6/6/2023

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE READING:

“Then the [red] dragon was enraged at the woman [who had given birth to the son protected by God who would rule the earth with an iron scepter] and went off to wage war against the rest of her offspring—those who keep God’s commands and hold fast their testimony about Jesus.” (Revelation 12.17)

“Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib He had taken out of the man, and He brought her to the man. The man said, ‘This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called woman, for she was taken out of man.’” (Genesis 2.22-23)

TODAY’S REFLECTION ON GOD’S WORD:

In Stu Weber’s book “Tender Warrior,” he writes of the delicate balance between men and women. We know biblically the paradigm of “the man as the head of the woman as Christ is the head of the man.” What is often overlooked, or has it been bypassed is that in the spiritual understanding of this relationship, man is part of “the woman,” that is- the Church of which Christ is the Head. It provides a significant insight to the titles presented in Deuteronomy as afforded to God which Paul captures in his writing to Timothy concerning God’s ambassador- Jesus as the Christ. Those titles are “King of kings and Lord of lords.” We may enjoy the position of “king and lord” but there can be only one King and one Lord just as there is only One God. And we are not it. The conflict in chapter 12 highlights this important understanding. As Satan desires to consume the child born to the woman born out of heaven, failing that to then desire to consume the woman who is protected on earth and then in heaven and failing that to then desire to consume the “rest of her offspring,” it is God who provides and protects her and her children. God’s greatest weapon against the force of evil and the insurrection of sin is none other than the Christ of God, the Lamb who was slain and raised again to rule in “spirit and in truth.” But, as I mentioned yesterday, the woman has no name other than the woman. She is known by her children. Could we have a recollection at this point of what had been revealed in the gospels of Luke (7.35) and Matthew (11.19) where it says “And wisdom will be justified by her children.” What is “justification” but the final and ultimate truth is revealed and indisputable? Wisdom throughout scripture is personified in the “feminine voice.” Some may say in the framework of dualistic thinking that the two representations of God on earth as male and female are in fact the images of Christ the Son and the Holy Spirit. The call to worship in “spirit and in truth” may well be an alluding to worshiping as did the Son and as does the Spirit. The Son worships in sacrificial service to God and God’s people even to the point of laying down His own life for them. The Holy Spirit teaches, guides, informs and strengthens. There cannot be one without the other and indeed the two are one as are “the three as one”- the Holy Trinity. But, we dare not act by assumption lest we stumble over our own words in pursuit of the word of God.

I would revisit the creation story at this point in order to further the contemplation upon “what’s in a name.” In the “first” creation story (Genesis 1) we are led by the Spirit who acts at the “Word of God” through the days of creation. According to the timing of creation, night exists before day and dark thus before dawn. Each day God creates and then the blessing of its meaning and purpose comes to light. Thus we read, “And it was evening and its was morning.” On that sixth day, God created humankind. He created them in the image of God as God saw humanity to be. He created them as male and female and then gave blessing to them to “be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue (manage/steward/shepherd/maintain/cultivate/prosper) it.” There is an equality of responsibility given in that blessing which is effective only as harmony is fostered and kept. Eve is not more a “kept” woman than Adam is a “kept” man. Together they represent the image of God with the blessing and the commissioning of “good and very good.” Then comes “the rest of the story.” For some there should be an asterisk or footnote at the point of the story in Genesis 1 which indicates “elaboration on creation yet to come.” For others, it would seem that there may well be a second creation story independent from the first as if there are two “storytellers” at work. I would encourage us to due diligence in “maintaining the harmony” of the stories to gain the proper perspective of true worship in “spirit and in truth.” In that “second” story or “further elaboration,” what we here is the defining of relationships between male and female, man and woman and ultimately groom and bride, that is “husband and wife.” In this “second” story we actually are given the names of the people but never God’s name. If God’s name is known to them, they never speak it. We will not hear of “God’s name” until we come to the story of Moses at Sinai. [There is a significant connection between these two events but not in today’s reflection. Ask me sometime about it.] We are presented with Adam’s name but Eve does not receive her name (from Adam) until God presents her to Adam. Eve, as Adam would call her (bone of my bone, flesh of my flesh…the mother of all earthly living) was a gift from God as if God is presenting Adam with a reflection of the part of himself he would not be able to see otherwise. The reverse could be said as well as in Adam Eve would see a part of herself which would otherwise not be seen. This “visioning” and capturing one’s own self is critical to the rest of the story. The failure to maintain harmony between themselves and God opens the door to the attack of the enemy. And that attack comes as Adam loses sight of who he is called to be [protector, defender, leader, instructor and always obedient to the person and will of God]. Not to be outdone, Eve loses sight of who she is called to be as she eschews the role of Adam [though he seems to have abandoned it] and allows, shall we say, “Another man into her life.” Well, we know the rest of that story. But, what of the story found in Revelation 12? She, who is without name, is given but what we do not acknowledge is the “givenness” as a symbol of matrimony. God the Father gives her to be the bride of “the Son.” Until that marriage is fully consummated, she is without name because it has not been given to her by her husband. It is yet the duty of the husband (to be) to prepare a place for her. The mention of the dragon seeking to consume the child (the Christ), the woman (the Church) and left with no other option but to attack the rest of the children (the disciples of Christ) provides an encapsulation of the gospel will of God. It is a foreshadowing of things yet to come. It is meant to inspire hope in the future where harmony will be restored and the name of worship in “spirit and in truth” will be consummated in Heaven as it will be on earth. Sometimes what’s in a name is what is not named “yet.”

A PRAYER FOR TODAY:

You are our God and we shall be Your people in spirit and in truth. Continue to dwell among us. Let the revelation by Your Holy Spirit inspire us to greater service in a more refined identity. We do not live as ourselves for ourselves. Rather, we live in Christ as He lives in us. We declare it with all the elders and angels in Heaven, saying “Holy, holy, holy is He who was and is and is to come.” In Jesus’ name we live, serve and pray. AMEN.