All Things New

This exploration of Revelation 12 shatters our cozy nativity expectations and confronts us with the raw spiritual warfare surrounding Christ's birth. We encounter a cosmic drama: a radiant woman adorned with sun, moon, and twelve stars—representing Mary, Israel, and the Church—standing vulnerable yet victorious against a terrifying seven-headed dragon. The passage reveals that images penetrate our hearts 60,000 times faster than words, which is why God chose to communicate through such vivid prophetic pictures. The dragon represents complete earthly power—wealth, strength, authority—yet this monster is defeated by a fragile newborn and a surrendered woman. This paradox becomes our greatest hope: surrendered weakness always wins. The accuser who prosecutes us day and night with evidence of our failures has been 'hurled down' six times over. His case is dismissed by the blood of the Lamb and our testimony. We're invited to survey our broken decisions and failures, then daringly declare, 'I am the disciple Jesus loves.' Between Christ's first advent and His return, we live in the gap where evil looks powerful but has already lost. Our calling is to remind ourselves and each other of what is 'true true'—not what appears true, but what is eternally real. When we know God's love is richer than our sin is strong, mercy can afford to laugh at judgment.