The lectionary readings take us into Revelations, which is one of those parts of the Bible I avoid. I dislike allegory, and find the prophets, with their symbolism difficult. I prefer things to be straightforward: one may not like the teaching, but one can understand it.

So why am I blogging on this? Well it goes back to a post a couple of days ago. Satan is real: there is truly evil in this world.

And fighting evil is our duty. As the nations know their time is short, and become more fixed and adamant that their errors are correct when defeat and destruction are right in front of them, so it is here. Christ rose: that is the defeat of all that is evil, and evil rages while it can.

For it is not the last enemy that will be defeated.

Now war arose in heaven, Michael and his angels fighting against the dragon. And the dragon and his angels fought back, but he was defeated, and there was no longer any place for them in heaven. And the great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world—he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him. And I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, “Now the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ have come, for the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God. And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death. Therefore, rejoice, O heavens and you who dwell in them! But woe to you, O earth and sea, for the devil has come down to you in great wrath, because he knows that his time is short!”

And when the dragon saw that he had been thrown down to the earth, he pursued the woman who had given birth to the male child. But the woman was given the two wings of the great eagle so that she might fly from the serpent into the wilderness, to the place where she is to be nourished for a time, and times, and half a time. The serpent poured water like a river out of his mouth after the woman, to sweep her away with a flood. But the earth came to the help of the woman, and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed the river that the dragon had poured from his mouth. Then the dragon became furious with the woman and went off to make war on the rest of her offspring, on those who keep the commandments of God and hold to the testimony of Jesus. And he stood on the sand of the sea.

(Revelation 12:7-17 ESV)

The last enemy to be defeated is death.

But in the meantime, note that the opposition will rage. There has been a war against those who are of faith, from the time of Enoch, before the flood, until now.

For the interpretation of this passage is fairly plain. The offspring of the woman are those who hold to the testimony of Jesus: the woman is the Church (or the Christbearer[1], either work). And the war in the heavens mean that evil is contained: but it is contained where we are.

One should therefore pray for Christ to come. But I hesitate: for in this time of evil and when we are opposed souls are being lost. Let us pray that our witness will bring people to contrition, and from contrition to salvation.

I’m speculating, but I think the reason why God delays the endgame is because he is being merciful, and does not want us to damn ourselves: the spirit of this age, however, belongs to the Dragon, to that which is evil, and damn well wants to make sure we are lost.

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1. If one of the Orthodox theologians can explain how this fits with the concept of theodokos I would appreciate it. I think it is not Mary, but instead the Church. But this is revelations: one is speculating.

2. Sunshine Mary (and no, the photo did not come from there) is back reblogging other people, so she is back on the blogroll.