Over the last month we have been attending various local churches for the am service. It provides us the opportunity to worship and listen to a message without having to worry about being the ones to put it all together. We recently heard a message that was frankly incorrect. I was quick to become inflamed with the false teaching and wanted to confront the Pastor immediately post service. My husband is a little more of a slow burn and thought it best to wait. I believe he may even have pushed me slightly past the man as he was greeting people as they left the service.
The teaching was on Revelation 12:1-6. Now, Revelation is an extremely difficult study. Steve and I took a three month class together on this book. Steve, of course, studied more about it in seminary, but it is not easy to understand. There is a tremendous amount of symbolism. Chapter 12 is discussing the woman and the dragon as follows:
The teaching was on Revelation 12:1-6. Now, Revelation is an extremely difficult study. Steve and I took a three month class together on this book. Steve, of course, studied more about it in seminary, but it is not easy to understand. There is a tremendous amount of symbolism. Chapter 12 is discussing the woman and the dragon as follows:
"1 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. 2 She was pregnant and was crying out in birth pains and the agony of giving birth. 3 And another sign appeared in heaven: behold, a great red dragon, with seven heads and ten horns, and on his heads seven diadems. 4 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. 5 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, 6 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."
This Pastor proceeded to say the following quote, "God is not gender specific. We hear a lot about God the Father in the bible, but here we see God as the Mother giving birth to Jesus." There are two very incorrect statements made: 1) "God is not gender specific" and 2) "Here we see God as the Mother giving birth to Jesus". I don't know how many of you have read even one part of the bible, but let me make this very clear. God is always referred to in the male form. There is not one single verse in the bible which states God is the mother. The Trinity says, God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit. There is no mention of a woman.
The second error tells people God gave birth, as a woman, to Jesus. The woman in verse one is the nation of Israel. Israel birthed forth the Christ, the "male child, one who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron" out of the Tribe of Judah, the House of David. The female gender is commonly used in the bible to describe several different things. For example, in Proverbs the word "she" is used when the writer is talking about the word wisdom. "Wisdom cries aloud in the street, in the markets she raises her voice; at the head of the noisy streets she cries out; at the entrance of the city gates she speaks." (Pro 1:20-21 ESV). Often you will hear the term "bride of Christ". This female term is used to describe the entire group of believers, Christians. When this female gender is used is it is a metaphor, not meant to imply God or Christ or even wisdom is female in nature.
The bible will never contradict itself. Scripture will prove scripture. Old Testament will speak to New Testament and vice versa. When you listen to a message, any message you should always check that what you have been told is accurate. Look it up in the bible. Read it for yourself. Ask questions if you do not understand what someone has said. As you grow in knowledge of the word, you will come to recognize when something you hear is not right. We are told in 2 Peter 2:1, "But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you". 1 Timothy 6:3-4 states, "If anyone teaches a different doctrine and does not agree with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the teaching that accords with godliness, he is puffed up with conceit and understands nothing."
Do not be deceived. Be wise and careful with whoever you trust to guide and teach you.
In His service
Mally
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