Warfare Christmas. What an odd title. What an oxymoron. If there is any time of the year when the noun “warfare” doesn’t fit, it’s at Christmas. This is the season of “glad tidings,” and “good will to all men.” Peace is the “reason for the season.” Silent Night is the most notable hymn of the week.
You may have even heard about the famous “Christmas Truce” in 1914, during World War I, when the German and Allied soldiers, on Christmas day, stepped out of the trenches, shook hands, sang Christmas hymns, shared smokes, and played ball together. It’s true. That really happened in history.
But there is something else that happened in history, history immemorial, a scene beyond the three dimensional of a cave, hay, shepherds, and a couple having a baby in Bethlehem. It’s the true story behind the story—a fourth dimensional Christmas. Warfare in the heavenlies.
Now a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman…being with child, she cried out in labor and in pain to give birth…behold, a great, fiery red dragon…His tail drew a third of the stars of heaven and threw them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman who was ready to give birth, to devour her Child as soon as it was born. 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 His throne. [1]
A different kind of “angels we have heard on high.” The backdrop of the birth of Jesus is anything but a silent night, a peaceful night. John, exiled to the isle of Patmos, sees in a vision, the true reality of war in the heavens over the birth of Jesus, the most feared of all creation.
Jesus, the fierce warrior with a rod of iron has come! A new dispensation has begun. A new covenant has been enacted. And the devil is not going to sit back and watch things happen. He is angry and hatred is upon him.
The true reality of warfare Christmas may help us also understand that we have been born into war. Because we are created in the image of God, Satan is also out to devour our life.
Jesus was given a rod of iron and so have we. We have been given His rod—the rod of fierce love, authority, and power. “He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, in whom we have redemption through His blood.” (Col 1:13~14).
This Christmas, stand firm with His rod of iron and know that you can have, if you choose, His power, love, and authority ruling over your life. Don’t let the enemy steal it away any longer. Peace comes through strength.
Have a warfare Christmas,
Steve
[1] The New King James Version. 1982 (Re 12:1–5). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.
