The Manchild Rev. 12:5

[BanjoPicker]

Manchild--Various Interpretations. The manchild od Rev. 12:5. This is another symbol and must be treated as such. The following are four theories of the manchild and the reason why they could not possibly be the idea of the symbol.

The Manchild as Christ

It is believed by some that the manchild is Christ because He came from Israel according to the flesh Rom. 9:4, 5, because He will rule the nations with a rod of iron Rev. 19:15; Ps. 2, because He was translated to God Eph. 1:20, and because He is called a man 2 Tim. 2:5.

This argument is too general and proves nothing, for every Jew came from Israel according to the flesh. Upon this basis any one son of Isarel could be taken as the manchild. The expression "rod of iron" means authority over the nations, and in this sense every raptured saint will have such authority with Christ, as is proved by the following Scriptures in both Testaments.

The Old Testament saints will reign with Christ Ps. 149:6-9; Dan. 7:18, 27; Matt. 9:11, 12; Jer. 30:9; Ezek. 34:24; 37:24, 25; Hos. 3:5.

The church saints will reign with Christ Matt. 19:28; 20:20-28; Rom. 8:17; 1 Cor. 4:8; 6:2; 2 Tim. 2:12; Rev. 1:5, 6; 2:26,27.

The 144,000 Jews will reign with Christ Rev. 7:1-8; 12:5; 14:1-5; Ps. 149:6-9; Dan. 7:18, 27.

The tribulation saints and all who have part in the first resurrection will reign with Christ Rev. 20 :4-6.

Therefore, in view of the fact that all saints of all ages will reign with Christ, then concludes that the phrase "rod of iron" in Rev. 12:5 does not prove that Christ is the manchild any more than it could be used to prove that any one of the above mentioned for companies of the redeemed is the manchild. All the saints will not have the same degree of rule, nor will it depend on whether they are in a certain company that they will rule, but all be given authority in proportion to their degree of faithfulness in the service rendered here on Earth. That will be determined at the judgment seat of Christ Lk. 19:11-27; Matt. 16:27; Rom. 14:10; 1 Cor. 3:11-16; 2 Cor 5:10, 11.

The translation of Christ is no definite proof that Christ is the manchild. The angel is not showing John the historical ascension of Christ, which he saw with his own eyes about sixty years previously, but a prophecy that will be fulfilled in the middle of the Week as revealed here. All raptured saints will be caught up to God and His throne 1 Thess 2:19; 3:13; 4:13-18; 5:23; Rev. 3:21; 4:4; 7:9-17; 14:1-5; 19:1-10.

That Christ is called a man does not prove that Christ is the manchild, for others are also called men in Scripture. The church is called a man Eph. 2:15; 4:13. Hence, we see that all these arguments are too general and cannot be used as proof that Christ, any other individual, or group of individuals, is symbolized by the manchild.

This theory destroys the plain consecutive order of the book of Revelation, disregards the natural divisions, and inserts historical events in this plain prophecy. If this theory is true, it would make necessary the fulfillment of all of Rev. 1:1-12:4 before the ascension of Christ. Surely it has been proved incontrovertibly that we are dealing with things in the middle of the Week and all that of Rev. 4-22 takes place after the Church Age. The plain statements concerning the woman and manchild could not possibly be harmonized with the events in the lives of Christ and the virgin Mary. Therefore, This, theory that Christ is the manchild is out of harmony with the thought intended in the "prophecy" and has no part in the things which must shorty come to pass.

 

[BanjoPicker]

The Manchild as the True Church

It is believed by some that the church is the manchild, and the professing Christians are the woman. It is taught that the church will be caught up out of the mass of professing Christians who will be left here to go into the wilderness, because the majority in Christendom will not be in the church, and therefore will not be ready to go up in the rapture.

