Revelation 12:13 Now when the dragon saw that he had been cast to the earth, he persecuted the woman who gave birth to the male Child.
My awareness and focus on the “Sons of GOD” revelation came in the fall of 1995. At the time, I was a Sunday school teacher for the young married couples. What do you think I began teaching? Why the Sons of GOD, the 153 fish, the elect, the overcomers! Week after week we would explore the various Scripture references and most of those in the class were very interested in this thread throughout Scripture. It was Pentecost weekend in late May and we had a special speaker on that Sunday night. Both Pam and I saw through the supposed ministry by the “worked up” anointing projected by this man and his female assistant. He laid not a hand on us. This is when Pam received a “new car smell” during her personal worship while the speaker was doing his thing. We discussed it on the way home.
When we arrived home, Martin Paulat had left a voice mail to call him for FATHER had given him a vision about me that he needed to share right away. I called him and he shared the following:
“I saw you walking down a path. I said, ‘Lord, is Bob on the right path?’ HE said, ‘Yes’. Then I saw three arrows shot at you and I looked to see where they came from. Bob, may GOD forgive me if I am wrong, but they were shot from the Pentecostal church.” End of Vision.
Little did I realize that the three arrows would be “shot” in the month of August culminating on August 25th, 1996. Those were three attempts of attacking the revelation FATHER had been imparting to me. It was time to be “birthed” out of the church or “woman”. On the last Sunday of that month and after the final shot, FATHER said it was time to depart. By the end of that week, I picked some personal items and never set foot in the building again. I had no animosity toward the leadership. They did their job as part of the birthing process and I simply looked forward to a deeper relationship with FATHER. That new car smell was an indication of taking a new form of transportation and leaving the old behind. It was time to leave the camp.
I share this event not to focus on Pam or myself but to share a word of encouragement to those who have also been “birthed” out of the physical church. It is by design, not intended to be a form of rejection. The true definition of ekklēsia means “called out ones”. This is the church that Jesus spoke of in Matthew 16 when Peter had the revelation that He is the first begotten Son of GOD:
18 And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.
19 And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”
20 Then He commanded His disciples that they should tell no one that He was Jesus the Christ.
On a personal level, the woman represents our soul whereas on the corporate level it represents the church. Once the departure of the manchild occurs, the church is left in a weaker state, susceptible to being pursued by the dragon. The dragon was unable to consume the manchild and was cast out of that realm so for a short time the pursuit continues for the woman who had fled into the wilderness, where she has a place prepared by God.
Revelation 12:14 But the woman was given two wings of the great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness to her place, where she is nourished for a time and times and half a time, from the presence of the serpent.
Here we see the woman sustained in the wilderness by FATHER. The wilderness is a time of trial and testing for a short time. Just as manna was given to the children of Israel in the wilderness of the Old Testament, the Word has been fed to the church to sustain it during their journey as well. The fact that the serpent is pursuing the church reveals to us that the church is important to FATHER. HE is the One Who provides a place of refuge. The serpent understands the value of the church or there would be no pursuit to deceive it as well. The church served its function in tutoring my family until we were mature enough to go out on our own into the deeper truths. We must not be critical of the church as we should not be critical of our own soul where the battle has raged in the past. Each has a function and when each takes the position to serve, that purpose is fulfilled. I appreciated the vision by Paulat, the arrows shot, and the wisdom to depart. It opened up a much deeper relationship with FATHER and removed the separation created by (and the reliance of) the five-fold ministry so that I heard directly from FATHER rather than through men and women. I believe it is important to hear from others whom FATHER has given a Word for the Body but not as a substitute for a personal relationship with HIM. Our trust must be focused on HIM not men.
If Christ is the firstfruit and the Sons of GOD are the firstfruits, then the church is the resulting fruit of the harvest, hence the reason for the serpent’s focus on the woman. Ultimately, the church becomes the glorious bride as Revelation 21 reveals:
1 Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea.
2 Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
Remember, the Sons are around the throne residing in the Temple and outward is the city, the dwelling place of His church. Babylon must fall and then the Bride is made ready. The church will see Babylon fall with all of its illusions, perceptions, doctrines, creeds, and traditions. Mystery Babylon has kept the earth and the sea in confusion and chaos. It has misled and misdirected the church to support its agenda unaware of its carnal intent. The Sons are raised up to represent the unsoiled Truth and will sweep away the refuge of lies as the Water of the Word becomes as hard as hailstones. These hailstones will break away the encrusted lies upon lies that have been fed to an unsuspecting population. The ruse will be up. The flesh depicted by the sea will be no more. FATHER provides a path of escape for the woman in order to sustain her until her time arrives to be redeemed and fully restored, she is transported by “two wings of the great eagle”. In the Song of Moses found in Deuteronomy chapter 32, we find the reference to the eagle’s wings:
10 “He found him in a desert land
And in the wasteland, a howling wilderness;
He encircled him, He instructed him,
He kept him as the apple of His eye.
11 As an eagle stirs up its nest,
Hovers over its young,
Spreading out its wings, taking them up,
Carrying them on its wings,
FATHER has a plan of restoration for everyone and none will be deceived by the serpent or consumed by the dragon. All mankind will be restored, each in his own order or timing and none will be lost. The woman will be sustained and nourished by FATHER and the serpent is unable to pursue her since there is no food to sustain it in this desert. The Sons are caught up to Heaven and the church is protected and sustained in the wilderness. The Revelation of Love and its ultimate plan of redemption is moving forward in it perfect plan. Neither the serpent nor the dragon can prevent the plan from coming to fruition and all attempts to deceive and devour will be overcome. The pursuit of the woman is temporary.