We’re reminding ourselves that Jesus’ coming to earth as a human being was an act of war. We wrote yesterday that the first forecast of this warfare goes all the way back to Genesis 3, where God tells the serpent (Satan):<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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.\u201d (Genesis 3.15, NKJV)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Jesus is the \u201cseed of the woman,\u201d and the \u201cheel bruising\u201d occurred at the cross where Satan won a \u201ctemporary\u201d victory. The\u00a0opening scene<\/a>\u00a0of\u00a0Passion of the Christ<\/em>\u00a0ends with a powerful reminder of Genesis 3.15. (It’s a 4-minute video; take the time to watch it.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n But before the cross was the birth, \u201cthe Christmas story,\u201d and here it is from a warfare perspective in Revelation 12. <\/p>\n\n\n\n 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 \u2013 4, NKJV)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Remember King Herod and Mary, Joseph, and Jesus\u2019 escape to Egypt?<\/p>\n\n\n\n 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)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n I discovered this \u201cback story\u201d a few years ago, and I\u2019m always happy to see that others discovered it too! Mike Metzger writes eloquently about this aspect of Christmas every year, including why we don\u2019t often hear this part of the story.\u00a0I recommend his\u00a0article<\/a>, published on December 23, 2019.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n 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)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil. (1 John 3.8, NKJV)<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" We’re reminding ourselves that Jesus’ coming to earth as a human being was an act of war. We wrote yesterday 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 … Continue reading Christmas: an act of war<\/span>