The Epiphany season is drawing to a close as we anticipate this month the beginning of Lent on Ash Wednesday, February 22, 2023. The Epiphany season we focused on how Jesus was revealed as the Son of God, the Messiah. Traditional readings that we hear are the Wedding at Cana, The Baptism of Jesus, John the Baptist saying, “Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.” Jesus’ identity must be taught. Who Jesus is, is a matter of faith.
Historians all agree that there was a man who walked the earth and was born and claimed to be God in the flesh. There is no disputing the fact that Jesus is historical. James writes, “You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder!”
Even the demons know God exists and that he became flesh. This is why Jesus was also tempted in the wilderness. The devil tried to show how Jesus is not trustworthy, that he would only serve his best interests by asking him to make bread out of stones.
Jesus of course didn’t fall for the temptation. The devil plans and devises ways in which he thinks he can show God is untrustworthy. That living by faith is a fool’s errand. However, at each attempt, Jesus uses the devil’s plans and attacks to defeat him even more. In fact, when the devil comes at Jesus, Jesus always uses the devil’s plots and schemes to show the opposite of what the devil wants!
Epiphany is not just teaching about Jesus’ identity but God’s identity as a whole. If we want to know and see God, we look to what Jesus said and did. That teaches us who God is. John 14:8-9
“Philip said to him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us.” 9Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father.
The Gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John teach us how Jesus’ identity was revealed to us who live on earth. God did not leave his identity in Jesus as a secret only knowable to a select few. Not only was Jesus’ identity publicly revealed on earth, but also in heaven. What do I mean?
In the book of Revelation, we are given a glimpse into what Jesus’ birth looked like from the perspective of heaven. Was Jesus’ identity a mystery to the spiritual world? Were the angels and demons and heaven itself, did they know Jesus’ identity even as a baby?
The answer is yes. Revelation 12 has the story of the dragon, the mother and child.
“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. 2She was pregnant and was crying out in birth pains and the agony of giving birth. 3And another sign appeared in heaven: behold, a great red dragon, with seven heads and ten horns, and on his heads seven diadems. 4His 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. 5She 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, 6and 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.
7Now war arose in heaven, Michael and his angels fighting against the dragon. And the dragon and his angels fought back, 8but he was defeated, and there was no longer any place for them in heaven. 9And 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. 10And 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. 11And 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. 12Therefore, 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!”
Revelation teaches us that from the moment he was conceived Jesus was being threatened and pursued by the devil. If you were to bet who would survive a war between a dragon and a little baby, the baby loses in every scenario. Except when the child is the Son of God. It is then no contest.
So, while to our eyes and senses it might seem that the devil and evil will win the day in this life, the devil has already been defeated. He can do us no harm, nor can his forces, nor any person, government or enemy hurt us in the least. The devil has been thrown down in defeat. And what is the tool to fight and defeat the devil while he is among us?
Not only is Jesus’ identity revealed in Epiphany, but also the way in which we fight the devil while he in wrath is among the earth and sea, “they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony”. Our weapons to defeat the devil are Word and Sacrament. Their “testimony” and “the blood of the Lamb”.
The season of Epiphany, or the season of revealing, teaches us to live by faith because God is trustworthy. He will hold to his word to provide for the church and protect her, “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.”
The church of God is often characterized as the “Bride of Christ.” The church is feminine. So when the woman is nourished and protected, John sees the woman in Revelation she is the church. Epiphany is helpful for real world outreach as our world (the devil) becomes more cruel and relentless at swallowing up people and stealing hope. The fact that we have a refuge, a place to invite people to receive rest and restoration by forgiveness is a great relief in times of great turmoil and uncertainty.
Now as we move into Lent, we will hear precisely the lengths this Son of God will go to assure us that God has secured a place for us. We will hear why the dragon hates the baby so much. In Lent we will hear the testimony of those who were willing to give their lives. Would we not want to be part of that great march of witnesses and give our testimony? Would you desire to contribute to the further defeat of Satan, the dragon, by speaking the testimony of Christ to those who are held captive? Or would you remain silent?
See you on Sunday (in the wilderness!).
In Christ, Pastor Ottmers
Remember, Lent begins on Ash Wednesday February 22, 2023!