--Work in Progress--
[To listen to our meeting that discusses the material of PART ONE,
click here: (https://soundcloud.com/]
This lesson is for advanced students. I will include links below, for related, foundational information.
Rev.12: "14 The woman was given the two wings of a great eagle, so that she might fly to the place prepared for her in the wilderness, where she would be taken care of for a time, times and half a time, out of the serpent’s reach."
To open up the interpretation of Revelation, I turn to the scriptures (Gen.40:8; 2Tim.3:16-17; John 17:17)
PART ONE:
"The woman - was given - the two - wings - of a great eagle"
The woman is the new covenant, a promised reward to the faithful, that they will belong to the Holy City and Bride of Christ
(Gal.4:26,24; Rev.3:12; Luke 10:20; Eph.2:6; Rev.21:9-10)
Links:
was given
(John 15:26; James 1:17; Mal.4:5; Dan.11:31-33; Dan.11:34NIV; Isa.41:10,13; Ps.46:1-2,3-4,5)
the two
Two is a number that represents truth (John 8:17). To be given two, infers that the gift is related to truth.
wings
Wings are appendages for navigating through the air and wind.
Air and wind represent spirit, either bad or good (Eph.2:2; John 3:8)
Wings carry us aloft as the spirit brings us to our place to settle.
(Ps.55:6; Rev.12:14) (Zech.5:9-10,11)
of a great eagle
If we wish to understand the meaning of "great eagle" we turn to Ezekiel chapter 17 which is the only other place where "great eagle"s are mentioned. There are two eagles directly mentioned there (Eze.17:3,7) but as we will see, there turns out to be three.
Ezekiel 17NIV (<click on to read)
The parable there explains that the first eagle plucked off the top most shoot of a cedar tree as a new sapling, and carried it away to a land of merchants (Rev.18:3,23; Eze.16:29; 2Cor.2:17; Isa.23:8), where the eagle planted it in a city of traders.
The eagle nurtures the sapling "like a willow by abundant water", but it turns into a low crawling vine (Eze.15:1-2,3-4,5-6,7-8). It's branches stretched toward the eagle that planted it in a land of merchants, but it's roots remained beneath the vine in the earth.
Later on, the vine decides to turn toward another great eagle, even with it's roots, seeking a different foundation of strength. The vine withers, weakens, is uprooted and stripped of it's fruit when the east wind strikes it.
Then the Lord interprets the meaning of the parable.
The first eagle is the king of Babylon (Nebuchadnezzar). He makes a treaty with the king of Jerusalem (the twig) whom he has taken captive, that causes the suppression of Jerusalem's royalty and nobles. God allowed the discipline of Babylon to come upon His people for 70 years (Dan.9:12-14; Jer.25:4-6,7-9,10-12). Jeremiah chapter 25 resonates repeatedly with Revelation.
God has allowed this to happen to his people, because they despised and broke their oath and covenant with God, as well as the treaty made with Nebuchadnezzar.
The second eagle is where God's people turn for escape from Babylon. They do not turn to God, but to Egypt. This turns out even worse.
Hope remains in the final verses of Eze.17:22-24 (Deut.32:9-11,12-14; Ex.19:4-6; Isa.40:31; Rev.12:14).
God chooses one of the youngest branches for Himself. He plants it upon a "high and lofty mountain" belonging to Israel. The branch flourishes and grows, becoming a cedar tree that produces branches, foliage and fruit. "Birds of every kind will nest in it; they will find shelter in the shade of its branches" (Eze.17:23b).
Verse 24 concludes, "24 All the trees of the forest will know that I the Lord bring down the tall tree and make the low tree grow tall. I dry up the green tree and make the dry tree flourish. “‘I the Lord have spoken, and I will do it.’”
God is given credit for the inevitable demise of wicked leaders, and the birth, creation and enduring, bountiful success of the faithful.
Since the woman is given wings of a great eagle from God; we can expect that similar plans are underway for the mother covenant and her remaining seed.
- - - - - - - - - - - -
PART TWO (under construction)
"so that she might fly to the place prepared for her in the wilderness, where she would be taken care of for a time, times and half a time, out of the serpent’s reach".
a time, times, and half a time
To understand what is happening to the covenant woman and her seed, we look to Dan.7:25; 12:7. The context speaks of the defeat of the woman's seed for a limited time (Dan.7:19-21; Rev.13:7; Dan.7:23-25; Luke 21:24; Dan.7:22; 12:1,5-7).
------------------------
Dan.12:11-12 contains two numbers, in addition to Rev.12:6.
I do not yet fully understand, but if we compare 1,260 days to 1,290 days, there is one month difference (30 days).
If we compare 1,335 to 1,260 we see that there are 2 months and a half month. [1,335 - 1,260 = 75 (30+30+15).
Starting with Rev.12:6,
1,260 --- 1,290 is one extra time/month
1,335 adds two times/months and a half month
a time, times, and half a time.
out of the serpent's reach
2Cor.2:11YLT
To be beyond the serpent's reach, is to have perception.
It is to be no longer ignorant of Satan's wiles and intentions.
Satan has lost his advantage and ability to exploit us.
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