THE LORD WILL HAVE A RIGHTEOUS PEOPLE. All who are His, will be righteous before Him. When we speak concerning the Bride of Christ we are presenting a people who absolutely live in His righteousness. They are the PLANTING of the Lord. They are the work of His hands. They will be on display forever showing forth His glory. Isa. 60:21 This little one, a man child, will become a thousand. (A millennium, is a thousand years.) This small one is to become a strong nation. Isa. 60:22 Once again, that which is natural is not the prime interest and concern of the Lord. That which is spiritual is that which is the result of the creative work of His hands.
BORN TO RULE OR SHEPHERDIZE. The manchild is born of a marriage between The King of Kings, Rev. 17:14 and a Bride who has been elevated to the position of kingship and priesthood. Rev. 5:10. This is the ruling class of the millennium and the New Heavens and the New Earth. The manchild will also be a part of this authority of the heavens, for he is to rule, as a shepherd, with a rod of iron or a shepherds crook. The manchild is of royal seed. He is the perfection of that Royal seed. A seed that is eternal.
THERE ARE TWO ASPECTS TO THE ROD OF IRON. One, it is to be used in judgment. When the Lord Jesus returns He is seen coming with His armies. From His mouth the sharp two edged sword will be flashing and He will smite all the ungodly nations. He will rule over them with an iron scepter. Rev. 19:15 All the ungodly will be completely annihilated at this time. This power and authority is also delegated to the church. Rev. 2:26-27 The other aspect is that it is a rod of peace. The gentle side of the rod is seen in Revelation seven verse seventeen. The word feed, is the same word that is translated, rule, in our other verses in revelation. The authority and leadership of heaven will be kind, loving and gentle. Nevertheless there will be leadership and structure in eternity. The Lord is a Lord of order.
THE WOMAN AND THE WILDERNESS. The woman is the Wife of Christ. She is married and has just given birth to their first offspring. There is no way that this woman could be Mary for she did not spend a season in the wilderness. This woman will spend the tribulation period sheltered by the Lord in the wilderness. Rev.12:6 Never fear, the wilderness will have a place, PREPARED OF GOD. Any place or any thing made ready by the Lord for His people will always be above first class and be in the heavenly class. Which is perfection. We often refer to the words of Paul which he wrote to the Corinthians as applying to heaven. 1 Cor. 2:9-10 There is ample cause to see their fulfillment in the Church in the wilderness. It is impossible for the human mind to conceive the works of the Lord. The preparation of the wilderness is an act of the love of the Lord. The Spirit of the Lord is faithful to reveal the plan of God to us, if we will listen to Him.