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The Birthing of Zion’s Sons
This explanation of the woman in labor is the answer that Jesus gives to
the riddle that is mentioned three times just before in verses 16-19.
This riddle gives us insight that it was Jesus Himself who was being
birthed by the disciples. Jesus says, “A little while, and you will not
see Me (because He was about to be crucified); and again a little while,
and you will see Me (not because of His return, but), because I go to the
Father (which will cause you to sorrow and labor).” Jesus left them
right at the time when they had realized that He was the answer for all
of fallen humanity! This caused the disciples to travail and labor like a
woman in birth so that Jesus could be seen again through them. Jesus
was seen again; not because of His return, but because His character
and life was seen through the disciples as a result of travail and a birth.
There are many other women throughout the Scriptures who through
faith and patience were able to be used by God to birth His purposes in
their generation: Sarah, Hannah, and Elizabeth just to name a few.
However, one of the most dramatic and climactic births in the Bible is
one that is occurring in our generation, and it is found in Revelation
chapter 12. Here we find “a woman clothed with the sun (glory of
God), with the moon under her feet, and on her head a garland of
twelve stars (governmental authority). Then being with child, she cried
out in labor and in pain to give birth… And she bore a male child who
was to rule all nations with a rod of iron. And her child was caught up
to God and to His throne.” (Rev. 12:2,3,5)
This birth sounds so much like the birth of Jesus that many scholars
attribute this to Mary birthing Jesus. However, John clearly says that
the book of Revelation is to show us things that will take place in the
future (Rev. 1:1). Although we can compare this birth to the natural
birth of Jesus, this Scripture is more accurately a reference to the
spiritual birth of Jesus through a spiritual mother who is the Church -
the Jerusalem from above - or Zion.
Before we look in detail at this birth, let’s make sure that we
understand that Zion is a reference for the Church, and specifically the
Bride of Christ. Then we can compare Zion giving birth in the Old
Testament Scriptures with this woman giving birth in Revelation 12.
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