter is Revelation 12. In the first verse of this chapter we read: “And there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars.”
According to many Marian visionaries this is exactly how the apparition appears. In addition, the apparition’s messages often state that she is the “woman clothed with the sun” or, more commonly, the “Queen of Heaven.” Here are two examples:
1. In the Apocalypse [the Book of Revelation], I have been announced as the Woman Clothed with the Sun who will conduct the battle against the Red Dragon and all his followers. If you want to second my plan, you must do battle, my little ones, children of a Mother who is Leader.
2. Beloved sons, live in my peace. Today you are calling to mind my first apparition which took place in the poor Cova da Iria in Fatima. I came down from heaven as your Mother and Queen. I manifested myself to you in the splendor of my immaculate light. I appeared as the Woman Clothed with the Sun, who has the task of forming for herself her cohort, for the decisive moments of battle.
Is it the Marian apparition to which God is referring in Revelation 12? Does the Revelation 12 woman anticipate the apparition’s last day’s role? How does this prophetic
passage relate to the rest of the Scriptures? Let’s read the first five verses of this chapter:
"Now a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a garland of twelve stars. Then being with child, she cried out in labor and in pain to give birth. And
another sign appeared in heaven: behold, a great, fiery red dragon having seven heads and ten horns, and seven diadems on his heads. His tail drew a third of the stars of heaven and threw them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman who was ready to give birth, to devour her Child as soon as it was born. She bore a male Child who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron. And her Child was caught up to God and His throne (Revelation 12:1-5).
When we think of a woman who gives birth to “a male Child who was to rule the nations,” Mary the mother of Jesus naturally comes to mind. However, the Bible explains that “the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned” (1 Corinthians 2:14).
With that admonition in mind, let’s look at the context of this passage and examine the whole counsel of God’s Word to see what the Spirit of God intended.
Joseph’s Dream in Genesis 37
Throughout the Book of Revelation, the Holy Spirit uses imagery from the Old Testament. In fact, the Book of Revelation has scores of allusions to the Old Testament.
Revelation 12 is no exception.
In studying the OT it is apparent that the “woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars” is a direct reference to Joseph’s dream recorded in the Book of Genesis. Here is Joseph’s dream:
[Joseph] dreamed still another dream and told it to his brothers, and said, “Look, I have dreamed another dream. And this time, the sun, the moon, and the eleven stars bowed down to me.” So he told it to his father (Israel) and his brothers; and his father rebuked him and said to him, “What is this dream that you have dreamed? Shall your mother and I and your brothers indeed come to bow down to the earth before you?” (Genesis 37:9-10).
Joseph was one of the twelve sons of Israel. From his dream we are shown that the sun, the moon, and the twelve stars represent Israel and his family. Israel – formerly called Jacob – had twelve sons from which emerge the twelve tribes of Israel. And it is through Israel’s seed that God promises to bring forth His Son – the Messiah – Jesus Christ.
To continue reading click HERE.
Throughout Scripture, God has revealed to us the things that will take place in the future. In fact, the Lord assures us that He does nothing unless He reveals His plan to His servants the prophets.
Surely the Lord GOD does nothing, unless He reveals His secret to His servants the prophets (Amos 3:7).
Interestingly, the Bible has more to say about the last days than any other period in history. And today these events are unfolding before our very eyes. This article will look at one of these developments through the lens of Scripture.
Global Marian Apparitions
One of the most significant trends occurring in our day is the worldwide Marian apparitions. These reported apparitions represent perhaps the greatest display of
supernatural activity since the time of Christ’s first advent. If these manifestations are as prolific and widespread as reported, then we should expect that the Bible would anticipate these major global events.
Interestingly, there is only one chapter in the Bible that identifies a benevolent “woman” on the scene during earth’s final days. The chapter is Revelation 12. In the first verse of this chapter we read: “And there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars.”
According to many Marian visionaries this is exactly how the apparition appears. In addition, the apparition’s messages often state that she is the “woman clothed with the sun” or, more commonly, the “Queen of Heaven.” Here are two examples:
1. In the Apocalypse [the Book of Revelation], I have been announced as the Woman Clothed with the Sun who will conduct the battle against the Red Dragon and all his followers. If you want to second my plan, you must do battle, my little ones, children of a Mother who is Leader.
2. Beloved sons, live in my peace. Today you are calling to mind my first apparition which took place in the poor Cova da Iria in Fatima. I came down from heaven as your Mother and Queen. I manifested myself to you in the splendor of my immaculate light. I appeared as the Woman Clothed with the Sun, who has the task of forming for herself her cohort, for the decisive moments of battle.
Is it the Marian apparition to which God is referring in Revelation 12? Does the Revelation 12 woman anticipate the apparition’s last day’s role? How does this prophetic
passage relate to the rest of the Scriptures? Let’s read the first five verses of this chapter:
"Now a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a garland of twelve stars. Then being with child, she cried out in labor and in pain to give birth. And
another sign appeared in heaven: behold, a great, fiery red dragon having seven heads and ten horns, and seven diadems on his heads. His tail drew a third of the stars of heaven and threw them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman who was ready to give birth, to devour her Child as soon as it was born. She bore a male Child who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron. And her Child was caught up to God and His throne (Revelation 12:1-5).
When we think of a woman who gives birth to “a male Child who was to rule the nations,” Mary the mother of Jesus naturally comes to mind. However, the Bible explains that “the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned” (1 Corinthians 2:14).
With that admonition in mind, let’s look at the context of this passage and examine the whole counsel of God’s Word to see what the Spirit of God intended.
Joseph’s Dream in Genesis 37
Throughout the Book of Revelation, the Holy Spirit uses imagery from the Old Testament. In fact, the Book of Revelation has scores of allusions to the Old Testament.
Revelation 12 is no exception.
In studying the OT it is apparent that the “woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars” is a direct reference to Joseph’s dream recorded in the Book of Genesis. Here is Joseph’s dream:
[Joseph] dreamed still another dream and told it to his brothers, and said, “Look, I have dreamed another dream. And this time, the sun, the moon, and the eleven stars bowed down to me.” So he told it to his father (Israel) and his brothers; and his father rebuked him and said to him, “What is this dream that you have dreamed? Shall your mother and I and your brothers indeed come to bow down to the earth before you?” (Genesis 37:9-10).
Joseph was one of the twelve sons of Israel. From his dream we are shown that the sun, the moon, and the twelve stars represent Israel and his family. Israel – formerly called Jacob – had twelve sons from which emerge the twelve tribes of Israel. And it is through Israel’s seed that God promises to bring forth His Son – the Messiah – Jesus Christ.
To continue reading click HERE.
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