Our Savior is Born

DECEMBER 25
REVELATION 12:1–17

Your hope in this life and the one to come was secured in
the ultimate battle that took place at the birth of Jesus.

ll of history marched toward one decisive event. The entire plan
of God, the entire hope of humanity, and the entire work of
redemption balanced on this moment. It had been prophesied.
It had been promised. The reputation of the Almighty rested on
whether it would happen or not. Could the Lord of lords fulfill
his promise of the birth of his Son? If the Son would not be born,
there could be no righteous life lived in our place, no death to free
us from sin’s penalty, no victorious resurrection, and no ascension
to the Father to reign and intercede on our behalf. There could be
no redemption and no hope.
Revelation 12 captures the battle that occurred at this pivotal
moment in history:
And a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the
sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of
twelve stars. She was pregnant and was crying out in birth pains and
the agony of giving birth. And another sign appeared in heaven:
behold, a great red dragon, with seven heads and ten horns, and
on his heads seven diadems. His tail swept down a third of the
stars of heaven and cast them to the earth. And the dragon stood
before the woman who was about to give birth, so that when she
bore her child he might devour it. She gave birth to a male child,
one who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron, but her child
was caught up to God and to his throne, and the woman fled into
the wilderness, where she has a place prepared by God, in which
she is to be nourished for 1,260 days. (Rev. 12:1–6)

This is a picture of the great spiritual battle that began with the
birth of Jesus. Israel is the pregnant woman, Jesus is the male child,
and Satan is the great red dragon. Satan and the forces of darkness
would have done anything to end the life of the promised Son.
The end of the reign of evil on earth began with the birth of
Jesus. Later Satan would be defeated at Christ’s temptation, he
would be defeated on the cross, and he would be defeated by the
empty tomb. Jesus was victorious on our behalf and now reigns in

glory. His reign guarantees the end of sin and death and an eter-
nity of peace and righteousness for all who believe. The dragon is

defeated. The Son reigns. Hallelujah!
 

Prayer

Lord God, I rest in the mighty victory of your Son, Jesus Christ! I
praise you for your great power in defeating sin and Satan at the
cross, and with hope I look forward to the day when Satan will be
banished forever. I delight in the reign of Christ, which guarantees
an eternity of peace and righteousness. I pray in his name, amen.