This argument is no proof that the church is symbolized by the manchild and the mass of professing Christians. Then, too, there is no statement or indication to this effect in Scripture. Otherwise, it would have been given. Neither does such an argument prove that the church is caught up in the middle of the Week. The church will be raptured before the Week in Rev. 4:1. This being true, the church cannot be caught up in the middle of the Week, as will the manchild. This theory, like the one about Christ mentioned above, is out of harmony with plain revelation concerning the woman and the manchild.

It is further believed that the sun with which the woman is clothed means the righteousness of Christ, that the moon symbolizes the Jewish ordinances superseded by the teaching of Christ, and that the twelve stars in her crown represent the twelve apostles.
This is also without scriptural foundation and really contradicts their own arguments. For the woman cannot be the mass of professing Christians who are all ready to meet Christ or go up in the rapture and still be clothed with the righteousness of Christ. If the professing Christians were clothed with the righteousness of Christ, they would be Christ's and if they were His, they would go in the rapture along with all other Christians 1 Cor. 15:20-23; 1 Thess. 4:16. Instead of clothing professing Christians with His righteousness, Christ condemns such to eternal ****ation Matt. 23; Rev. 3:14-17; Gal. 5:19-21; 6:7, 8; Rom. 8:12, 13.

On the same grounds, the twelve stars cannot represent the twelve apostles, for they are the foundation of the true church and are not in the crowd of backslidden professing Christians Eph. 2:19-22. Such a theory would have us believe that Christ and the apostles sanctioned hypocrisy and a mere profession of the gospel, but such sanction they never gave. God will never protect a body of professing Christians who trample His Word under their feet any more than He will others who admit that they are sinners. It is beyond all reason to believe that He would do this and on the other hand allow the godly tribulation saints to suffer martyrdom without such protection and care. However, in the case of Israel, God has sworn to protect her in the same manner that He is to protect this woman, as we have seen. God, to fulfill His covenants with their fathers, is obligated to protect Israel and bring her back to Himself. The primary purpose of the tribulation is to accomplish this.

It is argued that Christendom will travail in the middle of the Week because of the persecution of Christians by the Antichrist.
This argument cannot be used of Christians, for in no passage do we find any statement the Christendom will travail in the middle of the Week or at any other time. If the woman symbolizes the mass of professing Christians, she does not have real salvation, or she would be raptured. People must have real salvation if they undergo any serious persecution. This need not be the case with Israel, for the Jews are to be persecuted in fulfillment of prophecy. They cannot escape the persecutions by denying some faith as will be possible with Christians during the Seventieth Week, for they will be persecuted because of nationality regardless of their religion.

Some think that the manchild is the church because the seventh trumpet Rev. 11:14-13:18, according to their belief, is the same as the "last trump" which is blown at the rapture of the church 1 Cor. 15:51-58; 1 Thess. 4:13-18.
This association of the seventh trumpet with the "trump of God" does not prove that the church s the manchild. There are many points of contrast between these trumpets as has been proved. Even after this seventh or so-called "last trump" takes place there will be others sounded in the tribulation Isa. 27:12, 13; Zeph. 1:16-18; Zech. 9:14, 15; Matt. 24:31. In conclusion therefore, it is clear that the church cannot be symbolized by the manchild, or Christendom by the woman.

 

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The Bride Part of the Church as the Manchild

This theory teaches that the manchild represents the bride part of the church, and that the bride of Christ is not to be the church, but merely a select company of believers, known better as full overcomers who are outside of the church. This theory resolves itself into two questions.

First question.
Are the body of Christ and the church the same? According to this theory they are not the same. However, three definite passages prove that they are the same Eph. 1:22, 23; Col. 1:18,24. These passages state that the body of Christ and the church are the same. There is no plain passage that teaches a difference between the church and a bride part of the church. No Scripture ever mentions a difference between the body of Christ and the church.

