Christmas Meditations: A New Nativity Scene

   A great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars; and she was with child; and she cried out, being in labor and in pain to give birth. Then another sign appeared in heaven: and behold, a great red dragon having seven heads and ten horns, and on his heads were seven diadems. And his tail swept away a third of the stars of heaven and threw them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman who was about to give birth, so that when she gave birth he might devour her child. And she gave birth to a son, a male child, who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron; and her child was caught up to God and to His throne. Then the woman fled into the wilderness where she had a place prepared by God, so that there she would be nourished for one thousand two hundred and sixty days. Revelation 12:1-6

The 7 headed dragon as pictured by my 14 year old

I want to see a nativity scene where the meek looking Mary is replaced by the crowned and shining woman with the moon under her feet.  Then instead of cows lowing, we will have a dragon roaring while she labors.  Instead of an infant in the manger we will have the triumphant ruling Christ caught up to the Father. 

Are you having trouble imagining this one set up on your coffee table?  I can’t blame you, yet it’s as real a picture as the other.  (When you consider that the wise men didn’t show up until Jesus was probably 2, it is a more accurate picture.)  

The 7-headed dragon as pictured by my 7 year old.

As much as I love the story of Jesus’ birth, as much truth as I see in his meek beginnings, those little figurines we put up only tell one aspect of the story.  The years that Israel labored and waited for the birth of Jesus, the way that she was glorified by God’s favor, the fact that this wasn’t any ordinary baby but the son who Isaiah promised and the King that the psalmist heralded, these are facets we mustn’t miss. 

Helene