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If you’ve never considered the dragon at Christmas, you’re missing how John presents the birth of Christ in the apocalyptic book of Revelation. Revelation 12 looks at Christ’s incarnation of Jesus from a global, cosmic perspective. The dragon becomes a central part of the Christmas story, as it depicts one of the purposes of the incarnation — the defeat of Satan. “The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil” (1 John 3:8). 

The dragon bears the title of "ancient serpent” (Revelation 12:9, 20:2) calling to mind the time when he devoured Adam and Eve in the garden, tempting them to disbelieve the Word of God and disobey God’s command. From that time Satan has engaged in war to prevent the fulfillment of God’s promise that the seed of the woman would crush his own head. What the dragon could not prevent was the birth of a champion-king dragon slayer — “the name by which he is called is The Word of God” (Revelation 19:13). This is the one of whom John said in John 1:14 “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us.”

Listen to the following sermon to discover the meaning of Revelation 12 as we consider the sign of the woman, the sign of the dragon, the male child, God’s power to preserve, and the dragon’s defeat.

As believers, we have a hope (confident expectation) in how things are going to end. Or even better, how the end of redemptive history is the beginning of an even better story! The Apostle John is writing to real people gathered as real churches (Rev 2-3). They are about to experience a brutal persecution under the reign of the Roman Emperor, Domitian. Revelation is intended to give Christians hope. So how does he encourage believers who are about to suffer? By providing them with a beautiful promise from God of a new heaven, earth, and city of God. A place where "death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore” (Rev 21:4). Everything will be new (21:5a), it is certain (21:6), we will be completely satisfied (21:6b), and we will be God’s sons (21:7).

There are three trees that explain redemptive history.

1. The Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil: This tree presented a choice. Genesis 2:9 says that "out of the ground the LORD God made to spring up every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food. The tree of life was in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil."
2. The Tree of Life: (Genesis 2:9; Revelation 22:2). This tree also represents a choice, because "all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23).
3. The Tree of Christ: Galatians 3:13 says, "Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree." We need the third tree. It also represents a choice (Romans 10:8-10).

Christ’s evaluation of the church matters most. Christ evaluates seven real churches, at real locations, made up of real people. What does Jesus value? There is a mix of affirmations and rebukes that form Jesus’ assessment of these churches. For example, neither love-deficient doctrinal purity (Ephesus) nor apathetic self-sufficiency (Laodicea) are affirmed by God. However, both a faithful witness amidst suffering (Smyrna) and faithful service (Philadelphia) do receive his affirmation.

When you evaluate a church, what do you look at? Do your values and assessments align with Christ's who is the exalted Son of God, the slain Lamb who purchased the church with his own blood, and the Head (leader) of the church? God evaluates his church through a very different lens than the one we often use.

Does your church pass the test?