Second question.
Are there two classes of people in the church, partial overcomers as the church and full overcomers as the bride part of the church? This theory teaches that there are two classes of people and attempts to create within the church two groups of believers, those who partially live in sin and those who do not, those who partially overcome and those who fully overcome. This class of interpreters uses the seven promises that are made to the overcomer in Rev. 2 and 3 and claim that the full overcomers form the bride who receive rewards and reign with Christ, and that the partial overcomers are to be finally saved but have no part in Christ's reign. Let us examine the New Testament books to determine whether there are two groups in the church or not.
Paul in writing to the Corinthians leaves no doubt with them as to whether or not they form a part of the body of Christ saying, "For as the body is one [not two parts] . . . by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body." If the body is not one then we might say that the Spirit is not one. If we can misconstrue such plain language and divide the one body, we can also divide the one Spirit of the same grounds, for the same terms are used of both. Paul continues, "Now ye are the body of Christ and members in particular. And God hath set some in the church, first apostles," 1 Cor. 12:12-28. This passage, at least, does not advance the above theory that there are two parts of the body of Christ.
The truth in all Scripture is that only those that are saved and ready to meet God are a part of the body of Christ. In this connection, there are many passages which teach that there is only one class of people in the church and that these are the ones who overcome sin and live a holy life. These cannot be two classes of such people. Every Christian is and overcomer and no one is a Christian and saved who does not overcome, as is amply proved in 1 Jn. 3:8; Rom. 6:16-23; 8:12, 13; Gal. 5:17-21; 6:7, 8; Heb. 12:14; Matt. 7:21-23.
These passages clearly state that one either righteous or unrighteous, saved or lost, holy or unholy, consecrated or unconsecrated. There are no half-breeds in the body of Christ. Jesus said, "No man can serve two masters" and if there were such a thing as living a partial life for God and part for the devil at the same time, He would not have made this statement. If there were different degrees of overcoming in the sense the above theory teaches surely, we should have some passage teaching it. If we hold any other standard and tell whether one is overcoming sufficiently or not? Not one passage holds any promise to those who do not overcome, and on the contrary, there are numerous rebukes to people for their sins, showing that "they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God," Gal. 5:17-21; 6:7, 8; Rom. 8:12, 13; Rev. 3:15-19.
Paul further likens the church to a human body with many members 1 Cor. 12:12-28 and it is just as unreasonable and unscriptural to argue that there are two kinds of parts to a human body, and that some members are not in the body because they are not as perfect or mature as some others, as to use this same line of reasoning about the church. It is not a question as to the degree of overcoming according to human standards, it is a question of whether one is walking in all the light he has and is in Christ 2 Cor. 5:17; 1 Jn. 1:7. Every member does not have the same function and therefore all do not have the same problems to overcome.

 

[BanjoPicker]

The Holy Spirit Baptized People as the Manchild

According to this theory it is claimed that the manchild represents only those Christians who have received the baptism of the Spirit, and that all other Christians compose the woman and the remnant who are left after the rapture to go through the tribulation. The school supporting this theory uses the parable of the ten virgins and 1 Cor. 12:12, 13 in trying to support their position. Let us examine what they offer as proof.
This passage 1 Cor. 12:12, 13 does not and could not teach the baptism in the Holy Spirit but a baptism in the body of Christ. It shows just how the body constituted. It is the particular work of the Spirit to bring the individual into the body of Christ Jn. 3:3-8; 16:7-11; Rom. 8:1-4, 9-13; 1 Cor. 6:1112:12, 13 Eph. 2:18; 4:4; Titus 3:5, while it is the special work of Christ to baptize the members of that body into the Spirit Matt. 3:11; Mk. 1:7, 8; Lk. 3:16; Jn. 1:33; 7:37, 38; Acts 1:5-8; 2:1-4; 8:15-19; 9:17; 10:44-48; 11:15; 19:1-6. If 1 Cor. 12:12, 13 means the baptism in the Spirit, it would read, "For by Jesus are we baptized into one Spirit," but it reads by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body." The baptism of the Spirit does not place one in the body of Christ, neither does it cleanse from sin. One must be in the body before he can be baptized into the Spirit.
In 1 Cor. 12, 13, and 14 the subject is spiritual gifts or things concerning the Spirit, their meanings, manifestations, and operations in the body of Christ, hence 1 Cor. 12:12, 13, as proved by the context, does not refer to the baptism into the Spirit by Jesus, but refers to the constitution of that body by the Spirit. We are baptized into the body of Christ by the Spirit in the sense of being immersed into Christ as a vital part of His body 1 Cor. 12:12-28; Rom. 6:3-6; Gal. 3:26-28; Eph. 2:14-22; 4:1-16; 5:30. Therefore, it is to be conclude that 1 Cor. 12:121, 13 does not prove that the manchild represents those who are baptized in the Holy Spirit. For a study of the ten virgins proves that the ten virgins do not refer to present Christians at all.

