Many people like the mysticism of religions other than Christianity, perceiving them to be exotic and mysterious. Well, the Bible isn’t short on wonder and power too! It too contains mythical stories – as well as being the source of a few common phrases, that you may not have realised too!
“ For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” Ephesians 6:12.
THE WOMAN AND THE DRAGON
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. Then another sign appeared in heaven: an enormous red dragon with seven heads and ten horns and seven crowns on its heads. Its tail swept a third of the stars out of the sky and flung them to the earth. The dragon stood in front of the woman who was about to give birth, so that it might devour her child the moment he was born! She gave birth to a son, a male child, who “will rule all the nations with an iron sceptre.” And her child was snatched up to God and to his throne. The woman fled into the wilderness to a place prepared for her by God, where she might be taken care of for 1,260 days.
Then war broke out in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back. But the dragon was not strong enough, and they lost their place in heaven. The great dragon was hurled down—that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him. The great dragon was was filled with fury, as he knew he had little time left!
When the dragon saw that he had been hurled to the earth, he pursued the woman who had given birth to the male child. The woman was given the two wings of a great eagle, so that she might fly to the place prepared for her in the wilderness. There she would be taken care of for a time, times and half a time, out of the serpent’s reach. Then from his mouth the serpent spewed water like a river, to overtake the woman and sweep her away with the torrent. But the earth helped the woman by opening its mouth and swallowing the river! Then the dragon was enraged at the woman 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.
The Heavenly Warrior Defeats the Beast
Then, heaven opened and there was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and wages war. His eyes blaze like fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself. He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. The armies of heaven followed him out of heaven, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. Coming out of his mouth is a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations who are against God. He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written:
KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.
The dragon had given his power and authority to a beast that it had called out of the sea. It had ten horns and seven heads, with ten crowns on its horns. It looked like a leopard, with feet like a bear and a mouth like a lion. One of the heads of the beast seemed to have a fatal wound, yet it had healed! The world was filled with wonder and many followed the beast! A second beast came out of the earth. It performed great signs and deceived many more people, causing them to worship the first beast and it killed any of who refused.
The beast and the evil kings of the earth and their armies gathered together to wage war against the rider on the horse and his army. But the beast was captured! So was the false prophet (the second beast) who had performed signs on its behalf, which had deluded those who had received the mark of the beast and worshipped its image. The two of them were thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulphur. The rest were killed with the sword coming out of the mouth of the rider on the horse.
Then an angel came down out of heaven, holding the key to the Abyss and a great chain. He seized the dragon (who was the devil, or Satan), and bound him for a thousand years. The angel threw him into the Abyss, and locked and sealed it over him, to keep him from deceiving the nations anymore until the thousand years were ended. After that, he must be set free for a short time…
THE CITY OF HEAVEN
The city is made of pure gold, which shines with the brilliance like precious jewels and clear as crystal. It has a great, high wall, with twelve gates made of pearl and twelve angels stand at the gates. There are three gates on each side. The gates are never shut, as no danger can come in! The city’s length is like the distance from Edinburgh to Rome, or Vancouver to San Diego. It is as wide as it is long! The walls are as thick as a football pitch is wide.
The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, because the glory of God gives it light. The river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flows from the throne of God, down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stands the tree of life, which bears twelve crops of fruit throughout the year. The leaves of the tree are used for healing.
“I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to each person according to what they have done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End… Let the one who is thirst come; and let the one who wishes take the free gift of the water of life.”