It’s not too late to think about the reality of the Christmas story from a warfare perspective. (I don’t make this stuff up; I just report it!)

Note that the first forecast of this warfare goes all the way back to Genesis 3, where God tells the serpent (Satan):

And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel.” (Genesis 3.15, NKJV)

Jesus is the “seed of the woman,” and the “heel bruising” occurred at the cross where Satan won a “temporary” victory. The opening scene of Passion of the Christ ends with a powerful reminder of Genesis 3.15.

But before the cross was the birth, “the Christmas story,” and here it is from a warfare perspective in Revelation 12. 

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. (Revelation 12.1 – 4, NKJV)

Remember King Herod and Mary, Joseph, and Jesus’ escape to Egypt?

Now when the dragon saw that he had been cast to the earth, he persecuted the woman who gave birth to the male Child. But the woman was given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness to her place, where she is nourished for a time and times and half a time, from the presence of the serpent. (Revelation 12.13, 14, NKJV)

I discovered this “back story” a few years ago, and I’m always happy to see that others discovered it too! Mike Metzger has written about the warfare eloquently, including why we don’t often hear this part of the story. I recommend his article, published December 23. 

For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. (Ephesians 6.12, NKJV)

For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil. (1 John 3.8, NKJV)