 

[BanjoPicker]

The Manchild--the True Interpretation

The manchild symbolizes the 144,000 Jews who are the "first-fruits" to God from Israel, after the rapture of all Jews of the church and the Old Testament Saints. The reason for this belief are as follows:
1. It has been conclusively proved that the woman represents Israel. Since this is true, it follows logically that Israel could not bring forth a company of Gentiles. She is sure to bring forth a company and this company naturally will be from those of her own nationality, the Jews. She could not bring forth an individual person. Only an individual could do that. Thus, the manchild could only represent a company of Jews out of Israel. The woman represents a company of Jews. The "remnant" is a company of Jews, so the manchild necessarily must represent a company of Jews in order to fulfill the plain statements of Rev. 12. This alone would exclude the theory that Christ is the manchild. There is no other company of Jews definitely mentioned in the fulfillment of Rev. 4-19 in Daniel's Seventieth Week other than the 144,000. Then, too, as the salvation and sealing of this company of Jews for protection through the trumpet judgments are the only ones described, it seems clear that these Jews are the ones to be caught up in the seventh trumpet as the manchild.
2. Also seen is that the woman cannot be the spirit of Christendom, or the church, and the manchild cannot be the church, overcomers out of the church, or any Gentile Christians. Thus, by a process of elimination, we have left only one group of people, the Jews, from which to draw the personnel of the manchild. Therefore, what other company could be represented but the 144,000 Jews of Rev. 7 and 14? The manchild must be limited to one of the four companies of redeemed heavenly saints who are saved in the scope of redemption from Adam to the first resurrection. These companies are saved, dispensationally, in the order which when one company is complete then the gathering of the succeeding one begins.
3. The manchild represents a company of living saints only, for the woman will travail and bring forth the complete manchild in the middle of the Week. She will not bring forth a party dead and party living child at this time. This seems clear from the very language of the chapter. The dragon will stand before the woman to devour her child as soon as it is born, but the child will be immediately "caught up to God and to his throne."
How could the dragon kill the manchild if it were composed of dead, or even resurrected people? Such a thing is an impossibility and therefore proves that the manchild must represent living people only, who will be living in their natural bodies and who will have the possibility of being killed. This eliminates the Old Testament Saints, the church saints, and the tribulation saints. The only remaining company of redeemed that has not been eliminated, and the only one composed wholly of living saints is the 144,000 Jews. They will be sealed to go through the first six trumpet judgments and will be caught up under the seventh trumpet as the manchild. They are seen in Heaven throughout the last three and one-half years so they must be raptured in the middle of the Week Rev. 14:1-5. By catching them up to his throne, God will supernaturally protect the manchild or 144,000 of Israel from the dragon and the Antichrist, when the latter breaks his covenant with Israel in the middle of the Week.

 

[BanjoPicker]

An examination of Rev. 7 and 14 proves that the 144,000 of Israel is the manchild. The main facts in these Chapters are:

1. The companies in both chapters are the same because both companies are sealed in their foreheads Rev. 7:1-3; 14:1, both are the same in number Rev. 7:4; 14:1, and both have histories that are complete only when they are considered together. Chapters 7 and 14 of Revelation show the destiny, time of the rapture, place or position in Heaven, and the occupation of the 144,000 Jews around the throne. There is nothing in these chapters or in any other Scripture that would lead un to believe that the 144,000 Jews of the two chapters are not the same; therefore, naturally consider them the same.

