A Revelation Invitation

A great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet and a crown of twelve stars on her head. She was pregnant and cried out in pain as she was about to give birth. (Revelation 12:1-2)

She is Eve whose offspring was promised to crush the head of the serpent (Genesis 3:15).

She is Israel whose namesake was promised, “All peoples on earth will be blessed through you and your offspring” (Genesis 28:14b).

She is Mary, daughter of Eve and descendant of Israel, whose offspring was a male child who “will rule all the nations with an iron scepter.”

She is the church who now lives in the wilderness, where God cares for her through the season of tribulations before her offspring returns to deliver her.

In an allusion to Joseph’s dream in Genesis 37:9, she represents the people of God throughout history from creation to new creation. And she wears a crown of twelve stars on her head. The symbolism of the number twelve is almost too obvious to discuss. We know of Jacob’s twelve sons and Israel’s twelve tribes and Jesus’ twelve apostles. However, beyond the solving of a clue, we realize the significance given to God’s people throughout Revelation. From its beginning to its conclusion this number shows up repeatedly reminding God’s people of their role in God plans, of the importance of their proclamation of the gospel, of how God will accomplish his will through their suffering and perseverance.

In the last scene heaven reveals the new Jerusalem with the tree of life “bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month” (22:2b). Like the woman in chapter 12, God’s people must endure hardship. God will preserve and protect her (us). Then in the end God will refresh us with life eternal, healing all that has harmed us, writing all the wrongs committed against us. Will our service to our Lord and the sufferings it will bring be worth it? YES!

There are many more occurrence of twelve in Revelation. For now I will leave it with you to discover them.