Why The Woman Is Natural Israel
The most widely held view concerning the man-child of Rev. 12 is that he represents Jesus. As previously noted (The Man-Child Is Not Jesus,) the fact that Jesus is to rule all nations with a rod of iron (Rev. 19.15) is not conclusive evidence of such in that the same is said of others as well (Rev. 2.26-27.) Those who hold to the view of Jesus being the man-child invariably look back at the woman who brought him forth and reckon her to be Mary, his natural mother. This backtracking form of interpretation leaves one opposing the flow of natural reproduction. The mother makes the child not the other way around. This also upsets another less popular view of the woman representing the Church. Again, Jesus produced the Church not the other way around. We will now take a closer look at the woman in Rev. 12 and the significance of her role in giving birth to the man-child.
The peculiar features of the woman being clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars in Rev.12:1 are more than dressed up prophetic speech. These prominent features are meant to signify certain oddities pertaining to her past. As with all symbolism, an antecedent is required. Otherwise, the symbol is left only representing itself, and is no longer a symbol. These same symbols, the sun, moon, and twelve stars, have shown up as identifiers in natural Israel’s past. Joseph said,
Behold, I have dreamed a dream more; and, behold, the sun and the moon and the eleven stars made obeisance to me. (Gen. 37:9)
Assuming the interpretation, Joseph’s father Jacob (Israel) replied,
What is this dream that thou hast dreamed? Shall I and thy mother and thy brethren indeed come to bow down ourselves to thee to the earth? (Gen. 37:10)
From this we must understand the sun to be Joseph’s father, the moon his mother, and the eleven stars his brothers. The number eleven is used regarding the stars in absence of Joseph himself to whom the other eleven bow. We must note, however, that the woman of Rev. 12 does not embody just one, but all three of these symbolic elements, as well as the necessary inclusion of Joseph as the twelfth star. With this family in view we have the line from which came the whole house of Israel. The woman can be none other than the Israel of whom these three symbols represent. Other verses (Jeremiah 31:35, Joshua 10:12-14, Judges 5:20, Ps. 89:35-37) associate these heavenly bodies with natural Israel in the same way.
(to be continued . . .)
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