2. The destiny of the 144,000 Jews proves them to be the manchild Rev. 14:1-5. They will appear "before the throne" in Heaven and "before the four beasts and the elders" who are before the throne. It is expressly stated that they will be redeemed from the earth" and "from among men." Therefore, they cannot be earthly people who will go through the last three and one-half years of tribulation, and who will form the nucleus around which the twelve tribes will be gathered in the Millennium. The fact they will be in Heaven between the seventh trumpet and the first vial shows that they will have been raptured.
Under these circumstances, if they are not raptured as the manchild in the middle of the Week, just when would they be raptured? The three messenger angels immediately following this vision of the 144,000 in Heaven, will proclaim their particular messages from the middle of the Week onward Rev. 14:6-11, so it stands to reason that the vision will be fulfilled in the place it is given, which is immediately after the manchild is caught up to God under the seventh trumpet, and before the vials and the ministry of the messenger angels.

 

[BanjoPicker]

The time of the rapture of the 144,000 Jews shows them to be represented by the manchild.

If the 144,000 are seen on Earth up to the middle of the Week, and in Heaven immediately after the seventh trumpet which blows in the middle of the Week, then they are sure to be raptured as the manchild in the middle of the Week. It can be seen that the Old Testament and the church saints will be caught up in Heaven before the Seventieth Week and that they will be with God in Heaven, represented by the elders. It can also be seen that the tribulation saints will be martyred principally after the rapture of the manchild, but not caught up until about the end of the Week. The only other place for the insertion of the rapture of the 144,000 is in Rev. 12:5. Therefore the manchild must be the 144,000 who will caught under the seventh trumpet, for immediately after this trumpet they will be seen in Heaven before God Rev. 14:1-5.
In the circumstances, if the 144,000 are not to be raptured as the manchild, then how and when would it be possible for them to be raptured? Then too, where is the account of their rapture in the Bible? If the 144,000 are not the manchild, the history of the manchild is incomplete. Also, if the catching of the man child is not the rapture of the 144,000, then mystery shrouds the rapture of the 144,000 as well as the destiny and position of the manchild around the throne. But when we once realize that the 144,000 and the manchild are the same, that John saw the 144,000 caught up to Heaven as the manchild in Rev. 12:5 and that the history of the manchild is completed in Rev. 14:1-5, all mysteries and questions cease to be.

 

[BanjoPicker]

The place in which John saw the 144.000:

Further proves that they will be in Heaven before the second advent of Christ to Earth, and necessarily must be raptured before then. When, if not as the manchild? John seemed to see this company at two places, namely, on the Mount Zion, and in Heaven before God. Some argue that this Mount Zion is the earthly one and that the whole scene Rev. 14:1-5 must be earthly, but we should believe that Rev. 14:1 is heavenly and refers to that heavenly Mount Zion because.

A. The rest of the verse refer to heavenly things. This cannot be disputed because the scenes in Heaven are pictured in such a plain language. The throne, the living creatures and elders all show a heavenly setting. The throne referred to here does not come down to Earth from Heaven until after the Millennium, and then it is on the heavenly Mount Zion and in the New Jerusalem Rev. 21:22; 22:3-5. If these verses Rev. 14:2-5 picture heavenly things, then Rev. 14:1 does also.

B. The "Lamb" seen on Mount Zion" with the 144.000 is never seen on Earth in the Revelation, but always in Heaven, as can be verified by the reader himself. When Christ comes to Earth He will not be pictured as a lamb but as a mighty conqueror taking vengeance on the ungodly Rev. 19:11-21.

C. All redeemed peoples who have part in the first resurrection will have their abode in the New Jerusalem, which is always spoken of in connection with heavenly, redeemed people Heb. 11:10; 13:16; John 14:1-6; Rev. 21, 22. Paul states in Heb. 12"18-24 that there is a heavenly Mount Ziion, so if Rev. 14:2-5 speaks of heavenly things, the Mount Zion of Rev. 14:1 must be the heavenly one.