July 16, 2021

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. Revelation 12:1

This beautiful woman is a representation of the seamless, unbroken historical connection of God’s trusting, faithful ones who lived in the days before Christ and those who have given their hearts to Him since the time that He came to this earth. God’s people of every season and age have received grace to live in harmony with His governing principles. How is this possible?

Not by might, nor by power but by My Spirit, saith the LORD of Hosts.  Zechariah 4:6b

The number 12 symbolizes leadership and is representative of God’s government. Mark 5:22-42 and Matthew 9:18-26 contain the story of Jairus, a synagogue ruler, begging Jesus to touch his twelve-year-old daughter who is at the point of death. Jesus was on the way to attend to the young girl when a woman with an issue of blood for twelve years reached to touch the hem of His garment and was healed. These two stories are divinely intertwined to illustrate the uninterrupted connection of God’s people before and after Jesus came to this earth. He brought an end to the bloody sacrificial system which pointed forward to the “Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29) and He brought new life to the dying young girl. The “woman clothed with the sun” is the “daughter of Zion” (Jeremiah 6:2) and “the church” (Ephesians 5:25)! When you came to Jesus in faith, He healed your past (justification) and brought you from “death to life” (1 John 3:14). Now remain on the safe pathway (sanctification) that leads to the moment of change (glorification) when our  Groom returns to get His bride…

Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed—in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. 1 Corinthians 15:51-52

But also, for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness, love. For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For he who lacks these things is shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins. Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble. 2 Peter 1:5-10

And He took the child by the hand, and said to her, “Talitha cumi,” which is translated, “Little girl, I say to you, arise.”  Mark 5:41

Arise, shine; for your light has come! And the glory of the LORD is risen upon you. Isaiah 60:1