By Gene De Berry
Recently I received an e-mail from a friend in Texas asking me who I thought "the remnant of her seed" was in the verse below:
Rev. 12:17 says, "And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ."
I answered him by beginning with an attempt of first describing the woman in the verse. She, in my opinion, is shown as a wonderful universal and all inclusive women:
Verse 12:1 says, "And there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of 12 stars:"
The woman is shown as clothed with the sun -- which to me is describing the church in this present age of grace. The "sun" here, is describing the Son of God, the Lord Jesus Christ, shining and engulfing her with himself as her glorious clothing.
The moon under her feet is referring to Israel (in the age of the law) especially including the 10 Commandments.
The crown of 12 stars upon her head, represents the Old Testament patriarchs.
It seems to me, that with this full description of the woman, that the remnant of her seed includes only some of the Jews who are living at the time described here, which keep the commandments of God, (for sure, not all the Jews will try to keep the commandments of God, now or at that time).
And then the verse also includes the general harvest of the church which "have the testimony of Jesus Christ."
Remember, Steve, that the first fruits of the harvest have already been raptured in verse 5, which says, "And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and to his throne."
As you can see, my points here go right along with many authors who teach the "partial" or "selective rapture" of the church. Of course there are many others who prescribe to the pre-tribulation or either the post tribulation rapture. And there are others who teach the mid-tribulation view. But irregardless of the many different views in respect of the rapture of the church, just let me know and I'll send you the verses on the partial or selective rapture.
And just to whet your appetite for more verses, please notice that nothing is said about the Lord descending to catch this "man child" up to heaven, as does 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17. Those verses do show the Lord descending from heaven and that he does catch away his general harvest there.
Rev 4:1 shows the "voice" saying, "Come up here," but there, it does not say a single thing about the Lord descending in order to catch John (individually) up to heaven. John there, is a type of the first fruits, a picture as to what will happen (corporately) to the actual first fruits rapture as the church age is beginning to end.
And then the seventh angel sounds the seventh trumpet (Rev. 11:15), which is the last trumpet. Again it is for the general harvest, but it is sounded just as a signal only, and not as a speaking as with the first fruits above. All this together shows why we must be prepared, corporately and individually (in a proper church) if we desire to be "selected" to go up in the first wave of the rapture.
